January Sarah Estelle Noble. Friday, January 4, :30 pm Saturday, January 5, :00 am. CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL A Family of Families

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1 CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL A Family of Families January 2013 CALENDAR OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES >>> BAT MITZVAH OF Sarah Estelle Noble Friday, January 7:30 pm Sarah Noble s Bat Mitzvah Saturday, January 10:00am Sarah Noble s Bat Mitzvah Friday, January 6:00 pm *Note early service time Saturday, January 9:00 am Friday, January 7:30 pm Traditional Services in Racusin Chapel Saturday, January 9:00 am Friday, January 6:00 pm Family Dinner to follow Saturday, January 9:00am Torah Study 11:00am Please come and join us Friday, January 4, :30 pm Saturday, January 5, :00 am Sarah will participate in the service Friday night, January 4 th, and be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, January 5 th. Sarah is the daughter of Tim and Julia Noble, and the sister of Olivia Noble. She is the grand-daughter of Audrey and the late John Noble of Sarasota, Florida, Arnold and Bonnie Lieberman of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Sabina Zolte of Buffalo, New York. Sarah is a 7th grade honor student at St. James Episcopal School. Sarah is an avid reader and enjoys baking and caring for animals. Sarah plays volleyball and basketball. Please join the Noble family as they celebrate this happy occasion with an Oneg Shabbat on Friday evening, and a Kiddush luncheon following services Saturday morning.

2 Hanukkah Fun CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL 4402 Saratoga Blvd Telephone: Fax: Website: bethisraelcc.com Rabbi Kenneth Roseman Debbie Bustillo Office Administrator Susan Martin Corpus Christi Community Religious School Administrator President First Vice President Second Vice President Secretary Treasurer Past President Sisterhood President Adult Education Cemetery Co-Chairs Ritual Committee Co-Chairs Program Coordinator Membership Committee Chair Social Action Committee Chairs Dues Committee Co-Chairs Building Chair Grounds Chair Fine Arts Webmaster Jim Gold Suzy Hilliard Gary Blum Julia Noble Ed Mange Maury Wolfson Robin Adams David Jacobs Robert Adler, Carl Kuehn, Gary Blum and Clara Braslau Andrew Sheinberg and Joe Loon Leslie Green Susan Martin Jim Gold Ann Engel and Leslie Kane Bill Adams Rikki Schmitchel Laurie Mintz and Ross Burney Jack Widder Page 2

3 President s Message Dear Members of CBI, As the year 2012 comes to a close I think back on what a busy and successful year we have had thus far the High Holiday services were well attended, ran smoothly and were meaningful to all who attended. Laurie and Kim did a beautiful job in representing our Jewish heritage through song at the Diversity Concert sponsored jointly by CBI, the Mosque, and several churches. Food Fest was an overwhelming financial success that brought our CBI community together and continued to promote the idea that sharing our traditions with the greater community promotes understanding and goodwill with the entire Corpus Christi Community. The 78th Thanksgiving Service with Good Shepherd Episcopal Church continues our tradition of working and living together based on our common understandings and beliefs. In addition to these individual events the 92 Y, family dinner services, Rabbi Roseman s Sunday morning lecture series, Saturday Torah study and Friday night services have been outstanding and well attended. Thank you to all who have made these events happen both through financial contributions and hard work. A special thanks to those who have attended and enjoyed each experience this is what makes all these events worthwhile. As we begin the year 2013 we will be looking at the future of CBI from every aspect religious, social, spiritual, educational, and financial. This will all be done under an umbrella process of Strategic Planning that is being done by congregations throughout the country. We will be working with a representative of the Regional URJ in helping both plan and implement the Strategic Planning process. A critical part of this process will be your input into answering questions like How can CBI better serve you? and How can CBI better serve the whole Jewish community? This will be an exciting process but will only be success with your participation. So, in January when you receive a description of the process and how you can participate please take the time to join in and help plan the future of CBI. In closing, I wish you all a healthy and happy new year Shalom, Jim Gold Happy New Year CBI Family!! It's hard to believe we are already in 2013 (5773 on the Jewish calendar). You know, my parents always said, the older you get, the faster time goes! I'm afraid they were right! Our Chanukah dinner had a record turnout this year and I'm glad you all enjoyed the yummy potato latkes too! Thanks to all who brought delicious desserts to share! A very special thanks to my boyfriend, George Barron, for helping me in the kitchen and to Linda and Suzie for all their hard work serving and cleaning up when the dinner was over! I couldn't have done this holiday without all of you. Our next Family Shabbat Dinner will be on Friday, January 25 th at 6pm with dinner to follow. Take a break from cooking Let's bring in shabbat together. Bring yourself and a yummy dessert to share and we'll do the rest!!! Food, fun and friendship is really what it's all about. Until we break bread together again, wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Joyous and Prosperous New Year. Leslie Green Programming Director shanacal@stx.rr.com phone: (361) Page 3

