Honoring Dr. King s Legacy

Transcription

1 Volume 157, Issue 6 Tevet/Sh vat 5776 January 2016 JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS Mazel Tov Find out who among our congregation are making their mark in the community. See Mazel Tov on Page 2. Resolve to Read Are you looking for a different New Year s resolution in 2016? The Library Ladies have an idea: Read more Jewish books. See some of their suggestions on Page 4. A Rewarding Experience A first-time attendee to the recent URJ Biennial found it exceeded his expectations. Should you start making plans for the 2017 event? Read Rabbi Schultz on Page 5. Honoring Dr. King s Legacy Join us for a special Shabbat service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Friday, January 15. We will welcome Reverend Bernadette Marie Hickman- Maynard, co-pastor of Bethel AME Church in Bridgeport. Her topic at services and after dinner will be Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King: Thinking about contemporary issues of race in 21 st century Bridgeport. Services will begin at 6:00 p.m., with a preceding Oneg at 5:30. At services, Pastor Teddy Maynard of Bethel AME will sing in honor of MLK. At dinner immediately following services, we will welcome members of Bethel AME church to our Shabbat table. We hope you will join us for dinner and the subsequent talk with Pastor Rev. Bernadette Marie Hickman-Maynard Bernadette. Dinner costs $20 per person. Please RSVP to Lynn or Chris in the office at (203) For more on this event, see Rabbi Prosnit s column on Page 3. Give Your Billions Put on Mark Zuckerberg s shoes for a moment. Who would you help if you had $45 billion to give away? Read Ira Wise on Page 7. Making Their Case Members of the B nai Israel Confirmation Class of 2016 made the annual RAC trip to lobby for Reform causes on Capitol Hill. See Page 16. More Inside Bulletin Board... P.2 BIFTY... P.4 Adult Learning... P.6 Mitzvah Mornings... P.6 Bonim... P.10 Shabbat Services... P.15 Join us on Friday evening January 22 at 6:00 p.m. for a special Shabbat Shirah Sabbath of Song featuring the Sacred Heart University Liturgical Choir (pictured above). The choir, conducted by John Michniewicz, SHU s director of Choral Programs, will be joined on the bimah by the B nai Israel Adult Choir. Sabbath of Song This Evening of Psalms will feature a wide variety of uplifting and inspirational music, including contemporary and traditional songs. An Oneg will precede the service at 5:30 p.m.

2 Here are some recent noteworthy achievements by members of our B nai Israel community: David Abraham s new book, The Elements of Power: Gadgets, Guns and the Struggle for a Sustainable Future in the Rare Metal Age, was published recently by the Yale University Press. Abraham targeted his book on rare earth metals for Mazel Tov the general audience, not just geologists. Abraham is a natural resource strategist who previously analyzed risk on Wall Street and at an energy-trading firm, oversaw naturalresources programs at the White House Office of Management and Budget, and ran a water-focused NGO in Africa. He currently directs the Technology, Rare and Electronics Materials Center. He is the son of Barbara Abraham. The Fairfield Theatre Company named Alan Neigher its Citizen of the Year for his leadership and contributions to FTC throughout the years. Continued on Page 7 Welcome! Welcome! A warm welcome to our newest members. We look forward to their participation in our many programs and hope their affiliation will not only enrich their lives, but that of our congregation. Dennis and Andrea Feinberg Joan Drive, Fairfield Lois Wallman Park Avenue, Bridgeport Sharing Our Joy Barbara and Derek Solomon, on the birth of grandson, Jonah Miles Solomon. Sincere Sympathy We extend our sympathy to the bereaved families of: Gloria Sacks, mother of Debbie Viens Barbara Norton, mother of Hunter Norton and Brad Norton COLLEGE CONNECTION We want to keep our college students connected to B nai Israel. Let us know how you are doing, what you are up to and any big news. To send you little holiday surprises and for you to keep connected with your temple friends, we need your school address and address. Please send your information to Lynn in the main office at lynn@cbibpt. org. Swing into Brunch The Community Wide Widow & Widowers Musical Brunch will take place on Sunday, January 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Temple. For more information or to RSVP, call Jewish Family Services at (203) or info@jfsct.org. Join the House Committee We need you on the B nai Israel House Committee. This panel, which in more modern times could be called the Facilities Committee, is charged with the care and direction of our physical building and grounds. We develop long-range capital budgets for things such as replacing windows and other major items, and also work in conjunction with the art and design and facility rental committees. We make recommendations for aesthetics throughout the temple. Join us at a House Committee meeting and add your input going forward. Contact Chairperson Bernie Jacobs at bjacobs@cbibpt.org with any questions about serving on this committee and to add your name to our contact list. Bulletin Board JFS Programs Jewish Family Services offers many programs to help those in our community. They include: JFS New Beginnings, Mondays, 7:00-8:00 pm This Divorce Support Group meets at the JFS Westport office, 431 Post Road East, Suite 11. For more information, contact Eve Moskowitz at (203) or emoskowitz@ctjfs.org. JFS Brain Fitness Program This program works with clients experiencing early stage dementia or Alzheimer s in the client s home. For details, contact Matt Greenberg at (203) or mgeenberg@ctjfs. org. Be a Mensch One of your neighbors needs your help! Please consider becoming a driver, a friendly visitor or a shopper for a senior living in our community. Join the JFS Mitzvah Corps, where one mitzvah leads to another. For more information, contact Barbara Paris at (203) , ext. 214 or visit our website at org. 2 What s happening at the Temple? Get Hashavua, our weekly . Send your request to Lynn at lynn@cbibpt.org.

