How Should We Best Love Israel?

Transcription

1 THE B ETH A M DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 KISLEV/TEVET/SHVAT 5779 IN THIS ISSUE: Shabbat Salon: Sex and Gender in Judaism PAGE 3 How Should We Best Love Israel? With Alan Elsner of J Street FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 6:15 P.M., SERVICE IN THE SANCTUARY* POLTAVA DINNER (REGISTRATION REQUIRED) IN THE SOCIAL HALL At our Friday night service, Alan Elsner of J Street will address the dynamics of the American-Israel relationship. He writes: We are often told that as American Jews we should not be critical of Israel, and certainly not in public, because this weakens Israel. What are the implications of such a view for our community and for our next generation? Is this argument correct or does it damage us? After the service, enjoy discussion with our speaker and a delicious dinner prepared by the Poltava Committee. Please sign up for the dinner by Wednesday, December 26 at betham.org/jstreet-dinner or call (650) Dinner cost is $25 (early bird price) by December 26 and $30 between December 27 and the January 2 deadline. (All proceeds from the dinner will support our award-winning sister synagogue in Ukraine, Beth Am of Poltava, as well as the WUPJ rabbinic studies program in Moscow.) Journalist and author Alan Elsner has had a long career at the top ranks of American and international journalism and a long record of Jewish and pro-israel advocacy. He is currently Senior Advisor to the President of J Street. Erev Musika: A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein PAGE 8 An Evening with Progressive Zionist Einat Wilf PAGE AKSELRAD LECTURE: ADL PRESIDENT Jonathan Greenblatt FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* Beth Am is honored to welcome Jonathan Greenblatt, president of the Anti-Defamation League(ADL), as this year s Akselrad speaker. This lecture is our annual tribute to our Rabbi Emeritus Sidney Akselrad** of blessed memory, who dedicated his career to the pursuit of justice, dignity and civil rights for all. Mr. Greenblatt will speak at the service, then join us for questions and discussion at a festive Oneg Shabbat in the Social Hall. Jonathan Greenblatt is the CEO and National Director of the ADL, leading one of the most respected civil rights organizations in the country. Since becoming CEO in 2015, Mr. Greenblatt has modernized the organization while re-focusing it on the dual mission it has had since its founding in 1913: to fight the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Prior to joining the ADL, he served in the White House as Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civil Participation. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and innovative leader with deep experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors. **The Rabbi Akselrad (z l) Lecture Series honors our beloved rabbi s memory while carrying out the legacy he created by highlighting today s leaders of social justice, ethics and human relations. CONTACT US AT (650) *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you.

2 Rabbi Sarah Weissman The Most Wonderful Time of the Year? At this season, we celebrate Chanukah, the quintessential holiday of holding fast to Jewish tradition in the face of opposition. It s the most wonderful time of the year. For many Americans, December brings with it excitement, fun, family traditions and, of course, gifts. And for many Jews, December brings these things, but also brings feelings of alienation and ambivalence. We navigate how to respond to Christmas programs at our children s schools, Christmas parties at our offices and the ubiquitous Christmas music and decorations. We have to decide whether to embrace the holiday that is not ours, or insist on our difference and potentially feel like outsiders in our communities. Appropriately, at this season we also celebrate Chanukah, which is the quintessential holiday of holding fast to Jewish tradition in a non-jewish world. The book of I Maccabees tells us: Then Antiochus the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane Sabbaths and festivals, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. He added, And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die (I Maccabees 1:44-50). Many Jews obeyed the command to abandon their Jewish practices, but one family famously resisted: Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice, Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left (I Maccabees 2:19-22). Mattathias and his sons were willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives, rather than abandon their Jewish faith. The holiday of Chanukah began as a celebration of the courage of the Maccabees who quite literally fought for the right to remain Jewish. The Rabbis of the Talmud, however, were uncomfortable with this emphasis on a military victory, and so they created the famous story of the