4 RABBI ROSEMAN TO BE HONORED The Corpus Christi Chapter of the National Association of Colored People has announced that Rabbi Kenneth Roseman is the 2013 recipient of the President s Award, the highest award that the NAACP can bestow upon an individual. The banquet at which the award will be presented will be on Friday, January 26 at the American Bank Center. Rabbi Roseman has informed the NAACP s local leadership that he is committed to the conduct of CBI worship which will begin at 6:00 PM that evening, but that he and Phyllis will drive downtown immediately after services. Hearty congratulations to Rabbi Roseman on this distinguished honor! To all my friends, Thank you for all you have done for me is too abrupt; I would rather place my two palms together and bow my head. This signifies from my heard to your heart. I love you all. Isidore Mack Cohen Sponsor an Oneg Shabbat We are seeking sponsors for the Friday Night Oneg Shabbats. The Temple will provide the drinks while the Sponsor(s) will provide the cakes, fruits and other Oneg snacks. We believe this is a wonderful way to honor people for special days in their lives or to memorialize loved ones on their Yahrzeits. If you wish to participate, please call Debbie at the CBI office and tell her the date you wish to reserve. Several families can share each Oneg. The only dates not available are the monthly Family Dinner dates and B nai Mitzvah dates. Oneg Dates Friday, January 11, :00 pm Friday, January 18, :30 pm Friday, February 1, :30 pm Friday, February 8, :00 pm Page 4

5 Corpus Christi Community Religious School Susan Martin, Director Students met for class only twice in December, but took advantage of the time to study and work on crafts for Hanukkah. Look for pictures in this bulletin of various classes reading holiday stories, playing games, and making their own Hanukkiyot. Classes also gathered in the auditorium to play Hanukkah Jewpardy, run candle relays, and enjoy donut holes. (We opted for the donut holes rather than sufganiyot typically eaten during Hanukkah.) I have received brochures from Greene Family Camp which are available in the CBI foyer. The 2013 camp sessions are listed below. Session 1: June 13 July 7 Bonim A June 13 June 23 Bonim B June 27 July 7 Session 2: July 11 August 4 Bonim C July 11 July 21 Bonim D July 25 August 4 For further information and/or to register, go to I forwarded an to parents from Camp Young Judaea Texas about a Passover Camp, March 28-31, 2013, in Wimberley. This is a great opportunity for Jewish families from all over Texas to spend time with each other during the holiday. For more information, log onto We will resume Hebrew and religious school classes on Sunday, January 6, See you then. Enjoy your winter break and Happy New Year! Shalom! Susan RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES Sundays January 6, 13 & 27 Hebrew School 9:15am 10:15am Sunday School 10:15 am 12 pm Confirmation Class 12pm 1pm Page 5

6 Rabbi s Message Dear Friends: A few weeks ago, I received a mailing from the American Humanist Associa on en tled Good Without a God. I wrote to them, asking them to help me understand how they chose what to believe, what values to hold up and what ideas and values to reject. Roy Speckhardt, their Execu ve Director, was kind enough to write me back and refer me to the Manifesto. You can find it, as I did, by going to the search box of your computer and typing in h p:// Humanist_Manifesto III. Humanism and both atheism and agnos cism represent major challenges to religious convic on and faith today, and Mr. Speckhardt s answer led me to do some very serious thinking. I share my response to his note in the hope that it will s mulate you to your own thinking and spiritual search. Dear Mr. Speckhardt: I very much appreciate your response to my note and the reference to the Humanist Manifesto III, which I have read and reread carefully. Its contents are prima facie evidence that American humanists are commi ed to being good, ethical and moral individuals by every and any standard to which the western world subscribes. Of that, I do not think there can be any doubt among serious readers of the Manifesto. It is a posi on that evokes admira on and honor. Nonetheless, I am s ll puzzled about the source of the values enunciated in the document. The Manifesto proclaims that science is the best method for determining knowledge [of the world], and I understand this perspec ve. However, as Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks of Great Britain o en says that Science takes things apart to see how they work. Religion puts things together to see what they mean. (The Great Partnership, p. 2). Science cannot even ask the ques on Why? nor can it offer help in differen a ng and choosing between alterna ve values. The Manifesto says that Ethical values are derived from human need and interest.. But need and interest can lead in perverse and horrific direc ons. The Nazis and Stalin murdered tens of millions of human beings because they perceived it to be in their interest to rid their na ons of enemies. So, too, the Khmer Rouge, the Serbians, the Hutus, Assad and Khomeini and Idi Amin and scores of other tyrants through the ages have jus fied torture, imprisonment, exile and cleansing of one s enemies, racial, religious or poli cal, because they judged that these acts met their needs and their interests. I do not believe for an instant that the members of the AHA would approve of these ac ons, but I am unable to figure out from the Manifesto by what philosophical process a humanist would prefer one set of values and reject another. In other words, is simple subjec vity the basis by which you can declare that each person [has] inherent worth and dignity or is there some principle that you apply that makes it possible to affirm that this posi on is superior to any of its alterna ves? I ask this ques on, not out of a polemical perspec ve, but as a serious inquiry to understand how humanists make decisions that other people assert are the consequences of their religious tradi ons. By the way, in your response to me, you speak of a dichotomy between blind faith and flexibility. I reject this opposi on as a false dichotomy that may serve your ins tu onal and/or personal needs and interests, but which does not do even minimal jus ce to a variety of liberal religious tradi ons presently prac ced around the globe. I belong, for example, to a movement called Reform Judaism. Nearly fi y years ago, a study was published en tled Reform is a Verb, and the author made the point that the word Reform designates a con nuing process in which the applica ons of ethical and moral values that have been validated by 2500 years of usage are constantly updated in the light of new condi ons and understandings. My personal religious convic ons and those of my congregants cannot be characterized as blind faith; with unending flexibility, we seek an amalgama on of the best of religious insight and meaning with the best of contemporary, scien fic knowledge. The life to which we aspire is described as holy, a word that cannot even find a place in the vocabulary of the scien fic mind. Shalom, Kenneth D. Roseman, Rabbi Page 6

