The Voice of Peace June From the Rabbi s Desk. We won t keep you up all night, But we won t put you to sleep, either

Transcription

1 The Voice of Peace June 2016 From the Rabbi s Desk Dear Temple Family, The festival of Shavuot is one of the most enigmatic on the Jewish calendar, especially for Reform Jews. When, like this year, it falls after the end of the Religious School year, it is often overlooked. Like the other two festivals on our Jewish calendar, Passover and Sukkot, Shavuot has both agricultural roots and rabbinic roots. It says in the book of Leviticus, From the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering the day after the Sabbath you shall count seven weeks. Count fifty days, then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Eternal. This is the biblical source for the counting of the omer (sheaves of grain). Thus, biblically-speaking, Shavuot celebrates the first fruits of the harvest bikkurim. The rabbinic interpretation that expanded the meaning of Shavuot was to consider it chag matan-torah, the festival of the giving of Torah. It is believed that this same seven-week period is the length of time between our people s liberation from slavery in Egypt, and God s revelation of Torah on Mt. Sinai to Moses. A rabbinic custom on Shavuot, is to engage in a Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, a night-long study of Jewish texts, to take place on the eve of Shavuot. Many liberal Jews have adopted and shaped this custom creating engaging and delightful programs. I hope you will join us for the Shavuot gathering at my home, Saturday evening June, 11 th, at 7:30 pm. (see the announcement later in this bulletin). Warmly, Rabbi Laura You are invited to Rabbi Laura s home for a Creative Tikkun Leyl Shavuot Saturday evening June 11th at 7:30 P.M Rosewood Drive Learn how the story of Ruth in the Bible is linked to the Festival of Shavuot and how it can inform us about inclusion today. Come for the fun and the learning; nosh on traditional dairy foods and enjoy great company, as we welcome the Festival together! Kindly RSVP to the Temple office by June 8 th. We won t keep you up all night, But we won t put you to sleep, either

2 SAVE THE DATE! For our Annual Congregational Meeting to be held on Wednesday evening, June 15 th at The election of Officers and Trustees will take place during the meeting. Here is the slate of Officers and Trustees for Officers Trustees (3-year term) President: Keith Hanson Laurel Goldenberg Vice President: Cindy Wood Jennifer Sternberg Treasurer: Ellan Burke Dan Bounds Secretary: Jane Bounds Coffee and Dessert will be served. Nominations may also be presented from the floor by any member in good standing. Mazel Tov To Our Graduates! Gretchen Englander graduates from Rapoport Academy. She will be a Counselor at Greene Family Camp during the summer and plans to attend the University of North Texas in the Fall, pursuing a degree in Psychology. Mara Sternberg graduates from Robinson High School and plans to attend Tarleton State University in the fall, where she will pursue nursing and eventually become a midwife. Jonathan Dobin, son of Sheila and Loui Dobin, graduates from Texas A&M Medical School. Birthdays and Anniversaries June 7 Charlotte Jane Roscher June 16 Mary Jo Koss June 8 Martin Schwartz June 17 Sheila Dobin Rabbi Laura Schwartz Harari June 19 Cheri Gardner June 9 Sue Shipp June 25 Lauren and Steve Wessinger June 10 Helaine Englander June 27 Doris and Ed Katten June 11 Jeff Dreiwitz June 28 Isaac Gardner June 12 Barbara and Bob Kirstein

3 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 PM Tikkun Leyl Shavuot Annual Congregational Meeting & Election 16 Heritage :00 AM Morning Torah Study Torah reading & Simchah

4 Please consider making a donation to the Temple It is a wonderful way to: Mark a simchah (happy occasion) Honor someone s memory Wish someone a speedy recovery Express Gratitude Donations GENERAL FUND IN MEMORY OF GWEN HIRSCH Gayle and Buddy Marcuis David Smith, LaJuana Capps and friends at Central National Bank Florine and Barker Chapman Martha and David Bauer The Jr. Shakespeare Club Ellen and Thomas Walsh Carol and Thomas Reding IN MEMORY OF NORMAN KEEN Zukowski, Bresenhan, Sinex & Petry LLP Attorneys at Law Sue Shipp Janis McIntosh Dr. Harry Yoffee Sara Jo and Louie Englander Margie and Norman Goldberg Audrey and David Bolson Marlene and John Griffis, Jr. Edith and Dr. Richard Gibney Ellie and Dr. Eddie Morrison Trudy and Howard Cohen TEMPLE SISTERHOOD IN MEMORY OF GWEN HIRSCH Bernd Hirsch Suzan and Jim Shinder RABBI S DISCRETIONARY FUND IN MEMORY OF GWEN HIRSCH Melvin Lipsitz and Lynne Lipsitz IN MEMORY OF AUDRE RAPOPORT Lynne Lipsitz SPEEDY RECOVERY TO LEONARD ENGLANDER Lynne Lipsitz MAZEL TOV TO SALLY & PHILLIP ROSCHER AND JANE & DAN BOUNDS FOR WELDON AUBREY ROSCHER Lynne Lipsitz IN MEMORY OF RON SKOUGE IN MEMORY OF AMERICA S SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY SPEEDY RECOVERY TO DR. JIM OLMSTED Donations received after May 24 th will be included in the July bulletin. MAZEL TOV TO GRETCHEN ENGLANDER AND MARA STERNBERG ON THEIR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS IN MEMORY OF JULIA GOLOB Pat Klein & Family

5 Honors Friday, June 3 : Cindy Wood Yahrzeits Friday, June 3 Robert (Bob) Levy Hennie Genecov Meyer Frauman Rosa Keen Shirley Macow William Moon, Jr. Jane H. Cohen Albert M. Lewis Friday, June 10 : Suzan Shinder Friday, June 10 Morton Robert Hecht Harry A. Wood, Jr. Berna Knobler Phil Smith Esther Neuwirth Hilde Levy Friday, June 17 : Ellan Burke Friday, June 17 Harry A. Levine Richard Kleiman Helen Schechter Laizer Levy Rubye Gollob Lt. Asher Englander Rose Greenberg Jack Kestner Celia Neman Elsie Anderson Friday, June 24 : Jennifer Sternberg Friday, June 24 Emanuel Margolin Sam Kestenbaum Nell Bauer Zaitchik David Lutzer Julius Genecov Simon Florsheim Liesel Rosenfeld Hirsch Harry Schwarz Happy June Ladies, This summer I have taken on the task of assigning set up / clean-up for the early s during the summer months. Suzan Shinder has been kind enough to purchase cheese, crackers and wine for the entire summer. If you are inclined to bring some grapes or a dip to add to the already purchased food, that would be great. Should you be unable to fulfill your assignment, please find your own replacement. Thank you for your willingness to help! Cindy Wood, Social Chair

6 n Kol Sholom The Voice of Peace Established in North New Road Waco, Texas Laura Schwartz Harari, RJE - Rabbi Nate Goldenberg President Mendy Hanson Sisterhood President Religious School Administrator Michael Levine Temple Administrator