FROM OUR RABBI: The newsletter of Beth El Synagogue Durham’s first synagogue December 2013 Kislev / Tevet 5774 Reflections on The God Who Hates Lies by Rabbi David Hartman (z”l) December 2013 / Tevet 5774 Earlier this year, the Jewish people lost a great sage, Rabbi and Professor David Hartman ז" ל) ). When he died, I decided to read Hartman’s final book, The God Who Hates Lies: Confronting & Rethinking Jewish Tradition, written with Charlie Buckholtz. I read this book in part to honor Hartman’s legacy of Jewish learning, but in part because his last book was different. By the end of his life, Hartman had already made his contributions to public discourse – though I finished his book yearning that some- how time could reverse itself and he could be made Israel’s Chief Rabbi 30 years ago. The questions that remained were not matters for an analysis of Maimonides or a work of political philosophy (he had already written those books); his last book was personal. How do I justify maintaining a commit- ment to the Jewish religious tradition in the places where it demands I violate what I intuitively feel and know? What place, if any, does my personal, subjective intuition have in a halakhic system – not just abstractly, but for someone who wants to live, day to day, within that system…This book is an attempt to flesh out some aspects of what covenantal theology might look like applied to questions of inner religious conflict…What does it mean for the individual who stands committed to that tradition [halakha / Jewish law], yet at the same time knows what he or she knows, and cannot manage to be other than who he or she is? (pg 9) Hartman grew up in Lakewood Yeshiva, the flagship institu- tion of Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox learning in America. He left because of its intellectual insularity. Early in the book he tells the story of how he was once reading the Hertz Torah commentary (the very same one we have here at Beth El), when “an older yeshiva boy came by, took note of the author, grabbed the book out of my hand, and threw it on the floor. ‘Treyfus!’ he declared, using the Yiddish word for ‘nonkosher.’” From Lakewood, Hartman went to study at Yeshiva University with the great Orthodox sage, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, in whom Hartman realized the promise of YU’s motto, Torah u-Mada (literally “Torah and Secular Knowledge). “Renowned for his sophisticated, erudite integration of halakhic thinking and Western philosophy,” Hartman writes, “’the Rav’ became my teacher and mentor.” Hartman’s affection for the yeshiva world in which he was raised and for Soloveitchik, who nurtured his intellectual curiosity, makes his departure from their approach later in life that much more compelling. Hartman explains the crux of his disagreement with Soloveitchik by reference to a debate that occurred between Soloveitchik and Rabbi Emmanuel Rackman at the convention of the (orthodox) Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) in 1975. The debate was about how and whether orthodoxy should respond to the problem of the aguna (literally “chained woman”), the woman whose husband refuses to grant her a Jewish divorce, but the argument was about something much deeper: whether Jewish law can change. At the convention, Soloveitchik, Hartman’s teacher, argued, Not only the halakhos [laws], but also the hazakos [assumptions] which the traditional sages have introduced, are indestructible. For the hazakos which the Rabbis spoke of rest not on trenchant psychological patterns, but upon permanent ontological principles rooted in the very depth of the human personality – in the metaphysical human personality – which is as changeless as the heavens above. In confronting a world over which we have no control – whether that world is one in which the Jewish people are persecuted by enemies who hate us or surrounded by “alien ideas” such as (Continued on page 4) Inside this issue: Committee Contacts…………………………...….....2 Gabbaim Schedule…………………………………....2 Shabbat 25…………………………………….....…...3 Social Action……………………………………...…..5 House Committee News………………………...…..7 Sisterhood……………………………………….…….7 Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative………………………...9 Shabbat Meal Hosts/Sponsors…………….………..10 Meet our Bat Mitzvah …...…….………………..….11 Youth & Talmud Torah News…….………..…...11-13 October Contributions……...……...…....…….......14 Yahrzeit Reminders…………..……............…….…16 Letter from Valhalla………...………......…….........21 December & January Calendars……….…........23-24 Community Connections………………………..….25
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1
FROM OUR RABBI:
The newsletter of Beth El Synagogue
Durham’s first synagogue
December 2013 Kislev / Tevet 5774
Reflections on The God Who Hates Lies
by Rabbi David Hartman (z”l)
December 2013 / Tevet 5774
Earlier this year, the Jewish people lost a great sage, Rabbi
and Professor David Hartman ( ל"ז ). When he died, I decided to read
Hartman’s final book, The God Who Hates Lies: Confronting &
Rethinking Jewish Tradition, written with Charlie Buckholtz.
I read this book in part to honor Hartman’s legacy of Jewish
learning, but in part because his last book was different. By the
end of his life, Hartman had already made his contributions to
public discourse – though I finished his book yearning that some-
how time could reverse itself and he could be made Israel’s Chief
Rabbi 30 years ago. The questions that remained were not matters
for an analysis of Maimonides or a work of political philosophy
(he had already written those books); his last book was personal.
