Clergy and Leadership

Transcription

1 Clergy and Leadership Mishkon Clergy: Rabbi Gabriel Botnick Daniel R. Shevitz, Rabbi Emeritus Executive Board: Melissa Tarsky, President Cindy Goldstein, Vice President Rena Panush, Vice President Michele Prince, Vice President Judy Gordon, Treasurer Dayna Greenspan, Secretary Board of Directors: Phil Bell Jeff Fleck Michael Kirschbaum Johanna Schmidt Rosalind Silver Carol Felixson Jeff Gornbein Itai Klein Russell Schwartz Committee Chairs: Phil Bell, Adult Education Sarah Portnoy, Social Action Itai Klein, Cemetery Plots Jeff Gornbein, Tephila Carol Felixson, Communications Rena Panush, Barbara s Book Club Miriam Barron, Hazak Group Cindy Goldstein, Communications Marylyn Lewitt, Hazak Group Rena Panush, Membership Acquisition and Retention Andy Bender, Kiddush Rena Panush, Kiddush Johanna Schmidt, Preschool Liaison Michael Kirschbaum, Religious School Liaison Michele Prince, Social Action Senior Staff: Kelley Courtney, Executive Director Elisa Coburn, Preschool Director Mishkon Tephilo 201 Hampton Drive Venice, CA Phone: (310) Fax: (310) office@mishkon.org Web:

2 Todah Rabah to Our Mishkon Donors Below is a list of those who donated to Mishkon during the last quarter We thank you for your generosity. Mishkon Tephilo Mission Statement Mishkon Tephilo is a participatory, egalitarian congregation. We strive to meet the religious, spiritual, educational, and social needs of a diverse membership within the framework of Judaism. In This Edition Journeying to the Promise Land by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick... 2 Spring 2017 by Melissa Tarsky... 3 Barbara s Book Club by Adrienne Enzer... 4 Making Every Minute Count: Rabbi Botnick's First Year by Dayna Greenspan... 5 The commitment and participation of all congregants is to be Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool Class of nurtured, with the understanding that all contribute to our Preschool Enrolling for Summer and Fall... 7 community. We value full participation, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status. We view ourselves Family Tikkun Olam Experience By Elizabeth Tarsky... 8 as partners in God s Mitzvot of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut. Register for Parent and Me... 8 We are bound together by traditional Jewish experience through the following values: Spirituality: Members engage in prayer and study experiences that bring them closer to God and to each other. Constantly Connected: Effects of Media on Young Children... 8 Town Hall Meeting at the Jewish Federation By Kelley Courtney... 9 Community: We are bound together by a Brit Tzibur of providing A Letter From Jerusalem by Rabbi Dan Shevitz celebration, solace and support throughout the Jewish lifecycle. Torah: Mishkon Introduces Our New Logos We are an educational center for the teaching and study of Jewish Adult Education Corner by Phil Bell... 11` texts, rituals, practices and values. Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam: We Mishkon Doesn t Have a Caterer; It Has Something Better by Andy Bender understand our obligations as Jews to care for and support the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the community in which we live. Social Action by Michele Prince and Sarah Portnoy Todah Rabah Serving Jewish communities in Venice and Santa Monica since 1917 Abrishamy, Lillian and Shawn Adler, Erwin and Stephanie Allen, Kirsten and James Alper, Eugene and Susan Bloch Anthony, Ittai and Ashley Baker, Carmen and Martin Paris Barenholtz, Brett and Rachel Barron, Miriam Beck, Laura and Loren Bell, Phil and Chana Ben Hagai, Sarah and Ehud Bender, Andrew Bennett, Sue Berger, Shelley Berkovich, Alon and Tali Berkowitz, Perry Bertwell, Ellie Birnbaum, Debra Black, Wayne and Sandee Blum, Lillian Bonilla, Monica and Lopez, Sebastian Brick, Ilene Bronner, Deborah Bronstein, Ella Brookman, Daniel and Linda Bubbs, Aaron Buch, Kenneth Casey, Shabby and Matthew Cogan, Neil Howard Cohen, Howard and Lehrman, June Cohen, J.S. Cola, Ed Cozen, Christine and Darrell Cummings, James and Sonia Daman, Phil and Jennifer Bliss David Levy and Molly Karcher Davis, Carol V. Davis, Howard and Sternfeld, Janet Diamond, Jonathan and Sandy Itkoff Drexler, Marcy Ehrenberg, David and Felicia Saltzbart Elkinson, Kenneth and Edythe Enzer, Adrienne Eule, Carole Feinberg, Stacy and Brylawski, Michael Felixson, Carol and Jaduszliwer, Bernardo Feuerstein, Helene Fischel, Elaine Fleck, Jeffrey and Steinhart, Deborah Freedman, Bernard and Gail Friedman, Lee and Cande Friedman, Lonnie Friedman, Max and Paty Fryszman, Bernard Gabel, Harris and Immer, Linda Gehlfuss, Shulamit Geil, Ed and Michelle Glosser, Ruth Goland, Rosaleah Goldberg, Adam and Toni Goldberg, Menucha Goldman, Jeremy and Magid, Emily Goldstein, Cynthia Goldstein, Jeffrey Goldstein, Robert and Tong, Olivia Goldstein, Sara and Raymond Gordon, Judith Gornbein, Jeff and Martin, Fredricka Gourarie, Hadassah Grebler, Rene Greenspan, Dayna and