The Shofar. Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One

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1 August Av Elul 5778 The Shofar Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One Monthly Newsletter Congregation Bayt Shalom 4351 E. 10th Street Greenville, NC new.baytshalom.org 1

2 Contents Rabbi's Message 3 President's Message 5 Donations 6 Membership 6 CBS August Calendar 7 High Holiday Parts For You 7 High Holidays Calendar 8 Upcoming Events Bat Mitzvah of Sofia Aceto 8 Men s Club Dines Out at Kasturi 8 Sisterhood Is Back! 9 Announcements Hospital Visitations 10 Birthdays 10 Anniversaries 10 Yahrzreits 10 CBS Board Members 11 2

3 Rabbi s Message The Holocaust: A Popular and Impactful Subject Last month, I was honored to join 32 teachers from across our state in D.C., for workshops and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum visits about teaching the Holocaust. These teachers, mostly young and all not Jewish, showed a phenomenal devotion to teaching this subject. Often, they fought their school systems for more time for the subject. Almost always, electives in the Holocaust, and genocide, were the most popular choice among students. We can feel assured that North Carolinians will never forget. However, this takes work. Our state s Holocaust Council, an official part of the Department of Public Instruction (funded with state money as well as private donations), sponsored this trip. They also run eight teacher workshops across the state each year, including one in Greenville this fall. The trip was led by Juanita Ray, who covers the western half of our state, and Karen Klaich, who covers the East. Their website, contains easily accessible information about the Holocaust and how to teach it. Here is where we need your help. Karen and I have started the Holocaust Education Network of Eastern Carolina, a partner of the NC Council (and other groups), to train teachers and to stimulate annual educational programs with schools, churches, and community groups. So far, we have three other experienced and enthusiastic Holocaust history teachers (in Greenville, Kinston, and New Bern), plus Al Schreier from CBS, plus six teachers from the recent DC trip. We need more Jewish activists throughout our region. Please contact me. Among the most stimulating moments of the trip was teacher introductions, which I usually dread. They shared why this has become their passion. Juanita saw her decades of teaching (and training teachers) as preparation for a time like now, with the rise of nationalism in Europe (and America) and with threats to democratic institutions. Other comments included: We want our kids to have empathy, not just sympathy, for the victims, and to know that victims, and perpetrators, were people just like you. Another sought to teach students not to become victims, not perpetrators, and especially not bystanders. And another stressed the need to teach what students can do, today, to foster respect among diverse groups and to stop a bit of injustice, one step at a time. Finally, a great history lesson: history doesn t always repeat itself, so we should not compare everything to the Nazis, but it sure does rhyme, so we should teach the echoes. 3

4 No school subject so motivates teachers and students. Consider the Museum s first paragraph about why teach about the Holocaust: The history of the Holocaust represents one of the most effective and most extensively documented subjects for pedagogical examination of basic moral issues. A structured inquiry into Holocaust history yields critical lessons for an investigation of human behavior. A study of the Holocaust also addresses one of the central tenets of education in the United States to examine what it means to be a responsible citizen. (including to learn to identify the danger signals to a free society and to know how and when to react. ) trip. Please join our teachers and community activists in this holy work. L shalom, Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman PS. Check my weekly columns for more insights and stories from this D.C. 4

5 President s Message Dear Congregation Bayt Shalom, As we near our High Holy Days we have lots to be grateful for in our congregation and much to reflect upon during this past year. It is an integral time to think about why and what makes Judaism a critical part of our belief systems and source of goodness and hope. PJ library provides one source of Jewish traditions for our youth. One of Eloise s favorite PJ library books is Ketzel the Cat who Composed. Ketzel means cat in Yiddish. The book is based on the true story of Moshe Cotel, who composed a 200 page, four-movement symphony at the age of thirteen. He went on to teach at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and when he retired from teaching, was ordained a Rabbi. Speaking to the Johns Hopkins Gazette about Ketzel, Moshe Cotel s pet s accomplishment in music, he noted: The rabbis speak of kavannah, a state of mental concentration. Any common-place event in our day can be transformed and seen in a heightened sense of reality. We are surrounded by miracles if only you can perceive them. I see this as one way that Judaism is relevant to modern society. We need to be open minded and focused to be able to visualize how Judaism impacts our everyday lives. It is universal and offers a wealth of insight, guidance, structure and accountability. Judaism allows us to navigate an oftentimes tumultuous world, giving us inner strength and courage. May this New Year bring us closer to focusing on our community and its Jewish traditions. Let s discover Jewish learning and sources of inspiration that bring us closer to kavannah. Every day and especially during Shabbat, we have this unique opportunity as Jews. L Shana Tova! Suzanne Clark 5

