Beth El Synagogue Annual Meeting Annual Report 2012-2013 Friday, June 7, 2013 5:45 pm 29 Sivan, 5773 Phil and Jan Wayne Chairmen
A message from the president, Lloyd Roitstein What an exciting year it has been for us at Beth El Synagogue! In just a few short months, Rabbi Abraham, Hazzan Krausman and Eadie Tsabari have made such an immediate impact on the life of our congregation spiritually, religiously and educationally and have done it all with a sense of fun! They have helped make Beth El a place that meets our needs as families and as individuals and have infused our members with a renewed sense of what it means to live Jewishly. Believe me, others in the community are starting to sit up and take notice! They join our other wonderful staff, Larry DeBruin, Margie Gutnik, Judy Tully, Melissa Massey, Jeanne Shechet, Cait Leff, Laura Bair and Steve Bolt that make up our great team. Please join me and thank all our wonderful staff and our fantastic Board of Trustees. They have all worked so hard and so enthusiastically to make Beth El Synagogue a better place. They are the best to work with! We have a team we can all be proud of. We are also proud that all of our committees are active, functioning and working to make sure Beth El Synagogue is on the cutting edge of what is innovative with an eye to preserving our tradition. As always, I want to assure you that our number one desire is to serve our congregants. This is OUR synagogue. Anytime you have suggestions, ideas, questions or frustrations, please call me and together we ll strive to figure out a solution. As you read through this booklet, take note of all we are doing. Beth El Synagogue is THE place to be. Bring your friends and family with you to worship, to learn, to celebrate life-cycle events, and to enjoy! We look forward to being with you. 2
2012-2013 Board of Trustees President Lloyd Roitstein Vice-Presidents Janie Murow Jon Jabenis Wayne Schwarz Treasurer Jay Gordman Secretary Michael Schop Immediate Past President Bev Fellman BESTT Chair Joel Rich Glen Fineman David Finkelstein Beth Friedman Jeremy Friedman Andy Greenberg M Lee Hasslinger Sharon Houchin Bruce Kutler Sheldon Lerner Lisa Lieb Jim Zipursky Roni Reiter-Palmon Ari Riekes Caryn Scheer Howard Shandell Ben Shapiro Aveva Shukert Scott Simon Alan Shulewitz Scott Simon Aaron Zipursky 3
2013-2014 Board of Trustees President Lloyd Roitstein Vice-Presidents Janie Murow Jon Jabenis Wayne Schwarz Treasurer Jay Gordman Secretary Michael Schop Immediate Past President Bev Fellman BESTT Chair Joel Rich Alyssa Cohen Glen Fineman David Finkelstein Beth Friedman Jeremy Friedman Andy Greenberg M Lee Hasslinger Heather Kelln David Kotok Bruce Kutler Lisa Lieb Sandy Passer Roni Reiter-Palmon Ari Riekes Kevin Saltzman Caryn Scheer Howard Shandell Ben Shapiro Aveva Shukert Jim Zipursky 4
The Year in Review Rabbi Abraham visits Beth El kids at Camp Ramah and Herzl Our Beth El Kids had a taste of home at camp when Rabbi Steven and Shira and Naama Abraham visited them at camp this past summer! Camp Ramah Kids We re active all summer long! Herzl Campers Herzl Counselors Beth El hosted USY on Wheels when they visited Omaha Through the Wheels program, USY kids from around the country enrich and develop their awareness and appreciation of Conservative Judaism. These teens davened at Beth El s minyan, ate dinner here and took in a Storm Chasers baseball game. Dozens of congregants opened their homes to host them. 5
The Year in Review Holidays and Holiday Celebrations Selichot - Hazzan Michael Krausman s Installation Sukkot and Simchat Torah Sukkot included lunch on the second day at the home of Hazzan Michael and Laurel Krausman. The Krausmans opened their home and Sukkah again on Saturday night for a special combined Dames & Drinks and Jews & Brews. The synagogue was filled to overflowing on Simchat Torah. Following singing and dancing during the Hakkafot, the entire Torah was unrolled in the Social Hall. Parents and Bubbies and Zaydes held it aloft while BESTT students recited the last few and first few verses of the Torah. TuB Shevat at Lauritzen Gardens For the first time this year, BESTT students held class that morning at the Gardens and had the opportunity with their parents to participate in this hands-on learning experience. 6
The Year in Review Holidays and Holiday Celebrations Seudah Shlishit A new initiative bringing a spirited end to Shabbat as our Beth El congregational family enjoys nourishment for both spirit and body! Huskers & Havdalah Mincha & Margaritas Purim Shavuot More than 165 congregants of all ages attended Services included Tot Shavuot Participants enjoyed a dairy dinner and baked Torah cakes (using a Humash as their cookbook ) We learned from our clergy about the book of Ruth and about inclusiveness from guest speaker, Beth Katz, who grew up at Beth El Synagogue and is now the Executive Director of Project Interfaith 7
