COM bulletin. Everyone s a Winner at Game Night! INSIDE SPECIAL EVENTS VISIT US! CONGREGATION OF MOSES Kalamazoo, Michigan

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1 COM bulletin CONGREGATION OF MOSES Kalamazoo, Michigan Volume 7, Issue 2 February 2015 Shevat-Adar 5775 INSIDE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE page 2 SHABBAT SCHEDULE page3 CAMPING pages 6, 7 MEN S CLUB page 13 SISTERHOOD page 13 RABBI S MESSAGE page 18 LIBRARY NEWS page 19 RELIGIOUS SCHOOL page 20 HADASSAH page 22 YAHRZEITS page 23 SPECIAL EVENTS Everyone s a Winner at Game Night! On December 24th, forty-three congregants enjoyed Xmas Eve dinner at Hunan Gardens, thereby upholding an important Jewish imperative! Following dinner we returned to CoM for dessert and game night. The group was multigenerational with several children and a grandparent in our midst. The Adult Activities Committee prepared dessert for all to enjoy while schmoozing, playing poker, Scrabble and the hilarious game Apples to Apples. It was a pleasure to watch the ruach which resulted from such a simple night out! Thanks to Gerry Tregerman and Sallie Goodman, cochairs, for continuing to coordinate this popular event. NIGHT OF JEWISH HUMOR February 7 COMMUNITY SHABBAT DINNER February 13 PSYCHOLOGY & RELIGION LECTURE February 22 VISIT US!

2 CONGREGATION OF MOSES THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS always welcomes comments from COM congregants and invites you to attend its regular board meetings, typically held the first Tuesday of each month. Minutes of board meetings are available upon request from the synagogue office. Executive Committee President Tema Lando st Vice President Beth Grode nd Vice President Brad Hershbein (617) Treasurer Steve Grode Secretary Connie Bowman Immediate Past President Tamara Norman Past President Shirley Wise Synagogue Staff Rabbi Harvey Spivak Religious School Principal Susan Katz-Scheinker Office Manager Shirley Mengel Building Manager Rod Anderson Dear COM Members and Friends, December. Winter. Despite returning home from warm and sunny Australia, facing the winter s low temperatures, and the desire to stay cozy at home, this weather has not prevented me from participating in our Shul s activities. You d be surprised to know how many of our COM members have spent some of their time helping to take care of our Synagogue. This January, we saw parents and children participating in an exciting Learner s Shabbat, congregants attending the Rabbi s Sunday classes, along with the monthly board and committees meetings. It is so great to see all these activities happening here. During my travels to New Zealand, I attended Shabbat services at the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation in the city of Christchurch that was devastated by two earthquakes in 2010 and again in Several of the congregation members lost all their possessions and many others moved away. This Jewish community, still facing hardships from the city s destruction, came together to rebuild their congregation with more work still to be done. As our Irish-New Zealander tour guide said: It is difficult to be Jewish without a shul. We at COM, as with many others Jewish communities big and small, face hardships but working together we can strive to keep our community thriving. I d like to express a big Todah Rabah to all congregants and to those who have helped and supported our congregation. I am looking forward to this year s exciting new projects for our Kehillah. Stay warm, President s Message B Shalom, Tema Lando, President PAGE 2 The COM bulletin is published monthly by the Congregation of Moses for the benefit of its members. The deadline for submitting articles, photos and ads is the third Monday of each month for publication the following month. Please send submissions to both Maxine Berke, editor, at congofmosesbulletin@gmail.com and Carrie Richman, assistant editor, at congofmosesbulletin@hotmail.com. President Tema Lando, soaring like an eagle at 12,000 feet in Queenstown, New Zealand!

