We Begin A Spiritual Quest Jewish literary tradition uses humor and the image of the fool

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1 September/Octoberr 2016 September and October Shabbat and Worship Calendar September Friday, September 2 6 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Torah reading. Friday, September 9 6 pm Friday, September 16 6 pm Come Grow With Me! Shabbat. Friday, September 23 6 pm Friday, September 30 6 pm October Friday, October 7 6 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Torah reading. We Begin A Spiritual Quest Jewish literary tradition uses humor and the image of the fool to teach existential lessons. Take this story, taught by Hanokh of Alexander: Once there was a man, called Golem, who had trouble keeping track of his clothes. He lost his clothing so often that he realized he had to devise a scheme, so he would not end up naked in the village! So one day, he got a pencil and a piece of paper and wrote down where he was placing each article of clothing. He placed the note next to his bed and thought to himself, Tomorrow I will have no trouble finding my clothes! He awoke the next morning, and, quite pleased with himself, took the note and followed it to the letter. He found each piece of clothing exactly where he had set it down. Within a short period of time, he was fully dressed. Suddenly, he was seized with a terrible, terrifying thought: But where am I!? he cried. Where in the world am I? He looked everywhere but could not find himself. And so, taught Hanokh of Alexander, so it is with us. The man had dressed himself on the outside but what had happened to his inner self? It is important to note that the name of the man is Golem a robot-like man who is completely empty inside. Rather than empty of brains, however, the story seems to be implying that he is devoid of maturity or spiritual growth. He is enveloped in clothing, but devoid, and scared, of what he really needs. Come explore these questions with me on Sundays, September 11, 18 and 25 from 9:30-10:30. The story is a lesson what is outwardly dressed must be inwardly addressed. As we approach the High Holy Days, we begin a spiritual quest. We have the opportunity to confront the fundamental questions of our existence: Where am I? Who am I? Why am I here? What should I be doing here? Through prayer, reflection, conversation and study, let us be clothed and found. Shana Tovah U metukah To a Sweet and Good Year. Friday, October 14 6 pm Friday, October 21 6 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Consecration. Friday, October 28 6 pm Happy Birthday! We listed Jessie Glassman s birthday in the last issue, but what we forgot to mention is that she was celebrating her 100th birthday. Mazal Tov! Rabbi Allison Vann avann@suburbantemple.org Renewing Ourselves in Troubled Times: High Holy Days 2016 Saturday, September 24 7 pm Selichot Program, Service Sunday, October 2 8 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Service Hashiveinu: Renew our Days* Monday, October 3 9 am 3:30 pm Come Grow With Me! Service 9 am Rosh Hashanah Morning Service 10 am Hineini: Who Walks Alone?* Rosh Hashanah Children s Service 2 pm Tashlich Ceremony 3:30 pm Tuesday, October 11 8 pm Kol Nidre Tikkun Atzmi: Healing the Self in a Selfish World* Wednesday, October 12 9 am 5 pm Come Grow With Me! Service 9 am Yom Kippur Morning Service 10 am Tikkun Olam: How do We Do Fix the World?* Yom Kippur Children s Service 2 pm Yom Kippur Afternoon, Memorial and Ne ilah: Concluding Service 4 pm Shattered and Whole at the Same Time* * preliminary sermon titles

2 From Brett s Desk often write bulletin I articles that revolve around time, particularly the seasons. I find that marking the passage of time helpful and somehow comforting. This bulletin certainly lends itself to the same kind of writing, as the High Holy Days, school, and our full programming season are upon us. After a few years at ST-KA, it s clear that like the planet, we too, have seasons. High Holy Days, membership, programming, annual appeal, and more. Sometimes, I feel as though we are hamsters on a wheel certainly getting our exercise, but are we getting anywhere? I hope that I can answer that question with a yes, mostly! Membership is headed in the right direction and gifts to Open Doors are increasing. Attendance at