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1 T H E B E T H A M MARCH 2019 ADAR I ADAR II 5779 Introducing our new state-of-the-art member system, ShulCloud! You ll get an soon to create your profile on the portal! IN THIS ISSUE: Shabbat Unplugged PAGE 3 Senior Rabbi Transition Input Meetings PAGE8 Celebrate Purim 2019 at Beth Am Get your costumes and groggers ready for Purim, the holiday of joy and laughter! As we read in the Book of Esther, Mordechai sent dispatches to all the Jews... to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year... as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts (mishloach manot) to one another and presents to the poor (Esther 9:20-22). We ll have opportunities for people of all ages to hear the Megillah and celebrate the triumph of Esther and Mordechai over the wicked Haman. Learn more about Purim with Beth Am at betham.org/purim2019. Place Your Order by Thursday, March 7 Purim Mitzvah Project Mishloach manot are small gifts of food and treats that Jews traditionally send to one another for the holiday of Purim. Honor friends, clergy, your child s teacher and classmates or anyone else at Beth Am who makes a difference in your life. Visit betham.org/p2019. Wednesday, March 6, 7:30 P.M. Conference Room: Rosh Chodesh Adar II Les Megillot: A Purim Sing-a-Long We will sing along to a Purim adaptation of Les Miserables, laugh, discuss, nosh and celebrate. If you love Les Mis, you won t want to miss this! All women are welcome. RSVP required. Sunday, March 17, 3:30 to 5 P.M. PJCC, 800 Foster City Blvd, Foster City: Jewish Baby Network: Purim Palooza Costume Party (Families with Children Ages 0-2) Come enjoy costumes, an interactive Purim story, songs, crafts, Purim snacks, playtime and goody bags. Costumes strongly encouraged for both parents and kids; don t forget your camera! Co-sponsored by Congregation Beth Am. Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 P.M., Social Hall: Purim for Adults (21 and over) Join the Beth Am community for our annual adult Purim extravaganza! Enjoy a megillah reading, musical shpiel, refreshments and laughter. Costumes strongly encouraged! Suggested donation*: $20 per person. Saturday, March 23, 9:15 A.M., Chapel: Purim-Themed Tot Shabbat (Families with Children Ages 0-5) Join Rabbi Heath Watenmaker for a Purimthemed Shabbat service for families with children ages 0-5 years. Be sure to come in costume for our costume parade! Following the service, enjoy grape juice, challah and hamentaschen, as well as arts and crafts. Come have fun with your child and meet other parents of young children! RSVP required. Sunday, March 24, 10:50 A.M., Beth Am Campus: Purim for Families All are welcome to enjoy songs, a Megillah reading and a family-friendly shpiel, followed by our Purim carnival, run by Beth Am s wonderful teens. Costumes strongly encouraged for adults and kids! Suggested donation*: $10 per adult, $5 per kid or $20 per family. Please plan to pay at the door (cash or checks welcome). Social Justice House Meeting Campaign PAGE 8 Purim Tzedakah Drive: One of the mitzvot of Purim is giving to the poor. Learn about this year s recipient at betham.org/purim-tzedakah2019. *Proceeds from adult and family Purim celebrations will support Beth Am s teen programming. CONTACT US AT (650) *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you.

