חדש. What s New at Temple Avodat Shalom. March 2018 Bulletin/5778 Volume 66/Issue 6

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1 חדש What s New at Temple Avodat Shalom March 2018 Bulletin/5778 Volume 66/Issue 6 Gift Cards Available for More Than Just Food Shopping Your participation in the TAS Gift Card Program does not only buy your groceries and gifts for friends and associates, you can use it to travel for business and pleasure. Gift cards are available for Delta Airlines, Disney, Hotels.com, Budget Rent-a-Car, Choice Hotels, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines, among others. Check out these and all 700+ vendors available through the program by going to the TAS website, under "Support Us" and "Gift Cards" and clicking the link. Or write us at giftcards@avodatshalom.net. Inside this issue... March calendar on page 23. For up-to-date Temple information: Check the Temple website: Receive weekly announcements by send your updated address to administrator@avodatshalom.net 1

2 Upcoming Events March 1 st PURIM Torah Noon March 2 nd Tot Shabbat 6 pm Youth Group Dinner, 6:30 pm Family Service 7:30 pm Alternate Minyan, 7:30 pm March 3 rd Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bat Mitzvah of ABIGAIL KLEIN March 4 th Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am Sisterhood Board, 9:30 am March 5 th Brotherhood cards, 8:00 pm March 6 th Kadima Yoga March 7 th Sisterhood Lilith Salon March 8 th Torah Noon Adult Ed March 9 th Shabbat Services, 8:00 pm March 10 th Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of MICHAEL WECHSLER Move the clocks ahead March 11 th Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am March 13 th Yoga Board meeting, 7:30 p.m. March 14 th Pizza with the Rabbi March 15 th Torah Noon Adult Ed March 16 th Sabbath Services, 10:30 am March 17 th Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Cantor Installation, 7:00 pm March 18 th Sisterhood Maj Madness Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am Grade 6 Kehillah, 10:00 am March 20 th Yoga March 22 nd Torah Noon Adult Ed March 23 rd Shabbat Services, 8:00 p.m. March 24 th Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of HENRY POBUTKIEWICZ Bro hood Comedy Night, 7 pm March 25 th Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am March 27 th Jewish/Muslim/Christian Seder, 7:00 pm Yoga March 28 th Grades 5 & 6 Interfaith Seder FROM RABBI PAUL Between February 5 and February 7, I had an opportunity to join approximately 400 other faith leaders at a conference in Washington, D.C. entitled "Alliance of Virtue for the Common Good." The organization "Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies," whose president is His Excellency Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah, sponsored the conference. In January 2016, Shaykh bin Bayyah issued "The Marrakesh Declaration," a document signed by 350 Muslim leaders and scholars, as a way of supporting efforts towards building peace and coexistence with minority populations living in Muslim majority lands. At that initial document signing, a handful of leaders from other faiths were present. The recent conference in Washington brought more of us for two days of speakers, breakout sessions, shared meals, and further dialogue. A partner in the process was the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, whose Director Emeritus, Rabbi David Saperstein, a former United States Ambassador for Religious Freedom, tried to ensure that there would be a large contingent of Reform rabbis present for the occasion. Given our synagogue's involvement in the past few years regarding multi-faith dialogue with members of the Muslim community, and our award winning in "Muslim-Jewish Dialogue for Teens" shared with Peace Islands Institute in 2015, we received a humbling invitation to attend and participate. At the conclusion of the conference, the "Washington Declaration" was affirmed and signed, representing an effort by the Abrahamic faiths to work together amidst our differences to engage in activities that collectively bring healing to the world. Each of the speakers acknowledged that religion can and should be used as a force for good, not evil. It was very rewarding and heartening to meet people from Israel, the United Kingdom, Mauritania, Italy, Finland, Algeria, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, elsewhere internationally and throughout the United States, who are engaged in various multi-faith initiatives including dialogue, retreats (for example, between evangelical pastors and imams), aid organizations, academic work, social justice projects, and national organizations who are responding to acts of religious extremism (throughout the Islamic world too). A few of the speakers offered some poignant words. Speaking in Arabic through a translator, Shaykh bin Bayyah taught, "Religious leaders are obligated to search their sacred texts to find stronger sources for tolerance. We need to develop and promote a narrative and vision of Islam that calls for peace and tolerance. The distorted perspective of extremists goes beyond the pale of our tradition. Literal interpretation does not employ figurative understandings and results in alternative perspectives. There are irrefutable proofs that our religions are not causes of hate and violence." March 29 th Office Closed March 30 th Office Closed Sabbath Services, 5:00 pm First Seder March 31 st PESACH Shabbat Pesach Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Second Seder Rabbi Paul J. Jacobson Cantor Maria Dubinsky Educational Director Barbara Haber President Audrey Rosenblatt Administrator Barbara Herman Hoff Accompanist Kenneth Corneille Sisterhood Barbara Starr and Cheryl Jaffe Brotherhood Marc Herrmann Rabbi Emeritus Neal I. Borovitz Cantor Emerita Ronit Josephson This Bulletin is published monthly by Temple Avodat Shalom 385 Howland Avenue River Edge, NJ Phone: (201) Fax: (201) administrator@avodatshalom.net Website: 2