programs is strong. Religious school participation is terrific and if you haven t spent time on a Sunday morning in the lobby, you should! Talk about great energy! Finally, we are blessed with a wonderful board of trustees. We meet approximately 8 times annually. The dates can be found on our online calendar as well in the Bulletin calendar. Kim Rosner, our president, has asked that we try to be more transparent about what occurs at the board level, so please look for board updates in the Bulletin and online. If you have questions about what the board does, please just ask. As we enter the High Holy Days, may we all be inscribed for a year of good health and happiness. Brett Shankman, Executive Director bshankman@suburbantemple.org From our President: A Sweet New Year I ve learned over the years that everyone has a favorite holiday on the Jewish calendar, with Passover and Chanukah seeming to be perennial favorites. Personally, I find Rosh Hashanah to be the most meaningful. As the secular calendar is an opportunity to re-set one s GPS with all types of life style resolutions, the Jewish New Year is as well. It may not be the same type of resolutions such as a weight loss challenge that focuses on one s physical being but something more spiritual in nature. As Temple President, praying on Rosh Hashanah is a larger communal experience, with the entire congregation coming fully together for one of the few times of the year. It s at this time that I experience something very special: the feeling of something new and clean is in the air. We pray, we eat, we wash our sins away with the rite of Tashlich. We not only ready ourselves for the next ten days of introspection leading to Yom Kippur, but we get excited about new beginnings in our Jewish world. Maybe you have enrolled children in religious school; maybe you are considering stepping up to participate in a new way. Some of you are even leading one of the committees or task forces that keep our congregation humming. We invite our members to do Friday night blessings no Hebrew involved. No time? The Temple has a long wish list of needs, some large, some small, but all that will make a difference in the place we pray. All good things for a sweet new year. No matter the leadership, hard work, or task list that I face, worshiping with our congregation gives me an opportunity to celebrate all that is good in the world. I look forward to praying on Friday evenings, a respite between the week gone by, and the week ahead. Praying on Rosh Hashanah, as we face the new year, a clean slate of open possibility. Praying together brings me comfort in knowing that for all of our differences, we are still one people. I look forward to seeing you! L Shana Tova, Kim Rosner, President president@suburbantemple.org Milestone Birthdays and Anniversaries Mazal tov to our members who are celebrating milestone birthdays: SEPTEMBER Robert Berick Jane Glaubinger, Ph.D. Donald Gries Morton Mandel Barbara Margolius Michael Oppenheimer Sondra Rubenstein Ronald Weinberg OCTOBER Elaine Eisner Maureen Fertig Deborah Garson David Goodman Benson Pilloff Ricardo Popovsky Mazal tov to our members who are celebrating milestone anniversaries: SEPTEMBER Marion & Joseph Ambus 65 years Amy & Ken Rogat 55 years Lari & Peter Jacobson 20 years Karen Rosenblum-Clar & David Clar 15 years OCTOBER Beth & Mark Riley 30 years Amy & Dan Schuman 20 years Sara Stashower & Mark Heller 20 years Milestone birthday listings begin at age fifty and every five years afterward. All birthdays 100 and over are listed. Milestone anniversaries begin at ten years and continue every five years thereafter. 2

3 From our Director of Lifelong Learning New Year, New Schedule, New Ideas, New People, & New Excitement! Our new school year begins on Sunday, September 11, and I have lots of news to share with you! This year we are going to be shaking up the schedule a bit and adding some new and exciting programming. For some time now, Rabbi Vann and I have had the goal of incorporating a regular Tefilah (prayer) experience into our religious school program. We both believe it is a vital component of a personal and meaningful Jewish education. Through the generosity of one of the grants we received from the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, we have hired Cantor Dave Malecki to help make this