Sons of Zion News Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-10:30am

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1 Congregation Sons of Zion 378 Maple Street Holyoke, MA (413) Sons of Zion News Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-10:30am Upcoming Dates to Remember: Oct. 28: Kiddush in honor of Dr. Steve Levine Nov. 11: Special Veterans Day Kiddush Inside this issue: Thank You! 4-5 Calendar 8 Yahrzeits and Minyan Chairs 9 Save the Date 10 Ads from Our Sponsors 15 From the Office 16 Volume 3, Issue 2 From Our Rabbi I am writing this message between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In Hebrew this time period is called Aseret Y mei Teshuva, literally the Ten Days of Turning (or Repentance). We search our souls to enable us to turn away from hurts and mistakes, and to turn toward a more fulfilling, caring life. On the first day of Rosh Hashana, the haftarah helped us explore how chesed (lovingkindness) enables us both to transform our own lives and to support others in transforming their lives. Several people asked for a copy of my talk, which accompanies this newsletter. On the second day of October 2017 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5778 Rosh Hashana, we studied chesed in our lives as individuals and also in our communal life at Sons of Zion. We discussed a thought -provoking piece written by the Rabbi Lester Bronstein, who leads a synagogue in New York. Here is an excerpt: When people would ask me to describe our congregation, I used to boast to them about the joyous seriousness of our davening; the dedication and intensity of our lehrhaus-style adult learning; the courage of our social action undertakings; and the pride our people take in being a reasonably successful experiment in creating Jewish sacred peoplehood. Now I cut to the chase: I say that the main Visiting the Sick, oil on canvas by Avraham Ofek, 1970 thing one needs to know about our community is that our people take care of each other. They visit each other at home and in the hospital. They make dinner for the family of someone who is in some kind of deep trouble, whether it be health or otherwise. They wave a wand and a shiva appears, from daveners to meals to follow-up after the mourning has concluded. If the sick person or mourner is single or widowed, our community gets the word around and the person gets lifted up.

2 Page 2 Sons of Zion News (Rabbi, Continued from page 1) Congregants beyond driving age or capability get calls with offers for rides to services and classes, for as long as they are alive. Almost no one gets left out unless they really want to. It wasn t always so Rabbi Bronstein continued to describe need for the transformation in his synagogue and how it came about. This naturally flowed into a discussion of the many acts of chesed that already make our community at Sons of Zion very special as well as how we might come even closer to becoming a shul where almost no one gets left out unless they really want to. Study in Jewish tradition is not just an intellectual exercise; it addresses our souls and is a call to action. Several people at Sons of Zion are already talking about concrete steps we can take to ensure that no one gets left out at our synagogue. If you would like to help shape these initiatives or participate in them, please contact Joan Rosner at joanrosner@ comcast.net or Cindy Vieu at cindyvieu@charter.net. I would like to close with four short selections from our chesed study: When you carry out acts of kindness, you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, Yes, this is how I ought to feel. Rabbi Harold Kushner One does not give in order to receive; giving is in itself exquisite joy. Erich Fromm (adapted) Giving is often thought of in terms of the things we give, but the greatest giving is of our time, and kindness, and even comfort for those who need it. Joyce Sequichie Hifler In giving, the giver is the one who receives; more than one gives, one receives. Aperion (adapted) Warm wishes to you for a Good and Sweet New Year. May it be filled with deeds of chesed and the exquisite joy that chesed can bring to all of us at Sons of Zion. Rabbi Saul Perlmutter The next Hebrew reading group is rescheduled for Thursday, October 26, at 9:30 am instead of October 19 as initially planned. We acknowledge the support of the Jewish Federation of Western MA in helping us to provide security during the High Holidays. The Federation s security funding helps ensure the safety of our Congregation during and after services.

