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Chailights

DECEMBER 2017

Rabbi Jeffrey Kurtz-Lendner

The Meaning of Hanukkah

Rabbi Jeffrey Kurtz-Lendner

One of my favorite definitions of

the “real meaning of Hanukkah”

came from a cartoon my kids

watched when they were little.

In A Rugrats Chanukah the

grandfather picks up a latke and declares, “the real

meaning of Hanukkah is that these things have

been clogging our people’s arteries for thousands of

years, and yet…we survive!”

Psalm 30 declares that is a “Psalm for the dedication of

David’s Temple.” The Hebrew word for “dedication”

is “Hanukkah.” The holiday represents the dedication

of the Temple. But, more specifically, it represents the

RE-Dedication of the Temple back to God after it had

been captured and defiled by the Greek army. The

Temple was converted to a worship place for idols and

the Maccabees, having recaptured the Temple,

removed the idols and RE-dedicated it back to God.

(As for the various spellings of the name of the holiday

in English, that is a much longer story based on the

interpretations of the Hebrew grammar. That would

constitute another article to try to explain.)

Why do we light candles and eat latkes? The story of

Hanukkah from the historical books called I

Maccabees and II Maccabees tells the story of the

military and historical factors that led to reclaiming the

Temple. These two books are “biblical-like books” that

were not incorporated into the Bible. Often they are

referred to as “Apocrypha.” These works refer to the

military battle but discuss nothing about jars of oil.

The story of the oil comes from the Talmud, tractate

Shabbat, page 21b. The question is asked, why do we

celebrate Hanukkah? And the answer is explained that

when the Maccabees reconquered the Temple they

found oil enough for only one night to light the Ner

Tamid, the eternal Menorah in the Temple. A miracle

occurred and the oil lasted long enough until more oil

could be produced – i.e. eight days, and for that reason

we celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah.

The interesting thing to note is that the Talmud

mentions nothing about the war. Traditionally the

explanation is because the rabbis were emissaries of

peace and that when they wrote the Talmud they

wanted to focus on God’s miracle of the oil and not on

the focus of military power.

The true reason is more likely because the Maccabees

were part of the Hasmonean family, a family of priests.

After the war ended the Hasmoneans declared

themselves to be the new kings of the independent

commonwealth of Judaea. However, the Torah forbids

priests from also serving as kings. The religious leaders

believed that once the war was over and a new

government was set up that the Hasmoneans should

have turned over the kingdom to the Davidic line and

themselves return to their priestly duties. But they did

not, and the Talmudic rabbis believed that the

Hasmoneans usurped their power. Therefore when it

came time to tell the story of Hanukkah in the Talmud

the rabbis excised as much military emphasis as

possible to return the focus of success from the

Hasmoneans back to God.

And because of the emphasis on the candles, which

were originally lamps of oil, it became a tradition to eat

fried foods to represent the miracle of the oil from

Hanukkah.

And that is why, as the grandfather from Rugrats

declared, “the true meaning of Hanukkah is that these

things have been clogging our people’s arteries for

thousands of years, and yet—we survive!”

Page 2 Chailights

Michele Schipper President

From Our President

An Annual Beth Israel Event

Serving Christmas lunch

at Stewpot

Volunteers Needed

More information to Follow

Beth Israel Congregation

Annual Meeting

Sunday

December 10, 2017

4:30 p.m.

The Season of Giving

During this time of year, we are inundated with promotions and ads to promote the “season of

giving”. Giving gifts has become synonymous with the December holidays and yet, here at Beth

Israel, I believe our “season” of giving is year round. Let me explain.

Beth Israel members give of their time:

Our Beth Israel community is consistently volunteering or “gifting” their time, year around. Our

BITYites give their time week after week in our Sunday religious school. Members graciously

volunteer to prepare and deliver Meals on Wheels. Sisterhood members organize and prepare our

holiday meals. Men’s Club assists with set up and EVERYONE volunteers for cooking, working, clean up, etc.., for the

annual BIC Bazaar. There are individuals who bring a program idea to the Board and then follow through from start to

finish with every detail. These programs enrich the lives of BIC members and the greater community.