Schwartz, Robert Haber, Elaine and Darren Galim Hanukah Edition 2016Edition Galim The Spring Passover Harelik, Richard and Joan Helman, Daniel S. Herman, Sheldon and Prewitt, Victoria Hershkowitz, David and Helena Herzog, Feiga and Barry Allen Heyl, Hillary and Joel Weiner Hirt, Randy and Eddy, Bruce Hoehler, Dan and Robin Horn, Susan Fox Ivry, Gil and Segal, Elina Jacob, Alan and Miriam Jacobson, Marvin and Rosalinda Josephs, Susan Kadish, Sheldon and Rosenfeld, Mary Ann Kalis, Murray Kaplan, Sue Kapner, Jackie Lira and Andrew Katz, David I. Katz, George Katz, Monroe Katzman, Gerald Kaye, Ronnie Kennedy, Michael and Monique Kirschbaum, Michael and Michelle Klein, Itai and Stern Klein, Erica Kleinman, Alan and Sharon Kobritz, Bruce and Jill Lewis Komberg, Luba and Abram Kunstler, Peter and Karen Lempert, Philip and Gray, Laura Levine, Gerald A. Levine, Polly Levitow, Roberta and Greenhill, Mitch Levy, Suzanne and Steve Holtzman Lewis, Mel Lewitt, Marilyn Lindau, Susan T. Lintz, Deborah Lipsky, Allan and Marilyn Loberman, Loetitia London, Alan Lewis Lotan, Shuli and Assaf Louria, Ken and Meredith Bilson Lowenstein, Pierre Andre and Shireen Oberman Lustman, Nathan Malamud, Donna and Tom Laichas Malek, Violet Mansdorf, Bruce and Rebecca Mansdorf Markowitz, Michael and Goodman, Randi Marks-Barnett, Tzipporah Mashaal, Joy and Nuss, Matthew Mathason, Marcia and Bruce Max Sank and Deborah Lintz Sank Melnick, Anita and Michael Miller, Miriam and Michael Milstein, Hymie Mollin, Peggy Mooney, Rebecca and Jonathan Brill, Morris and Dale Myman, Frances Neiter, Margie and Jerry Nelson, Catherine Novos, Bessie Ober, Edward and Gail Ohta, Hiram and Joan Oskowitz, Selwyn Osser, Patricia and Irving Panush, Rachel and Will Grant Panush, Rena and Richard Paris, David and Cowen, Nancy Petralli, Damien and Alma Pomerantz, Earl and Myra Port, Norman Portnoy, Caryl Prince, Michele and Jeffrey Puziss, Evan Rankin, Bonnie Rapoport, Avivah and Andrew Kamman Raz, Shifra and Rubinstein, Benny Rieger, Jane Luna Robbins, Nancy Rosen, Richard Rosenheck, Molly and Spencer Ross, Matthew and Page, Frances Rozay, Samuel Ruvinsky, Michael and Jessica Safran, Sandra and Gerson Saltzbart, Felicia and Ehrenberg, David Samuel, Judith and Lisa Samuel, Safra Samuel, Yael and Jacob Sank, Max and Deborah Sasson, Maurice Saunders, Brad and Lauren Schalit, Marilynn Schmidt, Johanna and Benjamin Schrag, Morton and Lorraine Schreck, Rhona and Ira Schwartz, David and Barbara Effros Schwartz, Russell and Goland, Susan Shepnick, Eric and Graziela Shepnick, Ira and Ninette Sherman, Cynthia Shevitz, Daniel R. Shirazian, Shabnam Sara Sigal, Anna and Ari Sikking, Florine and James Silver, Rosalind Silverman, Mark and Yaffa Singer, Ben and Portnoy, Sarah Slany, Fleur and Chris Small, Alan and Floriberta Smith, Cassandra Smith, Howard J. and Victoria Levine Sneh, Louis Sorter, Thomas and Phyllis Spevak, Albert Spiegel, Marylin and Simeon Starer, Lois B. Stein, David and Carole Stein, Russell Steinberg, Barry and Ann Stern, Arthur A. Stern, Yohan and Barbara Burtin Tarsky, Melissa and Brian Taxerman, Bill Taylor, Fern Vivian Tepper, Robert and Anita Tishman, Roberta Urbaitis, Marleen and Solomon Ortasse Weiss, Irwin Weissler, Eric Wilson, Stephen and Claudia Wine, Aliza Winnick, Lee and Stephen Bernard Wolken, Ann Wrobel, Avi and Nora Chiang Yannatta, Julie Yomtob, Abraham Zalben, Bradley and Janet Zimmermann, Naomi and Alan Van Gelder Zlotolow, Miriam Zuk, George and Heit, Karen 14 10

3 Social Action by Michele Prince and Sarah Portnoy Help Mishkon Determine Where to Put Our Energy to Help Hunger, Bail System Reform, Immigration, Homeless A meeting at Miskon Sunday morning, March 26, was a terrific first step in our newest efforts to develop continuing and consistent efforts around social action for our community. We were fortunate to learn about the work of Bend the Arc, Mazon and OPCC. Bend the Arc is active on many fronts, and Rabbi Aryeh Cohen discussed advocacy around needs of the homeless and bail system reform (jail bail bond funding). A guest from Beit T shuvah shared her story about living on the streets and her recovery and current justice work. Mazon is focused on food injustice and hunger and could use our help with issues such as the federal SNAP (food stamp) program. Mishkon is already serving breakfast to those in OPCC's transitional housing, and we are eager to continue that work more regularly. Congregants shared many ideas for these social justice themes, plus efforts of members in other programs such as the California Institution for Women state prison. We appreciated our guest speakers and 15 attendees who joined us bright and early on a Sunday morning. Attendees and other interested members are selecting their top two areas of interest so we can Rent Our Facilities! Looking for a venue for your next event? We have a beautiful sanctuary, social hall, chapel, and full-service kosher kitchens for rent. Check our website for capacity and rates, or