Shofar. Newsletter of Kehilat Shalom. Check the What and When on page 7 for what is going on this month.

Transcription

1 Shofar Newsletter of Kehilat Shalom March 2016 Vol. 45 No. 6 Adar Alef - Adar Bet Check the What and When on page 7 for what is going on this month. Table of Contents From the Rabbi s Study 2 Keleigh s Kurrents 2 President s Message 2 Cycle of Life Events 6 Membership Corner 6 What & When 7 Minyan Mitzvah Schedule 8 Yahrzeits 9 Auxiliaries 10/11 Youth/Religious School News 12 Life & Learning 13 We Gratefully Acknowledge 14 Save the Date See Page 17 Save the Date Sunday, May 22nd 4-5:30PM See Last Page for details See Page 5 for more details March 2016 Calendar (click here) Celebrate Shabbat Across America with Kehilat Shalom Friday, March 4, 2016 at 6:30 pm Simcha Shabbat (See Flyer page 4) On Saturday morning, March Nominate Your Fellow 26, 2016 please join us in a Congregants TODAY! special community celebration of birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduations, and The Kehilat Shalom Nominating other Simchas during the Committee is looking for Celebration Simcha Shabbat. volunteers to serve on the To participate in this special service and Kiddush, please return the Sign up form by March 23, See page 3 for more information and sign up form. committee to help identify and nominate candidates to the Board of Directors. Please Doug Baum dbaum18@aol.com to volunteer or share your Celebrate Gerry Goldgraben Kehilat Shalom s Blue Yarmulke Man of the Year Dinner - April 17

2 Rabbi Charles L. Arian From the Rabbi s Study Michael Goldman President@kehilatshalom.org President s Message Dear Friends: Dear Friends: Jewish Values and Public Policy A recent article in the New York Times discussed Sen. Bernie Sanders recent statement that his father was a Polish immigrant without noting that his father was specifically a Polish Jewish immigrant. My friend Rabbi Michael Paley, who knew Sen. Sanders while serving as the Hillel Rabbi at Dartmouth College, stated that nobody in Poland would have considered Bernie a Pole. This is precisely so; my paternal grandmother was born in Warsaw but she was not Polish in any meaningful sense. She was not so much a Polish Jew as a Jew who lived in Poland. American Jews, however, are American in ways that diaspora Jews have historically not been. This is not unique to the United States; it applies to Jewish community in other democracies as well but the American Jewish community is much larger both numerically and as a percentage of population than any other diaspora community. We have a significant impact on public policy. There are currently ten Jewish senators and 19 Jewish members of the House of Representatives. Three of the eight current Supreme Court members are Jewish, as are two of President Obama s former Chiefs of Staff and the current and previous chairs of the Federal Reserve. While Jews as individuals take all kinds of positions on issues of the day, I have always been intrigued by how to determine what Judaism per se has to say about a particular issue. I think this is not always a simple task, because the Jewish tradition never anticipated that Jews would be equal citizens in a pluralistic democracy. Jewish Hello, Everyone. I hope that each of you are well and survived the snow. If you have any news you wish to share with your Kehilah family, please let me know karian@kehilatshalom.org. I wish each of you a happy and healthy New Year. Be well, Keleigh Keleigh s Kurrents Karian@kehilatshalom.org 2 Shalom First, some news Big changes in our Office. A warm welcome to Andie Epstein, who has taken on the job as our new Administrator, and to Lori Wasserman, who is our new Secretary. Andie is replacing Leann Sherman, who left for a job with more hours and benefits. Leann, thank you and good luck to you! Lori is taking over from Linda Loggie, who has been filling in as our Secretary since Becky Rutchik left for a new life in Texas. Our thanks to Andie and Lori for stepping up and taking on these important jobs, and our best wishes for success to you both! Huge thanks go to Linda for her untiring efforts in the Front Office, where she put in countless hours of volunteer effort in addition to her official duties, and is now training Lori in the position. Likewise, our heartfelt thanks to Tom Loggie, who, as usual, worked non-stop to train Leann and Linda, and now has agreed to continue as needed as Andi s mentor. Yasher Koach to you both for all you do for Kehilat Shalom!!! More news We have submitted a proposal to Federation for a grant to identify and reach out to new Jewish residents in Upper Germantown, Clarksburg, Boyds, Ijamsville, etc. We see this as a major opportunity for us to attract new members, and to introduce Jewish communal life to the newly developed area immediately to our north. Federation will be deciding the winners April 15, so stay tuned! Get ready for a call Rabi Arian is starting a program of calling all of our members, to check in, see how things are going, see if we can be helpful, etc. So think about it, get ready, and take advantage of the opportunity! If there s something the Rabbi should know, tell him! If there s something bothering you, tell him! If you know of someone who s sick or in the hospital, tell him. And of course, if everything is just how you like it, tell him that too! March will be a wonderful month at Kehilat Shalom - - Shabbat Across America, two Bar Mitzvahs and lots of Purim fun! Larry Beck and his Committee are moving forward with plans for our 45 th anniversary celebration and concert scheduled for May 22. There s lots to do to prepare for a major event like this, and they could really use some assistance. Please give Larry or Marcie a call, and volunteer to help. I often hear that we should have more social activities for our members. One way to meet this need is to start up a Havurah, literally a group of friends. The group gets to decide its activities, whether it means going to a show, to dinner, to hear a speaker, or whatever. If this sounds like something you d be interested in, give me a call ( ). And watch for an announcement about an organizational meeting coming soon. I want to close this column with a call for suggestions. If there s an activity that you d like to see happen at Kehilat Shalom, and you re willing to help make it happen, let me know. Until next month Mike

