Service Schedule Shabbat 28 Elul Fast of Gedaliah Saturday, October 15, 2016 Friday, September 30, 2016 Wednesday, October 5, 2016 Morning Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat 7:00 am 6:27 pm Shabbat ends at 7:02 pm Saturday, October 1, 2016 Morning Shabbat ends at 7:24 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Sunday evening, October 2, 2016 6:24 pm 1st Day of Rosh Hashanah 1 Tishrei Monday, October 3, 2016 8:30 am Shabbat Shuvah Friday, October 7, 2016 Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat Saturday, October 8, 2016 Shabbat ends at Erev Yom Kippur Tuesday, October 11, 2016 Kol Nidre 6:16 pm 7:07 pm 6:00 pm 6:09 pm Erev Sukkot 14 Tishrei Sunday, October 16, 2016 Shacharit 9:00 am Sukkah Building & Decorating! @ 10:00 am 6:01 pm Sukkot Day 1 Monday, October 17, 2016 6:30 pm 6:59 pm Approximate Times Yom Kippur Sukkot Day 2, 16 Tishrei Torah 9:45 am Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Tuesday, October 18 2016 Jr. Congregation 10:30 am 9:00 am Shofar Service 10:45 am Approximate Times Shana tova u metuka 5777! Sermon 11:45 am Tashlich 6:00 pm Family Service at the Lackawanna River Iron Furnaces 6:45 pm 7:21 pm 2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah Tuesday, October 4, 2016 8:30 am Approximate Times Torah 9:45 am Shofar Service 10:45 am Sermon 11:45 am Holiday ends 7:19 pm Torah Service Jr. Congregation Yizkor Musaf 10:30 am 10:30 am 11:45 am 12:30 pm Rabbi Saks class in library 4:00 pm MinHa N eila Ma ariv Havdalah 5:00 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:07 pm Send in your reservation for Break the Fast at Temple Shabbat 13 Tishrei Friday, October 14, 2016 Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat 6:04 pm Ends at 6:58 pm Hol Hamoed Sukkot Wednesday,& Thursday, Oct 19 & 20, 2016 7:00 am Shabbat Hol Hamoed Sukkot- 20 Tishrei Friday, October 21, 2016 7:00 am 5:54 pm Saturday, October 22, 2016 Shabbat ends at 6:52 pm 2
Hoshanna Rabbah Sunday, October 23, 2016 Daily Minyan Schedule Shacharit Sunday 8:00 a.m. T-W-Fri 7:25 a.m. M-Th 7:15 a.m. Sukkah Open House @ the Rabbi s 1pm-3pm Shemini Atzeret 22 Tishrei Sunday, October 23, 2016 Yizkor during Ma ariv Monday, October 24, 2016 Yizkor during Torah Service Simhat Torah Monday, October 24, 2016 Ma ariv & Torah Celebration Tuesday, October 25, 2016 8:00 am 5:51 pm 7:00 pm 6:49 pm Procession of Hatan Torah & Hatan Breishit Shabbat ends at Shabbat 27 Tishrei Friday, October 28, 2016 Minha/Kabbalat Shabbat Saturday, October 29, 2016 Shabbat ends at 6:45 pm 5:44 pm 6:43 pm Unless otherwise noted in the service schedule the times are as follows: Mincha/Maariv Mon-Fri 5:45 p.m At this time of the year, with the approach of the High Holy Days, we often invoke God s name, and, in some way, turn our thoughts to Him, in whatever way we conceive of our God. I think back to something written some years ago for Clergy magazine about this topic. I d like to share it with you. It is relatively easy today to find examples of people or nations profaning the name of God by using His authority to oppress others. Those who would have us believe that they know exactly what God wants them to do, especially when it concerns harming others, give religion, in general, a bad name. Nevertheless, this should not serve as an excuse to deny God s existence. We need God in whatever form we determine that Higher Power to be. A true and honest faith in God enables one to fully realize his or her human potential. In addition, it can help us to avoid the idolatries of the day money, power, and especially dangerous worship of the self. Throughout human history, we can look back at events which can be explained by sociological and economic causes. As a Jew, I could try to explain the Holocaust strictly in such terms. But when I look more deeply into how the Holocaust came to be, I cannot ignore the philosophical underpinnings of the Nazis, which were based on a denial of God s existence, which led to selfworship, and ultimately, to the most profound period of human depravity, which still affects our world even today. No one ever said faith in God is easy. Many years ago, Meira and I lost a child, Leah Miriam, at the age of five and one-half months. I remember it being a time of terrible turmoil for us and our four other children. Our faith in a loving and compassionate God, along with our community, helped us endure. Do I question my God? Am I sometimes angry with Him? Do I often challenge Him? Do I ponder His ways? Of course! But I cannot ignore Him or pretend that He does not exist, for then I would have no hope; nor would Humanity. The power of God is carried through us, His children. Let us use it wisely. I hope that you find this meaningful as we soon usher in the New Year of 5777. Rabbi Moshe Saks In Memoriam High Holiday Benefactors 3 4