7 RABBI ROSEMAN TO ATTEND CONVENTION On Tuesday, January 22 through Thursday, January 24, Rabbi Roseman will be in Houston attending the annual convention of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis. SWARR includes all Reform Jewish rabbis in Texas (except for El Paso), Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and Memphis. Biblical and Judaic scholars who teach at universities in the Houston area will share their knowledge with the assembled rabbis. In addition, there will be sessions devoted to sharing ideas for congregational programming and to professional concerns. Should you have a need to contact Rabbi Roseman during these days, please call the CBI Office ( ) or use his mobile phone after the office is closed ( ). He will return you call as soon as possible. SATURDAY MORNING STUDY GROUP CONTINUES The on-going study group that meets at 11:00 AM every Saturday morning for both gastronomic and intellectual nourishment has now finished the Talmudic tractate Pirke Avot and has had a wonderful taste of Moses Maimonides Mishneh Torah and Joseph Karo s Shulchan Aruch. But now we are moving on to a new and very exciting adventure in learning. We have decided to do something probably unique in the annals of liberal synagogue study. We are going to work our way through a collection of post-biblical books that together are considered the Apocrypha. That term simply means outside books, or books which were not included in the Hebrew Scriptures. Nor are they part of the New Testament, although some Catholic Bibles bind them as a separate unit between the Old and the New. Among the books of the Apocrypha are I and II Maccabees, the first description of the events that came to be the basis for Hanukkah and Ben Sirach, the most wonderful description of what it might have been like to witness the rituals of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. If those ideas don t move you, you might want to read about Bel and the Dragon or The Rest of Esther. This is literature that is almost never opened by Jews, but which tells us a great deal about the period from roughly 400 BCE until about 100 BCE. These are often called The Biblical Dark Ages, and we have determined to find a little illumination for ourselves. You are cordially invited to join our study group. It s stimulating and challenging and where else on Saturday morning can you get a free cup of coffee?! Page 7

8 PERPETUAL YAHRZEITS Sabbath of January 4th *Max Abrams *Myron Appel *Scott Jeffrey Applebaum Werner Buchmann John H. Carrillo, Sr. *Samuel Chitrit/Skala Charles J. Davis *Frank Davis *Vivian Goodman Groner *Abe Heifetz *Abe Heifetz *Roy Ilowit *Bernard Kane Sam Kane Rita Korn Karp *Milton Sidney Kovner *Sarah Kurzner *Fannie Maniloff Rosalyn Opinsky Morris Pearl *Al Rosenthal *Ida Silverman Horace Simon *Nathan Simon Nathan Stillman *Herbert Train *Jennie Wiener *Pesach Zelinsky Sabbath of January 11th *I. M. Alexander *Michael Baum *Hilda Blum *Hannah Bobys *Mitchell Daum Merrell Mark Gleimer Mary Gogel *Bernice Dan Goldman *Max Goodman *Reva Horn David Itkin *Bernard Kovner Lucille Levy *Carrie Lichtenstein *Malka F. Lichtenstein *Effie Marks Sam Roosth William Rosenkrantz *Simon Weil Sabbath of January 18th *Sarah Rebecca Adler *Frances Kridel Barnes *Alta Pauline Benson *Rebecca Block *Yetta Bloom *Isaac Braslau *Max Chase *Julius Goodman *Sam Hausman *Annette Holliday *Joseph Brand Jessel *Mayer Katz *Selma Laser Faina Laties *Anna Makrow *Anna Maltz *Charles Maltz *Ralph Mange *David Mayerson *Mabel K. Minsky *Hirsch Mozes *Abe Nebrat *Lillian Nisenson *Paul Racusin *Sarah Bassel Rockmore Eddie Rodriguez *Mindel Tepper *Rose Vinar Philip Wallock *Stephen Glen Wolfson *Albert Zalim Sabbath of January 25th *Joseph Axelrad Alex Brownstein Fannie Charney *Adrian Danziger Elinor Greenberg *Simon Grossman *Silas A. Gunst *Abraham Isenberg *Dora Kolpack *Pearl Krasner Miles Lerman Madelyn Loeb Albert Moskowitz *Baruch Orshanski *Miriam Racusin *Anna Shapiro *Oscar Spitz Morris Stein *Edward Unger *Abraham Willensky Page 8