miraculous oil that lasted for eight days. The Sages therefore mandated that the chanukiyah be lit during Chanukah and placed in a doorway or window in order to publicize the miracle of the holiday (Talmud Shabbat 21b). Ironically, that halakhah (law) is immediately qualified so that in a time of danger [when the government issued decrees to prohibit kindling lights,] he places [the chanukiyah] on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation. In other words, the Rabbis celebrated the Maccabees triumph over religious persecution by lighting the chanukiyah, but built into the laws of the ritual itself the very real possibility that there would continue to be religious persecution in the Rabbis own time and in times to come. As we celebrate Chanukah this year, we can be grateful that we live in a country where freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution, so that no leader can command us to replace our chanukiyot with Christmas trees. But we are also painfully aware that even in 2018 and even in the United States, it is still dangerous to be a Jew. Like the Maccabees before us, we are forced to ask, How much am I willing to sacrifice in order to remain Jewish? Like the Sages before us, we are forced to ask, What if it isn t safe for me to put my chanukiyah in the window, to declare my Jewish identity proudly and publicly? We grapple with these questions, and we mourn the fact that we are still asking them after two millennia. But hopefully, with the support of family and community, we will have the courage to answer like Mattathias: I and my sons and daughters, my brothers and sisters, will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. So like our ancestors before us, we light our chanukiyot as an act of defiance in the face of terror, resistance in the face of hate. May our celebrations this month bring more light and more peace into our homes and into the world. Eric, Maverick and I wish you all Chag Urim Sameach a happy Festival of Lights. PAGE 2

3 She Is a Created Being of His Own Toward a Liberation Theology for Men, Women and Everybody Else SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 3:30 TO 5 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Join the Beth Am community for a Shabbat Salon with guest speaker Rabbi Elliot Kukla, who will discuss the six different genders that appear in Jewish sacred texts. In this session we will explore these texts and ask a number of questions: What are the spiritual implications of expanding our understandings of sex and gender in Judaism? What does Judaism have to say about offering spiritual care to those who don t fit well within the traditional understanding of normative bodies and identities? And, finally, what is the modern significance of these texts for transgender and nonbinary people in our communities? Elliot Kukla is a rabbi at the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center in San Francisco. For the past ten years, he has provided spiritual care to those who are dying, ill or bereaved, as well as co-directing the center s award-winning end of life spiritual care volunteer program, Kol Haneshama. He is the first transgender person to be ordained by a mainstream religious movement Reform Judaism s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in EXPLORATIONS IN MODERN Jewish Literature Class Taught by Rabbi Janet Marder & Dr. Joyce Penn Moser SUNDAYS: JANUARY 6, FEBRUARY 3, MARCH 10, APRIL 14, MAY 12, 9-11 A.M., BEIT KEHILLAH This five-session seminar explores fascinating works by American, European and Israeli Jewish writers that illuminate the human condition. Come prepared for a lively discussion! To register for this course and receive the syllabus, download and complete the signup form at betham.org/litclass2019 and return with a check to Congregation Beth Am, attention Bria Silbert. Suggested donation: $36 per person (includes bagels, cream cheese, juice and coffee). Hot Topics Lunch with Rabbi Janet Marder A Timely Discussion of an Interesting & Controversial Topic Celebrate Chanukah CHANUKAH BEGINS SUNDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 2 We light candles against the darkness to honor our ancestors determination to preserve their Jewish identity, and the power of the few against the mighty. Highlight Evening: 6th Night, Friday, December 7 5:45 P.M. Shabbat childcare and dinner available for kids learn more at betham.org/shabbatkids 6:15 P.M. Shabbat Chanukah Service Bring your own chanukiyah to light during the service. 7:30 P.M. Shabbat Chanukah Dinner (sponsored by Beth Am Women) Come enjoy a festive dinner, sponsored by Beth Am Women, following our Shabbat service. Dinner will include chicken, salad and delicious latkes (of course). RSVP by Wednesday, December 5 at betham.org/ chanukahdinner2018 or call (650) Please sign up to bring fruit/dessert when you RSVP. Learn more about Beth Am s Chanukah celebrations at betham.org/chanukah2018. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 11:30 A.M., SOCIAL HALL Beth Am is happy to announce that we are holding another popular lunchtime discussion! This event is open to all members of the congregation. The lunch buffet will consist of lox and bagels, tuna salad, egg salad, vegetable salad and fruit for dessert. The cost for lunch is $15 per person; please complete the online or downloadable, printable form at betham.org/dechtlunch or call (650) to register and pay for the event. We will gather for lunch, with time to greet one another and partake of the buffet lunch. At about noon, Rabbi Marder will introduce a current, and possibly controversial, article or topic for discussion. The discussion will end no later than 1 P.M., but you can stay longer and schmooze (or continue the discussion). If you are concerned that you will not know anyone there, bring a friend (non-members welcome) and you can both meet new people and participate in an interesting discussion! PAGE 3

4 Erev Shabbat services are live video streamed. By entering the Beit Kehillah or Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. december Calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY CONGREGATION BETH DECEMBER 2018 For a more detailed calendar, visit 1 NFTY CWR FALLINTER 10:00 Good Book Cafe 10:15 Torah 10:30 Bat Mitzvah Service: Weisfeld 12:00 INCLUDE Lunch NFTY CWR FALLINTER 1ST NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 9:00 1st Grade Family Ed Day 11:45 Civil Rights Class 11:45 Lunch & Learn Class 3:00 BAJY Latke Competition 5:00 Chanukiyah Lighting 8TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 9:15 Parents Circle 10:00 Hagigah Performance 11:45 3rd Grade Hebrew 11:45 Camp Beth Am 2 2ND NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 3 3RD NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 4 4TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 5 5TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 6 6TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 7 7TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 8 2:00 BAW Book Club 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 5:50 Chanukiyah Lighting 7:00 Adult Hebrew Level A 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 9:00 Adult Hebrew Level B 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 7:00 BAW Board Meeting 7:15 Chanukiyah Lighting 6:15 Adult Conv. Hebrew 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism :00 Adult Hebrew Level F 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 6:45 Chanukiyah Lighting 7:00 Health Initiative Talk: Speaker Robin Wedell 7:30 Adult Confirmation 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 11:00 Adult Hebrew Level F 11:30 Hot Topics Lunch 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 7:00 Peaceful Presence Service 7:30 Adult Confirmation 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 7:30 BAW Rosh Chodesh 12:00 B Book Club 12:00 Women s Lunch 4:30 3rd Grade Hebrew 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 6:15 Beit R fuah 7:00 Adult Herew Level A 7:00 B Photography Group 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 7:30 Mussar for Men 9:00 Adult Hebrew Level B 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 7:30 Adult Conv. Hebrew 7:30 Board Meeting 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of 6:15 Tizmoret Shabbat Chanukah Service 7:30 Shabbat Chanukah Dinner 10:15 Torah 3:30 Jewish Film Series: The Band s Visit 6:00 Hagigah Performance 7:00 Chanukiyah Lighting 10:15 Torah with Bat Mitzvah Service: Goldman 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Smolar-Eisenberg HOME & HOPE 8:00 Family Volunteer Opportunity with LifeMoves 16 HOME & HOPE 17 HOME & HOPE 18 HOME & HOPE 19 HOME & HOPE 20 HOME & HOPE 21 HOME & HOPE 22 11:00 Adult Hebrew Level F 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 7:30 Adult Confirmation 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 7:00 Adult Herew Level A 7:00 BAW Mah Jongg 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 9:00 Adult Hebrew Level B 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 7:00 Knitzvah Circle 7:30 Adult Conv. Hebrew in the Round 8:00 20 s/30 s Shabbat Service 10:15 Beit Midrash at Torah 10:15 Torah HOME & HOPE CPUS CLOSED 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II M :15 Torah M Hagigah Fall Show: Hagigah in Chelm SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 6 P.M. & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 10 A.M., SOCIAL HALL Come on a trip with Hagigah to the wacky town of Chelm, and get to know the wise people who inhabit the mythical shtetl and maybe discover what true wisdom looks like. Hagigah is a Beth Am Youth Education program in which children (grades 2-5) explore Jewish topics through the production of a winter play and spring musical. Come support our young performers!

