The Blessing of New Light

Transcription

1 inside December, 2017 Volume 148, Edition 2 13 Kislev - 13 Tevet Broad Street, Pittsfield MA Fax: templeoffice@ansheamunim.org Website: Temple Anshe Amunim page two President s Message Supplemental Dues Match Schedule of Services page three Community Crib Shabbat page four Shabbat Service to Honor Dr. Alan Gold Temple Gift Shop page five Social Action Committee Welcome to New Members Movie Minyan page six Yiddish Poetry in Translation Condolences page seven Roll Over Your IRA TAA Legacy Society page eight PFTY News page nine Calendar Raffle Board of Trustees page ten TAA Funds page eleven Donations page twelve Birthdays, Anniversaries, Yahrtzeits page thirteen December Calendar Rabbi Josh Breindel From the Rabbi The Blessing of New Light As the winter dark begins to descend on the Berkshires, we respond as always with kindling new light! I m delighted to share some upcoming events that are particularly exciting to me. This year, the URJ s biennial meeting is taking place in Boston during the first week of December. I m looking forward to attending seminars and workshops and bringing back new perspectives and materials to share. While I m at the conference, check out my Facebook page (RabbiJoshB) for a running commentary of the experience. On Friday the 15 th, we ll hold our annual /Community Crib service. This year brings something special, as we will also be honoring the many blessings that Dr. Alan Gold has brought to our community. I encourage you to join us at 5:30 PM for a musical, engaging and celebratory experience! Looking ahead to winter, I m pleased to share with you the plan for the next stage of my sabbatical time. Deb, the Management Team and the Board worked closely with me on this arrangement. Through the month of January, I will lead services and teach all of my regular classes. Moreover, I will be available for pastoral emergencies. Beyond that, I will be pursuing my personal projects on sabbatical time. I plan to move forward on my book, continue indepth research and hope to engage in some professional development. I m very excited to begin this next stage of my sabbatical. The TAA leadership and I feel that it strikes a good balance for all of our needs and will minimally impact the community. I look forward to sharing the fruits of my labors with you in my Shabbat remarks throughout the process. Wherever you find yourself in this time of winter dark, may the lights of bring you joy. As 2017 draws to a close, I hope that you will join me in sharing a wish that the new year brings uplift, peace and hope to all!

2 President s message Please Join Together for a Congregational Meeting Schedule of Services Friday, December 1 5:30 p.m. Sabbath of Study Saturday, December 2 9:30 a.m. Torah Plus 11:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Friday, December 8 5:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Saturday, December 9 No Torah Plus No Shabbat Morning Service Friday, December 15 5:30 p.m. Shabbat Service followed by Community Crib Dinner Saturday, December 16 9:30 a.m. Torah Plus 11:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Friday, December 22 5:30 p.m. Sabbath of Stories Saturday, December 23 9:30 a.m. Torah Plus 11:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Friday, December 29 5:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat Service Saturday, December 30 9:30 a.m. Torah Plus 11:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service Dear Temple Family, I know the very difficult Board decision and announced plan to pursue a Cantor- Educator, which I detailed in the November 8, 2017, Congregational , have raised understandable concerns for our congregation. Most sadly, it will mean that Esther Benari-Altmann s position as Director of Education will end as of June 30, As I expressed in my message, the decision was very difficult; but it was made most thoughtfully, based on the overall needs of our congregation. As of this publication, members of leadership will have already met with the Religious Education Families, older students and some staff. We know that our congregation as a whole will want the opportunity to meet in order to discuss feelings; offer questions and comments related to the search; and provide thoughts about a vision for the role of a Cantor-Educator at Anshe. With this, on behalf of our Board of Directors and Management Team, I invite all in our congregation to join for a meeting. When: Thursday, December 14, 2017 from 6:30-7:30PM. (The Board Meeting will follow at 7:30 PM.) Light refreshments will be provided. In the light and warmth of, I wish each of you and your loved ones a Chag Sameach; and a joyous and healthy year in L Shalom, Debora Cole-Duffy, Temple President Our Supplemental Dues Match We MET the 10K; Now on OUR WAY to 15K! It is my great delight to announce that we have met the 2017, 10K Supplemental Dues Match! As you know, our anonymous congregational family pledged to match $10,000; and as it is now met, dollar per dollar the family will continue to match congregational donations of Supplemental Dues, up to $15, 000. Indeed, with your great contributions, we reached the first leg; and now we are on to the 15K! If everyone in our congregation makes a $35.00 tax deductible donation, we will easily reach the 15K plateau, and realize a total donation income of $30,000. We can do this! On behalf of Temple leadership, I wholeheartedly thank this congregational family for generously offering the Match, and ALL in our congregation who made great and heartfelt gifts (sometimes more than one) to meet it. With this generosity in mind, I kindly ask for your continued support. I offer my most sincere gratitude to one and ALL! Deb Cole-Duffy, President 2 ~ Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017

