Volume 31, Number 7

March 2012

Adar / Nisan 5772

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T E M P L E B E T H A B R A H A M

Pu RiM

Volume 36, Number 9 • May 2017 • Iyar/Sivan 5777

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GENERAL INFORMATION: All phone numbers use (510) prefix unless otherwise noted.Mailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610Hours M-Th: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Fr: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.Office Phone 832-0936Office Fax 832-4930E-Mail info@tbaoakland.org

STAFFRabbi (x 213) Mark Bloom

Cantor Richard Kaplan, kaplanmusic@hotmail.com

Gabbai Marshall LangfeldExecutive Director (x 214) Rayna ArnoldOffice Manager (x 210) Virginia TigerBet Sefer Director Susan Simon 663-1683

Gan Avraham Director Jill Rosenthal & Marta Molina 763-7528

Bookkeeper (x 215) Suzie ShermanFacilities Manager (x 211) Joe LewisKindergym/ Toddler Program Dawn Margolin 547-7726

Volunteers (x 229) Herman & Agnes PencovicOFFICERS OF THE BOARDPresident Laura Wildmann 601-9571Vice President Alice Hale 336-3044Vice President JB Leibovitch 653-7133Vice President Etta Heber 530-8320Vice President Ulli Rotzscher 559-0632Secretary David Goodwin 655-0529Treasurer Daniel Jaffe 479-7441

COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS: If you would like to contact the committee chairs, please contact the synagogue office for phone numbers and email addresses.

Adult Education Aaron PaulChesed Warren GouldDevelopment Leon Bloomfield & Flo RaskinDues Evaluation Daniel JaffeEndowment Fund Charles BernsteinFinance Daniel Jaffe

Gan Avraham Parents Marieka Schotland & Carolyn Bernstein

Gan Avraham School Committee Aaron Goldberg

House Stephen ShubIsrael Affairs JB LeibovitchMembership Ulli RotzscherMen’s Club Jereme AlbinOmer Lisa Fernandez & Rachel DornhelmPersonnel Laura WildmannPublic Relations Lisa FernandezRitual Eric FriedmanSchools Alice HaleSocial Action Marc BrunerTorah Fund Anne LevineWomen of TBA Jessica SterlingYouth Amanda Cohen

SERVICES SCHEDULEMonday & Thursday Morning Minyan In the Chapel, 8:00 a.m. On Holidays, start time is 9:00 a.m.

Friday Evening (Kabbalat Shabbat) In the Chapel, 6:15 p.m.

Candle Lighting (Friday)May 5 7:46 p.m.May 12 7:52 p.m.May 19 7:58 p.m.May 26 8:04 p.m.

Shabbat Morning In the Sanctuary, 9:30 a.m.

Torah Portions (Saturday)May 6 Achrei Mot-KedoshimMay 13 EmorMay 20 Behar-BechukotaiMay 27 Bamidbar

TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAMis proud to support the Conservative Movement by affiliating with The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Advertising Policy: Anyone may sponsor an issue of The Omer and receive a dedication for their busi-ness or loved one. Contact us for details. We do not accept outside or paid advertising.

The Omer is published on paper that is 30% post-consumer fibers.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Oakland, CA.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Omer, c/o Temple Beth Abraham, 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610-3232.

© 2017. Temple Beth Abraham.

The Omer (USPS 020299) is published by Temple Beth Abraham, a non-profit, located at 336 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610; telephone (510) 832-0936. It is published monthly except for the months of July and August for a total of 10 issues per annum. It is sent as a requester publica-tion and there is no paid distribution.

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what’s happening

MAH JONGGJoin us on the 2nd Shabbat of the month as we gather in the Chapel after Kiddush.May 13th

Please join WTBA for our annual

GIRLS NIGHT OUTCreate Your Summer

Reading List Thursday, May 4

7:30 - 9:00 p.m.Baum Youth Center, 341 MacArthur

Girls Night Out is a free, casual, monthly event to gather TBA women together for relaxed and unstruc-tured social time. For May bring your favorite reads to share with others and get some awesome recommendations for YOUR next great book. Whether you’re into chic lit, myster-ies, non-fiction, literature or all-of-the-above, we’ve got a recommendation for you.Please feel free to bring your hard copies and Kindles to share your favorites.We provide the wine & goodies. You provide the intel-lectual horsepower and sense of fun!Come join the coolest women on Thursday, May 4! Whether you’ve come once or come regularly, we guarantee you’ll have fun. Jo: joilfeld@me.com for more information.

Shavuot Services

Wednesday, May 31Thursday, June 19:00 am - noon

Temple Beth Abraham Yom haZikaron Ceremony

Monday, May 1, 2017 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel

followed byYom haAztma’ut Celebration

in the small courtyard.

FIFTH ANNUAL EAST BAY TIKKUN OLAM CHESED DAYS

May 7 & June 25Join TBA and your fellow Jews from other synagogues

all around the East Bay as we engage in acts of chesed (kindness) and tikkun olam (repair of the world).

For more information and to register, please go to http://ebtocd.weebly.com/ and sign-up by April 28.

It’s a lot of FUN and it feels good, too!

HOLD THE DATE:

TBA ANNUAL MEETINGSUNDAY, MAY 21, 2017WATCH YOUR MAIL BOX FOR THE AGENDA

AND OTHER PAPERWORK

SHABBAT MISHPACHA for preschool-aged children and their families.

Kitah Gimmel classroom.May 6, 10:15 a.m.

T’FILLAT Y’LADIM for children in Kindergarten,

1st & 2nd grade and their families. In the Chapel.

May 6, 10:15 a.m.

Please Join Us for TBA’s Youth Services

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from the rabbiA Tale of Two Seas in IsraelThere is a Midrash about two famous bodies in Israel, Lake Kineret or the Sea of Galilee in the North and Yam Hamelach (Salt Sea) or the Dead Sea in the South. The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake, while the Dead Sea has some of the highest salt content in the world. As anyone who has ever visited the Dead Sea knows, the salt content is so high that you immediately float.

