TEMPLE BETH EL of ONEONTA October The Shofar

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1 TEMPLE BETH EL of ONEONTA October 2016 The Shofar Friends, The Yamim Noraim, Days of Awe, are upon us. In this season, we take on the practice of Cheshbon HaNefesh, literally, accounting of the soul. In the section of the Mishnah known as Pirke Avot, Ethics of the Ancestors (Chapter 2), we read: Rabbi Eliezer would say: The honor of your fellow should be as precious to you as your own, and do not be easy to anger. Repent one day before your death. Of course, we don t usually know the day of our death before it comes. Thus, the tradition really is to take account of ourselves each and every day. How can we help each other with this accounting? We read in the Torah: You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kinsman but incur no guilt because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19: 17-18) In other words, if someone hurts us, we are instructed not to carry a grudge, but to go to that person and let them know that they have hurt us, and how. This allows us the opportunity to make amends for the hurt we have caused, which we might not have otherwise known about. It is the custom of some to say If I have hurt any of you in any way, please forgive me. This kind of blanket apology, in my view, robs the wounded party of the opportunity to have their hurt heard by the injuring party. If I have hurt you, I very much want you to privately tell me exactly how I have caused you pain. This will allow me to fully hear and understand your feelings, and will create the opportunity for me to say to you, directly, that I am sorry for the specific hurt that I have caused you. I invite us all to try this practice. Although many of us prefer to avoid conflict, I would suggest that carrying a grudge can damage a relationship far more than airing the hurt and allowing the other a chance to make it right. Our study of Mussar will continue following the High Holy Days. This Jewish practice helps us to be the best versions of ourselves, and to find ways to heal the broken parts in ourselves and become more of the solution to a troubled world. Please do consider joining the group. Torah Study will meet on Saturday October 22 nd. Coffee and Schmooze starts at 9:00 am; we begin our studies at 9:30. Please note High Holy Day service times on your tickets and in the Shofar. Shabbat Services will take place on October 21 st at 6:00 PM, followed by our Sukkot potluck dinner at 7:00 PM. We are in need of more potluck people to participate in set-up and clean-up. Please let Ken know if you can participate. As always, you can reach me with questions and concerns at rabbimollykarp@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing you soon!! Kol tuv (wishing you all goodness), Rabbi Molly Karp 1

2 President s Column Since moving upstate and becoming a member of Temple Beth El, I have had over 30 years to adjust to the differences between the mega-synagogue of my Long Island childhood and the small, eclectic synagogue of my adult life in Oneonta. My first and most memorable moment of culture shock was seeing our former cantorial soloist Barbara Roberts play guitar on the bimah during a Shabbat service. Over time I not only adjusted to the guitar, but enjoyed it. Just when I think I have let the past rest, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur come along and I realize the past never rests. As we recite and sing prayers together in Temple Beth El, I hear the melodies in my head as they were sung so many years ago by a chorus of 1,000 voices in a cavernous sanctuary. I m sure many of you share a similar memory and can relate to the feeling of hearing the Shema sung with such energy and volume that one is enveloped by the voices of the Jewish community. Traditionally, I spend Rosh Hashanah with my parents at my childhood synagogue on Long Island. That cavernous sanctuary is there just as I remember it, but the people are not. Where we once filled the space from the foot of the bimah to the rear mirrored wall at the back of the catering hall, we now fill little more than the permanent wooden pews. In the 1970s it seemed unremarkable to pray from deep within a massive sea of people. As a child, I remember sitting with my family in a distant row of uncomfortable folding chairs on what was also a dance floor. Far from the bimah, feeling removed from the service, I occupied myself by playing with the fringes on my father s tallit, studying the crystal chandeliers, and wishing that just maybe the mirrored ball over my head would turn on. (It never did.) As president of Temple Beth El, I am in contact with long-term members, new members and prospective members, all of whom have their own unique memories. In our conversations I often hear stories about their former synagogues and the ways Temple Beth El is different. It is through these conversations that I have gained an appreciation for the diversity of practices and values that people bring with them to our shul. While it is impossible to re-create anyone s past, I am pleased to say that now more than ever we are offering a religious and spiritual experience that is inclusive of both Reform and Conservative practices. Whether you were raised with a Shlomo Carlebach or Debbie Friedman-style service, our services are satisfying congregants. Our Friday night service exemplifies the welcoming and engaging personality that is Temple Beth El, and includes the formality of ritual, the informality of discussion, and a deep respect for tradition. Our sense of community and Jewish spirit makes our synagogue a comfortable place for members to pray, study, and simply be among Jewish people. With no other synagogue in this region, our success at redefining what we want from a synagogue and seeing it take shape is amazing. Temple Beth El has surely been strengthened during the past year. Though we may have hit a few bumps along the way, we are certainly headed in the right direction. With the on-going support of our members, we will continue to grow and attract new members. I am very happy to report that we are continually contacted by Jewish people in the area interested in joining Temple Beth El, and that we have a growing number of students in our religious school and bat/bar mitzvahs on the calendar in the next year. It has been a promising year. I hope you will continue to support our synagogue with your presence, participation, and continued financial generosity. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year. Shanah tovah, Ken ksider@hotmail.com or