3 Shabbat service schedule FRIDAY February 6 SATURDAY February 7 FRIDAY February 13 SATURDAY February 14 FRIDAY February 20 SATURDAY February 21 FRIDAY February 27 SATURDAY Febuary 28 7:30 p.m. Announcements: Bruce Patrick 9:30 a.m. Torah: Exodus 18:1-20:23 Judah Ari-Gur Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-9:6 Rabbi Spivak Announcements: Tamara Norman 6:00 p.m. Family Shabbat Dinner and Learner s Shabbat 7:00 p.m. Announcements: Beth Grode 9:30 a.m. Torah: Exodus 21:1-23:19 Al Rosenthal Haftarah: Jeremiah 34:8-34:22; 33:25-33:26 Judah Ari-Gur Announcements: Jill Ruterbusch 7:30 p.m. Announcements: Joyce Camhi 9:30 a.m. Torah: Exodus 25:1-26:30 Rabbi Spivak Haftarah: I Kings 5:26-6:13 Judah Ari-Gur Announcements: Steven Grode 7:30 p.m. Announcements: Charlie Ofstein 9:30 a.m. Torah: Exodus 27:20-29:18 Judah Ari-Gur Haftarah: Ezekiel 43:10-43:27 Judah Ari-Gur Announcements: Richard Kirschner Shabbat candle lighting times FEBRUARY 6 5:45 p.m FEBRUARY 13 5:54 p.m. FEBRUARY 20 6:03 p.m. FEBRUARY 27 6:11 p.m. Bracha for candle lighting Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech haolam asher kideshanu bemitsvotav vetzivanu l hadlik ner shel Shabbat. PAGE 3

4 February calendar SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT Synagogue Board Meeting 7:30 pm 8 Essential Jewish Ideas 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Men s Club Movie 9 10 Hadassah Board Meeting 1 pm Adult Ed. & Social Committee present: Cabaret Night of Jewish Humor 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Dinner 6 pm Services 7 pm Learner s Shabbat Sisterhood WinterFest 16 Bulletin Deadline Hadassah Book 17 Executive Committee Meeting 7:30 pm Club 7:30 pm Psychology and Religion Nomi Kluger- Nash 11:30 am- 12:30 pm PAGE 4

5 March calendar SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT Mah Jongg, Mimosas & More, 2-5 pm, Youth Lounge Synagogue Board Meeting 7:30 pm PURIM!!! Megilah Reading, Purim Play w/ Hamentaschen 6:30 pm Joint Services w/ Temple B nai Israel & Temple Beth El at COM Learner s Shabbat Men s Club Meeting 9:30 am; Purim Carnival Synagogue Board Meeting 7:30 pm Religious School resumes 15 Essential 16 Bulletin 17 Executive Jewish Ideas deadline 5 pm Committee 11:30 am to Hadassah Book Meeting 12:30 pm Club 7:30 pm 7:30 pm Julia Strauss Bat Mitzvah Julia Strauss Bat Mitzvah 22 Men s Club Activity 9:30 am; Essential Jewish Ideas 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Dave Rosenberg Birthday Kiddush Religious School Chocolate Seder PAGE 5

6 Summer Camp Scholarships Jewish Federation Youth Camp Scholarships Applications due to Federation before April 15. The Jewish Federation of Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan believes that an experience at a Jewish summer camp is an outstanding way for our young people to connect with their Jewish peers and to strengthen their Jewish roots. The family of children who wish to attend a Jewish summer camp in 2015 and are in need of some funds may apply to the Jewish Federation of Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan. The Federation s annual campaign is the main source of funds for these youth camp scholarships. The amount available for scholarships depends on the success of the campaign and the number of applicants. A need-based factor is included in deciding how much each applicant will receive from the Federation. In addition, participation, service, and contributions by families to the Jewish community are considered positive factors in deciding scholarships. Some camps are able to provide partial scholarships and your local synagogue/temple may also have some funds available for this purpose. To apply for funds from the Federation, request a form from Beth Grode by at beth.grode@ yahoo.com. PAGE 6

7 Camp Keshet 15 Please join us for crafts, outdoor activities, cooking, music, dancing and all kinds of fun as we learn about Israel and our Jewish Heritage. There will be two exciting field trips, one each week. Lunch will be provided each day. Two Israeli counselors will run the camp, sharing their love of Israel and Judaism with the children. This camp is for children from preschool to 6rd grade. Camp will be two weeks, held at the Congregation of Moses Monday, June 15th through Friday June 19th Monday, June 22nd through Friday June 26th $140 per week or $ for both weeks 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day Registration due by June 1st Please contact Beth Grode at to register. Get a taste of Camp Keshet! See the 2014 Camp Keshet movie online. Click here or go to this URL: vimeopro.com/luckydogmedia/camp-keshet PAGE 7

