Temple Beth Electronic News

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Marcia Wilkinson
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1 Temple Beth Electronic News Visit our temple website at Kislev-Tevet 5777 December 2016 Thank You s To Randy and Teresa for hosting the rabbi the last time he was in town (and in advance, to Randy and Teresa for making the latkes and matzo ball soup for our upcoming Hanukkah festivities!). To Dennis for taking the rabbi to dinner the last Friday night. To Fern for an incredible Oneg last time. And since it was so overflowing, this allowed us to have wonderful treats at Adult Discussion the next evening. To Phyllis for arranging our last Adult Dinner and Discussion at the Heritage Center at the University of Dubuque. A small group went to Davenport to the Figge Museum and saw an exhibit of etchings by Rembrandt. Very interesting and an extremely beautiful museum and setting. Thanks to Barb for organizing this temple trip. (And thanks Barb for offering your house for Adult Discussion, but we will wait for better weather to accept.) The DACU Thanksgiving Service was again a very inspiring evening. Huge thanks to Alan and Phyllis for all the work they do with Dubuque Area Congregations United and with People in Need. It is wonderful to see such a diverse group of people come together. The Weekend of December 16 to 18 Friday evening Shabbat Service and Hanukkah Celebration at 6:00 PM. (Please note the earlier start time.) See details, below. Saturday at noon: Beginning Hebrew Class. Saturday evening Adult Dinner & Discussion: For those who would like to join us for dinner, we will gather at the Hy-Vee on Dodge St. in Dubuque (near Target) at 5:30, in the restaurant. You can order food from the menu or from the Italian or Chinese lines in the store. Then we will continue with our Discussion right there at Hy-Vee in the meeting room. The topic for this Discussion: What advantages do you have? SUNDAY morning Family School at 10:00 AM. Temple Beth El Hanukkah Celebration Join us on December 16 for a short service downstairs at 6:00 PM, followed by our annual Hanukkah Celebration!! Once again, Randy and Teresa will provide latkes and matzo ball soup (thank you!), and everyone else please bring a dairy dish to share (no meat). Bring your own Hanukkiahs (menorahs) so that we can have a congregational candle lighting ceremony. The Beth El Hanukkah Celebration is a family-friendly, fun, and delicious highlight of our year and everyone is welcome to come! It is with much sadness that we announce that Judith Glenn s brother passed away in the Philippines. Ricky Festin was just 47 years old. He was married with 6 children: 4 girls and 2 boys. His wife, Vilma, is an elementary school teacher. Ricky ran a small store from his home and watched his kids. He was a loving father, husband, brother, and son. He was very close to his father. He was very responsible. He was reserved, but clearly there was a lot on the inside and when he spoke, it was obvious how smart he was. He will be greatly missed by many people and we mourn with Jude and her family. May God comfort the Glenn/Festin Family among all who mourn in Zion and Jerusalem. 1

2 Temple Dues Thanks to everyone who has paid their dues!! We value each and every one of you. If you haven t yet paid your dues, please try to send them in quickly. We need each of you to support Temple Beth El and all the great things we do. If you would like to arrange a payment plan or if you didn t receive a dues statement, please contact Temple Treasurer, Ellie Landau: landau4873@gmail.com Schedule Update As was previously announced, after near unanimous congregational support, in January and February 2017, we will have services on Saturday during the day, rather than the usual Friday night Shabbat services. For January, we are going to have Adult Beginning Hebrew class on the Friday evening. The time will be determined once we receive feedback from the Hebrew students. We will have our Shabbat service on Saturday at 2:00 PM. After the service, we will have a meal organized by Phyllis. Then we will have our Adult Discussion at about 5:30 PM. Family School will take place on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. This will be the first time trying services on a Saturday, so let's see how all of this works out and review it before we finalize the schedule for February. Upcoming Events REFLECTIONS IN THE PARK In what has become an annual tradition, we have been asked to staff "Reflections in the Park" on Dec. 24th. The money we collect benefits Hillcrest Family Services, which helps youth and families in the Tri-State area. This event is their main fundraiser of the year. Christmas Eve is usually one of the busiest nights, and without Temple Beth El s participation, they would not be able to do it. If you are available to volunteer at Murphy Park that night, contact Rebecca Gottlieb: rgottlieb@edgewood.edu or (608) Right now, the early and late shifts are fairly well-staffed, but we need a few more volunteers for the middle of the evening (6:30-8:30pm). Also, Dubuque is slightly under-represented compared to Platteville and Galena. If you are available to work at Murphy Park, please contact Rebecca. CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM Dubuque s Children of Abraham creates an atmosphere in civic life that builds inter-religious solidarity, cooperation, and friendship. It does so through regular monthly topical conversations, service activities, educational outreach, the creative use of sacred space, and expressions of cross-cultural hospitality. Everyone is invited. Please come. Our conversations are warm, informative and often rather humorous. Always on Thursdays, we begin at 7PM. The schedule for upcoming Children of Abraham events is: Jan 26: Scripture Study (Christian Bible) Westminster Presbyterian Church Feb 16: Life Ethic (Abortion, Capital Punishment...) Tri-State Islamic Center Mar 23: The Impact of Interfaith University of Dubuque, Hadley Aud Apr 20: Scripture Study (Qur an) Wartburg Seminary, 333 Wartburg To see the complete Children of Abraham schedule, check the Temple website ( or the Children of Abraham website ( 2