call the office at for more information. determine where to put our energy. To add your voice to the discussion, please review the list below and Sarah Portnoy sarahportnoy@gmail.com or Michele Prince michelefprince@gmail.com. 1. Help with meals at OPCC on a regular basis (every other month) 2. Work on local advocacy for bail system reform 3. Help with advocacy on a national level to write/call our senators, representatives and other stakeholders to protect SNAP, which is embedded in the Farm Bill and gives money for school lunches, Meals on Wheels for seniors, and other programs that create access to healthy, affordable food for all 4. Learn more about becoming a sanctuary synagogue from CLUE and other faith-based advocacy organizations 5. Help the local homeless population, particularly one local homeless advocate who is on a hunger strike for increased bathroom access for the homeless 6. Honor and support the work in which several of our members are involved, such as the California Institution for Women state prison Mishkon has cemetery plots in our section of Eden Cemetery available to members at a discounted price. Call the office at for more information. Journeying to the Promise Land by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick In every generation, we are obligated to see ourselves as if we went out from Egypt." This line from the Passover Haggadah is a pretty difficult one to grasp. Thank God, the vast majority (if not all) of us have never tasted the bitterness of slavery or felt the sting of a whip on our backs. So how can we see ourselves as if we went out from Egypt? Sure, the Haggadah may be trying to teach us empathy for those who are suffering. But if that were the case, why not just say that explicitly? Although I do believe empathy is one of the major goals of the Passover Seder, I think this line is speaking to something different. But before we can address what that might be, we must first understand what it means to go out from Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, meaning "a narrow place" or "dire straits." Whenever the Torah speaks of Egypt, it uses language of "going down" - as in, one goes down to Egypt. This phrasing stands in stark contrast to the way we speak of Israel and Jerusalem - we say that one who moves to Israel has "made Aliyah" or has "gone up" to Israel. Therefore, Israel represents the pinnacle of ideology, while Egypt represents the pit of despair. But Egypt represents more than just despair. Egypt represents alienation, for our ancestors were strangers in this foreign land for hundreds of years. Egypt represents disorientation, for our ancestors knew not where to turn to find salvation from their enslavement. And Egypt represents ignorance and juvenile naïveté, for our ancestors did not yet know from freedom, education, Torah, or God. In other words, when our ancestors went out from Egypt, they did not just leave slavery; they left behind feelings of alienation, disorientation, ignorance, and despair. And they did not just travel to the promised land; they embarked on a journey toward community, purpose, understanding, and faith. Although it might be difficult to see ourselves as if we went out from a place of servitude, each of us can surely relate to having found ourselves at one point or another in a metaphorical Egypt - a time when we've felt like an outsider, lost, or unaware. The Passover Seder is an opportunity for us to reflect on our past year and consider the "Egypts" we may have left behind since the last time we were humbled by the act of eating Matzah - the "bread of affliction." And the Seder is also an opportunity to think about the "Egypts" in which we might be standing. Here, the task is more pressing: The Passover Seder is a call to ask ourselves how we will find the strength to leave behind these new, modern-day Egypts. Will salvation appear in the guise of family or community? Will it come to us through new insights we uncover in an article or a book? Or will we find the strength to leave behind our Egypts through our traditions and faith? No matter where you happen to find yourself this year - in the straits of your own, personal Egypt or the heights of your spiritual Mount Sinai - I encourage you to take the charge of the Haggadah seriously this year: Strive to see yourself as the recipient of a sacred promise to be brought into the Promised Land. Galim Hanukah Edition

