The Bulletin Adat Chaim s News Source March 2016 Owings Mills, Maryland Adar I/Adar II 5776 From The President s Desk It is hard to believe that March is alrady here. That means that Purim and Passover are not far behind. We have a lot going on at the synagogue and I want to share a few of them with you. Lev Shalom, the new siddur from United Synagogue has arrived. We have started to use it during Shabbat morning services on Saturday. This siddur is a result of the wonderful work that was done on the new machzor for the High Holidays. We hope to have a book drive in the near future so that we can order enough books to use at services this fall. Sisterhood is busy with a number of events to enrich, strengthen and opportunities to gather and socialize. Please see Adrienne s article in the Bulletin and the fliers for information. Purim services will be held on Wednesday, March 23 rd. We will read the Megillah, do some interactive and interpretive skits and eat some hamantashan. Come in costume and win a prize! Be on the lookout for a survey being sent out through Survey Monkey. We want to poll the congregation, get some feedback and hear your thoughts on a number of topics. So please complete it as soon as you get it. All responses are anonymous and I will get the results out in a future Bulletin edition. If you have not sent in your membership dues, it is important that you do so as soon as possible. If you need another reminder of your balance or want a formal statement mailed to you, please contact me and I will be happy to get one to you. We rely on your support to pay our monthly expenses. Shalom till next month, Cathy Litofsky 1
Adat Chaim Pleasant Hill Center 10989 Red Run Boulevard, Suite 109 Owings Mills, MD 21117 410.833.SHUL (7485) adatchaim18@juno.com Rabbi Jerry Seidler Rabbi_Jerry@yahoo.com 410.701.0632 Officers Cathy Litofsky President clitofsky@comcast.net 410.356.7288 David Teichman 1 st Vice President Davidalan99@gmail.com 410.581.1855 Jerry Newman 2 nd Vice President jsnewm@gmail.com 410.581.7884 Allan Weksberg Secretary weks@comcast.net 410.356.2094 George Korba Treasurer gkorba@bridgedeck.org 410.833.0570 Editor Linda Boteach linda.boteach@gmail.com The Bulletin accepts all material relevant to the Jewish community in the northwest corridor. To maintain accuracy all information will be accepted by e-mail only. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 18th of each month for the next month s publication. www.adatchaim.com Please contact Rabbi Seidler for all of your Life Cycle Events so that he may provide guidance and support to you and your family members. The synagogue can also help with a variety of services for you. This might include: phone squad or e-mail announcements to the congregation, coverage for services, meals, visits, rides to the doctor or any other assistance that you might need. So be sure to contact the synagogue office at: 410.833.7485 and let us know how we can help. Need Information? Adult Education Wendy Raith 410. 876.7602 B nei Mitzvah Program Synagogue Office 410.833.7485 Billing Questions George Korba 410.833.0570 Bulletin Linda Boteach 410.833.5723 Catering and Kiddush Sponsorship Tina Asher 410.526.6484 Facebook Page Wendy Raith 410.876.7602 Gift Shop Tina Asher 410.526.6484 Life Cycle Events Synagogue Office 410.833.7485 Membership David Teichman 410.581.1855 Mitzvah Cards Janet Korba 410.833.0570 Ritual Committee Jerry Newman 410.581.7884 Sisterhood Adrienne Frager 410.526.0681 Webmaster Lynn Ruddie 410.833.7987 No phone calls or e-mails on Shabbat please. Remember that the synagogue is supported through the following secured Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/shopadatchaim or you can log on to www.adatchaim.com and choose the link: Shop Adat Chaim. Either way, it is a win-win for Adat Chaim. 2
