December, 2018 Congregation House of Israel 23 Kislev - 23 Tevet, 5779 Hanukkah Party Friday, December 7 Services begin at 5:00 p.m., with a special Hanukkah program led by our ISJL Fellow; party follows immediately Latkes, Chili, Salad and Dessert provided by Sisterhood Cost to Congregation members: $10.00 for everyone over 18 Cost for non-congregation members: $20.00; $15.00 aged 5-18 Bring your menorah for lighting at the temple.
Thank You We would like to thank the following donors (as of November 20, 2018) General Fund We thank the following who made contribtions in beloved memory of Louis Kleinman Ken and Annette Baim Yossi and Kim Baron Millie Baron Peter and Jacqueline Blakeslee Mark, Joel Tom and Matt Dietrick - Schaefer Plumbing Service Stuart and Kay Fleischner Mark and Patti Fleischner Mary Long Gardner Shane and Leslie Hardin Charles and Julie Jarrell Steven and Clarissa Kirsch Mary Klompus Carol and Shelly Kleinman Fred Korngut Hal and Sue Koppel Larry and Carol Levi Lotus Club Barbara Morgan Bart and Bonnie Newman Cynthia Rephan Mori and Toni Silverman Gary Schmidt Ross and Ruth Sedler Al and Carolyn Thomas Mark and Deborah Varnell Patti and Mark Fleischner In honor of the anniversary of Stuart and Kay Fleischner Hal and Sue Koppel In beloved memory of Hal s father, Jacob Koppel In honor of Millie Baron receiving the Tikkun Olam Award Cynthia Rephan In honor of Millie Baron receiving the Tikkun Olam Award In beloved memory of Jean Gershner Mary Klompus In beloved memory of Stuart Klompus Published monthly by: Congregation House of Israel PO Box 20802 300 Quapaw Hot Springs, AR 71903 (501) 623-5821 Website: http://hschi.org Editor: Shelly Kleinman Webmaster: Shelly Kleinman Editorial Assistance: Anita Williams Email to: info@hschi.org Submissions due the 15th of the prior month. Distributed free to members, prospective members, local clergy and other interested parties. Dennis and Anita Williams In beloved memory of Leland H. Williams, father of Dennis Willisms In beloved memory o Joyce B. Boswell, mother of Anita Willisms Elaine Gartenberg In beloved memory of Jean Gershner Mary Klompus In honor of Millie Baron receiving the Tikkun Olam Award Barbara Bushee In honor of Congregation House of Israel Betty Forshberg In beloved memory of Jean Gershner Alan Kagan In beloved memory of Mauria Kagan Sisterhood Fund Mark and Patti Fleischner In beloved memory of Jean Gershner Oded Grenman In beloved memory of Sharona Grenman Page 2
Reb Shelly s Desk My thanks to Rabbi Michael Gold for this commentary. One should always go up in holiness and not go down in holiness. (Talmud Shabbat 21b) Although a relatively minor festival in the Jewish calendar, Hanukkah has become one of our most popular celebrations. It touches on many wonderful themes religious freedom, fighting evil, the rededication of a Temple, the spreading of light. Yet there is one theme I find particularly compelling as we study what it means to be human. The basic law of Hanukkah is simply to light a lamp in the window. It is for those who want to beautify the festival that the number of lights changes from day to day. There is an argument between the two great schools of early Rabbinic thought Shammai and Hillel. Shammai says that on the first night we should light eight lights. Then each night we diminish by one. Hillel on the other hand says that we should light one light on the first night. Then each night we increase the number by one. Of course Jews throughout the world follow the opinion of Hillel. But it is worth delving more deeply into their argument. Why would Shammai teach that we lower the number of lights each night? Most scholars believe Hanukkah began as a second chance to celebrate the eight day festival of Sukkot. The Maccabees, busy fighting their enemies in the Judean hills, were unable to properly celebrate the fall harvest festival. On Sukkot offerings were brought to the Temple. But each day the number of offerings was reduced by one. To commemorate this second Sukkot, Shammai taught that the lights should be reduced each evening by one. Shammai might have been correct historically. But his idea sent the wrong religious message. Hanukkah falls close to the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Through the Fall into the Winter the days have grown shorter and shorter. With Hanukkah there is a need for more light, not less light. So Hillel taught that one should increase the amount of light each night. Hillel had to give a reason for this change in practice. He taught one of the most important teachings about being a human being, One should always go up in holiness and not go down in holiness. Holiness is what separates us human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom. Animals live according to their nature; they follow their instincts. As humans we need to rise above our nature, we need to strive to achieve higher and higher levels of holiness. Many rabbis speak about a ladder of holiness. We should strive to climb that ladder. There is a Hassidic story that outlines the issue: A rebbe asks his students, Who is higher on a ladder, someone on the third rung or someone on the eleventh rung? The students all answer, Of course, the eleventh rung. Wrong, responds the rebbe, Who is higher? It depends if they are going up or down. Wherever we begin, we are always higher if we are climbing up the ladder of holiness. We live in a world filled with darkness. Shammai s vision, although based on historical facts, was to increase the darkness. Diminish the number of lights until none are left. Hillel realized that Shammai was wrong. There are enough people bringing darkness into the world. A festival of lights has to bring more light into the world. And we do so by bringing more holiness into the world. Hanukkah is the time to consider the ladder of holiness. How can we continue to go up that ladder? Many thinkers have seen human beings as suspended somewhere between animals and angels. How can we move up from the animals and become a little closer to the angels? How can we keep spreading the light of holiness throughout the world? That is the message we are displaying in our window as we increase the lights each night of Hanukkah. To you and your family, have a Happy Hanukkah. Page 3