5 Erev Shabbat services are live video streamed. By entering the Beit Kehillah or Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. january Calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY BETH JANUARY :00 Modern Jewish Literature Class 10:00 Chicken Soupers 11:45 Lunch & Learn Class CPUS CLOSED 6:00 Confirmation 7:00 BAW Rosh Chodesh 1:00 BAW Book Club 6:15 Beit R fuah 7:00 B Photography Group 7:00 BAW Book Club 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 7:30 Mussar for Men 7:00 BAW Board Meeting 7:30 Executive Committee 7:30 Board Meeting 6:15 Tizmoret Shabbat Service: With Guest Speaker Alan Elsner 7:30 Poltava Dinner with Guest Speaker 5:15 Tot Shabbat Service 8:30 Bagels and dcoffee 10:00 Good Book Cafe 10:15 Torah 10:30 Bat Mitzvah Service: Becker M :15 Torah 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Gosler 9:00 3rd Grade Family Ed. Day/Social Justice Day 11:45 Lunch & Learn Class 11:45 Sunday Program Tu Bishvat Seder 7:30 Jewish Baby Network Tu Bishvat Celebration (offsite) CIVIL RIGHTS TRIP 17 CIVIL RIGHTS TRIP 18 CIVIL RIGHTS TRIP 19 6:00 B Guys Night Out 7:00 BAW Mah Jongg 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 7:00 Knitzvah Circle Group 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism : With Akselrad Lecturer Jonathan Greenblatt 7:30 Liebhaber Oneg Shabbat 8:00 20 s/30 s Shabbat Service 10:15 Torah 10:30 B nei Mitzvah Service: Judas/Kamin 3:30 Jewish Film Series: The Ritchie Boys EREV TU BISHVAT CIVIL RIGHTS TRIP 8:00 Family Volunteer Opportunity with LifeMoves 20 TU BISHVAT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., DAY CPUS CLOSED COMMUNITY MITZVAH DAY 8:00 B Breakfast 6:00 Confirmation 7:30 BAW Tu Bishvat Seder 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 7:30 Mussar for Men 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism 7:30 Executive Committee Meeting 9:15 Tot Shabbat 10:15 Torah 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Feinstein 7:00 Community Feast of Jewish Learning 9:00 Kindergarten Family Ed. Day 11:45 Camp Beth Am 7:00 Erev Musika: Annual Campaign Thank You Event :00 Guest Speaker: Einat Wilf 7:30 Adult book Hebrew II 7:30 JBN Board Meeting 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism Community-Wide Mitzvah Day SAVE THE DATE: MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2019 Join the Oshman Family JCC, Congregation Beth Am and the local Jewish community in observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the National Day of Service. This project is open to participants and families of all ages. Teens under 18 need a waiver if unaccompanied by their parent. Visit betham.org/mlk2019 for registration information.

