Celebrate Purim with a bang!

Transcription

1 It s a Purim Celebrate Purim with a bang! Wednesday, February 28 Dinner at 6:00 pm, Service & Shpiel at 7:00 pm Purim is a story of the Jewish people s survival, yet again beating seemingly insurmountable odds. It s a story of good overcoming evil, heroes and heroines, political machinations, and Jewish identity. We learn that one person can make a difference, and that we are a people of action. WHAT S INSIDE Traditionally Purim is celebrated with an excess of laughter and fun. Each year we read from the Book of Esther and re-enact the story in a modern, hilarious motif. The events told in the Book of Esther take place in Persia. In that spirit, the evening starts with a delicious Persian dinner, made extra fun by eating in costume. From Rabbi Aron 2 Next up is the amazingly fun and revelrous Purim service and shpiel (play) as only Shir Hadash does it! In The Purim Megillah Approximation, Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Howard, and the rest of the gang go back approximately 2,000 years to when the Persian vizier Haman plotted to annihilate the Jewish people. Bazinga! SHOC s Next Steps 3 Please register for dinner via the website calendar by Friday, February 23. All our services are open to the public and we welcome everyone to attend. On Purim it is customary and fun to wear costumes! Family Fun at the Purim Festival Sunday, March 4, at 11:30 am for Children under 5, at 12:00 noon for All Rain or shine, come with your family and enjoy our yearly Purim Festival. There will be games and activities for all ages, a bounce house, a circus, delicious hamentaschen, fun prizes, and more! And don t forget to wear your costumes! A Taste of Tu BiSh vat 3 Community Shabbat: Prayers of Spanish Jews 3 Retirees Lunch & Learn: Let s Go Birding 6 Book Group: Homesick 6 Men s Club Sharks Night 6 Emergency Preparedness 7 Meet Our New Executive Director 7 Adult Education Havdalah & Movie Night 8 Proceeds will support our Religious School and Youth Programming VOLuME 39, ISSuE 5 F E b R u A R y S H VAT A DA R

2 FROM RABBI ARON Confronting Hate It is not just the extremists on the right and the left, as worrisome as they are, but the way that anti- Semitic themes have crept into the mainstream. After spending the first 35 years of my rabbinate dismissing fears of anti-semitism in America as overblown, it is disheartening to find myself taking anti-semitism much more seriously today. It is not just the extremists on the right and the left, as worrisome as they are, but the way that anti-semitic themes have crept into the mainstream. The statistics, a 34% increase in reported anti- Semitic incidents from 2015 to 2016, and an 86% increase in the first quarter of 2017, are sobering. Back in November, I spent a day at the Anti-Defamation League s national summit in San Francisco, Never is Now, with two of our lay leaders, Sheldon Gilbert and Tod Browndorf. We heard about cyber hate and the ubiquity of extremist content on social media. Concern was also expressed about the role of Breitbart in the current administration, and the innuendo and exaggeration that have appeared in anti-semitic communications. Jonathan Greenblatt, the new CEO of the ADL, spoke forcefully of the need of the Jewish community to partner with others to bring anti-hate training into schools and universities, and to put the feet of those leading Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, and others to the fire. Educational programs for middle school and high school students were showcased, giving attendees a sense of the positive values they could bring to their community. Part of my mini-sabbatical this month will be spent working within PICO, the national body of our local interfaith coalition, PACT, People Acting in Community Together, to bring together rabbis and non-jewish PICO directors and organizers to talk about anti- Semitism. We want to help individuals who spend a lot of time thinking about racism in our society to understand the ways that anti-semitism is similar and different. While many Jews are successful in America, not all Jews are affluent. In addition, Jews are vulnerable because of the history of anti-semitic accusations, in a way that other communities are not. One of the training manuals we have been working with points out that we often identify Jewish landlords and Jewish bankers, yet rarely will you hear someone talking about the exploitation of their Presbyterian landlord or Lutheran employer. Blaming Jews in times of economic misery has been a theme in our history, and we worry about current conspiracy theories, even when they are ostensibly positive about Jewish power. We also need to confront when Zionism is not understood as a diverse movement, and where genuine concern for the Palestinian people has morphed into adoption of anti- Semitic stereotypes. Along with health care, hate (anti-semitism, Islamophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment) was identified as a high priority in our recent listening campaign. The Organizing Committee is currently investigating both of these areas to see where there might be actionable issues, where, working with allies, we could make progress in our local community. If you are not already involved in these efforts but have an interest in either of these topics, please let us know. 2 CONGREGATION SHIR HADASH