4 Spring 2017 by Melissa Tarsky, President I have been spending a lot of time thinking about Mishkon and money lately. We ve recently completed our mid-year budget review and are starting to think about next year s budget. (Mishkon s fiscal year starts on July 1.) We re trying to create a list of priorities for next year, such as what we need to repair, what we can improve and what new programs and events we can create. Mishkon Doesn t Have a Caterer; It Has Something Better by Andy Bender Are you the caterer? one of our new members asked me recently. On the one hand, I was flattered - are Mishkon's kiddushim that good? On the other, I had to chuckle because the idea of our little shul having its own caterer seemed so far from our reality. No, Mishkon doesn t have a caterer, but it has something even better: an awesome community of volunteers that makes these weekly lunches happen after Shabbat services: I ve been asked where Mishkon spends its money, and certain themes regularly arise. Many people at Mishkon believe that dues cover most of Mishkon s expenses. As you can see in the chart below, dues cover only about 40% of our expenses. If you research dues charged by the synagogues on the Westside, Mishkon s are among the lowest. This is why we regularly ask for donations for things like programs and Kiddushim and why we may be hesitant to create new programs if we are unlikely to cover the costs associated with the new program. The restaurant next door (Teatro, across the alley from the Hampton building) is expected to open in the late spring or early summer. Because the rent the owners pay to us composes 25% of our revenue, we fervently hope for their success. I ve also heard from some members that we just need to decrease the waste in our budget. If you look at the Expenses chart, you can see that 83% of our spending is on staff, office expenses and building expenses. That doesn t leave much room for waste removal, and I m not sure there is any waste in our budget. I recently calculated how much it costs to run Mishkon per member unit (family or single member). We expect to spend about $2,800 per member unit on things like utilities and salaries, High Holy Days expenses, Kiddushim, programs, building maintenance and more (see the chart). Dues cover about 40% of those costs, which means that we need to raise the remainder of the funds (about $150,000) through large and small fundraisers, High Holy Days fees, and charges for certain programs. To do so, we have the Simchah Kiddush each month, which asks those who are having a birthday, anniversary or other simchah to contribute to a special Kiddush fund. We ask those observing a Yahrtzeit to make a donation to Mishkon in memory of their loved one. We ask people celebrating a simchah to sponsor a Kiddush. We have larger fundraisers to ensure that we have enough money for everyday expenses. Understanding where the money comes from and where it goes is important for the leadership of the synagogue, but it s also important for the membership. I want you to have confidence that I know what s going on at Mishkon. I want you to understand why we can t add another staff member, hire help for Kiddush every week or have another free program. 3 * The small but dedicated crew we nickname the kiddush elves. It takes work to make a kiddush, and these volunteers give their time on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings to help with everything from shopping for food to meal preparation, serving, cleanup and making sure the shul is properly locked after lunch. * Our generous sponsors, members who sponsor a kiddush in honor of a simcha or in memory of a loved one. * Our fundraising team that does outreach to bring in other funds. * Fisherman Phil (a.k.a. our member and pal Phil Bell). Phil goes on regular deep-sea fishing adventures and brings back an amaaaazing (his word) catch of high-quality fish, which he flash-freezes and gives away to Mishkon members. All he asks in return is a donation for the Kiddush Fund. As grateful as we are for these volunteers, we could always use more help. Here are a few easy ways to get involved and have fun: * Help prepare a kiddush: Prime prep time is Friday morning, a fun hour or two of cooking and kibbitzing. Come join us! * Sponsor a kiddush: I ve done it many times, and the gratitude you get back is worth way more than any funds you give. There are a variety of kiddush packages starting at around $200, or we can help you design your own. Check out the shul s website, or contact the office or one of us below for further information. Mishkon s one-of-a-kind Kiddush Club. Each month, members celebrating birthdays and anniversaries are invited to contribute a modest amount (suggested donation: $75), which we pool toward the monthly Simcha Kiddush, now combined with Family Shabbat. This extra-festive lunch shows off Mishkon at its best, and having many co-sponsors keeps the cost low for everyone, while leftover funds go toward other kiddushim with no special sponsor. When a volunteer from the Kiddush Committee contacts you about co-sponsoring the Simcha Kiddush and Family Shabbat, please say yes. Then there s the most important part of the kiddush: you. All are welcome at any kiddush, but if you haven't been in a while, the Simcha/Family Kiddush, usually the third Shabbat of the month, is a great way to experience the ruach of our community (check the calendar on the shul s website for details). Come by any Shabbat, and we'll even make a l chaim with you. For more information, to volunteer, donate or sponsor, please contact the shul office, me (andy@andrewbender.com) or Kiddush Committee co-chair Rena Panush (rapan18@gmail.com). Fisherman Phil Bell can be reached at shalvah@aol.com. Todah rabah, and b tayavon! Galim Hanukah Edition