3 Timo Soini, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs explained, "How we practice our religion holds a mirror in front of us." He reminded his audience, "Freedom of religion belongs to everyone, to people of all faiths. Freedom of religion also entails the freedom to not believe or share in a particular faith. Finally, freedom cannot exist without responsibility. There is no freedom to be intolerant of the faith of the other. On the contrary, we have an obligation to be vigilant in preventing any kind of discrimination on religious grounds. If religion is part of the problem, then it is also must be part of the solution." Admittedly, this was my first time in the presence of numerous Christian evangelical clergy. Pastor Bob Roberts, who has partnered regularly with Shaykh bin Bayyah, instructed us that to discover common ground, can yield common actions, and ultimately result in a common good. Pastor Roberts has been involved in efforts to build bridges with the Islamic community focusing on clergy becoming acquainted with one another. After a relationship is forged between pastor and imam, the circle expands to include the clergy member's family (if they have one), and their congregation. In due course, knowing one another leads to opportunities to stand up for another. Going on dialogue retreats together and participating in projects in underdeveloped neighborhoods deepens the process. "We all bleed the same," he said. "If we quit the hatred, we might learn to love each other." As Pastor John Jenkins, Pastor Roberts' colleague offered, "The imam has the same thing in his heart that I do, but the media won't tell you that story. We need to get the media to tell the other story." While the event predominantly featured Muslims, Christians and Jews, and a few people of other faiths, I am hoping that those who identify as secular, atheist, and no religion, will eventually be welcomed at this table too. Thinking that religion has cornered the market on "virtue," "being a good person" or can speak to everyone's "common good" is simply not true and this notion of "virtue" needs to include voices from those who do not identify with a religion or with a faith practice as well. Still, it was interesting to be involved, to be a fly on the wall and even more enlightening to gather awareness of others who are deeply involved in the work of trying to improve upon our world, day by day. The most critical piece to emerge from the Alliance Conference is making sure that what was discussed in Washington becomes actionable in our own communities. How remarkable and how disappointing is it that in 2018 we are still preaching lessons and holding conferences on how to talk to one another, how to be in relationship with one another, and how to see the Divine in other human beings, in other communities beyond our own. If the Washington Declaration is a piece of paper that is ultimately just filed somewhere, then this was nothing but a talkfest. If the experience continues to translate into action, there's a lot of healing that can be done. Time to get to work. Rabbi Paul rabbijacobson@avodatshalom.net FROM THE PRESIDENT I am not a roller coaster rider. I am fascinated with them and the people who are brave enough to ride. But you will not find me getting in line. The summer that I was 4 years old, my brother and I insisted that we wanted to go on the roller coaster at Rockaways Playland. Not the famous Atom Smasher wooden roller coaster, but the miniature coaster, in the opposite corner of the park. In my mind, this baby coaster would be a piece of cake. My grandmother, who had anxiety disorder, was adamant that this would be a mistake, but we wheedled and we won. I hated it from the moment it started. I can still remember that feeling that the car was going to keep going straight and come off the track, until the last moment when it would whip around the curve. As we came around to the place in the ride where we passed the control booth, I still vividly see my grandmother, getting into the ride operator s face, screaming at him to stop the ride and take me off. I have no idea what she actually said (though I have no doubt that there were threats involved!), but that ride was stopped, I was taken off, and then it was started up again so the rest of the passengers could finish their ride. I admire my grandmother s ferocity in protecting me. Or, perhaps, she was trying to protect herself from her uncontrolled fears and thoughts. But, as an adult, I ve come to realize that if she had let the coaster run its course with me aboard, I might not have that aversion to them. However, I ve come to see that roller coasters are an analogy for life as well as for the life of organizations. Everything is a cycle, round and round, up and down. It isn t a carousel, where only the horses go up and down on a pole. The rises and falls are more precipitous, seemingly out of control, but as long as the machinery parts are well-oiled and maintained, things stay on track. At TAS, our community works hard to make sure that those 3