3 From the Rabbi s Study (Continued from Page 2) Our recent Kiddush Konversation about Assisted Suicide in Jewish Law was very interesting in light of the above. It is clear to me that halacha does not allow a Jew to commit suicide nor does it allow a Jew to assist another Jew to perform a forbidden act -- so that a Jewish physician could not assist a patient to commit suicide. But I went on to say that while I was quite certain that Jewish law forbids assisted suicide, it was not at all clear to me that it necessarily follows that Jews were obligated to oppose the so-called Death with Dignity Act now being considered by the Maryland legislature. After all, we Jews consistently tell our Roman Catholic friends that just because thei religion forbids abortion is no reason for the state to enshrine their particular view as law for those of other religions or of none. That being the case, why should we ask the General Assembly to enshrine our particular view as law? How is this any different? One of the things which I love about our Kiddush Konversations is that they are truly conversations. It is not a lecture or a sermon, there is real give-and-take. And in our discussion, I think we arrived at a methodology that might help sort some of these questions out. While Judaism is clear that non-jews are not required to observe halacha, there are certain values which Judaism posits are valid for all human beings, not just Jews. So it seems to me that a first step in arriving at a legitimately Jewish position on an issue is to ask, first: what are the values at stake. And second: are these values for everyone or just for Jews? Let s take a less controversial example than Assisted Suicide. No one doubts that Judaism permits non-jews to eat non-kosher meat. But one of the values associated with keeping kosher is tza ar ba alel hayyim, avoiding cruelty to animals -- and thus the requirements of kosher slaughter which is designed to be quick and relatively painfree. And this value is not just for Jews, so that while we would never seek to require non-jews to keep kosher, it seems perfectly legitimate for Jews as Jews to back legislation which seeks to ameliorate the suffering of animals. This methodology doesn t solve all our dilemmas, of course, but I believe it is the start of some clearer thinking about the role of Jewish values in our public lives. Simcha Shabbat To participate in this special service and Kiddush, please return the form below by March 23, I/we will will not attend on March 26 Name # Attending Phone Simcha L'shalom, I/we would like to help sponsor Kiddush $ 36 $ Rabbi Charles L. Arian 3

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5 Hazzan Kim Komrad's performance is included in the Cantors Assembly & United Synagogue's new recording "The Spirit of Simcha and Celebration." To order a copy through the Cantors Assembly web site spiritseries.com or under "direct my gift", choose "CD Project." 5