The Sea of Galilee is filled with life—fish, plants, and other things that thrive in fresh water. On the other hand, the salt content of the Dead Sea is so high that nothing is able to live there—hence its name, the Dead Sea.

Both are fed by the Jordan River, so the rabbinic sages asked: what is the reason that one is so full of life and in the other nothing can live?

The answer is that the Sea of Galilee has an outlet. It receives water from the Jordan River but then distributes it back on the other side. It takes and it gives back. The Dead Sea, on the other hand, simply receives water from the Jordan River, but there it ends. It takes and takes, but does not give anything back.

The lesson is simple but profound. The secret to living a good life is in both receiving and giving. If one only takes, it is impossible to truly live. So it is with the water, and so it is with us. May we be like Lake Kineret, the Sea of Galilee, graciously receiving and gener-ously giving of ourselves, for in giving and receiving we are rewarded with good life and we help sustain the goodness of the world.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Mark Bloom

Join Rabbi Bloom and the TBA Band

Rock 'n Roll Shabbat Friday May 19th

6:15 PM

Followed by a Family Shabbat Chicken Dinner

Vegetarian option available only when requested in advance

Dinner is $18 per adult $7 per child (4 years old and under are free)

RSVP to virginia@tbaoakland.org by May 15 (Virginia's email reply is your confirmation)

Please specify form of payment: Mail a check, add to your monthly bill, or charge to a credit card

Morning Minyan on Mondays & ThursdaysJoin the regulars at our Minyan service, each Monday and Thursday usually starting at 8:00 a.m. The service lasts about an hour, and is really a great way to start the day. As an added bonus, breakfast is served immediately afterwards. To use the old expression – try it, you’ll like it. If not as a regular, just stop in once or twice and see what it’s all about.

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from the presidentThe Power of WaterBy Laura WildmannStanding at the top of Nevada Falls in Yosemite on a recent trip with my family, I was awed by the power and beauty of the waterfall. The immense amount of water pouring over the falls roared loudly enough that we had to shout to be heard over the noise of the waterfall. And we were chilled by both the spray of water off the falls and the actual decrease in air temperature caused by the nearby falls. In Yosemite, with its majestic waterfalls, granite rock formations, and spectacular views and with escaping from some of the man-made conveniences of home, I could more easily feel the presence of God.

Nowadays, we understand so much more about how the world works and have so much more control over our world and our lives than people in biblical times. One can imag-ine how in ancient times, the Israelites were comforted to believe that God was protect-ing them from the many forces that they didn’t understand and couldn’t control. Jewish liturgy is certainly full of examples of the forces of water: the flood in Noah, God part-ing the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt, Moses striking the rock to get water in the desert, and prayers for water for crops. Our extreme drought in California has reminded us that we can’t control the weather. The lack of rain had far less of an impact on our community than on those in the Central Valley who rely on the rains for their livelihood. And while we have more control over our water supply than the people in ancient times, with reservoirs, irrigation systems, and running water in our homes, really all we could do during the drought was pray for rain.

In Yosemite, after our hike, sleeping in the Yosemite Lodge and listening to sound of the rain pounding down on the roof, I was grateful for the man-made conveniences pro-tecting us from the forces of nature that we can’t control. But we had a leak in the roof with water dripping on us in our room that night – just a little reminder of the power of nature.

Steve Shub helping Aaron Paul lay tefillin before his second bar mitzvah!

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from the editor

THE OMER We cheerfully accept member submissions. Deadline for articles and letters is the seventh of the month preceding publication.

Editors in Chief Lisa Fernandez & Rachel Dornhelm

Layout & Design Jessica SterlingCalendars Virginia Tiger

Cover Artwork Photos

B’nai Mitzvah Editor Susan Simon

Help From People like you!

Copy Editors Jessica Dell’Era, Nadine Joseph, Richard Kauffman, Lori Rosenthal, Jan Silverman, Debbie Spangler

ProofreadersJune Brott, Jessica Dell’Era, Charles Feltman, Elizabeth James, Jeanne Korn, Anne Levine, Susan Simon, Debbie Spangler

Distribution Hennie Hecht-ZilberbergMailing Address 336 Euclid Ave. Oakland, CA 94610

eMail omer@tbaoakland.org

Hebrew School and Swimming Lessons, No Wiggle RoomBy Lisa FernandezMy kids are involved in a lot of activities. Hip hop. Basketball. BBYO. Football. Drums. I don’t really care what they do, really, as long as they stay busy and active.

Well, except for two things. Hebrew school and swimming are not up for debate in my house. Both are integral to Milah and Noah becoming better and stronger people. And from a purely practical matter, swimming is possibly even more important, as it can be a matter of life or death if they don’t know how. The Talmud states parents have an obliga-tion to teach their children to swim.

So, my kids are really good swimmers.

They’ve been swimming since they were 3, first taking lessons at the Berkeley YMCA, and now, both are on swim teams, following in the footsteps of my husband, Bob, who was a tri-state champ when he was a kid.

Not only am I giving a plug to having your children be more than comfortable in water, I am also giving a plug to becoming a member of the East Bay Regional Park District. For $105 a year, your entire family can use all the parks in the system, including parking and swimming fees. We use it like crazy. We live at Lake Temescal in the summer, jumping in for quick swims near our house. We also like to go to Cull Canyon in Castro Valley, where they have a cool dock for diving. There’s also nearby Lake Anza in Berkeley.

Now that the drought is over, and the algae has presumably dissipated in these lakes, my call to action is this: Get your kids (and yourselves) swimming and check out a local lake when the weather warms up.

Front cover photo credits:

Pic 1: Jessica Dell’era gets her toes wet at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg.

Pic 2: Shacker family tours the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.

Pic 3: Roslyn Aronson went to the Japanese Gardens in Hayward for her birthday in February.

Pic 4: Hildie Spritzer chases the desert bloom in Palm Desert in April

Pic 5: Ann Rapson captures the Pacific Ocean taken at mag-nificent Pt. Lobos near Carmel.