6 Jewish Film Series These Films Are Free and Refreshments Will Be Served THE BAND S VISIT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 3:30 P.M. BEIT KEHILLAH Eight Egyptian musicians who comprise the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrive by mistake in a small town in Israel s Negev desert, and find themselves stranded there. In this heartwarming and poignant film, connections are made in unexpected ways. Don t miss this clever, subtle slice-of-life comedy that explores crosscultural relationships. In French with English subtitles. THE RITCHIE BOYS SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 3:30 P.M. BEIT KEHILLAH During WWII, the U.S. formed an elite intelligence unit of mostly German Jewish academics, at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Tasked with devising ways to break the morale of the SS, these men are often credited with bringing an early end to the war. Some of these heroes, who are now in their eighties, are reunited in this compelling documentary. In English; not closed captioned. MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT: Levine/Levitt Family The day Andrew Levitt and Noah Levine lead their B nei Mitzvah service together in fall of 2020 will be a special day. But every Bar/Bat Mitzvah is special... so what makes this one different? Andrew and Noah are cousins who are choosing to celebrate their B nei Mitzvah together. Their grandparents, Wendy and Carl Levine, and parents, Jill and Brian Levitt and Susie and Paul Levine, are all Beth Am members. Yet Andrew and Noah are the first generation in their family to become B nei Mitzvah at Beth Am. Paul and Jill grew up at Larchmont Temple in Larchmont, NY. Both families are from the East Coast. According to Carl, The beginning of our westward migration started when Paul visited Stanford while selecting a business school. He called home to say, Snow was on the ground when I left Boston. I m walking around in shorts! I found where I m going to school! When Alex and Lauren, the first grandchildren/ cousins were born within a year of each other, Jill and Brian and Carl and Wendy felt the pull of California. Within two years, both families had left their homes and careers and moved to California to be close to Susie, Paul and Lauren. Now, the families are within 15-minute drives of each other. And, Beth Am is where they come together as a family. Read the complete article at betham.org/levine-levitt. A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT SAFETY FIRST, COMMUNITY ALWAYS The recent weeks have been filled with activity by the Beth Am Board and Program Team in the wake of the tragic events at Tree of Life in Pittsburgh. While security has been a top priority for Beth Am the past few years, we moved quickly to enhance security measures around Shabbat and other events and to accelerate work that was already underway to improve campus safety following our successful application for a security infrastructure grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This work will continue with added focus from a Board-led Security Working Group that we have launched. While the need for these measures is regrettable, the steps we have taken are essential as is the need for continued vigilance. The outpouring of support for Beth Am in particular and the Jewish people in general also reminds us that we derive tremendous strength from the bridges we have built to those outside of our congregation. The presence of so many faith leaders at the Beth Am gathering our clergy organized the day after the shooting is testament to the power that comes from being an open community welcoming all who want to worship with us or work with us to build a more just world. Our challenge going forward is to strive to maintain the right balance between these two pillars of security to take the steps necessary to protect our campus without shutting out our allies and friends in the larger community. Increased security may be the new reality, but we won t let a fortress mentality become the new normal. As always, your feedback and support are welcome in this effort. Please contact me with your questions or comments. L Shalom, Bruce Ives President@betham.org Feast of Jewish Learning SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 7 P.M., BETH CPUS Our theme will address an issue many of us are grappling with: Citizenship. Join the local Jewish community at the Feast of Jewish Learning 2019 to participate in sessions where teachers and students will uncover and discuss the knotty issues about how Jews are called upon to act in a democracy and how we deal with increasing political conflict and division within our community. Sessions will include text study, music, history, literature and more. PAGE 6

7 Inclusion Shabbat FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* We ve come a long way at Beth Am since we started observing February as Jewish Disabilities Inclusion and Awareness Month (a North American holiday ). Now Beth Am has an Inclusion Director, Nirit Zandman; a commitment to inclusion as part of our From Strength to Strength campaign; and dozens of children and dozens more of teachers, staff and lay leaders who are now supported as learners, as inclusive teachers and as role models of inclusion at Beth Am. One treasured way we celebrate Jewish Disabilities Inclusion and Awareness Month is with an Erev Shabbat service focused on the value of including people with special needs in all areas of Jewish life. Our Shabbat Inclusion service is always warm, spiritual and eye-opening. This year we re featuring congregant stories, told by Beth Am members who have children with special needs, or members who themselves have special needs. Don