The Joy of Giving Tzedakah

Eternal Light Volume 74, Issue 3 November 2015 The Joy of Giving Tzedakah Why is the Temple always asking for money? Dues, Fees, Fundraising it never seems to stop. The truth is that when we give money to the Temple, we are in a sense making an offering to God and/or the Jewish community so that God will bless us, our families and the Jewish people. The custom of making offerings as an expression of prayer traces back to Biblical times. Making a donation to the Temple in Jerusalem was considered a great mitzvah, one which aided in the support and maintenance of the Jewish community s religious and educational institutions. Since Congregation B nai Israel began 157 years ago, the custom of making offerings in the form of monetary donations has been a practice of the congregation. Today, an important part of the Temple s income is derived through these contributions provided generously by the members of the congregation, their families and friends. The Temple office often receives questions concerning making donations to funds, particularly from the new members. What does it mean to make an offering or give tzedakah to the Temple? When is tzedakah to be given? How does one give and what is the correct amount to donate? The following is intended to answer these questions. An offering to the Temple is a gift of tzedakah which in fact is an act of prayer in which the participant extends him/herself beyond the act of uttering words. It exceeds mere vocal expression and indicates that an act of personal sacrifice has been performed by the donor. The amount of the gift is less important than the deed. According to our sages, a small gift of tzedakah made by a person of limited income can be more noble than a larger one by a person of wealth. Tzedakah can be given in memory of a loved one. The observance of Yahrzeit for a loved one is a holy obligation and offerings made commemorating the departed have become a tradition. Tzedakah can be sent to the Temple as an expression of sympathy to a family mourning the loss of a loved one. Donations are made to the Temple which sends an acknowledgement to the bereaved. Donations are made as prayers for the speedy recovery of dear ones who are hospitalized or ill, or in gratitude for the recovery from illness or for escape from injury. Offerings are often made in thanksgiving for special occasions such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries. They are also made when announcing joyous events such as wedding engagements, Continued on page 2

Volume 74, Issue 3 Page 2 President s Message by Deborah Sternberg Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which I thought was the perfect time to share the passage I read at Yom Kippur services. It has left a lasting impression with me, as I try to live my life with purpose. I hope it resonates with you. Ready or not, some day my life will end. There will be no sunrises, days, hours or minutes. No more cell phones or calls and mail to be returned. Everything I will have collected, be it treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else. My wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what I owned or what I owed. My grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So will my hopes, ambitions, plans and To Do list: All expire with me. The wins and losses that once seemed so important to me will fade away. It won t matter where I was born or what side of the tracks have I lived. It won t matter if I rented or owned a house or lived on a boat. It won t matter whether I was clever, handsome or brilliant. My gender, skin color, ethnicity will be irrelevant. So what WILL matter? What will be the measure of my days, weeks and years passed? How will my life be valued? What will matter is not what I bought but what I have chosen to build. Not what I received but what I have shared and given you. What will matter is not the level of my success but my significance. What will matter is not what I learned but what I have taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage and sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate from my example. What will matter is not my competence but my integrity and character: my true grit. What will matter is not how many people I have known, rich or poor but how many will feel a lasting loss when I am gone. What will matter are not my faded memories but the memories of those who knew and have loved me. What will matter is how long I will be remembered, by whom and for a kaleidoscope of reasons, like a brilliant rainbow. Living a life that matters doesn t happen by accident. It s not a matter of circumstance. It is one made of choice: one of my own choosing. And in so doing, I dance and write my name with Destiny. By Donna Maris Rabbi s Article continued bar or bat mitzvahs, election to positions of importance or honor, advancements, or the receiving of diplomas or honors. It is appropriate to give tzedakah to the Temple as a means of acknowledging one s entering into a new business venture or location, or to wish a safe and pleasant journey to family or friends embarking on a trip. It is also one way to forward good wishes to those who have moved into a new home or to say Mazel Tov in honor of a new birth. At Congregation B nai Israel, there are several funds which are used to promote religious, educational and cultural programming for you, its membership. You may want to consider making donations to one of Temple s funds in the future as a way of sending a greeting card on one of those special occasions. The list of our Temple s funds is on page 8. To perform this act of Tzedakah, all you have to do is call the Temple Office (225) 343-0111 x. 200. Rabbi Jordan Goldson