You re Invited Westley Huttner Kleinman s Bar Mitzvah Saturday, December 22, 2018 Please join the family in celebration of Westley Kleinman s Bar Mitzvah. Erev Shabbat services will begin on Friday night, December 21, at 7:30 p.m. Services will be followed by a dessert oneg sposored by the CHI Sisterhood. Bar Mitzvah services on Saturday will begin at 5:00 p.m. Services will include a tradtional reading from the Torah followed by Havdallah. Page 4
Dear Friends and Supporters, We are pleased to share this update on our progress toward creating the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans. We now project a grand opening in the first half of 2020, and we are pushing hard to bring the museum to you as soon as possible. Capital Campaign Update Most of our efforts are spent meeting with potential donors. We are concentrating on those that have the capacity to give at leadership levels. We invite all levels of support and are excited for everyone to participate. We are edging closer to the day when we ll roll out a widespread campaign. Our first goal was to fully fund the capital we believe is needed to design, install, and open our museum. We are excited to announce that our pledges and indications now exceed the $5,000,000 called for in the opening budget. This is a critical milestone because it means we take comfort in knowing that our opening budget is funded and that the museum will be a reality. Thanks are due to so many of you for your support. There are many potential supporters among you that are still considering your pledge. WE NEED YOU NOW. It will take a lot more to ensure the long-term health of the MSJE and to enable the additional programming that we have planned. We have barely scratched the surface outside of Louisiana and so we ll be making special effort to expand our leadership gift campaign throughout the 13-state south, and beyond. We are recruiting volunteers now to join our Campaign Leadership Cabinet. You can help us by providing introductions to possible donors throughout the South. We are creating a museum to attract a wide range of the general public and a robust renewable membership. Our feasibility study assumes that our revenues will be near the median of similar museums. Yet, our location in New Orleans and our unique story will give us the opportunity to exceed those models. Remember, our goal is to establish a museum with a healthy financial reserve account and to operate in a financially sustainable fashion. Our goal of $10,000,000 in capital is not a dream. We are well on our way. 818 Howard Avenue Our first floor will include an admissions lobby, gift shop, theater, and three exhibition galleries. The galleries will be organized into thematic and chronological sections revealing the history of Jews in the South, including the current impact within our communities. We ll devote a large space to introducing basic concepts in Judaism, aimed at most of our visitors who are not expected to be Jewish. Our second floor will include a gallery for bringing in fresh, rotating exhibits on new subjects, a space for education, workshops, and events, and our administrative offices. The Feil Organization is now beginning demolition of the existing building interior and mechanical systems, and it will preserve the historic nature of the building with exposed hardwood beams and brick walls. They will create an air-conditioned atrium for our exclusive use, with skylights for natural light. Continued on page 9 Page 5
Jewish Trivia December December 2, 1763 December 7, 2017 December 8, 1987 December 26, 1936 Dedication of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. Touro is the oldest synagogue in America. U.S. recommends that Jerusalem become the capital of the State of Israel. Palestine Intifada founded by Yasser Arafat Arturo Toscanini conducts the first performance of the Israeli Philharmonic in Tel Aviv. The orchestra was founded by the Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman in 1935. Deceased December 1, 1973 December 2, 1990 December 8, 1978 December 10, 1987 December 12, 1971 December 16, 1984 December 16, 1984 December 20, 1962 December 23, 2000 December 25, 2016 December 26, 2016 December 29, 1967 David Ben Gurion: Israeli Prime Minister Aaron Copland: musician Golda Meir: Israeli Prime Minister Jascha Heifitz: violinist David Sarnoff: founder of RCA Bess Myerson: politician, television actress, former Miss America Jan Pierce: opera singer Arthur Rubinstein: pianist Victor Borge: pianist Carrie Fisher: actress Jack Benny: entertainer Paul Whiteman: conductor Page 6