t miss this special Friday evening devoted to helping all people feel embraced by our community. There will be additional events focused on inclusion during the month of February read the February Builder for more information. Sponsored by INCLUDE Beth Am. For more information about Inclusion at Beth Am, contact Steve and Leah at include@betham.org. *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. Shabbat Dinners in Member Homes Enjoy Delicious Food and Help Support Our Sister Congregation, Beth Am of Poltava FRIDAYS, JANUARY 25, MARCH 15 AND APRIL 5 CONGREGANTS HOMES Welcome Shabbat with a special evening of blessing the candles, challah and wine, and getting to know one another! Meet new friends, enjoy the hospitality of special hosts, relax and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared especially for you by some of the best home chefs in the Beth Am community. These are perfect small-group settings for making and renewing connections. All proceeds from the dinners will support our award-winning sister synagogue in Ukraine, Congregation Beth Am of Poltava, as well as the new World Union for Progressive Judaism s rabbinic studies program in Moscow. Cost is $54 per person. Reservations are required and space is limited, so please sign up early by downloading, completing and returning the signup form available in both digital and downloadable formats at betham.org/2019poltava-dinners or call (650) You won t want to miss these memorable evenings! End of Year Giving Annual Campaign There are many ways to make end of year gifts to Beth Am to support our community and provide you with tax advantages for this year s filing. Gifts to the Annual Campaign can be made by: Check: mail to our office, with Annual Campaign in the memo Credit card: visit betham.org/annual-giving Stock: a great way to avoid capital gains taxes on highly appreciated securities! Visit: betham.org/stock-donation For donors 70 ½ years or older, you can make contributions to Beth Am directly from your IRA. The IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution counts toward your RMD (required minimum distribution) and is tax-free. Contact your IRA fund custodian to get started. Check your employer s matching gift policy to see if Beth Am qualifies to receive matching gifts it s free money that can double your donation! Have an old car parked in your driveway that you don t drive anymore? We accept vehicle donations and make the process super easy for you. Learn more: betham.org/car-donation The Annual Campaign supports the day to day life of this community funding staff, scholarships and programs for members of all ages. Beth Am relies on your contributions above and beyond dues to fill the budget gap every year and thanks to your generosity, we never turn anyone away for their inability to pay for membership or tuition. Thank you for supporting the Annual Campaign, to sustain this thriving and welcoming community. Visit betham.org/give for more information, or contact Mandy Eisner at meisner@betham.org or (650) , ext PAGE 7

8 50% Recycled Chlorine Free Printing CONGREGATION BETH Arastradero Road Los Altos Hills, CA NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #121 CONGREGATION BETH LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA 2019 ANNUAL CPAIGN THANK YOU EVENT Erev Musika A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 7 P.M. PERFORMANCE: SANCTUARY; DESSERT RECEPTION: SOCIAL HALL You re invited to Beth Am s 2019 Annual Campaign Thank You event! Leonard Bernstein, who would have turned 100 this year, was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the U.S. to receive worldwide acclaim, and is considered one of the greatest musicians in American history. This concert event will feature a range of music from Bernstein s brilliant body of work, including Broadway show tunes and Jewish pieces. Performed by the Beth Am vocalists and instrumentalists you know and love, including the High Holy Day choir, this concert is produced by Cantor Jaime Shpall and conducted by Paul Ellison. Don t miss this free community event celebrating your generous support of Beth Am and paying tribute to a musical legend. The concert, followed by a dessert reception, is free of charge, but RSVP to Mandy Eisner at meisner@betham.org, (650) , ext The Annual Campaign helps Beth Am fill the gap between what we collect in dues and fees and what it costs to sustain the congregation. Thanks to your generous gifts, we continue to offer outstanding opportunities for learning, worship and social action, as well as warm and personal pastoral care all within a community whose members support one another through the passages of life. Thank you! AN EVENING WITH Einat Wilf Former Member of Knesset, Labor and Independence Parties TUESDAY, JANUARY 29 7 P.M., SANCTUARY Dr. Einat Wilf is a leading intellectual and original thinker on matters of foreign policy, economics, education, and Israel and the Jewish people. A secular progressive Zionist, she is considered one of Israel s most influential representatives on the international stage, with her opinion articles regularly published in international publications and frequent interviews for television and radio programs around the world. A member of the Israeli Parliament from on behalf of the Labor and Independence parties, media reports revealed she was considered a leading candidate for Israel s Ambassador at the UN. Dr. Wilf has a BA in Government and Fine Arts from Harvard University, an MBA from INSEAD in France and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces. Registration for this event is required online at betham.org/wilftalk. Co-sponsored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).