Congregation Sons of Zion 378 Maple Street Holyoke, MA 01040 Sons of Zion News Phone: (413) 534-3369 Email: sonsofzionoffice@gmail.com Upcoming Dates to Remember: Clocks Fall Back on Sunday 11/6 SOZ Board Meeting 11/9 7:30pm Minyan on Thanksgiving Day is at 9:30am Inside this issue: From the Presidents Board Meeting Summary 4 5 Calendar 6 Yahrzeits and Minyan Chairs 7 Thank You! 7 Activities 8-10 From the Office 12 Volume 2, Issue 4 From Our Rabbi The last few weeks have been full and intense, with the High Holiday period of looking inward, followed by the joyous release that Sukkot brings, and culminating in Simchat Torah night as we sing and dance with the Torah in celebration of beginning anew both personally and communally by starting the cycle of Torah readings all over again with Bereshit/Genesis. All of these holidays fall in the Hebrew month of Tishrei. It is customary to announce and bless the arrival of a new Hebrew month on the preceding Shabbat morning service. I am writing this as we prepare to welcome the month of Cheshvan. A note in the Conservative movement Luach that outlines the laws and customs relating to synagogue services stipulates that we do not announce the month as Cheshvan, but rather as Marcheshvan. What is the significance of adding the prefix Mar to the month of Cheshvan? This does not happen with any other month. Mar in Hebrew means bitter, and Cheshvan is introduced as Marcheshvan Bitter Cheshvan because it does not include any Jewish festivals. Especially in contrast to the richness of the month of Tishrei November 2016 Cheshvan 5777 Noah carrying his wife to the Ark, by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel (detail) now ending, Cheshvan can appear rather gloomy, if not downright bitter. I must admit that I chafed at reading the instruction to announce and bless the month as Bitter/MarCheshvan, rather than just Cheshvan. Didn t we just finish singing any number of times during the (Continued on page 3)
Page 2 Cemetery Restoration Project Report #2 Real grass is in the cemetery! Both contractors are on schedule and will be complete as soon as possible. Please visit before the snow comes (again!!) and see how much is already done. Further tax-deductible contributions for the restoration project and other cemetery contributions after the goal has been met will Richard Wilson in memory of his Parents Joseph Cohen in memory of Lillian Margolis and Samuel Cohen Ruth Epstein in memory of A. William Epstein Andrew & Lynda Levin Michael & Joan Rosner Larry & Anne Carmen be used for maintenance of the cemetery. THANK YOU to the 52 contributors so far! Your contributions will make our cemetery a dignified place for so many who have done so much for our community. Joanne Saltman, Cemetery Chair James Eisenstock, Project Chair Judith L. Greenspan in memory of Parents and Other Loved Ones William & Sharon Rothchild Amy Bernstein Jay Eisenstock in memory of Shirley Eisenstock Ellen Kischel in memory of Bea & Milton Palmer Jacqueline Brecht Ruth G. Price in memory of Rubin & Martha Michaelson, Fannie & Manuel Goldblatt Frederick & Elaine Clein in memory of The Kaplinsky Family Rachel Henderson in memory of Mollie Blatt Lois & Stephen Levin Frederick & Georgette Barowsky Francis & Ann LaMagdelaine in memory of Benjamin Wilson, Teresa Wilson, Ann Wilson LaMagdelaine & Shirley Eisenstock A & B Eisenstock in memory of Shirley Eisenstock Dr. & Mrs. David Nochimson Sherwin & Rhoda Wernick Jennifer & Berkeley O'Keefe in memory of Benjamin & Teresa Wilson, Amy Levin & Shirley Eisenstock Robert Zellan in memory of Abraham & Elizabeth Zellan Sons of Zion News
Volume 1, Issue 6 (Continued from page 1) Sukkot Hallel service This is the day that God has made; let us exult and rejoice in it from Psalm 118? I would like to regard every day and every month as a gift from God with the potential for joy and exultation, rather than write off a whole month as bitter. So I ve been thinking about how we can I would like take the Mar/ Bitter out of to regard Marcheshvan. Here are a every day... few suggestions: as a gift from God with the Enjoy Thanksgiving, potential for an American holiday that is joy consonant with Jewish values, and that falls in Cheshvan this year. According to one of my teachers, those who introduced the holiday of Thanksgiving consciously