Pic 6: Margolins on the San Francisco Bay.

Pic 7: Debbie Weinstein took this shot of Glen Aulin – one of the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite.

Page 5 photo credits:

Pic 8: Ann Rapson saw a huge pool at the Hapuna Prince Hotel nestled into Hapuna Bay.

Pic 9: Gregg Morris visited the North Maui blow hole in Janurary.

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six word memoirSix-Word Memoir: Watercompiled by Jessica TeischFavorite body of water; my bath. Family roots, flourishing by the stream.

-Kate Flick Garcia, 67

The calming sound of ocean waves.-Juliette Linzer, 53

Loud rain, swift currents, rainbow finish.-Jonathan Carey, 52

Toddler in bed = Mayim on sheets.-Steven Jacobs

Boundary Waters - Paddling is like meditationYuba River - best natural water park around!Rain on the roof - sleep cozy.

-Ben Stiegler

Water is life, can bring peace.Without water, no life can exist.Learning to swim: never too old.Just like water, Torah quenches thirst.

-Karen Bloom, age 47

Jersey Shore, youthful tanning without concerns.Seeing Red Sea - history comes alive!

-Lori-Jill Seltzer

Sprinklers on dry summer lawns, singing, dancing. -Jan Frankel, adult

Live where you sea salt water.-Charles Feltman, 74

Israeli technology helps CA deserts bloom.Life’s goal: Swimming every ocean, lake!

-Ann Rapson, 62, oy!

Melting horse head-shaped icicle...really!-Alysa Chadow

Swimming Lake Tahoe, cold, invigorating, tinglyRaindrops bring abundant colorful Spring flowers!Rain makes applesauce, Mom always says

-Treya Weintraub, 50 plus!

The Six-Word Memoirs on Jewish Life is a partnership between Reboot (www.rebooters.net) and Larry Smith. In November 2006, writer and editor Larry Smith issued a challenge to fans of his online publication, SMITH Magazine. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s legendary shortest of short stories (“For sale: Baby shoes, never worn”), Smith asked readers to describe their lives in six words. Since then, the Six-Word Memoir® made its debut in 2006, nearly one million short life stories have been shared on the storytelling community SMITH Magazine website.

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women of tba

Sponsored by Women of TBA & Oakland Ruach Hadassah

ROSH CHODESH Monday, May 1All East Bay women are invited to join.

The group meets monthly on the Monday close to Rosh Chodesh, this month from 10:00-12:00 p.m. at rotating members’ homes. The meetings are facilitated by members of the group.

Questions? Amy Tessler at abtessler@comcast.net or (510) 482-1218 to get on the distribution list for the upcoming meeting locations. FREE.

Misia Nudler Retiring from Long Service at ReutlingerBy Jeanne KornThis April marked a milestone for a longtime TBA mem-ber. After a 50-year run of non-stop service at our Jewish retirement home, Misia Nudler let it be known that, final-ly, she had volunteered at her last Bingo game.

Misia survived the Holocaust, met her husband, Harold, in a displaced persons camp, and in 1949, emigrated to the U.S. with him. Misia and her friends Ida Gevertz, Tobe Burnstein, and Shirley Silver started volunteering at the Home for Jewish Parents in 1955, when it was located on 27th Avenue, in East Oakland. They helped feed and care for the residents, even holding barbecues, and entertaining them. They led a monthly Bingo game for the residents, with humor and passion. Years later, Pola Silver joined them upon her retirement from the working world. When the home moved to Danville in 1999 and later became the Reutlinger Community, these gener-ous ladies continued to run what is known as “The TBA Sisterhood Bingo Game” the first Wednesday of every month, driving the 30+ miles each way to do so. The Sisterhood, now known as Women of TBA, underwrites the prize money for the Bingo winners.

About five years ago, Pola sadly passed away, and though Misia and Shirley were still enjoying running the monthly game, they didn’t feel up to driving the distance, and needed a bit of additional help. As Misia said, “They (the residents) look forward to our game so much.” Enter our pool of volunteers helping the volunteers. Anne Levine first began to drive, and I followed soon afterward. Over the years, the driver force to get them to the game grew to 11, which allowed a rotation of cheery faces for the Bingo players. Some of them have been driving for many years.

A few reflections on working with Misia, Shirley and the Reutlinger residents:

Stacy Margolin says, “It sounds cliché, but I receive much more than I give when volunteering. I enjoy the smiles and chuckles during the games. And it is especially

wonderful when a resident shares a few stories with you. Volunteering with Misia and Shirley has been amazing. They are both incredible role models with their endless energy and positive outlooks.”

Cheryl Silver, Shirley’s daughter and Pola’s daughter-in-law, comments, “Listening to Misia, Pola, and Shirley gab in the car when driving was the best entertainment! I loved how they (all well into their 80s) talked about help-ing the “old folks” at “the home.” Later, when it was just Misia and Shirley, the two of them insisted on giving the residents the “gelt” (the prize quarters), rather than calling the numbers, which would have allowed either of them to sit. Sitting was unthinkable.”

Helene Moore reflects, “Bingo was fun, but the drives were the best. I enjoyed ‘catching up’ since our last Bingo excursion. Shirley would ask ‘Are you playing mahj for money yet?’ She laughed and teased me that our mahj group would never master the game if we didn’t start ‘gambling’ no matter how small the stakes were! They’d

Sarah, Misia, Wendy and Shirley

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women of tba

also check in about travels, family, whatever we had dis-cussed – sometimes even six months earlier. Both Misia and Shirley were all ears when my mother-in-law moved to Oakland at age 88. That led to conversations about how they loved living in Oakland. Shirley added that she enjoyed observing the lovely mix of cultures she encoun-tered on her daily Lake Merritt walks – it was like being at the U.N. What amazing lovely, role models! I will definitely miss our trips to Reutlinger – always so inspiring.” says Moore.