6 Membership Corner Up and Coming Events: March 4, 2016 at 6:30pm Shabbat Across America is Almost Here! Make your reservations now! Time is running out and we re filling up fast! Kabbalat Shabbat followed by a scrumptious dinner catered by the famed Kehilat Caterers, a song fest led by Chazzan Kim Komrad followed by a delicious dessert. For reservations call or to mail@kehilatshalom.org. Event sponsors and volunteer help is most welcome. March 20, 2016 An afternoon at the Gary Rosenthal Sculpture Studio. Open to all ages! A great opportunity for adults and children to see a true artist at work, tour his studio, create your own unique piece or two of Judaica or purchase that special item at his gift shop. Space is limited so make your reservations by contacting Anita Levine , alanclevine@comcast.net or Bobbie Goldman , bobbieandmike@rcn.com (see flyer page ##). April 23, Annual Kehilat Shalom 2 nd Seder Led by Chazzan Komrad & Rabbi Arian May 22, 2016 Celebrating the 45 th Anniversary of Kehilat Shalom featuring Chazzan Komrad with Broadway, Pop, Light Opera, and more. Don t miss this incredible event! May/June All about Bees with Aaron Wertlieb our resident Beekeeper. Cycle of Life Events HAPPY MARCH BIRTHDAY WISHES TO THE CHILDREN: Allison Halpert, Erica Moskowitz, Brendan Wertlieb ADULTS: Karen Ascher, Sam Barbag, Wendy Beckerman, Marcia Conron Baum, Joel Crausman, Bobbi Dymond, Paul Hoffman, Tamara Jaffe, Michael Katz, Judi Kletz, Linda Pesce, Michael Robin, Philip Roseman, Mindy Saltzman, Marc Sosin, Bonnie Sosin, Adam Vitelli HAPPY MARCH ANNIVERSARY WISHES TO: Les & Janet Ballonoff, Bruce & Roberta Roffe, Jay & Sharon Scheiner Good & Welfare is great place to volunteer. Help by delivering a meal, help a member who needs assistance or if you are in need of assistance, please let us know. Everything we do is funded solely by contributions. So, of course yours is most welcome. If you can help in any way, please contact Bob Goldberg (r.n.goldberg@att.net or or Bobbie Goldman (bobbieandmike@erols.com or ). We re all looking forward to the end of winter and the coming of SPRING March 21. See you next month Bob and Bobbie Lawrence A. Beck Vice-President of Development s Message Save the Date 45 Years of Kehilat Shalom: Song & Celebration featuring Hazzan Kim Komrad: Broadway, Pop, Light Opera and More!! May 22 nd, to 5:30PM; Light Refreshments following concert. Tickets: $18.00 per person; Kids 12 & under free. Sponsorships Available: Watch for Flyer in the coming weeks. In conjunction with this event, if you have photographs and other memorabilia from Kehilat Shalom throughout the years contact Larry Beck (thebecks467@verizon.net) or 6

7 This month SHABBAT - VAYEKHEL - BIRKAT HACHODESH Friday, March 4 - Shabbat Across America Shabbat Eve Service 6:30 pm Saturday, March 5 - Hoffman Bar Mitzvah Shabbat Morning Service 9:15 am SHABBAT - PEKUDEI Friday, March 11 Shabbat Eve Service 6:30 pm Saturday, March 12 - Scheiner Bar Mitzvah Shabbat Morning Service 9:15 am What & When Mitzvah Corner Food to Homeless Shelters Monthly delivery (4th Sun) of an entrée to the Interfaith Works women s shelter in Rockville has been ongoing for a number of years. The Kehilat Shalom members have committed one Sunday evening a month to help out. It is now time for you to choose a Sunday in 2016 of your choice! You may also help out by sending in financial donations that can be deposited to the Rabbi s Discretionary Fund, marked Shelter Meals to help cover costs. Sign up w ith Billye Roberts at billye.roberts@gmail.com SHABBAT - VAYIKRA - SHABBAT ZACHOR Friday, March 18 Shabbat Eve Service 7:45 pm Saturday, March 19 Shabbat Morning Service 9:15 am SHABBAT - TZAV Friday, March 25 Shabbat Eve Service Saturday, March 26 Shabbat Morning Service 7:45 pm 9:15 am At CSS we support people with developmental disabilities. HOW CAN YOU HELP?? We re seeking part-time JOB PLACEMENTS and VOL- UNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. Clerical, Custodial, Yard, and Stock Room tasks, and more! A CSS Staff member is always on site to supervise. Let s discuss. CALL SEATON TODAY!! SHABBAT - SHEMINI - BIRKAT HACHODESH Friday, April 1 Shabbat Eve Service 7:45 pm Saturday, April 2 Shabbat Morning Service 9:15 am MARCH 4 5:47 MARCH 11 6:54 MARCH 18 7:01 MARCH 25 7:08 APRIL 1 7:15 7

