The Shofar. Rabbi Weekends: April 11 13, 2008 May 2 4, 2008

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The Shofar April 2008 Synagogue Etz Chayim, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd. Huntsville, AL 35803 Av 5768 must personally feel redeemed from slavery.

1 The Shofar April 2008 Synagogue Etz Chayim, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd. Huntsville, AL Av 5768 must personally feel redeemed from slavery." Using visualizations, laughter and props, ad hoc skits and a love of music, the one hundred people present went through a transforming experience. We were all slaves in Egypt living at the cusp of death at any moment (ala Auschwitz) and together depending Make Your Seder Count by Rabbi Allan Meyerowitz upon each other and God's saving power we knew what it meant to be free. The greatest of all holy days, Pesach is approaching in rapid fashion. The holiday has become a very culturally significant day for most American Jews and even those who have some Jewish ancestry and want to share in the outgoing from Egypt, our collective consciousness as a People. Family reunions are a critical part of this holiday. People who have not seen each other in long times gathering to eat matzah and recite mah nishtana together, is something we all look forward to with great anticipation. Reliving family history and Seders of the past is a wonderful way of renewing our bonds with the people who still are important in our self definition, but because of a rapid expanding world and new time restraints, we no longer see or experience with regularity. It is also a time to invite guests we usually do not entertain-- from work, from the community, from meeting on the soccer field; and creating new friendships. A number of years back when I was the rabbi in a small racially and economically divided town called Montclair New Jersey, I was nominated to serve on the townships "Civil Rights Commission." From the get go the antagonism I experienced was palpable. Most notably the head of the commission, a black women minister with a legal degree viewed me as the enemy within and took careful attempt to make my stay on the Commission very unpleasant. Our distrust and dislike could hardly be hidden. After two years of this unhappy situation (I refused to resign my commission) at one stormy session I finally blurted out," Pastor...I want to invite you and anyone you want to bring, to our congregation's Freedom Seder. I want you to really understand what Judaism is really about and how slavery changed our perception of life." To my surprise and delight she agreed and showed up with a number of her friends. Very tentative and tense at first, I lead the Seder in a way which made us all re -experience the pain of slavery. As the Mishnah teaches "In every generation each person My 'commissioner-enemy' by Dayenu could not help herself but like Miriam stood up to lead an African hora. We all spontaneously joined in until the caterer came out and complained that his elaborate dinner was cold and in trouble (what a change from "do we eat yet?") From then on hardened enemies became fast friends and allies. God's Torah had softened the heart of human rage and misunderstanding. The Commissioner could not help but hug little Jewish children good bye! We were all shocked by this turn of events! That is what a Seder must be: a deeply moving, spiritually transforming event. It need not be as dramatic as that Freedom Seder, but could be just a child learning and feeling that he or she is a vital link in a chain going back to the Red Sea-- a Seder of songs, fun, skits, dances, props stories of our great grandparents and their adventures, stories of the great rabbis and how they have become the inspiration of our people and taught us to resist self-pity and self-denial as Jews. Every Seder should count! Make this year's Seder really count! Shalom, Rabbi Allan Meyerwitz Rabbi Weekends: April 11 13, 2008 May 2 4, 2008 The Shofar Page 1 of 7