4 tracks are maintained. We exist to provide that safety net for each other when we get that feeling like the car is coming off the track. We provide emotional and spiritual support, as well as concrete physical support. These days so much of our attention is focused on feeling physically safe and secure. With the hard work of Jeffrey Pollack and others who helped to secure our Department of Homeland Security grant, you will start seeing changes, such as new doors, etc., around our building. We are working on honing and codifying our building safety procedures. You may not always see what is going on behind the scenes. Sometimes it is the lull where we are catching our breath. But, more often, it is the slower, harder climb uphill putting the events together or strategizing about longrange plans so that we can coast downhill. That coast may seem effortless, but it is only due to the momentum gathered by our community working hard on the uphill climb. In the past months, members of our community worked long and hard on our Purim festivities, both the Purim Carnival and Spiels. Thank you for the raucous ride that those provided at the end of February. Thank you to Sisterhood for organizing our Mishloach Manot bags, and thanks to all of you who supported this fundraiser for Sisterhood. You will have the opportunity to have a blast and support Brotherhood at the same time, by coming to Comedy Night on March 24. The funds raised by both Brotherhood and Sisterhood go right back into supporting so many efforts in our community, including religious education and scholarships. Finally, please join us on March 17, when we will be marking an important milestone in the cycle of TAS, with the formal installation of Maria Dubinsky as our Cantor. We have been blessed to have her with us for almost a year, and I invite you to join us for a wonderful musical evening as we celebrate her and the beauty she has brought to us. I look forward to seeing you. L Shalom, Audrey FROM THE EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR On Any Given Sunday It s been a wonderful and rewarding year so far at religious school, and we d like to give you a bit of an overview regarding all of the exciting things taking place in each grade. Please keep in mind that what follows is a very tiny sample of the goings-on in a typical session of school. Pre-K/Kindergarten: Our youngest students have been talking a lot about kindness and its importance in Judaism. Morah Heather has introduced the idea of mitzvot (commandments) to the children and the obligations we, as Jews, undertake to fulfill them. The concept of tzedakah and generally helping all those in need has also been addressed and reviewed in order to allow students to gain both an understanding and appreciation of being empathetic. The class has also discussed the significance and relevance to wearing a kippah whenever in the building, and are working to master the blessings we chant over challah and juice. After taking a walk around the building and collecting branches, grass and other gifts we find in nature, the students incorporated their materials into Tu B Shevat artwork! 1 st Grade: Our first graders have begun to work on aleph-bet letter recognition! This energetic group loves to share their knowledge, family stories and traditions regarding our holidays (as well as their opinions on many other things)! The class has also discussed and shared their ideas with Morah Linda about when, where and how they have felt God s presence. 2 nd Grade: After pantomiming what they do when they get up each morning, Morah Hannah and Morah Jenn asked the children what does your body feel like in the morning?, and what s exciting about starting a new day? The children connected this question and their answers to the prayer Modeh Ani ( I give thanks ), and created beautiful frames for their very own acrostic poems using the word THANKFUL. The class is currently up to the letter mem as they explore the aleph bet, and they are doing a great job recognizing the letters they ve learned to date. Students enjoyed participating in their very own Tu B Shevat seder and also had an interesting discussion regarding the various ways that God speaks to us. 4

5 3 rd Grade: While exploring Bible stories, our 3 rd graders read about Jacob and Esau, which led to a thoughtprovoking discussion about sibling rivalry, and how relevant this topic is to their own lives. The group made beautiful almond tree centerpieces (which we used during our seder with the 4 th grade!), and have enjoyed playing a match game to learn more about the Jewish holidays. Regarding the Middah of the Month, Morah Ronit uncovered the various aspects of Lo Levayesh (the importance of not embarrassing others), and the students provided examples of their own experiences and situations they experienced or observed in school. Hebrew reading instruction: our 3 rd graders have been working very nicely learning the aleph bet; they have already learned 20 letters and 8 vowel sounds and are working nicely through their primers! 4 th Grade: Also spending much time focusing in on learning about middot, our 4 th graders have concentrated on being kind and showing respect toward each other, for God and for them themselves as well. One lesson in particular highlighted the story of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (one of the leading Jewish philosophers and theologians of the 20th century) marching alongside Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama in 1965 to show a sign of unity in the support of human rights. During a shared seder with our 3 rd graders, the children learned about (and tasted!) various kinds of fruits while making comparisons with the various kinds of different people we interact with each day. In addition, please check out the beautiful and artistic megillah that students created with Morah Jaki (in the lobby!), and then presented in story form for our Pre-K/Kindergarten and 1 st grade students! Hebrew reading instruction: Student pods are currently working on the Barchu and Shema. 5 th Grade: Our 5 th graders are continuing to learn about the significant life-cycle events which help us to mark and shape our Jewish lives, including how the accompanying laws and traditions regarding our life-cycle events help us to navigate the many difficult choices we encounter on a daily basis. Rather than concentrating on what we are supposed to do, Morah Navah is sharing her perspective on the ways in which these rules actually exist in order to support us with guidance and support throughout our journey of life. The students are currently discussing Bar/Bat Mitzvah, which is the most relevant life-cycle occasion for them right now as it is only two years away! Hebrew reading instruction: Groups are finishing their work on the G vurot prayer and beginning the K dushah. 6 th Grade: Our 6 th graders are continuing with their life cycle curriculum as well (some of them do remember taking part in their Consecration ceremony during Simchat Torah!). Morah Marni has discussed which aspects of their upcoming B nai Mitzvah have the greatest meaning to our students, and why, trying to encourage her students to gain a greater perspective of their priorities and to explore what becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah means to them on a personal level. They have begun to address much of vocabulary related to this special time, and have explored the connection between their Torah and Haftarah portions. Hebrew reading instruction: The group is currently working on the Aleinu prayer. Our 5 th and 6 th graders also joined together to take part in a Tu B Shevat seder, where they were introduced to some of the Kabbalistic teachings relating to the festival. 7 th Grade: Moreh Avery has been gently guiding our 7 th graders through the history of, and underlying reasons for, the Holocaust. Utilizing text, literature, art, films and primary resources, students are engaged in thoughtful discussions concerning this horrific time of our history. Students have also been working on and rehearsing their Purim shpiel, which will be presented for the school before our carnival on February 25 th! Morah Jenn and Morah Debbie have been working hard to meet with students and make the most out of their Hebrew reading instruction time. Youth Choir, Music with the Cantor and Library with Morah Debbie have all been going very smoothly, and the most recently introduced middah of the month was emet (being truthful). Please remember that we are always here to listen to your questions, concerns and suggestions! Barbara Haber Educational Director Back by popular demand - Renaissance presents Marty Schneit speaking about Jewish New York on April 19th at 1:30 pm. Please RSVP on the website. 5