3 From the Rabbi s Desk/Rabbi James Prosnit Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King Of all the speeches and letters written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the one that I like to reread on his birthday weekend is the one he wrote from the Birmingham jail. In 1963, Dr. King brought a campaign of nonviolence and passive resistance to Birmingham, Alabama. During protest demonstrations, hundreds of people were arrested. King chose to go to jail rather than obey a court order to end the demonstrations. While in solitary confinement, he responded to a letter written to him by eight leading white clergymen, including Rabbi Milton Grafman of Temple Emanuel in Birmingham. They asked him to call off the demonstrations and to rely instead on negotiations and the courts. Over Easter Weekend, Dr. King drafted a response which is certainly worth a full read, but here are two sentences: I have never yet engaged in a direct action movement that was well timed, according to the timetable of those who have not suffered Wait! It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. This wait has almost always meant, Never. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. co-workers with God. Each year, I try to put myself in Rabbi Grafman s shoes. As a respected Jewish figure in the South, he was strongly against segregation, but he also knew that his congregants were shopkeepers and businessmen and didn t want their rabbi to ruffle too many feathers in the city where they lived. Would I have preached caution and encouraged Dr. King to go slow, or would I have been a champion of the demonstrators? I would like to think the latter, but it s easy to say so given the time and distance. We ll have a chance to reflect on the challenges of being a prophetic voice and the power of Dr. King s words on the upcoming MLK Birthday weekend, specifically on Friday evening, January 15. Our guest will be Reverend Bernadette Marie Hickman-Maynard, co-pastor of Bethel AME Church in Bridgeport. Her topic at services and after dinner will be Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King: Thinking about contemporary issues of race in 21 st century Bridgeport. She ll be joined by her husband (and copastor), the Reverend Dr. Theodore Nathaniel Hickman-Maynard, and other members of Bethel AME church. Rabbi Schultz and I have come to know Pastor Bernadette through our work with CONECT, Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut. She speaks forcefully and honestly and is a young impressive voice here in Bridgeport. Last summer some members of B nai Israel joined us at her church on two occasions. The first was to dialogue with Police Commissioner Joseph Gaudett, Jr., about policing strategies in Bridgeport in the wake of events in Ferguson, Baltimore and Staten Island. The second was to mourn with AME church members after the shootings in Charleston. We came to appreciate her passion and civility and are so pleased that she has agreed to join us. The Torah portion for that week in January is Bo a time when we coincidentally read how Moses is called upon to go to Pharoah and speak truth to power. The ancient text was an influence on Dr. King and continues to have relevance and significance today. I hope you can join us to honor the legacy of Dr. King and meet a leading figure in our community. Donation Item of the Month: Cans of Soup and Stew for Operation Hope. 3

4 Dear Readers of B nai Israel, Library Ladies: Resolve to Read Jewish Literature in 2016 We the Library Ladies wish all of our members a Happy New Year. We also fervently hope that the articles we have presented to you in the Bulletin have inspired you to take a look at the hard work we have done to make the many reading selections in the library accessible to you! Last month we wrote about some amazing Chanukah books, with unique stories, for children. This month, our focus is on adult Jewish literature that takes us to a wide range of times and places. We hope to see some of these books checked out from the back desk, soon. Sharon Kahn s Fax Me a Bagel is an entertaining mystery novel that combines Jewish culture in two very different states (New York and Texas), family life and the adventures of a rabbi s widow who discovers she has a gift for detective work. Enjoy this book while you nosh on a bagel with cream cheese! For a taste of life Israel s West Bank, as seen through the eyes of a transplanted group of Americans, read Risa Miller s Welcome to Heavenly Heights. Miller weaves her tale with threads of the surrounding society (and its violence), the complexities of human relationships, and commitment to a particular way of perceiving and practicing Judaism. Readers will find themselves swiftly moving back and forth from ancient history to the 21st century in this personalized view of a small part of the world that has had such a big effect on all of us. Another journey: Mitchell James Kaplan s By Fire, By Water, takes us back to the late 1400s, and back in the history of human suffering to the Spanish Inquisition. Seen through the eyes of a converso (converts from Judaism to Christianity), the novel depicts a time in the world s history that has sadly been repeated many times in many places and in many ways. The conflict between human ambition and the ties that bind us through human relationships is thoroughly engaging in this novel. We have shared a few of the library s many offerings with you in this brief column. We hope to see you here to explore these books (found as always on the desk). We are also very much looking forward to the return of children s and adult books to the library, so that other members can enjoy them! Please place them in the basket on the desk. Thank you in advance for this courtesy! Sincerely, The Library Ladies BIFTY: WHAT S ON TAP FOR JANUARY Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you at our January events! All programs are on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the BIFTY Lounge. January 14 January 21 January 28 What did you miss at the end of the year? BIFTY members had a great time celebrating Havdalah with composer in residence Noah Aronson (above left), and they offered a fun evening of games and socializing to B nai Israel s seventhand eighth-graders. 4 We are on Twitter now! Follow us We ll follow back!