3 Volume 3, Issue 2 Page 3 From Our President As I sit here composing this report, I am brimming with pride for the accomplishments of our wonderful, energetic synagogue. As you read through the Newsletter, allow yourself some time to return to my Rosh Hashanah remarks and the theme of what Congregation Sons of Zion can do for you. Remember of course prayer is of prime importance; but our synagogue provides singing, music, community, cooking, caring people and more. All our accomplishments are achieved by planning and working together and there are many people to thank. Let s highlight some and begin with the inspiring and comforting High Holiday services planned and conducted by Rabbi Saul Perlmutter and Dr. Max Chorowski and enhanced with the voices of Andrea Fox, Laura Marks and Dr. Stephen Levine. Rich Freyman s floor management miraculously kept everything moving smoothly and Brielle s help was perfect. Steve s and Saul s shofars produced wonderful sounds and memories. Mia Friedman and her violin helped us experience the emotions of Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur. Ken and Cindy Vieu, Michael Rosner, Ozzie Wernick and Richard Wilson schlepped the tables and chairs and set up for Break-the-Fast. The intensity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is followed by the joy of Sukkot!!! Our joy was increased this year with weeks of work by Ken Vieu, producing the most beautiful Sukkah, and just in time. Cindy Vieu, Brielle, and Deb Levine pitched in. No worries, the stairs will be completed soon. Our participation in SukkahFest at the JCC with a craft table and volunteer time joined us to the greater Jewish Community. We re recognized and appreciated! Jim Eisenstock, Joanne Saltman and Nitza Seaver steward perhaps our most meaningful place, the cemetery. Project Isaiah, fantastic suggestion of Deb Levine and the Tikkun Olam Committee, will feed hungry people at Margaret s Pantry in Holyoke. Paul Charrette led Monday minyan and our Torah readers, Rich Freyman, Steve Levine, Joan and Michael Rosner are learning fast and would love more people to join them. I must leave some room to acknowledge Laura Marks, office manager. The list of things she does is unending. While all this is going on, we re enhancing our security system and convincing the company to do the work between holidays. WOW! The system is in, we re working through the kinks and Laura can see and admit people through Cabot Street without leaving her desk. Andrea Fox, along with Stephen Levine, shepherded the project to completion. I am grateful to the supporters of our new dues structure, Gift of the Heart, and especially to the Sustainers!! TODAH RABBAH!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!! My apologies to anyone I failed to mention. Please let me know and you ll have a special place in the next Newsletter. Wishing you and Sons of Zion a wonderful new year, Joan Joan B. Rosner President, Congregation Sons of Zion

4 Page 4 Thank You!! Donations in Loving Memory of Herb Goldberg Adelaide Firestone Albert Hunt & Judy Woodruff Andrea Fox Ann & Ben Marcus Barry Weiss Bruce Webber Burton & Marjorie Resnic Carol Halpern Wernick & Family Charles Weinstein & Sylvia Levine Dorothy Finkel Ellen & Aaron Kischel: Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather Galyn Metcalf Gellya Shulman: In memory of Herb and his legacy) Hampden Hearing Services Howard Bilow Irene Zonderman: In memory of my cousin, Herbert Goldberg Maryanne Waldman/Combined Jewish Philanthropies Michael & Joan Rosner Michael Blechman Ned & Cindy Barowsky Richard & Ellen Freyman Richard Gaberman: He was an amazing man and he will not be forgotten! Richard Wilson Ryan Orley Sherwin & Rhoda Wernick Stephen & Lois Levin Stephen & Joan Levine William Radner High Holiday Donations Sons of Zion News Aaron & Gail Lansky Alfred Hutt Bonnie & David Geld Buddy & Margie Resnic Cindy & Ken Vieu David & Rebecca Abbott Douglas Rosner & Erin Higgins Elihu & Joan Schepps George & Gail Baquis James Tarr Lynne Newman-Eig Marc Rudolph & Middy Fiero Marjorie Feldman Michael & Joan Rosner Sidney Paul Simon Sibelman Stephen & Linnea Constant & Family Stephen & Lois Levin Stephen & Joan Levine Tzivia Gover William & Joanne Saltman William Robbins Donations to the Cemetery Fund Ellen & Aaron Kischel James Eisenstock: In memory of Shirley Eisenstock Nitza Seaver Sally & Hyman Edelstein Sanford Katz Steve Kappel & Elaine Clein: In memory of Esther Kaplinsky

5 Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 5 Specific Donations Richard & Ellen Freyman: In honor of Lee Hutt's special birthday Beverly Tenenholz & David Goodman: In honor of Pauline Terenholz and in memory of Frank Terenholz Bonnie Gruszecki: In loving gratitude for the beautiful and inspiring High Holiday services Robert Os: In memory of Abraham Os Marcia Burke: In memory of Gladys Slotnick and Hyman Sladofsky Ira Laby: In memory of Lilyan and George Laby Stephen & Joan Levine: Many thanks to Rabbi Saul Perlmutter and to Max Chorowski for the beautiful High Holiday services Richard & Ellen Freyman: Thanks to Joan and Michael Rosner for their generosity and appreciation Aaron Falbel: Gratitude for welcoming us so warmly into your community In Memory of Loved Ones Amy Bernstein Barry & Sheila Weider: In memory of Harry Weider and Edith Weider Garber Charles Weinstein, in memory of Sandra Weinstein Laura Hilf: In memory of Morris Hilf Stephen & Joan Levine, in memory of Irene Kagan About Our Kol Nidre Violinist Mia Friedman graduated from New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation department in She has been teaching violin and traditional fiddle music in private and group settings for the past seven years, including being the lead teacher at an El Sistema inspired program in North Adams, and the director of an adult fiddle ensemble in Boston. Mia currently teaches middle and high school music through the Community Music School of Springfield, and leads ensembles in 3rd-12th grade at the Hartsbrook School. Her song Across the Water won the 2010 John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the folk category, and she was the 2006 New Hampshire Highland Games Scottish Fiddle Champion. Mia tours the U.S. and abroad with Ari & Mia, highly acclaimed as New England's Americana sister act.