6 March :00 pm Cantor Dubinsky Installation March Mini-Course - When the Other is One Another - Judaism's Three Prominent Movements in Reflective Conversation - rescheduled from November , 7:30P Elana Stein-Hain, Shalom Hartman Institute (Orthodoxy) and Rabbi Paula Feldstein (Reform) - Women in Jewish Life :00 pm Our Journey Toward Redemption - A Multi-Faith Conversation and Shared Meal Featuring Cantor Maria Dubinsky (Jewish), Pastor Elaine Wing (Christian) and Dr. Nuray Yurt (Muslim - Director of Interfaith Affairs in Peace Islands Institute) Young Families You won t want to miss these March Young Families events (suited to families with children toddlers through elementary school)! Friday, March 2 is our usual First Friday family Shabbat. Join us at 6:00 PM for Tot Shabbat or at 7:30 PM for the Family service. Sundays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 9:30 AM the rabbi is teaching a series of adult education classes, designed to address your burning questions about living as a Jewish person today in the United States. You can attend them all or just one. Just drop in! Saturday, March 17 at 7:00 PM is the installation of Cantor Maria Dubinsky. In her short time at the synagogue, she has already done so much for our young children, from teaching in the school to joining our family programs to the Chanukah concert to the Jr. Choir, TASmaniacs! If you can, join us to formally welcome her to our community. Saturday, March 24 is Brotherhood Comedy Night (adults only). Doors open at 7:00 PM for an 8:00 show. Let us know if you want to join a Young Families table! On Sunday March 25th at 1:00 at Jewish Federation, 50 Eisnerhower Drive in Paramus, we will be sorting and packing food collected for the March Mega Food Drive, including snack packs for kids at risk of weekend hunger. Families with children of any age can participate; simply register at The synagogue is also a collection site if you'd like to drop off donations. Most needed items include: tuna, salmon, chicken, shelf-stable milk (boxed or powdered), beans, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereal, baby food, diapers, formula, adult briefs, mac and cheese, chili, stews, meaty soups, jelly jams, peanut butter, canned fruit, vegetables, toilet paper, tissues and paper towels. Empty Nester s We hope you will join us for our next event as we attempt to conquer the Escape Room. Stay tuned for more details!! Our programs are open to all!! Feel free to let us know is you have any questions or ideas. 6

7 FEEDING THE HUNGRY Thank you to all our volunteers for helping to feed those most in need within our community. Sign-up information will be sent soon for our next Feeding the Hungry event taking place on Thursday, May 17. If you can help with a prepared food donation or wish to volunteer to serve please go to If you would like to help but are unable to provide a food donation there are many other ways to contribute including buying a Shoprite gift card from the Temple and donating it to the program. If you have any questions Brett Norton at TASFeedingTheHungry@gmail.com. Want to Help? The fundraising committee for the Temple is always looking for new ideas and people to help. If you are interested, please contact us at fundraising@avodatshalom.net. KIPPAH FUNDRAISER Order Kippot for your special celebration (Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Wedding) through the Temple and help support our Parents' Association who help fund many of our children's activities. Call Debra Tester at for information. To MIN and JEFFREY KLEIN on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Abigail; To ANN and IRA WECHSLER on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Michael; To JODY and MARK POBUTKIEWICZ on the Bat Mitzvah of their son, Henry. Each month, the children in our congregation who are celebrating birthdays are called to the bimah during our First Friday Family Service. March birthdays will be called to the bimah on March 2 nd. We wish all of them a Happy Birthday. Hollin Barth Jacob Murphy Lev Norton Leo Avidon Garrett Brickman, Garrett Calem, Jake DeMaio, Abigail Klein, Callie Jewel Ouziel, Scarlette Grace Ouziel, Rayna Perkel, Zack Rabinowitz, Talia Rochlin, Marissa Roth, Jacob Shmulenson, Daniel Vukosavovic, Michael Wechsler and Max Weinberg. 7