A Fun Read By Sherrill Nicolosi Whether or not you are a football fan, you will enjoy this fun read, Eat My Schwartz, by brothers, Geoff and Mitch Schwartz. The book is the story of two of the NFL s offensive linemen who describe how football, their Jewish faith, food, and traditions, and close knit Jewish family, have made them two extraordinary, interesting, funny, successful men, on and off the field. Both are presently playing for NFL teams: Geoff with the Detroit Lions and Mitch with the Kansas City Chiefs. This book contains anecdotes and stories, many of which relate to the ways they shared their Jewishness with teammates, coaches, teachers, etc. who had little or no knowledge of the Jewish faith. Many of the tales involve Jewish food and holidays and festivities, painting a picture of devotion and determination interwoven to produce two top notch football players. In addition to the brothers tales, the book includes several of their favorite recipes to enjoy before, during and after the games. Read the book and see a different side of football. Dreidels spun in the Diaspora have four letters: nun, gimel, hey and shin. These stand for the phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham, or A Great Miracle Happened There. The same spinning tops in Israel replace the shin with a peh for the phrase Nes Gadol Haya Po, or a Great Miracle Happened Here. No matter where we as Jews sit down to play this game, it reminds us to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah. No less miraculous than the Maccabean uprising or the oil that lasted for eight nights is the founding of the modern State of Israel Good News From California By Diana Surfas The evacuation was lifted for some residential areas today. Mazel Tov Les and I and our dogs are back in our home. We have had no damage and are feeling very fortunate. These fires have been catastrophic. 2018 will be a very meaningful Thanksgiving for so many in California. Thank you all for your caing concern. Les and Diana Surfas Karen with her mom, Annette, celebrating her (Karen s) birthday at the Sisterhood Meeting in October. Page 7
Congregation House of Israel Board of Directors Rabbi Sheldon Shelly Kleinman 501-282-0055 rebshelly@hschi.org Dennis Williams, President 870-230-3529 jwmensch1@gmail.com David D. Reagler, Vice President 870-208-4495 david@arkansasrecords.com Glenda Kirsch, Secretary 281-458-2655 ghkirsch@hotmail.com Hal Koppel, Treasurer 501-525-3238 hjkkrew@yahoo.com Barbara Morgan 501-767-1459 barbara.morgan@mygait.com Millie Baron, Sisterhood 501-538-6619 millie487@hotmail.com Ira Kleinman 501-520-1323 irakleinman@hotmail.com Ruth Sedler 806-789-9362 sedlerlbk@aol.com Sherrill Nicolosi 501-984-1517 sherrilln@suddenlinkmail.com Jerry Rephan 501-321-1551 jrephan@hotsprings.net Jerry Tanenbaum, ARZA-World Union 501-262-9770 jerryhotsprings@usa.net Oneg Thanks Dec 7 Dec 14 Dec 21 Dec 28 Thank you to the following for sponsoring an Oneg during the month of December: Sisterhood sponsored Hanukkah party Barbara Morrgan Kathy Klein Sisterhood sponsored in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of West Kleinman Sue and Hal Koppel Sharon and Mike Waxler Reminder: If you are scheduled for an upcoming Oneg and need to change dates, please find someone to switch with and then let Carol Kleinman know so the information printed in the bulletin will be correct. Refuah Shelemah The following people are in our thoughts and prayers: Imy Marcus Robert Burns Jerry Tanenbaum Ken Baim Marci Campbell Ira Brand Please offer prayers that they all have a full and speedy recovery. Stuart Fleischner, Immediate Past President 501-617-1761 toothshucker@hotmail.com Page 8
December Yahrzeits Kaddish Recited December 7 Barbara Schlesinger Friend of Congregation House of Israel Alyce Brand Sister of Carol Kleinman Kaddish Recited December 14 Bernice Waxler Mother of Michael Waxler Naomi Tanenbaum Mother of Jerrry Tanenbaum Kaddish Recited December 21 Lynn Raines Kirsch Wife of Steven Kirsch Nellie Sheets Mother of Mary Klompus Kaddish Recited December 28 Hyman Robins Grandfather of Betty Feir Dora Taxer Mother of Sheldon (Shep) Taxer Birthdays & Anniversaries December Anniversaries Imy and Harriett Marcus Dec 17 Brad and Elaine Wolken Dec 26 December Birthdays Sally Nicolosi Dec 6 Sophie Fleischner Dec 7 Sherrill Nicolosi Dec 20 Kim Baron Dec 22 Frances Iverson Dec 30 Museum of Southern Jewish Experience Exhibition Design We engaged Gallagher Design of Washington, D.C. as our exhibition designers. They are an enormously talented group and we are continually impressed with the depth of their knowledge and the ideas they are presenting. To remind you, Gallagher is the principal designer of the exhibits at the National WWII Museum and dozens of other prime attractions around the world. Some of us recently toured the National 911 Memorial with them at the World Trade Center site in NYC. It was amazing to see that memorial with the designer that actually created almost the entire media installation, over 100 unique media presentations. If you haven t done so, please visit gallagherdesign.com/projects/ for examples of the kind of work we expect. We will be assisted in our decisions with exhibit inclusions by at least 20 of the most knowledgeable Southern Jewish historians, writers and rabbis who serve on our Historical Advisory Committee. These women and men will help us scope out the stories we will tell and the lessons we will teach. Shalom. Make yourself at home. Jay Tanenbaum, Chairman Morris Mintz, Vice-Chairman Rusty Palmer, Vice Chairman Continued from page 5 Kenneth Hoffman, Executive Director kenneth@msje.org / 504.338.4683 Page 9
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