6 Donations ü From Abbie Brown, in memory of Mary Schreier, mother of Al Schreier Donations help to sustain the synagogue. All gifts, regardless of size, are important! To donate, visit the Congregation Bayt Shalom website, new.baytshalom.org and use the Donor button at the top right of the screen. Use PayPal or a credit card. Or send your check made out to Congregation Bayt Shalom to: Treasurer, Congregation Bayt Shalom, PO Box 2713, Greenville, Other donation opportunities: Yahrzeit Memorial Plaques ($300) Plaques remain on permanent display in the sanctuary, with a bulb lit next to your loved one s name on the yahrzeit date and during Yom Kippur. Contact Rabbi Harley with name, birth date, death date. Simcha Tree Leaf ($100 large leaf, $75 small leaf) The simcha tree is on display in the lobby. Leaves commemorate milestone events. Contact Carol Woodruff at woodruffc@ecu.edu to provide the information desired for the leaf imprint. Membership It is time for Renewals. I plan to get the packets to you in early August. Please complete your packets and return them by September 1, Reminder: If you know of someone interested in becoming a member, please ask them to contact me, or give me their contact information. You can contact me at membership@baytshalom.org or Thank you for all your help, Carol Rados 6

7 CBS Simcha v Torah - Celebration & Learning All events, unless noted, at Bayt Shalom, rabbi_harley@baytshalom.org, Daily Schedule for August and First Week of September Friday, August 3 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Service & Oneg Abbie Brown leads services. Tot/Family Shabbat resumes in September Thursday, August 9 2:00 pm Adult B nai Mitzvah New students may join anytime Friday, August 10 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Service & Oneg Wednesday, Aug 15 6:00 pm Men s Club Dinner at Kasturi Friday, August 17 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Service & Oneg Tom Kane leads services Saturday, August 18 9:00 am Torah Study 10:00 am Shabbat Service Monday, August 20 6:30 pm Board Meeting Contact Suzanne Clark if you have agenda items Thursday, August 23 2:00 pm Adult B nai Mitzvah Friday, August 24 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Service & Oneg Sunday, August 26 9:30 am Talmud Torah/Religious School begins Bagel Schmooze; Family Education by our new ISJL intern, Harrison Bleiberg Friday, August 31 7:30 pm Community Shabbat Service & Oneg Saturday, Sept 1 10:00 am Bat Mitzvah of Sofia Aceto Thursday, Sept 6 2:00 pm Adult B nai Mitzvah Friday, September 7 6:00-6:30 Family Tot Shabbat Service Led by our students 6:30-7:30 Community Pot Luck Dinner All are welcome 7:30-8:30 Shabbat Service High Holiday Parts for You Rosh Hashanah begins Sunday evening, September 9. Please consider taking part. You can: read/chant a Torah section; offer blessings (an Aliyah ); read a prayer in English; lead music for a prayer, or more, in Hebrew; sound the Shofar (with Abbie and others); open the Ark; lift or wrap the Torah; and/or usher. Please let Rabbi Harley know what you might like to do. We will help you learn and practice. 7