program a reality. Students will have Tefliah every other week by age group. Rabbi Vann, Cantor Dave, and I will be the leaders, and as the year progresses, we will have the students help us to lead as well. This gives them the opportunity to develop their Tefilah skills and leadership skills. Cantor Dave is new to the Cleveland area, and was ordained a few months ago at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. During his time as a cantorial student, he worked with students of varying ages both at his student pulpit at Temple Beth Israel in York, PA, and as an education intern at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue in Brooklyn, NY. We are so pleased that Dave will be joining the ST-KA family this year, both helping to lead and teach Tifilah in religious school, as well as being our new Come Grow With Me Shabbat. I know you will all give him a warm welcome! In order to include Tefilah into our program, we have made a couple of changes to our weekly schedule. Z man Kehilah (Community Time) will no longer take place weekly. However, we look forward to gathering as a community for special programs like the Israeli Cafe. the Experiential Seder, and the All-School Jewpardy Game. Additionally, our Kolaynu students (8th 12th graders) will now have one hour as madrichim (student aides), one hour as students themselves, and a half hour each week to gather all together informally to be with each other and build community. What a gift! I am so excited for the news this year will bring, and I can t wait to greet you all on September 11! Rabbi Shana Nyer snyer@suburbantemple.org Lifelong Learning Unless otherwise noted, please RSVP for all programs to Miriam Golenberke by ing MGolenberke@suburbantemple.org or by calling ext. 101 Come Grow with Me Shabbat On September 16, at 6 pm join us for a brief, interactive, and fun Shabbat service, followed by Shabbat dinner for families with very young children (0-9 years old). This program is free, but please RSVP! Hebrew Marathon Have you always wanted to learn to read Hebrew, but never thought you had the time? Well then we have the class for you! Come learn to read Hebrew in just one day! Join Rabbis Vann and Nyer on Saturday, September 24 from 2-6:00 pm for a Hebrew Marathon. The fee for the class is $36. Please RSVP to Dale at DHopkins@ suburbantemple.org or by calling by Friday, September 16. Menchkins Purple apples? Red Shofars? Blue bumblebees? Let your imagination run wild on Sunday, September 25 at 10-11:15 am as we create High Holy Day cards with artist Mimi Becker. Mimi encourages bright abstract art through color, line, shape and form. Together we will uncover the artist with in all of us. Our studio is Coffee Phix Café 4485 Mayfield Rd, South Euclid. In addition to holiday card making, we will share a story or two and enjoy some refreshments. This program is free, thanks to a generous grant from the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, but please RSVP. Parent s Night Out Would you like a date night? Or a night out with friends? Let our professionally trained teachers, Kathy Klein and Heidi Mell, and their assistants watch your children while you go and enjoy yourselves! All children 1 year and older are welcome to join us October 29, from 6-9:00 pm for a pizza dinner, activities, havdalah, and a movie in pajamas. The cost is $10 per child with a maximum of $25 per family for the whole evening! Adult Education Journey of the Heart: Getting the Most out of the High Holy Days A three-part workshop with Rabbi Vann On Sundays, September 11, 18, and 25 from 9:30-10:30 am, in the Gries Library of Suburban Temple-Kol Ami, Rabbi Vann will present an interactive class designed to prepare and teach about the High Holy Days. How can we make these sacred days meaningful and personally impactful? What do the main prayers and songs mean? In what ways are they relevant? Save The Date! Consecration Suburban Temple-Kol Ami family, you are invited to celebrate with us as our newest students are Consecrated (a formal welcome to their Jewish education) at Shabbat services on Friday, October 21, beginning at 6 pm. The students will recite the Shema, be blessed by Rabbi Vann and receive their very own baby Torah. Do not miss this opportunity for our whole congregation to kvell (beam with pride and joy)! Simchat Torah The Torah is our sacred text. After we come to the last word in Deuteronomy, we immediately begin again with the first words in Genesis. On Sunday, October 23, come rejoice in our gift of Torah as our members read from it and we dance to joyous music provided by the Workmen s Circle Klezmer Orchestra. To participate in the service by reading a line of Torah, please contact Rabbi Shana Nyer at snyer@ suburbantemple.org. 3