5 From the Rabbi s Study/Rabbi Evan Schultz Reflections on the URJ Biennial As I took my seat on the small JetBlue airplane headed to Orlando, I couldn t help but notice that my seatmate was holding a copy of Ron Wolfson s recent book, Relational Judaism. He glanced at me, noticing that I was holding a book about 20th century Jewish thinker Abraham Joshua Heschel. Are you going to URJ Biennial? I asked him with a smile, gesturing at the book in his hand. Sure am, he replied. We began chatting; he shared that he was about to be installed as the new president of his synagogue in Westchester, and I told him about our community here in Bridgeport. (I couldn t help but hum the song Wherever you go, there s always someone Jewish in my head) This was the first of my many interesting and meaningful encounters during the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial in Orlando this past November. This was my first biennial, and I was slightly nervous to encounter 5,000 enthusiastic Reform Jews in one Orlando resort hotel. As I walked into the hotel, many familiar faces greeted me friends and colleagues from both past and present. The anxiety quickly turned into excitement, as I realized the gift I was about to experience for the next three days. Biennial is a web of interesting sessions, classes, performances, talks, speakers, plenaries and encounters. There is really something for everyone. I took a course with HUC-JIR professor Wendy Zierler discussing the similarities between the film The King s Speech and Moses. I sat with synagogue leaders who are completely rethinking the Bar and Bat I felt re-energized by the thinking and conversations. Rabbi Schultz shares a break in the action at the recent URJ Biennial with B nai Israel congregant Luise Burger. Mitzvah process in their communities. I sat in a room with adults and teenagers to learn about the latest research on what is meaningful to our teenagers (I m proud to say I totally understand teenagers now). On Friday morning, I joined with B nai Israel alum Rabbi Todd Markley for a NFTY morning t filah service that utilized all kinds of fun technology to engage the worshippers. In the evenings, I learned about hospitality from restauranteur Danny Meyer and film star Michael Douglas. Israeli author Ari Shavit and Knesset member Stav Shafir discussed the new ways in which we need to talk about Israel to make it relevant to the next generation. Our movement joined together to vote on the most comprehensive resolution to welcome transgender individuals into our synagogue communities. I met new people. I reconnected with old friends. I felt re-energized by the thinking and conversations that are taking place within our movement. In one sense, I went to Biennial to soak up new ideas and learn about best practices taking place in synagogues around the country. On the other hand, I was there to be part of something bigger, to engage with my own Judaism in a new way, to fulfill my commitment as a Reform Jew to learning, Israel and social justice. I hope you ll consider joining with us for the next Biennial mark your calendars for December 6-10, 2017, in Boston, Mass. Come be a part of one of the great experiences of the Reform Movement. I am so glad I finally decided to try it. Like Us on Facebook. Visit the Congregation B nai Israel page and join us online. 5

