Rabbi Miriam Hamrell Cantorial Soloist Gary Levine Associate Cantorial Soloist Co-President Vice President Kimberly Haynes Michael Stevens Judy Kollack AHAVAT TORAH ONE TORAH, MANY TEACHERS, ONE COMMUNITY http://www.ahavattorahla.org February 15 th, 2014 9:00-9.45 am Mussar with Rabbi Miriam and Rabbinic Intern Gregory Metzger Kohelet Ecclesiastes 10:00 am 12.30 PM Shabbat Service Secretary Treasurer Shoshi Wilchfort Lynn Stevens Dan Sterling Board Members Past Presidents Debra Barrath Barbara Burbank Vicki Crawford Judy Freeman Gary Levine Florene Rozen Jonathan Troper Rena Jaffe Jean Katz Ron Estroff Sid Rosenblatt Blanche Moss Ex- Officio Members Rabbi Miriam Hamrell Charles Hamrell MD The Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin Torah Portion Ki Tissa, Exodus 30:11-34:35 Chanter Judith D var Torah Gregory Metzger Cantor Gary Levine Greeter Judy Kollack Unless otherwise indicated, all events and services are at Village Lutheran Church, 343 S. Church Lane, L.A. 90049
Rabbinic Intern Gregory D. Metzger Watching back to the future Ki Tissa 5771 I love time-lapse photography It is the filming technique that gives us a glimpse into a world we otherwise would not see. With time-lapse, we get to see skyscrapers erected in minutes. We see plants go from seed to flower in seconds. We see the 405 actually move Watching these films gets me wondering: can we see God, if we just slow the world down enough? Moses was very attentive; he slowed the world down enough to notice that the burning bush was not being consumed. He saw miracles. He saw signs and wonders. But he wanted to see God face-to-face. Moses said: If I have truly gained your favor, pray let me know Your ways that I may know you...oh, let me behold Your Presence Exodus 33:15-18 הוה God responds: I shall cause to pass all my goodness before your face, and I shall call out the name before you. I shall show favor to whomever I choose, and I shall show mercy to whomever I choose. And... you will not be able to see My face for no man can [see It] and live. And he said, there is a place near Me on the rock. When My glory passes, I shall place you in a cleft in the rock; I shall shield you with My hand over you until I have passed. Then, I shall remove My hand and you will see My back, but My face may not be seen. Exodos 33:19-23 There is a teaching of the Chatam Sofer, Moses Schreiber, a leading Orthodox rabbi of the 19 th century. He taught that a period of time may only be understood once we are able to view the entire context of events and happenings. When I take the time to look back at moments in my life, it is not hard for me to see that self-will alone did not bring me to the place (ha-makom) where I stand today. A larger Force is at work in my life. As much as I seek to see this Force working in the moment, I, like Moses, must struggle to content myself with knowing that the Ever Present is truly ever present even though it can only be truly apprehended in retrospect. As a person active in the Holy task of advocating for justice, human rights and the relief of suffering, the task for me, is to act as if I have True Faith that God is with me in this moment. Faith is therefore the ACTION not the belief. In G-d in Search of Man, Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, The deed is the test, the trial and the risk. What we perform may seem slight, but the aftermath is immense. This is how I understand our Rabbi, when she encourages us to plant trees whose fruits we may never see. Faith and God are present with the seed and the planting. There is much greater at work in the present than can be seen in the moment. This is so true in this great work of living a life of blessings. We can see this Much Greater in the lives of those we serve and in the souls of those who walk and work alongside us. What is the deed you will perform this week? What is the risk that you will take this week, not knowing what fruit it will bear, where and to whom it will be made manifest? You have been given the seed, is up to you to plant it and encourage others to join as you nurture it. Whether or not we will be fortunate enough to be able to look back as if with time-lapse photography and see the true beauty and power of our deed, we can all rejoice in the recognition of the great blessing that we have been invited to become a part of something awesome
HAVDALAH HOOTENANNY Come for the singing and the company Theme: Pete SEEGER and FREEDOM SONGS At the home of: Vivian Gold and Phil Danufsky's 3235 Kelton Ave. Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 Date: SATURDAY February 15, 2014 Time: 6:00--9:00 p.m. Bring your musical instruments, and extra folding chairs if you have them. We will have pot-luck--arroz con Pollo (chicken) No dairy, please. We will have Arroz sin (without) pollo (chicken) for the vegetarians among us. For further information please call Vivian at: 310 470-5142 or vgold@ucla.edu
Back by popular demand The first of three Ahavat Torah's Spring trips, will be to the Griffith Park Observatory on Tuesday, February 25th from noon to 3:30 p.m. We will meet for lunch at the Wolfgang Puck Cafeteria overlooking the city, see the history of the observatory and its "being lifted"---a major engineering feat---in the Leonard Nimoy Theater (free). Have a docent speak about the new and amazing downstairs, where we will stand before galaxies flashing around us, and face and study the wall portraying a part of the universe. Then time to see the second floor, and last, to attend a planetarium show ($5.00 for seniors). PLEASE RSVP by February 15th to: Florene Rozen at 323-666-0309 or florene@roadrunner.com Of course, guests are invited. Because parking is tight at the top of the hill, it is suggested you carpool.