8 MINYAN MITZVAH SCHEDULE Sun 9:15 am, Sun through Thur 7:45 pm and Fri. 6:30 pm 2/28-3/4 Yellin Zingeser Zapor Anton Ascher August Ballonoff Barbag Baum Beck Beitler Berson 3/ Block Blomberg Borchardt Bouer Brick Cabana/Rockman Cassorla Cohen, Irv & Arlene Cohen, Leslie Costanzo Crausman Dymond 3/13-3/18 Eckstein Epstein Feldman Finch Friedberg 3/13-3/18 (continued) Garfinkel Ginsberg Goldberg Goldgraben Goldensohn Goldman 3/20-3/25 Goldstein-Smith Greenwald Gross Halpert Hankin Hardis Himelfarb Hoberman Hoffman Jaffe, Alana Jaffe, Richard & Tammy Jolles Joseph 3/27-4/1 Joseph Kahan Kanner Katz, Allen & Arlene Kletz Laifsky Lerner Levine Levinson, Bruce Levinson/Schneider-Levinson We Appreciate Your Support Please consider coming in to support the daily Minyan whenever you can, even when it is not your week. We have been doing great at keeping the Minyan going. This is a mitzvah that each of us can perform so that Kaddish can be said by those in need. Todah Rabbah! GREETERS WANTED The Kehilat Shalom Kabbalah Shabbat and Shabbat morning greeter program is looking for additional greeters. Greeters help build our spiritual community by welcoming old and new friends with a hearty Shabbat Shalom and warm handshake to our community. The mitzvah of welcoming guests is one of Judaism s spiritual imperatives. (See Genesis 18: 1-8.) Please contact Larry Beck at thebecks467@verizon.net with questions or to volunteer 8

9 Yahrzeits Mar ADAR ALEF 1 21 Saul Feuer, father of Andrea Epstein 1 21 * Anna E. Shibe, friend of Rabbi Mark Raphael 2 22 Elaine Cantor, aunt of Sandra Wester 2 22 * Florence Braunstein, mother of Cheryl Weisfeld 3 23 Marion Baum, mother of Douglas Baum 3 23 Herbert Roseman, father of Philip Roseman 3 23 * Rose Dorph 3 23 * Adele Grossman 4 24 * Frederick Lustig, father of Joseph Lustig 4 24 * Jack Joseph Lynn, father of Stuart Lynn 6 26 Ben Levy, grandfather of Bruce Levinson & Curtis Levinson 7 27 Benjamin Garfinkel, grandfather of Andrew Garfinkel 8 28 William Block, husband of Judith Block 8 28 Alice Muskin, sister of Janet Rutchik 9 29 David Hauptman, grandfather of Sandra Wester 9 29 * Florence Golub Mar ADAR BET 16 6 Rose Wolfson, grandmother of Allen Katz 17 7 Harry Gerber, grandfather of Lauri Friedman Hilda Ruth Fried, aunt of Chelle Nalaboff Betty Halpern, mother of Linda August Robert Lewison, father of Hazzan Kimberly Komrad Harold Pomerantz, father of Bruce Pomerantz Reese Bailey, granddaughter of Sandra Wester * Bea Schmetz, mother of Edward Schmetz Kehilat Shalom Donation Funds Kehilat Shalom has a variety of funds that you can support with your minimum donation of $10.00 or more (unless otherwise noted): Kehilat Shalom General Fund Larry Froehlich Junior Congregation Fund Library Fund Rabbi Arian s Discretionary Fund Youth Fund Kehilat Shalom Catering Fund Yahrzeit Donations Good & Welfare Fund Prayer Book Fund (Siddur Sim Shalom, $36.00 & Etz Hayim Chumash, $54.00) Simcha Board Donations ($180.00) Memorial Plaque Board Donations ($500.00) Memorial or Simcha Seat Donations ($1,000.00) Barbara Peller Camp Fund Gayle Peck Fine Arts Fund A personalized card will be sent to acknowledge your donation & your contribution will be listed in the Shofar Newsletter (unless otherwise requested) Kehilat Shalom is a 501C(3)charitable organization and your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Information regarding all of these funds is here in the Kehilat Shalom office. If you have any questions, please contact Todah Rabbah for supporting Kehilat Shalom. Yahrzeit REMINDERS As always immediate family are included in your reminders. If you have friends or other family member that you would like added to your list please contact the Office. * A memorial light will be lit in the sanctuary for those names marked with an asterisk Would you like to make a donation in honor or in memory of a loved one? You can purchase a Siddur Sim Shalom or an Etz Chayim Chumash with a special bookplate in the inside cover. The costs are $36.00 per Siddur and $54.00 per Chumash. If you would like to pay tribute to someone, send a check payable to Kehilat Shalom 9

