vision TEMPLE ISRAEL Memphis, Tennessee August 2014 ~ Av-Elul 5774 Voice volume 68; number 11

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1 TEMPLE ISRAEL Memphis, Tennessee August 2014 ~ Av-Elul 5774 Voice volume 68; number 11 voice BETWEEN YOU AND ME Vision is a multi-faceted word. In its most basic form, it is the ability to see. As we all know, we have very little control over what we can see with our eyes. Some of us are born with excellent vision that we enjoy throughout our lives, and some of us are not. But another layer to this word is something that you imagine; a picture you see in your mind. And this kind of vision is possible for all of us, no matter our physical capabilities. Developing a vision, a picture in our minds of how we would like our lives together to be and then working toward that vision, is our calling as humans, as Jews, and most definitely as a congregation. We have decided to link our fates together because we share a vision and a sense of mission. MISSION STATEMENT Temple Israel is a sanctuary for prayer and inspiration, a vibrant center for Jewish learning, and a congregational home for living Torah. We are a source of strength and a force for good for Reform Jews, the greater community, and the world. Rabbi Bauman Part of Temple Israel s mission is to be a vibrant center for Jewish learning that is, our vision is of a place where learning is embedded in everything we do, where we grow closer to one another through learning together, and where we view learning as a religious act that brings us closer to God. The Barbara K Lipman Early Learning Center is a beautiful school where children are cared for, care for one another, and grow into builders of that vision. And just as important, it is a place where Jewish families are born, nurtured, and supported throughout the formative years of their lives. Susan Feld has been an incredible leader of this gem of an institution, taking the Early Learning Center from a mother s day out program to a NAEYC accredited, excellent early childhood learning environment that is a leader in the city of Memphis and beyond. Her tenure will be remembered and cherished in the life of our congregation, as will Susan herself. We are currently seeking a new leader to continue Susan s outstanding work. vision And what is the vision? It is that of a nurturing, joyful learning environment for young children that embodies the best of Temple Israel. Our ELC must be a sacred community that provides a foundational Jewish education and inspires a lifelong love of learning and respect for humanity among all who enter. The Director of Temple Israel s Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center will be the keeper of that vision, and we are looking forward to building on the accomplishments of an excellent leader. We also are clarifying our vision for the Wendy and Avron Fogelman Religious School. As Lauren Luskey wrote so beautifully in her column on the next page, the vision for our religious school is a place of deep relationships between children and teachers, among the children themselves, among the teachers themselves, and most importantly, between and among the families of Temple Israel and between each individual and his or her Jewish identity. To bring this vision to fruition, Lauren has taken on a new role as the Director of Youth and Family Learning. Never before in the history of Temple Israel have we had an educator of Lauren s caliber devoted entirely to our kindergarten through 7 th grade youth and families, and with her laser focus on this vision, we already can see it taking shape. We also are involved in a search for Director of Teen Engagement who will be a support, ear, and Jewish role model for Temple Israel s large population of 8 th -12 th graders. This individual will partner with other educators to take our high school program to new heights in the coming years. There are other pieces of our education program that we are forming and shaping so as to bring us closer to this vision, and we will joyfully share them as the next few months unfold. Another nuance to the word vision is something that you see or dream especially as part of a religious experience. I humbly speak for all of Temple s educational leaders when I say that we have been dreaming, and this dreaming has been a sacred experience. Our hope and our commitment is, in partnership with children, parents, teachers, and adults of all ages, to make great strides toward our vision. It is within reach, and we look forward to making the journey together. L Shalom, Rabbi Katie Bauman TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL

2 I have witnessed Jewish magic. The kind of magic where children, teens, and young adults stand together, arms around each other and eyes closed, singing in Hebrew as the sun sets over a lake in front of them. The kind of magic where our children are so happy and proud to be Jewish that they can t imagine another path in life for themselves, and they already know that one day their own kids will share this same path. As I sat in the chapel at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp this summer, I was overjoyed and heartened by this display of Jewish love and acceptance, but I also was perplexed. How can we capture this same magic and bring it to our own Jewish learning at Temple? Suddenly, it hit me it s all about the relationships! The reason that campers love camp is because they connect with their Jewish peers and counselors young adults who are not only their caregivers, but also cool Jewish role models whom our children aspire to become. While we cannot build a lake or a climbing wall here at Temple, we can create opportunities to build positive relationships throughout our community, from our teachers and students to our families and peers. Within each of these encounters, we learn more about one another and the magic of learning and connecting within a Jewish community. As Dr. Ron Wolfson asserts, The goal is for each of our children to become a Relational Jew, a Jew who views Judaism as impacting virtually all of one s relationships. A number of exciting developments within the educational leadership team will allow us to focus on building these relationships among all of our learners at Temple. As the newly named Director of Youth and Family Learning and with the arrival of our new Director of Teen Engagement, my focus will shift to families with children in Kindergarten through 7 th grade in the Wendy and Avron Fogelman Religious School. For the school year, we will concentrate on building and strengthening relationships throughout the school. Every Sunday morning our students and teachers will take time during class to learn about one another s lives and create meaningful class communities. In addition, our teachers are working to develop more interactive class sessions to allow our students to build working relationships with one another as they explore their Jewish heritage and identities. We also have opportunities for our religious school parents to become more involved in their children s Jewish learning and to build relationships with one another. Our newly formed parent involvement committee has worked throughout the summer to create more opportunities for parents to share in their children s Jewish learning experiences, from sharing a skill or talent with a class to gathering for bagels and coffee with other parents. We will be sharing many of these involvement opportunities with you before the school year begins on September 7 th, but if you are interested in joining the committee or helping in advance with these projects, please let me know. Although we may never have a pool, a rock wall, or a lakefront here at Temple, we still can capture the magic of Jewish learning through the relationships we build. I look forward to sharing our Jewish journeys and this magic with you throughout the year! L Shalom, Lauren Luskey, RJE, Director of Youth and Family Learning laurenl@timemphis.org / / Temple Israel was well-represented at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp this summer TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE

3 Dear Families, I have had the honor to be a part of the Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center for the past sixteen years. The priceless life moments I have been fortunate enough to experience with so many precious children and nurturing teachers have been more fulfilling than words can adequately express. Thank you for entrusting me with the education and care of your children. That is why informing you, with a heavy heart, that I am stepping down as the director of this beloved second home to me is so difficult. My husband, Jeffrey, has accepted a position in Florida, and we will be moving there to enjoy the next chapter in our lives. While I look ahead to this wonderful new opportunity, I look back at the many successes the Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center has achieved. I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the years with the help of my excellent team of educators. What began as a simple mother s day out program has become a nationally accredited model of early childhood education. We have vastly expanded our offerings, upgraded our facilities, and implemented researchbased curriculum. We even serve as mentors to other programs in the community who are striving to raise their standards to our level. I look forward to working diligently with the Board of Trustees and lay leadership during this transition period. With change comes some uncertainty, but the one constant is, and always will be, that your children will continue to receive the highest quality of care and education that you have come to expect at the Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives. With heartfelt gratitude and affection, Susan N. Feld, Ed.S., Director susanf@timemphis.org / PRE-NEG AND SHABBAT CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF SUSAN FELD Friday, August 22, 5:30 pm On this Shabbat evening, come celebrate the lasting impact Susan Feld has made Jewishly and academically for generations of children and their families. Babysitting provided; no reservation required. TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE - 3 -

4 JOIN THE instagram.com/templeisrael pinterest.com/templeisrael TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE

5 THE MORE, THE MERRIER! facebook.com/templeisrael youtube.com/timemphis vimeo.com/templeisrael TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE - 5 -