3 SHIR KIDS & SHIR FUN! A Taste of Tu BiSh vat Saturday, February 3, at 10:00 am LEARN NEW PASSOVER MELODIES Community Shabbat with a Sephardic Flair! Saturday, March 3, at 10:30 am Join us for a special Shabbat morning with a Sephardic flavor. You ll learn and return home with three Passover songs that will bring the culture of the descendants of the Spanish expulsion to your seder table. Tu BiSh vat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Sh vat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees, the Jewish Arbor Day. The word Tu is not really a word it is the number 15 in Hebrew. No special expertise is required to join us. Come learn more about the Sephardim who make up 20% of the world s Jewish population and a much larger percentage of the Jewish community in Israel. There are few customs or observances related to this holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day, or to eat from the Seven Species (shivat haminim) described in the Bible as being abundant in the land of Israel. The Seven Species are wheat, barley, grapes (vines), figs, pomegranates, olives and dates (honey). Some people plant trees on this day, and this would be a wonderful tradition to start at your home! Families with children in Shir Fun and Shir Kids (through second grade), come join us for a fun-filled morning of worship, learning, and tasting the holiday! Enrich your brains, hearts, and even your tummy, and celebrate the trees! There is no charge for this event. Services at a Glance Fri., Feb. 2 7:00 pm Aleph Class Family Shabbat Service Sat., Feb. 3 9:30 am Torah Study Fri., Feb. 9 7:30 pm Shabbat Service with the Band Sat., Feb. 10 9:00 am Shir Shabbat Junior 9:30 am Torah Study Fri., Feb. 16 7:30 pm Shabbat Choir Service Sat., Feb. 17 Fri., Feb. 23 7:30 pm Shabbat Service Sat., Feb. 24 9:30 am Torah Study Wed,. Feb. 28 7:00 pm Erev Purim Service Decision Point: SHOC s Next Steps Sunday, March 25, at 10:00 am Join the Organizing Committee as we evaluate our next project. Two research teams have been looking into the key issues identified by the Listening Campaign: Healthcare and Hate/Anti-Semitism. F e b r u ar y N O T E S 3

4 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY FEBRUARY Please visit for the full calendar :00p Erev Shabbat Babysitting 6:00 Family Shabbat Dinner 7:00 Aleph Class Family Shabbat Service 3 Shabbat Yitro 9:30a Torah Study 10:00 Shir Kids & Shir Fun A Taste of Tu BiSh vat 10:30 Shir Shabbat Service 4 8:45a 2nd Grade Potluck Breakfast 9:30 Adult B nai Mitzvah Class 9:30 Sesame Shul 9:30 Religious School 10:00 Men s Club Board Meeting 10:45 Book Group: Homesick 12:05p Junior Choir Rehearsal 2:00 Spanish Speaking Havurah Meeting 10:30a Chair Yoga 7:00 Cornerstone Readers Training 7:30 Ritual Meeting 5 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:00 Intro to Judaism 7:15 Choir Rehearsal 6 7:30p Sanctuary Task Force :00a Alzheimer s Caregivers Support Group 7:30p Erev Shabbat Babysitting 7:30 Shabbat Service with the Band 9 Shabbat Mishpatim 9:00a Shir Shabbat Junior 9:30 Torah Study 10:30 Shir Shabbat Service 7:00p Adult Ed Movie Night: Saved by Language 10 9:30a Religious School 9:30 Family Ed 9:30 Adult B nai Mitzvah Class 10:00 SHOC Meeting 11:00 L Taken 12:05p Junior Choir Rehearsal 11 10:30a Chair Yoga :30a Retirees Lunch & Learn 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:00 Intro to Judaism 7:15 Choir Rehearsal 7:00p Sisterhood Meeting ROSH CHODESH ADAR 7:30p Erev Shabbat Babysitting 7:30 Shabbat Choir Service 16 Shabbat T rumah 10:30a Shir Shabbat Service 17 No Religious School 18 PRESIDENTS DAY Office & ECC Closed Shabbat T tzaveh 9:30 Torah Study 10:30 Shir Shabbat Service 24 No Hebrew School No Hebrew School No Hebrew High School 7:00p Finance Committee 6:30p Sanctuary Task Force 7:30 Board Meeting 7:30p Erev Shabbat Babysitting 7:30 Shabbat Service 9:30 Religious School 25 10:30 Chair Yoga :05p Junior Choir Rehearsal 6:00 B nai Mitzvah Preparation Group 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:00 Intro to Judaism 7:30 Men s Club Sharks Night PURIM 6:00p Purim Dinner 7:00 Erev Purim Service 4 CONGREGATION SHIR HADASH FEBRUARY 2018 NOTES 5