Wendy Siver recalls, “I started volunteer-ing at the home when my mother in-law was a resident. It was an easy way for me to spend time with her and par-ticipate in the game at the same time. After she passed away I continued to volunteer in part because I enjoyed my time with Misia

and Shirley. I love to listen to their stories, and watch them interact with the residents. They will be missed at the home by all.

And Anita Bloch shared, “I unfortunately didn’t get that many sessions in with Shirley and Misia, but I always enjoyed their company. I think the first time Misia told me what to do – I was to call the numbers and she and Shirley gave out all the “gelt”.

“I did enjoy the car ride conversation. (I enjoyed the Reutlinger visits so much that I have volunteered to come and do a game day of rummikub and mahjong). Perhaps it is because I appreciate seeing people so vital in their 80’s and 90’s, and learning about them. I also think that having lost my mom a couple of years ago, I am com-fortable with people of a certain age and feel like this is something worthwhile that I can do,” says Bloch.

Other drivers who have volunteered their time and spirit include Joan Korin, Gary Kramer, Bonnie Burt, Ellen Kaufman, and Kathy Burge, who for many years joined us at Reutlinger to help. My sincerest thanks to all.

As for myself, I have felt so inspired by Shirley and Misia. What beautiful ladies, who gave so much of them-selves for so long. It has been my honor and pleasure to have helped them bring joy to others. I keep Pola’s spirit alive by often exclaiming, “Give her the gelt!” when someone wins a game, as Pola used to do so vivaciously. I am hopeful that we can honor Shirley, Misia, and the Reutlinger residents by continuing this monthly mitzvah.

Please contact me if you would like to participate in the Bingo game, or possibly with starting Rummikub or mah jongg games at Reutlinger. Jeanne Korn at jeannekorn@aol.com.

Reutlinger residents enjoying playing Bingo

Misia at home

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A Delicious Diaspora – Joan Nathan’s King Solomon’s TableBy Faith KramerThis month I’m featuring a book that I’ve owned just a few weeks by an author who has inspired me for almost three decades. The author is Joan Nathan and the book is King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World (Knopf).

Nathan, a prolific Jewish food writer (Jewish Cooking in America, The Jewish Holiday Cookbook, The Foods of Israel Today, Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France, and more) has a reputation for combining history, biography and storytelling with her meticulously researched and tested recipes.

King Solomon’s Table, her 12th cookbook, is her explo-ration of the cooking of the world’s Jewish communities from the past as well as the present. Some of the more than 170 recipes are from her travels and research trips. Others from communities decimated by the Holocaust or forced migrations are from survivors forging new communities in America and elsewhere. Recipes from Jewish settlements that are long gone have been based on research.

Of course there have been other international Jewish cookbooks, but what sets this one apart is Nathan’s mak-ing every recipe tell a story, her reputation for recipes that work in American home kitchens, and her scholar-ship. After a forward by Alice Waters, the book opens with a 16-page introduction giving a history of Jewish food.

I think King Solomon’s Table comes at a good time as Americans have become fascinated with ingredients and recipes from the Near and Middle East thanks to cookbooks such as Plenty and Jerusalem. This book includes recipes from the Fertile Crescent and beyond and expands those tastes into North Africa India, Mexico, Central Asia, Ethiopia, Italy, throughout the Sephardic world and into the far corners of Eastern Europe. The recipes are often accompanied by tempting photographs and additional background information.

With Lag B’Omer (May 13-14) and Shavuot (May 30-June 1) coming up, I thought I’d feature a few appro-priate recipes from Nathan’s new book. The recipes have been adapted for style.

The food traditions for Lag B’Omer include eating grilled foods (perhaps because of the tradition of bonfires also associated with the day). Many folks also like to eat Middle Eastern food. The Grilled Eggplant with Tahina, Feta and Pomegranate recipe below can be cooked over an open fire, on a grill, over a gas stove burner or even roasted in the oven.

Shavuot’s food traditions center on eating milk prod-ucts. (Explanations for eating dairy vary and include the rationale that Torah is as nourishing as milk or because Israel is the land of milk and honey.) Malai, Romanian Cornmeal Ricotta Breakfast Pudding also works for brunch or a dairy lunch or dinner. Try making it ahead and reheating.

cooking corner

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cooking cornerGRILLED EGGPLANT WITH

TAHINA, FETA & POMEGRANATEFrom Joan Nathan’s King Solomon’s Table (Knopf)

Serves 4

The recipe is written for 1 large egg-plant, but I think it would work well with four small Italian or Asian eggplants, which would make nice individual servings. Pomegranate molasses and tahina (sesame seed paste, sometimes spelled tahini or techina) can be found in specialty super-markets and Middle Eastern groceries.1 large eggplant (about 1 lb.)Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Juice of 1 lemon1-2 tbs. extra virgin olive oilPomegranate molasses, to taste1/4 to 1/2 cup tahinaCilantro, parsley, or mint, chopped, to taste

Pomegranate seeds, to garnishGreek yogurt or feta, to garnish

Grill the whole eggplant over a charcoal grill, turning carefully with tongs for several minutes as the eggplant softens. (I’ve used a gas grill for this.) You can also use the flame from a stovetop gas burner, but first line the grate with foil to make clean up easier.

Continue grilling until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Or skip the grilling and prick the eggplant with a fork and bake in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes or until soft.

Working gently to keep the eggplant intact, use tongs to remove eggplant to strainer. Allow to drain and cool then transfer to a serving plate, spilt open slightly, sprinkle with salt and pepper then drizzle with lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and tahina. Sprinkle with cilantro, parsley or mint to taste. Garnish with the seeds and yogurt and serve.