2 Cantor Jaime Shpall It s the magical feeling of transcendence that comes when you stop hearing your own voice and become part of the whole; a feeling of complete focus, timelessness and joy. Singing with the Choir I sang in my first choir at the age of five. My sister and brother were already members of our temple choir (not coincidentally named the Zimriyah) and although I was a few years younger than most of the other kids, I was allowed to participate. I suppose it helped that my family were regular Shabbat service attendees, and as long as I could behave myself, I could tag along with my siblings. My behavior was never a problem though, because I was hooked from the start. There was something about that first experience that I still feel to this day, and it made me a lifelong lover of group singing. Looking back, I would describe it as the magical feeling of transcendence that comes when you stop hearing your own voice and become part of the whole; a feeling of complete focus, timelessness and joy. I ve experienced the same feeling in other settings too, such as during communal prayer, and even singing around a campfire with a group of friends. The feeling is the same pure bliss. For the past few months I have been blessed to be a part of an amazing choral experience with our Beth Am volunteer choir. We took on the wonderful, though daunting, task of learning and performing Leonard Bernstein s Chichester Psalms. Paul Ellison, our wonderful choir director, lovingly and deliberately taught us our parts. At first it came across as dissonant and awkward, but as we got deeper into it, the music revealed itself to us and it transformed into something tender, sweet and exuberant. The rehearsals seemed to fly by and through the process a group of individuals became one. Working together as a group and working through the music together, we became a holy community, a kehillah kedosha. The first Shabbat in March we read from Parshat Vayakhel. The name of this parashah has a secret message related to choral singing. The word vayakhel literally means and he (Moses) gathered. The word kahal or kehillah, which means community, has the same root, kuf, hey, lamed. The Hebrew word for choir, makheilah, is also built on this root, kuf, hey, lamed. I find it interesting that the word for choir in Hebrew is built on a root that connotes coming together more than singing. It recognizes the coming together of individuals to create a whole. I bet the person who created the modern Hebrew word makheilah was a choral singer, because when we gather together to sing in a choir, a makheilah, we create a holy community, a kehillah kedosha. At Beth Am, a diverse group of close to 50 singers came together to learn and perform Leonard Bernstein s Chichester Psalms. Each one of us came alone to that first rehearsal. Some of us were unsure if we were up to the task. We worried. We hoped our past experience would be enough and we worried how we could ever pull such a difficult piece together. But once we started, the worries disappeared and we became immersed in the music. We left our individual selves behind, and became one singular vessel, a container that held the very presence of God. Research shows that choral singing provides many physical benefits: it strengthens the immune system, it provides a workout, it improves your posture and it helps with sleep. Singing also provides emotional and psychological benefits: it lowers stress levels, improves mental alertness and acts as a natural antidepressant. Singing provides myriad social benefits: it can widen your circle of friends, boost your confidence and broaden communication skills. With the joyful month of Adar upon us, let us remember the joy and holiness that comes from communal singing. As William James once said, I don t sing because I m happy, I m happy because I sing. Chag Purim sameach and happy singing! PAGE 2

3 Shabbat Unplugged FRIDAY, MARCH 8: 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY*; POTLUCK DINNER, 7:30 P.M,, SOCIAL HALL Take a techno-break this weekend and engage in a 5,779-year-old tradition. Beth Am is once again partnering with Reboot to encourage us to ease up on the frantic pace and hyperconnectivity that govern our daily lives, by experiencing Shabbat. The idea is to slow down, reap the benefits and make time for what really matters. This experience is part of a larger project, the Sabbath Manifesto, which offers 10 core principles for unplugging on Shabbat: avoid technology; connect with loved ones; nurture your health; get outside; avoid commerce; light candles; drink wine; eat bread; find silence and give back. Are you looking for inspiration for how you might celebrate Shabbat? Rabbi Prosnit will be speaking, and we will debut a short video of Beth Am members celebrating Shabbat in a variety of ways. After the service, we ll enjoy a community potluck dinner and have the chance to talk with others about what we d like to unplug from, or plug into. Please sign up by Wednesday, March 6 at betham.org/unplug2019 for the community potluck dinner. *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. JEWISH FILM SERIES PRESENTS Baba Joon In Farsi and Hebrew with English Subtitles SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 3:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Crowned best film of the year by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television, Baba Joon tells a universal story of intergenerational tension, set in a family of Persian Jews in Israel. Yitzhak runs the family turkey farm and expects his 13-year-old son, Moti, to continue the business after him. But Moti s passion is tinkering with old cars. His devoted mother, Sarah, tries to mediate between her husband and son. The arrival of Darius, the uncle from America, brings matters to a head. This film is free and refreshments will be served. JOIN RABBI JANET MARDER FOR Hot Topics Lunch A Timely Discussion of an Interesting & Controversial Topic TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 11:30, FOLLOWED BY A RABBINIC TRANSITION INPUT CONVERSATION, 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/marchhtlunch 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. 