3 The Board of Trustees wishes you a happy, healthy new year. Member News We wish Refuah Shlema to Deb March, who is in the hospital. THANK YOU FOR DONATIONS TO TEMPLE BETH EL The following made donations in memory of Gail Feuer's mother, Caroline Graben: John Relethford & Hollie Jaffe, Roberta Puritz-Hayes, Judith Schnitman and Zach Weinberg. Zach Weinberg in memory of Murray Bushman. Nancy Fiesler in honor of her sister Marni Jamison's Bat Mitzvah. Religious School News A very lively new year of Hebrew School has started, with a curriculum of Hebrew language, prayer, history, and Torah. Parents Jeff Gelbsman, Bob Garfield, and Hollie Jaffe, and even former students Jade Ackley and Lennon Gelbsman, have heeded the call for volunteer teachers for our three classes, and we were lucky enough to coax grandparent Faye Munson out of a short retirement after 25 years of teaching, to restart our preschool. There are five students in the bar/bat mitzvah class, so we can look forward to sharing wonderful community events in the coming year. 3

4 BREAK-THE-FAST! Join us in the Temple Social Hall Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Immediately following services (approx. 6:30pm) A Delicious Light Buffet Will Be Served! Suggested donation: $12.00 each ages 13 and up $ 6.00 each ages 5 to 12 No charge under age 5 Maximum $36 /family RSVP Gail Feuer at gailmindy7@gmail.com or at Or complete below and mail to Temple Names of adults attending: Number and ages of children attending: Amount enclosed: Make payment electronically or make check payable to Temple Beth El and mail to: Temple Beth El, PO Box 383, Oneonta, NY

5 * NEW SHABBAT POTLUCK DINNER SCHEDULE * Once a month we have a Friday night potluck to celebrate Shabbat as a community. Since so many of us enjoy the time we get to spend together eating and talking, we will try a new schedule that will also enable families with children to attend Friday night services. Our new Potluck Schedule is: 6:00 Service 7:00 Dinner October Potluck dinner will be held on Friday, October 21 st Please RSVP to Stephanie Bauer mbauer@stny.rr.com or to let the hosts know that you are coming and what non-meat, non-shellfish dish you will share. Comments from Temple Beth El s Participants at the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue with Residents of Holy Islamberg August 28, 2016 I was pleased to participate in the Holy Islamberg and Temple Beth EL meeting. Thank you and the other temple members for arranging the get together. Rabbi Karp had a difficult task explaining Judaism in a limited time frame and she based her discussion on questions from the Muslim community. I learned much about Jewish history as she delivered her remarks clearly while emphasizing the similarities of the two religions. The time that both groups spent during the informal discussions while sharing food together was most informative. We learned about each other s customs, traditions and ways of life. The meeting was an enriching experience and I look forward to the opportunity to travel to Holy Islamberg in the future. -Lynda Preiser I attended the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue at the synagogue. Both Rabbi Karp and Board President Ken Sider spoke movingly and eloquently about the value of communication between our congregation and our Muslim neighbors from Islamberg. Several prominent members of that community spoke as well. We all then broke bread together in the community room downstairs. It was a peaceful, informative and friendly event. We shared conversation, asked questions and listened to answers, worried about the future together, and had some laughs. It reminded me that we re all children of the book, so to speak, and that neighborliness can go a long way towards reducing tensions and misunderstandings. My compliments to Rabbi Karp and Ken Sider, and to their opposite numbers at Islamberg, for taking a stand for civility and understanding. I look forward to an opportunity to return the courtesy by visiting our Muslim neighbors in Islamberg with other members of our Jewish community. -Andy Puritz Thank you for the opportunity to meet with the people from Holy Islamberg. The experience was profound, intellectually enlightening and emotionally moving. The Jewish Muslim Dialogue showcased the many similarities between our religions, our values and our cultures, while recognizing that we each have much to learn about each other's unique features. Perhaps even more importantly, the people from both communities were warm and welcoming to each other and made clear that we want to continue to talk and grow this beginning friendship. I am a big believer in think globally, act locally. That is what we began on Sunday. -Deb Marcus 5