10 Co-Presidents Wendy Schneider-Levinson & Lauri Friedman Sisterhood News Lauri Friedman & Wendy Schneider-Levinson Co-Presidents Shalom Sisters! Our full day Mah Jong tournament went well, with 26 women registered for lively play and good food. Sisterhood has fun events coming up, and we hope you join us: Wine, Women and Song Annual Torah Fund Event by Seaboard Region, Women s League for Conservative Judaism Enjoy a wine & cheese reception along with beautiful cantorial music, for donors to Torah Fund who have given a minimum of $18, plus a couvert of $18 Sunday, March 6, :00 4:30 pm Congregation Har Shalom, Falls Road, Potomac RSVP by February 26 to Bobbi Gorban: bprem@aol.com, Registration form is attached. Torah Fund Craft Event Join Linda Loggie, our Torah Fund chair, for Kehilat Sisterhood s annual Torah Fund Craft event on Sunday, March 13 th from 2 4 PM. Make a personalized afikomen bag or matzah cover for Passover, and put together a grow-your-own karpas kit. See page 14 for details. Kehilat Shalom Women s Seder - Mark your calendars for April 3rd! Save the date for the upcoming Kehilat Shalom Women s Seder on Sunday, April 3 rd from 4 7 PM. Sing, eat, and enjoy a special evening. More details to come. Please join us at a regular monthly event: 1st Tuesday Drop in Mah Jongg at 7pm 2nd Tuesday Board Meeting at 7pm 3rd Tuesday Sip n Schmooze at 6:30pm 4th Tuesday Bake n Babble at 7:30 pm at KS Kitchen Join our special interest groups as follows: Sip n Schmooze: Tuesday Marc h 30, 2016 at Ledo s in Montgomery Village at 6:30 pm. (By request of our minyan attendees, so they can enjoy and get to Kehilat Shalom in time for minyan.) Dine Around Group: Monday, February 22, 2016 At Cheesecake Factory in Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, at 7pm RSVP and more information: contact Bobbie Goldman at bobbieandmike@erols.com. Bake and Babble: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Enjoy the company of fellow Sisterhood members and make some tasty treats for Saturday Kiddish. Bake n Babble meets on the 4th Tuesday of the Month in the Kehilat Shalom kitchen from 7:30 to 9:30. Contact: Linda Loggie for more information at lkloggie@gmail.com Book Club: On Sun. Mar. 2 p.m. we will meet at Bonnie Richter s house to discuss Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. Please rsvp to Bonnie at golden_mom@comcast.net and Alyce Ross at asross@mycaringcenter.com. See Page 11 for more details. Crafters Club: Do you knit, crochet, embroider, tat, scrapbook, needlepoint, make lace, or quilt? Would you enjoy some time with fellow crafters who share your passion? Join us to practice your skills or be exposed to some new ones. The next meeting of the Crafters Club will be Sunday, Mar. 6 at Kehilat Shalom. We ll meet from 11 am - 3 pm. Contact: Any questions contact Lori Wasserman at rlwasserman@comcast.net or for more information. The 2016 Sign-Up Drive for the Interfaith Works Shelter is underway and we need your support to signup for a 4th Sunday of the month to help out. sign-up for an account at Meal Train Auxiliaries 10 Come see the New Gary Rosenthal Collection at the Sisterhood Judaica Shop!! We now have a Gary Rosenthal Gift Gallery at our Judaica Shop. Stop in and buy Gary s gorgeous pieces for your home or as gifts at 10% off. Special prices, special orders and a current catalog, also available. Contact Bobbie Goldman at or bobbieandmike@erols.com. In addition the Judaica Shop is now featuring crafts from local artists. Stop by and see. Exciting gifts always arriving. Next Monthly Mah Jongg Nights at Kehilat Shalom 9915 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg, MD Tuesday, Mar 1, :00 to 9:15 p.m. Games are open to beginner, intermediate or advanced players! Please bring your own Mah Jongg Card! If you own a Mah Jongg Set, please bring it! RSVP by Sunday, Feb 28th to Charlotte Strauss (301) (h) or (202) (c) or StraussCha@aol.com Donations for refreshments will be accepted on the night of the game! Kehilat Shalom membership is not required! Torah Fund Nat ah karem is a phrase from the beloved prayer Eishet Chayil, taken from the biblical book of Proverbs. We re-envision this prayer today with appreciation for the hard-working, generous, familyoriented woman, who plants a vineyard by her own labors (Proverbs 31:7). We honor her productivity, independence, creativity, and her orientation to a hopeful future with the 2016 Torah Fund pin/pendant. Women s League s support of the Torah Fund Campaign helps strengthen Conservative/Masorti Judaism throughout the world and enhances the Jewish community by recognizing and appreciating our diverse families.