Calendar Cheshvan Kislev November November 4-8 URJ Biennial Orlando, Florida November 6 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Union Prayer Book November 7 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am November 8 Confirmation, 11:30am November 10 CBI Board Meeting, 6pm November 11 B nai Mitzvah Prep, 4pm November 13 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Gates of Prayer November 14 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am November 15 Confirmation, 11:30am Turkey Train, 11:30am November 18 B nai Mitzvah Prep, 4pm B nai Academy, 6pm November 20 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Gates of Prayer November 21 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am November 26 & 27 Thanksgiving Holiday Office Closed November 27 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Union Prayer Book November 28 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am December December 2 B nai Mitzvah Prep, 4pm December 3 Men s Club Shopping Spree @ Macy s 5pm-8pm December 4 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Union Prayer Book December 8 CBI Board Meeting, 6pm December 9 B nai Mitzvah Prep, 4pm December 11 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Gates of Prayer Followed by Latke Dinner December 18 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Union Prayer Book December 19 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am December 24 & 25 Office Closed December 5 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am December 12 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am December 25 Shabbat Evening Service, 6pm Gates of Prayer December 6 11:30am Confirmation First Night of Hanukkah December 13 Confirmation, 11:30am December 16 B nai Mitzvah Prep, 4pm December 26 Morning Minyan & Torah Study, 10am Israeli Folk Dancing with David Kirshner Sundays, 7pm to 8:30pm Dancers, experienced or novice, singles, couples or families, young or young-atheart, are invited to attend free of charge. Or, if you prefer to, just come and listen to the lovely music of Israel. Classes are: Nov 8, Nov 22, Dec 6, Dec 13 To register, call David at 756-5291

Religious School Cheshvan Kislev Page 4 Creating Meaningful Jewish Learning Experiences A recent study of over 40 years of research on experiential learning has found that this method of active education has both a positive effect on student learning and a positive effect on the student s perception of learning in itself. The researchers recommended striving for the appropriate mix of traditional and experiential education through exploring new knowledge in a safe environment, offering time to reflect, and guidance to integrate both. The Jewish camp experience (like Jacobs Camp) has used this model for years and has been shown to be a positive predictor of long-term engagement in Jewish life and connection to Jewish identity. Experiential learning and Jewish summer camp go hand-in-hand. Fewer Religious Schools, however, have historically offered this model. The traditional frontal teaching method where students came in to class, sat, and watched the teacher at the chalkboard was most common. For years, however, CBI Religious School has offered a different approach that focuses on multiple -senses and is values driven, active, and experiential. The Pardes Experiential Educators Program called connecting Jewish education to the experiential model, an emerging educational philosophy that cares about the experience of the learner and deliberately structures learning environments teaching Jewish life and values by building meaningful experiences. Walk through the halls on any given Sunday and you will see classes in active and meaningful experiences. Classes may be outside measuring and outlining Noah s Ark in cubits as described in the Torah, building drip irrigation to discuss water conservation, putting together a mock wedding for life cycle study, hosting a class for snack to learn about hospitality, and a myriad of other activities. An annual tradition that provides a meaningful experience for the entire school and their families, going beyond the walls of the synagogue, is the Turkey Train. This mitzvot connects us to the values of feeding the hungry, loving your neighbor, acting with kindness, respecting the poor, and repairing the world. For those families who also help out as turkey schleppers, by driving the turkeys to St. Vincent de Paul, they make an additional tangible connection to the experience as they travel through the kitchen that will be the vehicle for feeding the hungry in Baton Rouge. This year s theme of Being Jewish Inside Out teaches us, it is the meaningful experiences that create the islands that make up who we are experiential education! The 7th annual Turkey Train will be Sunday, November 15 at 11:30 a.m. If your family would like to be this year s turkey schlepper please email Jessica or Julie by November 8. The enclosed flyer has information on contributing to this important mitzvah. L Shalom Jessica Yellen

Cheshvan Kislev Page 5 Noah s ark at Religious School Religious School Dates November 1 Fall Break NO Religious School Daylight Savings Time (fall back) November 8 9:30am, Religious School 11:30am Confirmation Turkey Train preorders DUE November 11 4pm, B nai Mitzvah Prep November 15 9:30am, Religious School 11:30am, Confirmation 11:30am Turkey Train November 18 4pm, B nai Mitzvah Prep November 22-29 NO Religious School Happy Thanksgiving Todah Rabah To Katie Venetsky, Maggie Mullenix, Nick May and Michael Roth for their help with Consecration and Simchat Torah.