3 News from Near and Far The cemetery service for long-time congregant Ruthie Silverberg was very well attended. The eulogy by her granddaughter was a breathtaking testament to the impact of this woman. As her sister said, Ruthie was a woman of valor. From Dave Farber: On Dec. 3 rd, I was married on the beach in Bucerias, Mexico, just outside Puerto Vallarta, in a sundown ceremony, to Rosa Maria Mora. My 4 children, Quincy, Dustin. Britni, and Nick were there with their spouses and some of my grandkids. Incorporated into the service were Jewish traditions which were celebrated by both Rosy and myself. It was a wonderful day and I could not be any happier. Mazel tov, Dave!!! Area Food Pantries In addition to bringing non-perishable items to services for the Dubuque Food Pantry, we can support area Food Pantries with monetary donations. Send checks made out to the Dubuque Food Pantry to 1598 Jackson Street Dubuque, IA, Send checks made out to the "United Churches of Galena Food Pantry" to 971 Gear Street Galena, IL Send checks made out to the "Platteville Food Pantry" to P.O. box # 127 Platteville, WI Winter Weather In case of bad weather, the outgoing message on the Temple's answering machine will reflect any cancellation of a service. If you have a question about services taking place, please call the Temple. Even if Rabbi Jim is unable to drive in, it is possible that the Worship Committee will hold a Lay Service. Temple Hosts To host the rabbi for a weekend or to host a Dinner & Discussion, contact Cindy Pearce (mikelcinkc@gmail.com). To host the rabbi for dinner, contact Randy Sirk (randysir@aol.com). To host an oneg, contact Fern Reinstein (threeamstamper@yahoo.com). Yartzeit Note: We would like to update our yartzeit list to include the relationship of a deceased loved one to a current or recent former temple member. If you would like this relationship to be added to names on our list, or if you have names to add to our list, please the information to Kate at KateTotalBook@gmail.com. 3

4 Yartzeits for December Abba Leifer Richard Keene Baby Levi Ida Rotman, Ruthie Silverberg's Mother Lillian Olanosky David Urbach Dora Oller Nathan Gerson Robert Garfield Harry Render Baby Brin Harry Shuman Eleanor Shuman Louis Belsky Meyer Marmis David Parson Sally Janis Jacobson Samuel Sommer Annie Lois Isaac Miller Samuel Rosenbloom Helen Birndorf Baby Gable Mina Gershon, Kate Scheinman's Step- Grandmother Zanvil Rotman Julius Weinstein, Larry Goldberg's Grandfather Henry Render George Tabak Sarah Belsky Orrin Shapiro, Barb Alexander's Cousin Ben Glazer, Rea Kirk's Father Goldie Feldstein Baby Greenberg William Olansky Eva Platt Grace Burstein, Ellie Landau's Mother Rochelle Farber Mary Rosenthal Leonard Winston, Larry Goldberg's Uncle Mary Hertzman Sidney Scheinman, Kate Scheinman's Grandfather Jack Solomon Meyer Zuckerman Gail Farber, Susan Farber's Cousin Sol Urbach Max Patinkin Walter Urbach From Rabbi Jim Jew vs. Jew Chanukah remains, for the student of the holiday, a symbol of Jewish military might, rather than a holiday solely intent on present exchange and the lighting of the Chanukiyah, the Chanukah menorah. Notably, this festival serves as prelude (albeit 2000 years!) to the astonishing victory of the Six Day War (June 1967) in fact, many refer to modern Israeli soldiers as the New Maccabees, rising, as it were, from a dark and tenuous Diaspora experience. The light for freedom against the Syrian-Greeks, in 164 b.c.e., revealed the age-old struggle of truth and power. The truth of the downtrodden and oppressed versus the power inherent in the might of Greece and Jewish aristocracy sympathizers. The battle lines of this conflict, could however not be easily drawn, as Jews supported both the Maccabees and their very enemy, the Syrian-Greeks. As such, could not the Jews have been complicit in bringing about their own downfall? (I liken it for example to a university professor, at the time of the war in Vietnam, who joins in protests and demonstrations, yet helps with her chemistry labs to create agent orange.) Luckily. The Maccabees were victorious over both the Greeks and their fellow Jews. There is a lesson to be learned: we each must be aware in taking up causes, for that which we fight against, may intrinsically be part of ourselves, i.e. our own sisters and brothers. 4

5 Service and Mitzvah Schedule for (5777) (Not all events are included on this schedule. Refer to each newsletter for events/times/dates.) December 16 6:00 PM service followed by Hanukkah Celebration December 17 Beginning Hebrew Class, noon Goldberg & Scheinman Dinner (5:30)/Discussion Saturday night: HyVee on Dodge; refer to p. 1 for the details. December 18 Family School with Rabbi, 10:00AM 2017 January 14-15: Refer to the revised schedule on p. 2. February 10-12: Schedule TBD depending on how January schedule goes. Possible Tu Bishvat Seder. March 10 Shabbat service, 7:00 PM March 11 Family School with Rabbi, 10:15AM April is during Passover, and Rabbi Jim will conduct the Seder. Details to come. May 12 Shabbat service, 7:00 PM May 13 Family School with Rabbi, 10:15AM June 9 Shabbat service, 7:00 PM June 10 Family School with Rabbi, 10:15AM 5

Temple Beth Electronic News

Temple Beth Electronic News Visit our temple website at www.templebe.org Kislev Tevet 5776 December 2015 Thank You s Y To Larry and Kate for hosting the rabbi in November. Y To the Landaus for hosting