MALAI, ROMANIAN CORNMEAL RICOTTA BREAKFAST PUDDING

From Joan Nathan’s King Solomon’s Table (Knopf)

Serves 6

Switch out the ricotta cheese for farmer cheese if you can find it. Farmers cheese is closer to the fresh cheese originally used in the recipe, but it can be hard to find. Look in specialty supermarkets and Eastern European groceries.8 Tbs. butter (1 stick)3 large eggs, divided2/3 cup sugar, divided1/2 cup milk1/2 cup cornmeal1/2 cup flourDash of salt2 tsp. baking powder1 1/2 lbs. whole milk ricotta cheese or farmers cheese

Fresh berries or cherries, to serve.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8” round soufflé or baking dish (Nathan calls for a gratin bowl or similar bak-ing pan) with some of the butter. Melt remaining butter and cool slightly. Put butter, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar and milk in a medium bowl and mix well. Gradually fold in the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder and mix well. In a separate bowl mix together ricotta cheese with 2 eggs and remaining sugar.

Spoon half of the cornmeal mixture on the bottom of the pan, then pour on all the cheese mixture and finish by spooning and spreading the remaining cornmeal mixture on top.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden and set. Serve warm with fresh berries or cherries.

Note: This is one in a series of columns exploring Jewish-themed cookbooks that I find inspiring and think you will enjoy as well. All cookbooks are available in stock or by special order from Afikomen, the Berkeley Judaica shop. To order any of the featured cookbooks, please contact the store at mail@afikomen.com or (510) 655-1977.

Faith Kramer writes a food column for the j weekly and blogs her food at www.clickblogappetit.com Contact her at fjkramer@msn.com

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gan avraham jewish day schoolsEditors note: due to an editorial error, the Gan article for the storytelling theme did not appear in last month’s Omer. We are printing it here now.

The Magic of Storytelling in the Preschool ClassroomBy Jill RosenthalReading picture books in the Gan classroom happens every day and is, of course, an important part of our cur-riculum. In addition though, oral storytelling provides other benefits to the preschooler and teachers often engage in this sort of exercise throughout the year. They may share the story of Passover, Purim or a tale such as Billy Goats Gruff. Teachers often invite children to participate in telling the stories and this promises to stimulate interest among the entire class. In addition, preschoolers develop several important skills while both listening to the stories being told and acting them out in front of others. As stated in an article by Doriet Berkowitz in the NAEYC Journal, Young Children: “Oral storytelling supports young children’s learning and devel-opment differently than stories read aloud from picture books. It gives children an opportunity to exercise their imagination, communicate effectively, enhance their social literacy, and build community in a different way.”

Veteran and retired Gan Avraham teacher, Ruth Morris has come to visit the Kitah Gimmel classroom several times this year to tell the children some exciting adven-tures about the beloved character K’Tonton. K’Tonton (the name means “very small”) is like the Jewish Tom Thumb! Written in the mid 1930’s, by Sadie Rose

Weilerstein, daughter of immigrants and the wife of a conservative rabbi, K’Tonton is a thumb-sized boy who gets into all of the predicaments thumblings get into: car-ried off by birds, riding on an arrow, dining with bugs. But K’Tonton also has adventures that only a thumb sized Jewish child could have: riding on a lulav at Sukkot, get-ting closed in a hamentaschen at Purim, or going for a spin on a dreidel at Hanukkah. Most often, K’Tonton gets into a great deal of mischief but ultimately his adventures will encapsulate and teach a lesson about a holiday or a Jewish value. “K’Tonton is the most pious, happy-go-lucky child imaginable, who never laments his diminutive size.”

Ruth comes prepared with many different props as she tells the tales. She does not use the book while shar-ing the story. She tells the story using a variety of props and facial and vocal expressions. In early March, she came to tell the tale of K’Tonton getting trapped in the hamentaschen. I had the privilege of watching and must admit I, too, was taken by the drama of the story. For 20 minutes, 16 4 and 5 year olds sat still, enraptured by the storytelling. It is clear that the children have become attached to this character, as they seemed so very engaged and curious. I would not be surprised to hear that some will begin to make up their own tales as they are playing with others. This type of storytelling can inevitably sup-port children’s language, cognitive, social and emotional development, not to mention their appreciation for our Jewish holidays, traditions and values. Thank you, Ruth for helping to bring this character to life!

Mayim, mayim at CCJDSBy Abby Seitelman Our state’s reservoirs are just shy of overflowing, the mountains have seen as much snow, sleet, hail and rain as during the wettest years on record and at the Contra Costa Jewish Day School we have taken advantage of these glorious storms to educate our students about the importance of water for life and the impact that we have on that precious resource.

One of the core values at CCJDS is to help our students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to make a difference in our world. Our study of water is integrated into our all-school, cross-curricular SHIR HaLev pro-gram, in which students engage in tikkun olam, repairing the world, through projects that combine academic study and service. Our Kindergartners make rain gauges and measure water as it rises during the storms, our 4th grad-ers see the fruits of their labor in the garden as they grow and gather food for those in need, and our 6th graders focus their yearlong SHIR HaLev project on water con-servation.

Sixth graders research current water usage statistics and educate the student body based on their findings. In Judaic Studies, they learn about the significance and symbolism of water in Jewish history and in the Torah. In science class, they take water samples at the Lafayette Reservoir and Lake Temescal to assess cleanliness and water supply. They volunteer through Save the Bay res-toration and clean up efforts, including removing non-native plants from the East Bay Shoreline. Our students are committed to serving the school and the surrounding communities by sharing what they have learned and tak-ing action to protect our world’s most important natural resource, water.

At CCJDS, our goal is for our students to develop a life-long ethic of social responsibility and commitment to civic engagement.

Consider CCJDS for your family! We have limited spaces available for the 2017-18 school year and we offer tours year-round by appointment. Please contact Admissions Director Abby Seitelman (abby@ccjds.org) or 925-284-8288.

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bet seferBet Sefer: Once Again, It’s A Wrap!By Susan SimonAnother year of learning at Bet Sefer is almost com-pleted. It isn’t just a year of learning by the students but also a year of learning for the teachers and all of the staff. The hard part is to notice the lessons that we are learning, to be mindful of them and use those lessons as we con-tinue our work. This is true for both students and teach-ers alike.