9 The Congregation thanks you for the following contributions Yahrzeit Donations Harry Reingold Dee & Harriett Diaz Aranka Kane Harold & Karen Kane Sam Kane Simon Kannengieser Bertha Train Rona & LA Train Irving Chafetz Marvin Rubin Sam Horner Dorothy Solomon Green Madeline Appel Minna Schwarz Susser Pat & Sam J. Susser Anna Maizel Chris & Robert Adler Jann Horner Meihl Sam Horner Emil Horner Juliette Goldsmith Barbara Samuels Adler Camp Scholarship Fund Recovery of From Cookie Silverman Annette Cottingham Terri Berry Dottie Heffler Adult Education Fund Harriett & Dee Diaz Audrey Zane Sisterhood Fund Audrey S. Zane Cheryl Zane Richard Rocklin Cemetery Endowment Fund Edythe Laser Benjamin Heller Lois & Gary Blum Lorraine Hausman Harry Hoffman General Fund Suzy & John Hilliard In Honor of From Ann & David Engel Bruce & Chelley Jacobson Hebrew Rest Fund Debi & Gordon Welch Jerry & Elizabeth Susser Irene & Saul Grossman Flower Fund Mr. & Mrs. Melvyn N. Klein Leslie Simon Scholarship Fund Ed & Heleen Mange Offenberg Library Fund In Honor of From Bat Mitzvah of Madeline Ryan Lois & Gary Blum Oshman Family Foundation Fund Oshman Family Rabbinical Endowment Fund Dr. Bernard Rothschild Susser Family Fund David & Ann Engel Pat & Sam J. Susser Page 9

10 The Congregation thanks you for the following contributions Train Library Fund Rona & LA Train Mitzvah Fund Barbara & Jay Lack Gloria Wolfson Elinor Roosth Lois Rutman Susan & Bill Martin Phyllis & George Finley Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Mille Zalim Karen & Harold Kane Ted Mason Seaside Beautification Fund Marcia Marks Ruth & Joe Sheinberg Debbie Maltz & Tonio Athens Yetta & Marvin Leshin Terri & Randy Berry BM Ray Mille Zalim Ted Mason Ted Mason Jan & Frank Luckay Marcia Marks In Honor of From Bat Mitzvah of Madeline Ryan Mille Zalim Ted Mason Ted Mason Ruth & Hank Josephs Recovery of From Burt Kitay Ruth & Hank Josephs Combined Jewish Appeal 2013 Campaign Kickoff Dinner Featured Speaker: Douglas M. Bloomfield Syndicated Columnist, Washington Lobbyist and Consultant Thursday, February 28th, :30 pm Reception 7:00 pm Dinner and Program Corpus Christi, Country Club 6300 Everhart Road $50 per person To RSVP & for more details, contact the JCC at (361) Page 10

11 January 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sarah Noble s Bat Mitzvah 7:30 pm Sarah Noble s Bat Mitzvah 10:00 am 6 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm 13 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm :00 pm *Note early time :30 pm *Traditional Service in Racusin Chapel 12 9:00 am Torah Study 11:00 am 19 9:00 am Torah Study 11:00 am 20 NO SUNDAY SCHOOL :00 pm *Family Dinner to follow 26 9:00 am Torah Study 11:00 am 27 Hebrew School 9:15 am Sunday School 10 am 12 pm Confirmation Class 12 pm - 1pm February 6:00 pm 2 9:00 am Torah Study 11:00 am

12 CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL 4402 SARATOGA CORPUS CHRISTI, TX L Dor VaDor Judaica Shop Call Clara to set an appointment at

13 Family Shabbat Dinner Friday, January 25th at 6pm Family Shabbat dinner to follow Bring your appetites and a dessert to share, Can't wait to see ALL of you and break bread together again Leslie Green Programming Director shanacal@stx.rr.com phone: (361)