3 Community Crib Shabbat December 15, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. Shabbat Service Honoring Dr. Alan Gold Followed by Dinner Bring your donation for the Community Crib: New toys and/or clothing for children ages 6 months to 18 years. Seating for dinner is limited: RSVP no later than Thursday, December 14, 2017 Adults $18 Children 12 and under $8 Family Maximum $40 Major funding for this event provided by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. 26 Broad Street Pittsfield, MA Phone: (413) TempleOffice@AnsheAmunim.org AnsheAmunim Temple Anshe Amunim is an accessible building. Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017 ~ 3

4 Shabbat Service to Honor Music Director, Dr. Alan Gold Temple Anshe Amunim will hold its annual Community Crib and Shabbat Dinner on Friday, December 15, The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a Shabbat Service to honor Music Director, Dr. Alan Gold, for his magnificent compositions, arrangements, and talented accompaniment and direction for nearly 25 years. The service and program will feature members of the Religious School, Youth Group, Temple Choir and guests. A Chicken and Latke dinner, with music and musings, will follow in the Social Hall. In conjunction with the event, the PFTY Youth Group will be collecting donations of new clothing, books, toys, baby formula, diapers and other new items for children aged 6 months through 18 years old. New gifts should be labeled. The youth group will also solicit donations for wrapping paper, and boxes from area retailers. The gifts will be distributed to the Christian Center by PFTY and members of the Temple community. For information or reservations, which are required by December 12th, please contact the Temple Anshe Amunim office at: (413) or templeoffice@ansheamunim. org. The cost of the dinner is $18 for adults, $8 for children under age 12, and a maximum of $40 for families with children. Donations to honor Dr. Gold may be made to the Roslyn G. (Roz) Citrin Cantorial Endowment Fund. And CDs featuring Alan Gold s 2013 interview with Rabbi Salzmann, who shared stories, poems and his famous rendition of Judah Maccabee - a snippet of a blessed history of TAA, will be available. A suggested CD donation of $10 will be appreciated. PURCHASE CHANUKAH ITEMS from the TEMPLE GIFT SHOP Proceeds benefit our Religious School Shop for your needs at the Temple Gift Shop. Contact Esther Benari-Altmann (413) ext. 12 or templeoffice@ansheamunim.org 4 ~ Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017

5 Social Action Committee Thank you! Thank you! We have exceeded our goal of 1,000 cans of corn for the Thanksgiving Angels. The corn will be distributed on Monday, November 20 to approximately 1,500 Berkshire County families in need. In addition to the generosity of our congregation, a special thanks to Berkshire Pathways and the Berkshire Hills Chorus for their donations. Our corn, along with a frozen turkey and other fixings for a Thanksgiving meal, will bring joy to many families. Thank you also to everyone who contributed to our Coins for Fuel Drive. We raised $769, in large part due to a generous donation from a member of our congregation who wishes to remain anonymous. The monies will be donated to the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations in honor of Rabbi Josh s last year as president of this organization. Thank you to Rabbi Josh, Julie Thurston, and Deborah Alecson for their excellent presentations at our October 7 th forum on Death with Dignity. A repeat forum will hopefully be held in spring A reminder that we are currently collecting bath sizes towels, wash cloths, twin size sheets (not white), and blankets of all sizes for Barton s Crossing, a homeless shelter for men and women in Pittsfield. There is a receptacle in the lobby for your donations. Our annual Warm Winter Clothing Drive for adults and children is also ongoing. Please donate clean coats, jackets, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, sweaters, boots, etc. A receptacle is in the lobby for your donations. Welcome to New Members Welcome to David Talbert, who recently returned to Lee from his retirement home in Scottsdale, Arizona. With a degree in accounting, David spent his working career in the home fashion industry. After the death of his wife, David made the move back to the Berkshires to be closer to his daughter in New Jersey and granddaughter in Massachusetts. David was fortunate to be able to move back into the villa he previously owned at October Mountain. David says he is looking forward to studying Hebrew at the Temple. Men s Club Movie Minyan On Sunday, December 10 at 7 PM our film will be Above and Beyond In 1948, a group of World War II pilots volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. As members of Machal -- volunteers from abroad -- this ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth, they also laid the groundwork for the Israeli Air Force. Above and Beyond is their story. The first major feature-length documentary about the foreign airmen in the War of Independence, this film brings together new interviews with pilots from the 48 War, as well as leading scholars and statesmen, including Shimon Peres, to present an extraordinary, little-known tale with reverberations up to the present day. Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017 ~ 5