6 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Members will have received their tickets for the Holy Days in the mail. Please note the dates and times for your own reference. As is our tradition, we are making a concerted effort to begin Yizkor no later than 1:00 on Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah Sunday, Oct 2 Evening Service at 7:00, followed by Oneg Monday, Oct 3 Morning Service at 9:30, and Tashlich at 1:00 Tuesday, Oct 4 Outing at Wilber Park. Meet at the large pavilion, at noon. Yom Kippur Tuesday, Oct 11 Kol Nidrei at 6:30 Wednesday, Oct 12 Morning Service at 9:30, Minchah at 4:00, Havdalah at 7:30 Break-the-Fast Dinner, immediately following the shofar blast More information about the Holy Days (including babysitting) was mailed to members with their tickets and posted on our website. Non-members are welcome to attend our services with the purchase of a ticket ($100.00) that can be applied toward membership. Students are free. CHAI to LIFE Please remember to send in your $18.00 Chai to Life payment for September. Every donation helps us pay the synagogue s bills and maintain Rabbi Karp s visits to Oneonta. Thank you for your on-going support. DONATIONS TO TEMPLE BETH EL Making donations to honor or remember friends and family is a custom in every synagogue that we seem to have gotten away from. Please send a donation to Temple Beth El when you or someone you love has good news to share or to recognize a death or remember a yahrzeit. Men s Club Breakfast Men s Club Breakfast will be held Sunday, 10 am Oct 16 th in the downstairs social hall. 6

7 YOU CAN EARN MONEY FOR TEMPLE BETH EL BY SHOPPING AT AMAZON.COM Every time you shop at Amazon.com, Temple Beth El receives a percentage of that sale with no cost to you. You still pay the same Amazon prices as usual and Amazon donates a portion of that sale to our Temple. It s EASY. All you have to do is go to the Temple s webpage at this address: Once at our website, click on the AMAZON tab at the top of the page (second tab from the right) Then, click on the Amazon.com link and shop as you normally do. For everything you buy, Amazon will donate to the Temple. It s as simple as that. Two extra clicks (first, go to the Temple s website, then, click on the Amazon Tab and Amazon link) and you re ready to donate, just by shopping. It really helps and it really adds up. Remember us when you shop. You have to do a few extra steps but then it s shopping as usual and we reap the benefits. Just continue buying what you would buy anyway, and the Temple makes money. How great is that? 7

8 Chesed Committee The Chesed Committee provides help and support to Temple members in times of need and in times of joy. Anne Green and Bernadette Winters Bell are available to offer support. Bernadette Winters Bell Home # cell # Anne Green la0130@stny.rr.com Home # Like to knit, crochet, craft? Want to learn? Please join the Sisterhood (men invited as well) for 2 hours of knitting, crocheting or other craft handiwork. Amy Zoltick and Stephanie Bauer will host on the 1st Sunday of the month in the social hall from 10-noon. Total novices (and anyone wanting to learn) to experienced fiber people are welcomed. Stephanie will describe sock knitting May 1st as many people expressed an interest. If you want to learn to knit socks some previous knitting skill is necessary. Please bring appropriate sock yarn and double pointed needles. If you want to learn to knit or crochet please bring a skein of LIGHT COLORED yarn and appropriate knitting needles (or crochet hook). Look for yarn and needles (or corresponding crochet hook) in the 6-8 size range (crochet hooks are in letters) as they are the easiest to work with. RSVP: Amy Zoltck at amysays@gmail.com ISRAELI FILM SERIES Saturday, October 22, :00 pm Rochel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are both beautiful young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They also have something else in common - they are going through the process of getting "arranged marriages" through their respective religious and traditional customs. With both family pressure on the one hand, and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rochel and Nasira will have to rely on each other and their friendship to pull through this difficult time of their lives, striving to be strong women in charge of their own happiness, while keeping their deep religious and cultural convictions. Donations for admission and snacks are appreciated. 8