6 Adult Jewish Learning At Congregation B nai Israel Rosh Chodesh with Rabbi Suri Krieger Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. The waxing and waning of lunar cycles has been a guiding force for women throughout the ages, both literally and spiritually. Since the Jewish feminist movement reclaimed Rosh Chodesh in the 1970s, women have been gathering on a monthly basis to acknowledge and celebrate in many ways ancient text, contemporary outreach, food and fantasy. Women are invited to join Rabbi Suri Krieger to celebrate the new Hebrew month and for spiritual growth. Adult Round Table Thursday, January 7 at 12:30 p.m. A discussion about current events for anyone who wants to go beyond the headlines. Facilitated by Gloria Katz. Join us the first Thursday of every month, and bring a sandwich, your opinion and an open mind. The Sacred Encounter: Jewish Perspectives on Sexuality Fridays at Noon, January 22, 29, February 5, 12 and 19 Rabbi Prosnit explores classic and contemporary views of sex and sexual identity and the challenges and opportunities of changing mores and times. CBI Talks! Sunday, January 31 at 9:45, 10:10 and 10:35 a.m. As described in the November bulletin, but postponed until now join us for CBI Talks. We have invited members of our congregational community to give short (18 minutes!) presentations about some of the things they know and are passionate about. Our first event features three presenters, one at 9:45 a.m. (enough time to allow those dropping off for religious school to get a cup of coffee and schmooze for a few minutes), the second at 10:10 a.m. and the third at 10:35 a.m. So give yourself 18 minutes or even the full hour. Come for one presentation or stay for all three. Come learn with us. Here is the January lineup: 9:45 a.m. Jeff Ackerman Creating Intentional Communities The resident camp experience has been thought of as a community defined by the spirit of children that is guided by the wisdom of adults. In this CBI Talk, we will delve into the impact camp can have on its participants and how it provides the opportunity to develop menschen. We will look at Jewish camps, camps that serve socioeconomically disadvantaged children as well as high-end private camps and explore the power of an Intentional Community to influence values and attitudes in children and staff. Jeff Ackerman holds a Ph.D in clinical psychology and has spent 40 years in children s summer camps. He has brought his background in education and psychology to both day and resident camps in the Northeast. He currently consults with the Foundation for Jewish Camps. He directed Elmwood Day Camp for 26 years and has been an associate director at Echo Lake Camp and Camp Walt Whitman. 10:10 a.m. TBA At our print deadline, we are still finalizing one speaker. Are you interested in presenting something you are passionate about at a future program? Contact Ira Wise at iwise@ cbibpt.org or call him at the Temple. 10:35 a.m. Rabbi James Prosnit The Education of Rabbi What I Didn t Learn in Rabbinic School Jim Prosnit was ordained a rabbi in According to his teacher, Doctor Eugene Borowitz, that is when the real learning began. In this CBI Talk, Rabbi Prosnit will share some of the lessons he learned and stories about his experiences in the years since and what he has learned in the practical rabbinate. Congregants of all ages gathered to decorate and package bags for Thanksgiving meals for those in need of food assistance, as part of November s Mitzvah Morning event. For our January Mitzvah Morning, we will join others in the community for the MLK Day of Service at the University of Bridgeport on Monday, January 18. This is UB s 10th Annual Day of Service run by the UB. We will try to keep as many of our congregants together as possible, working on one or two projects. Families are welcome! 6 Bettering Our Community The day s activities begin at 8:30 a.m. at the university s John J. Cox Student Center with breakfast and a keynote speaker. We will begin working on our projects between 9:00 and 9:30, breaking for lunch at 12:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., an MLK documentary will be shown. Lunch and the documentary are optional if you need to leave. You can sign up by contacting the Temple office at (203) , or Joanne Lippman (jrlippman@optonline.net) or Sheryl Santiago (shersan@optonline.net) for more information. Our February Mitzvah Morning will take place on Sunday, February 7 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. We will be working at Norma Pfriem Urban Outreach Initiatives Food Pantry/Feel the Warmth (located at the United Congregational Church in Bridgeport), helping with their Clothes Closet. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. For more information, contact Shari Nerreau at snerreau@cbibpt.org. Have the kids left home? Then it s a perfect time to ReConnect with B nai Israel. Contact Mindy Siegel at msiegel@cbibpt.org.

7 From the Education Center/Ira J. Wise Winning Giving Tuesday (or If I Had $45,000,000,000!) Attention Warriors defending Christmas: You may want to put down your red Starbucks cups and watch some commercials from Best Buy. Those ads tell you that when you give tech, you get love and Win the Holidays. Ugh. Now it turns out that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have won Giving Tuesday with some seriously audacious generosity. According to the New York Times: Many billionaires turned to philanthropy late in their lives. In Silicon Valley, some are turning to it much earlier. The most prominent example of that trend happened on Tuesday (December 1) when Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook co-founder and chief executive, said he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, plan to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares currently valued at $45 billion for charitable purposes. The couple made their announcement in an open letter to their newborn daughter, Max. Now, there are several directions we could take this. We could examine how this does or does not fit the patterns being discerned about Millenials. Let s not. We could explore the outrageously out-of-sync wealth that has sprouted in Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley (Boston) and Silicon Wadi (Israel) and how the new billionaires are handling it. Pass. We could focus on the new philanthropy of those billionaires, such as the Giving If you had $45,000,000,000 to donate for charitable purposes, how would you distribute it? Pledge, an effort set up in 2010 by Bill and Melinda Gates, or Warren Buffet s approach to fellow billionaires urging them to give away their money. I like it, but not today. Instead, I would like to invite you to consider your answer to the question: If you had $45,000,000,000 to donate for charitable purposes, how would you distribute it? What kinds of causes would you support? Would you give it directly to an individual in need? Would you give it to organizations? Giving tzedakah is both an everyday mitzvah and an every holiday mitzvah. So after you have thought about what you would do with $45 billion, make like Samuel J. Jackson and ask What s in YOUR wallet? Figure out how you can take an amount that is realistic for you not Zuckerbergesque and direct your own tzedakah to one or more of the recipients you thought of! I invite you to share your ideas on the Temple Facebook page. And I invite you to share your tzedakah wherever you see fit. (If you need some ideas, you might want to consider some of our temple funds at org/giving/tzedakah/.) Sure, the year just ended. But why wait until December to get started on your charitable giving? L shalom, Ira J. Wise, R.J.E. Temple Educator MAZEL TOV... Continued from Page 2 The Fairfield Theatre Company is a nonprofit center for the arts and culture located next to Fairfield s downtown station. FTC has evolved into one of the region s most energetic and productive performing arts centers. Alan Neigher has been a principal in the Westport law firm of Byelas & Neigher since Michael London was elected to a fifth term on the Trumbull Town Council. He runs Michael J. London & Associates, a public relations and marketing communications agency that provides complete public relations strategy development and implementation, serving both Fortune 500 companies and a wide range of small firms. Let us know when you or someone you know does something worthy of a mazel tov. Send your news and accomplishments to Bulletin Editor Scott Smith at ssmith@cbibpt.org. What s happening at the Temple? Get Hashavua, our weekly . Send your request to Lynn at lynn@cbibpt.org. 7