Beth Israel members contribute money:

We ask all members to make a pledge to help ensure that we can support our staff, who make sure that the needs of the

membership are addressed and to maintain the building which provides a place to educate children and adults and worship

together. Please return your 2018 pledge form if you have not already done so. We need your support. We also ask

for additional contributions to sponsor special programs like Jewish Cinema Mississippi, events such as the 50th anniver-

sary celebrations this year, as well as other guest speakers and performers,which enhance our experiences here in Jackson.

Beth Israel members give of themselves:

Most importantly, in my opinion, is the gift of self that all our congregants grant. It’s the gift of caring and becoming a

member of the community. Of our ability to come together week after week, or even month after month, and share the

gifts we all possess as members of Beth Israel.

It has been an honor to serve as the president of Beth Israel Congregation. Thank you for all that you do to make Beth

Israel a thriving community. Let’s all continue to work to ensure that our “Season” of Giving continues for generations

to come.

Sisterhood Spotlight

Chailights Page 3

Calendar Events for 2017-2018 Please plan to join us!

December 15, 2017 Chanukah Dinner February 9, 2018 Sisterhood Shabbat February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2018 Bazaar Cooking Dates

March 21, 2018 51st Bazaar March 31, 2018 Passover 2nd Seder April 22, 2018 General Meeting, Slate of New Officers May 4, 2018 Sisterhood Installation

“Collaborate with people you can learn from." ~Anonymous

This quote means so much to me as Sisterhood President. I

feel extremely fortunate to collaborate with so many

wonderful, strong, hard-working & caring individuals -- our

Sisterhood membership! I truly have learned a lot throughout

this process! Thank you to our ever-increasing membership

for helping to make our events so wonderful!

Please join us in December:

CHANUKKAH DINNER – December 15 at 5:30 p.m.—7:00

p.m. Services will follow the Dinner. This is a joyous &

fun-filled event for everyone, so please join us!

***RSVP by December 1, 2017 to Esther Roberts at:

[email protected] or 901-230-8963.

COST: $12.00 for Adult $5.00 (ages 3-13) Free for chil-

dren under 3 ***Kosher Option available IF advised by deadline of

December 1, 2017: $15.00 for Adult $8.00 for child ages

3-13 *** Vegetarian Option available IF advised by deadline of

December 1, 2017

Still more: Our special Sisterhood Shabbat has been changed to February

9, 2018. We will have a wonderful guest speaker from the

WRJ, so please plan to attend. More details will be sent out

as everything gets finalized.

Also, please be sure to visit our Judaica Shop filled with so

many new and wonderful items! Thank you to Jan Doctor

and Cheryl Katz for overseeing the Gift Shop! They have

done a fabulous job adding new merchandise we think you

will enjoy! Hours are Friday nights before services, and on

Sunday mornings during Religious School.

Chai Lights, Bic Blasts, Emails, FB Sisterhood Closed Group: • If you are a Sisterhood member, you should be

receiving emails, as needed. If you haven’t been, please let

me know so I can correct the situation. • Please also join our Beth Israel Sisterhood Closed

Facebook Page. If you’re not already a part of this, please

request to join, and I will provide access. I post updates here

often. We may call or text on a case by case basis, as well.

And be sure to look for Sisterhood updates and important

information to be sent via Chai Lights and Bic Blasts, with

special thanks to Rita for coordinating!

I’d love to hear from you, so please share your ideas! As

always, please let me know if you have any questions or con-

cerns.

Best regards,

Suzanne Freedman

Sisterhood President

601-454-2148

[email protected]

Our next Sisterhood Book Club meeting will be held at the Temple on Sunday, December 3, at 11:00 a.m. Our December selection is Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. Please plan to join us. See edited Goodreads summary below.

New York socialite Caroline Ferriday, is posted at the French consulate, but her world is forever changed, when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September,1939, and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline is Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, who senses her carefree youth disappearing, as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped by Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course, when Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross contients, as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those, whom history has forgotten.

Page 4 Chailights

4th Annual

Singing Together Jackson

Tuesday, December 5th

6:30 p.m.

Beth Israel Congregation

5315 Old Canton Road

$10 in Advance Tickets

$15 at the Door www.eventbrite.com/e/singing-together-jackson-tickets-38806028877

*Free for children 10 and under

Tickets may also be purchased at the Temple office.