Divrei Chodesh D Rabbi Jerry Seidler The Yiddish aphorism goes, Der mentsh trakht un Got lakht, or Man plans and God laughs. It can be a biting commentary on the sudden, unforeseen, and definitely unappreciated occurrences that get in the way of life s hopes, pleasures, joys, and work. We look forward to whatever it may be and boom, the unexpected happens and our plans are dashed. Pity the human, yet still, God laughs. But not this year. As a leap year, we benefit from two months of levity, lightheartedness of joy. The last month of the Jewish year is Adar, the month in which Purim falls, a month of happiness and laughter. And this year we get two Adars. First Adar is ending, and Second Adar is beginning. Hah! So maybe now we can laugh too, and maybe better and louder than God. As well we should! People have been planning for a better world for a long, long time. Every once in a while, we can espy a glimpse, savor a bit of a taste. Just when we think we are about there, have that better world in reach, something comes up to burst the bubble. So it is today. The gains in knowledge -- technology, medicine, agriculture and yes, of governance all would seem to lead towards an improvement of the human condition. And yet, we see at almost every turn, disaster. From Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan and Pakistan, from Sudan and Yemen to Ukraine and North Korea, from the depraved murder of women (called honor killings in some regions of the world) to the wholesale slaughter of animals and the eradication of forests. From the implosion of Europe to the degradation of American politics and social civility. And to an economic inequality not seen in ninety years. All this is no laughing matter, unless of course, you are God. God laughs. People plan. The plans go poof. God still laughs. I say it is Adar, and if we did not have our laughs last month, well fine, we get another chance because of leap year. It is Adar all over again. And we need to laugh. Loudly. And what should we laugh about? Anything and everything. We need to laugh at ourselves, at how we brilliant human beings have made such a mess of it. We should laugh and laugh and laugh, and keep on laughing that we drown out God s laughter as if we were groggers at a Megillah reading. I can hear the critics now: Really, rabbi, we should be so frivolous? There is so much that needs doing and all you can tell us is to laugh? Well, actually, yes. That s what Adar is for. That s why we read the Book of Esther. We look at the underside of what people are capable of and we laugh, and make fun, and all that. And we see in our frivolity that good can triumph and that evil does lose out. We laugh not with ourselves, but at ourselves. We laugh so much that we realize the laughter is not because it s all funny, but because it is so pathetic. We laugh at ourselves and our failures and our foibles and our flaws. We laugh so hard that we choke ourselves into seriousness. That we, too, can be like Mordechai and Esther. We too can save ourselves, our people, our country, our world. In the meantime, let s laugh. It beats crying. 3
Ritual Committee Jerry Newman, Chair jsnewm@gmail.com 410.581.7884 As Purim approaches we are looking into doing short skits as part of our service this year. We are developing them now and need some folks to highlight their thespian side by helping us to perform them. If you are interested in participating please contact me at 410-581-7884. Purim is a time of celebration and laughter. Purim services will take place on Wednesday, March 23 rd at 7:00 p.m. We will be reading the Megillah and nash some hamentaschen, of course! The next Friday night service will take place on March 4 th at 6:30PM. We hold Saturday morning Shabbat services each week starting at 9:30 a.m. Minyans are needed on a weekly basis so that congregants and community members who are in mourning or observing a yahrzeit are able to do so, providing them with a meaningful Shabbat experience. Please contact me by e-mail to let me know what Saturdays you are available. We will be introducing Lev Shalom at our next Saturday morning service, March 5 th. This is the new Conservative siddur that has just arrived. We look forward to using it and hope that you will take the opportunity to join us on Friday evening and Saturday morning to experience this new siddur firsthand. If you need a minyan for any reason during the week or on Shabbat, please contact Jerry Newman at jsnewm@gmail.com so that he can arrange it for you. Please give at least two weeks notice for a yahrzeit minyan, allowing time for the Ritual Committee and our congregants to be notified. Yahrzeits The families listed below will be observing Yahrzeit for family members