High Holiday Benefactors High Holiday Benefactors Break the Fast Immediately following Havdalah Service Menu includes: Hot Dish, Salad, Tuna and Egg Salad, Lox, Bagels & Cream Cheese, Fresh Fruit, Dessert, Coffee & Tea $15 for Adults & Teens/Children 12 and under free $40 Family Cap Open to all congregants & their guests your check is your reservation Please RSVP to the office by October 8th 5 Mrs. Barbara Ehrenpreis & Susan and Richard Jacobson for providing beautiful flowers on the Bima for the High Holidays. Sara Morris Mitzvah Fund for purchasing the beautiful mums outside of the Temple. Temple Israel Sisterhood for their generous donation to Temple. Anita Pinkus for the very generous donation in memory of her beloved husband Myron. Our Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver Members. Your generosity is so greatly appreciated. All Members without your continuing support and generosity, there could be no Temple Israel. 6
Sukkot is a very festive and celebratory holiday, and while the sukkah can symbolize a great number of things, we like to think of it primarily as a temporary shelter where we can welcome guests to rejoice with us, and in Sukkot, there are no guests more anticipated than the 7 Ushpizin. Ushpizin is Aramaic for guests and during Sukkot, it is customary, and in fact, a mitzvah to practice hospitality (hakhnasat orekhim). Not only do we receive people around us, but also people from the past. So from this, we should understand that the sukkah is a place where we invite 7 exalted guests, with each one leading the other six for each day of Sukkot. Traditionally, the 7 guests or 7 Ushpizin are the Seven Holy Leaders of Judaism. Each of them is thought to correspond to a particular spiritual attribute we should seek to manifest. They are: Abraham - love and kindness, Aaron - empathy and receptivity to Divine splendor Joseph - holiness and the spiritual foundation, Isaac - restraint and personal strength Jacob - beauty and truth Moses - eternality and dominance through Torah. The Generosity of Sukkot -Mystical as the symbolisms may be, the clear message that the sukkah, Sukkot and Judaism in general wishes to impart to us is that doing good deeds matter, as is beautifully summed up in this quote: "when he eats and drinks, he has to feed the stranger, the orphan, and widow together with the other poor and unfortunate people. However, he who locks the gates of his courtyard and sits down to feast with his wife and children, but does not provide food for the poor and embittered of spirit -- such is not the rejoicing of Mitzvah; it is the rejoicing of one's own stomach!" Laws of Yom Tov [6:18] Welcoming people into your sukkah can be as simple as taking time out to feed the poor and homeless, teaching young ones good values, even making new friends by inviting them over to celebrate Sukkot with you. Sukkah Building via Koppelman Hall! We have been cleaning out closets, drawers, filing cabinets, and every nook & cranny of Temple and there are many! We ve come across a treasure trove of pictures, scrap books, and other items which document the history of our beautiful building, but more importantly the history of our congregants, people who were the architects of our congregation. Next time you re in Temple take a stroll through Koppelman Hall. Look at the pictures, page through the old ledgers and old messengers. The cartoons gracing the front of the WWII era messengers are worth a look. Many of the pictures are not labeled so we need help identifying people. We re working on an online photo album so everyone can enjoy a walk down memory lane no matter where they now reside. David - the establishment of the kingdom of Heaven on Earth Symbolism and meanings -It can be said that there are varying depths of understanding of the 7 Ushpizin, with some taking it figuratively, others a bit more literally. Here are a couple of interesting things to help us understand more about it. From the way the sukkah is constructed according to the mitzvah, we can see that it is meant to be a temporary shelter, perhaps to remind us of uprootedness; that the Jews were once a wandering people, and perhaps are even up to today. Take a walk down Memory Lane Sukkah Open House The sukkah is so intensely symbolic that it is even believed to possess spiritual energy so great that it actually channels the divine presence of the Seven Great Leaders from the Garden of Eden itself, according to the Zohar. Because of this, it is customary for some Jews to recite a prayer inviting the souls of the 7 Ushpizin when entering the sukkah for the first time. 7 8
This month of October we celebrate the beginning of the High Holidays with Rosh ha Shanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year 5777. A little bit of meaning & history: Rosh Ha Shanah occurs on the first and second day of Jewish month of Tishrei. Rosh Ha Shanah means Head of the Year and is commonly known as a Jewish New Year. This is the time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. Along with Yom Kippur, the holidays are also called "Days of Awe". One of the most important observances of this holidays is hearing the sounding of the Shofar in the Synagogue. No work is permitted. Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. An additional practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("Casting Off"). We walk to flowing water, a lake or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets throwing into the water small pieces of bread, symbolically casting off our sins. My family and I wish you a Happy Healthy and Sweet 5777 Year. Shana Tova u Metuka. Cemetery Visitation Religious School News TORAH FOR TOTS & MECHINA I am excited to tell you that, once again, we are having our Temple Israel Torah for Tots program for the 2016-2017 school year. The program is for children 3 years old through kindergarten. Classes began on September 20 th. If you missed the first class don t worry, you can join anytime. I am equally excited to announce we have added a Mechina Class. The class is for those children entering 1 st and 2 nd grades. Susan Mancus, a fabulous and fun teacher, will be teaching the Mechina class. Classes are Tuesday afternoons at 5 pm until 6 pm for both Torah for Tots and Mechina. This should allow for parents or grandparents to get your children there and home for dinner at a reasonable hour. Sessions will be held twice monthly. A snack will be provided and of course, we will have a great time as we introduce the fun of Jewish learning to your children. We already have baking on the agenda (no Jewish holiday or Shabbat could be complete without special food!) Crafts, games, stories and more will be on the calendar. Spread the word. The more the merrier! Open to members and non-members. ANNIE MONSKY CONTRIBUTIONS 9 10
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Your Contributions at Work! Thank you to all those who contribute to the various funds throughout the year. Due to your generosity and the past generosity of congregants who have endowed various funds we have been able to do the following : Adult Education Great Figures in Jewish History Elaine Bernstein Fund - Donations are used for the beautification of Temple. New mulch. Paint for the Chapel (the back wall was recently painted by Chet). Radiators in the foyer were also a painted. Harry & Marion Nivert Programming Fund - Provides funding for various programming expenses such as the upcoming Hanukkah Banquet and Film Festival in December. M.L. Hodin Scholar-in-Residence Fund Provides funding for the Scholar-in Residence Program. Levy Hall Fund Provides funding for the upkeep and beautification of Levy Hall. The chandeliers all have new LED bulbs. They are much brighter and will help decrease our electric bill! Temple Israel Building Preservation Fund - Provides funding for the repair and maintenance of our historic building. The Monroe Avenue entrance needed to be repaired, stairs re-set and sidewalks replaced. Parts of the balcony ceiling and walls were repaired and repainted as the plaster had deteriorated. Big thank you to Hal Markowitz for his expertise. Temple Fund - Funds donated help pay for our utility, maintenance, security and other expenses which help keep our doors open! New heating and air system for the office. Jaffe Tot Shabbat -Provides funding for the very successful Torah Tots Program. Reba and art Douglass Hebrew School Fund - Provides funding for our religious school. Miller-Meister Fund - Provided scholarships to families with children attending Camp Ramah this past summer. Al Nathan Youth Fund - Scholarships for Ramah and Israel travel. Fraydel & Irving Eisenstat Leadership Fund & Youth Leadership Funds Provides funding for leadership training and education for both adults and youth. Sara Morris Mitzvah Fund- Funds are used to aid members and families in their time of need. Happiness Fund Provides funding to help defer the cost of Simcha Shabbatot and other special kiddushim when they are not sponsored. Temple Israel Jewish Film Festival 5777 December 3rd @ 8 PM The Impossible Spy December 4th @ Noon Hunting Elephants Dinner and a Movie December 10th @ 7 PM Gett - The Trial of Viviane Amsalem December 11th @ 8 PM A Film Unfinished December 17th @ 8 PM A Place in Heaven A Brunch and a Movie December 18th @ 11:00 AM The Farewell Party Gift Shop Sale 13 14
Birthday Date Birthday Date or Current Resident NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID SCRANTON PA PERMIT NO. 462 Paul Alamar 10/07 Barbara Ehrenpreis 11/02 Saul Ziman 10/07 Elaine Ufberg 10/11 Molly Grossinger 10/11 Adele Baldinger 10/12 Michael Mardo 10/15 Marian Beckhorn 10/20 Renee Schoenberg 11/06 Ronna Manglaviti 11/08 Robert Weinman 11/10 Edward Monsky 11/11 Alexander Fookson 11/13 Anita Pinkus 11/14 Anna Lisak 11/15 Melba Nathan 10/23 Faye Bishop 11/20 Harold Kornfeld 10/24 Robert Hyers 11/22 Lois Dubin 10/24 Michael Weinberg 10/24 Janet Moskovitz 10/26 Jacob Nogi 10/27 Penny Myers 10/27 Bernard Barton 10/28 Karen Pollack 11/22 Patricia Chen 11/22 Alan Silverman 11/25 Jan Weiss 11/27 Alan Smertz 11/27 Anniversary Date Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Green 11/01 Barry Weiss 10/30 Mr. & Mrs. Jack Suravitz 11/07 Mr. & Mrs. James Linder 11/09 Anniversary Date Atty. & Mrs. David Falk 10/01 Atty. & Mrs. Edward Monsky 10/12 Mr. & Mrs. Alan Smertz 10/14 Mr. & Mrs. Paul Alamar 11/09 Mr. & Mrs. Meyer Levine 11/16 Mr. & Mrs. Steve Sugarman 11/16 Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hyers 11/21 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Mardo 11/21 Atty. & Mrs. Morey Myers 11/25 Mr. & Mrs. Murray Glick 11/26 Please consider sponsoring a Sisterhood Kiddush Lunch for your birthday or anniversary. Sponsor together with friends! Cost is $180.00 Transportation is available for our congregants who would like to attend services, meetings and other synagogue sponsored events & educational programs. Please call the office for more information. Funded by Al Brauner Fund 15 16