RABBI S MESSAGE. Purim is just around the corner, so I thought I would share some information about this fun (and slightly wacky) holiday.

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1 TEMPLE BETH EL A d a r I / A d a r I I M a r c h Dear Friends, RABBI S MESSAGE Chronicle Purim is just around the corner, so I thought I would share some information about this fun (and slightly wacky) holiday. Purim is a post-biblical holiday, set in the time of the Jewish exile in Persia, after the destruction of the first Temple. The bad guy in the story Haman, is an advisor to King Achashverosh. Haman believes that a man of his importance should be accorded the highest respect, insisting that all the people in the kingdom bow down before him. Mordecai, a Jewish subject, refuses, and Haman, infuriated, gains the King s approval to murder all the Jews in the kingdom, telling him: There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm, whose laws are different from those of any other people and who do not obey the king s laws; and it is not in Your Majesty s interest to tolerate them. If it please Your Majesty, let an edict be drawn for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the stewards for deposit in the royal treasury. (Ketuvim, Esther, 3:8-9) Haman draws lots (hence the name purim ) to select the 14 th of Adar as the date to carry out his evil plan. Unbeknownst to Haman, the King s new bride Esther, is Jewish. Her uncle Mordecai urges her to reveal her identity to the King and thus foil Haman s plot. This happens in dramatic fashion and the Jews are saved. King Achashverosh orders that Haman and his sons be hanged from the very gallows constructed to hang Mordecai. And so we have the holiday Purim. It is dedicated to much merriment and revelry. We read the Megillat Esther the story of Purim, stamping our feet, shouting and twirling groggers (noise makers) whenever Haman s name is mentioned. It is customary to dress up on Purim and also to put on Purim shpiels silly plays about Purim. We also have a special Purim treat fruit filled (or chocolate chip!) cookies, called hamantaschen that are triangular in shape, representing Haman s three cornered hat. In Israel, these cookies are called oznay Haman meaning Haman s ears. A twofold tradition on Purim is to make charitable contributions and to participate in mishloach manot the sending of gifts. Jewish people exchange gifts of baked goods, fruit and wine among friends and neighbors. While there is much humor in the story of Purim, there is a more serious and darker side to the tale. How often have Haman s xenophobic words and offers of financial gain echoed throughout history and indeed, are even heard today? Purim teaches us an important lesson about tolerance about accepting and appreciating our differences. And so let us use the story of Purim to embrace our diversity using it to bring us together and to enrich our lives. We will be celebrating Purim this month at Temple Beth El. Please join us on Friday, March 14 th, at 6:00 PM as our Religious School students (and parents) put on a Dr. Seuss Purim Shpiel. Mark Levy will be our cantorial soloist that evening and will continue singing Purim songs with us during our Oneg Shabbat. You are encouraged to come in costume and all are welcome! On Sunday, March 16 th the TBE-CBI Purim Carnival will be held here at TBE. It is sure to be great fun. Please refer to this Chronicle for more details. Chag Purim Sameach Wishing you a happy and joyous Purim.

2 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Now that we ve recovered from our extremely successful Kosher-Style Lunch, it s time to plan for our 6th Annual Martini Gala which will be on May 10, We will have unlimited Martini s, a wonderful dinner and a silent auction as well as a reverse draw and a wine heist. We need everyone to help solicit donations to our silent auction. We need vacation rentals, gift certificates, jewelry, gift baskets, spa packages, gym memberships, golf opportunities, sports memorabilia, baseball tickets, hockey tickets, restaurant gift cards, etc. Please ask those with whom you do business to contribute. All donations are tax deductible and donors will be recognized at the Gala. We are also excited about our Music Concert on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2:00 PM and our upcoming Purim Carnival on Sunday, March 16, If you have suggestions for other activities, fundraisers or educational programs you would like, we would love to hear from you. As you know, we cook and serve the meal at Dorothy s Place the second Sunday of each month and it is coordinated by Sharon & Shelley Goodwein. We also make sandwiches the second Tuesday of the month and deliver them to Karla Wolf who delivers them to Dorothy s Place. We also have a bin for food for the Monterey County Food Bank. Homelessness and hunger continue to be a problem for thousands of people in Monterey county and if you can help with time, food or money, it is a wonderful mitzvah! B Shalom Sheri.