and need to say Kaddish during the month. To schedule a minyan service on a date other than Shabbat, contact Jerry Newman at 410.581.7884 or jsnewm@gmail.com. Date: Sunday, March 6 th (Candles should be lit at sundown the night before) Yahrzeit of: Anna Bernstein Relationship: Mother of Malcolm Bernstein Tuesday, March 8 th Max Israel The Kesler Family Wednesday, March 9 th Murray Metzger Neil Posner Friend of Harry Deitchman Brother of Gary Posner Thursday, March 17 th Celie Schneider Aunt of Janet Korba Friday, March 25 th Solomon Friedheim Brother of Tina Asher If you have a Yahrzeit and don t see it in the bulletin or wish to be included on the list for a relative s Yahrzeit, please call the office and we will be happy to update our database. 4
Happy Birthday Happy Birthda y TZEDAKAH Since the last edition of the Bulletin, the following donations have been made to Adat Chaim. Cathy & Irv Litofsky GENERAL SYNAGOGUE FUND In Memory of Elinor Reamer Gumnit, Mother of Steve Reamer Janet & George Korba In Memory of Neeta Purcell, Mother of Beverley Fishman Cathy & Irv Litofsky In Memory of Don Sherman, Father of Cindy Perlow Janet & George Korba In Memory of David Zeigenfuse, Son of Judy & Irv Zeigenfuse Cathy & Irv Litofsky In Honor of the Birth of our Granddaughter, Francesca Jo Maiorano Cathy & Irv Litofsky Janet & George Korba Thank you to the following who are sponsoring the Bingo being held on Sunday, March 13 th : Linda Boteach Amy Helsel Marcy Wesalo HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES GO OUT TO: March 2 nd Wendy Raith March 8 th Ryan Asher March 14 th Elana Boteach March 27 th Adrienne Frager March 31st Lenny Mzhen If your birthday does not appear or you have a correction to what we have, call the office at 410.833.7458. 5
Sisterhood Adrienne Frager, President AdrienneSL@aol.com 410-526-0681 Myra Wittik will be hosting our March 7th book club. The book we will be discussing for this meeting is Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen. Contact Linda Boteach, linda.boteach@gmail.com to join this group. Sisterhood is holding a Goods and Services BINGO fundraising event on Sunday, March 13 from 2-4PM. Show your support of the synagogue by attending or consider a contribution. See flyer for more information. Wednesday, March 16 th at 6:45 PM - Empowering Women program, just in time for Purim. Our speakers are: Councilwoman Vicky Almond who is currently the Chairwoman of the Baltimore County Council, serving in this position for the second time, and Anna Renault who is a 9 time Cancer Survivor and wrote 22 books. Contact Tina Asher at 410-526-6484 to RSVP for this program. Week of April 3 - April 17 - we are in the process of planning an Online Vendor Fundraising event. More information will be coming out later this month. Mark your calendars for the Joint Sisterhood Dinner. Beth Israel Sisterhood will be sponsoring the event this year on Monday, April 11 at 6PM Additional events: Sunday, March 6 2:00-4:30pm - Seaboard Region Torah Fund "Wine, Women and Song" at Har Shalom, Potomac, MD. Cost is $36 which includes a Wind & Cheese Reception and a Cantor's concert. Please respond to Adrienne Frager, AdrienneSL@aol.com ASAP if you are interested in attending. Immediate family members may also attend for $18. Thursday, March 10 the Federation will be going to Annapolis to visit the State House and Naval Academy. Visit their website for more information. Join the Federation of Thursday, May 19 9am --2:30 pm for their Centennial Celebration 100th Annual Convention. Come and support Cathy Litofsky when she is presented with the "Builder of Unity" award for Adat Chaim Sisterhood Shalom until next month, Adrienne Nat ah Karem join another hard-working, generous woman, who plants a vineyard by her own labors. (Proverbs 31:7) 6