At Bet Sefer we teach students Hebrew decoding, Hebrew Through Movement, Hebrew through t’fillah, Hebrew vocabulary. But what do the students actually learn, internalize for use at a later time? And can we, the teach-ers, control this? Can we ensure that the learning that we have imparted becomes part of the students’ wisdom? We teach Torah stories, ethics, history, sifrei kodesh, holidays, tzedakah, Israel, culture, Kashrut, Pirke Avot, life cycle, prophets, Shabbat, and more. We teach through discus-sions, videos, art projects, skits, activities, celebration, music, prayer, and we teach with enthusiasm. But we don’t know our impact for many years, if ever.

We want our students to have a foundation of learning and exposure that will allow them to continue learning and participating as adults. We want to reach that hidden place in their souls or psyches that will continue to feel a deep connection to the music and stories of our people. Certainly we are more successful with some students than others. Just as each of us has different aptitudes for learning, some of our students seem wired to love to sing Jewish songs and prayers, to learn Torah stories, to master Hebrew decoding. And some of our students aren’t as interested or engaged by what we teach. We continue to try to reach all of our students and have to come to grips with the fact that we must continue to reach for the moon, even when it is likely we will fall short.

Ultimately we are no more than partners with the fami-lies of our students. Every Jewish activity and Jewish learning that goes on in the home teaches the children that being Jewish, engaging with the world Jewishly, participating in Jewish ritual is an important value in the home. Children are sent to Bet Sefer by their parents, just like they are sent to their secular or day schools. When children see the adults in their lives incorporating Jewish ritual and learning in their own lives, this sends a power-ful message to the children of the value of their Jewish heritage.

Reciting brachot for Shabbat, celebrating Shabbat as a family, attending Shabbat and holiday services, reading Jewish stories together as a family, learning a Jewish sub-ject together, working together as a family on tzedakah projects, going to Israel together, going to Jewish muse-ums, all of these things and more are ways of reinforcing the important of being Jewish to our children. When we are able to join these activities with the learning that we do at Bet Sefer, we have created a powerful message and connection.

In June most of our families will receive information on our summer programs. For children who just finished Mechina, Alef or Bet, we send home a Fill in the Torah Chart and ask the children to fill in a square every time they do something Jewish over the summer. 5 of these things have to be reading a Jewish book and drawing a picture of something from the book. These forms are turned in as soon as school starts up again and children who completed the chart and turned in the book forms are invited to a “decorate and eat a cupcake” part in the Fall. The children who come to the party are so excited and proud of themselves.

For children who just finished Gimmel, Dalet and Hay, there are sight reading or vocabulary words to practice over the summer. One problem we encounter each Fall is having to refresh Hebrew decoding skills. Students who do some practice over the summer are in a much better position to start new learning rather than rehash what they learned the prior year. Students are tested in the Fall and those who get 80% or more correct have their own cup-cake party.

Lastly, every summer I offer a great deal to help students keep their Hebrew fresh or catch up. For a $50 donation to TBA, I will see a student for as many half hour ses-sions as we can manage to schedule over the summer. This has proved to be so important for students who fell behind in the prior year.

My message really is that just because school is over for the summer doesn’t mean the learning stops, the con-nection with Judaism stops, the importance of ritual and learning stops. Come to services, visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum, read Jewish stories, make a point of involving the whole family in tzedakah, practice Hebrew decoding and vocabulary. Show your child the impor-tance of Jewish involvement and the benefits will last for a lifetime.

12

donationsCharity is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined.

cont on page 13

Murray Davis Courtyard & The Next Big Thing Construction ProjectRonn Berrol & Joan KorinRenat EngelLibby HertzRuth KleinmanDavid LevinSandy & Dawn MargolinJessica Siegel Bruce & Alicia von KugelgenAlden F. & Sabrina Berdux CohenRicardo Craft & Erica ReischerJessica Dell’EraMelissa DiamantRenat EngelHelen FixlerNoah & Carrie GarberAlan Gellman & Arlene ZuckerbergDavid & Stella GoodwinRex Hesner, for the extraordinary generos-

ity of Jing and Joel Piser to their commu-nity of friends.

Bob & Lori JaffeSheldon Kahn & Sarah Liron, in memo-

ry of Arlene Hecht MorrisJudith KlingerGary & Faith KramerGuillermo & Jacqueline PalchikSheldon & Barbara RothblattRichard & Joan RubinElizabeth SimmsBen Stiegler & Barbara Gross, in memo-

ry of Werner GrossHoward Zangwill & Stacy Margolin, in

honor of Ben Barnes’s Bar Mitzvah

Jeanette Jeger Kitchen FundMisia Nudler, condolence to Bob Jaffe on

the loss of his father, Leon JaffeMisia Nudler, condolences to Joanna and

Jennifer Berg on the loss of their mother, Natalie Berg

Benjamin & Susan Persin, With many thanks to Jing Piser

Bet Sefer Discretionary FundJack & Arlene Garfinkle, in memory of

Marlene Mae Schenberg SeiferMorris Goldberg, in memory of Sarah

Riva GoldbergDan Halperin & Shira Levine, in honor

of the staff of Bet Sefer for teaching Gabriel Halperin to read Hebrew so beau-tifully

High Holy Day Appeal-General Fund Richard & Joan RubinLibby Hertz

High Holy Day Appeal-Endowment FundMarie LorenzRichard & Joan Rubin

Temple Beth Abraham General FundRichard & Naomi ApplebaumDavid & Shany Barukh, in memory of