8 Donations Please note that only contributions of $10.00 or more will be acknowledged with a card and Bulletin listing. Rabbi Prosnit Discretionary Fund Donations in honor of Rabbi Prosnit s Distinguished Community Leadership Award given by the Connecticut ADL were made by: Carol and Nate Barsky Carson and Robert Berkowitz Barbara and Sam Boyarsky Elaine and Robert Friedman Alice and George Kelly Nora Mayerson The Nerreau Family Debbie and Michael Weisman Edie Baum, a donation. Lori Berger, in memory of father, Lester Davis. Elaine and Juda Chetrit, in memory of Stanley Lebow, father of Liz Flatto; in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall; in memory of Ulrike Alexander Bork, mother of Iris Bork-Goldfield. Sylvia Edelson, in memory of father, Morris Gordon. Andrea and Dennis Feinberg, in memory of Sylvia Rosenberg, mother of Paula Herzlinger. Robin Horwitch, in honor of enjoying Rabbi Prosnit s Monday night class. Robin Isaacson and Ben Rottman, in honor of Terri and Dan Green, on the birth of grandson, Spencer Max Braman. Lisa Knicos, in loving memory of Ellen Kadden. Richard and Joanne Krantz, in appreciation of the many contributions of Rabbi Prosnit to Congregation B nai Israel. Shirley Jacob Lantz, Joel, Michael, Sam, Lara and Kathy Jacob, in loving appreciation. Aleksey and Raisa Ledvich, in memory of aunt, Shelya Sotnik. Joan Lipin, in appreciation; in memory of husband, Bernie Lipin; in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Noah Giglietti. Beth and Randy Reich, in honor of Debbie Weisman, and with wishes for a smooth and comfortable recuperation. Wendy Ruben, in honor of Emily s Bat Mitzvah. Gail, Ed, Dustin and Tamara Schriffert, in memory of father and grandfather, Harry Lee Vineberg, on his 20 th yahrzeit. Rachel Shur, in appreciation of Rabbi Prosnit s teachings. Maxine Stewart and Jena Gross, in memory of mom/grandma, Jean Schafrank. Eileen and Howard Tolk, in loving memory of father, Maurice Velenchik. Debbie and Michael Weisman, in memory of Mortimer Aaron, father of Wendy Bender; in memory of Sylvia Rosenberg, mother of Paula Herzlinger; in honor of the 50 th Wedding Anniversary of Norman and Willi Berkowitz, and a speedy recovery to Willi. Sheila and Burton Yaffie and Family, in loving memory of father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Bernard H. Seigel. The Giglietti Family, in appreciation of Rabbi Prosnit for Noah s Bar Mitzvah. Debbie, Dan, Matthew and Jaime Viens, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall, grandfather of Nathan and Hannah; in memory of Jack Helfgott, brother of Steve Helfgott. Rabbi Schultz Discretionary Fund Geoffrey and Melanie Kooris, in honor of the naming of Don and Wendy Hyman s granddaughters, Sarra and Margot. Richard and Joanne Krantz, in appreciation of the many contributions of Rabbi Schultz to Congregation B nai Israel. Wendy Ruben, in honor of Emily s Bat Mitzvah. Music Fund Carol and Nate Barsky, in memory of sister-in-law, Jeanette Barsky. The Giglietti Family, in appreciation of Cantor Blum for Noah s Bar Mitzvah; in memory of Bernard Lipin. Richard and Joanne Krantz, in appreciation of the many contributions of Cantor Blum to Congregation B nai Israel. Wendy Ruben, in honor of Emily s Bat Mitzvah. Shari Nerreau, in memory of Beverly Nachimson, mother of Barbara Gersen. Barbara Saltman, in appreciation of Bari Dworken s mentoring as a chaplain. George and Sheryl Santiago, in honor of Alan Neigher being named Citizen of the Year by the Fairfield Theatre Company. Jonathan and Cleo Sonneborn, in memory of Bonnie Clayton, mother of Elaine Clayton. Eileen and Howard Tolk, in loving memory of step-mother and mother-in-law, Beulah Tolk. Enhancement Fund Barbara Berkowitz, in memory of husband, Barry Berkowitz. Elaine Borno, in memory of father, Monny Levy. Jim and Lisa Greenberg, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall; in memory of Beverly Nachimson, mother of Barbara Gersen; in memory of Stanley Lebow, father of Liz Flatto. Victor and Irma Gurvits, in memory of Julius Geiman. The Hersher Family Foundation, a donation. Lorraine Heyde, in honor of the High Holy Day services. Jan and Bernie Jacobs, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall. Ruth Madwed, in honor of Barbara Bresler and her very special birthday. Brian and Shari Nerreau, in memory of Judie Spitz, mother of Shari Pearlman. The Patrignelli Family, in appreciation to Rabbi Schultz for Abigail s baby naming. Julie and Steve Pressman, in memory of Beverly Nachimson, mother of Barbara Gersen. Patti and Samuel Rosenberg, in memory of Thomas Prestianni, father of Alexa Cohen; in memory of Mejlech Rosenberg; in honor of Noah Giglietti s Bar Mitzvah. Bob and Twody Schless, in memory of Gunther Stile, father of Twody Schless. Myra Shapiro and Michael Connolly, in memory of Ulrike Alexander Bork, mother of Iris Bork-Goldfield. Eileen and Howard Tolk, in memory of our dear friend, Linda Murnick. Sylvia Prosnit Adult Education Fund Barbara Abraham, in honor of, and with gratitude for, the birth of Jonah Miles Solomon, grandson of Barbara and Derek Solomon. Paula and Robert Herzlinger, remembering Ellen Kadden with love. Anne and Mark Kirsch, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall. Beth Lazar, in loving memory of my great aunt, Esther Epstein. Peter and Judy Panthauer, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall. Sheryl and George Santiago, in recognition of Rabbi Prosnit s ADL Award. William and Lorraine Smith, in honor of Rachel Rosenberg, daughter of Patti and Sam Rosenberg, for receiving the Blue Card Young Leadership Award. Nursery School Enrichment Fund Donations made in memory of Thomas Prestianni, father of Alexa Cohen, were made by: The Kooris Family 8 Reach more than 700 families. Advertise in the Bulletin. Contact Sam Rosenberg at srosenberg@cbibpt.org.