Sisterhood Events & Activities at a Glance* (All events & activities at the synagogue unless otherwise noted) Sunday, March 6 th Seaboard Region Torah Fund Event 2 4:30PM Wine, Women & Song Cantor s Concert at Har Shalom, Potomac Monday, March 7 th Book club The home of Myra Wittik 7:30PM Sunday, March 13 th Goods and Services Bingo 2 4:00PM *Note: Look for additional activities and updates in future publications, e-mails and communications from Sisterhood as they become available * Adat Chaim Sisterhood Continues its Food Drive Bring boxed and canned food whenever you come to the synagogue and place the items in the box in the lobby. The items will be divided between the Crisis Center and Hannah More to help support those in need right in our community. Help us fill the shelves at the Reisterstown Community Crisis Center and Sarah s Hope at Hannah More this year. A list of suggested and preferred items is on the Sisterhood page of the web site (www.adatchaim.com). Thank you to all of our members who continue to donate non-perishable food items so that we can help our neighbors in need! Let s keep those donations coming. 7
~ March 2016 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 Sisterhood Board Meeting 7:30PM 4 Shabbat Services 6:30PM Birthday & Anniversary Shabbat Candle lighting: 5:45PM 5 Vayakhel Shabbat Shekalim Shabbat Services 9:30AM Rabbi Seidler 6 7 8 9 10 Rosh Chodesh Adar II 11 Candle lighting: 5:52PM Rosh Chodesh Adar II 12 Pekudei Shabbat Services 9:30AM Rabbi Seidler 13 Bingo Event 2 4PM Doors open at 1:30 Games, prizes and fun! 14 15 16 Sisterhood Program 6:45PM 17 18 Candle lighting: 6:59PM 19 Vayikra Shabbat Zachor Shabbat Services 9:30AM Rabbi Seidler 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Tzav Candle lighting: 7:06PM Erev Purim Services 7PM Purim Shushan Purim 27 28 29 30 31 Notes: Joint Sisterhood Dinner at Beth Israel on 4/11. Save the date. Remember that the synagogue is supported through the following secured Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/shopadatchaim or you can log on to www.adatchaim.com and choose the link: Shop Adat Chaim. Either way, it is a win-win for Adat Chaim. 8
Adat Chaim Sisterhood Presents Sunday Afternoon March 13th from 2 to 4 PM - Doors open at 1:30 Ticket Pricing: $20.00 - at the door $18.00 - in advance $15.00 for 5 or more people in advance Advance tickets checks must be received by Wednesday, March 9th or contact Tina Asher Please make out your check to Adat Chaim Sisterhood, include Bingo on the memo line and Mail To: Tina Asher 107 Brunk Road Reisterstown, MD 21136 410-526-6484 The Adat Chaim Sisterhood thanks you in advance for your support 9
P.O. Box 29 Stevenson, MD 21153-0029 office : 410-486-8877 fax: 410-833-4005 www.jewishwomensfed.org email:info@jewishwomensfed.org OFFICERS Sheila K. Derman, President Helene H. Waranch, First Vice President Rochelle Bohrer, Vice President Sheila Mentz, Vice President Linda Roedel, Corresponding Secretary Rae Shalowitz, Corresponding Secretary Debbie Shpritz, Recording Secretary Arlene Mazer, P.P., Treasurer Ann Fishkin, Auditor Harriet L. Meier, M.D. P.P., Community Representative ORGANIZATIONS Associated Women of The Associated AMIT Women Brandeis University National Women s Committee, Baltimore Chapter Covenant Guild, Inc. Hadassah, Baltimore Chapter Israel Bonds Maryland Women s Division Jewish Caring Network Jewish Women International, Lillie Straus/Hope Chapter Kappa Guild, Inc. Levindale Auxiliary, Inc. Mildred Mindell Cancer Foundation Miriam Lodge, K.S.B., Inc. National Council of Jewish Women, Baltimore Section, Inc. Rogers C. Snyder Memorial, Ladies Auxiliary #117, Jewish War Veterans Sinai Hospital Auxiliary True Sisters, Inc., Baltimore #35 SISTERHOODS Adat Chaim Congregation Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Beth El Congregation Beth Israel Congregation Beth Tfiloh Congregation Bnai Jacob/Shaarei Zion Chizuk Amuno Congregation Har Sinai Congregation Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Ner Tamid Congregation Temple Emanuel Temple Oheb Shalom Federation Celebrates 100 Years! One hundred years! A memorable time to be celebrated! The Federation of Jewish Women s Organizations of Maryland will hold its Centennial Convention on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The oldest and only existing Jewish Women s Federation in the country will welcome to this milestone event hundreds of women from 28 constituent organizations and sisterhoods. Ever since a brilliant group of Jewish women founded the Federation in 1916, it has made a positive impact on the communities in which Marylanders live and work, through enhancing education, leadership and advocacy. It s Serv-A program supports United States Servicemen