5 Mishkon Introduces Our New Logos! Although we expect to end the fiscal year with a small surplus, we will continue to budget conservatively. We had a few years silver to him. He asks those who can produce beautiful things to come forward to help build the Mishkon. The Jewish people Mishkon Preschool at Mishkon with deficits and want to ensure that Mishkon is in a strong financial situation so we can continue to serve our community. are so generous that he has to tell them to stop giving; he has enough. Too many people volunteer to help with the project, so Full Logo Icon Full Logo Icon Many people in our community are generous with their time and with their money. If you are not already one of those, I he has to send some away. I would love to be in a position in which I have to tell people hope you will consider joining them. We always need more that Mishkon doesn t need any more money or volunteers. Can people who will help out, and we always need more money. you make that happen? In Parshat Vayak hel, which we read toward the end of March this year, Moses asks the Jewish people to bring jewels, gold and Adult Education Corner by Phil Bell Join Us After Kiddush siddur, Lev Shalem. One recent Shabbat after Kiddush, I participated in a discussion We are also blessed led by Rabbi Botnick. It was a wonderful teaching on the to have Jeff Fleck "Secrets of the Siddur." He explained the holiest of Jewish teach the "Chug prayers, the Shema, and where and why it is placed in the siddur Rashi" class on the in the morning service. second Shabbat of We are so blessed at Mishkon to have Rabbi Botnick teach the month. Jeff uses twice a month after Kiddush lunch. On the first Shabbat of the Rashi's commentary on the parasha as a springboard for month, he teaches "Spiritual Paths to the Parsha," an in-depth discussion about the weekly portion. discussion on an issue raised in the Torah portion of the week. I encourage you to stay after Kiddush lunch to experience these On the third Shabbat of the month, he teaches "Secrets of the programs. Siddur," which uncovers the structure and content of our new Learning on Sunday Mornings This year, Mishkon has offered several exciting programs on We can look forward to additional stimulating Sunday morning Sunday mornings: programs: 1. A panel on Advance Care Medical Directives, organized by 1. Mishkon Day at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival on April Michele Prince and Shelley Berger 30 at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills 2. The film "Let Freedom Ring" and a Freedom Sing-Along on 2. "Yiddish Collage," with Yiddish singer and guitarist Cindy MLK Sunday, with filmmaker Meyer Shwarzstein Paley, accompanied by an accordionist on June 4 3. "A Morning of Jewish Poetry," with Mishkon Fulbright poet If you would like to be part of Adult Education at Mishkon, Carol V. Davis and Marcia Spiegel please contact Phil Bell at shalvah@aol.com. Barbara s Book Club by Adrienne Enzer Mishkon's book club is very active. Started several years ago by Last year, we learned about the history of the Jewish community Mishkon member Barbara Wiesenfeld, the group was renamed of Los Angeles from Janice Steinberg, author of The Tin Horse, in her memory. The club meets every four to six weeks in the and in 2016, our own member Alexis Landau spoke about her home of one of the participants. Ph.D. subject, Irene Nemirovsky, author of Suite Francaise. We read books of Jewish interest, both fiction and nonfiction. We read about Israel, the Holocaust, Jews in the Earlier this month, Jewish Journal Diaspora - Egypt, Iraq, England, Argentina - and the American columnist and author Gina Nahai Jewish experience. discussed her book The Luminous Heart of Jonah S, as well as the Persian Jewish A few years ago, we began what has become a tradition of community of Los Angeles. having a local author come to a meeting once a year to talk about his or her book. Gina Nahai Our first speaker was Professor Yona Sabar of UCLA, who spoke about My Father's Paradise, a biography written about him Our discussions are always lively because our members have by his son, Ariel Sabar. Yona was the last bar mitzvah in his varied life experiences and professions - and, of course, small village in Kurdish Iraq. He has taught Aramaic and opinions! Apart from the intellectual stimulation, the book Hebrew at UCLA for 40 years and was a fascinating speaker. group has provided its stalwart members with an added, priceless benefit: the creation of a family within the family of Marte Cohn spoke about her book Behind Enemy Lines, in which Mishkon. she tells of her experiences as a young Jewish woman spying for the French during World War II. Another year, our speaker Last year, the book club added a service project: repairing was Jonathan Kirsch, book review editor for the Jewish Journal, Mishkon s chumashim. who spoke about his book The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynzspan. Galim Galim Hanukah The Spring Edition Passover 2016 Edition 11 4 Galim Galim Hanukah The Spring Edition Passover 2016 Edition 4