9 Donations Please note that only contributions of $10.00 or more will be acknowledged with a card and Bulletin listing. Amy and Jeff Pressman Julie and Steve Pressman Donations made in memory of Gloria Sacks, mother of Debbie Viens, were made by: Lori and Ken Berger The Elbaum Family The Panthauer Family Nancy and Jonathan Rosenthal Serena and Arnie Sher The Silberman/Weisman Family Deborah Bongiorno, in honor of Beth Pinkussohn s birthday. Geoffrey and Melanie Kooris, in memory of fathers, Domonic Correnti and Joseph Kooris. The Patrignelli Family, in appreciation to Alexa Cohen for Abigail s baby naming. Eileen and Howard Tolk, in honor of Marjorie Krubiner, for her leadership in the Merkaz program. Nursery School Scholarship Fund Donations made in memory of Thomas Prestianni, father of Alexa Cohen, were made by: The Adwin Family Lindsay Alston Linda and Joel Bernstein Bonim Preschool Class 3A Bonim Preschool Class 3B Bonim Preschool Class 4A Elaine and Juda Chetrit Jeffrey and Dorit Dahan The Giglietti Family Jessica, David, Benjamin and Harrison Goldberg Jan and Bernie Jacobs Shari and Brian Nerreau Rabbi James Prosnit and Wendy Bloch Dale, Robert and Sam Resnick-Riemer Rabbi Evan Schultz and Jenny Goldstein The Stern-Soltz Family Debbie, Dan, Matthew and Jaime Viens Gail and Peter Weinstein Linda and Joel Bernstein, in memory of Judie Spitz, mother of Shari Pearlman; in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall. The Bonim Preschool Families, in memory of Judie Spitz, mother of Shari Pearlman. Alexa Cohen, in memory of Judie Spitz, mother of Shari Pearlman. Gail and Peter Weinstein, in memory of Belle Taft, mother of Rhoda Levitan. Gail, Peter, Andrea and Brad Weinstein, in memory of Uncle Leon. Rabbi Martin Library Fund Carol and Nate Barsky, in memory of brother, Donald Quint, and sister, Gertrude Kelly. Muggs Lefsetz, in memory of Sylvia Mostov Thal, sister of Gerry Eckber. Prayer Book Fund Barbara Abraham, in honor of Barbara P. Bresler s 90 th Birthday. Carol and Nate Barsky, in memory of aunt and uncle, Eleanor and Harold Woodman. Mazon Carol and Nate Barsky, in memory of daughter, Lynn Barsky Ryalls. Judi and David Beier, in loving and cherished memory of grandmother, Celia Mehl. Beth Lazar, in loving memory of my uncle, Fred Greenberg. Nora Mayerson, in memory of beloved mother, Lily D.S. Shereshevsky. Cleo and Jonathan Sonneborn, in memory of father, Clark Rawdon. Religious School Scholarship Fund Eric and Lisa Broder, thank you to Ira Wise for all of the guidance he has given to Matthew as he becomes a Bar Mitzvah. Religious School Enrichment Fund Ken and Rita Weinstein, in memory of Albert Weinstein. Rabbi Arnold Sher Social Action Fund Carson and Robert Berkowitz, in memory of Isadore Nachimson, father of Barbara Gersen. Barry and Judy Kramer, in loving memory of sister, Rebecca Kramer; in loving memory of mother, Rose Singer. Beth Lazar, in loving memory of my mother, Shirley Greenberg Lazar. Jim Abraham Education Fund for Jewish Leadership Jonathan and Cleo Sonneborn, in honor of George Markley s 70 th birthday. Lee & David Lester Kesher Project, a donation. Gillette Judaic Enrichment Fund Ken and Karen Ferleger, in memory of Robert Greenhall, father of Larry Greenhall. Pillar of Congregation Luise and Ed Burger Steve and Jill Elbaum Jerry Saunders and Elaine Appellof Benefactor of Congregation Lori and Ken Berger President s Circle Jon Davis and Evelyn Rubak Randy and Beth Reich High Holy Day Appeal -- Update Thank you to everyone who donated Sandra Rosenberg Lori and Dan Underberger Debbie and Dan Viens Judy and Marty Waldman Debora and Michael Weisman High Holy Day Appeal Contribution Marcie and Yury Berson Michael and Judy Blumenthal Lori and Brad Chervin Eloise Epstein Noel and Danielle Forma Steven and Barbara Gersen Geoffrey Gladstein Janice and Bernie Jacobs Mollie and David Keller Ilse Levi George and Chris Markley Jeffrey Schwartz Rita and Dan Shichman Artie and Suzie Weissman Howard and Ondy Zuckerman Donation Item of the Month: Cans of Soup and Stew for Operation Hope. 9