8 WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS Why should you vote? You can vote to determine who attends The World Zionist Congress. Why should you care who attends the World Zionist Congress? What does it do? The World Zionist Congress meets every five years and makes decisions on matters that affect Israel and Jews around the world. It has the power to make policy, funding and leadership decisions for many important Jewish institutions, such as The Jewish Agency for Israel, the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish National Fund. That s a lot of Jewish money and a lot of influence. You vote for slates instead of individuals. The more votes a slate receives the more delegates and votes it has in the Congress. Many Conservative Jews like to vote for Mercaz, which is slate #2. Mercaz is the Conservative Movement in Israel. The Mercaz platform states that it stands for making Israel an exemplary society democratic and pluralistic that empowers all streams of Jewish practice, guarantees the rights of all of its citizens, is uncompromising in its struggle for security even as it strives for peace with its Arab neighbors and is committed to protecting the environment and its natural resources. You can vote at It costs $10. Mercaz, slate #2, is endorsed by the Jewish Theological Seminary of American, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, The Rabbinical Assembly, Women s League for Conservative Judaism, Federation of Jewish Men s Clubs and other organizations affiliated with Conservative Judaism. The Congress will meet in October 2015 and the deadline for voting is April 30. PAGE 8

9 Come and play... Mah Jongg, Mimosas* and More! Join Sisterhood and Hadassah members for a joint program on Sunday, March 1, 2-5 p.m. in the Youth Lounge at Congregation of Moses. Mah Jongg players, bring your own Maj sets and rule cards. Lessons will be provided for those who want to learn. If you wish to play other games such as Bridge, Rummikub, Scrabble, etc., bring your friends and your game and share a good time. A small tzedekah donation will be collected. *Yes, real mimosas as well as non-alcoholic mimosas will be served in addition to delicious nibbles. PAGE 9

10 Mishpacha MAZEL TOV TO... Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo Julie Northrop on the birth of her granddaughter, Sarah KoKoRa Teitelbaum, daughter of Daniel M. and NaNaKo Teitelbaum of Japan. OUR CONDOLENCES TO... The family of Helen Levy upon her passing. Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan SPEEDY RECOVERY WISHES TO... Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell Donations have been made to the following tzedaka funds GENERAL FUND Mazel Tov to Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo. Wishing Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell a complete and speedy recovery. Condolences to Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker. Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Tamara & Earl Norman, Joanne & Mike Simon, Men s Club, Shirley Wise & Frank Szopo, Pnina & Judah Ari-Gur Condolences to the family of Helen Levy on her passing. Tamara & Earl Norman, Joanne & Mike Simon, Men s Club, Shirley Wise & Frank Szopo, Pnina & Judah Ari-Gur, Jane Davidoff Rogers In honor of my daughter Sarah s engagement and my son Danny s first year in college. Vallery Ohmart Condolences to Judah Ari-Gur and family on the passing of his sister, Naomi Polatof. Alan Cohen In loving memory of Zipora Feder, Reuven Aglanov and Haim Noah Feder. Pnina & Judah Ari-Gur BUILDING FUND Mazel Tov to Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo. Wishing Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell a complete and speedy recovery. Condolences to Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker. Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Sallie & Ken Goodman Condolences to the family of Helen Levy on her passing. Shirley Grekin, Sandy & Larry Rose, Sallie & Ken Goodman Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Neal & Maxine Berke In loving memory of my father, Dr. Sam I. Stein Bruce Stein PAGE 10