6 Making Every Minute Count: Rabbi Botnick s First Half-Year by Dayna Greenspan and Cindy Goldstein Friday Night Shabbat Community Potluck We have created the Shabbat B'Yachad and Community Potluck for the second Friday of each month. It is a familyfriendly service for young children followed by potluck dinner and our regular Friday evening service. We begin with a service geared toward preschoolers and early elementary school families (5:30-6 p.m.). At 6 p.m., we have a Community Potluck Dinner in the Social Hall with everyone welcome. Then we continue with our traditional Friday night service at 7 p.m. These nights have been a successful way to bring a variety of groups in our community together. Saturday Morning Shabbat Services and Learning After Kiddush Rabbi Botnick leads spirited services every Saturday morning, engaging everyone with his passion and stories, culminating in ways that the congregation can incorporate the lessons into their daily lives. After Kiddush, he leads a discussion one Saturday a month on Spiritual Paths to the Parsha and another Saturday on Secrets of the Siddur. Engagement Survey We sent an Engagement Survey to all of our members. Our goal was to develop an understanding and take an inventory of their Mishkon passions and interest areas. Also, we wanted to identify congregants and new members willing to participate in these areas. The engagement survey responses at the beginning of the year surpassed our expectations. Leadership and mobilization into projects and committees are underway. Religious School Rabbi Botnick has been the Acting Director of our Religious School since Cantor Laurie left last June. It has been a huge growth year for our school, with 29 students enrolled (compared to 18 from the previous school year, a 60% increase!) We have 19 students in TK - 2nd grade, seven students in 3rd and 4th grades, and three teens. Students and parents have been excited by our new schedule and updated curriculum: Judaics - All students are taught Judaics, on Wednesdays. Hebrew - All students are taught some Hebrew, on Wednesdays. Family Shabbat Experience One Saturday morning a month, the 3rd and 4th grade families are required to come to shul, where our Judaics teacher (and rabbinic student) Aviva Funke leads a musical, interactive learners service. This service, at 10:30-Noon, is followed by family participation in the community lunch, thereby giving the families a sense of what it means to keep Shabbat. We have also included a musical service for the preschool-age children on these Shabbat mornings that includes our entire community. Family Tikkun Olam Experience One Sunday a month, the 3rd and 4th grade families are required to participate in a Tikkum Olam activity. This is in response to the parents interest in more social action for the children. This program is facilitated by both Aviva Funke and Rabbi Botnick. B nai Mitzvah We have had two bat mitzvahs in 2017, which Rabbi Botnick has overseen with enthusiasm and warmth. Our many out-oftown visitors have been delighted by our welcoming congregation and our new rabbi. A Letter From Jerusalem by Rabbi Dan Shevitz I was asked by a friend of a friend to help make a minyan at an the cemetery. I wondered briefly why they didn t try in the Azkarah. An Azkarah is a memorial ceremony held on the cemetery proper, but then I realized that parking lots are liminal Yahrzeit at the graveside and involves the (usually quite rapid) spaces. They are gateways for comings and goings, for being at recitation of some chapters of Psalms, a few more verses whose the border of something else, and that itself makes them ideal initial letters spell out the word for soul, and the mourners for rituals. Kaddish. The cemetery is in Givat Shaul, a once-suburb and People involved in organizations that have board meetings now part of Jerusalem, which is an industrial area known mainly know the phenomenon of the parking lot meeting. Questions for the cemetery and two of Jerusalem s biggest bakeries. The that were shunned or insufficiently addressed at the meeting, or wafting aromas from the bakeries make concentrating on the even questions that were presumably settled, often resurface in gravity of the memorial service a challenge. the parking lot after the meeting and find new life. Some people The service itself was short and to the point. Toward the end, a warn of the dangers of such extra-judicial assignations; others random person joined the group and, uninvited and use them effectively. unbeckoned, started giving a sermon on the week s Torah We know that