2 On March 17th, a Lunch Bunch Get-together was held at the Macaroni Grill on University Drive. We had a nice attendance, great food and lots of fun. Sat April 19 Sun April 20 Sun April 20 Mon April 21 Fri April 25 Sat April 26 Sun April 27 Passover Begins First Seder 9:30 AM Morning Services at EC Passover Second Seder 9:30 AM Morning Services at EC 7:30 PM Shabbat Services at EC 9:30 AM Shabbat Service at EC 10:30 AM Yizkor Services The annual Megellah Reading to celebrate Purim was held on Thursday, March 20 th, 7:00 p.m. at the synagogue. We had a huge turn-out with a nice of variety of food for the potluck dinner. Thanks to all who helped with this event! On Saturday, March 22nd, 7:00 p.m. at the synagogue, we also had a great turn-out to the Purim Play, directed by Larisa Thomason. Dessert was served by the Sisterhood. If anyone is interested on serving on the Sisterhood Board, please contact Natha Hancock, at by April 15 th. Mark your calendar for the following activities: On Sunday April 6th, 2:00 p.m., at the synagogue, a speaker from IPAC is coming to speak on Israel. PURIM CELEBRATION It s hard to beat an Etz Chayim Purim celebration, but this year we outdid ourselves. On Thursday night, we had a pt luck supper with everyone bringing a delicious dish. Two of the items merit special mention, one was from Miry Trudeau, which was Borkas, and the other was from Shannon Burdeshaw, beet Borscht. Not that the other items were not special, but these two were outstanding. The reading of the Megillah followed the meal with everyone participating in the reading and in the hoot and hollering when H man s name was read. On Saturday, we had the world premier of the Purim Spiel, The Boogie Woogie Bagel Boy, a musical review very loosely based on the Book of Esther. We fully that expect the next performance of the play will be Off Broadway, way, way off Broadway. Larisa Thomason has a great career ahead of her and we can t wait till next year to see what Purim play she will produce. On May 18 th, 11:30 a.m., the Israeli Independence Celebration 60 th Birthday will be held at the synagogue. Fhlomat Daniel is coming from Connecticut to speak. There will be games for the children outside. Lunch will be served after the program, with Israeli and American food. There will be no Lunch Bunch Get-together in April due to the observance of Passover. Please look for the post card reminder for the Sisterhood activities scheduled for May. In closing, on behalf of the Sisterhood, I would like to wish B.J. Brigadier a speedy recovery on her recent illness. We miss you B.J.!! Shalom, Sue Paddock Etz Chayim Sisterhood President The Shofar Page 2 of 7

3 MEN S CLUB Next Meeting Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at the Synagogue. MENS CLUBMENS CLUB DUES: Now due. Still $10.00 yearly. Remember...Support your Men s Club...it supports you. Activities supported: Chanukah Latke Party, Synagogue Annual Picnic, Men s Club card parties and promotes other Men s Club activities. IMS; 8 bags were delivered to Food Pantry. Deliveries are made bi-weekly to Food Pantry and First Stop. Remember these important projects. The need is great and your support is much appreciated. Please keep in mind these projects, especially when you have an Oneg. Simcha & Memorial Plaques: $50.00 & $75.00 respectively. Please call Joe Sacks for further details Thanks...have a great day, everyday...joe Some Sundays go along quietly and some Sundays really POP. The Religious School had a real POP of a day on March 9th. First, Sandy Pepper called to ask me if she could have some time at Boker Or that morning. She had planned a little surprise for the children. Then, Natalie Young arrived at Religious School and set-up an "Art-Workshop" all over the big table. Did I panic, No! Did everything turn out to be fun and filled with the spirit of community, YES! Sandy got all the Dads from her first grade class to participate in a "game show" called NAME THAT JEW. She set the Dads into 2 teams and gave them stuffed animals to use for buzzers. We all had a great time; we laughed and learned more Jewish names that have influenced our society and our world. Natalie set up work stations for some of the grades to design and paint Seder plates. It was an involved process with the children creating their plates and painting them. Natalie initiated this project on her own and supervised the whole process. I was thrilled by the effort that the children made to create this piece of usable art work. Natalie will have the plates ready for Passover. We are entering the final few weeks for this Religious School Year and we will be gathering with friends and family for Passover. We must remember that we left Egypt as a community and that we still need to function as a COMMUNITY. That is the essence of the Religious School Program and why our children study Hebrew and Torah. Please support the efforts of their teachers and volunteers and thank them. Monica Ward will be leading the Educational Seder for the Religious School Children on April 13th and she will need helpers to set-up and get the food ready. Parents will be asked to supply food and supervise during this time. Please be a part of this Community. Remember that we will NOT have Religious School on April 20-First Day of Passover. Our last day is May 4, Tot Shabbat For the March Tot Shabbat the little friends had fun listening to the story of Purim and they got to make crowns. We read a story about too much noise and used groggars to make noise. They enjoyed the noise making. Our next Tot Shabbat will be on May 10, 2008 with a Celebration for Israel. Happy Passover, Suzanne Druckman The class for those who wish to learn to chant/lead Saturday morning services will meet at 7:PM - 8 :PM on Wednesday evenings, beginning on 9 April. The Shofar Page 3 of 7