10 From The Bonim Preschool A LOT TO CELBEBRATE The fun times continue to roll at Bonim Preschool. Above, students celebrated an early Thanksgiving. At right, Rabbi Schultz led students in a Hebrew version of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Holidays January 25 Tu BiShvat March 24 Purim April Passover (203) The Bulletin of Congregation B nai Israel is published every month except July. May 5 Yom HaShoah May 11 Yom HaZikaron May 12 Yom HaAtzma ut June Shavuot October 2 Erev Rosh Hashanah October 3-4 Rosh Hashanah James Prosnit, D.D.... Rabbi Evan Schultz... Rabbi Arnold I. Sher, D.D.... Rabbi Emeritus Sheri E. Blum, D.M.... Cantor Ramon Gilbert, D.M.... Cantor Emeritus Ira J. Wise, R.J.E.... Temple Educator Robert H. Gillette, R.J.E.... Educator Emeritus Alexa Cohen... Early Childhood Director Abby Rohinsky... Director of Facility Officers Samuel J. Rosenberg... President Michael Blumenthal... 1st Vice President Larry Levine... Vice President Shari Nerreau... Vice President Julie Pressman... Vice President Lori Underberger... Treasurer Jim Greenberg... Assistant Treasurer Evelyn Rubak... Secretary Joe Varon... Financial Secretary Mindy Siegel... Immediate Past President October 11 Erev Yom Kippur October 12 Yom Kippur Affiliates Marisa Underberger... BIFTY Advisor/Youth Engagement Specialist Becky Molinoff & Caroline DelAngelo... BIFTY Co-Presidents Scott L. Smith... Bulletin Editor 10 We want you in the Bulletin! Send your news to editor Scott Smith at ssmith@cbibpt.org.

11 Please Support Our Advertisers Celebrate Deliciously G&H GareliC k & Herbs THE ExclusivE c a TEr E r for MORA MORA the SPOT FOR PARTIES 3,200sq.ft of Creative Ballroom Space Sunday Brunch Dedicated Event Coordinator Attractive Rates for Your Next Event / Room Block! Call or for more details P: sales@westportinn.com Contact our Events Specialists at garelickandherbs.com Westport Southport New Canaan Greenwich The following members of the legal community join together in their support of the B nai Israel Bulletin: Michael Becker Ken Beck Eric Broder Marcia Cohen Irving J. Kern Mark A. Kirsch Richard Krantz Andrew R. Lubin George Markley Daniel Schopick Nancy Wechsler Appellate Bankruptcy Commercial Finance Common Interest Communities Corporate Elder Law & Long Term Care Planning Employment & Labor Land Use & Zoning Litigation Not Just a Law Firm. Your Law Firm. Matrimonial & Family Municipal Personal Injury Physicians Practices Real Estate Securities Securities Arbitration Tax and Trusts & Estates Telecommunications & Utilities BRIDGEPORT DANBURY WESTPORT ORANGE We are on Twitter now! Follow us We ll follow back! 11

12 Please Support Our Advertisers Hansen s Flower Shop Family Owned and Operated Since 1920 Shop 24/7 By Phone or Website Bar, Bat Mitzvahs and Weddings Our Specialty (203) What brought you to B nai Israel? Share your story. Send your One of Us story to Scott Smith at ssmith@cbibpt.org.

13 Please Support Our Advertisers GEORGE J. MARKLEY ATTORNEY AT LAW Michael J Lehrhaupt, CLTC 12 Cambridge Drive, Suite 100 Trumbull CT OFFICE FAX TOLL FREE 888-LTC-Today michael@strategies4ltc.com HERITAGE SQUARE #E POST ROAD FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT PHONE (203) FAX (203) The following members of the financial community join together in their support of the B nai Israel Bulletin: Edward P. Burger, CPA Luise M. Burger, CPA What s happening at the Temple? Get Hashavua, our weekly . Send your request to Lynn at lynn@cbibpt.org. 13