8 JUSTICE AT TAS Please visit our Justice Central webpage (under Community) on the TAS website. We frequently post new Tikkun Olam opportunities seminars, food drives, rallies, thought pieces. Contact to get issues and events added to the Justice Central webpage or if you have questions about our activities. Our first public event in our Gender Identity and Expression Justice Initiative was a Shabbat Lunch N Learn on February 3, 2018, where 35 of us discussed Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family, by Amy Ellis Nutt, led by Laurie Rochlin and Nilene Evans, and our responsibility to treat all people with respect. Visit the Justice Central webpage for links to Nicole s Ted Talk on Youtube as well as the handouts from the event discussion questions, FAQs about Transgender People, Supporting Transgender People, Being an Ally, and The Gender Unicorn. We also watched a brief video on What Not to Say to a Transgender Person, which is also available at Justice Central. We will continue to focus on Gender Identity and Expression at TAS, including through educating our youth and making sure that our synagogue is welcoming for all who enter our home. We will be expanding our programming to our local school districts to ensure that their programs and policies respect the individual as well. We expect that this will be about another year to 18 months of direct work, followed by continuing advocacy and caring. We are working with Keshet, a national organization that works for full LGBTQ equality and inclusion in Jewish life. Keshet is sponsoring LGBTQ & Ally Teen Shabbatot Gatherings as well as trips to Israel for LGBTQ & Ally Teens. For information, see ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PLANNING A COMMUNITY SERVICE TRIP? We have begun to discuss a possible community service trip within the United States for spring 2019, probably with other congregations. We are also considering making this an interfaith trip. We would want to involve all ages, from our children and their parents to our seniors. This trip would be a huge undertaking for TAS. This cannot happen without a lot of thought and planning by a dedicated committee. Are you interested in planning such a trip? Contact Nilene directly or through justice@avodatshalom.net. 8

9 Sisterhood News! Crack! Bam! Dot! Join us for Mah Jongg Madness on Sunday morning March 18 th Pre-registration Our next Lilith Salon will be held on March 7 th at 7 pm. PLEASE note the new date! We are looking forward to another stimulating evening of conversation/discussion with Dara Garcia. Join us for our annual Sisterhood Breakfast on Sunday morning April 15 th as we celebrate Israel s birthday Yom Ha atzmaut. Learn Israeli dancing with Instructor Elyse Litt and sample Israeli food. Our next Sisterhood Board Meeting will be on Sunday, March 4th at 9:30 am all are invited to attend. **Thank you for supporting the Sisterhood and all that we do for the Temple by supporting our biggest fundraiser of the year Mischloach Manot! A huge thank you to Cassy Kadesh and Susan Altman for all their hard work in organizing an incredibly successful fundraiser. We are also very appreciative to Robin and David Levy and Kedem Wines for their very generous donation. Warm Regards, Barbara and Cheryl Sisterhood@avodatshalom.net 9

10 MAH JONGG MADNESS! March 18, 2018 TAS Cost: $36 Come join us for a fun morning of play, raffles and a light lunch! RSVP by March 1 st and get 2 free raffle tickets!! Deadline to RSVP March 14th Pre-registration required! Please send $36 (checks payable to TAS Sisterhood) along with the completed form below to the Temple office or sign-up online at sisterhood@avodatshalom.net Name: Phone: Address: I will be playing with Please assign me a group I am a beginner I am an experienced player Questions? Please contact us at sisterhood@avodatshalom.net 10

11 Sisterhood Breakfast Celebrating Yom Ha atzmaut & Featuring Israeli Dance Instruction with Elyse Litt Sunday, April 15, :30am 11:30am Join us as we celebrate Israeli Independence Day, learn Israeli dancing and enjoy Israeli food Admission--$10 Reservations encouraged to by 4/8 11

12 PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE A TEMPLE MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING AND A PAID UP MEMBER OF SISTERHOOD BY 12/31/17 IN ORDER FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A SCHOLARHISP SISTERHOOD JEWISH CAMP AND EXPERIENCE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION One of the goals of the Sisterhood is to encourage our members children to have fun and enriching Jewish experiences beyond the TAS community Date: Parent Name: Child Name: Address: Phone Number: Jewish Camp (please list name) * Jewish Experience (please specify) OR Total Cost of Program 12

13 Have you previously received a Sisterhood scholarship? If yes, please list date(s) and program(s). Please describe why you would like to attend your program. (Please use the reverse side of this application or attach a separate sheet.) Scholarship Rules: 1) Parent must be a member in good standing of TAS and the TAS Sisterhood. Sisterhood dues MUST have been paid by 12/31 of academic year. 2) All scholarship requests must be received by April 1 st or prior to the start of the Jewish experience. 3) NEW - Students may apply for a camp scholarship multiple years, however preference is given to first time applicants. 4) Scholarships for Jewish experiences other than camp are limited to a one time award per individual experience. 5) Decisions will be made no later than May 1 st with preference given to first time applicants. 6) Students who receive scholarships may be asked to participate in a Temple activity to share their experience. Parent Signature: Student Signature: Jewish experience scholarships are awarded for youth trips to Israel or Jewish youth experiences such as the RAC trip or the NFTY Bi-Annual Convention. If you have any questions or require further clarification please contact us at sisterhood@avodatshalom.net 13