4 Kolot Kol Ami Sings for N ilah Service For the third year, our volunteer choir, Kolot Kol Ami, will participate in our N ilah service on Yom Kippur. This is a very moving portion of our High Holy Day liturgy, and the added participation by our congregational choir makes it even more meaningful for us as a community. If you are interested in joining Kolot Kol Ami this year, no previous attendance is necessary. We will be using the same music as the past two years, so our veterans will be a great support system for new singers. The rehearsal schedule will be as follows: Tuesday, September 20 at 7 pm Thursday, October 6 at 7 pm Sunday, October 9 at 5 pm The service will take place on Wednesday, October 12 around 5 pm. If you are interested in participating, please contact our interim Music Director, Laura Lindauer at ljlindauer@ gmail.com or Calvary Church Supper For more than 20 years, Suburban Temple-Kol Ami members have been cooking and serving meals at Calvary Church at 79th and Euclid Ave. The next dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28. We need volunteers from 4 6:30 pm to set up, serve the guests, and clean up. To sign up please contact: Sandy Lusher-Waterhouse (spruce50@gmail.com or ). SUKKOTAPALOOZA On Sunday, October 16 from 9:30am 1:30pm we will have our annual congregational Sukkot celebration, SUKKOTAPALOOZA. We will come together as one community to celebrate our fall harvest festival and to offer gratitude for our blessings. Our celebration will include the building and decorating of our congregational sukkot, learning sessions for all ages, tikkun olam opportunities, lunch, ritual and more. There will be something for everyone from babies to bubbies, so we invite you all to join in the fun. Greetings From Kol Nashim I can t believe that the summer is winding down already and we are gearing up for back to school! With back to school comes the new religious school year. We hope to see all of our religious school families for opening day! Kol Nashim will help welcome everyone back for an exciting school year with a bagel breakfast that first day. I look forward to experiencing our religious school hallways filled with conversation and laughter again! We have many exciting events planned for this coming year. I hope you will be able to join us for some of the old favorites; JCC Book Festival, Chanukah dinner, Kol Nashim Shabbat Service, Women s Seder, and for some new programs in the year to come as well! Please see the article following this column about our September 18 get together! In addition, our book club will meet for the first discussion on September 15 at the home of Nancy Huntsman at 7 pm. We will be discussing The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. Please RSVP to the Temple office and you will be given the address at that time. Finally, please save the date, November 16 for our annual author event that we host in conjunction with the JCC Book Festival. The event is free and open to the public but does require reservations. Author Uri Bar-Joseph will discuss his book, The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Mazel Tov! The congregation is invited to celebrate together during Shabbat services for the following B nai and Bat Mitzvah: Saturday, September 3, at 10:30 am, William Berick son of Robert and Kelly Berick, will become a Bar Mitzvah. Saturday, September 10 at 10:30 am, Carly Lehman, daughter of Matt and Julie Lehman, will become a Bat Mitzvah. Saved Israel. It promises to be an exciting read and a wonderful evening so look for more details to follow. Very soon you will have received a letter from Kol Nashim explaining our purpose and asking you to join. If you have not yet sent your membership form and payment to the Temple office, please consider doing so. It is through your membership that we are able to continue supporting our religious school, many Temple family life-cycle