14 Please Support Our Advertisers in our home and yours Jewish Senior Services provides care throughout Southern Connecticut. Rehabilitation Home Care Day Services Long Term Care Hospice Advocacy & Education Long Term Care Protection 175 Jefferson Street, Fairfield CT The following members of the medical community join together in their support of the B nai Israel Bulletin: 55 Greens Farms Road Westport, CT (203) Eric J. Broder: ebroder@broderorland.com Carole Topol Orland: corland@broderorland.com Dr. Andrea Hagani Dr. Robert D. Chessin Dr. David F. Bindelglass Dr. Alan M. Nelson Dr. Glenn M. Rich Dr. Michael Sonick Dr. Lawrence Dinkes Dr. Kenneth Rabine Dr. George P. Kelly Dr. Howard B. Twersky Dr. Martha Yepes Small Dr. Jeffrey D. Small Dr. Peter A. Small Dr. Edward Portnay Dr. Michael Connolly Dr. Kenneth Kingsly Dr. Mark J. Hotchkiss Dr. Andrew Levi Dr. Jared Selter Dr. Geoffrey Gladstein Dr. Rachel E. Sheiman Dr. Brian King Dr. Abraham Fridman Dr. Katherine J. Pesce 14 Like Us on Facebook. Visit the Congregation B nai Israel page and join us online.

15 Shabbat Service Schedule (Fridays at 6:00 p.m. where indicated, preceded by an Oneg Shabbat at 5:30 p.m.) Friday, January 1 6:00 p.m. Service Torah Portion Shemot, Exod. 1:1-6:1 Haftarah Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-29:23 Saturday, January 2 8:00 a.m. Service 9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah Friday, January 8 5:30 p.m. Mishpacha Shabbat 6:00 p.m. Service Torah Portion Vaera, Exod. 6:2-9:35 Haftarah Ezekiel 28:25-29:21 Saturday, January 9 8:00 a.m. Service 9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah Friday, January 15 6:00 p.m. Service In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, we welcome Pastor Bernadette Hickman Maynard and members of the AME Beth El Church in Bridgeport Torah Portion Bo, Exod. 10:1-13:16 Haftarah Jeremiah 46:13-28 Saturday, January 16 8:00 a.m. Service 9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah 10:45 a.m. Shabbat Service with Rabbi Schultz in the Library Friday, January 22 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Shirah Sabbath of Song Service with the Sacred Heart University Choir, conducted by John Michniewicz, director of Choral Programs at Sacred Heart University, joined by the B nai Israel Adult Choir Torah Portion Beshallah, Exod. 13:17-17:16 Haftarah Judges 4:4-5:31 Saturday, January 23 8:00 a.m. Service 9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah 11:00 a.m. Bar Mitzvah of Nicholas Menkes, son of Michael and Linda Menkes Friday, January 29 6:00 p.m. Service Torah Portion Yitro, Exod. 18:1-20:23 Haftarah Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-9:6 Saturday, January 30 8:00 a.m. Service 9:00 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Torah Study 9:30 a.m. Young Families Havurah 11:00 a.m. Bat Mitzvah of Ava Spartachino, daughter of Randy and Deanna Spartachino CHANUKAH GIFTS A Different Way To Celebrate Shabbat Join us for the 10:45 a.m. Shabbat morning service (formerly The Rabbi s Table). This monthly Shabbat service meets with Rabbi Schultz in our library from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. The service is open to all, and there is free childcare. The remaining dates for 5776 are January 16, February 20, March 12, April 16 and May 14. Eighth-grade (above left) and seventh-grade students took their dreidels for a spin during a break between religious school classes on a Monday night early last month. The real winner this year is the Temple, thanks to the Gift of Light initiative. Congregants sent gift candles to more than 460 homes this year as the popular program continued to expand its reach in just its third year. Preliminary numbers show the Gift of Light raised more than $14,000 for the Temple. Thank you to everyone who participated, especially those who wrapped and delivered the candles. Donation Item of the Month: Cans of Soup and Stew for Operation Hope. Food For The Soul We need your help! Before each Shabbat service, the temple provides a small Oneg in the lobby. These small (nut-free) snacks and drinks are a great icebreaker as you meet fellow congregants, a perfect quick bite if you re ravenous after a long day, and a helpful distraction for toddlers and younger children. However, they do not appear by magic! If you can volunteer to bring in treats on a Friday, please contact Naomi Schaffer at naomilev@ optonline.net. You can drop them off at any time that s convenient for you. Thank you! 15

16 Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 171 Fairfield, Conn. Congregation B nai Israel 2710 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT Confirmation Class Students Make Their Case on Capitol Hill Eleven members of the 2016 Confirmation Class journeyed to Washington, D.C., last month to champion important political causes of Reform Judaism. As part of the annual Religious Action Center (RAC) trip, the students joined with counterparts from other congregations from across the United States to lobby Capitol Hill. B nai Israel s students met with staff of Connecticut s U.S. senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. The teenagers stated their cases for the Reform Movement s positons on stem cell research, gun control, LGBT equality, malaria, incarceration reform and Israel. For more than 50 years, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has been the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity in Washington, D.C. As the D.C. office of the Union for Reform Judaism, the RAC educates and mobilizes the Reform Jewish community on legislative and social concerns, advocating on more than 70 different issues, including economic justice, civil rights, religious liberty and Israel. Members of B nai Israel s Confirmation Class of 2016 stand in front of the U.S. Capitol during last month s trip to Washington, D.C.