modelled it after the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Jewish Book Month also begins in Cheshvan this year. Enjoy reading a Jewish book. The Sons of Zion Book Club will be having brunch while discussing "Lovesong" by Julius Lester.at their meeting on Sunday, November 20th at 9:30am in the small social hall Join them to get even more out of a good read. Send an email or call someone who is special to you but who you haven t contacted for a long time. The joy of your surprise call can be a great bitterness-reducer (or joyinducer) for both of you. Start the Jewish new year off right by regularly attending Shabbat morning services. Research has shown that people who are participate regularly in ongoing community events like religious services are happier and live longer. And the Torah readings in Cheshvan from the beginning of Genesis are particularly interesting and thought-provoking. Start studying something new. In that regard, I have been asked to offer a course at the synagogue and here are some options that I am considering: Reading and discussing Arthur Green s recent book, Judaism s 10 Best Ideas Traditional text study, such as Pirkei Avot, an accessible and thought-provoking collection of the ethical sayings of the rabbis A course on current ethical issues from a Jewish perspective Jewish skill-building, like learning to read Hebrew, chant the Torah or Haftarah, or give a d var Torah. Which of these interest you? Please email me by November 11 at saulp@external.umass.edu or leave word at the synagogue office with your preference, or with any other course suggestions you might have. Learning together as we share ideas and insights is a good way to sweeten Marcheshvan or any other time. I hope to hear from you, Rabbi Saul Perlmutter Page 3
Page 4 November Presidents Note Sons of Zion News We are still feeling the spirit of the High Holiday Season and thank you to those who worked so hard to make them so special. A big thank you and yasher koach to all who extended invitations to your friends and relatives near and far to share in our Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur observances. It was exciting to see several new faces and hear how much they enjoyed being with us and specifically what they enjoyed. One family, new to the area, shared that our services felt very familiar and her husband was over the moon about our services. Another said they are looking for a new spiritual home, had ties to SOZ from the past and they currently have several friends who are members. A young man, a student in the Reserves, joined us on the second day of Rosh Hashana and participated in the small group discussion and met us at the Canal for tashlich. Seeing people new to SOZ and having their participation indicates that we are doing a lot right and are attracting interest. The presence of new people enriches all of our experiences! Several of the non-members who joined us for High Holidays made generous financial contributions in appreciation of our services. This is hopeful and exciting. Our Sukkot service was well attended and we are grateful to Ken Vieu for his work on the sukkah, reinforcing and creating more space for us to sit, eat, celebrate and schmooze. We were still jam packed at this popular evening celebration under the stars. Simchat Torah participants finishing dinner and getting ready to go upstairs for service and celebration with the Torah. On Simchas Torah, members and friends gathered for a diverse and delicious potluck followed by an extraordinary service. There were aliyot given to all that wanted including a very special aliyah for the children! We had a jubilant and exhilarating time singing, dancing, raising and carrying the Torahs seven times around the sanctuary, hallway and outside the building! Once the Torahs were put back in the ark, festivities continued with a well-deserved ice cream dessert. It is our hope that this type of energy and involvement will continue to grow. As we start off the month of November, we want to remind you to please vote on November 8! In Massachusetts, you can vote early. Please check with your local city government for times and locations. Respectfully submitted, Andrea and Michael