6 The Jewish Federation Connecting with Community presents Yiddish Poetry in Translation with Diana Bergman Feld On Thursday, December 21, at 10:45 a.m., Diana Bergman Feld of Lenox will present the program Yiddish Poetry in Translation at Congregation Knesset Israel, 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield. Feld s program will encompass stories of her mother Edith Bergman s extensive oeuvre of Yiddish poetry. Edith Bergman s poems tell the story of her fascinating life including her study with Jacob Gladstein and Joseph Opatoshu at the Yiddish Teacher s Seminary in New York. Her privately published works have been donated to the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Archives and to the National Yiddish Book Center. Daughter Diana Feld has combined careers in music, Jewish education, and public education. A scholarship voice student at both the Julliard School of Music and Brandeis Art Institute in California, she went on to employ her contralto range to entertain widely. Her studies in Yiddish Shule, Talmud Torah, and Israel led her to involvement with temple youth groups and prompted her to pursue studies in Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College. During a twenty year span as a Jewish educator, Feld was appointed a Master Teacher by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the New York Board of Jewish Education. With degrees from Brooklyn College, New York University, and Adelphi, she served for sixteen years as a special education teacher in the New York school system. This free program is part of the Federation s Connecting With Community Series and will be followed by a kosher hot lunch. Lunch is a $2 suggested donation for adults over 60 years of age or $7 for all others. Advance reservations are required for lunch and can be made by calling (413) before 9:00 a.m. on the day of the program. Condolences The Temple Anshe Amunim community extends its condolences to: Ellen Whitmer and family on the passing of her beloved mother, Priscilla Littman 6 ~ Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017

7 An IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution Rollover is a simple way to support Temple Anshe Amunim. If you are 70 ½ you may rollover any amount, up to $100,000, from your annual IRA Required Minimum Distribution to Temple Anshe Amunim without paying any income tax on the amount of the distribution that is your gift. You may also make an Annual Gift of appreciated securities. The benefit is that you will receive a Tax deduction of the value received by Temple Anshe Amunim on the date of the transfer. There will be NO capital gains tax on this contribution. To receive the 2017 charitable tax deduction, donations must be made by December 31, You should consult your financial adviser to confirm your personal tax qualifications. TEMPLE ANSHE AMUNIM LEGACY SOCIETY Yes, I want to help ensure that Temple Anshe Amunim will thrive for future generations. I have already provided for Temple Anshe Amunim in my estate plans and would like to be included in the Temple Anshe Amunim Legacy Society. Please contact me regarding how I would like to be listed. Please contact me so that I can speak with someone directly about estate and financial planning. I would like to learn more about making a planned gift to Temple Anshe Amunim through a: Bequest Charitable IRA Rollover Cash or securities gift Life insurance policy Please complete and mail to: Temple Anshe Amunim 26 Broad Street Pittsfield, MA Name Address City, State, Zip Code Phone number Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017 ~ 7

8 PFTY News PFTY had a great Fall! We were busy apple picking and making pies and breads for the Thanksgiving Angels Program. We also attended and helped lead NFTYNE Fall Conclavette. Yasher Koach to Pailey Feakes and Ari Draymen who helped lead and design FONC 2017! Can t wait to see everyone at our annual celebrations and dinner honoring Dr. Alan Gold! As always we will be sponsoring teens from the Christian Center as part of our Community Crib program. PFTY would like to thank everyone who helped us this fall especially Esther Benari-Altmann!!! 8 ~ Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017