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! After lunch, consider staying for a Rabbinic Transition input conversation session. This is one of several opportunities for congregants to provide input on Beth Am s vision for the future, and what qualities will be most important in our next Senior Rabbi. (See back cover for details.) The Hunting Ground Film Screening and Discussion Led By Rabbi Janet Marder and Dr. Louise Stirpe-Gill TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 6 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Many college students who have been raped on campus face retaliation and harassment as they fight for justice. From the team behind The Invisible War comes a startling exposé of rape crimes on U.S. campuses, institutional coverups and the brutal social toll on victims and their families. Weaving together verité footage and first-person testimonies, the film follows survivors as they pursue their education while fighting for justice despite harsh retaliation, harassment and pushback at every level. The Hunting Ground is appropriate for middle school, high school and adult audiences. Dinner will be served, and is free of charge. Please sign up online at betham.org/hunting. PAGE 3

4 Calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY NFTY CONCLAVE CONGREGATION BETH MARCH :15 Rabbinic Transition Input Session 11:45 Civil Rights Class 11:45 Lunch & Learn 3:00 Guthaner Lecture with Dr. Steven Zipperstein :30 Bagels and Coffee 9 7:30 Coping with Anxiety, Worry and Stress with Dr. Jill Levitt 1:00 BAW Book Club 4:00 Hagigah 4:00 Wednesday Hebrew Program 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 6:30 Adult Prayerbook Hebrew II 7:00 BAW Book Club 7:30 BAW Purim Rosh Chodesh 8:30 Rabbinic Transition Input Session (videoconf.) For a more detailed calendar, visit 8:00 Thursday Morning Minyan 7:00 BAW Board Meeting 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism NFTY CONCLAVE 6:15 Tizmoret Shabbat Service with Speaker Amanda Berman 7:30 Poltava Dinner with Amanda Berman 5:15 Tot Shabbat Service 6:15 Shabbat Unplugged Service 7:30 Congregational Dinner 1 2 NFTY CONCLAVE 7:45 Rabbinic Transition Input Session 8:30 Bagels and Coffee 10:00 Good Book Café 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Zinn 10:30 B nei Mitzvah Service: Fehl/Manfredi 3:30 Jewish Film Series: Baba Joon 8:00 Purim Mitzvah Project Hamentaschen Baking 9:00 Modern Jewish Literature 9:15 Parents Circle 11:30 Camp Beth Am 11:30 Zimriyah Jr. Choir 1:30 INCLUDE Committee Meeting 1:30 Sh ma Group Info. Session 8:00 LifeMoves Volunteering 8:00 Purim Mitzvah Project 11:30 Zimriyah Jr. Choir 11:45 Lunch and Learn 12:00 Rabbinic Transition Session 3:00 Rabbinic Transition Session 3:30 Jewish Baby Network Purim Event 10:50 Family Purim Shpiel and Carnival :00 Thursday Morning Minyan :30 Bagels and Coffee 16 11:00 Adult Hebrew Level F 11:30 Hot Topics Lunch 1:00 Rabbinic Transition Input Session 6:00 Confirmation 6:00 The Hunting Ground Film Screening & Discussion 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 4:00 Hagigah 4:00 Israeli Shuk 4:00 Wednesday Hebrew Program 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 6:15 Beit R fuah 6:30 Adult Prayerbook Hebrew II 7:00 B Photography Group 7:00 Hadassah Local Authors Group 7:30 Mussar for Men 9:00 Adult Hebrewl Level B 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 1:30 Wise Aging 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 7:30 Advanced Adult Hebrew 7:30 Board Meeting 6:15 Shabbat Service in the Round 7:30 5th Grade B nei Mitzvah Date Selection Dinner 8:00 20s/30s Shabbat :00 Adult Hebrew Level F 19 EREV PURIM 20 8:00 Thursday Morning Minyan :30 Bagels and Coffee 23 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 8:00 B Breakfast 11:00 Adult Hebrew Level F 6:00 Confirmation Class 6:15 Adult Hebrew Level C 7:30 Adult Hebrew Level B 9:00 Adult Hebrew Level B 6:30 Adult Purim Celebration 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 10:30 Knitzvah Circle 6:15 Shabbat Service: Zimriyah Performs 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 6:00 FS2S Cabinet Meeting 7:00 BAW Mah Jongg 7:30 Advanced Adult Hebrew 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism 8:00 Thursday Morning Minyan 9:00 Adult Hebrew Level B 10:30 Adult Hebrew Level D 10:30 Hadassah Sequoia Meeting 6:00 Adult Hebrew Level E 7:30 Advanced Adult Hebrew 7:30 Executive Committee Meeting 6:15 Shabbat Service 7:30 Liebhaber Oneg Shabbat 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Weiner 9:15 Purim-Themed Tot Shabbat Service 10:15 Beit Midrash 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Mazlish :30 Bagels and Coffee 30 4:00 Hagigah 4:00 Wednesday Hebrew Program 5:45 Adult Hebrew Level D2 6:30 Adult Prayerbook Hebrew II 7:30 JCRC: Invest in Peace 7:30 JBN Board Meeting 7:30 Mussar for Men 10:30 Bat Mitzvah Service: Harris 9:30 IAF House Meeting 10:00 Chicken Soupers 11:30 Zimriyah Jr. Choir 11:45 Lunch and Learn 3:00 New Options for Jewish Senior Living 31 CHAG PURIM SEACH! HAPPY PURIM!