events, and fostering fellowship among our women members with programs. As always, if you have any questions or ideas for Kol Nashim, please do not hesitate to contact me at STKAKolNashim@ gmail.com or I hope your family eases seamlessly out of summer and into a sweet new year! Amy Bloomberg Kol Nashim President Getting To Know Us Get Together Kol Nashim welcomes and invites parents of religious school students and members of our congregation to our getting to know us get-together on Sunday, September 18 from 11 am-noon. Please let us know ( or dhopkins@ suburbantemple.org) before Sept. 14 that you will be joining us!! Bar Mitzvah. Saturday, September 17 at 10:30 am, Gabe Schechtman, son of Scott and Stacy Schechtman, will become a Bar Mitzvah. Saturday, October 22 at 10:30 am, Drew Riley, son of Mark and Beth Riley, will become a Bar Mitzvah. Saturday, October 29 at 10:30 am, Julian J.D. Popovsky, son of Jennifer Popovsky and Ricardo Popovsky, will become a 4

5 Sept./Oct. Programs, Events, Meetings Torah study meets every Saturday morning from 9:15 10:15 am. Join Rabbi Vann in the Gries Library for bagels and open discussion about the Torah. Sat., Sept :30 am Bar Mitzvah: William Berick Mon., Sept 5...OFFICE CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY Tues., Sept pm Faculty and Madrichim Dinner Wed., Sept pm Kolaynu Faculty Dinner Sat., Sept :30 am Bat Mitzvah: Carly Lehman Sunday, Sept 11...Noon First Day of Religious School / End of Summer Picnic Mon., Sept pm Board of Trustees meeting Tues., Sept :30 pm Tikun Olam Committee meeting...7 pm Membership Committee meeting Wed. Sept pm Music Taskforce meeting Thur., Sept pm ST-KA Book Club Sat., Sept :30 am Bar Mitzvah: Gabe Schechtman Sun., Sept :30 am Kol Nashim Opening Coffee...11 am Kol Nashim Getting to Know Us Tues., Sept pm Music Taskforce meeting Wed., Sept pm Lifelong Learning Committee meeting Thurs., Sept pm Vintage meeting Sat., Sept pm Selichot Program: Dinner, Movie and Service Wed., Sept :30 pm Calvary Church Spaghetti Dinner...7 pm Executive Committee meeting Sun., Oct :30 am Sukkotpalooza! Mon., Oct OFFICE CLOSED FOR SUKKOT Tues., Oct pm Board of Trustees meeting Wed., Oct pm Lifelong Learning Committee meeting Sat., Oct :30 am Bar Mitzvah: Drew Riley Sun., Oct :30 pm New Member Dinner...7 pm Simchat Torah program Mon., Oct OFFICE CLOSED FOR SIMCHAT TORAH Sat., Oct :30 am Bar Mitzvah: Julian J.D. Popovsky...6 pm Parents Night Out ST-KA Technology Update ST-KA Joins AmazonSmile Did you know that shopping on Amazon. com can benefit ST-KA? We have signed up with AmazonSmile, which donates a small percentage of every purchase to our congregation. Please visit smile.amazon. com and choose Suburban Temple-Kol Ami as your preferred charity. There is no extra cost to you and you can use your usual amazon.com account. Start at smile. amazon.com each time you shop! Live Streaming Services All Shabbat and Festival services in the sanctuary are now live streamed. Now you can watch Kabbalat Shabbat services live (or recorded) on our website. Please visit and click on the live stream menu at the top. Welcome to Miriam Golenberke We are very pleased to welcome Miriam Golenberke to our staff. Miriam joined the team in August as our new Lifelong Learning Administrative Assistant where she works primarily with Rabbi Nyer to support the work of our religious school, adult education programs, and more. Miriam can be reached through the main number, or mgolenberke@ suburbantemple.org. Please stop by the office and give Miriam a proper ST-KA welcome! We want to thank Jonathan Payes for his outstanding help to us over the last seven months! Jonathan stepped in as our interim Lifelong Learning Administrative assistant and was a huge asset to the team. Thanks Jonathan! We are so lucky to have you as part of the ST-KA family. Our Prides and Joys Births We share in the joy of Elise Rosenberg and Renee Young, who respectively welcomed a great-granddaughter and granddaughter, Sadie Reed Rosenberg, on June 1, Sadie s proud parents are Meghan and Kevin Rosenberg. She is also the sister of Izzy Rosenberg, and great-niece of Lori Rosenberg, as well as Sue and Larry Wolf. We share in the joy of Kacie and John Buzzard, who welcomed a son, Gideon Alexander Buzzard, on June 17, Gideon s sisters are Caroline and Vivian. His maternal grandparents are Toni and John Wielgus of Maricopa, AZ and his paternal grandparents are Linda Miller of Nashville, TN and Clyde Buzzard of Silver Spring, MD. Marriages Cathy Curtiss to Ben Volin in Boston, MA on July 3, 2016 Jane Glaubinger, PhD to Eric Baer in Cleveland, OH on July 3,