6 Page 6 Sons of Zion News A Special Thank You to Our Sustaining Members Andrew Barowsky Steve and Linnea Constant Herb (z"l) and Barbara Goldberg Steve and Lois Levin Sidney Paul Buddy and Margie Resnic Michael and Joan Rosner Please consider joining our generous Sustaining Members at any time!

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8 Page 8 Sons of Zion News October 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Tishrei 12 Tishrei 13 Tishrei 14 Tishrei 15 Tishrei 16 Tishrei 17 Tishrei 8 18 Tishrei 9 19 Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei 21 1 Cheshvan Apple Picking 11am 8am Minyan 8am Minyan 8am Minyan Tikkun Olam Committee 7:15pm Budget & Finance 7pm at SOZ 22 2 Cheshvan 23 3 Cheshvan 24 4 Cheshvan 25 5 Cheshvan 26 6 Cheshvan 27 7 Cheshvan 28 8 Cheshvan Lech L cha 8am 8am Shabbat Minyan Minyan Kiddush in begins at Hebrew Honor of Class After 5:32pm Steve Levine Breakfast 29 9 Cheshvan Cheshvan Cheshvan Shirley Osur 8am stone unveiling 1pm, SOZ Minyan Cemetery Erev Sukkot Hashana Rabbah Board Meeting 7:30pm at SOZ 8am Minyan 10am Sh mini Atzeret 5pm Simchat Torah Celebration Begins 8am Minyan Shabbat begins at 6:05pm Shabbat begins at 5:53pm Shabbat begins at 5:42pm Chol HaMoed Sukkot Bereshit Noach Rosh Chodesh 1 Rosh Chodesh 2 Please keep in mind: The office is closed on weekends and Jewish holidays. If you need to make funeral arrangements during these times, please contact Joanne at

9 Volume 3, Issue 2 October Yahrzeits and Minyan Chairs Oct. 1 7: Deb Levine Oct. 1 Muriel Barowsky *Abraham Zellan Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 5 Harold Adelson *Morris Leitzen Rose Edith Rogal Jacob Messias Oct. 8 14: Steve Levine Oct. 9 *Esther Firestone *Esther S. Kaplinsky *Louis Rothchild Oct. 10 Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 14 *Lillian Stone *Abraham Goodstein Bernie Soltz *Adeline Barowsky *Robert Firestone Oct : Margie Resnic Oct. 17 *David Levin Oct. 18 Oct. 20 Ida Plesset *A. William Epstein Bertha Fox Oct, 22 28: Michael Rosner Oct. 25 *Abraham Greenspan Oct. 26 Oct. 27 *Samuel Orlen *Ida E. Bernstein Dorothy Bussel *Jacob Katz Oct. 20 Nov. 4: Ken Vieu Oct. 29 Max Speiser Nov. 1 Nov. 2 Noiv. 3 Nov. 4 *Hyman R. Bernstein *Myer Goldenberg *Jacob L. Barowsky *Selma Weiss *Lillian Halpern *Armand Paperno Page 9

10 Page 10 Tikkun Olam News Thanks to everyone who contributed Food Items during the Project Isaiah Food Drive for Margaret's Pantry. It was a huge success. Our Congregation certainly demonstrated its generosity and concern for those in need. We hope to make this a yearly collection. Save the Date! Sunday, October 15: Come apple picking with Congregation Sons of Zion. 11am at Olesuik Farm, 10 Pearl St., South Haldey. Call Cindy for information: Saturday, October 28: Please join us for a special Shabbat Kiddush as we honor Dr. Steve Levine for his many years of service to Sons of Zion and the Greater Holyoke Community Saturday, November 11: Immediately after services, we will be sponsoring a special kiddush in appreciation and recognition of all Veterans. Please use the accessible Cabot Street entrance. Sunday, November 12, 4pm: The Springfield JCC hosts Maj. Gen (Res) Noam Tibon for a discussion about Israel s Security in Uncertain Times. Pre-registration required. See page 14. Sons of Zion News The Tikkun Olam committee meets regularly and will be looking at more projects and efforts that we as a Congregation can initiate and support. Please consider adding your ideas and voice to these discussions. If you would like information about meeting times and places or would like to be on the list to stay up to date on what is happening please contact Deb Levine at dlevine123@gmail.com Our upcoming dates for volunteering at Kate's Kitchen in Holyoke are Oct. 22, November 26th, and December 24th. We need 4-5 volunteers for each shift which is from 11:45-3:00. Please let Deb know if you can help out and for more information. Welcome New Members! A warm and hamische welcome to new members of our SOZ family: Caroline Mazel-Carlton and Chris Carlton Matthew Sadoff and Mindy Domb Alex Morse We look forward to schmoozing, davening, eating, celebrating, and sharing with you! Sunday, November 19, 3pm: The Israel Committee of Congregation B'nai Israel welcomes Professor Jonathan Schneer, Ph.D., giving a talk entitled The Making of the Balfour Declaration. For more information about any of these event, please contact the office at: or office@sonsofzionholyoke.org