sometimes the most important things in a portion. He was ignored by most, but at the end, a few people Shabbat morning service occur at the Kiddush after or on the tipped him a few shekels. This, I found out later, was a wellknown profession: a cemetery floater who would help out when stairs on the way in. Though we may not have a parking lot of our own, we have cleverly made use of other liminal spaces for asked or not asked and who ekes out a living, so to speak, at the finding both spiritual and administrative gateways. borders of life and death. Another recurring use of liminal space is our tendency to sit at What I found remarkable was what happened in the parking lot the back of the room or on the aisle. We may say to ourselves before the service. that this is an efficiency providing unobtrusive retreat or easier As we were waiting there for everyone to arrive, I found myself bathroom breaks, but I suspect that the edges of a room pack a part of a subtle choreography of shifting centers. Several more spiritual wallop then the center. individuals wanted to say Kaddish, and they each had fewer than This is all part of a larger phenomenon of unbracketed ten (I must add that, if they had counted all adult Jews present significance: the few words before the speech and the postmortem summary, the hors d'oeuvres and the dessert, the without gender discrimination, they would not have had this problem, but that s another story). Each mourner made use of morning after and the erev before, the hand-on-the-doorknob the random swarm of individuals, each there for their own revelation (when you think someone is leaving) and the casual reason, and repurposed them, temporarily, into their own remark in the waiting room (before you ve actually begun), the community for long enough to say Kaddish. That group then preface and the post-script, the internship and, yes, the emeritus. dissolved, and it happened again with another selection, another mourner, many of the same individuals. I felt myself part of a Watch for surprises at these places; they are God's parking lots. swarm of bees, with shifting foci and imprecise boundaries, but That's where the ladders to Heaven are planted and the bushes doing its thing efficiently. are life. Some people warn of the dangers of such extra-judicial assignations; others use them effectively. Now, if you re looking for a minyan for the purpose of saying Kaddish, I bet there is no better place than the parking lot of Galim Hanukah Edition

7 Community Outreach / Social Action Town Hall Meeting at the Jewish Federation We had a booth at the Abbot Kinney Festival in September, a by Kelley Courtney Our Communications Committee has developed a greater social most of the day meeting people in the neighborhood. media presence as well as a new logo for Mishkon. that all branches are working together locally and across the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America External Rabbinic Activities nation to identify and prosecute the perpetrators. Rabbi Botnick participated in the yearlong Westside to help protect all of our (and other faith-based) community centers around the country and vandalism in organizations, that the latest incidents are unacceptable, and Jewish cemeteries, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles held a Security Response Town Hall on March 15. Collaborative Lecture Series: Visions for a Shared Society. It was reassuring to be surrounded by so many professional He led a discussion at his table after each lecture. about security issues. The Board Room at the Federation was support agencies, knowing we are not alone and that we are more than half full. Most of those in attendance were people I blessed to have so many local resources at hand. The Rabbi s Spare Time did not recognize. As I entered, there were police officers In his free time, Rabbi Botnick has rewired the Sanctuary lining the walls quite a turnout to demonstrate their support. in Santa Monica. popular event in our community. Rabbi Botnick was there for In response to the telephoned threats against Jewish I attended to represent Mishkon and to learn from experts on January 16 at the SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium, Our Federation s Community Security Initiative works with speakers, added microphones, purchased and installed new local, state and federal agencies to assure the safety and thermostats, set up remote controls for the fans and security of all Jewish institutions in greater Los Angeles. CSI thermostats, and set up WiFi for the office staff. Introduction to Judaism Course Rabbi Botnick taught the Introduction to Judaism course through the American Jewish University during Fall He was asked to teach a class at rabbinical school for spring Limmud Conference We were proud that Rabbi Botnick represented Mishkon Tephilo as a presenter at Limmud UK conference last December in London. There was an impressive panel, including senior links institutions to