Temple Times. Keeping the Temple Emmanuel Community in Touch. Continued... Next Temple Times Is Around Passover!

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Winter/Spring 2017 Temple Times Keeping the Temple Emmanuel Community in Touch From The Rabbi Shalom Temple Emmanuel! As of February 1st, 2017, I will have been your rabbi for six months.

1 Winter/Spring 2017 Temple Times Keeping the Temple Emmanuel Community in Touch From The Rabbi Shalom Temple Emmanuel! As of February 1st, 2017, I will have been your rabbi for six months. In these first six months of working with you, I have learned so much about the Temple Emmanuel community and about Greater Boston. Now that we ve gotten know each other, I m ready to announce my first major initiative. Look inside for all kinds of Temple info! In some communities, rabbis are hired solely to lead rituals and to offer education and pastoral care. While I have so enjoyed performing these responsibilities over the last six months, I ve gotten the strong sense that you re also looking to me to increase our visibility and to grow our membership. With this in mind, I have worked with Ken to come up with a measureable goal for growth. Between now and January 1st, 2018, we hope to gain 10 new members! How can we accomplish this initiative? First, we have a newly formed Membership and Marketing Committee that is focused on this goal. Second, I have been speaking at several Wakefield events, like Veterans Day, the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Wakefield s first Hanukkah menorah lighting, and most recently on Martin Luther King Day. I will continue to speak publicly as often as possible and make connections around town, but I won t be able to take on this initiative alone we need your help! It s a fact that the best form of synagogue marketing is through word of mouth. If you enjoy being a member at Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield, then you should feel comfortable telling your friends and neighbors about how joyful it is! Invite a friend to services or to an event with you! Continued... President s Message Over the past several months we (which by extension includes most of you) have been REALLY busy! It s been something of a joke that every Tuesday is SOME kind of meeting at the Temple. We made a bold bet that we want a future, and we ve been working hard to realize this vision. Speaking of which at some point we decided that we needed a vision statement, so we wrote one, Leave the Temple humming. I wanted whisting but I think humming works. The point is that we want to have the kind of feeling, the kind of... naches to the temple that you can t help but smile after a social event, or a service, or even a meeting. We also have a somewhat lengthier mission statement. I ll hide it somewhere in this issue. I trust you'll find it. I owe all of you a huge apology for the delay in getting out the annual dues letter. Except this year it s not quite as simple as here are the dues and a large amount of thought went into how to handle this. I especially want to thank the Strategic Planning Committee, the Rabbi and probably most of all Alan, our long time Treasurer for helping to navigate these unfamiliar waters. If anyone hasn t gotten your (5 page!) letter by the time you get this issue, please let me know. Likewise, if you have any questions about the annual pledge, I d be happy to discuss it. Next Temple Times Is Around Passover! Continued... With many activities being added and Shabbat services changes, please check your weekly TEMPLE BLAST. If you are not receiving these updates, check your spam folder, and also make sure we have your current/favorite address!

...Rabbi Continued...President Continued Since I arrived six months ago, I ve felt a palpable sense of hope and optimism about our Synagogue s future.

After a bit of quiet at the very end of the year followed by some snow cancellations, January has stormed back as a wonderfully crazy month!

What really stands out for me is that some of the best things we ve done lately have come from a place of why not? I think we need to spend less time in why and more in why not.

2 ...Rabbi Continued...President Continued Since I arrived six months ago, I ve felt a palpable sense of hope and optimism about our Synagogue s future. If we work together to accomplish this initiative, then that optimism and energy can continue to increase, and we can continue to flourish as a community. I look forward to working with you! After a bit of quiet at the very end of the year followed by some snow cancellations, January has stormed back as a wonderfully crazy month! The amount of activity and excitement in the Temple really has been something impressive. What really stands out for me is that some of the best things we ve done lately have come from a place of why not? I think we need to spend less time in why and more in why not. I m not saying we shouldn t have services for Passover. I m just also asking why not have a matzah brei breakfast ALSO? Rabbi Greg Hersh We ve taken a few HUGE steps in the past couple of years. In the next year we need to take a lot of little steps to realize our vision and always leave the Temple humming! Ken Goldenberg President High-tech Communications? Are you following the Temple on Facebook? If you're on Facebook you should! Besides getting more timely information about the Temple, it's one of the easiest ways to spread the reach of the Temple within the area! Regular postings and photos. Check it out! Do you sometimes feel out of touch with all of the details of how the Temple is run? Overwhelmed with all the s, and forgetting what was discussed in (or just unable to attend all of the) meetings? That's why the Temple has a Slack "team" created! Picture a weird cross between , a discussion board and real time chat. Now picture a kitten. OK, back to the weird tech thing. It's really closer to that. But the kitten is cute, and you should join us in Slack. Ken at mitch@monger.net for an invite. It's surprisingly easy to use. Has Your Address/Contact Info Changed? Contact Marsha Alter at mlouisea@gmail.com to make sure we can still reach you! Page 2