4 Israel Independence 60 th Year Celebration On Sunday, April 6 th at 2 p.m. Professor Jonathan Adelman will speak about The Future of the American - Israel Relationship: Challenges and Opportunities in 2008 Jonathan Adelman is a Professor in the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. The Jewish Federation of Huntsville & North Alabama Sunday, May 18, 11:30 AM At the Synagogue Games, Prizes, Crafts for the Kids Lunch: Israeli & American Food Speaker: Shlomit Daniel No Charge, come One Come All The Future of the American Israel Relationship: Challenges and Opportunities in brings a host of new opportunities and challenges to the Middle East. In the wake of the escalating violence in Gaza and with the approaching presidential election this year promises to be pivotal for the future of the U.S. - Israel relationship. Please join us as we hear from Professor Jonathan Adelman precisely what kind of developments we can expect in the coming months on a range of issues from the Iranian threat to the proliferation of Islamic extremism as well as what the pro-israel community is doing to face these dangers. You are all encouraged to attend!! Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day Thursday, May 1, 7:00 p.m. The Jewish Federation of Huntsville & North Alabama The New Room Trinity United Methodist Church 607 Airport Road, S.W. Reception to follow For information, contact Sue Farbman, chairperson, lfarbman@knology.net Building Fund Milt Boyer Bob Becker Lucy & Charlie Fisher Larisa & Phil Kirshtein Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Fishman Mr. & Mrs. Dale Howard Mr. & Mrs. Paul Kahan Dr. Rose Schneier Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Asher Mr. & Mrs. Paul Barkowitz Dorothy & Bill Goldberg From: Michal & Gary Hall To: Diane Belsky Speedy recovery From: Harriet & Joe Sacks In Loving Memory of Harriet s father, Joe Brown and her brother, Stanley Brown To: Ted Roberts Continued good health From: Janet & Morris Schindler To: Ted Roberts Thinking of you, get well soon and continued good health To: Hilda Nathan Ernest is in our thoughts and prayers. The Shofar Page 4 of 7

