Celebrate Chanukah at Beth Am

Transcription

1 . The T H E B E T H DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 KISLEV/TEVET/SHVAT 5778 IN THIS ISSUE: Modern Jewish Literature PAGE 2 Celebrate Chanukah at Beth Am CHANUKAH BEGINS TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 12 eight-day festival of Chanukah (meaning Dedication ) reminds us of the victory of the Maccabees against the forces of the Seleucid Empire ( BCE). We light candles against the darkness to honor our ancestors determination to preserve their Jewish identity, and the power of the few against the mighty. Visit for more celebration details. Tuesday, December 12: 1st Night 6 P.M. Congregational Wednesday, December 13: 2nd Night 6 P.M. Congregational Thursday, December 14: 3rd Night 7:30 P.M. Congregational Friday, December 15: 4th Night 5:30 P.M. Chanukah Tot Shabbat Sha-Boogie (for children ages 0-5th grade and their families) 6 P.M. Congregational 6:15 P.M. Shabbat Service 7:30 P.M. Shabbat Chanukah Dinner (sign up) Saturday, December 16: 5th Night 6 P.M. Congregational Sunday, December 17: 6th Night 3:30 P.M. Jewish Baby Network Family Chanukah Celebration (offsite) Tuesday, December 19: 8th Night 7:15 P.M. Congregational 7:30 P.M. Beth Am Women Rosh Chodesh Tevet Chanukah Discussion Anti-Semitism from the Left and the Right PAGE 3 Jihad & Pluralism in Islam PAGE 8 BETH WELCOMES SUEL CHU: 5778 Akselrad Lecture National Synagogue Director of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger FRIDAY, JANUARY 26; GATHERING WITH APPETIZERS, 5 P.M. SOCIAL HALL; SHABBAT SERVICE & TALK, 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* Beth Am is honored to welcome Samuel M. Chu as our 5778 Akselrad Lecturer, speaking on A Community of Justice Moving Beyond Individual Activism to Collective Actions. Samuel is the National Synagogue Organizer for MAZON, guiding synagogue partners in leading local and regional advocacy campaigns around issues of food insecurity. He will speak during the Shabbat service. The annual Akselrad Lecture honors Beth Am Rabbi Emeritus Sidney Akselrad (z l), who stood up for justice and peace through all of his actions and words. Both our guest speaker and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger exemplify many of the qualities of our beloved Rabbi Akselrad. Be sure to visit This is Hunger, a powerful community engagement experience that MAZON is bringing to Beth Am January Learn more at: *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. CONTACT US AT (650)

2 From Cantor Jaime Shpall Happy Chanukah! This holiday is less about oil and more about resisting assimilation. Chanukah has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love how we Jews bring warmth and light into our homes during the darkest and coldest time of the year. I love our joyous songs and games and I love fried food. What could be better? As a child I was taught that we were celebrating the miracle of the oil; how one small vial of oil lasted for eight days so that the Menorah in the Temple could stay lit. It wasn t until I was older that I began to question this pivotal part of our story. After all the Maccabees had been through, fighting against the Assyrian Greeks, reclaiming the Holy Temple and rededicating it, why were we celebrating something so insignificant as a vial of oil lasting longer than expected? And why would it have taken so long to get new oil? Wasn t the Mount of Olives right across the valley from the Temple? Don t get me wrong I love latkes and jelly donuts, and I absolutely love lighting the Chanukah menorah (chanukiyah), but I realized long ago that the real miracle of Chanukah was that a small band of Jews held fast to our tradition, fought the strong forces of assimilation and preserved our precious heritage for the future. This holiday is less about oil and more about resisting assimilation. When I took my first cantorial position in Austin, Texas, I learned that most Americans know nothing about Judaism. Most of the time I would respond to the greeting Merry Christmas, with a smile and a Thanks you, too; but every once in a while I d say, Thanks, but actually, I don t celebrate Christmas. I m Jewish and we celebrate Chanukah. Their reaction was always pure dumbfoundedness. Why don t Jewish people celebrate Christmas? Doesn t everyone celebrate Christmas? Sometimes I would take this further and get into the real distinctions between Judaism and Christianity, but usually I left it there, with a smile and a Happy Holidays. At first I felt awkward engaging in this way (I m not usually one to welcome conflict), but the more I spoke up, the easier it became, until my holiday wishes came across gracefully and with warmth. It occurred to me, then, that this is the true meaning of Chanukah. It is sadly ironic for Jews to adopt Christmas as their winter holiday, putting up Chanukah bushes or Christmas trees with blue and white lights. Chanukah is our holiday that celebrates our resistance to assimilation! We should make