3 Temple Reads Book Club March Liz s home in Wakefield My Promised Lane by Ari Shavit (2013): My Promised Land is an Israeli book like no other. Not since Amos Elon s The Israelis, Amos Oz s In the Land of Israel, and Thomas Friedman s From Beirut to Jerusalem has there been such a powerful and comprehensive book written about the Jewish State and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Ari Shavit is one of Israel s leading columnists and writers, and the story he tells describes with great empathy the Palestinian tragedy and the century long struggle between Jews and Arabs over the Holy Land. While Shavit is being brutally honest regarding the Zionist enterprise, he is also insightful, sensitive, and attentive to the dramatic life stories of his fascinating heroes and heroines. The result is a unique nonfiction book that has the qualities of fine literature. It brings to life epic history without being a conventional history book. It deepens contemporary political understanding without being a one sided political polemic. It is painful and provocative, yet colorful, emotional, life loving, and inspiring. My Promised Land is the ultimate personal odyssey of a humanist exploring the startling biography of his tormented homeland, which is at the very center of global interest. Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Israel New Readers Welcome! Titles usually available in public libraries 70! Save The Date! One of the many things the Membership of Temple Emmanuel likes to do is celebrate and have a social event! On Sunday April 30 at 5:00PM in the Temple, there will be a gala as the Temple reaches seventy years since the Charter of Temple Emmanuel was signed! Plans are being formulated and will include Klezmer music, great food and beverages and wonderful people. There will also be a commemorative Ad book with some ancient and modern history and the opportunity to send greetings and support the Temple s fundraising efforts. We are very pleased to announce that The Temple Emmanuel Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Alan Silbovitz. Alan has served as President and as Financial Secretary/Treasurer for the past decades. Further details will be released as they become available and please check the Temple s Web Site and the Weekly Blast for information. Where is the Paper Calendar? The TEMPLE CALENDAR is going green and will now be available ONLY on line at The goal is to keep it accurate and updated on timely basis. If you want one on your 'fridge, feel free to print a copy! Page 3

4 Sisterhood & Temple Dates and Happenings! Feb 4th 9:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service, Followed by Kiddush & Torah Study with Rabbi Greg Feb 10th 7:30 PM Shabbat Shira Evening Service Feb 6th 7:00 PM The 2017 Combined Jewish Women s Organizations (Annual) Program featuring Caroline Leavitt, an award winning author of eleven novels at Temple Ner Tamid, Peabody Feb 14th 7:30 PM Temple Board Meeting Feb 18th 9:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service Feb 21st 7:30 PM Ritual Committee Meeting Feb 24th 7:30 PM Shabbat Evening Service Feb 25th 6:30 PM Game Night & Beer Fest Friday Evening March 3rd 6:30 PM Shabbat Across America Dinner & Shabbat Shira Service Shabbat Morning Service, March 4th 9:30 AM followed by Kiddush & Torah Study with Rabbi Greg Sunday March 5th 7:00 PM Temple Reads, My Promised Land by Ari Liz and Joe's March 11th 7:00 PM Erev Purim Family Service, Saturday Evening March 14th 7:30 PM Temple Board Meeting, Tuesday Evening March 18th 9:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service Sunday Morning March 19th 10:00 AM Temple Emmanuel s Oral History Project: Recalling Values that Shape Us Tuesday Evening, March 21st 7:30 AM Ritual Committee Meeting March 24th at 7:30 PM Shabbat Evening Service Tuesday Evening, April 11th 6:30 PM Save the Date, Community Seder Saturday Evening, April 29th Temple 70th Celebration As always, please watch the TE Blast and Website, for changes and updates! Page 4

Temple Emmanuel s Game Night Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 pm (snow date Feb. 26th) A social evening for Temple members & their friends over 21 Kosher hotdog dinner with all the fixings!