Turkey Train Cheshvan Kislev Page 6 The TURKEY TRAIN is coming on November 15! Get your ticket aboard the 7th annual Congregation B nai Israel Religious School Turkey Train for families in need this Thanksgiving! There are 2 ways you can participate in this mitzvah: Donate $17 for the purchase of a turkey by NOV. 6 Matherne s Market on Highland at Kenilworth is joining us in this mitzvah by providing a huge discount and free delivery. Please bring your donation to Religious School or drop it by the temple office with TURKEY TRAIN in the subject line. Make checks out to: Congregation B nai Israel. OR Bring a frozen turkey of any size to Religious School on the morning of Sunday, November 15 Due to space restrictions, we cannot accept frozen turkeys before this date All students will have a hand in this mitzvah by participating in our train of passing each turkey from the kitchen to the truck(s). The turkeys will then be delivered to St. Vincent de Paul, where they will be feeding hungry families throughout the long Thanksgiving weekend. Bring mittens/gloves to wear on November 15 at 11:30am and participate in the mitzvah of feeding the hungry this Thanksgiving by joining us on THE TURKEY TRAIN!

Cheshvan Kislev Page 7 Mark Your Calendar Congregation B nai Israel Annual Meeting Sunday, January 10 at 5:00pm

Contributions Cheshvan Kislev General Fund Maia & Jay Jalenak Sandy Sager Outdoor Beautification Fund Ellen & Marc Sager, in honor of Rabbi Jordan and Michael Roth Rabbi s Discretionary Fund Bette Levine, in memory of the Yahrzeit of Aaron Levine Page 8 Cemetery Security An off-duty officer will provide security at the cemetery every 2nd Sunday of the month from 10:00am until 2:00pm. You may donate to the Temple in many ways. The designated Temple funds are listed below with a brief description of each. When making your donations, please designate your fund of choice. Building Fund: for maintenance, repairs & improvements to the building Camp Scholarship Fund: for need-based scholarships to a Jewish camp. Carolyn & Bernard Schmulen Cemetery Beautification Fund: To plant appropriate shrubbery and trees, particularly in the new part of the cemetery, to create a more beautiful and peaceful setting. Cemetery Maintenance Fund: Cemetery maintenance Endowment Fund: to establish a permanent base of financial support for Congregation B nai Israel. Gary Weill Youth Room Fund: for maintenance, upkeep and improvements of the Youth Room. General Fund: for support of general operating expenses of the Temple. Alvin & Janice Rubin Ner Tamid Break Fast Fund: to provide continued support for the Annual Yom Kippur Break Fast. Prayer Book Fund: to purchase new prayer books. Rabbi's Discretionary Fund: used to support worthy charitable organizations and to assist members in need. Sandy Sager Beautification and Garden Fund: for outdoor Temple beautification. Sylvia Steiner Religious School Fund: to purchase needed items and provide scholarship assistance for Religious School. Torah Repair Fund: for repairs to Torahs. The following memorials or dedications are also available: Tree of Life Leaf: $250 Yahrzeit Memorial Plaque: $250 Tree of Life Stone: $1000 Sanctuary Pew (1/2 side): $1500

Cheshvan Kislev Page 9 Lyn and Carl Schmulen

Yarzheits Cheshvan Kislev Page 10 November 6 John Walter Dupaquier, Sr., father of John Dupaquier Rosa Van Os, grandmother of Sidney Dreyfus Henry L. Dreyfus, father of Rachelle Hirsch Sarah Black, mother of Jerry Black Sara Schwamberg, mother of Norman Schwamberg Leonard Levy, grandfather of Laurie Brandt, Felix Weill Jack Isaacs Sr., Jack Isaacs father November 13 Dorris Rubenstein Kantrow, grandmother of Staci Sommer Rosalyn Liss, mother of Ayan Rubin George Joel Ginsberg, grandfather of David and Michael Rubin Ralph Israel Brookner, brother of JoAnn Bender, uncle of Ralph Bender Elsa Rosenthal, mother of Susan Kantrow Harold Kaplan, grandfather of Jeffrey Bender Karen Dinning Gibbs, mother of Shoshanah Ferguson Annette Phillips Hirsch, mother-in-law of Rachelle Hirsch November 20 Wilbur Marvin Rufus Craig, father of Cathy Craig (Labens) Herman Moyse, father of Betty Simmons Simon Rubin, grandfather of Michael and David Rubin Sarah L. Safer, mother of D. L. Safer November 27 Frances Rubin, grandmother of Michael and David Rubin Harold Berg, grandfather of Seth Kaplan Rocky Moyse, mother of Buck Moyse Doris Levy Watsky, aunt of Nathan Levy Betty Rothberg, grandmother of Hilary Shaw Irwin E. Coen, father of Linda Weinstein Carolyn Rosenthal Schmulen, mother of Lynn Weill and grandmother of David Weill Sam Hoffman, father-in-law of Paula Hoffman Dorothy Weinstein, mother of Richard Weinstein David Paille, friend of Deborah Salazar Natalie Fraenkel, mother of Albert Fraenkel