11 MARVIN AND ROSALIE OKUN RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND Mazel Tov to Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo. Wishing Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell a complete and speedy recovery. Condolences to Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker. Condolences to the family of Helen Levy on her passing. Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Rae Lee & Mac Howard, The Ruterbusch Family, The Fischell Family, Judy & Lowell Seyburn Congratulations to Shirley Wise and Frank Szopo on the birth of their grandson, Riley Daniel Bode-Wise. Congratulations to Joyce and Steven Camhi on their daughter, Allison s graduation from Grand Valley State University. The Krell Family In honor of Susan Katz Scheinker. Katherine & Michael Segal In honor of Rosalie and Marvin Okun in celebration of Chanukah. Barbara Brown & Jane Greischar Happy Holidays Uncle Marv and Aunt Rosalie. Love, Steve & Lil Brown In loving memory of my parents Jack and Sayde Rubin. Arlen Rubin HERMAN AND ROSE FISHER LIBRARY FUND Mazel Tov to Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo. Wishing Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell a complete and speedy recovery. Condolences to Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker. Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Condolences to the family of Helen Levy on her passing. Marilyn & Art Feinberg, Carolyn & Brad Kennedy RABBI S DISCRETIONARY FUND Mazel Tov to Tema and Rob Lando on the birth of their grandson, Davi Marcelo. Wishing Joe Hirschfield, Michael Scheidt and Joanne Krell a complete and speedy recovery. Condolences to Jeff Scheinker and family on the passing of his grandmother, Shirley Scheinker. Condolences to Connie Bowman on the passing of her father, John DeHaan. Condolences to the family of Helen Levy on her passing. Phil Horwich Thank you to everyone who donated to the various CoM funds on behalf of my retirement. I appreciate your good will and generosity. Shirley Wise We thank all of you who donated to CoM wishing us well on the birth of our first grandchild, Riley Daniel. We feel so grateful to be part of this wonderful community. Shirley Wise and Frank Szopo Thank you to all who made donations in honor of my birthday. It was greatly appreciated! Also, to those who donated towards the purchase of insulated carafes and a new cover for the kitchen counter. Miriam Brot PAGE 11

12 We offer professional counseling services for adults, teens, children, couples and families in a caring, comfortable setting. 269 individual, family, couples and group counseling psychological testing substance abuse evaluations more than 40 licensed psychologists and social workers in Kalamazoo and Portage offices most insurances accepted For more information, please call our office at (269) or visit childandfamilypsych.com. Director: Larry Beer, Ed.D. PAUL F. DAVIDOFF ATTORNEY AT LAW PAUL F. DAVIDOFF, P.C. The Cornerstone Building 405 W. MICHIGAN AVE., SUITE 130 P.O. BOX KALAMAZOO, MI PAGE 12 Telephone: (269) Fax: (269) pdavidoff@ameritech.net

13 MEN S CLUB Men s Club is planning to see a movie on Sunday, February 8, at a time and place to be determined by the choice of film. Suggestions are welcomed! We will purchase tickets ahead of time to make sure we can see the movie of our choice. We will meet prior to the showing to discuss staffing for the Purim Carnival lunch. I am looking for candidates for officers for next year, and look forward to the participation of many CoM men. A survey will be sent out shortly, so please complete it in a timely manner so we can plan for the rest of this year. Please send your dues in as quickly as possible, and remember that dues are waived for the first year for new members! Neal Berke, President Men s Club Dues Form Name Address $25 Check enclosed SISTERHOOD Sisterhood is looking for new Board members and officers for If you would like to serve on the Sisterhood Board, please contact the Nominating Committee members Emily Hoffman, Janet Heller, and Susan Welbourne. I will be Sisterhood President for the months of January and February. Please note the revised Sisterhood calendar for 2015 that is below. Please join us for our programs! Best wishes for 2015! Sincerely, Janet Heller, President All programs are at the Congregation of Moses and are open to both men and women. Sunday, March 1, 2 to 5 p.m. Mah-Jongg and Mimosas Joint activity with Hadassah held in the Youth Lounge. Sunday, April 12 to Friday, April 17 Set-Up for Rummage Sale Sunday, April 19 and Monday, April 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rummage Sale. Note that Sisterhood donates profits from our Rummage Sale fundraisers to help support the synagogue s Religious School. Sunday, May 17 Torah Fund Brunch, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will honor Sisterhood members and raise funds for the Jewish Theological Seminary, which trains Conservative Jewish cantors and rabbis. Note: Please patronize our Sisterhood Gift Shop! Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays when there is Religious School and by appointment. PAGE 13