Temple donation $18 per person or $35 a couple. Pay at the door. Please RSVP by Feb 20th to ensure plenty of food! 781 245 4372 or shochberg.sh@gmail.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 @ 6:30PM Dinner at 6:30 PM in Weizmann Hall Shabbat Shira Service at 7:30 pm followed by Oneg Shabbat In March tens of thousands of Jews across America and Canada will come

5 Temple Emmanuel s Game Night Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 pm (snow date Feb. 26th) A social evening for Temple members & their friends over 21 Kosher hotdog dinner with all the fixings! Munchies, Sodas, Beer and Wine Games for grownups: Mahjong, Western Style Scrabble, Trivia Pursuit, Mexican Train Dominos, Penny a pot poker and more. Bring a favorite game! Bring a friend! Temple donation $18 per person or $35 a couple. Pay at the door. Please RSVP by Feb 20th to ensure plenty of food! or shochberg.sh@gmail.com Shabbat Across America Celebrate Shabbat Across America in Wakefield! FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 6:30PM Dinner at 6:30 PM in Weizmann Hall Shabbat Shira Service at 7:30 pm followed by Oneg Shabbat In March tens of thousands of Jews across America and Canada will come together to eat, drink, relax, enjoy, and celebrate at the 20th Annual Shabbat Across America. Hundreds of Synagogues across the continent will take part in this wonderful historic national Jewish event to celebrate what unifies all Jews: SHABBAT! Everyone is invited: singles, couples, families. Sponsored by Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield. There is NO Charge for Dinner. Please Join Us. As always, there is a chairlift to the second floor available. Please RSVP by Feb. 25, 2017, or shochberg.sh@gmail.com Page 5

6 Donations: In memory of Harry Alter given by Marsha Alter In memory of Cantor Gabriel Hochberg by Harris and Susan Hochberg In memory of Aaron Werlin by Robert Werlin In memory of Selma Freeman by Liz Freeman, Joe Spear In memory of Rachel Freeman by Liz Freeman, Joe Spear In memory of Nan Freeman by Liz Freeman, Joe Spear In memory of Milton Weinberg by Marlene Cohen In memory of Elliot Klasky by Joan Fandel Donations to Temple Emmanuel's General Fund: In memory of Arnold Canner from Stephen Canner In memory of Arnold Canner from Fran & David Cohen In memory of Arnold Canner from Gerri & Jeff Weiss & Family In memory of Arnold Canner from Phyllis & Arthur Lurie In memory of Arnold Canner from Sue & Brian Colozzi In memory of Arnold Canner from Lydia Carpe and Michael Carpe In memory of Arnold Canner from Dorothy Goldstein & Harvey Sussman In memory of Arnold Canner from Eric Persky & Diane Kirkman In memory of Arnold Canner from Debbie & David Lurie In memory of Arnold Canner from Faith Canner In memory of Arnold Canner from Rachel & Bill Berkowitz In memory of Marc Onigman from Maggie Leshen & Howard Faigel In memory of Marc Onigman from Warren & Susan Silbovitz In memory of Marc Onigman from Lydia Carpe & Michael Carpe In memory of Marc Onigman from Bev & Ben Weiner In memory of Marc Onigman from Ellen Scott Get Well to Sandra Cohen from Michael Carpe & Lydia Carpe Donation to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund: From Jan & Ira Hersh Our Mission We are an inclusive, Reconstructionist community devoted to learning, spirituality, and caring for each individual. At Temple Emmanuel, we are building a vibrant future in honor of our past, utilizing ancient traditions to provide meaning and sustenance in our contemporary lives. Page 6