and Women. In keeping with this year s theme, Strength in Unity, the exciting and diverse program will feature Keynote Speaker Marcia Greenberger, Founder and Co-President of the National Women s Law Center. An exemplary member from each constituent organization will receive the Builder of Unity Award in a memorable ceremony. The 2016 E. B. Hirsh Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Councilwoman Rikki Spector, Dean of the Baltimore City Council. Please help inform the public about Federation s forthcoming Strength in Unity Centennial Convention, celebrating its past one hundred years of leadership and its vision for a future of continuing community service. We would be happy to supply any additional information you may require. Marcia Bornfriend, Centennial Publicity Chair marcia410@comcast.net (443) 255-3119 Eve Vogelstein, Centennial Co-Chair mothraeve@gmail.com (443) 744-1060 Lynda Weinstein, Centennial Co-Chair missmagothy@aol.com (410) 484-3576 The Federation of Jewish Women s Organizations of Maryland is an umbrella group of non-profit organizations and sisterhoods, committed to leadership training, support of the Jewish community and advocacy of issues of major concern. Founded in 1916 10
Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland Movement between Towns in Eastern Europe (a.k.a. Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral ) Please join us on Sunday, March 27, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at the Hadassah meeting room, 3723 Old Court Rd (Dumbarton Offices entrance), Pikesville, for our next program, Movement between Towns in Eastern Europe (a.k.a. Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral ), presented by Lara Diamond. Many researchers, once they have discovered the town from which their ancestors left Eastern Europe, assume that their families must have lived in that town or the vicinity for many generations. While this was true for some families, there was significant movement through broad swaths of Europe by many Jews for a variety of reasons. The speaker will demonstrate the breadth of some families movements with examples from her own research and will discuss the types of documents used to trace those families travels. Lara Diamond is President of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland (JGSMD) and has been researching her family for 25 years, since she was too young to have a driver s license and had to rely on her mother as a chauffeur. She lives in Maryland. Lara has traced all branches of her family back to Europe and most multiple generations back in Europe using Russian Empire-era and Austria-Hungarian Empire records. Most of her research is in modern-day Ukraine, with a smattering of Belarus and Poland. She runs several town-focused projects to collect documentation to assist all those researching ancestors from common towns. She blogs about her mostly Eastern European research at http://larasgenealogy.blogspot.com. The program is free for paid members and $5 for non-members (applied to membership fee when a visitor joins JGSMD) after their first meeting. Refreshments will be available. Please check our web site at www.jgsmd.org for late updates and for the time, location, and program of future meetings. 11
Office Use Card sent Use this form to mail in your contributions to Adat Chaim Synagogue I am enclosing Chai ($18) Double Chai ($36) Triple Chai ($54) 10 X Chai ($180) Other Contributions can be made: In Memory of For a Speedy Recovery In Honor of In Appreciation of Yahrzeit of Other: (Please specify) Contributions can be made to: General Synagogue Fund Rabbi s Discretionary Fund Rabbi Seymour Essrog Lecture Fund Tree of Life ($180) Yahrzeit Plaque ($250) I would like to donate to the following fund: (Please specify name of fund) Donation for (name/occasion) Your name(s) as you wish them to appear in Bulletin Send card to Card to be signed Address Your Address City, State, Zip City, State, Zip Attention Amazon Shoppers Remember that the synagogue is supported through the following secured Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/shopadatchaim or you can log on to www.adatchaim.com and choose the link: Shop Adat Chaim on our home page. Either way, it is a win-win for you and Adat Chaim 11