Jewish organizations and provides site representatives of the FBI, Chief of Police Charlie Beck and assessments, emergency and disaster training, and special Venice Congressman Mike Bonin read the Prayer for Peace at City Attorney Mike Feuer, as well as Ivan Wolkind, chief events that ensure that, if a threat arises for any one location, our Yom Kippur services. operating and financial officer of the Federation. we are all prepared. Rabbi Botnick has been reaching out to interfaith leaders in our Conference in Baltimore, where he served as the moshkiach, I don t know that there was any new information imparted Last year, our CSI program won an award from the federal community, and he delivered the invocation at the MLK responsible for kashering the kitchen and maintaining kashrut but a reiteration that the law enforcement community is here government and was honored at the White House. Westside Coalition Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday celebration standards for the conference of rabbis. Rabbinic Assembly Conference This February, Rabbi Botnick attended the Rabbinic Assembly Voice Coach Did you know that one of our board members is a voice coach! Contact Rena Panush using the contact information in to the left, and she can assist you with a variety of prep and production needs

8 Join Us in Celebrating the Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool Class of 2017 The Family Tikkun Olam Experience by Elizabeth Tarsky At this month s Religious School Tikkun Olam program, we fulfilled two mitzvot of Purim. The first is listening to a reading of the Megillah. Please join us for the Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool Because of the young age of some attendees, we read a simplified English Bridge Ceremony, where we will celebrate our graduates on version. The second mitzvah was giving to the poor. The group, which their journey through preschool. consisted of preschool families, Religious School families, and other Thursday, June 8, 2017 members, made sandwiches, decorated lunch bags, stuffed the bags, 3:30 p.m. in the Mishkon Sanctuary handed them out, and generally had a good time. We made 55 lunches, Celebratory dessert immediately following the ceremony which were handed out in about half an hour. As my sister, Sarah, put it, in the Mishkon Social Hall It makes me happy that 55 people got a lunch they might not have had Lior Berkovich otherwise, but it makes me sad that we found 55 people that quickly. Talia Brylawski Elizabeth is currently enrolled in our religious school eighth grade class. Ry Elkinson Zac Hirt-Eddy Register for the Upcoming Parent and Me Session Zooey Markowitz Claire Nuss Esme Ross We will hold an 8-week session of Parent and Me Toddler from 9 a.m. to Ayla Saunders 10:30 a.m., beginning Thursday, April 20 and ending Thursday June 8. It is Lyra Sigal open to non-members and members. The cost for the session is $240. Bela Slany Families can apply for a voucher to attend the program. That means that you Ethan Small could attend the 8-week session for $72 ($9 per class!). Please feel free to Dylan Spiegel share this with family and friends. Let us know if you are planning to join us and/or if you have any questions. Warm, Loving, Community-Oriented Preschool Now Enrolling for Summer and Fall by Elisa Coburn Contact Elisa at preschool@mishkon.org or (310) The Preschool at Mishkon has openings for summer and fall in our early childhood program. The goal of our preschool is to provide a warm, nurturing environment in which the children can develop to their fullest potential and that meets the individual needs of every child. This is achieved through a Reggio-inspired, developmental, hands-on curriculum influenced by the children's ideas and interests and by Jewish values and traditions. We welcome families of all religious and mixed-faith Constantly Connected: Effects of Media in Young Children backgrounds who are excited to be part of this fun and friendly Jewish community. We will be hosting a workshop at Mishkon on Monday, May 7 at 10 a.m. The Children can attend two, three, four or five days a week until 12:30 or 3 p.m. We have low child-teacher ratios, and children do fee is $15 per parent and $25 per couple. The charge for child care is $10. not have to be potty-trained. Classes fill up quickly, so call today! Facilitator Karen Dudley - a Marriage, Family and Child Therapist and a Child Development Specialist - has been working with families for 38 years, through We also offer Parent and Me Infant and Toddler programs. infant-parent and toddler-parent groups, parenting workshops, private in-home We have excellent reviews on Greatschools.org. If you are interested in a private tour, please family consultations, and school consultations. Karen has a B.A. in Psychology contact Elisa Coburn at preschool@mishkon.org or from UCLA, an M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, and an MFT license from the state of California. 7 We 8