This is an annual celebration and fundraising event held to support Working

Together Jackson’s mission to strengthen institutions by developing new leaders

and solutions to the issues facing our community.

For more information contact:

Heather Ivery: (601) 503-3753 or [email protected]

Khalid Hudson: (601) 460-1174 or [email protected]

Chevon Chatman: (601) 460-0255 or [email protected]

Page 5 Chailights

ENHANCED ONEG Many thanks to the following congregants who have volunteered to host an enhanced Oneg Shabbat:

September 8, 2017 Debra and Joel Jacobs, Tamar and Peter Sharp

October 20, 2017 Susan and Mark Fijman

December 22, 2017 Paula and Edward Erlich

January 26, 2018 Rebecca Laskin

February 23, 2018 Melanie Dobel

Paula and Edward Erlich

March 9, 2018 Danielle Wahba

April 27, 2018 Marla Harbor and Erik Hearon Sisterhood provides the wine and challah. The enhanced Oneg host only needs to bring fruit, and/or cookies or

brownies, hummus and pita chips, and/or veggies, or cheese and crackers to add to the wine and challah. Your name

(s) will be included in the Friday night leaflet.

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

2 David Blumenthal 13 Erik Hearon 24 Sheila Hailey and Bear Atwood

3 Jacob Schipper 15 Justin Gould 28 Honorine and Allen Weiss

5 Elizabeth Emmich 16 Larry Goldstein 30 Betsy and Joey Samuels

7 Sheila Rubin 16 Marcelo Ruvinsky

7 Kovi Katz 16 Esther Roberts

7 Maya Freedman 17 Albert Leveck

7 Mindy Humphrey 19 Alice Friedman

8 Sandor Feldman 20 Eli Lazarus

8 Bruce Schlakman 20 Kate Samuels

8 Jonathan Wiener 23 Lynn Crystal

9 Daniel Snyder 24 Anna Lazarus

10 Macy Hart 25 Sheila Hailey

11 Phillip Pollack 25 Jack Blumenthal

11 Steven Dobel 26 Nathan Docter

11 Jan Docter 27 Bea Gavant

12 Gerry Printz 27 Gene Crunk

13 Bert Rubinsky 29 Alyssa Silberman

13 Jacob Smith 30 Tara Blumenthal

13 Helene Rotwein 31 Joe Harris

Page 6 Chailights

BIC ANNUAL TIKKUN OLAM BLANKET DRIVE!

Last year we delivered over 50 blankets donated by you to Stewpot Community Services to distribute to the homeless.

Our annual drive this year will include both blankets and socks. Before Chanukah, please bring NEW socks for men,

women, and children and/or NEW blankets to the box which is in the hallway outside the Temple office. If you need

more information, please contact Dana Larkin at [email protected].

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

CELEBRATING VETERANS SHABBAT

Page 7 Chailights

WE APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT BETH ISRAEL

BY REMEMBERING AND HONORING THEIR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES THROUGH THEIR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS

Donations may be applied to the following funds, per your request:

GENERAL FUND MEMBERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND TIKKUN OLAM FUND