14 FEATURING The Goldsmith Family written by Tamara Norman Kurt has a background in electrical engineering and is now retired. His last job was with Intel. Bonnie worked in purchasing for Hewlett Packard before she had Jason and actually had a desk just across from Kurt s when he was working there. That s togetherness! Kurt and Jason are experts in martial arts. Kurt also enjoys woodworking and hunting. Ask him about the shadow boxes he is building to display china pieces that belonged to his parents in Germany. He and Bonnie plan to deliver these family heirlooms to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC this June. Bonnie has already participated in the Hadassah walka-thon this past September, the Hadassah book club, and volunteered at CoM s last rummage sale. She enjoys volunteering and already does so at Logan s day care center. She loves to dance and regularly attends Jazzercise classes. The Goldsmiths are eager to meet more people, attend upcoming CoM events, and explore our wonderful city of Kalamazoo with new friends. Bonnie and Kurt Goldsmith are our newest CoM members! They moved to Portage this past summer with their daughter-in-law Rachel and now 14-month-old grandson Logan. Their son Jason is living in Ann Arbor where he is a medical resident at the University of Michigan. Rachel is a Study Director for MPI in Mattawan. When Logan is not in day care, Bonnie and Kurt are thrilled to babysit. (As an outof-town grandmother, this interviewer is envious!). Logan and Rachel get to see Jason as often as possible on weekends and some week nights when he is not on call. Natives of Oregon, where they met as teenagers, Kurt and Bonnie have also lived in California, Colorado, and North Carolina. But Bonnie says Hawaii is home. She began vacationing there with her family as a youngster. Over their 37 years of marriage, she and Kurt have spent a lot of time there and several years ago bought a home on the Big Island. Meanwhile they are excited about building a home here in the Applegate neighborhood. PAGE 14

15 Guest Speaker Psychology and Religion: The Speaking of the Soul February 22 at 11:30 a.m. If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6) The purpose of this discussion is to examine, first via some brief history, how philosophies and psychological systems have viewed religion: Is humanity by nature religious? Is Nature opposed to Spirit and Soul? Are Reason and Revelation -- the rational and the non-rational -- absolute opposites or polar opposites calling for a synthesis created only be means of our devoted participation? These questions are not academic but go deep into the ancient question of the meaning and value of existence, a question that must eternally be asked and one with which one should eternally wrestle with the same urgency as Jacob wrestled with the Stranger on the banks of Jabbok. Because the Greek word psychology literally means the speech of the soul (psyche= soul and logos = word) and because this speech is so readily experienced in the imagery of dreams -- and because dreams are highly valued in Judaism -- I propose to discuss dreams as illustrating the reality of soul as the bridge between what come to us as opposite points of view -- ultimately healing not only our inner discordance but that of a split world view; a true tikkun. Nomi Kluger-Nash,Ph.D. is an analytical psychologist receiving her post doctoral training at the Jung Institutes in Los Angeles and in Israel. She was born in Israel of American parents and has conducted a private practice in both countries for 36 years, including a position as supervisor to the school psychologists of Jerusalem. She conducted bridge-building work for the Arabs of the Territories (the 80 s and 90 s) and in recent years teaches at the Jung Institute-Zurich in summers and holds private seminars in her home. Nomi lectured and served on the Board of The Western Massachusetts Association for Jungian Psychology, leaving in order to reside in Kalamazoo, close to her daughter Ilana and granddaughter May. ANDREW LEVENE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Mazel Tov to 2014 Winners A.J. Angel and Sam Siegel Calling all high school juniors to apply for the Andrew Levene Scholarship! ANDREW LEVINE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS If you are completing your junior year of high school and your parents are members of the Congregation of Moses, we invite you to apply for this scholarship. If you would like an application, please call the synagogue office. Applications must be turned in to the synagogue office by July 20, PAGE 15

16 Congregation of Moses Community Shabbat Dinner Friday, February 13, at 6 p.m. Services begin at 7 p.m. PRICES PAID ADVANCE RESERVATIONS: (must be paid by 5 p.m. the Tuesday before the dinner) $10 per adult, $5 per child (or $25 per family) Children 4 and under are free! AT THE DOOR: (please drop your check into the box prior to candle lighting) $12 per adult, $6 per child (or $35 per family) Children 4 and under are free! Please contact Shirley in the synagogue office to make your dinner reservation. Call or comofficemgr@yahoo.com. You may leave your completed reservation form and check in the special box by the synagogue office. COMMUNITY SHABBAT DINNER RESERVATION FORM Date Name(s) Number of adults Number of children over age 4 Amount paid $ PAGE 16