11 Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 11 Security Report from Andrea Fox The Security Committee is pleased to announce that we have used the full $8,500 in grant funds generously awarded by the JFWM to complete the upgrade to our security system. Our new system has a new doorbell and intercom, and allows us to electronically control our Cabot Street entrance from the office. We can view people at that door with our new state of the art camera and recorder. In the event of a problem or disturbance outside, we can replay the footage. The system also allows certain authorized board members to view camera activity remotely from other locations, which is helpful especially when the alarm is activated. Also through the generosity of the JFWM, we were fortunate to have been one of the local area Western Mass Jewish organizations that had a security expert meet with us and do a survey of our property free of charge. Our consultant toured the entire synagogue and provided a report of recommendations for improving security for the building and for the benefit of all persons who are in the building. Once we read the extensive report, we contacted the consultant to ask to prioritize for us. We are pleased that the equipment we have installed was consistent with the priority list. Any questions or concerns about security matters can be directed through the office. We are grateful to the JFWM for their generosity, and to the professional and hard-working staff of Alternative Telecommunications and Security of Monson, MA. We were fortunate this local business had experience working with older well built buildings as some of the installation required patience, creativity, and trouble shooting expertise. Should more grant money be available in the future, we will continue to enhance and build from this strong foundation of new technology just installed. Sons of Zion Sukkot Pot Luck 5778

12 Page 12 Sons of Zion News Dear Co-sponsors, We cannot thank you enough for all you did to help prepare for and gather an audience for last Sunday's showing of the film, Syria's Disappeared, and discussion with Mazen al-hummada and Mouaz Moustafa. Our hearts were full as we looked out at the more than one hundred people who came to the event and opened their hearts to the film and Mazen's story. Thank you for cosponsoring the event, for without your help we could not and cannot make such programs a success. We are living at a "never again" moment in time. Humanity looked back and said never again after the Holocaust, the Rwandan conflict, the wars in Bosnia and Darfur, and we may one day look back and say, never again when we recall the terrible suffering and loss of life in Syria. All that you are doing as we work together to provide humanitarian aid to Syria, raise public awareness about the war and press Congress toward action to help end the conflict -- all these efforts can help make never again a reality now. As you work with your congregations and organizations, we urge you to ask your members and friends to take actions on behalf of Syria by contacting Congress. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Sincerely, Michael, Sara and Debbie Sons of Zion Simchat Torah Celebration 5778

13 Volume 3, Issue 2 Page 13 IN HONOR OF THE 100 th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE BALFOUR DECLARATION The Israel Committee of Congregation B'nai Israel is privileged to welcome to our community Professor Jonathan Schneer, Ph.D. Giving a talk entitled The Making of the Balfour Declaration PROFESSOR OF MODERN BRITISH HISTORY at Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a coeditor of two books, and the author of six more, including The Balfour Declaration: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, which won a 2010 National Jewish Book Award. Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 3:00-4:30 pm Congregation B'nai Israel 253 Prospect Street, Northampton Co-sponsored by: Light Refreshments will be served

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15 Volume 3, Issue 2 Ads from Our Sponsors Page 15 Please Patronize our Sponsors. They Make our Newsletter Possible! BUSINESS CARD ADS: $180 / YEAR PLEASE CONTACT THE SYNAGOGUE OFFICE (413) OR office@sonsofzionholyoke.org

16 The unique gift of Cheshvan is that it has nothing special about it. Chabad.org Congregation Sons of Zion 378 Maple Street Holyoke, MA Phone: (413) Submission deadline for next issue: October 25. Discover the wide range of Jewish arts and culture around western Massachusetts. Enjoy the rich fabric of Jewish community in the Pioneer Valley, Berkshires, Southern VT, and beyond at Jewish Culture Connect! From the Office All I have to say is, I love this shul and I love these kids!!