9 Contribute to Temple Anshe Amunim Funds and make a difference Mitzvah Fund: Donations to the Mitzvah fund provide support for: Commemoration of happy events both large and small; Onegs and Pre-Negs. Expenses related to Temple music and the choir. Remembrances at services (yahrzeits) and in the Bulletin for loved ones who have passed away. Basic religious school expenses. Purchasing new books for the library. The purchase, repair, and maintenance of Temple art. Endowment & Restricted Funds Descriptions: The Roslyn G. (Roz) Citrin Cantorial Endowment Fund: Donations to this fund will provide annually, for the beauty of Cantorial music and song to enhance our High Holy Days and special worship. Rabbi Harold & Audrey Salzmann Religious School Endowment: To support Religious School programming, retreats and trips. Lynn Denmark/Faith Newmark Endowment: To support the Religious School, as determined by Women of Reform Judaism. Shaun Beckwith-Chasen Campership Fund: Scholarships for attendance at Eisner/Crane Lake Camp. Capital maintenance and repair of the Temple building and memorial boards. Elise & Moe England Religious School Scholarship Fund: Scholarships for religious school attendance. Dedicated Prayer book, Tanakh (Bible) minimum donation is $36, or Women s Torah Commentary Fund minimum donation is $50: Purchases new books with a dedication plate. Rabbi s Discretionary Fund: (Please designate whether to Rabbi Josh s or Rabbi Salzmann s Fund): to be applied for the benefit of the Temple. Jeff Stolzberg Campership Fund: Scholarships for attendance at Eisner/Crane Lake Camp. Henry & Dorothy Halperin Fund: For children s Simchat Torah celebration. Dan and Edna Miller Building Fund: For maintenance, renovations and improvements to the Temple. Individual Endowments: Set up by individuals, these funds are part of the main Temple endowment and support ongoing operations and programs as determined by the Board of Trustees. Minimum donation is $10,000. Tree-of-Life Leaf in honor of, or in memory of: Inscribed leaf to honor the life or memory of a specified person or people on the Temple s Tree of Life. ($125) Yahrzeit Plaques: To honor the memory of an ancestor or other family member to be displayed on the memorial board in the lobby. ($350) Please complete form from the office for leaf or plaque and submit with your contribution. All donations will be acknowledged in the Bulletin. Acknowledgements will also be sent to the honoree or family. 'Tis the Season for Charitable Giving As you consider your plans for 2017 donations, please remember to make your tax deductible donations to Temple Anshe Amunim by December 31, Thank you! The TAA Management Team Please include a note with your donation specifying the fund and its intent, in honor of or in memory of a loved one. Payable to TA A - 26 Broad Street, Pittsfield, MA (413) ~ Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017

10 Temple Anshe Amuim ansheamunim.org December 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 13 Kislev Kislev :30 pm Sabbath of Study 9:30 am Torah Plus 11:00 am Shabbat Morning Svcs 3:00 pm Rel. School 3 15 Kislev Kislev Kislev Kislev Kislev Kislev Kislev :00 am PFTY Service prep CHAI 12:00 pm B'not Mitzvah Class 2:30 pm CHAI 6:00 pm Bible Contest Class 4:00 pm CHAI 7:00 pm Social Action Committee Meeting 5:30 pm Erev Shabbat Service led by Josh Cutler No Torah Plus No Shabbat Service 3:00 pm Rel. School Kislev Kislev Kislev :00 pm Movie Minyan CHAI 12:00 pm B'not Mitzvah Class 2:30 pm CHAI 6:00 pm Bible Contest Class Kislev :00 pm CHAI Kislev :15 pm Management Team 6:30 pm Congregational Meeting Kislev :30 pm Shabbat Service Honoring Dr. Alan Gold followed by Community Crib Dinner Kislev :30 am Torah Plus 11:00 am Shabbat Morning Svcs 3:00 pm Rel. School 7:30 pm Board Meeting Kislev Kislev Tevet Tevet Tevet Tevet Tevet 5778 CHAI 12:00 pm B'not Mitzvah Class 2:30 pm CHAI 4:00 pm CHAI 11:45 am Book Club 5:30 pm Sabbath of Stories 9:30 am Torah Plus 11:00 am Shabbat Morning Svcs 6:00 pm Bible Contest Class No Rel. School 24 6 Tevet 5778 Christmas Eve 25 7 Tevet 5778 Christmas Day OFFICE CLOSED 26 8 Tevet 5778 NFTY NE December Institute 12:00 pm B'not Mitzvah Class 27 9 Tevet 5778 NFTY NE December Institute Tevet 5778 NFTY NE December Institute Tevet 5778 NFTY NE December Institute 5:30 pm Erev Shabbat Service Tevet 5778 NFTY NE December Institute 9:30 am Torah Plus 11:00 am Shabbat Morning Svcs No Rel. School Tevet 5778 New Year s Eve Temple Anshe Amunim ~ December, 2017 ~ 13