11 Auxiliaries Men s Club News Thomas.loggie@gmail.com Involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life March 20th is a Men s Club breakfast. Our speaker will be Anja Nicholes form New York Life. The topic will be Planning for Retirement, Before and After Retirement: Its s never too late to start planning. It was suggested that we do a more upscale breakfast similar to the sweetheart breakfast. If we do that we will have to go with reservations and a little bit higher cost (rather than a hope we get some money, donations). Let me know what you think. Congratulations to Gerry Goldgraben. He has been selected as the next Blue Yarmulke Man of the Year. This year s dinner honoring Blue Yarmulke Men of the Year will be on April 17, Watch your inbox for more information. SIMCHA BOARD A wonderful way to honor an individual, a family, or a Simcha, such as a Wedding, Birth, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Graduation, Birthday... Your thoughtfulness will be on permanent display in the Sanctuary for all to see. Donation: $180 Contact the office to make a donation today! Men s Club Shabbat will be on April 16 th. The Blue Yarmulke Dinner of course, will be the following day, April 17 th. The theme is going to be The BlueCademy Awards. Plan is to be more casual with lots of food and schmoozing. In early April we will being distributing the Yom HaShoah yellow candles. On May 4 th (Eruv Yom HaShoah) the Men s Club will have a Yom Hashoah observance integrated into the evening minyan. May 15 th will be the Steak and Salmon dinner. I had a couple of requests for something other than steak for the non-carnivores, and we are going to make this a more inclusive meal. See you soon, B'Shalom, Tom SISTERHOOD BOOKCLUB: On Sunday, March 6, at 2:00 pm, we will meet at Bonnie Richter s house to discuss Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. Please rsvp to Bonnie at golden_mom@comcast.net and Alyce Ross at asross@mycaringcenter.com. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande This book could be a game changer, if enough people read it and take it to heart. Atul Gawande addresses end-of-life care, and how we're getting it wrong, both within the medical establishment and in our families. Dr. Gawande's book focuses both on medical procedures and living conditions in later life. He addresses the reality that as people near the end of life, decisions about their living situation are primarily aimed at ensuring safety at the expense of retaining autonomy, especially when adult children are making the decisions. "We want autonomy for ourselves and safety for those we love," a friend tells the author. We mistakenly treat elders as children, Dr. Gawande says, when we deny them the right to make choices, even bad choices. People of any age want the right to lock their doors, set the temperature they want, dress how they like, eat what they want, admit visitors only when they're in the mood. Yet, nursing homes (and even assisted living communities) are geared toward making these decisions for people in order to keep them safe, gain government funds, and ensure a routine for the facility. In addition, Dr. Gawande shows how end-of-life physical conditions are most often treated as medical crises needing to be "fixed," instead of managed for quality of life when treatment has become futile. Life is more than just a stretch of years; it must have meaning and purpose to be worth living, he says. This is a familiar concept (in fact, I read parts of this book in The New Yorker), but he builds a strong case for reform through case studies, stories from his own life, and examples of how individuals are either becoming victims of, or bucking, the system. He addresses assisted suicide only briefly, but he mentions it in relation to end-of-life care. "Assisted living is far harder than assisted death, but its possibilities are far greater as well," he writes. The good news is that some people are doing what they can to improve the well-being of elders nearing the end of their lives. He demonstrates the beauty of hospice care in the home. He tells a great story of a doctor who convinced a nursing home to bring in two dogs, four cats and one hundred birds! It was a risky proposal, but the rewards were phenomenal. It made the place, and the people, come alive. I am aware, though, that these movements rely on individuals, and only if enough people have a vision for change will it come about. 11

