Touro T radition S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T : I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : President s Message 1 Message from the Rabbi Services for the Holiday Season Greetings from Community Members Community Events 2 GW Letter Reading 3 Holiday Greetings 4 Service Schedule 5 Flu Shot Clinic 6 Around Touro 7 V O L 3 N O 1 F A L L 2 0 1 0 T I S H R E I 5 7 7 1 Happy new year Message from the Presidents ellow Members of Congregation Jeshuat F Israel, Last year in my Rosh Hashanah Greetings, I mentioned my hope that in my letter this year I would be able to report progress in securing the financial future of the synagogue and ensuring that it will always be open for services as an orthodox synagogue with a rabbi in residence. I am happy to write that we have made significant progress toward our goal! By cutting costs and streamlining the management of our buildings and grounds, we had a balanced budget for the first time in years. We also launched the first of our planned fundraising efforts, the Abraham Touro Society. By enrolling 100 charter members in the Society, we will raise $1,000,000! We have not solved our problems by balancing our budget one year or by doing some fundraising, but we have embraced the challenge and are taking significant steps toward our goal of adding $8,000,000 to our endowment. Working together, we will succeed. The future of the synagogue is in our hands! Nevertheless, despite the constraints, I think that I speak for all of us when I express my pride and pleasure at being a member of this congregation. The thread of history that connects all Jewish people is especially strong at Touro Synagogue. Sitting in the ladies gallery, I often think about the women who sat there before me. They range from 18th century colonial congregants such as Reyna Hays Touro and Sarah Rivera Lopez to 19th and early 20th century members such as Annie Rosen and Dora Kusinitz Adelson, whose descendants are still members of the congregation today. These women and their families represent our past while young couples such as Michael and Sara Berman Pimental and the new congregant they will soon present to us are our future. My membership in the congregation makes me a part of the history, tradition and continuity that binds us all as members of the Jewish community here in Newport, throughout the United States and around the world. As we gather for the holidays in our magnificent, historic sanctuary and look out at our beautiful Patriots Park and the wonderful new Visitors Center, our hearts are full. Steve and I and Saul and Susan send you and your families our best wishes for the New לשנה טובה Year. Bea
P A G E 2 Fortunate is the Nation that knows the sound of the shofar. The symbols of Sukkot Message from the Rabbi T he Jewish year of 5771 will be approaching very shortly. O n T h u r s d a y September 9, we will hear the shofar sounded in our synagogue. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that the shofar has been blown in our synagogue for the past thirty days. The month prior to RH is dedicated to soul searching and repentance. Except for Sabbaths, everyday of the month of Elul includes the recitation of the 27th psalm as well as the blast of the ram s horn. It is impossible to enter the year 5771 without preparation and soul examination. For those of you who were not privileged to hear the shofar blasts during Elul, I would like to share some of my observations. It is appropriate to reflect on this past summer s Washington letter celebration. We achieved something of such great significance that we can only be pleased that it occurred. For the first time in several years, our three congregations, Newport, Philadelphia and New York were joined together in a major celebration. The rabbis of NY and Philadelphia enhanced our prestige by joining forces with us over the Washington letter weekend. Together we found great strength in numbers. We joined together as three synagogue families looking to each other for inspiration and clarity. The greatest danger facing our community is isolation. We cannot survive as a synagogue without others who care for our well-being. As such that special weekend is a mark of distinction for our congregation. It is noteworthy that this summer we had an infusion of spiritual activity and credit must go to two wonderful families who joined us for services Friday nights and Saturday mornings. Bob Book, Jay Schottenstein and their families showed us that we can pray with joy and enthusiasm. We must give them credit for joining us twice in a Sabbath, when the walk to and from their residences is quite far. Because of these wonderful families, we secured a minyan three times during the fast of Tisha B Av. Their input also made Selichot services most remarkable. The Book and Schottenstein families care enough about our synagogue to want us to attend and participate in a way that we have never done before. From the bottom of my heart, I thank these wonderful people for their inspiration. May G-d bless them and us in a very sweet and spiritual new year. Wishing the Touro family, its friends, and relatives all the very best during this coming year. Rabbi Eskovitz