How do I justify maintaining a commit-
ment to the Jewish religious tradition in
the places where it demands I violate what I
intuitively feel and know? What place, if any,
does my personal, subjective intuition have in a
halakhic system – not just abstractly, but for
someone who wants to live, day to day, within
that system…This book is an attempt to flesh out
some aspects of what covenantal theology might
look like applied to questions of inner religious
conflict…What does it mean for the individual
who stands committed to that tradition [halakha /
Jewish law], yet at the same time knows what he
or she knows, and cannot manage to be other
than who he or she is? (pg 9)
Hartman grew up in Lakewood Yeshiva, the flagship institu-
tion of Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox learning in America. He left
because of its intellectual insularity. Early in the book he tells the
story of how he was once reading the Hertz Torah commentary (the
very same one we have here at Beth El), when “an older yeshiva
boy came by, took note of the author, grabbed the book out of my
hand, and threw it on the floor. ‘Treyfus!’ he declared, using the
Yiddish word for ‘nonkosher.’” From Lakewood, Hartman went
to study at Yeshiva University with the great Orthodox sage,
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, in whom Hartman realized the
promise of YU’s motto, Torah u-Mada (literally “Torah and
Secular Knowledge). “Renowned for his sophisticated, erudite
integration of halakhic thinking and Western philosophy,” Hartman
writes, “’the Rav’ became my teacher and mentor.”
Hartman’s affection for the yeshiva world in which he was
raised and for Soloveitchik, who nurtured his intellectual curiosity,
makes his departure from their approach later in life that much
more compelling. Hartman explains the crux of his disagreement
with Soloveitchik by reference to a debate that occurred between
Soloveitchik and Rabbi Emmanuel Rackman at the convention of
the (orthodox) Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) in 1975.
The debate was about how and whether orthodoxy should respond
to the problem of the aguna (literally “chained woman”), the
woman whose husband refuses to grant her a Jewish divorce, but
the argument was about something much deeper: whether Jewish
law can change. At the convention, Soloveitchik, Hartman’s
teacher, argued,
Not only the halakhos [laws], but also the
hazakos [assumptions] which the traditional sages
have introduced, are indestructible. For the
hazakos which the Rabbis spoke of rest not
on trenchant psychological patterns, but upon
permanent ontological principles rooted in the
very depth of the human personality – in the
metaphysical human personality – which is as
changeless as the heavens above.
In confronting a world over which we have no control –
whether that world is one in which the Jewish people are persecuted
by enemies who hate us or surrounded by “alien ideas” such as
(Continued on page 4)
Inside this issue:
Committee Contacts…………………………...….....2
Gabbaim Schedule…………………………………....2
Shabbat 25…………………………………….....…...3
Social Action……………………………………...…..5
House Committee News………………………...…..7
Sisterhood……………………………………….…….7
Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative………………………...9
Shabbat Meal Hosts/Sponsors…………….………..10
Meet our Bat Mitzvah …...…….………………..….11
Youth & Talmud Torah News…….………..…...11-13
October Contributions……...……...…....…….......14
Yahrzeit Reminders…………..……............…….…16
Letter from Valhalla………...………......…….........21
December & January Calendars……….…........23-24
Community Connections………………………..….25
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 2
The Beth El Bulletin is the newsletter of Beth El Congregation. We appreciate any feedback and input. Non-members may request to join our mailing list for a $25 yearly contribution to help cover printing & mailing costs. Bulletins are also archived online three months at a time. The online version has some contact information omitted for the privacy of our members.
Rabbi Rabbi Daniel Greyber President Barak Richman First Vice President Rachel Galanter Second Vice President Noah Pickus Interim Exec. Director Ivy Wingate Education & Youth Director Elisabeth Albert Cong. Services Coordinator Rachel Albert Publicity Assistant Krisha Miller Rabbi Emeritus Rabbi Steve Sager Bulletin Advertising Manager Gladys Siegel
YAHRZEITS: To arrange a yahrzeit minyan, please call
the synagogue office (919-682-1238) at least one month in advance. To receive notification of a yahrzeit or to list a yahrzeit in the bulletin, call the synagogue office (682-1238).
DO YOU HAVE AN ITEM FOR THE BETH EL BULLETIN? All items for the bulletin MUST be submitted by e-mail to Krisha Miller at [email protected]. The FINAL DEADLINE for items for the upcoming bulletin is the 1st workday of the preceding month. THANK YOU.