5 RETIREES LUNCH & LEARN BOOK GROUP Let s Go birding A Discussion on Homesick Tuesday, February 13, at 11:30 am Let s bring nature indoors this winter with Lisa Myers, owner of Los Gatos Birdwatcher. Los Gatos Birdwatcher s mission is to educate, share adventures, and have fun through the love and experience of birds and nature. Lisa has been teaching bird watching classes for over a decade and enjoys working with people and introducing them to the avian world. In addition to leading Let s Go Birding tours to California s birding hot spots, Lisa has expanded her tours to include Costa Rica and Belize. Lisa will talk about backyard bird watching and also discuss what you can expect to see in our area while observing nature. Lisa is excited to have a conversation about what you are seeing and will answer questions on behaviors, food preferences and even bird vocalizations. Please join us. Join our retirees group for a monthly (second Tuesday) lecture, discussion, performance, or film. For the program and a light lunch a nominal donation of $5 per person is requested. Congregation Shir Hadash Gala With the North Beach Brass Band Featuring Glenn Hartman Saturday, May 12, 2018 Join us for an electric night of cocktails, dinner and dancing at our annual fundraiser. Mark your calendars! Sunday, February 4, at 10:45 am This month the Book Group meets to discuss Homesick, by Eshkol Nevo. Moving from character to character, perspective to perspective, Homesick is a complex and moving portrait of parallel lives and failing love in a time of permanent war. The discussion will be led by Anat Barson, a religious school teacher with a background in Israeli literature. Enthusiastic readers gather four or five times a year at Congregation Shir Hadash to discuss Jewish books. Please join us for a lively discussion it is open to the public. HOCKEY & FUN WITH THE MEN S CLUB! Sharks Night Out Tuesday, February 27, at 7:30 pm You have to see it live! For a fun time, join the Shir Hadash Men s Club for our annual get together at the Shark Tank (SAP Center) to watch an exciting ice hockey game between your San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the game starts at 7:30 pm. The Men s Club has reserved 20 seats in the Promenade 3 Sideline section (214), and the cost is $40 per ticket. As we get closer to the February date, we will make plans to meet at a downtown San Jose restaurant for dinner before the game for those that are interested. Your family and friends are welcome to attend with you. Please contact Rich Zbriger, rich.zbriger@earthlink.net, to make your reservation. Your reservation will be secured by your check payable to the Shir Hadash Men s Club. Tickets will be sold in the order that the checks are received. Your check should be sent to: Rich Zbriger Shir Hadash Men s Club 6508 Circle Hill Dr. San Jose, CA We look forward to your joining us at this event! 6 C O N G R E G AT I O N S H I R H A DA S H

6 FLOODS! EARTHQUAKES! FIRES! Emergency Preparedness Shir Hadash s Caring Committee wants to help you. The next several issues of the Notes will contain some preparedness goals. So, stop procrastinating. Together we will prepare for the unexpected, bit by bit. As a first step, organize some key documents and place them in a safe or other secure location. Then make a copy and send it to someone offsite. Start with these: Trust documents It seems as if a day doesn t go by without headlines of some disaster. While we can t prevent these things, we can prepare for emergencies. Does your family have an evacuation plan? Do you have a go bag with essentials at hand? Do you know your spouse s phone password? Your will (calbar.ca.gov) (click forms, then, under Consumer Information, click on Will form) Advance Health Care Directives ( med.stanford.ed/content/dam/sm/bioethics/ documents/advancedirective) Meet Our New Executive Director Congregation Shir Hadash is thrilled to welcome Eric Stone as our new Executive Director. Eric exemplifies professionalism, experience, warmth, and a deep love of Judaism. In his years serving local congregations, he has been a valuable partner to both clergy and lay leaders, and has fostered many personal relationships with congregants and the wider community he serves. As Executive Director, Eric is responsible for all aspects of the synagogue s operations, including finance, membership management, communications, facilities, and administrative support. Eric has served on the Board of Governors of the North American Association of Synagogue Administrators, and was awarded the Association s Fellowship in Synagogue Administration. Beginning in 2007, Eric was Executive Director at Congregation Beth Jacob of Redwood City, and since 2015 at Peninsula Temple Beth El of San Mateo. Members of Shir Hadash since 2013, Eric and his family live in Los Gatos. His wife is a local teacher, and their son is a student at Los Gatos High School. Eric is a passionate world traveler with a soft spot for the Middle East, and is an ardent fan of our local professional sports teams. SPAIN & ISRA S THE MANY FACES OF JUDAISM A TRIP TO SPAIN AND ISRAEL LED BY RABBI ME ELANIE ARON SPAIN ISRAELJeL SPAIN WE ARE GOING TO SPAIN & June 4-14, 2017 ISRAEL. June 10 21, 2018 SPAIN&ISRAEL For more details about the program and how to register, visit arzaworld.com or call Telling the story of Israel and the Jewish World NAEL FEbRuARy 2018 NOTES 7

7 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CAMPBELL, CA PERMIT NO Congregation Shir Hadash 20 Cherry Blossom Lane Los Gatos, CA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Eco-friendly paper ADULT EDUCATION HAVDALAH & MOVIE NIGHT Saved by Language Saturday, February 10, at 7:00 pm The evening begins with Havdalah, followed by the screening of Saved by Language, directed by Shir Hadash member Susanna Zaraysky. Susanna will lead a discussion following the film. Saved by Language tells the story of Moris Albahari, a Sephardic Jew from Sarajevo (born 1930), who spoke Ladino/JudeoSpanish, his mother tongue, to survive the Holocaust. His story begins as he runs away from a train taking Yugoslavian Jews to Nazi death camps. Moris spoke Ladino with an Italian Colonel who helped him. Then speaking Ladino to a Spanish-speaking US pilot, he led the pilot, along with his American and British colleagues, to safety. Susanna Zaraysky, the daughter of Rimma and Isaak Zaraysky, was one of Rabbi Aron s very first Bar Mitzvah students. She has a keen interest in theology and world events.