Volume 1, Issue 6 Summary from the SOZ Board Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 Inside Story Headline Attendees: Larry Carmen, Andrea Fox, Al Bylaws: Committee does not have a chair. enhances the message and symbols. Hutt, Lois Levin, Steve Levine, you re Joan trying Levine, to convey. Michael Rosner will contact committee members about getting a meeting date. Once you have chosen Laura Marks, Buddy Resnic, Avoid Margie selecting Resnic, images an image, place it close This Joan story Rosner, can fit Michael 75- Rosner, that appear Joanne to Saltman, Cindy Vieu. be out 125 words. of context. Cemetery: to the article. Restoration Be sure to is going well. We are place close the to caption meeting of 2/3 the of the fundraising Selecting pictures or Microsoft Publisher image near the image. Meeting began @ 7:40 graphics is an important includes PM. thousands of part September of adding Minutes content approved clip art as images submitted. from Caption describing picture or to your newsletter. which you can choose Committee Reports and import into your Think about your article newsletter. There are graphic. and Activities: ask yourself Cindy if has the been brainstorming also several tools you picture with Laura supports and or Jacqueline can for use ideas to draw and shapes are working on goals for the year, looking To catch the reader's attention, Inside Story Headline place an interesting sentence or into a Hannukah party intertwined with quote from the story here. This fundraising, story can donor fit 150-dinner While with your food main and goal and write your own 200 guests, words. seasonal activities. of distributing Cindy researched a goals. articles, New or locks include will a be on the gates be- benefit menorahs of using for purchase newsletter by might the be City to cause calendar someone of upcoming has been dumping yard One your of Holyoke newsletter to be as a displayed sell your at City product Hall or at waste events within or a the special cemetery. We will be looking into getting No Trespassing and No promotional tool is that service, the key to a offer that promotes a the winter holiday times. Ken Vieu has you can reuse content successful newsletter is new product. fixed the sukkah and has from other marketing making arranged it useful for to your Dumping signs to post. You can also research some clean up. materials, such as press readers. Fundraising: articles or find Jacqueline filler (not at board meeting releases, Budget and market Finance: No A October great way meeting to add articles ) is working by accessing with Cindy to combine some studies, because and of reports. the holidays. useful Meeting content to be to your activities the World with Wide fundraising. Web. Our SOZ Ride to newsletter is to develop You can write about a scheduled first week in November. Joanne Provide team has 8 riders and raised > Inside Saltman Story Headline is heading a subgroup working on $1200 for UMASS Hillel with more money developing a new dues structure. coming in. SOZ will get some money back This story can fit 150- While your main goal and write your own 200 Building/Security: words. Discussed of distributing areas in SOZ from the teams contributions. a articles, or include a that need repairs. We need One benefit of using newsletter a working might be list to Membership: calendar of upcoming No meeting in the past month. your of tradespeople/ newsletter as a handy sell people your product who can or 2 more events people or a special are interested in joining. This promotional do repairs. tool There is that will be service, a list the in the key office to a committee s offer that promotes main goal a is for Caption outreach. describing picture or you can reuse content successful newsletter is new product. that anyone can write down their building/ from other marketing making it useful to your Personnel: Laura will stay as our office administrator. articles or find filler security concerns which can You can also research graphic. materials, such as press readers. be addressed by the committee. We also need to contract releases, market A great way to add articles by accessing studies, with a snow and reports. plow/ shoveling useful service. content to All your the World Wide Web. ideas welcome. newsletter is to develop You can write about a (Continued on page 8) Inside Story Headline Page 5