3 President s message continued... We will be renting out the library this summer for the San Jose State Reading Program. We did this last summer as well. We will be needing volunteers to open and close the Temple. The dates are as follows: Day(s) of Week Meeting Times Dates Sundays 10:00 AM-11:15 AM 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/13, 7/20 Sundays 12:15 PM-02:15 PM 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/13, 7/20 Sundays 03:15 PM-05:15 PM 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/13, 7/20 Mondays 09:00 AM-11:00 AM 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14 Mondays 12:00 PM-02:30 PM 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14 Mondays 03:30 PM-05:45 PM 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14 Wednesdays 03:30 PM-06:00 PM 6/18, 6/25, 7/2, 7/9, 7/16 Wednesdays 07:00 PM-09:30 PM 6/18, 6/25, 7/2, 7/9, 7/16 Thank you, to those of you who have already signed up to help coordinate opening and closing times for this program. You time is greatly appreciated. The Rental Committee includes Joseph Chudy, Barb English and Hal Peist if you have any further questions.

4 WHAT S HAPPENING AT TEMPLE BETH EL Saturday, March 1 Torah Study 10:30 AM Sunday, March 2 Religious School~Hamentashen making 9:30 AM Tuesday, March 4 Trope Class w/cantor Bruner 7:15 PM Wednesday, March 5 Lunch & Learn NOON Friday, March 7 Oneg: TBE Board Meeting Shabbat Service w/josh Mack Peter Kasavan; Bob & Lesley Kasavan 7:00 PM 7:30 PM Saturday, March 8 Torah Study 10:30 AM Sunday, March 9 Religious School 9:30 AM Dorothy s Place L Dor Vador Concert From Generation To Generation Concert 2:00 PM Tuesday, March 11 Trope Class w/cantor Bruner 7:15 PM Wednesday, March 12 TBE Sisterhood Board Meeting 7:00 PM Friday, March 14 Pizza Shabbat 6:00 PM Family Shabbat/Purim Service w/mark Levy 7:00 PM Oneg: Barb & Archie English Saturday, March 15 Torah Study 10:30 AM Sunday, March 16 TBE & CBI Purim Celebration 9:30 AM Purim Carnival 10:30 AM Tuesday, March 18 Trope Class w/cantor Bruner 7:15 PM Wednesday, March 19 Lunch & Learn NOON Friday, March 21 Oneg: Shabbat Service w/cantor Bruner Norm & Diana Jacobson 7:30 PM Saturday, March 22 Torah Study 10:30 AM Sunday, March 23 Religious School 9:30 AM Friday, March 28 Shabbat Service 7:30 PM Oneg: Holly Jones; Ron & Meital Lati Saturday, March 29 Torah Study 10:30 AM Sunday, March 30 Religious School 9:30 AM

5 YAHRTZEIT March 7, 2014 Pearl Jungman* S. Cyrus Marell* Arthur Soroken* Benjamin Doellefeld* Samuel Cohon* Edith Mishkin Sadie Gross* Harold Kafton* Sarah Kaufman* March 14, 2014 Minnie Hersh Shostak* Mildred Day Geraldine Hyams Albert Morganstern Irving Goldman* Solomon Charles Savitsky Karen Eve Goldman, M.D.* L. Jerome Lewis Marian Pollack* Phillip Schoenbrun* Theodore L. Thau* Deborah Susan Greenebaum Jessie Silverman* March 21, 2014 Holger A. Johansen, Sr.* Samuel N. Rosoff* Marcella Schumacher Simon E. Greenberg* Clara Myerfeld* Mildred Newman* Shirley Cohen Shirlee M. Hamburg Robert Warren Chaim David Cohen Jacob A. Rothman* Joseph Pearlman* March 28, 2014 Jacob Levy* Janet Sadler Sylvia Goodman Goodfriend* Marian Blackmore* Beatrice Hochstadt* Arthur Burwen Larry H. Segal* Babette Fletcher* Geraldine Levin* Jacob Nudelman Kate Nudelman

6 APRIL 2014 HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, April 5 Family Havdalah & Game Night 7:00 PM Monday, April 7 TBE Gambling Trip Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino 8:45 AM Friday, April 11 Shabbat Dinner 6:00 PM New Family Shabbat Service w/mark Levy 7:15 PM On April 11, 2014 we will be having a special Shabbat to formally welcome those who have joined our Temple Family this year which include: Ron & Meital Lati Julie Edgcomb Steve & Aya Ettinger Dr. Weinstein Dr. Cohen & Cantor Bruner We will also be welcoming several prospective members at this wonderful Family Service. We will begin with a pot-luck dinner at 6:00 PM. Please join us! Tuesday, April 15 Community Passover Seder 6:30 PM