Cheshvan Kislev Page 11 Page 11 Bessie Chesler, mother-law-law of Doris Chesler Meyer Kahn, uncle of Elizabeth Sachse Lydie Sommer, cousin of Betty Simmons Jill Kaplan, cousin of Ralph Bender Yarzheits Yarzheits are traditionally read during the Friday night service prior to the anniversary of a loved ones death unless other arrangements are made through the temple office. Healing Mi Shebeirach, the prayer for physical and emotional healing, is recited at the Friday evening Shabbat service. If you are ill and would like a Mi Shebeirach recited on your behalf, please call the Temple office at 343-0111 before noon on Thursdays, so the congregation may offer its prayers for you. If you know another person who needs the same, please ask the individual for permission to read his/her name before calling the office. Visiting Those Who Are Ill Congregation B nai Israel wants to make sure we care for our members and their families. If you have a family member or know of someone in our congregation who is in the hospital, has been in an accident, or is ill and recuperating at home, please call the Temple office at 343-0111 so Rabbi Jordan can contact them and arrange for a visit.

Community Cheshvan Kislev Page 12 Men s Club by Nathan Levy The Men s Club invites you to help in the upcoming annual Big Buddy Shopping Spree. Along with the Baton Rouge Big Buddy program and Macy s, volunteers from Congregation B nai Israel and members of the Jewish Community come together to help young children buy holiday gifts for members of their family. On average, it costs us $125 for a single child to put a few wrapped gifts under their tree. Imagine what we could do if each member family sponsored just one child! So with the holiday spirit in mind, I ask that you please consider sponsoring that one child. I understand that not everyone can afford a full sponsorship for a child, but every donation, no matter what the amount, is appreciated. There are two powerful ways to assist: you can send in a donation to help defray costs of the spree and/or you can volunteer to help the kids shop and wrap presents. Donations of any amount are welcome and greatly appreciated. And please don t underestimate the power of boxing and wrapping the hundreds of presents. Its an enjoyable evening for EVERYONE involved. The date for the shopping spree is Thursday, December 3 from 5:00pm 8:00pm at Macy s at the Mall of Louisiana. All donations should be sent to the B nai Israel office, attn.: Nathan Levy and checks can be made out to the B nai Israel Men s Club. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Nathan Levy at nathanl2000@cox.net

Cheshvan Kislev Page 13 BaRFTY by Eliana Levy Shalom y all! BaRFTY is so excited to be traveling to Jackson, Mississippi on November 13-15 for Fall Conclave! We re still in the midst of preparations for Spring Conclave and would love your help! There are several committees each headed by one or two BaRFTY board members, and by signing up for a committee you will be asked to help out and to attend a meeting or two before the event. The committees are as follows: Conclave Co-Chairs: Nina Jalenak & Aaron Posner Communication and Engagement: Max Sager and Eliana Levy Religious: Ari Hoffman Logistics/ Decorating and Food: Nina Jalenak and Rachel Posner Programming and Social: Benny Meltzer We would love some help and if you re interested in joining a committee or have any questions please feel free to contact me at my email: elevy1@lsu.edu. Also, in preparation for Spring Conclave, BaRFTY will be hosting a few fundraisers! One coming up will be the BaRFTY bake sale and lemonade stand to be held November 1 from 7am-3pm at Beth Shalom Synagogue! We hope to see you there!

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Congregation B nai Israel 3354 Kleinert Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Address Service Requested Eternal Light The official publication of Congregation B'nai Israel Rabbi Jordan E.Goldson Rabbi Emeritus Barry L. Weinstein Religious School Director Jessica Yellen Asst. Rel. School Director Julie Tepper Office Administrator Cathy Duplechin President Deborah Sternberg Past-President Marc Sager Vice-President Jay Jalenak Treasurer Lisa Binder Secretary David Rubin Sisterhood President Linda Levy Men's Club President Nathan Levy Inquiries and submissions may be directed to Congregation B nai Israel 3354 Kleinert Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Tel: 225/343-0111 Fax: 225/343-0653 Religious School: 225/343.0111 x 205 http://www.bnaibr.org office@bnaibr.org rabbijg@bnaibr.org relschool@bnaibr.org Distribution of the Eternal Light is free to members and friends of the Congregation. Intermediate Hebrew taught by Rabbi Jordan Class Dates: November 11, 18 & December 2, 9 Class Time 6:00pm 7:30pm Learn Hebrew grammar and verb forms which will enable you to read and translate passages from modern and biblical sources. This level is appropriate for students who have some experience with the language and are interested in learning Hebrew on a higher level Fee: Members: $36 plus $35 material fee Non-Members: $65 plus $35 material fee Material fee waived for those students who already own the text book