8 High Holy Day Services 2018/ 5779 Our worship services are open to all. No tickets needed. We appreciate donations to our Yom Kippur appeal. Saturday, September 8 7:00 pm Selichot Service Pray and study for forgiveness to prepare for Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 9 7:30 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 10 9:30 am Rosh Hashanah Morning Service 5:00 pm Family Service & Tashlich at Greenville Town Commons All welcome, please bring bread crumbs to throw (symbol of repentance) in river Tuesday, September 11 9:30 am Rosh Hashanah (Second Day) Morning Service Friday, September 14 7:30 pm Shabbat Shuvah Service Tuesday, September 18 7:30 pm Kol Nidre Erev Yom Kippur Wednesday, September 19 9:30 am Yom Kippur Morning Service 4:00 pm Minchah (Afternoon Service) Yizkor (Memorial), and Ne ilah (Closing), followed by Break the Fast Upcoming Events Bat Mitzvah of Sofia Aceto Please join the congregation in special celebration and joy as Sofia Aceto is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, September 1, at 10 a.m. Sofia will also lead services at the Community Shabbat Service on Friday, August 31, at 7:30 pm. Oneg will follow the service. Sofia is the daughter of Michael and Maura Aceto. Men s Club Dinner Wednesday, August 22, 6:00 PM at Kasturi Indian Cuisine 2205 West Arlington Boulevard, Greenville In the Medical District, next to Starbucks RSVP requested but not required: Jeremy Tuchmayer, jtuchmayer@gmail.com Check out Kasturi: Check out Bob Gardner s Weekend Review: Sisterhood is Back! See next page for more 8

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10 Announcements Hospital Visitations Due to HIPAA hospital privacy restrictions, Rabbi Harley does not receive a list of Jewish patients in the hospital. If you or a loved one is in the hospital and would like a visit, please let Rabbi Harley know. We Celebrate Birthdays Aug 1 Aug 1 Aug 5 Aug 9 Aug 12 Aug 12 Aug 13 Aug 15 Aug 23 Aug 23 Aug 23 Aug 29 Aug 31 Lily Thompson Leo Connor Kimberley Rados Waufle Karen Barondes Leo Jaffe Rachel Schreier Nathaniel Schreier Emma Dembo Jessie Hollingsworth Rachel Hollingsworth Ashley Servia Tom Kane Mac Clebone Anniversaries Aug 12 Stephanie and Fletcher Thompson Aug 28 Rabbi Harley and Barbara Karz-Wagman Aug 30 Jodi and Ira Adler Aug 30 Inna and Alex Porter We Remember - Yarhrzeits Aug 2 Doris Dembo, mother of Jon Dembo (21 Av) Aug 4 Greggory Lovas, father of Megan Silver Aug 5 Alex Stein, father of Maryann Klein Aug 10 Morris C. Nissan, grandfather of Marc Miller Aug 11 Gerald Reich, father of Dindy Reich Aug 12 Ann Friedkin, mother of Barbara Kane Aug 13 Judy Kushnick, Congregant Aug 17 Marvin Barondes, father of Michael Barondes Aug 17 Simon Nover, Memorial Plaque Aug 19 Muriel Schinasi, mother of Michael Schinasi (Elul 8) Aug 20 Bronya Valdman, mother of Max Valdman Aug 20 Cathy Cohen, mother of Amy Goldstein Aug 21 Minna Reich, mother of Dindy Reich Aug 24 Esther Barr, mother of Judy Kushnick (Memorial Plaque) 10

11 Congregation Bayt Shalom Board Please send corrections to CBS secretary, Alan Schreier, First Name Last Name Position Address Phone Harley Karz-Wagman Rabbi C Suzanne Clark President suzannepclark@hotmail.com Position Available Vice President Russell Needell Past President rneedell@suddenlink.net H; C Jeffrey Sterling Treasurer treasurer.cbs@gmail.com Alan Schreier Secretary alan.schreier@gmail.com C; H Committees & Auxiliaries Leona Weissman Finance Chair lgweissman@gmail.com Jodi Adler Co-Chair Education jodilynn13@yahoo.com Marc Miller Co-Chair Education millermarcs@yahoo.com C Elizabeth Myers Co-Chair Education elizjmyers@gmail.com C Carol Rados Membership Chair vrcrados@yahoo.com C Position Available Religious Activities Rosalie and John Hutchens Shofar rjhutchens1@gmail.com Position Available Programs Bill Angus House Chair angusc@ecu.edu Karen Barondes Youth Group Chair kbarondes@gmail.com Amy Blumenthal Youth Group co-advisor ablumenthal68@gmail.com Position Available Young Jewish Professionals Jeremy Tuchmayer Men s Club jtuchmayer@gmail.com Carol Woodruff Sisterhood Pres. woodruffc@ecu.edu C Position Available Trustees Position Available Chesed Caring Committee Trustee Rich Rados Trustee richrados@hotmail.com C Carol Woodruff Trustee woodruffc@ecu.edu C 11

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