14 Dear Friends, The Sisterhood would like to invite you to our Lilith Salon. We will be discussing articles from the winter Lilith magazine. There are copies in the TAS office if you do not have a subscription. "In 1955 Golda Meyerson ran for mayor of Tel Aviv. In exchange for religious parties' support, Ben-Gurion had reached agreements with them on matters of religion in the state even before the state officially came into being. Under those agreements, the Jewish Sabbath became the legal day of rest in the land and kosher food the fare served at every state eating facility. The most controversial agreement concerned the Orthodox chief rabbinate's control over Jewish marriage and divorce." Did Ben-Gurion realize the long-lasting affect his agreement with the religious parties would have over the state of Israel or Jewish identity in the Diaspora? We will discuss the implications of Ben-Gurion's decision, and more issues affecting Jewish women today. *If you have a tzedakah box (homemade or store bought) at home bring it in to share with our group. Wednesday Evening March 7 th 7:00pm Please note change in date and time Questions or Concerns and RSVP to Sisterhood@avodatshalom.net 14

15 BROTHERHOOD COMEDY NIGHT Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: To go to the TAS Brotherhood's Comedy Night on March 24!! OK, ok, we promise the jokes will be better than that. We can make that promise becaue we have THREE "Headliners'" booked for the evening. Steven Scott has been described as a perfect mix between Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carrey. His unique and tasteful brand of comedy combines clever observations of his everyday life with his amazing vocal talents; which include an array of characters, voices and sounds ranging from celebrities to musical instruments. Buddy Fitzpatrick combines the skill of a great monologist with a physical style that brings his observations to life. His act is made up of inventive material delivered in a self-assured style. Mike Speirs quick, candid wit is his hallmark. A self-confessed former party boy, he now finds his hell-raising days are becoming a distant memory as he turns to a fresh and funny look at the realities of being a grown-up. Mike s life is a running reality check, and he gives his honest take on being the guy he is. The tickets are $36 if purchased by March 3, $40 afterward, and $50 at the door. Tables of 10 can be purchased for $340 but only by March 3. (The price will change automatically at midnight of March 3 and only show individual tickets at $40). The doors open at 7:00pm for an 8:00pm show. Brotherhood will provide dessert and table snack food, but if you wish an "adult beverage", it's BYOB. To register for this fun-packed night, go to: 15

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17 HELP OUR LIBRARY GROW! TEMPLE AVODAT SHALOM BIRTHDAY BOOK DONATION PROGRAM: Celebrate your child s (or grandchild s) birthday with a book donation to the Temple Avodat Shalom Library! The program is simple. You send in a donation for $18.00, which will be used toward the purchase of a new book. The books will be available in the library for your child to select. On or near their birthday, the librarian will have your child choose a book. A bookplate with your child s name, birthday and the school year will then be placed inside this book. Your child will be the first person to check out this personalized book and bring it home to share. Children with birthdays in June will choose a book in December, July in January, and August birthdays in February on their "Half Birthday". Thank you in advance for participating in this wonderful program to help expand our library! If you have any questions, please school@avodatshalom.net TEMPLE AVODAT SHALOM BIRTHDAY BOOK PROGRAM $18.00 per book Checks payable to "Temple Avodat Shalom"; memo section Birthday Book Donation Name of Child Birthdate 17