The Ahavat Torah SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE announces: GETTING ACQUAINTED with Families of the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, a housing project for low-income families. We are pleased to begin our project with Families and Children with a pot-luck get acquainted dinner. Place: Community Corporation of Santa Monica 430 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, California 90405 Date: February 27, 2014 Time: 6:15 p.m. Renee Schwartz will be coordinating the food. Vivian Gold will be coordinating the music. Carolina Valle who works with the families is helping begin this project, which will involve two or three get-togethers on Thursday evenings, and then with input from the families, we can plan educational and recreational projects to do with the children. We recognize the importance of RELATIONSHIPS which will help us find out how we can best be of service. ALL MEMBERS OF AHAVAT TORAH (not just SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS) are invited to attend. ***IMPORTANT INFORMATION *** In order to participate, Carolina Valle has asked that we fill out forms and have lifescans (finger printing) which allows us to volunteer here. If you have not done so already, please contact Vivian Gold, vgold@ucla.edu, and or Carolina Valle at <carolina@comminitycorp.org> for the forms. Please let Vivian or Renee know if you are coming. Vivian (310) 470-5142 or vgold@ucla.edu Renee (310) 573-3810
We are having a VERY SPECIAL THEATER PARTY Closely Related Keys Directed by acclaimed director Shirley Jo Finney Date: Sunday March 9, at 4pm Where: The Lounge Theater 6201 Santa Monica Blvd Hollywood, CA 90038 Street Parking is Available Ticket price is $50.00 which includes the performance at 4PM, followed by a wine and refreshment reception, and 'talk back' with the playwright Wendy Graf, Along with Rabbi Miriam Hamrell, and some of the performers. Seating is limited so make your reservations as soon as possible Contact Barbara Burbank for reservations at burpurr@sbcglobal.net or at 310 / 858-9288. *** HOW AND WHEN DO I PAY?*** Payment information will be provided once Barbara has received your RSVP (phone call or email) Closely Related Keys directed by acclaimed director Shirley Jo Finney ( Stick Fly, In The Red and Brown Water ). Starring: Simone Cook, Brent Jennings, Diarra Kilpatrick, Jeff Lorch and Adam Meir. A young woman s carefully constructed life begins to crumble with the surprise discovery of an Iraqi half sister who has fled Iraq, arriving in the U.S. with a seemingly strange and questionable agenda. Closely Related Keys is a beautiful exploration of religious and racial identity, clashing cultures, loyalty, hopes and dreams, and the walls people build when faced with loss and threat. It is about the ones left behind. It is a plea for understanding and tolerance at a time of fear and religious, moral, racial and political polarization. Both audience and characters are challenged by deeply held notions about those people, people we assume we know. But mostly, Closely Related Keys is about picking up the broken pieces of the past to imperfectly assemble a new family and future.
PURIM IS HERE When the month of Adar enters, we increase in joy. Talmud, Taanit 29a Please&join&us&for&a&unique,&hilarious,&fun&Purim&festivity&&& Sunday,&March&16th&at&3:30&p.m.&& at&the&beautiful&home&of&shoshi&and&izydor&wilchfort.&& The&Ahavat&Torah&entertainers&will&present&a&Purim&Shpiel&unlike&any& you&have&ever&seen.&we&will&enjoy:& Megillah&reading,& A&teaching,& Costume&or&Funny&Hat& Contest& Music& Dancing& Appetizers&and& refreshments& A&GREAT&Hamantashen& competition&& Bring&your&own&wine&and& Graggers The&fee&is&$10.00&for&members&and&$5.00&for&guests&accompanied&by& members,&payable&at&the&door.& Please&RSVP&to&Florene&Rozen&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& at&323v666v0309&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& or&florene@roadrunner.com&& by&march&9th.&address&and&& directions,&will&be&provided&when&you&& make&your&reservation.& & There&are&only&30&spaces&available,&so&do& get&your&reservation&in&as&soon&as&possible.
INCREDIBLE HAMANTASHEN COMPETITION Our exceptional and very funny Purim party will be on Sunday, March 16th at 3:30PM at the gorgeous home of Shoshi and Izydor Wilchfort. Hamantashen is the name for the sweet three-cornered filled pastry served on Purim, representing the ears of Haman, the villain of this festival. A wonderful gift will be presented to the winner. To enter, just call or E-mail Rabbi Miriam Make your own Hamantashen dough and filling of your choice bring it ready for the judges to taste at the party. Picture of the winner & the judges will be published in our AT Newsletter.
YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR NEXT BOOK SALON SAVE THE DATE WHAT & WHO: Ruth Broyde Sharone will present an introduction to her book Miracles & Minefields: Why God and Allah Need to Talk. WHEN: Sunday, March 30, 1:30-3:30 p.m. WHERE: Jean Katz's Home (address provided when you RSVP) RSVP required. Jean's home can only accommodate the first 30 AT members and friends who reply. RSVP TO: 310-276-7941 or jeankatz@earthlink.net. About the Author Seeking a way to promote mutual respect among people of widely divergent beliefs, Ruth Broyde Sharone takes on grass-roots interfaith engagement as her personal and global mission. Strong in her Jewish faith, yet close to Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and others, Ruth has a passionate need to see the "other " and "the stranger" as friend and fellow traveler. "Ruth is a master storyteller, traversing the world, making films, weaving webs of connection, and inspiring us to do the same. She epitomizes what people mean when they ask us to become the change we want to see in the world." Rev.Paul Chaffee, Editor, "The Interfaith Observer" "Readers will instantly connect with this open-hearted, often touching, occasionally hilarious, and always disarmingly personal account of interreligious adventures and misadventures." Pulitzer Prize winning author, Jack Miles, "Minefields and Miracles" is "a captivating memoir and colorful overview of the interfaith movement. Ruth Broyde Sharone's "wake-up call" occurs during her college years. Ruth details her first painful encounter with religious discrimination and goes on to describe her courageous sojourn alone as a 21-year-old traversing the length and breadth of Latin America. She emerges from that trip with a keen desire to explore the rest of the world. First a journalist, then a documentary filmmaker, Ruth travels in Europe and later spends 10 years making films in Israel, where she encounters the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, a conflict that haunts her long after she returns to the States. Following 9/11 she is invited to screen her award-winning film, God and Allah Need to Talk, at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions gathering in Barcelona, Spain. In Barcelona she experiences her first taste of "interfaith paradise," which inspires her to intensify her interfaith activities around the globe. Through Ruth we begin to understand the inner life of the peacemakers and boundarycrossers who walk among us. Ruth describes the minefields clearly, seeking to learn the causes. She also describes the miracles, offering vivid and concrete examples of the expansion of the global interfaith web. Brimming with photographs of her journeys--from California to Argentina, from Africa to India, from Italy to Green Bay - the book also includes historical photos of the remarkable individuals from around the world who participated in the first Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. A set of questions for discussion is included at the end of the book. The book has garnered endorsements from more than 30 global leaders of many faiths, including H.H. the Dalai Lama." Adapted from Amazon.com
IT'S CELEBRATION TIME Saturday Evening, May 3rd, 2014 HOLD THE DATE Ahavat Torah Congregation is hosting a dinner celebrating Friendship, Compassion and Holy Work in our beloved community. And who better to honor than these loving, giving and humble menschen Beth Devermont and Hal & Rena Jaffe Let us know if you want to help plan a spectacular evening. Excitedly yours, Barbara and Debra
A NEW GRANDDAUGHTER Maya Ariela It is with great love, joy and excitement that we welcome Maya Ariela to our family. She was born on January 19, weighing in at 7 lbs., 4 oz. and measuring 20 inches in length. Mom Leslee and Baby Maya are doing exceptionally well after a Cesarean section and 5 day hospital stay. Dad Jason and brothers Ari and Cai are over the moon for this most wonderful addition to the Berman family. Maya's middle name is for Leon (for Jason's paternal grandfather who died this year) and her Hebrew name will be Ariela in honor of Leon (Hebrew name Ariel). Missing all of you, Hal and Rena
January 27 th, 2014 Rabbinical retreat at AJU Brandeis - Bardin Campus with:. (from left), Greg Metzger, Susan Nanus, Rabbi Miriam Hamrell and Shoshi Wilchfort _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- IMPORTANT TRAFFIC ALERT FOR Saturday February 15 th Please give yourself plenty of time when heading to synagogue on the 405 North. Only 2 lanes will be open NORTHBOUND due to roadwork.
2014 / 5774 February Shabbat, 15 10am 1pm 6pm Includes a short program on Washington s Letter to the Jews Social Action Committee meeting Havdalah Hootenanny at Phil & Vivian s with potluck, nondairy dinner. Shabbat, 22 10am Midrashah 1pm Gala Committee meets in Fireside Room Tuesday, 25 12:00pm 3:30pm Spring Outing #1 to the New Griffith Park Observatory Thursday, 27 6:15pm Social Action dinner with Carolina at Community Corporation of Santa Monica March Shabbat, 8 Sunday, 9 10am 1pm 4pm Simchat Shabbat Board Meeting Theater: Closely Related Keys followed by a wine and cheese reception with discussion by playwright Wendy Graf and Rabbi Miriam Hamrell. Shabbat, 15 1pm Social Action Committee meeting Sunday, 16 Wednesday, 26 Sunday, 30 3:30pm 1:30pm Purim Party with Megillah Reading, Purim Spiel, & Potluck Dinner at Shoshi & Izydor s Spring Outing #2: "Becoming L.A." exhibit at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. At a congregants home: Book Salon for Ruth Broyde, Sharon s Minefield and Miracles: Why God and Allah need to talk (limited Seating) For further information contact Debra at AhavatTorahLA@gmail.com AHAVAT TORAH CONGREGATION, P. O. Box 291262 Los Angeles, CA 90029; Phone 310-362-1111