5 Beth Am Camping Trip Sign Up Opens March 15 FRIDAY TO SUNDAY, JUNE 7-9, PORTOLA REDWOODS STATE PARK, 9000 PORTOLA STATE PARK ROAD, LA HONDA Find out how much fun camping can be at the 17th annual Beth Am camping trip. This year we will be back at Portola Redwoods State Park, the site of many wonderful Beth Am camping trips in past years. Get ready for lots of fun with a chance to enjoy Jewish community and the spiritual beauty of nature. For many, the Beth Am camping trip is their favorite activity of the year. We ll have short and long hikes, campfires, a fabulous kids talent show, plenty to eat and songs around the campfire, led by congregant musicians of all talent levels. The trip has the group campsite for Friday and Saturday nights. You can participate for both or just one night, or you can even just come for the day. Beth Am will provide the campsites, breakfasts and of course, s mores! First-time campers are welcome. There are bathrooms with running water and drinking water available at multiple places around the campground. The trip is likely to fill up. Registration opens March 15 on the Beth Am members site. Space is limited and registration is first-come, first-served. For more information, visit betham.org/ camping2019 or contact familycamping@betham.org. A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT MARKERS & MEMORY March is the month of Purim, a holiday that fits well with the comic template for most Jewish holidays: they tried to kill us, we survived, let s eat. Beneath the humor lies the reality that the history of the Jewish people, in large part, is one of persecution, displacement and survival. I was reminded of this recently on a trip to England when we came across a simple stone marker near Oxford University. It read: Beneath this garden lies a medieval cemetery. Around 1190 the Jews of Oxford purchased a water meadow outside the city walls to establish a burial ground. In 1231 that land was appropriated by a hospital and a small section of wasteland, where this memorial lies, was given to the Jews for a new cemetery. An ancient footpath linked this cemetery with the medieval quarter along Great Jewry Street For over 800 years this path has been called the Deadman s Walk, a name that bears silent witness to a community that contributed to the growth of this City and early University throughout the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1290 all the Jews were expelled from England by King Edward I. They were not permitted to return for over 350 years. May their memory be blessed. As we celebrate Purim, and other Jewish holidays, we should give thought to those whose survival made the story, and the future, possible. Let s feast in their memory, and may that memory be blessed. L Shalom, Bruce Ives President@betham.org Democracy and Coexistence in Israel A Conversation with Mohammad Darawshe, Director of the Center for Equality & Shared Society, Givat Haviva WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 7:30 TO 9 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Mohammad Darawshe, Director of the Center for Equality & Shared Society, Givat Haviva, will discuss the experience and perspective of the Arab community in Israel, focusing on the democratic process and the upcoming elections. He will also highlight the work of Givat Haviva, which strives to build an inclusive, socially cohesive society in Israel. Mohammad Darawshe is a leading political analyst and expert on Jewish-Arab relations inside Israel. He has been Director of the Center for Shared Society at Givat Haviva since January 2014 (also from ). He served as a member of the Three-Sector Roundtable and on the strategic planning team of the Authority for Economic Development of the Arab Sector, both at the Prime Minister s Office. He is also a research fellow at The Hartman Institute and at the Robert Bosch Academy. Co-sponsored by Congregation Beth Am, JCRC s Invest in Peace and Givat Haviva Educational Foundation. PAGE 6

6 What You Need to Know: Susan & Don Allen MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT & BUILDERS CIRCLE PROFILE: It was an early experience with an extraordinary rabbi that helped shape Don s Jewish identity and curiosity, spurring a lifelong interest in learning that continues at Beth Am today. And it was Susan s encounter with a Jewish coworker that helped chart her path with Don and with Congregation Beth Am. Beth Am is like an extended family, explains Don. We are so close to so many people here. The two of them are active participants in Beth Am activities and have taken on multiple volunteer roles to connect with others and strengthen our community. So planning a legacy gift to Beth Am was easy for Susan and Don, who want to ensure that Jewish life continues to flourish in the world. Don is inspired by Jewish teachings and tradition. I have seen firsthand the way that our community truly cares and undertakes tikkun olam. Judaism carries this at its core. We are meant to help repair the world and make it better for the future. To be fully human, you cannot turn your back on repairing the world. Susan adds, We want to give back to something that has been such a big part of our lives we are so lucky, and we are so grateful. Read the complete article at betham.org/allens. The Beth Am Builders Circle is the group of members who have included a legacy gift such as a bequest or retirement fund beneficiary designation to Beth Am. For more information about making a legacy gift to Beth Am, contact Director of Development Mandy Eisner at meisner@betham.org or call (650) For sample