FatherDan Finkelstein & Joanna Berg, in

honor of Marshall Langfeld and Susan Simon

Dan Finkelstein & Joanna Berg, in memory of Natalie Berg

Michael Gelfand & Deborah Hoffman-Wade

Louis & Lisa Goodman, in memory of Jack Helfend and Lilly Shoehalter

Marshall & Lynn Langfeld, in memory of Leon Jaffe

Marshall & Lynn Langfeld, in memory of Natalie Berg

Marshall & Lynn Langfeld, in memory of Shirlee Perl

Adele Mendelsohn-Keinon & Irwin Keinon, in memory of Elwood Davidson

Barbara Oseroff, in honor of Aaron Paul’s Bar Mitzvah

Barbara Oseroff, in memory of Natalie Berg

Barbara Oseroff, in memory of Philip Oseroff

Barbara Oseroff, in memory of Phyllis Kaiser

Klaus-Ullrich Rotzscher, in honor of Naomi Applebaum for caring

Allen & Ellen Rubin, in memory of Samuel Pachefsky

Ethel Shaffer, in memory of Mary SimonMatthew & Lauren Smith, in memory of

Jessica Leigh ManasseJerome & Beverly Turchin, in memory of

Melvin KleinDaniel Weiner & Lynn Gitomer, in

honor of Stacy MargolinSteven & Victoria Zatkin, in memory of

Donald BleibergVera Zatkin, in honor of Betty Ann Polse

Prayerbook FundShirley Bolton, in memory of Raymond

Nathan Bolton

Kiddush FundRichard & Mary Berkowitz, in memory

of Alice Jaye KohnIsaac & Mindy Berla, in honor of our

daughter, AriaBooker Holton & Elaine Gerstler, in

memory of Florence GerstlerMichael & Renee Marx, in memory of

Charlotte Resnick

Morning Minyan FundEtoile Stella Campbell, in memory of

Miriam Sharp, Lily Benisty Kent, & Delbert Campbell

Martin & Evelyn Hertz, in memory of Sylvia Hertz and Boris Carasick

Klaus-Ullrich Rotzscher, in memory of my brother, Tom Rotzscher

Sheldon Schreiberg & Sherry Marcus

Yom HaShoa FundJed Galant, in memory of David GalantEve Gordon-Ramek, in memory of Henry

RamekRandall & Jan Kessler, in honor of Aaron

Paul’s Bar Mitzvah AnniversarySylvia Miller, in memory of Michael

Nicholas Miller

Camper/Scholarship FundSteven & Penny Harris, in memory of

Goldie BrodyMolly Hersh, in honor of Rey Steinberg’s

90th birthdayMisia Nudler, in memory of Aaron NudlerJoan Solomon, in memory of Samuel

NeumanRey Steinberg, in memory of Albert Louis

Bloch

Rabbi Discretionary FundJason Edelstein & Leah Wagner-

Edelstein, thank you for the beautiful baby naming ceremony

Dan Finkelstein & Joanna Berg, in memory of Natalie Berg

Sheldon Kahn & Sarah Liron, in memo-ry of my Father, Alfred L. Miller

Randall & Jan Kessler, in memory of Alice Kessler

Marshall & Lynn Langfeld, in memory of David Rosenfeld

13

life cyclesBen Barnes, May 6, 2017My name is Ben Barnes, and I’m a seventh grader at Piedmont Middle School. I attended Gan Avraham Preschool starting at age two and have been in Bet Sefer since kindergarten. I have made a lot of close friends through TBA. Some of my favorite subjects in school are Spanish and Social Studies. Some of my hobbies include basketball, photography, and snowboarding.

My torah potion is Acharei Mot from the Book of Leviticus. It begins with G-d telling Aaron what to do after his sons died because they drew too close to G-d. The portion then leads into the rules and observances of Yom Kippur, which I will be discussing in my drash.

As part of the Remember Us project, I will honor Elemer Hertzog who died in the Holocaust in Czechoslovakia at 3 years old.

I look forward to sharing my Bar Mitzvah with friends, family, and the TBA community.

Liam Gordon, May 20, 2017Hi my name is Liam Gordon, I am 13 years old and in 7th grade. I live in Piedmont and I go to Piedmont Middle School. When I was just a baby we moved from Sweden to Oakland. My whole family is from Sweden and we talk Swedish at home all the time. My mom Bella is an artist. My dad Allan, is a doctor. My brother Elliot, he goes to Boston University. And my sister Yael, she goes to University of Glasgow. I also have a dog Charlie, who is a beagle. Her job is sleeping all day around my house. The sports I play are soccer and basketball. I also play guitar and bass. My whole family is sort of musical, so I am super excited that there will be a rock and roll shabbat before my Bar Mitzvah.

I have been going to TBA since I went to preschool there. I have made a lot of friends growing up there too. My parshat Behar Bechukotai talks about the shmittah year. It is when the farmers trust in God by not tending their crops and just leave it be. God stated in the Torah that he would help the farmers by making the crops grow more. The farmers have to really trust in God by doing this. I will talk more about this on my bar mitzvah. As my bar mitzvah donation I will be donating to Water for Sudan. I read a book in school about the person who founded this organization and it was a very inspiring story which made me want to contribute. Also Sudanese people cannot always grow the crops they need, I felt it had a connection with the torah portion I will be reading.

I really hope to see many of you on my Bar Mitzvah day.

Tsutomu Satomi & Hildie Spritzer, in honor of Aaron Paul’s Anniversary Bar Mitzvah; in honor of baby Vera Silberstein’s first Seder

Tsutomu Satomi & Hildie Spritzer, in memory of Leah Kaizer’s mother, Phyllis Kaizer; and in memory of Suzanne Spritzer

Cantor Discretionary FundAlison Heyman, in memory of Eleanor HeymanMichael & Renee Marx, in memory of Horst Marx

TBA Endowment FundIlya & Regina Okh, in memory of Maria Belina

Herman Hertz Israel Scholarship FundGerald & Ruby Hertz, in memory of Herman Hertz

Mollie Hertz Interfaith Outreach FundGerald & Ruby Hertz

Pola Silver Teen Holocaust Education Trip FundAviva Kellman, in memory of Peter LiskerRon & Adele Ostomel, in memory of our beloved mother, Pola

Silver

14

life cycles

Is your birthday information wrong or missing from this list? Please contact the TBA office to make corrections.