it part of our Chanukah observance to share with people about the richness of our traditions, to proudly display our chanukiyot in our windows, and yes, to respond to the greeting Merry Christmas with Thanks, but I m Jewish and I celebrate Chanukah. We can best honor the triumph of the Maccabees, their steadfast upholding of the mitzvot, by following their example and resisting assimilation as well. May the winter darkness and cold be diminished by the light and warmth of your Chanukah lights. Marcel, Ella and Sam join me in wishing you a happy Chanukah! EXPLORATIONS IN Modern Jewish Literature Taught by Rabbi Marder and Dr. Joyce Penn Moser SUNDAYS: JANUARY 14, FEBRUARY 4, MARCH 11, APRIL 8, MAY A.M., BEIT KEHILLAH This five-session seminar explores fascinating works by American, European and Israeli Jewish writers that illuminate the human condition. Come prepared for a lively discussion! To register for this course and receive the syllabus, download and complete the signup form at (or pick one up in the main office) and return with a check to Congregation Beth Am, attention Bria Silbert. Suggested donation: $36 per person (includes bagels, cream cheese, juice and coffee). BETH READS The Spiritual Child SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 9:15 A.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Join Rabbi Miriam Philips and Beth Am member Melissa Kelley, former research manager for the Stanford Families Study Center and School Counselor for Kehillah Jewish High School, for a discussion of The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving. In The Spiritual Child, psychologist Lisa Miller proposes a provocative, research-based idea: the spiritual growth and health of children and adolescents may be as important as their physical, emotional and cognitive development. Her book gives strategies to parents, teachers and loved ones alike on how to cultivate the spiritual child. Dr. Miller donated copies of her book to Beth Am for members. If you are interested in getting a free copy, please Rabbi Miriam at rabbi_philips@betham.org or call the Education Office at (650) PAGE 2

3 BETH WELCOMES GUEST SPEAKER Matt Kahn of AJC Jewish Diplomacy Around the World: A Global Response to Global Challenges FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* For more than a century, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) has been the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. With offices across the United States and around the globe, and partnerships with Jewish communities worldwide, AJC works to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and to advance human rights and democratic values for all. Regional Director Matt Kahn will discuss issues facing Jewish communities around the world including anti-semitism, BDS and the threat of Iran what AJC is doing, and how we can have a powerful local impact. *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. NAVIGATING ANTI-SEMITISM IN CONTEMPORARY ERICA: From the Left & the Right With Dr. Marc Dollinger, Jewish Studies Professor, SFSU FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* The rise of the neo-nazi and white supremacist movements on the political right join leftist anti-israel, anti-zionist and anti-semitic tropes to challenge American Jews stuck in the middle of both sides of extremist politics. Both privileged and persecuted, Jews navigate a careful path in their fight for a better America. Join Professor Marc Dollinger, scholar of American history and politics, for an important exploration of domestic anti- Semitism today, its origins and meanings, as we try to understand the recent rise in anti-jewish hatred. After our Erev Shabbat service with Dr. Dollinger, you re invited to enjoy a delicious community dinner in the Social Hall prepared by the Poltava Committee. Dr. Dollinger will answer questions and discuss the current climate for Jewish students and Israel supporters. Reservations are required for the dinner. To sign up for the dinner by Tuesday, January 2, please visit or call the main office at (650) All proceeds from the dinner will support our award-winning sister synagogue in Ukraine, Congregation Beth Am of Poltava, as well as the new World Union for Progressive Judaism s rabbinic studies program in Moscow. *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. FROM PRISON TO FREEDOM: Lessons from the Last Mile With Speakers Beverly Parenti and Tina Seelig FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 6:15 P.M., SANCTUARY* The Last Mile (TLM), founded by Beverly Parenti and Chris Redlitz, prepares incarcerated men and women for a productive life after prison. Their mission is to provide marketable skills that lead to employment. TLM began five years ago as an intensive six-month entrepreneurship program at San Quentin, in which men learned how to tap into their passion to create a business that includes a technology component and social cause. In 2014, TLM launched the first computer coding curriculum in a United States prison. Beth Am member Tina Seelig, who teaches innovation and entrepreneurship at Stanford, is a TLM volunteer. She has brought her students to San Quentin to work on projects in which they redesign the experience of going from prison to freedom. At our Shabbat service, Dr. Seelig and Beverly Parenti, Executive Director of TLM, will discuss the transformative experiences they have had working with those who are desperately looking for ways to reinvent themselves and to contribute to our community. *This service will be live video streamed. By entering the Sanctuary, you give Beth Am permission to record you. PAGE 3