6 WRJ-TEMPLE ISRAEL SISTERHOOD LADIES GO TO BRENNAN S Thursday, August 21, 11:30 am-1:30 pm Your sisters invite you for a summer lunch break at Owen Brennan s, 6150 Poplar Ave. RSVP to Barb Gosney, or gosney.barb@gmail.com, by August 14. BOOK CLUB Wednesday, September 10, 1:30 pm The Wednesday Book Club, which meets the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm, takes a break for August but will resume in September with The New York Times bestseller My Promised Land by Ari Shavit. The Saturday Book Group has given tzedakah to efforts that are close to Sisterhood s heart, such as Manna House, Mother Bear, and the Service to the Blind Fund. Thanks go to these women for their support. ARE YOU HUNGRY...FOR HUNGRY GIRL? Sunday, September 21, 2 pm Meet Hungry Girl, Lisa Lillien, at Sisterhood s opening program. Lisa s daily s, books, TV show, and appearances entertain and inform food lovers everywhere. She dishes out guilt-free recipes, tips and tricks, supermarket finds, and survival guides for the real world. Hear her in person at this opening event, which is free to Sisterhood members with a paid-up membership. BULBS AVAILABLE Contact Judy Royal, jeroyal@aol.com or , for more information or to see the selection of available bulbs that will be delivered this fall. If your garden is full, donate bulbs to Temple Israel grounds, Memphis Jewish Home, Plough Towers, and Cancer Survivors Park. All bulb sales help fund Sisterhood s many activities and tikkun olam efforts throughout the year. SISTERHOOD SISTERS Sisterhood will be implementing an exciting new member mentor program this year. The purpose of this program is to welcome new members and help them become a part of our great Sisterhood. Would you like to become a sister, or would you like to be mentored? Contact Rena Rose, renagr423@gmail.com, for details. JUDAICA SHOP Shop at the WRJ-Sisterhood Judaica Shop for wedding and b nai mitzvah presents (and much more!) and sign up for bar and bat mitzvah registries. Money raised through sales helps fund projects at Temple and in the community. The gift shop needs volunteers to work once a week, every other week, once a month, or as a substitute. Summer hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-1pm. If you can help, contact Susie Bender, sbb813@bellsouth.net. ADULT HEBREW CLASSES Learning Hebrew is an exciting and powerful way to deepen our connection to Torah, prayer, the Land of Israel, and one another. It s not just for kids, and it doesn t stop when one becomes bar or bat mitzvah. Temple Israel is proud to offer several courses for adults who wish to challenge themselves and enhance their Jewish identity through Judaism s holy language. To sign up for Reading Hebrew 1 or 2 classes, please call Temple s education office at To sign up for Biblical Hebrew classes or for more details about any of the classes, Dr. Dick Rubin at RMRubin@att.net. The following Hebrew courses are offered on Sunday mornings while religious school is in session, beginning September 14, 2014: READING HEBREW 1 Dr. Dick Rubin, am Learn the alef-bet and begin to read prayers in Hebrew. Materials fee: $25 READING HEBREW 2 Dr. Dick Rubin, 11 am-12 pm Improve your reading fluency and learn some prayer vocabulary and some Hebrew grammar. Prerequisite: the ability to read the alef-bet. Materials fee: $25 BIBLICAL HEBREW Learn the fundamentals of translating Hebrew in the Torah and the prayer book. This course offers the building blocks that enable learners to begin the process of Hebrew comprehension. Acquiring a language is a multi-year project. Biblical Hebrew is a great first step. Prerequisite: the ability to read Hebrew. BIBLICAL HEBREW 1 Susan Labovitz and Barry Shulkin, am Begin to learn the grammar and vocabulary needed for translating Hebrew. BIBLICAL HEBREW 2 Susan Labovitz and Barry Shulkin, 11 am-12 pm This is a continuation of the Biblical Hebrew 1 class. CAREER TRANSITION GROUP Sundays: August 3 and August 17, 9:30 am Receive help finding a job through resume writing tips, enhanced interview techniques, and other methods. For additional details, please contact group facilitators David Silberman, dssilberman@aol.com, or Rob Mann, robertdmann@gmail.com. HIGH HOLY DAYS Information about the High Holy Days at Temple Israel will be mailed to Temple members in August, and further details will be included in the September issue of the Voice and at timemphis.org TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE

7 OUR SYMPATHY The Temple Israel family extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of these loved ones of blessed memory: Donald Adler Sumner Levine Florence Braitman Doris Marks Sheldon Cohen Abe Margolin Marion Duncan Cole Sheila Orr Phyllis Evans Mildred Rosenberg Sadie Friedman Jean Silver Fay Slutsky Granoff Myrna Friedman Silver Sara Lebovitz Maury Emil Strauss, Jr. OUR SIMCHAS The Temple Israel family shares in the happiness of its members and is thankful for the blessings they enjoy. Mazal Tov to: Sara and Dennis Kusluch on the birth of twin daughters; Susan and Gene McClure and Darlene Kusluch on the birth of twin granddaughters; Bess Schaffer on the birth of twin great-granddaughters. Carey and Jason Saunders on the birth of a daughter; Dee and Stewart Cannell and Laure and Richard Saunders on the birth of a granddaughter. Lindsay Halperin and Steven Kriger on their marriage. H. I. Summerfield on his 90 th birthday. Leo Feder on his 90th birthday. Mindy Levine Hughes and Bobby Davis on the birth of a daughter; Yvonne and Paul Levine on the birth of a granddaughter; Barbara and Loren Sparks on the birth of a great-granddaughter. Julie Goldstein and Mike Goldstein on their marriage. OUR NEW MEMBERS The Temple Israel family welcomes its newest members: Virginia Taylor and David Edelson Eliane and Greg Pater, Sophia and Alexander Margie and Harold Steinberg Rachel and Andy Echnoz Dr. Aaron Kuperman Kate and Dr. Benny Weksler, Isabella, Alex, Leo, and Scarlet Stacey Goldstein Abbie and Chad Gray and Samantha Melissa and Brian Paris and Nova Stacy Hutt Dr. Wanda Burch Susan and Saul Stein Drs. Jenny and Adam Kaplan MITZVAH OPPORTUNITIES PREPARE SNACKS Wednesday, August 6, 5:30-7:30 pm Prepare snacks in the Temple kitchen at this Sisterhood-sponsored effort for MIFA s COOL initiative. Children ages 12 and older are welcome to participate. Call Jane Eckstein, , for more information. DONATE BLOOD Sunday, September 7, 8:30 am-1:30 pm Saving a life, pikuach nefesh, is the mitzvah of all mitzvot, and just one pint of blood can save up to four lives. What better way to start the year 5775?! RSVP at timemphis.org or contact Julie Klein, or julie@kossmankleinco.com. ROSH HASHANAH GIFT BAG DELIVERIES Sunday, September 21, 1-2 pm Pick up gift bags filled with apples, honey, and other goodies at the double glass entry in Temple s back driveway for delivery to Jewish residents of local retirement and assisted living facilities. Call Dorothy Hirsh, , for this wonderful gemilut chassadim opportunity for an individual or a family children of all ages are invited. KNIT AND CROCHET Thursdays, 1:30 pm Knitters and crocheters come to Temple to fashion bears for children in emerging nations who are affected with HIV/AIDS and caps, scarves, and lap robes for MIFA s Love Caps Program and Wings at West Clinic. Contact Jenny Baer, or jjb8126@aol.com. MITZVAH DAY Sunday, November 2 Please save unopened, sample-size toiletries from your travels for Mitzvah Day partner agencies. TEMPLE ISRAEL 1376 East Massey Road Memphis, Tennessee A timemphis.org A facebook.com/templeisrael instagram.com/templeisrael Jonathan Frisch, President E. Elkan Scheidt, Sr. Vice President Laurie Meskin, Vice President David Rosenthal, Vice President Alex Saharovich, Vice President Leigh Mansberg, Secretary Mark Fogelman, Treasurer David L. Bearman, Counsel A A Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein Rabbi Katie M. Bauman Rabbi Harry K. Danziger, Emeritus Cantor John M. Kaplan, Emeritus Paula Jacobson, Immediate Past Pres. Debbie Jackson, WRJ-Sisterhood Pres. Jeff Rosenberg, MRJ-Brotherhood Pres. Stacy Canales, Executive Director Daniel Saharovich, MeFTY President Isti Bardos, Erma Cohen, Jackie Evans, Carol Geller, Jan Reisman, Voice production Temple Israel is a member congregation of the Union for Reform Judaism. reformjudaism.org urj.org A TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL AUGUST 2014 VOICE - 7 -

8 voice The Voice is published monthly (with a combined June/July issue) by Temple Israel, 1376 E. Massey Road, Memphis, TN Periodicals postage paid (USPS ) at Memphis, Tennessee. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Temple Israel, 1376 E. Massey Road, Memphis, TN DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DELIVER BY AUGUST 1, 2014 PERIODICALS POSTAGE P A I D AT MEMPHIS, TN SHABBAT SERVICES Torah Study Shabbat mornings, 8:45-9:45 am Friday, August 1, 6:15 pm Saturday, August 2, 10 am Friday, August 8, 6:15 pm Saturday, August 9, 10 am Abigail Leitner, daughter of Helen Leitner and David Leitner, will become bat mitzvah. Friday, August 15, 6:15 pm Saturday, August 16, 10 am Friday, August 22, 6:15 pm A pre-neg celebration will be held at 5:30 pm in honor of Susan Feld. Saturday, August 23, 10 am Friday, August 29, 6:15 pm Saturday, August 30, 10 am Jonah Wexler, son of Molly and Jason Wexler, will become bar mitzvah. MOSHAV BAND CONCERT Sunday, September 7, 6 pm Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. Temple Israel is a sponsor of this event, which features Memphians Ari Zelig and Daniel Novick performing the opening act. Be there! For more details and to purchase tickets, please go to timemphis.org. Moshav Band video TIMEMPHIS.ORG FACEBOOK.COM/TEMPLEISRAEL