BESTT The Year in Review First Day of School - Waffle Welcome! BESTT Hebrew High comes Back to Beth El Torah Tots - Our NEW Pre-Kindergarten Program 8
The Year in Review BESTT Our students studied and learned by doing Shofar blowing Kdg - 2nd Grade Make Torah Covers Hoshana Rabah Sukkah Visits B nai Mitzvah speeches 3rd & 4th Grade Mock Wedding 9
BESTT The Year in Review 5th & 6th Grade Tallit project Purim Fun Day BESTT Passover Seder 10
The Year in Review BESTT - Living Jewishly together! PJ Havdalah Following Havdalah services, the kids enjoyed astronaut fun, science experiments & planetarium shows Shul-in Kibbutz Chaverim Shabbaton 11
The Year in Review Beth El Teens - What would we do without them? We are proud of our teens who are active and involved in every aspect of our congregational life! Leading by Example As part of Junior Congregation, our Beth El Teens tutor younger students each Shabbat morning and lead them in a participatory Shabbat morning service, including a parasha play. Our teens are also active and excellent role models in BESTT serving as madrichim, teachers and teaching assistants, staffing Shul-ins and Shabbatonim. They also attended Beth El s Hebrew High as well as the programs of the community Jewish High school. 12
BILU USY! The Year in Review United Synagogue Youth and Kadima inspire Jewish youth to explore, celebrate and practice ethical values, Jewish Living, Zionism and community responsibility based on the ideology of the Conservative Movement. From Kadima Kinnus for 7th and 8th graders to Spring Kallah, from Winter convention to Kinnus, our Beth El Teens represent us well at regional events. At home, they donate their time and talents including running our amazing annual Purim Carnival. Kadima Kinnus Four teens traveled to New York with Rabbi Abraham and Eadie Tsabari on a Roots Jewish heritage trip. On the way to Spring Kallah Purim Carnival Pumpkin Pie baking for a shelter 13
Social Action Committee (SATO) The Year in Review The committee, chaired by Karla and Dave Cohen organized AWeekof Giving Back at Hanukkah. Various chairmen championed causes and events, launching a year of congregational participation. JFS Food Pantry Donations Monthly collections to stock the pantry shelves based on their needs Habitat for Humanity Congregant volunteers refurbishing homes (next volunteer day is June 23) Food Bank of the Heartland Cheryl Lerner organized volunteers to collect, sort and pack food for their pantry shelves Sunshine for Seniors - Chaired by Larry Kronick Magazine collection for Blumkin home residents to make scrapbooks Hanukkah Memories - The Rosh Hodesh Women s Group held a meeting at Remington Heights Retirement Community during Hanukkah Hanukkah Havdalah - Clergy and volunteers celebrated Havdalah, lit the menorah, sang songs and spent time with residents of the Blumkin home Switch Day at Blumkin Home on Christmas so employees could enjoy the holiday with family Hearts United for Animals (HUA), Auburn, Nebraska Sandy Canfield chaired the collection of food, cat litter and paper towels to assist this group serving the needs of rescued animals Nebraska Humane Society Linda Saltzman spearheaded the collection of blankets and other items to assist them with their mission of providing sanctuary to animals Nebraska AIDs Coalition Chaired by Joan Marcus who cooks and serves lunch on the 4th Friday of each month (next volunteer day is June 28) 14
Sunshine for Seniors The Year in Review NE AIDs Coalition Lunches Food Bank of the Heartland Coming this Summer and Fall: Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day - Sherry Taxman Owl Ride to benefit Meyer Foundation for Disabilities -Marty Shukert Cooking and serving dinner at Stephen Center - M Lee Hasslinger Blessings in a Backpack - Cheryl Lerner Monthly AIDs lunches - Joan Marcus Habitat for Humanity Contact the chairman for information or SATO chairmen, Karla and Dave Cohen or visit the Social Action page of www.bethel-omaha.org GET INVOLVED! 15
The Year in Review YAC - The Young Adult Committee Adult Programs Mexican & Margaritas - Dinner, Margaritas & Salsa dancing lessons Matzo Ball on December 24 (with Young Jewish Omaha) Comedy Night at FunnyBone Comedy Club Lucky Bucket Brewery Tour ( On tap for July 25) Family Events Vala s Pumpkin Patch Defy Gravity Sempeck s Family Fun Day Storm Chasers Baseball Game (Planned for June 30) Parent/Toddler Playgroup Held twice monthly. Fun included music, stories, fun with snowflakes, nature walks at participant s homes and field trips to the Henry Doorly Zoo, P.E. 101, Fontenelle Forest, Bounce U, and Backyard Playworld, plus fun in the JCC Gym, a Hanukkah party at Beth El and a Purim Parade at the Blumkin Home. 16