9 The Lord s Table Thank you ever so much to those who came to help at Lord's Table on Thursday September 8th. I was tossing and turning during the night, hoping for enough volunteers, and was so happy they came through: Steven Feuer, Howie Gelbsman, Alice Lichtenstein, Sheila Birkett, and Nancy Bondurant-Couch. Thank you great helpers! Hollie Our shift is the 2nd Thursday each month. Please call or Hollie at hjjaffe@hotmail.com ( ) to volunteer. We could use a few more volunteers. Its only once a month for a few hours, and very satisfying. It s a great community service, and we stand with many churches and community organizations in taking a monthly turn at feeding the hungry. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Are you interested in helping at Temple Beth El or with any of our programs? We have opportunities for people who would like to be more involved. Whether it is being one of The Potluck People (helping with our monthly potluck), working at The Lord's Table (a soup kitchen/community feeding program) or joining a committee either in the synagogue or outside as a synagogue representative, we welcome your participation. Contact Ken Sider for more information, ksider@hotmail.com or Rabbi Molly Karp s Adult Education Classes following 9:30 am Torah Study Torah study is interactive No preparation required we read the weekly portion together October Lunch and Learn October 22 nd 12:00 2:00 pm Mussar will be the subject of our Lunch and Learn program for the year. This Jewish practice helps us to be the best versions of ourselves, and to find ways to heal the broken parts in ourselves and become more of the solution to a troubled world. Please bring a dairy or vegetarian brown bag lunch or a dish to share. Please contact Rabbi Karp for information. Shabbat Torah Study: at 9:30 am, following 9 am coffee and schmooze on Saturday mornings. 9

10 Yahrzeit List for October 2016 Oct 1 6 (28 Elul 4 Tishrei) Mary (Manya) Weinberg Emil Dreyfus Louis Freidlander Fred Goldsmith Oct (12 18 Tishrei) Ida Rivlin Markson Louis Lee Weisinger Bessie Freedman Cohen Aaron Feldstein Charlotte Vogel Jack Reimer Oct 9 15 (5 11 Tishrei) Sara Kiewe Charlotte Pincus Rhea L. H. Sobel Karen(Keren)Kaminsky Alexander Messer Motel Sobel Oct (19 25 Tishrei) Benjamin M. Krohn Morris Novak Robert Weiss Estelle Symons Lazarus Sidney Schlussler Shirley Daniels Rosen Oct (26 29 Tishrei) Anna Krohn Gloria Yakrus May they be remembered for a blessing In case of emergency Rabbi Karp is not reachable via on Shabbat and festivals. To reach her in the event of a rabbinic emergency, or in the case of an urgent need on Shabbat, please contact Temple Beth El's President, Ken Sider at or ksider@hotmail.com. At all other times, you can reach Rabbi Karp at rabbimollykarp@gmail.com. In the event of a death, please contact Steve Feuer, at

11 MEMBER AND SUPPORTER BUSINESSES 11

12 TEMPLE BETH EL WEBSITE ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Please for more information about this FREE service for members. Thanks, Dr. Neal Schultz! Purchase any products from BeautyRX. The profits from all purchases from Temple members will be donated to the Temple. Just go to redeem it by applying code "tbeth" in the shopping cart or checkout page. Or call beautyrx - that s , thank you. 12

13 Temple Beth El Shofar published by TEMPLE BETH EL PO Box Chestnut Street Oneonta, NY Rabbi Molly Karp 607/ (synagogue) Rabbi Emeritus Donald Neil Roberts October 2016 Elul 5776/Tishrei 5777 OFFICERS Ken Sider President Howie Gelbsman Vice President Hollie Jaffe Secretary Anne Green Treasurer Immed. Past Pres. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rick Weinberg Susan Carbone Robert Garfield Stephanie Bauer SAVE THE DATES... and times. Rosh Hashanah Sunday, Oct 2 Evening Service at 7:00, followed by Oneg Monday, Oct 3 Morning Service at 9:30, and Tashlich at 1:00 Tuesday, Oct 4 Outing at Wilber Park, the large pavilion at noon. Yom Kippur Tuesday, Oct 11 Kol Nidrei at 6:30 Wednesday, Oct12 Morning Service at 9:30, Minchah at 4:00 Havdalah at 7:30 Break-the-Fast Dinner immediately following the shofar blast Shabbat Services: October 21 st at 6:00 PM followed by Sukot potluck dinner at 7:00 PM Shabbat morning Torah study starts at 9:30am on Saturday October 22 nd, following coffee and schmooze at 9:00am, with the monthly Lunch and Learn from Bring your own meat-free, shellfish-free lunch or a dish to share. Israeli Movie Night will feature Aranged on Saturday night, October 2 nd at 7 PM. Steven Feuer Men s Club President Irene Weinberg/Joyce Gelbsman Sisterhood Temple Beth El PO Box 383 Oneonta, NY