17 The Congregation of Moses Adult Ed/ Social Committee brings you An Evening of Jewish Humor with stand-up comic Annaflora Somers. Annaflora will talk about Jewish humor, with examples of both old-time jokes and new types of comedy. Find out how and when Judaism and comedy work together, or don't. February 7, 7:30 pm at the Congregation of Moses The entire community is welcome. The evening will begin with Havdalah, followed by the presentation on Jewish Humor. Desserts and wine will be available. Suggested donation is $5.00 per person. Please RSVP to Shirley Mengel, at CoM by February 2. Call or PAGE 17

18 Jewish summer camp is a valuable experience well worthwhile for every Jewish child to try. Here s some possible financial help. A new organization called Foundation for Jewish Camp gives financial assistance to first-time campers from middle-income families. A pilot program in the northeastern states last year, this year it s national. To get more information and find out if your child qualifies, go to In this website you will find links to Bunk Connect and One Happy Camper. Both are programs that give you a financial break. Bunk Connect can get you a discount from the summer camp of your choice and One Happy Camper gives grants of up to $1,000. Both are for first-timers at a Jewish overnight camp. You can also look at Find-A-Camp, their online tool to help families find the right camp for their children. They also have a scholarship database, which will let you search for additional resources to make Jewish summer camp a reality for your family. Additional information about the organization is available at Some money is available from the Congregation of Moses camp scholarship fund. Please contact the synagogue office to let us know you are interested. --Rabbi Harvey Spivak Rabbi s Message THE RABBI S RECOGNITION CERTIFICATE GOES TO... Alan Cohen Thank you, Alan, for your donation for mezuzot for the Congregation of Moses, including the beautiful mezuzah for the entrance to the main sanctuary. TODAH RABBAH! Todah Rabah! Todah Rabbah to MIM BROT The Congregation has been blessed with gifts given in honor of Mim Brot s 90th birthday! Mim has spent innumerable hours in our COM kitchen giving of her time and talent for over 60 years. Her friends and family members were directed by Mim not to give her any presents, but if they wanted to acknowledge this milestone, to please let the COM kitchen be the recipients of their largesse. And so it is! A huge Todah Rabbah to Mim! We now have at least 15 new, temperature-keeping carafes from which to serve our HOT tea and coffee! We just have to remember to fill the carafes with HOT water for a few minutes, then empty, prior to filling them with the coffee or tea. But wait, there s more! The granite meat counter has a new cover! The original heat-proof cover was made to fit the counter by Shannon Dion, who said, it is rumored, that this is something she d rather not repeat. But she did - in honor of Mim :-) Todah Rabbah to Shannon! Todah Rabbah to ANNE FISCHELL The COM Kitchen has beautiful new glass pitchers and trays which were donated by Anne Fischel in honor of Emma s Bat Mitzvah this past summer. PAGE 18

19 LIBRARY NEWS In Hollywood, award season is upon us, but in the world of Jewish books, it has already arrived. I am proud to say that within our collection, we have many distinguished award winners. Following is a list of awards, the winners, and finalists currently available in the Fisher Library: 2014 SAMI ROHR PRIZE WINNER The annual award recognizes the unique role of contemporary writers in the transmission and examination of the Jewish experience. Each year, the prize of $100,000 aims to reward an emerging writer whose work has demonstrated a fresh vision and evidence of further growth. The Allepo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible by Matti Friedman 2014 NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS The National Jewish Book Awards program began in 1950 when the Jewish Book Council presented awards to authors of Jewish books at its annual meeting. Awards are presented in over 18 categories. For the entire awards list, visit jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/2014-national-jewish-book-award-winners-and-finalists The 2014 Jewish Book of the Year: (Presented to a series for the 1st time) The Yale University Press s Jewish Lives Series, series editors Steven J. Zipperstein and Anita Shapira (One such example in our Library -- Jacob: Unexpected Patriarch by Yair Zakovitch) Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir (Finalist) Rebbe: The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin Outstanding Debut Fiction (Finalists) The Marrying of Chani Kaufman by Eve Harris and The UnAmericans by Molly Antopol Fiction (Finalist) The UnAmericans by Molly Antopol Illustrated Children s Book (Winner) The Patchwork Torah by Allison Ofanansky, illustrated by Elsa Oriol Children s and Young Adult Literature (Finalist) Storm by Donna Jo Napoli THE SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the Sydney Taylor Book Award is given annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. For a full list of 2014 awardees, (most of which may be found in our Library) please visit Look for the Library News in the March Bulletin for 2015 Sydney Taylor Book Awards. One final note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Library will not be presenting author Miriam Bat Ami on March 15. However, we are looking forward to a spectacular program in the fall of 2015 as part of our ongoing Author Series. Watch for details. Todah Rabah, Rachel Haus, Library Director PAGE 19