12 YOUTH NEWS Please stay tuned for further Developments See you next month Learning & Growing RELIGIOUS SCHOOL News The Religious School Staff and Board would like to say Mazel Tov to our March b nai Mitzvah and their families: Ethan Hoffman and Joey Scheiner. Please join us as we celebrate Ethan Hoffman becoming a bar Mitzvah on March 6. Then join us as we celebrate as Joey Scheiner is called to the Torah as a bar Mitzvah on March 12. All Kehilat Shalom youth and their families are invited to join the congregation to make their own Gary Rosenthal Judaica! Meet artist Gary Rosenthal, tour the studio, create your own unique art individually or as a family. Children registered and attending Kehilat Shalom s Religious School will receive a subsidy towards their creation. Sunday, March 20, 1:30-3:30pm. Join Kavod Society, Sunday, April 3, 5:00-7:00pm, at the home of Rabbi and Keleigh Arian. Special guest Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi, President of the World Organization for Resource Development and Education (WORDE), will share information about Islam, the experience of Muslim Americans, her work as a religious Muslim in countering the extremists, and how Jews and Muslims can work together to make our country a better place. Please RSVP to Rabbi Arian by Monday March 28. The next Junior Congregation is March 19. Look for more information to come about the next Youth Group event in March or April! School Board Members: Rebecca Hoffman, Janet Ballonoff, Lauri Friedman, David Joseph, Wendy Schneider-Levinson, Pam Strausberg 12

13 Life & Learning If you would like to help create any new event, please contact Janet Rutchik at lend your support. intriguing dialogue Adult Education Bible Class Rabbi Arian s bi-weekly Bible class has spent the past three years looking at the weekly Haftarah, and our studies have added to our knowledge and appreciation of these readings which follow the Torah reading every Shabbat. Now we turn to a different type of study: the weekly Torah portion with Rashi s commentary. Rashi ( ) lived in Troyes, France and is considered the commentator par excellence in helping to explain the plain meaning of the text. His commentary is considered indispensable for students of all levels and his lead to over 300 supercommentaries, meaning commentaries on Rashi s commentary itself. We will look at some selected verses along with Rashi s commentary, and discover what question Rashi is trying to answer and what his understanding adds to our knowledge of the text. The class will meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each calendar month right after evening minyan. 13

14 We Gratefully Acknowledge THESE DONATIONS... Yahrzeit - In memory of Doris Rabkin, by Norm Rabkin & Family Yahrzeit - In memory of Hy Armon, by Lori & Jimmy Mendoza Yahrzeit - In memory of Josef Ende, by Roz & Michael Bouer Yahrzeit - In memory of Anna Shibe, by Rabbi Mark Raphael Yahrzeit - In memory of Claire Goldberg, by Robert Goldberg Yahrzeit - In memory of Joseph Yospa, Toby Friedberg To Simcha Shabbat - Joe Kamph, by Joe and Libby Kamph To Simcha Shabbat -- Chelle Nalaboff, by Lloyd Nalaboff To Simcha Shabbat -- Joel Wasserman, by Robert & Lori Wasserman To Simcha Shabbat -- Michael Hanson, by Gail Lieberman & Bill Hanson To Simcha Shabbat -- Rabbi Arian, Rabbi Arian Yasher koach to our torah and haftorah readers and sh lichei tzibbur Kehilat Shalom is blessed with many congregants who participate regularly in our Daily Minyan and our Shabbat services throughout the year and whose efforts and contributions are very much greatly appreciated. A hearty Yasher Koach to the following persons: Joe Lustig Lori Wasserman Michael Goldman Stuart Rutchik Jedd Moskowitz Gail Lieberman Lloyd Nalaboff Tamara Jaffe Wendy Schneider-Levinson Stan Ginsberg Gerry Goldgraben Murray Penner Doug Baum Snow Removal Fund, Gail Lieberman & Bill Hanson Mazal Tov to Ethan Hoffman, Rabbi Mark Raphael Mazal Tov to Gabe Sternberg, Rabbi Mark Raphael Simcha Board plaque in honor of Madeline Zapor, Michael J. Zapor Good & Welfare Fund - In honor of Gary Saltzman's 65th birthday, by Joe and Libby Kamph Good & Welfare Fund - Yahrzeit in memory of Seymour Schoen, by Bobbie Goldman Good & Welfare Fund - Yahrzeit in memory of Aunt Ceil Davidson, by Dee Jolles Get Ready for Passover and support the JTS Torah Fund at the same time! Join us for the annual Sisterhood Torah Fund event on Sunday, March 13th from 2-4 PM. Make a personalized afikomen bag or matzah cover to grace your Pesach table and put together a grow-your-own karpas kit. Food & supplies: $10.00 per person Torah Fund donation (if you haven t already pledged or donated to Torah Fund - check payable to JTS Torah Fund): $18.00 per family RSVP to Linda Loggie (lkloggie@gmail.com ) or Wendy Schneider-Levinson (wendy.schneider@verizon.net) by March 10th 14