4 Erev Shabbat services are live video streamed. By entering the Beit Kehillah, Sanctuary or Outdoor Chapel, you give Beth Am permission to record you. december Calendar SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY CONGREGATION BETH DECEMBER 2017 NFTY CWR FALLINTER 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of Prayer 6:15 Tizmoret Tzedek Shabbat Service: Guest Speaker Matt Kahn 7:30 Israel Trip Shabbat Dinner 1 2 NFTY CWR FALLINTER 8:00 Jewish Meditation 10:15 Torah 10:30 B nei Mitzvah Service: Plotkin/Friedman 3:00 Chaggers 3:45 Shabbat Together NFTY CWR FALLINTER 9:00 Beit Midrash 9:00 Sunday Program 10:00 Hagigah Performance 11:30 Hagigah Cast Party 11:30 Zimriyah Junior Choir 11:45 BATY Meeting 11:45 Israeli Field Trip 11:45 Sunday Afternoon Hebrew 3:00 Wise Aging Group 9:00 5th Grade Family Day 9:00 Beit Midrash 9:00 Sunday Program 11:45 Camp Beth Am 11:45 Sunday Afternoon Hebrew 6TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 3:30 Jewish Baby Network Family Chanukah Celebration (offsite) :00 Thursday Morning :00 Hebrew Program & T filah 6:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 6:00 Beginning Prayerbook Hebrew 6:00 Small Group Tutoring 7:00 BAW Book Club 9:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 10:30 Adult Modern Hebrew 12:00 Talmud 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 2:00 Wise Aging 7:00 BAW Board Meeting 7:30 Building Blocks of Judaism ST NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 12 2ND NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 13 3RD NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 14 4TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 15 5TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 16 6:00 Congregational 6:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 6:00 Beginning Prayerbook Hebrew 6:15 Beit R fuah 6:30 Ballroom Dancing 7:30 Adult B nei Mitzvah 7:30 B Photo Group 17 7TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH 18 8TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH :00 Thursday Morning :00 Adult Modern Hebrew 6:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 6:00 Beginning Prayerbook Hebrew 6:30 Ballroom Dancing 8:00 Thursday Morning 9:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 10:30 Adult Modern Hebrew 12:00 Talmud 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 6:45 Tinnitus Support Group 7:30 Congregational 7:30 Board Meeting 9:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 10:30 Adult Modern Hebrew 12:00 Talmud 1:30 Jewish Spirituality 6:39 Mother-Daughter Torah Study 7:00 BAW Chai Mitzvah 7:00 BAW Knitzvah Group 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of Prayer 5:30 Pre-Service Learning 6:15 Shabbat Service 7:30 Shabbat Connections Dinner 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of Prayer 5:30 Chanukah Tot Shabbat Sha-Boogie Shabbat Service 6:00 Congregational 6:15 Shabbat Service in the Round 7:30 Shabbat Chanukah Dinner 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of Prayer 6:15 Shabbat Service 8:00 Jewish Meditation 10:15 Torah 3:15 BAJY Rock Climbing Event 3:30 Shabbat Salon with Sumbol al-karamali 3:45 Shabbat Together 8:00 Jewish Meditation 10:15 Torah 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service: Solomon 3:30 Jewish Film Series: In Search of Israeli Cuisine 6:00 Congregational 8:00 Jewish Meditation 10:15 Beit Midrash at Torah 10:15 Torah 24 CPUS CLOSED 25 8:00 B Breakfast :00 Jewish Meditation 30 9:30 B Bridge Group 8:00 Thursday Morning 6:30 Ballroom Dancing 12:00 Talmud 5:00 Lay-Led Gates of 10:15 Torah 1:30 Jewish Spirituality Class Prayer 10:30 B nei Mitzvah Service: 6:15 Shabbat Service Hirsch/Cohen 5:30 Tuesday Night Program 6:00 Confirmation 6:00 Parents of Teens 11:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 6:00 Tuesday Night Program 6:00 Confirmation 6:00 Congregational 11:00 Adult Modern Hebrew 7:15 Congregational 7:30 BAW Rosh Chodesh Tevet Chanukah Discussion 31 For a more detailed calendar, visit Purim Mitzvah Project Sponsored by Beth Am Women Get ready to participate in the Purim Mitzvah Project, sponsored by Beth Am Women! Fulfill the Purim mitzvah by honoring everyone you know at Beth Am with your name on their mishloach manot bag (gifts of food that are sent to friends and family on Purim). Watch for more information in early January.