ENDOWMENT FUND ONEG FUND LIBRARY/PRAYER BOOK FUND WEBSITE FUND

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND SATURDAY MORNING FUND MUSIC FUND CEMETERY FUND

CARING FUND (SISTERHOOD) ART FUND PROGRAM FUND JEWISH CINEMA MISSISSIPPI

BITY MITZVAH FUND (SISTERHOOD) RELIGIOUS SCHOOL HOLOCAUST FUND

CEMETERY FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND In Memory of T. Stanley Orkin—Donna & Ted Orkin Donation—Morgan & Aaron Samuels Donation—Morgan & Aaron Samuels In Memory of A. J. Orkin, Sr.—Donna & Ted Orkin In Memory of Guierl Lee Smith—Carol Thompson In Memory of Helen Leighton—Shirley Tipton GENERAL FUND In Memory of Morris Trubman—Aaron Trubman In Memory of Chaim Blitzer & Bertha Blitzer—Steve Kaufman In Memory of Elaine Crystal—Deborah & Clay Crystal In Memory of Ellis Hart—Cookie & Marcelo Ruvinsky In Memory of Helen Leighton—Patty Combest Donation—Amy & Arty Finkelberg In Memory of Mark Hearon—Marla Harbor & Erik Hearon In Memory of Judy & Albert Wahba—Marla Harbor & Erik Hearon JACKSON JEWISH FEDERATION In Memory of Lou Shornick—Marla Harbor & Erik Hearon Donation—Amy & Arty Finkelberg Donation—Amy & Arty Finkelberg In Honor of Margit Zapletal—The Zapletal Family JEWISH CINEMA MISSISSIPPI In Memory of Simon Sharp—Tamar & Peter Sharp Donation—Amy & Arty Finkelberg In Memory of Rosemary Sharp—Tamar & Peter Sharp In Memory of Mollie & Henry Spitzburg—Lynne & Roger Rosenfield RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND In Memory of Lucile & Albert Rosenfield—Lynne & Roger Rosenfield In Memory of Dr. Firth Samuel Spiegel—Judy & Richard Stamm In Memory of Elaine Crystal—Lynn Crystal In Memory of George Mitchell—Lynn Crystal In Memory of Morris Falk—Lynn Crystal In Memory of Harold Gotthelf, Jr.—Lynn Crystal In Memory of Helen Leighton—Pamela Denise Smith In Memory of Beulah Geiger—Mindy and Clay Humphrey In Memory of Mary Harris—Joe Harris In Memory of Julie Waxman—Sammy Waxman In Memory of Helen Leighton—Lynn Crystal In Memory of David Britt Rivlin—Michel Rivlin In Memory of Rose Feldman—Deborah & Sandor Feldman In Memory of Ira Rubin—Sheila Rubin In Memory of Helen Leighton—Patsy & Van Riley Kathy & Larry Riley Paula & David Manaco Wayne Riley Lisa & Ray Harris

P.O. Box 13249 Jackson, MS 39236

Phone: (601) 956-6215 Fax: (601) 952-0895

We Remember — Yahrzeits for DECEMBER 2017

bethisraelms.org

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JACKSON, MS

12/3-12/9/2018 *Maurice Sollek Miriam Kolodney *Jack Freedman Meyer Levy Deborah Blumenthal Anne Trubman Lois Canfiled S. Cyril Hart *Rebecca Jacobs Burton Friedman *Pauline Cohen Barry Draft Fannie Abrams Martha Weatherall Ethel Geoghegan Cleveland Branson

12/10-12/16/2017 *Norman Stamm Lillie Hart *Gus Herrman Sam Korelitz Leonard Winer *Samuel Joseph Selma Geiger Brown *Frances Larkin

Isaac Epstein Rosalie Lasky *Joseph Ascher Esther Docter Ira Rubin

12/17-12/23/2017 Max Fratkin Goldie Cecila Sokolsky Jack Harris J Lawrence Levy *Victoria Finkelberg Gilbert Metz *Phyllis Lehman Herman Naomi Rubin Jack Laboda *John Fischer Jacques Wahba Louise Metz Israel Abrams John Fischer Jacob Kulman *Harry Glass Leonard Smith Joe Gerache

12/24-12/30/2017 Andrew Orkin Wesley Daniels Jacob Nechamkin *Millie Stamm *Manny Crystal Joshua Goldberg Samuel Steeg *Lucille Rosenfield Simon Rubinsky Molly Belanoff Libbie Rotwein Joseph Lasky Molly Harbor Linda Denmark Morris Mermelstein Ewen Crunk Daniel Hendrix Helen Praver Morris Danzinger Louis Jacob Buchman Kitty Steckel Adolph Orkin III Roy Hanf

12/31/2017-1/6/2018 Arnold Draft Izzy Stone Fradie Bear Melvin Korelitz Samuel Friedman Phillip Needle Jacobo Fijman Rose Kirby *Leo Phillip Gradinger Anna Kuerschner *Pearl Hesdorffer *Shirley Klateman Pauline Samuels *Greer Beth Pollack Toby Grossman *Adolph Orkin, Sr Betty Shapero Rose Bennett *Bertha Helen Geiger Margaret Guenther *Rosa Schwartz Max Turteltaub *Memorial Alcove