Page 6 Sons of Zion News November 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cheshvan 7 Cheshvan 8 Cheshvan 9 Cheshvan 10 Cheshvan 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Cheshvan 14 Cheshvan 15 Cheshvan 16 Cheshvan 17 Cheshvan 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 Cheshvan 22 Cheshvan 23 Cheshvan 24 Cheshvan 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 Tishrei 1 Cheshvan 2 Cheshvan 3 Cheshvan 4 Cheshvan 5 Cheshvan 11 Cheshvan Daylight Time Ends: Fall Back! Garden Cleanup 10am 12 Cheshvan 18 Cheshvan Religious Committee Meeting: 9:30 Bagels, 10am-Noon Meeting Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh 19 Cheshvan 20 Cheshvan 25 Cheshvan Book Club & Brunch 9:30am Election Day: Don t forget to vote! SOZ Board Meeting 7:30pm 26 Cheshvan 27 Cheshvan 28 Cheshvan 29 Cheshvan Thanksgiving Day: Morning Minyan at 9:30am Shabbat Begins 5:22pm Shabbat Begins 4:14pm Shabbat Begins 4:08pm Shabbat Begins 4:03pm Noach Lech Lecha Vayera Chayei Sarah Shabbat Mevarchim
Volume 1, Issue 6 November Yahrzeits and Minyan Chairs Oct. 30 Nov. 5: Larry Carmen Oct. 30 Ida Plesset Nov. 1 *A. William Epstein Bertha Fox Nov. 6 12: Dr. Stephen Levine Nov. 6 *Abraham Greenspan Nov. 7 *Samuel Orlen Abraham Saltman Nov. 8 *Ida E. Bernstein Dorothy Bussel Jacob Katz Nov. 10 Max Speiser Nov. 13 19: Jacqueline Brecht Nov. 13 *Hyman R. Bernstein *Myer Goldenberg Nov. 14 *Jacob L. Barowsky *Selma Weiss Nov. 16 *Armand Paperno Nov. 17 Katie Becker *Joseph Saltman Nov. 20 26: Lois Levin Nov. 20 Kate Paul *Clara Weinstein Nov. 23 *Ethel Carlinsky Nov. 25 Samuel Cohen *Nathan Wilson *Bess Kaplinsky Nov. 27 Dec. 3: Joan Rosner Nov. 28 *Fannie Saex Robert Saex *Max Stein Nov. 30 *Constance K. Barowsky Beatrice Rose Isaac Eskenasy *Beatrice Palmer Dec. 3 Jay Posnik Page 7 Thank You for your Donation! Joan & Michael Rosner, in loving memory of Albert Goldberg, and Samuel Brendler Leslie & Alan Kaplan, in memory of Albert Goldberg Ken & Marion Stein, in memory of Albert Goldberg Andrea Fox, in memory of Albert Goldberg Elaine and Fred Clein, in memory of Esther Kaplinsky Ellen & Steve Kappel, in memory of Esther Kaplinsky In honor of the High Holidays Joan & Michael Rosner Jim Eisenstock, to the Cemetery Fund Abigail & Kenneth Jaffe Jeffrey Siegel Rich Wilson Margie Bloom Naomi London Rachel Henderson George & Gail Baquis Jim & Betsy Tarr Robert & Olivia Mausel Steve & Joan Levine Margie & Buddie Resnic Ira Laby Bonnie & David Geld Jacqueline Brecht Andrea Fox
Page 8 If you have news or events you would like to share with the SOZ community, please contact the office, and I will put it in the Newsletter! The deadline is usually the 25th of the month. -Laura Marks (Board Meeting, Continued from p. 5) Religious: Rich and Joan were pleased with how the High Holidays services worked. Changes in the 2nd day were well-received and a similar number of people attended that service as when we held the traditional service. The cello on Kol Nidre was also well-received. Office: Laura reports that she is wrapping up High Holiday loose ends. Old Business Transmitting religious services: Andrea, Saul and a few others have researched ways to make this happen including cost and privacy issues. Paul Charrette has looked into cameras. Looking for someone to take the lead on this exciting project. Steve Levine worked with our insurance agency and our policy has been renewed without the onerous kitchen requirements originally imposed. New Business Sons of Zion News Hard copies of our newsletters will be displayed in the synagogue by the office, and continue to be mailed to members without email. List of building needs to be located in the office We are trying in the process of trying to identify everyone who has keys to SOZ building. This is important for a smooth transition should our security grant be approved. Next meeting: 11/9 at 7:30pm. Upcoming Activities The Activities Committee will meet again within the next 2 weeks. We will finalize our mission statement and firm up the next couple of months of activities. With Chanukah on the horizon, we are working in collaboration with City of Holyoke on the purchase of a Menorah to be lit at a ceremony at City Hall. The annual SOZ/Rodphey Sholom Chanukah Party will be Thursday, Dec. 29th at the home of Joan and Michael Rosner. Shabbat Potlucks are underway, so please let us know if you would like to volunteer to host. -Cindy Vieu, Activities Chair
Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 9 Sukkot Celebration There was a wonderful turnout for the pot-luck and service led by our Rabbi, and the weather even cooperated. We had a great (grape??) time in our remodeled, sturdier Sukkah. Chag Sameach! SOZ Book Club Seniors Luncheon Program The Book Club will meet on Nov. 20th at 9:30am for brunch to discuss our the book, "Lovesong" by Julius Lester. The next book will be "The Muralist" by B. A. Shapiro, the author of the Art Forger. Another art world mystery with Jewish themes-a great read. Date in December to be announced. ~Joanne On Nov. 16th at 1am, the Holyoke Jewish Seniors will have a program: Cruising the Norwegian Fjords with Joanne and Bill Saltman. Slide show and narration by Joanne Saltman. Lunch at Noon. Call the synagogue office for reservations. ~Nitza
Page 10 Mak'hela: The Jewish Chorus of Western Massachusetts Sons of Zion News Mak hela will be giving a special performance celebrating 30 years of the MANNA Soup Kitchen on Sunday, November 6th at 3pm at Congregation B nai Israel in Northampton. Congregation B'Nai Israel 253 Prospect Street Northampton, MA Post-concert ice cream donated by Herrell's! All are welcome! News from the Cemetery Due to several incidents of people dumping trash and yard waste in our cemetery, we are replacing the locks on the gates for now. In the winter they will be removed. The combination is 3780O. The numbers line up on the red line. I am also happy to report that we are about 2/3 of the way to our goal in the Cemetery Restoration Project. If you haven't yet made a donation it will be very appreciated to help us reach the needed amount. Thank you. -Joanne Saltman, Cemetery Chair Buddy Resnic Receives ACE Award Buddy Resnic received the prestigious ACE Lifetime Award in recognition of his 35 years of service on the Board of Directors at the Holyoke Medical Center. Surrounded by over 300 guests and his family, the audience celebrated his grand achievements. Buddy is known for his commitment to performing community service, and he is one of the longest serving board members at the hospital. Buddy and his family have a long tradition of selfless dedication to the residents of Holyoke, and to Congregation Sons of Zion. Yasher Koach! Ride to Provide On Oct. 16, Team SOZ, represented by Michael Rosner, David Weinberg, Andrea Fox, Rabbi Saul Perlmutter, Lois Levin, Steve Levine (Team Captain), Joan Rosner, and Joan Levine (not pictured) participated in UMass Hillel s annual Ride to Provide. They had fun, enjoyed beautiful fall weather, and raised money for a great cause.
Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 11 Ads from Our Sponsors Please Patronize our Sponsors. They Make our Newsletter Possible! Always Room for More! BUSINESS CARD ADS: $180 / YEAR PLEASE CONTACT DR. STEVE LEVINE c/o THE SYNAGOGUE OFFICE (413) 534-3369 OR sonsofzionoffice@gmail.com
I am Thankful For... Congregation Sons of Zion 378 Maple Street Holyoke, MA 01040 Phone: (413) 534-3369 Email: sonsofzionoffice@gmail.com Submission deadline for next issue: November 23. Discover the wide range of Jewish arts and culture around western Massachusetts. Enjoy the rich fabric of Jewish community in the Pioneer Valley, Berkshires, Southern VT, and beyond at Jewish Culture Connect! www.jewishcultureconnect.com From the Office Wow, what a month October was this year! The weather went from very warm and dry to cool and rainy, and we even got some snow. And all of our fall holidays were packed into one month! Cheshvan does not offer us any holidays, so there s a pause for breath. But with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I have a just moment to do some things that I had put off, saying, I ll do it after the holidays. I m concentrating on handmade Chanukah gifts this year. I m making crochet afghans for my daughters and a sweater for my son, and while I can work quickly when I have the time, finding that time can be tough! I also want to visit with my mother, step-dad and sister for Thanksgiving, and since my house is in the middle, we will probably be hosting. With three kids and four furry animals, there s plenty of preparation to do before they get here. So enjoy your Cheshvan, enjoy the break, and I ll see you here for Chanukah! ~LM