P A G E 3 Washington Letter Reading 2010 Seixas letter reader George Bulow (L) and Washington letter reader Bob Book (R) flanking the keynote speaker Dr. William Haas Newport Artillery color guard Rabbi Gabbai (Mikvah Israel), Rev. Dr. Anita Schell-Lambert, Rabbi Eskovitz, and Rabbi Rohde (Shearith Israel) Shirley and Phillip Mintz and Jo Stein Andrew Teitz, Master of Ceremonies Sam and Phyllis Freedman and other audience members applaud a speaker Louise Teitz (red hat) with holocaust survivors and Teitz Award recipients from the Holocaust Education and Resource Center of Rhode Island Saul Woythaler delivers greetings from Congregation Jeshuat Israel Peter Slom (L) and Rita Slom (R) with one of the Slom Scholarship award winners, Benjamin Wygant, and his parents
P A G E 4 High Holiday Greetings Arnie and Francine Aaron Lou and Sally Abbey Mr. and Mrs. Jack Abrams The Chalfin Family Dr. Elie and Marcia Cohen Charlene and Larry Cohen Apples and Honey for a Sweet New Year Doris and Alan Feinberg Irene and Morty Glasser and Family Cliff L. Guller Dr. and Mrs. James Herstoff and Family Selma Klein Joan T. Liebman Philip and Shirley Mintz Barbara Epstein and Zal Newman The Pedrick Family Donna and Frank Pimental Steve, Bea and Jay Ross Bernice and Saul Schweber Rita Slom and Family Renee Talewsky and Family Susan and Saul Woythaler A Beautiful Sukkah We hope our members will enjoy the luach (Hebrew Calendar) included with out High Holiday mailing. Be sure to check out November. Do you need an extra luach? The Touro office has a number of calendars for the Hebrew year 5771 supplied by Sugarman s Memorial Chapel. If you would like one, please call the office and leave a message. We will get one to you or arrange a time for pick-up at the office.
P A G E 5 2010/5771 Service Schedule High Holiday Services 2010 Rosh HaShanah Services Wednesday, Sept 8, 6:00 PM Thursday, September 9, 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM Tashlich 5:00 PM Friday, September 10, 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM Yom Kippur Services Kol Nidre - Friday, September 17, 6:15 PM September 18, 8:30 AM, 5:15 PM, 6:15 PM Thank You To The Ladies Auxiliary of Touro Synagogue For Hosting The Break The Fast (which we know will be wonderful, as usual!) Sukkot Services Sukkot Services Wednesday, September 22, 6:15 PM Thursday, September 23, 8:45 AM and 6:15 PM Friday, September 24, 8:45 AM and 6:15 PM Chol Hamoed Sukkot Services Sunday, September 26 through Tuesday, September 28 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM Hoshanah Rabbah and Shemini Atzeret Wednesday, September 29, 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM Thursday, September 30, 8:45 AM (Yizkor) Simchat Torah Thursday, September 30, 6 PM Torah Parade 6:30 PM immediately following the service Friday, October 1, 8:45 AM
P A G E 6 Flu Shot Clinic Visiting Nurse Services of Newport and Bristol Counties will conduct a Public Flu Clinic Thursday, November 4, 2010 9:00 to 11:30 AM at Visiting Nurse Services Of Newport and Bristol Counties The Levi Gale House 85 Touro Street Newport, RI Please bring your insurance card. Flu vaccination is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurances, or private pay. For more information, please call (401)-682-2100 ext 470. If you are allergic to eggs or egg products, you cannot have a flu shot. Please wear sleeveless or loose tops. Open to anyone over 18 years old.
Touro P A G E 7 Dedicated in 1763 and designated as a National Historic Site in 1946, Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in North America and a world renowned symbol of religious freedom. The Touro Tradition is a publication of: Touro Synagogue 85 Touro Street Newport, RI 02840 Phone: 401-847-4794 E-mail: CJI@TouroSynagogue.org Web: www.tourosynagogue.org T radition V O L 3 N O 1 F A L L 2 0 1 0 T I S H R E I 5 7 7 1 Around Touro Mazel Tov to: Condolences to: Thank You to: Saul Woythaler and Stanley Light who celebrated the 50th anniversaries of their B nai Mitzvah at Touro Synagogue Dr. Henry Spencer on the loss of his sister All the members that sponsored special kiddushim this summer All our guides for helping to keep Touro Synagogue open for tours this summer We need your help. Are you celebrating a special occasion at the synagogue? Do you have a message that needs to get out to your friends in the Touro community? Please let us help. Contact the Touro office and leave a message. Someone will get back to you. We can use our email distribution and phone tree to help get the word out.