18 The cutoff date for all donations to be listed in the Bulletin is the 25 th of each month; otherwise they will be listed in the following month s bulletin. IN MEMORIAM The congregation extends deepest sympathy to the families of: Rita Fox on the passing of her brother, Melvyn Weiss; Joanne and Fred Siegel, on the passing of their mother, Elise Siegel; Margo Tauberman. GENERAL FUND Donations to the General Fund support all activities of the Temple AMY LEDERMAN AND MICHAEL AUFRICHTIG BETHLEE & MARC POTOLSKY NANCY & WARREN HEAPS JANET & PAUL RITTER PEGGY & STUART SCHNEIDER LENORE & RUBIN LERER SHELLEY BENJAMIN & ELIE BASHI To Steven and Joan Kaplan in memory of Marcella Kaplan AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT NILENE EVANS & ARNOLD CHASE SID SCHNALL VICKI & STEVE MONALOY In memory of Claire Rosenbaum LIZ & LEN LAWTON To Janet Ritter Thinking of you. GINEEN & DON WEISS AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT To Lynda McGowan & Jeffrey Pollack in memory of Pat Marino BETHLEE & MARC POTOLSKY To Audrey & Joel Rosenblatt on the birth of their grandchild To Doug Charipper in memory of his father Bret Charipper JOYCE & NEIL MASSOTH AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT RUTH & ED COLLIER NILENE EVANS & ARNOLD CHASE LIZ & LEN LAWTON NEAL & ELLEN LITINGER CAROL BERDY RHODA LIEBOWITZ D.B.MILLER CUBBY & GLORIA COHEN CHERYL MILLER & DELORES MILLER SHELLEY BENJAMIN & ELIE BASHI To Rita Fox in memory of her brother Melvyn Weiss AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT STEVE & ELLEN BERMAN LISA COHEN ESTHER & PHILLIP WOOLRICH BARBARA & MICHAEL STARR To Gilda & Fred Rabinowitz in honor of the engagement of their daughter Patti to Adam AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT GINEEN & DON WEISS NILENE EVANS & ARNOLD CHASE STEPHANIE & PHILIP MANDELBAUM NAOMI JACOBY COHN In memory of long time member Elise Siegel GUN & JOAN HECHT In honor of their granddaughter Amy becoming a Bat Mitzvah JOYCE AND NEIL MASSOTH To Rubin and Lenore Lerer in honor of the birth of their grandson AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT LIAZ & LEN LAWTON To Kurt Osinsky in memory of his wife Edith AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT To Howard Adler in memory of his mother Janet Adler AUDREY & JOEL ROSENBLATT LIZ & LEN LAWTON To the family of Margo Tauberman in her memory STEVE & ELLEN BERMAN In memory of Sheila Peled YARTZEIT PLAQUE MISHKAN T FILAH FOR YOUTH FUND SOCIAL ACTION FUND CHILDREN'S LIBRARY FUND ADULT EDUCATION FUND THE SCHNOLL MUSIC FUND CONNIE SCHNOLL To Rita Fox in memory of your brother Mel Rabbi Paul In memory of Ruth W. Rintels YARTZEIT FUND STEWART & RITA GOLDING In memory of Rose Schulman LYNN BULAN In memory of Claire Rosenbaum NAOMI JACOBY COHN In memory of Donald Jacoby & Simon Jacoby PEGGY & STUART SCHNEIDER In memory of Benjamin Franklin STEWART & RITA GOLDING In memory of Rose Schulman HERB DIAMOND In memory of Sidney Wasbar ILENE & LEW SOLOMON In memory of Rachel Solomon FRANCINE EBERSMAN In memory of Fannie Ebersman CHARLOTTE MAGID In memory of Pauline Magid-Obrinsky BERNARD FAUST & ROSE KAY BROWNING In memory of Sidney Faust (Bernard) In memory of Bertha Davis (Rose) MIDGE RAUCH William S. Mackoff JEANNE BUESSER In memory of: Ronnie Soroudi, Renee Schlesinger, Lil Russek, Howie Kronick, Ron Zangger & Ann Lubell EVELYN REISER In memory of Joseph Reiser BARBARA & KEN HABER In memory of Muriel Gersen In memory of Goldie Saltz BARBARA SHAPIRO In memory of George Max Hyman In memory of Bea Hyman PHYLLIS BESEN Aaron Besen IRENE & LEW SOLOMON In memory of Shirley Levy LAPIDOS TREE OF LIFE To purchase a Leaf on our Tree of Life ANNIE WECHSLER In honor of Michael Wechsler on becoming a Bar Mitzvah BROTHERHOOD In honor of Eric Goldfarb RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND LORI & JOHN DAUGHERTY In memory of Reuben Goldstein PHYLLIS MEHER TAS SISTERHOOD Sunshine Fund DAVID RESSLER RHODA LIEBOWITZ To Rita Fox in memory of your brother Melvyn Weiss CINDY GREENBAUM To Nancy Rosenbaum in memory of her mother Claire Rosenbaum CANTOR'S DISCRETIONARY FUND RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DISCRETIONARY FUND SISTERHOOD A. BAER MEMORIAL SCHOOL FUND BROTHERHOOD CANTOR JOSEPHSON CAMP SCHOLARSHIP FUND SHAVELSON FUND To subsidize teen and young adult participation in Jewish leadership programming MICHAEL MEALIA SCHOLARSHIP FUND MITZVAH WALK BRICK TORAH RESTORATION FUND For the care and maintenance of our Torah scrolls JOAN GREENSPAN SISTERHOOD SUNSHINE FUND Many thanks to Lisa Cohen for organizing our extremely successful Sisterhood Mah Jongg lessons. Our appreciation and gratitude to Sally Issacs for her preparation and teaching of Those Mah Jongg lessons. Condolences to Lynda McGowan and family on the recent passing of her mother Patricia L. Marino. Condolences to the Rosenbaum family on the recent passing of their loved one Claire Rosenbaum. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Paul Ritter. Condolences to Rita and Marty Fox on the recent passing of their brother Melvyn Weiss. Congratulations to Gilda and Fred Rabinowitz on the engagement of their daughter Patti to Adam Storch. Thank you to Cantor Maria Dubinsky for her musical guidance during Sisterhood's Shabbat Service. A special note of thanks to Maya Dubinsky for her beautiful violin solo during our Sisterhood Service. 18