1Elliott AlbinLauren DavisAriel KarwatIlya OkhStephen Tessler

2Liliana BlochDanielle JurowReuben LironJudy Craddick

MaccabeeOscar MendelsonJerome Turchin

3Elias LevyIrene MeklinEva Rosenberg

4Jacob KubalikPaul RaskinLior Remler

5Juliette LinzerLiz Willner

7Rachel Dornhelm

8Eli Arriaga KleinDan HarrisAvi JosephNaomi KottleJudith LevyMichelle OppenMichael Selvidge

9Warren GouldAesa Masliyah

10Camille EdesessAmy GerardGary KramerAnna MorrisLori Rosenthal

11Jessica KesslerCara Spangler

12Cynthia BerrolMaya HarlevNoah KramerSteven Zatkin

13Ayden BlinickIsaac BrownJordan Rothe

14Sharon AlvaNathaniel MargolinHelene Moore

15Edan Alva

16Kerry DemmeMaya EngelDavid GouldJeff IlfeldKerry SegalLeah Skiles

17Emily Karwat

18Eliza KauffmanStuart Korn

19Steven BerlHeidi BersinJudy BloomfieldBenjamin HoffmanRebecca JohnsonJoseph MaidenbergPeter MillerBruce von KugelgenKaren Zak

20Summer AlbinLiana BarachEphraim Margolin

21Sarah ApplebaumJoshua BersinJordon Gerstler-HoltonLaila MaidenbergNaomi Perl

22Leon BloomfieldDavid Feldhammer

23Celia HillOren MizrahiEva PaulMaria PinkhasovKay Warren

24Myriam BayenArel Zachary Masliyah

25Renat EngelJosh MailmanDvora McLean

26Outi GouldAnne LevineSarah MillerSamantha Spielman

27JB LeibovitchRebecca Rosenthal

28Ezra GrahamEli KelleyJeremy KrugerJerrold LevineZea LindenbaumAva RemlerDeborah SantucciHoward Zangwill

29Morris Goldberg

31Doreen AlperAaron BelikoffEmily Geagan

May Birthdays

Mazel Tov to: Jamie Simon and Dan Harris, on the birth of their son Elli Jesse Simon-Harris

Jay & Jennifer Rooney, on the birth of their daughter Josephine Alta Rooney

Daniel & Jessica Klein, on the birth of their son Ethan Julian Klein

15

life cycles

IYAR 5-9May 1-5Morris DmitrovskyJeanette EsrigHarry LazerwitzJane SaundersAbraham ShapiroIda GevertzJanet BlecknerBermard FogelHenry Isaac FriendlyHannah HerfieldWilliam KlingerLeah LampartBenjamin PaulHerman AdlerBernard FreimarkAnna B. GurmanAnna KassGittel RothblattSoloman KlorElla Morrison

IYAR 10-16May 6-12Faye YoungHarry BraafBenjamin RamoFrances CohenDavid GrossNoah NathanNathan RosenblattGeorge ZuckermanJoe Karren

Louis WachsmanStanley KornEthel KronickStephen WittenbergIrene BalintGloria ReidSeidel RothenbergCharles SilbersteinCharles SilverStephen KaplanOlga KjelsbergArnold RosenthalRebecca Schulman

IYAR 17-23May 13-19Seth ColtoffSamuel LichtensteinJames CraftRose SchwartzGertrude VeissElaine EhrenkranzClarice Ackrish FanningAnnie GrutmanGussie KasselsEunice KellySamuel SchechtManuel WassermanHelen BrombergDorothy GoldbergPauline ZehnqutLeslie BergerJack FassRobert Hyman

Irving DronsickMargaret NaggarHarold RosenbergLillian TumanCharlotte Dane BrodkeElaine GoodmanSarah MendelsohnIda RosenHeinrich SpritzerMathilda Ritter Spritzer

IYAR 24-SIVAN 1May 20-26Don EberhartLawrence FreedenbergJulie GusfieldMalvin WeissIrwin GoldbergSylvia Good MargolinJeanette Strassman MorowDavid WolffsInaclaire CarterDora DavidsonLeonard GlasserEsther MorrisCharles NaggarRose ShermanEve TobinSamuel BercovichMartin RockmakerRozelina Van GelderShirley DorfmanLeslie Joseph BelikoffMorris Elchanan Belikoff

Avram BriskySophie CouzinRakel KantolaVeikko KantolaMelvin RifkinBenjamin SilbermanAlexander WallisHuguett DayanJack Lehman

SIVAN 2-6May 27-31Endre BalintSidney GreensteinRene NathanDavid RiskinSylvia SteinRobert BergerAlex HarrisGeorge MorrisMolly Bauer SilvermanGeorge AftermanAndrew GoodenLena KestenblattShira WeisbachMax DavidsonAnne GouldIda MironAaron and Laura BlauHenry Brentwood HenzelRoland BreslovSamuel BurnsteinStanley KlimenRuth Siver

May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem

Charles DeBare, Father of Rob DeBare (Esther Rogers)

Edwin Shapiro, Father of Caren Shapiro (Sanjiv Sanghvi)

Miriam Jacobs, Mother of Steven (Joan) Jacobs

Edward Glick, Father of Reuven Glick (Marci Gottlieb)

Ezekiel DeKoven, Grandson of Elinor DeKoven

Recent Deaths in Our Community

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what’s inside

PERIODICALS POSTAGE

P A I DOakland, CA

Permit No. 020299

Temple Beth Abraham327 MacArthur BoulevardOakland, CA 94610

TBA Directory ........................... i

What’s Happening ................ 1

From the Rabbi ...................... 2

From the President ................ 3

From the Editor ...................... 4

Six Word Memoir .................... 5

Women of TBA ....................... 6

Cooking Corner ..................... 8

Gan Avraham ...................... 10

Jewish Day Schools ............. 10

Bet Sefer ............................... 11

Donations ............................. 12

Life Cycles ............................ 13

Calendar .............................. 16Tiberias, Israel

Dead Sea, Israel

Dead Sea, Israel