15 They will be remembered One generation passes away, and another generation comes; And the earth abides forever, Ecclesiastes Garden of Remembrance Memorial Estates Kehilat Shalom has two sections of cemetery plots at the Gan Zikaron Memorial Park in Comus, MD. The Garden of Remembrance (Gan Zikaron) Memorial Park has been established by Washington Hebrew Congregation as a service to the entire Jewish community of the Greater Washington area. Developed and managed as a non-profit organization, it is the only cemetery in the region that is Jewish owned and operated, and open to members of all congregations and those who are unaffiliated with a congregation. In a tranquil, beautifully landscaped setting amid gently rolling hills in northern Montgomery County, the Garden of Remembrance is on 152 acres of meadows and woodlands at the foot of the majestic Sugarloaf Mountain. It is just off Interstate 270, convenient to reach from everywhere in the Greater Washington area. The Garden of Remembrance provides comprehensive services in accordance with all branches of Judaism, reflecting the full range of Jewish practices and honoring personal preferences. Reasonably priced plots for families and individuals are available. Professional counselors are available 24 hours a day. Think of the future. Think of your family. Then make the right decision. Make a memorial estate in the Garden of Remembrance part of your legacy. Individual plots are available for $ , payment schedule negotiable. For more information, please call the synagogue office at From Montgomery County, Maryland Take the Capital Beltway (I-495) to I-270N. Travel I-270N to Ext 18N (Rte 121N). Go North 1/2 mile to Rte 355. Turn left on Rte 355, drive one mile, then turn left on Comus Rd. The Memorial Park entrance is on the right just over the I-270 bridge. MEMORIAL PLAQUES Honor your loved ones by memorializing them on our Yahrzeit Boards that are located in the sanctuary. These plaques are lit during the Yahrzeit of your loved one s death and when Yizkor is said at various times throughout the year. Donation: $500 15

16 The Shofar is available in full color on our website, You can also view previous editions. Follow Us on Facebook You don t have to join Facebook to follow us on Facebook. Visit our Kehilat Shalom Home Page at kehilatshalom.org to learn about upcoming programs, events and important information about the synagogue, our Rabbi; Charles L. Arian, our Hazzan; Kimberly Komrad and all the great things we have going on! If you are on Facebook, Like our page! 16

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18 18 THE SHOFAR Rabbi... Charles L. Arian Hazzan... Kim Komrad Cantor Emeritus... Saul Finn, z l Administrator... Andie Epstein President... Mike Goldman Senior Vice President... Janet Rutchik Vice President for House... Thomas G. F. Loggie Vice President for Development... Larry Beck Vice President for Membership...Robert Goldberg Treasurer... Linda Loggie Financial Secretary... Terry Strauss Board Secretary... Lori Wasserman Youth Director... Men s Club... Tom Loggie/Richard Jaffe Sisterhood... Wendy Schneider-Levenson/Lauri Friedman Shofar Layout... Linda Loggie, Lauri Friedman Website Administrator... Billye Roberts