bequest language, please visit the Legacy Giving page at betham.org/legacygiving and download the brochure. NEW OPTIONS FOR Jewish Senior Living A Presentation with Jan Reicher, Staci Chang and the Rabbis Marder SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 3 TO 4:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH The San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living (SFCJL) formerly known as the Jewish Home of San Francisco is undergoing a major expansion, designed to create a one-stop hub of high-quality services and programs serving Bay Area seniors and their families. The $140 million, five-story residential project, to be called the Frank Residences, will offer 113 assistedliving apartments and 77 memory-care suites. A new 45,000-square-foot community center, known as Byer Square, will offer a variety of life-enriching options, including a fitness facility, pool, library, health clinic, pharmacy, movie theater, café, lecture hall and gardens. Come discover the Frank Residences and Byer Square for yourself or a family member! The afternoon will feature presentations by Jan Reicher, Director of Strategic Projects and Transformation at the Jewish Senior Living Group, which operates the SFCJL and Moldaw Residences in Palo Alto, and Staci Chang, Director of Marketing and Communications for the SFCJL. Come ask questions, learn about this new resource for our community, and enjoy refreshments and conversation. Sh ma Groups Corner Meet the Sweets, Songs and Shabbat Group! LEARN MORE AT A SH MA GROUPS INFO SESSION: SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 1:30 P.M., CONFERENCE ROOM Get to know Sh ma Groups! This month, we feature the Sweets, Songs and Shabbat Sh ma group, which came together in 2017 and has been going strong ever since. They have 11 members who hail from several cities on the Peninsula, including Palo Alto, Redwood City, Los Altos, and Mountain View. They gather on Shabbat and spend their Sh ma Group time enjoying sweets, music and Shabbat. After some snacking and schmoozing, they move into the song portion of the meeting, followed by a Shabbat discussion of a quote or two from a Jewish thinker or a Jewish musician. They truly enjoy each other s company and sharing music, thoughts and ideas. As Tina Rosenblum, group guide, stated, What started as a Sh ma Group has become a whole series of friendships what could be better? Anyone interested in starting or participating in a Sh ma Group this Fall is invited to attend a special Sh ma Groups Information Session on Sunday, March 10 at 1:30 P.M. Visit betham.org/shma-groups to learn more about starting a group or joining a group. YOUTH EDUCATION Registration Information NOW OPEN FOR ALL STUDENTS ENTERING 5TH THROUGH 9TH GRADE IN FALL 2019 Camp Beth Am and Youth Education Program registration will open in early March! Save the dates for Camp Beth Am in June 2019: Monday, June 17 to Friday, June 21. For additional camp meeting dates during the school year, please see the youth education calendar coming later this spring. The deadline for registering for Camp Beth Am is Wednesday, May 1. For registration information, visit betham.org/ YouthEd2019. For additional information, contact youthed@betham.org. PAGE 7

7 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 Senior Rabbi Transition Provide Input on Priorities for Our Next Senior Rabbi OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN MARCH With the approach of Rabbi Marder s retirement in June 2020, Beth Am s leaders have begun to plan the transition to our next Senior Rabbi. Now we need your input to create Beth Am s vision for the next 5-10 years, and decide what qualities are most important in our next Senior Rabbi. Your insights will help guide the work of our Senior Rabbi search committee. Please attend one of our upcoming input conversation sessions (see below); complete the survey that will be sent to all members in early March, or send your thoughts to transitions@betham.org. We look forward to hearing your suggestions and recommendations! Alona Scott and Mike Kaplan co-chairs of the Rabbinic Transition Committee input conversation session schedule Saturday, March 2, 7:45 A.M. Room Aleph Sunday, March 3, 9:15 A.M. Beit Kehillah Wednesday, March 6, 8:30 P.M. Videoconference* Tuesday, March 12, 1 P.M. Social Hall (see Hot Topics Lunch on page 3) Sunday, March 17, 12 P.M. Library Sunday, March 17, 3 P.M. Library and Videoconference* *Visit betham.org/input for videoconference access links. Who Is My Neighbor Spring 2019 House Meeting Campaign SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 9:30 TO 11 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Beth Am is working with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), America s oldest and largest community organizing network, to form a nonpartisan organization including diverse religious, secular, neighborhood and education organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Our goal is to act powerfully together on concrete issues facing our communities. On Sunday, March 31, Beth Am is hosting a house meeting in order to hear about the issues that are important to our congregants. Our goal is to identify local concerns that we can build the power to address. Please be there if you d like to participate in this crucial organizing work, or have input to share about a local issue that s on your mind whether it s education, housing, mental health, immigration or another area of concern. If you can t attend this meeting, stay tuned for information on a list of ten other house meetings in our area.