6 Shabbat Acknowledgments We are grateful to the following people who helped make our June and July worship services a beautiful experience. Guest Service Leaders: Lori Rosenberg, Sara Stashower Blessings: Beth and Rand Curtiss, Sue Hoffman, Debra Light and Bruce Sherman, Flossy Mitchell, Rita Orpett, Elise Rosenberg, Lori Rosenberg, Linda Schneider Torah Blessings: Karen and Sandy Shapiro Announcements: Sue Hoffman, Lori Rosenberg, Kim Rosner Ushers: Noreen Bertman, Phyllis and Norman Goldston, Susan Hirsch, Rene Klein, Janet Lieblich, Flossy and Dennis Mitchell, Rita Orpett, Richard Skall Bimah Flowers and Oneg Shabbat Sponsors On June 17, bimah flowers were gifts from Noreen Bertman in loving memory of her husband, Phillip Bertman, on their 60th anniversary On July 8, Oneg Shabbat sponsors were Chuck and Joanne Frankel and Family in loving memory of Kurt Lang Frankel and from Lori Rosenberg in honor of Elise Rosenberg s birthday. On July 15, bimah flowers were gifts from Karen and Mickey Schenkel in loving memory of Ida Jaffe and Manuel Schenkel On July 29, bimah flowers were gifts from The Margolius Family in loving memory of Philip Weiss In Memoriam Dear Member Phyllis Goldston Dear Relative Betty Katz Dear Friend Louis Lemberger We Gratefully Acknowledge the Following Contributions Please consider making a contribution to Suburban Temple-Kol Ami to celebrate a special occasion, express gratitude or sympathy, or honor important accomplishments. A current list of Temple funds is available from the Temple office. Donations may be made online at Donations listed below were received between June 1 and July 31, Please let us know of any errors or omissions. Bimah Flower Fund In memory of Phillip Bertman on their 60th anniversary Noreen Bertman Ida Jaffee and Manuel Schenkel Karen and Mickey Schenkel Choir Fund In appreciation of Bruce Shewitz and Laura Lindauer Flossy and Dennis Mitchell Bruce Shewitz s retirement Diane Scholnick Leadership Fund The Marriage of Cathy Curtiss and Ben Volin Diane and Harvey Scholnick Jacqueline and Alvin Jaffe Shadow Fund Al Jaffe s 90th birthday Flossy and Dennis Mitchell Kol Nashim In appreciation of Susan Merdler Landscaping Fund Shelly Galvin s retirement Lesly and Bill Kohner Oneg Sponsorship Elise Rosenberg s birthday Lori Rosenberg In memory of Kurt Lang Frankel Joanne and Chuck Frankel and Family Operating Fund In appreciation of Bart Bookatz The Suburban Temple-Kol Ami Community Rabbi Shana Nyer The Family of Ida Berman Linda Wolfe, Rabbi Vann and Rabbi Nyer for their efforts on behalf of the confirmation class. Brian Luntz (Family Donor Advised Fund) The Marriage of Cathy Curtiss and Ben Volin Bruce Waterhouse, Jr and Sandra Lusher-Waterhouse Ronni Bialosky as the recipient of the President s Award In loving memory of Phyllis Goldston Paul Fox In memory of Phyllis Goldston Kenneth Lapine Lea Bank Rabbi s Discretionary Fund In appreciation of Barbara Feinberg Religious School Fund Rabbi Nyer s graduation Laura Barnard s promotion to Provost and VP of Academic Affairs at Lakeland Community College Linda Schneider 6

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8 Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Cleveland, OH Permit Chagrin Blvd. Beachwood, Ohio Phone: Fax: Member, Union for Reform Judaism Address Service Requested STAFF Allison Vann, Rabbi Eric J. Bram, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus, z l Michael A. Oppenheimer, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus Myron Silverman, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus, z l Brett Shankman, Executive Director Rabbi Shoshana Nyer, Director of Lifelong Learning Bruce Shewitz, Music Director O F F I C E RS Kimberly Rosner, President Laura Barnard, Vice-President Sue Hoffman, Vice-President Jonathan Litt, Secretary Michelle S. Brown, Treasurer Sara E. Stashower, Immediate Past President Follow us on social media: Men s Club at Progressive Field On Sunday, June 19, more than 30 ST-KA members and friends spent the day cheering on the Tribe! Our Summer at Camp