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6 . Holiday A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: Erev Musika A Free Concert Celebrating the Generosity of the Beth Am Community SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 7 P.M. PERFORMANCE IN THE SANCTUARY; DESSERT RECEPTION IN THE SOCIAL HALL You re invited to the 2018 Annual Campaign Thank You event, featuring Beth Am musicians delighting us with a variety of Jewish and secular music from klezmer to opera to Broadway. The performance will be followed by a dessert reception. This event is free of charge, but RSVP using the online form: For more information, please contact Mandy Eisner at meisner@betham.org, (650) , ext HAVE YOU GONE ABOVE & BEYOND? Annual Campaign Get Your Annual Campaign Contributions in Before December 31 There are many ways to make end of year gifts to Beth Am to support our community and provide you with tax advantages for this year s filing. Gifts to the Annual Campaign can be made by: Check (mail to our office, with Annual Campaign in the memo) Credit card (go to and click on the DONATE button) Stock (a great way to avoid capital gains taxes on highly appreciated securities) Visit for instructions, or call our office. For donors 70 ½ years or older, you can make contributions to Beth Am directly from your IRA. The IRA Charitable Rollover counts toward your RMD (required minimum distribution) and is tax-free. Contact your IRA fund custodian to get started. Check your employer s matching gift policy to see if Beth Am qualifies to receive matching gifts it s free money that can double your donation! The Annual Campaign supports the day to day life of this community funding staff, scholarships and programs for members of all ages. Beth Am relies on your contributions above and beyond dues to fill the budget gap every year and thanks to your generosity, we never turn anyone away for their inability to pay for membership or tuition. Thank you for supporting the Annual Campaign, to sustain this thriving and welcoming community. BETH S NEW Pre-Service Learning and Discussion Led by Beth Am Clergy FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 5:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Do you wish you had a better understanding of the Shabbat evening service? Would you like to find more meaning in the worship experience? Join Beth Am clergy for learning and discussion of the structure and meaning of our Friday evening prayers, along with practical suggestions for connecting these ancient words to our own lives. No question is too elementary! A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT HOLIDAY TIME. LATKE TIME time. Latke time. It s that simple. The holidays have always been about family gatherings when the kids were little, it was the wonder of lights and presents with relatives; now it s a chance to welcome those same kids home from far away. Whatever the setting, we have latkes and Dad makes the latkes. When I was younger I thought of myself as a good cook. As I wooed my soon-to-be wife with my signature pasta dish (farfalle con funghi), she was kind enough to indulge me in that belief. My skills have diminished with lack of practice. A recent attempt at a family meal is recalled as that time when Dad tried to poison the whole family. But I m still good at preparing latkes. In part, it is my secret techniques, all borrowed from Joan Nathan s cookbook, like shredding the potatoes lengthwise, wringing out all the water and re-incorporating the potato starch. I suspect that the most important ingredient, however, is tradition. Food is an integral part of culture, and our cultural traditions help to support and sustain our faith and our community. This connection between food and faith is prevalent across many religions. When we can connect religious or cultural traditions with family traditions, the bonds grow even stronger. We build lasting memories for our kids and deep foundations for generations to follow. And the latkes taste so good, especially if you remember to fry at high heat with peanut oil. That s part of the tradition, too. L Shalom, Bruce Ives, President@betham.org PAGE 6