20 Marvin and Rosalie Okun Religious School FEBRUARY February 1 February 13 February 22 March 1 March 4 March 7 March 8 important dates to remember Tu B Shvat Smoothies Community Dinner, 3rd Grade Leading Prayers Hamentashen Bake and Shalach Manot Project No Religious School - Mid-Winter Break Megillah Reading Learner s Shabbat Purim Celebration Our new calendar year has begun! After an extended holiday break (an unexpected snow day on Wednesday January 7th) we all came together again on Sunday January 11th. Our new calendar year and energy continues to explore how we as a school and our families come together to best support the goals of our curriculum and positive Jewish identity. With this exploration we have added the Amidah to our regular Shacharit Sunday morning prayers as well as to our Wednesday Maariv prayers. After careful listening and attentive evaluation, the Amidah was one of the prayers that had great opportunity. In honoring our commitment to creating positive Jewish identity, our January 17th Family Learners Shabbat was an explorative and wonderful experience for so many families, both immediate and some grandparents! What a beautiful way to come together as a congregation, collection of families and community. A hearty todah rabah to Joyce Camhi and Jill Ruterbusch for creating a special kiddish to celebrate this lovely Shabbat morning. February promises to be a fun and energetic month in our school. Our high school crew is creating a Tu B Shvat Smoothie tasting on Sunday February 1st, they are a fun and creative bunch! Sharing both fruits from the trees, vines and earth, we will explore the combination of flavors and change up the experience from the traditional Seder. We are looking forward to a fun and energetic Community Dinner on Friday February 13th. Gillian Thommes and her third grade class are very excited to lead prayers and share in their growing knowledge. Gillian has energized this class in such a meaningful and positive way. Thank you so kindly to Beth Grode for agreeing to lead the Hamantashen baking on Sunday February 22nd. Our students always look forward to sharing in the special energy of creating Hamantashen and Beth has a special way of making this experience meaningful each and every time! Wishing everyone a Wonderful and Healthy February. B Ahava, Susan Katz-Scheinker Religious School Principal PAGE 20

21 COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD HANDS ON ACTIVITY WITH ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA On Tuesday, April 28, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., we will be making hamentaschen and tzdekah boxes with their community in preparation for the joint community dinner planned on June 7. We hope COM adults and children will join in this fun event. The cost is only $3.00/person. Contact Shirley Wise for more information. DID YOU KNOW WE STILL HAVE YOGA CLASSES AT COM? Classes are at noon on Wednesdays and Fridays. You should wear comfortable clothes and will need your own mat. Private lessons for one person are $25 to $30; two or more in the class, $15 per person; five or more in the class, $10 per person February celebrations The Congregation of Moses wishes mazal tov and yom haledet sameach to our members who are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays this month. If you would like to be included in our monthly recognition of birthdays and anniversaries, please contact Joanne Simon at or BIRTHDAYS 2/2 Judy Davis Rosenthal Steve Camhi Ed Goldenthal 2/7 Anne Fischell 2/11 Brad Kennedy 2/14 Binyamin Berke 2/15 Cathy Cheron 2/19 Julia Strauss 2/20 Paul Wienir Marissa Icabone Mazal Haus Gabriel Amy 2/24 Gail Brot Evan Scheinker 2/26 Judah Ari-Gur has a special birthday! Mazal Tov! 2/27 Ken Fisher 2/29 Cooper Howard ANNIVERSARY We have no information on February anniversaries to share at this time! If you have a February anniversary, please let us know. PAGE 21