5 From: Bill Goldberg s Hebrew Class Jennifer Patton From: Shirley & Ted Roberts To: Diane Belsky In Memory of your sister, Lotta Chester. From: Millie & Max Rosenthal To: Robin Kirbey In Memory of Robin s father, Marvin Parker To: Diane Belsky In Memory of Diane s sister, Lotta Chester To: Scott Hancock Get well soon and continued good health. To: B.J. Brigadier We look forward to your recovery soon and stay well. From: Sandra Wiederecht To: Robin Kirbey In Memory of Robin s father, Marvin Parker To: Ted Roberts Glad you are on the road to recovery, stay well. To: Diane Belsky In Memory of Diane s sister, Lotta Chester From: Diana & Howard Polin To: Pauline & Don Duffey Our sympathy to you and your family at this sad time. To: Diane Belsky Our sympathy to you on the loss of your sister, Lotta Chester. To: Ted Roberts Be well. Be very well. Outdoor Lighting Fund In Memory of Gertrude and Perry Schlein by their daughters, Natha Hancock and Robin Slomka and their families. Rabbi Fund Lucy & Charlie Fisher "Thanks to all who sent me their kind wishes and kept me in their prayers during my recent illness" From: Diane Belsky, Stan and the family The Jewish Federation of Huntsville and North AL (JFHNA) Updates ---by Margaret Anne Goldsmith(from a presentation given in Atlanta at a UJC Network meeting) The most important friendship that our Federation has built this past year has been with the Christian Evangelical community. We have learned that many of them have taken Hebrew, know our Torah and have traveled to Israel (individually and with AIPAC). Some people believe that their mission is to get the Jewish people to Israel to hasten the Second Coming and force our conversion. Leaders of the local evangelical community assure us thisis not true. They want to honor us for having provided the foundation for their Christianity and deeply regret their lack of action during the Holocaust. They promise to do everything in their power to never let such a horrific thing happen again to the Jewish people or Israel. Their mission is to support our causes and honor us as a people. Since we've met, we have learned that they had been as anxious to build a relationship with us as we with them, but neither of us knew how to make the connection. This is what happened. Last year, during the war in Israel, we placed an ad in the paper inviting contributions. A number of checks were received from the Evangelical Christian community. Subsequently we invited our contributors to our Israel Independence Day celebration when again they gave us checks for Israel. In the fall they came to our campaign kickoff, and we were invited to their Succoth service. Sponsored by the Birmingham Jewish Federation, George Mamo spoke at one of their churches, and in February they attended our Hadassah honorarium. Recently we began working on jointly sponsoring several AIPAC speakers as well as one from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs during the next six months. We are currently working on their honoring our Jewish community at Passover. They are considering providing funds for resettlement of Israeli refu- The Shofar Page 5 of 7

6 gees from Gaza and scholarships for local high school teachers to take the Holocaust Museum course on teaching the Holocaust. However, more important than their contributions is our mutual respect and friendship. In gratitude to them, this spring we will be presenting our Seventh Candle Award to Rev. Somerville of The Covenant of Peace Church as their representative at our Yom Hashoah observance given each year to a person or group in the larger community who has befriended us. Remember the food pantry on your Oneg. First Stop needs personal hygiene items. Bring a few cans of food when possible. Be sure to visit our website for the latest news TUhttp:// Online Donations are Now Possible Make a donation the Etz Chayim Website using Paypal. Look for at WHATS A MILLIGRAM?? For a $5.00 per message donation Millie Rosenthal will send a handwritten message from you to acknowledge a Simcha or loss. These donations will also appear in the Shofar. Help your synagogue, send a Milligram. Call or Millie. CELEBRATING LIFE AS OUR LOVED ONES PASS ON We are saddened to advise you that Mr. Marvin Wesley Parker, Father of Ms. Robin Kirby, died March in Scottsboro, AL. Visitation was held on Wednesday, March 11 and funeral services were held on Thursday March 12, He was 76 years old and had been struggling with the effects of major heart problems for a while. The family has requested that memorials be sent to: Etz Chayim Synagoue, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd, Huntsville, AL May God comfort the Parker- Kirby family along with all the other mourners of Israel and Jerusalem. We are saddened to advise you that Ms. Lotta Chester, Sister of Diane Belsky, died March 8, 2008 in Bulington, VT. The funeral services were held there in her home town on March 11. She was 80 years old and had been struggling with the effects of a stroke and other illnesses for a while. She is survived by: her sister & brother, three children and eight grandchildren. The family has requested that memorials be sent to Etz Chayim Synagoue, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd, Huntsville, AL May God comfort the Chester Belsky family along with all the other mourners of Israel and Jerusalem APRIL Calendar 2008 Date Time Event Place 4/4 7:30 PM Shabbat Service EC 4/5 9:30 AM Shabbat Service EC 4/6 2:00 PM IPAC Speaker EC 4/9 7:00 PM Chant Classes Start EC 4/13 Educational Seder TBS 4/19 Sundown Passover Begins 4/20 9:30 AM Morning Service EC 4/21 9:30 AM Morning Service EC 4/29 8:00 PM Men s Club EC Unless otherwise noted Shabbat Services are Friday night 7:30pm, Saturday 9:30am YARTZEITTT Apr-3 Adar 27 II Howard Farber Apr-7 Nissan 2 Hersh Tzvi Bayers Apr-8 Nissan 3 Robert Lukin* Apr-12 Nissan 7 Paul Schlein* Apr-12 Nissan 7 Gertrude Schlein* Apr-13 Nissan 8 Morris Wittenstein* Apr-14 Nissan 9 Cecile Hollenberg* Apr-15 Nissan 10 Irwin Goldstein* Apr-16 Nissan 11 Norman Greenbaum Apr-20 Nissan 15 Yakov Cszerny Drake Apr-20 Nissan 15 Yolanda Cszerny Drake Apr-21 Nissan 16 Marvin M. Schreiber Apr-21 Nissan 16 Lilian Jaffee Apr-27 Nissan 22 Simon Blum* Apr-28 Nissan 23 Leo I. Goldberger The Shofar Page 6 of 7