7 BETH WOMEN S Creative Salon SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 9 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M., MICHAEL S RESTAURANT AT SHORELINE, MOUNTAIN VIEW Beth Am Women is pleased to host a Women s Creative Salon. Please join Beth Am Women for a day of artistic exploration and celebration of creativity amongst new and old friends. We will offer a variety of inspiring workshops for all skill levels. Sign up and pricing information will become available at: EXPLORING THE END OF LIFE THROUGH Poetry With Rabbi Shelly Marder SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 3 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH Poetry allows us to approach deeply emotional subjects in ways that are both personal and spiritual. In this interactive discussion, we will explore a range of poems that touch on various aspects of the end of life aging, facing illness, taking stock, unfinished business and relationships. Shelly Marder is rabbi of the Jewish Home, San Francisco. His work involves the use of text and poetry in pastoral care especially end-of-life care, and the spiritual dimension of care for people with dementia. He co-founded Kol Haneshamah, a collaborative project of the Jewish Home and the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, which provides spiritual care at the end of life. Gesharim is a congregant-led initiative to support individuals and families facing the end of life. Learn more at: In Search of Israeli Cuisine Presented by the Jewish Film Series Denial Presented by the Jewish Film Series SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 3:30 P.M. BEIT KEHILLAH Michael Solomonov, the Israeli-born, awardwinning chef of Zahav in Philadelphia, offers up a tour of the 70 plus diverse cultures of Israel through food. Over the past 30 years, Israel has gone from having no fine food to a food scene that is world renowned. Solomonov visits the vibrant restaurants of Tel Aviv, must-experience Jerusalem destinations and organic kitchens off the beaten track, sampling from remarkable food traditions as diverse as Moroccan, Persian, Lebanese, French, Italian and Russian. This film is free and refreshments will be served, courtesy of Continental Caterers. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 3:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH When university professor Deborah E. Lipstadt includes World War II historian David Irving in a book about Holocaust deniers, Irving accuses her of libel and sparks a legal battle for historical truth. With the burden of proof placed on the accused, Lipstadt and her legal team fight to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred. Beth Am congregant Michael Asimow, visiting professor at Stanford Law School, will present the film, which is based on the book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier, and lead the discussion afterwards. This film is free and refreshments will be served. PAGE 7

8 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 Jihad & Pluralism in Islam Shabbat Salon with Our Guest Speaker Sumbul Ali-Karamali SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 3:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH In the American and European public discourse, Islamic academic terms are routinely and carelessly used as catchphrases to explain current events, regardless of their actual meanings in the Islamic tradition. For example, what does jihad really mean in Islamic law? What is the jihad of patient forbearance? And what does the Islamic tradition say about relations with other religious communities? Join Sumbul Ali-Karamali, a former corporate lawyer with a degree in Islamic law, as she conducts an academic (but engaging!) exploration of Islamic religious rules of jihad and pluralism. Ms. Ali-Karamali is a frequent speaker and writer on Islamrelated topics. She currently serves on the steering committee of Women in Islamic Spirituality and Equality (WISE) and on the Muslim Women s Global Shura Council, both of which aim to promote women s rights and human rights from an Islamic perspective. SHABBAT SALON WITH Dr. Steven Windmueller Speaking On What the November 2016 Election Has Meant for America and Its Jews SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 3:30 P.M., BEIT KEHILLAH How did Jews vote in the last presidential election, and what roles did the Jewish community play in this election? What was unique and different about the 2016 campaign? Dr. Steven Windmueller, a keen observer of the American Jewish political scene, will guide us in exploring the impact of this election on the Jewish community, including the rise of the alt-right and the far left; as well as the Jewish divides we now see in our community, and the implications of these divisions for our long-term future. What does this polarization mean for minorities in general and for Jews in particular? Steven Windmueller is former Dean of HUC-JIR in Los Angeles and Director of the School of Jewish Communal Service (now the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management).