19 Much gratitude to Dara Garcia for her efforts in planning our Sisterhood Shabbat Service. Condolences to Joanne and Fred Siegel on the recent passing of their devoted mother Elise Siegel. Separate thank you notes were sent to each of these lovely ladies who shared their Mah Jongg expertise, making Sisterhood's MJ lessons tremendously successful: Barbara Starr, Gail Goldfarb, Peggy Schneider, Barbara Markowitz, Gilda Rabinowitz, Sandy Weiner, Phyllis Cohen, Janet Ritter, Connie Schnoll, Sari Erdos ( so nice to see her mom Paula), Carla Cohn, Jaki Raider. Many thanks as well to Nilene Evans for her inspiring and thoughtful d'var torah presented at The Sisterhood Shabbat Service. A REMINDER: Donations to Temple Avodat Shalom's Funds may be made, by phone or mail, in honor of someone, in memory of someone, or "just because." A beautiful card of acknowledgment will be mailed to the honoree or to the family of the deceased upon receipt of the donation, minimum $10. However, certain specific Funds require higher minimums, as follows: Library Fund $18 Torah Restoration $180 Gates of Joy 18 Simcha Tree of Life 180 Mishkan T filah Youth 18 Lapidos Tree of Life 250 Torah Commentary 90 Mitzvah Walk Brick

20 HANDY PEOPLE NEEDED TO HELP SENIORS and DISABLED PERSONS Want to enjoy a really rewarding experience? The Chore Service, sponsored by the Bergen Volunteer Center, helps keep Bergen County seniors and people with disabilities safe in their own homes. Chore volunteers perform minor household repairs that these vulnerable people can t do themselves nor get anyone else to do, and that can make a huge difference in the quality of their lives. These repairs are performed at no cost to the people, other than the cost of the materials used in the repair. For those on a fixed income, these savings could mean the difference between paying a professional a fee just to evaluate a situation, and whether there is money for food or medicine! A Chore volunteer should be able to perform the kind of minor repairs that any able-bodied homeowner must do: replacing broken locks/doorknobs, installing washers in faucets, replacing electric outlets or switches, installing grab bars and hand railings, putting in/taking out small air conditioners, even changing light bulbs! The Chore Service has three vans that are sent throughout Bergen County 5 days a week. A volunteer would be assigned one day a week to a crew that performs 4-5 service calls per day. Chore offers a great volunteer opportunity for retirees or people who work second and third shift jobs. Call Maureen at (201) to find out how satisfying it can be to use your handyperson skills to lend a hand to those in need. 20

21 The Jewish Link of New Jersey, PO BOX 3131, Teaneck, NJ SafeUnsubscribe Forward this Update Profile About our service provider Sent by in collaboration with Try it free today 21

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23 MARCH 2018/5778 adar nisan Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 14 Adar 1 15 Adar (5:30) 2 Check the website, PURIM avodatshalom.net, Torah Noon for the most up-to-date Calendar. APRIL S M T W T F S Tot Shabbat 6 pm Youth Group Dinner, 6:30 pm Family Service 7:30 pm Alternate Minyan, 7:30 pm 16 Adar 3 Parashat Ki Tisa Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bat Mitzvah of ABIGAIL KLEIN 17 Adar 4 Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am Sisterhood Board, 9:30 am 24 Adar 11 Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am 18 Adar 5 Brotherhood cards, 8:00 pm 19 Adar 6 Kadima Yoga 25 Adar Adar Adar 7 21 Adar 8 Torah Noon Sisterhood Lilith Salon Adult Ed 27 Adar Adar 15 Torah Noon 22 Adar (5:38) 9 23 Adar 10 Parashat Yayakhel - Pekudei Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of MICHAEL WECHSLER Sabbath Services, 8:00 pm Move the clocks ahead 29 Adar (6:46) 16 1 Nisan 17 Parashat Vayikra Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am 2 Nisan 18 Sisterhood Maj Madness Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am Grade 6 Kehillah, 10:00 am 9 Nisan 25 Parental Integration Series- Your Burning Questions, 9:30 am Yoga Board meeting, 7:30 pm 3 Nisan 19 4 Nisan 20 Yoga 10 Nisan Nisan 27 Jewish/Muslim/Christian Seder, 7:00 pm Yoga Pizza with the Rabbi Adult Ed 5 Nisan 21 6 Nisan 22 Torah Noon Adult Ed 12 Nisan Nisan 29 Office closed Grades 5 & 6 Interfaith Seder Sabbath Services, 8:00 pm Cantor Installation, 7:00 pm 7 Nisan (6:53) 23 8 Nisan 24 Parashat Tzav Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of HENRY POBUTKIEWICZ Bro hood Comedy Night, 7 pm Sabbath Services, 8:00 pm 14 Nisan (7:01) 30 Office closed Sabbath Services, 5:00 pm First Seder 15 Nisan 31 PESACH Shabbat Pesach Wrestling with the Torah, 9:15 am Sabbath Services, 10:30 am Second Seder 23