7 Apr 8 Apr 15 Apr 20 Apr 30 ANNIVERSARIES Haley and Michael Rosenthal Janet and Morris Schindler Rose and Ken Opengart Sharon and Jeff Yalowitz Shabbat Onegs & Candle Lighting Fri, April 4 Shabbat, April 5 Fri, April 11 Shabbat, April 12 Fri, April 18 Shabbat, April 19 Fri, April 25 Shabbat, April 26 Light Candles: 6:52 PM Oneg: Kleiner Shabbat Ends: 7:49 PM Parshah: Tazria Light Candles: 6:57 PM Oneg: Shapira Shabbat Ends: 7:55 PM Parshah: Metzora Light Candles: 7:03 PM Oneg: Yalowitz Shabbat Ends: 8:01 PM Parshah: Acharei Light Candles: 7:09 PM Oneg: Roberts Shabbat Ends: 8:07 PM TUhttp:// TUhttp:// ETZ CHAYIM BOARD MEMBERS Recording Secretary Holly Kent Corresponding Secretary Michelle Lapidus Trustees Abbe Adams Brenda Liles Larry Weinberger Larisa Thomason Sam Kleiner Mens Club Representative Joe Sacks Sisterhood Representative Mille Rosenthal Let us know if you currently do not get an version of the Shofar and would like to receive it. sa@etzchayim-hsv.org PUBLIX in HAMPTON COVE has added a good selection of kosher meat & kosher lunch meat for sandwiches too! If there is anything you want just ask JOHN the meat department manger. Apr 2 Apr 4 Apr 4 Apr 6 Apr 13 Apr 15 Apr 15 Apr 17 Apr 18 Apr 19 Apr 19 Apr 21 Apr 22 Apr 23 Apr 23 Apr 27 BIRTHDAYS Dr. Arthur Polin Diane Belsky Dorothy Goldberg Eli Sacks Arlene Anthes Sandy Kalachman Howard Polin Lynne Edmondson Jacob Sacks Joshua Brigadier Gavin Hancock Blake Zelickson Lisa Roberts Harris Hal Dessau Susan Levitt Gary Hall Pillar Award Recipients: Mayor Belsky will be presented with the City of Highland Park's Humanitarian of the Year award. The ceremony (and celebration) will be held on April 22, Tuesday, at 7 pm. at the Highland Park Country Club. Further information will follow regarding guests. May 18th Temple Night With The Chefs stay tuned for more information from Arlene Averbuch ETZ CHAYIM BOARD MEMBERS President Dennis Bulgatz Vice-President Jeff Yalowitz Treasurer Michal Hall The Shofar Page 7 of 7

The Shofar. Rabbi Weekends: Feb, 27, 28 & March 1, 2009 April 3, 4 & 5, 2009 May 15, 16 & 15, 2009

The Shofar. Rabbi Weekends: Feb, 27, 28 & March 1, 2009 April 3, 4 & 5, 2009 May 15, 16 & 15, 2009 The Shofar February Synagogue Etz Chayim, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd. Huntsville, AL 35803 Av 5769 but rather claim that it does not necessarily apply to people in their daily lives. While they accept that the