22 HADASSAH UPDATE Hadassah is modernizing, reorganizing, rethinking, honing our message, and introducing a new, updated look. In short: we are rebranding. Women who heal Women who advocate Women who lead Women for Israel Hadassah believes in building a world where our Jewish values in action create strong community and an enduring Israel. That s why our entire focus is on connecting and empowering Jewish women to effect change. We ve done this for over 100 years and we will do it for the next 100 advancing health and well-being, advocating for women, and building community in the US and Israel. We invite all Jewish women to join in to put their values into action with us and through our programs. Together, we can make our future as exciting as our past. Stem Cell Trial at Hadassah Reveals Significant Positive Results for ALS Patients Israel's BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics has reported that final results of its clinical trial conducted at the Hadassah Medical Center using adult stem cells to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) indicate that most patients experienced a slowing of their disease's progression. A single dose of the stem cell treatment called NurOwn was administered in a mid-stage phase IIa trial in 14 patients with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Nearly all subjects in this study experienced clinical benefit from treatment with NurOwn," the company spokesman said. Of the 12 patients with three or more months of follow-up, 92 percent experienced an improvement in regard to the progression of their disease. Furthermore, BrainStorm reports, NurOwn had a strong effect on the rate of decline in lung function. "We observed individuals with prolonged stabilization and even improvements in function, and this was achieved with just a single dose of NurOwn," commented BrainStorm Chief Executive Tony Fiorino. BrainStorm, which is also conducting clinical trials at three sites in the United States, plans to initiate a study in the next few months to see if the results can be amplified with repeated doses. Israel Makes Largest Per-Capita Contribution Against Ebola Israel has made the world's largest per-capita contribution to halt the spread of Ebola in West Africa, according to UNICEF in New York. In addition to a financial contribution of $8.75 million, Israel has sent fully equipped medical clinics to West Africa, along with medical specialists to operate them and train local health workers. PAGE 22

23 YAHRZEITS February 6, 7 (18 Shevat 24 Shevat) Sidney Eisenberg Eugene Field* Ann Fine Waller J. Finn* Max Friedman* Ralph David Golden* Minnie Graff* Brina Hadesman* Hyman Kirschner Evelyn Krasnick* Robert Levy* Tito Marzan Eli Mindel* Michael Newlander* Charlotte Stulberg* Esther Stulberg* Michael Stulberg* Donna Taylor Mary Zuravel* February 13, 14 (25 Shevat 1 Adar) Adela Blum-Auerbach* Frieda Friedman* Morris Friedman* Rachel Goldstein* William Leder* Miriam Epstein Lieberman* Dorothy Masursky Moyer* Balfour Peisner* Lou Sanders* Rebecca Stulberg* Terry Wienir William Zheutlin* February 20, 21 (2 Adar 8 Adar) Aaron Columpus* Sallie L. Cushner* Anna P. Davidoff* Jean Rosenblatt Davis Archie Feinberg Lilas Felix Herman Fisher* Sarah Forman* Theodore Forman* James H. Goldman* William Greiner* Benjamin Gubin* Adele Gudovitz Marion Halpert* Marianne Mimi Katz* Barry W. Kirschner* Canuto Ruiz Michele Arkush Schaff* Isidore Schanwald Morris Schensul* Harriet Swartz* Dora Zheutlin February 27, 28 (9 Shevat 15 Adar) Helen Rose Aronoff* Benjamin Bennison* Nuchim Buchman* Mary Colef* Ethel Duchen-Wachtel* Isaac Escourt* Gershon (George) Fisher* Alexander Fried* Sylvia Taubman Golde Laura Hoffman Martin Kalb* Arthur Katz Ann Litowich Robert Morrison* Bess L. Peven* Abraham Schensul* Mary Schpok* Minerva Slosberg* Jack Stein* Kate Weisman* Gale Wienir * Denotes a memorial plaque in the synagogue PAGE 23

24 CONGREGATION OF MOSES 2501 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, MI (269) PAGE 24