7 Ritual Committee The Ritual Committee has been working with Rabbi Greg to create Friday Evening Shabbat and Saturday Morning Services that will be engaging, enjoyable, spiritual, informative and up lifting. Our Friday night services now have the addition of Rabbi Greg s guitar and more recently the addition of Philip Onigman playing bass guitar. Our last Shabbat Shira service in January included a Pot Luck Dinner prior to the service which was very well attended. We are planning to have another Pot Luck and Shabbat Shira Service on May 12th. Also, Rabbi Greg is providing Torah study following the first Shabbat morning service of each month. Reconstructionism's basic message is to honor tradition, but at the same time recognize that we live in a contemporary world. The intention is that our Shabbat services should reflect that thinking. It is important to create a Shabbat service that is meaningful, one that allows you to leave wanting to come back. We have a great Rabbi in Rabbi Greg Hersh and we have the opportunity to create what works for all of us. If you would like to be part of the Ritual Committee and help us create that special something, please let me know. We welcome new ideas and new thoughts and would most appreciate your help. Interesting item ofnote: Now that we have new prayer books for Shabbat and the High Holidays, we are in the process of giving away our old Sim Shalom prayer books used for Friday night and Saturday morning services and prayer books used for High Holiday services and old chumashim used for the Saturday morning Torah service. If you would like to have any of these for your home, please let me know and I would be glad to get them to you, me at wsvitz@gmail.com. Things you may not know: Torah repair: The stitching in the parchment was coming loose and the parchment was separating in many places in all three Torahs. The Torahs were taken to a sofer who is qualified to repair torahs and they are now all repaired. You may have noticed last High Holidays that we have new high holiday table covers thanks to the efforts of Ellen Scott and a generous donation from the Sisterhood. We are happy to tell you that our High Holiday Cantor Jon Tepper who did such a great job will be back for next year s services. Warren Silbovitz Ritual Committee Chair Page 7

updating our membership list so we can communicate effectively with new and prospective members. We have changed our schedule slightly, so please make note of the following dates: Sunday Jan.

8 Sisterhood News The Sisterhood has many events this Winter and Spring. During our December Board Meeting we discussed plans for: supporting Temple religious and social events, selecting a movie for our Sisterhood pizza and movie night at the end of the month and updating our membership list so we can communicate effectively with new and prospective members. We have changed our schedule slightly, so please make note of the following dates: Sunday Jan. 29 th Pizza and Movie Night 6 PM at Liz Freeman s home. We are watching Dough a warm hearted comedy about the unusual friendship between a Jewish baker and his young Muslim employee in London. This is one of our favorite events and is always lots of fun. Mon. February 6 th Sisterhood will join with other Jewish women groups for The 2017 Combined Jewish Women s Organizations Program. It features Caroline Leavitt, an award winning author of eleven novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Pictures of You and Is This Tomorrow. Her essays and stories have been included in New York magazine, Psychology Today, More, Parenting, Redbook, and Salon. She s a book critic for People, The Boston Globe and the San Francisco Chronicle, and she teaches writing online at Stanford and UCLA, as well as working with private clients. It will be held at Temple Nir Talmid on Lowell St. in Peabody. Carpooling from Liz s house. (note: this program will take the place of the program originally scheduled for Feb 13th) Fri. March 3 rd Shabbat Across America dinner and service We are making plans for a delicious dinner and Shabbat evening service as part of a national outreach program to bring Shabbat joy to everyone. Please save the date and bring your family. Sun. April 30 th Sisterhood is working on Temple Emmanuel s 70 th Anniversary Celebration. This special event is for all Temple, Sisterhood and community members. We are not having our Donor Dinner this Spring and instead invite all our members to attend the Temple 70 th Anniversary on April 30th We look forward to seeing you at our events, programs and services this Spring. If you are interested in attending and need help with transportation, please contact us! Alissa and Ellen Page 8

A few of these events (cough cough, the ones

!) were the Cardboard Explosion Puppet Show,

9 Busy Busy Building! The Temple has been a bustling place in January! A few of these events (cough cough, the ones that people sent PHOTOS FROM!!) were the Cardboard Explosion Puppet Show, Susan's Challah & Babka Demonstration and the LuLaRoe Clothing Sale. Our goal for 2017 and beyond is to keep the events rolling. If you have any ideas for events, programs or fundraisers, please let us know!! And if you have any pictures you'd like to share, get them to Liz!! Page 9

Welcome! Dena Morris Kaufman April, 2015 The Harold Grinspoon Foundation

Every individual is a pillar on which the future of Judaism rests." -Abraham Joshua Heschel Welcome! Dena Morris Kaufman April, 2015 The Harold Grinspoon Foundation This Morning s Agenda Review how the