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8 CONCERT INFORMATION Cantor Margaret Bruner has a Masters of Music from Indiana University and a Master in Sacred Music from Hebrew Union College. She was ordained in 2000.Last fall she became the Temple Beth El cantor for the High Holy Days and is part-time soloist here and at Congregation Beth Israel in Carmel. Runiana Drumeva is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of music. She is the accompanist for the First Presbyterian Church and Northminster Church.Daughter Devin LaMarr recently won the South Valley Symphony Young Musicians Competition playing cello and was soloist for the Elgar Concert too. Daughter Clarece joins her mother and sister on the violin. The three played at thetemple Ark Dedication in August. Steve Ettinger has studied violin since age 5 and has played with various orchestras including the California Youth Symphony. He is currently the chair of the music department at Hartnell College. Aya Ettinger majored in piano performance in Hiroshima, Japan. She currently teaches general music at the Arts Magnet School in King City and directs the Sol Treasures Children's Orchestra. The Ettinger daughters play violin, piano, and cello. Kayla started playing violin at age 4. She has played twice for the Young Artists Concert at the Carmel Bach Festival, participated in the Central Coast Honor Orchestra, and currently plays in the Hartnell Community College Orchestra. Hannah has played piano for four years and cello for the past six months. She participates in the Sal Treasures Children's Orchestra.

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11 We gratefully acknowledge... donations received between February 1st - 28, 2014 Temple General Fund Dolores Velcoff In memory of Irving & Helen Velcoff Dolores Velcoff In memory of Mark R. Velcoff Dolores Velcoff In memory of Helen J. Velcoff Temple Piano Fund Sheri Perlman & Andrew McKenna

12 CBI FILM FESTIVAL Congregation Beth Israel will be having a Jewish Film Festival from March 1st, 2014 to March 9, There will be 6 films featured. We have a detailed list of the films and locations at the Temple or they can be found at CBI s website: DOROTHY S PLACE During the winter months Dorothy's Place, the homeless shelter,needs our help more than ever. Sandwiches for the month of February were delivered on Wednesday the 11th and gratefully received. The sandwich makers were Nancy Mikita, Mae Smith and Karla Wolf. The next time we will deliver sandwiches will be March 12. Your help would be appreciated. Please call Temple Beth El at or Karla Wolf at LIBRARY NEWS Look for the small bookcase in the social hall with discard books. Some are from the TBE library, some from private donors. Take and keep what you like. Leave another book if you have excess at home. Monetary donations are happily accepted for the library fund, but not necessary. Books left after a month or so will be given to the Steinbeck Library for its shop. If you have any questions concerning the library-in the midst of reorganization-please ask me. Nancy Mikita

13 BiRTHDAY S AND ANNIVERSARIES MARCH ANNIVERSARIES 27: Marni Friedman & Fredrick Northrop MARCH BIRTHDAYS 5: Barbara English 7: Carol Brown 7: Leslie Kasden 18: Shelley Goodwein 21: Dani Crossgrove 21: Stephen Kessler 22: Dr. Jerry Ginsburg 22: Nancy L. Justice 23: Fredrick Northrop 24: Julie Edgcomb 24: David Finkelstein 25: Peter Kasavan 27: Michael Dicus 28: Marshall Frank 30: Leah Winter MEMORIALS & SIMCHAS If you would like to submit a photo for publishing in this section, please it to betheloffice@redshift.com or drop it off at the Temple office. Thank you Prayer Book $25.00 Torah Commentary Book $60.00 Memorial Leaf $ If you wish to purchase any of the above, call the Temple Office (831)

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15 Temple Beth El Ri k er Street S a linas, CA P h o n e : ( 8 3 1) F a x: ( 8 3 1) E - mail: r a bbi del bick@aol.com bethel offi c e ds hift. c om W e b site: ht t p: //w ww.templ e be t he l salinas.org MARCH OFFICE HOURS Monday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wednesday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Friday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (and by appointment) These hours do fluctuate, so it is highly recommended that you call prior to coming over to Temple. Appointments are greatly appreciated and are also a great way of ensuring that someone will here to meet you. Chronicle Deadline The deadline for submitting material for publication in the April bulletin is Friday, March 21st, 2014.