Our Shabbat Tables The Year in Review Under the leadership of Caryn Scheer and Sophie Ambrose, this popular program continued for two sessions this year with more than 104 participants. It was expanded beyond Shabbat dinners to also include a Havdalah in homes and lunch on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. A grant from the Jewish Federation s Herbert Goldsten Fund and participant donations underwrote this program. Youth Scholarship Concert Chaired this year by Lori Kooper Schwarz and Wayne Schwarz, this annual event drew more than 300 people to Beth El for the music of Hazzan Krausman and the Beth El choir and the comedy of Joel Chasnoff. With Alan Parsow s dedication to this cause, we raised nearly $25,000 to send our youth to Jewish summer camps and Israel trips. 17
The Year in Review Sisterhood Highlights - a revitalized organization looking to the future! Dames and Drinks A monthly ladies night out - purely social, purely fun under the leadership of Melissa Schop for ALL Beth El women! Annual Honey Sale for Rosh Hashanah We partnered with ORT International this year, raising funds for Beth El and supporting the work of this vital Jewish organization. Hamantashen Bake-a-palooza Chaired by Linda Fischer, this oneday event produced over 3,000 Hamantashen Bake-a-palooza hamantashen for the synagogue s Megillah reading(s) and Purim Carnival. All bakers were entitled to take home 1/2 dozen free! Sisterhood Shabbat Chaired by Shira Abraham and Laurel Krausman, more than 80 women participated in this year s celebration. Membership Recognition Brunch More than 40 members were guests of Sisterhood at a brunch in April, complete with raffle prizes! Women s Rosh Hodesh Group Program planning was brought under the Sisterhood umbrella this year with no membership requirement to participate. Dames and Drinks Women s Rosh Hodesh Group 18
Men s Club Highlights The Year in Review Jews and Brews Social get-togethers for the Men of Beth El Family Fun Day (sponsored with Sisterhood) Adayoffamilyfun&foodattheJCCoutdoor Pavilion Sukkah Building Annual construction of Beth El s Sukkah December 25 Dinner More than 100 congregants were treated to a Chinese buffet dinner on December 25. Arts and craft activities were provided, compliments of Sisterhood. The men were in charge of all setup, cooking and cleanup. Men s Club Shabbat Chaired by Jason Blair, this year s membership participation increased. World Wide Wrap Teaching people about the mitzvah of wrapping tefillin Yellow Candle Project To commemorate the Holocaust and to memorialize its victims. Funds raised support Beth El youth projects. Family Fun Day World Wide Wrap Sukkah Building Crew 19
AND... So Much More! Administrative Welcoming Hazzan Michael Krausman as our new Cantor Welcoming Eadie Tsabari as our new Director of Congregational Learning Welcoming Cait Leff to our office staff Welcoming Betsy Goodman as our Youth Advisor Worship & Ritual Family Services for High Holidays & Shabbat - A hybrid service, comprised of parts of the Junior Congregation service as well as a learners service. Created a service that met the needs of children, parents and grandparents. Adult Choir - led by Hazzan Krausman, the choir enhanced the sanctuary service on the High Holidays and participated in services and events throughout the year, adding an additional dimension of spirituality to worship and events. Oh Say Shalom to Shabbat led by Eadie Tsabari Shabbat Shira - Summertime Tot Shabbat Celebrations Camp Shabbat - blessing all the Beth El kids leaving for summer camps Back to School Shabbat Community Second Seder with more than 180 people in attendance Unique Classes & Presentations Wrestling with the Rabbis of the Talmud led by Rabbi Abraman Adult B nai Mitzvah class led by Hazzan Krausman A series of Back to Basics classes led by Rabbi Steven Abraham focusing on topics such as Kashrut and the Laws of Mourning Purim: Home Edition and Passover: Home Edition, led by Shira Abraham Monthly Adult Education Classes led by Andy Greenberg Tai Chi classes led by Beth Staenberg Shabbat Storytime for toddlers led by Shira Abraham A Tour of the Mikvah and discussion led by Shira Abraham for Beth El women Dr. Benjamin Gampel, Scholar - in - Residence A very unique Shabbat weekend of learning took place as our special guest took us on a fascinating journey back in time to explore Jewish life at the time of Ramban and Rashi. The weekend included a congregational Shabbat dinner and a Kiddush lunch. Dr. Gampel s visit was made possible by the generosity of the Ilse and Marcel Kahn Endowment Fund. 20