COMMITTEE CONTACTS:
Finance Maxine Stern
Lifelong Learning Sheva Zucker
Membership Andrea Ginsberg
Orthodox Kehillah Sheldon Hayer
Ritual Laura Lieber
Social Action Debbie Goldstein
Va’ad haChinuch Eric Lipp
Community of Caring Rhoda Silver
CHEVRA KADISHA (BURIAL SOCIETY) Contact David Klapper
The Kitchen Initiative fundraiser is gathering steam again after a bit of a slow summer. Thanks to the
generosity of congregants, we now have collected $3,667. That is almost 37% towards our $10,000 fundraising
goal. Mardi Zeiger was instrumental in garnering over $1,000 in recent months. She recommended that
donations for the High Holiday Community Card and in honor of her and Errol’s 50th wedding anniversary go
to Kitchen Initiative. What a difference those campaigns made. Thank you, Mardi and thank you to the many
congregants who contributed!
Kitchen purchases have continued apace. A major milestone: we are done for the moment buying new
knives. The last shipment included a couple serrated tomato knives for making delicate slices. There are new
sharpening steels, meat serving bowls, color-coded sponges and can openers (for dairy, meat, pareve), appliance timers, large
metal colanders, professional grade stock pots, measuring utensils, baking pans of various sizes, kitchen towels, cleaning
brushes for the coffee carafe, and a grabber tool for reaching high places. Metal utensils are being engraved to indicate dairy,
meat, pareve avoid mistakes in their usage. For non-metal items, look for colored dots: blue for dairy, green for pareve, red for
meat.
In the near future, we will be researching options for shelving, ceramic serving dishes and bowls for dairy meals , and a
sturdier, more attractive hand washing station. Your input about damaged or inadequate utensils and small appliances has been
very helpful. When you have an idea, please share it with any member of the Sisterhood board. Or, write a note on the white
board in the kitchen, near the dairy fridge! As always, your financial support is very much appreciated. You can write a check
to Beth El with “Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative” in the subject line and send it to the office.
Now to close with some especially exciting news. As of this writing (late October), Beth El is actively interviewing
candidates for a part-time Kitchen Manager. We hope to make an announcement regarding this position very soon! Stay
tuned...
Beth El Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative Pledge Form
Stocking and maintaining the kitchen is critical for weekly Kiddushim as well as other religious and social functions held at Beth El. Please help improve the kitchen by making a financial contribution to Sisterhood. The funds we collect will purchase professional quality knives, bowls, utensils, service ware, shelving, signage, minor servicing of equipment, and more.
Please make checks payable to Beth El with “Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative” in the memo section. Thank you.
Yes, I want to support kitchen improvements and can pledge… $54 _______
$72 _______
$90 _______
$180 _______
Other amount $________
___________________ ____________________ Your Name E-mail Telephone Address (if not in Beth El Directory)
I am interested in volunteering in the kitchen to implement improvements.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 10
Shabbat Meal Hosts and Sponsors
December 7 Shabbat 25 Kiddush hosted by:
Stephen & Shula Bernard
Sidney & Alice Levinson
Michele Pas
Barry Poss
Philip & Ellen Singer
Jonathan & Deborah Wahl
December 14 Kiddush hosted by Barak & Laura Richman in
honor of their daughter, Ariella, becoming a Bat Mitzvah
December 21 Kiddush hosted by:
Harold Baranger & Meg Anderson
Michaela Davidai
Samuel & Marsha Horowitz
Lewis & Judith Siegel
Jeremy Thibodaux & Lisa Einhorn
December 28 Kiddush sponsored by:
Joel & Susan Leeb
Lee & Elaine Marcus
Eric & Carol Meyers
Peter & Marilyn Ornstein
January 4 Kiddush hosted by:
Lisa Berley
Susan Gidwitz & Gail Freeman
Larry & Ricki Goldstein
Howard Margolis in memory of his parents
Les & Cheryl Saper
Doug Schiff & Karen Sindelar
January 11 Kiddush hosted by:
Ya'akov & Rachel Ariel
Robin Barth
Shalom Goldman & Laurie Patton
Gerald Postema & Leslie Winner
Michael Spiritos & Sarah
Bob Wechsler & Hope Hartman
January 18 Kiddush hosted by:
Eric Cohen & Sandra Kronick
Allison Coovadia
Debra Evenson
Paul & Anita Farel
Jonathan & Deyanira Prastein
Marshall & Rebecca Rohde
Aaron Rosenstein
Membership Committee in honor of our new members
January 25 Shabbat 25 Kiddush hosted by:
Steve & Sally Brown
Adam & Beth Goldstein
Jeffrey Krolik & Michelle Shrott
Kevin & Ann Leibel
Steve Lerner & Sharon van Horn
James Tulsky & Ilana Saraf
Gary & Abby Zarkin
Beth El Kashrut Reminder
This is a friendly reminder from Ivy that a Beth El staff
person MUST check for appropriate hecshers (kosher
certification) on all food you bring into the building for
meals/events here at the synagogue. Even if you've
brought similar food before & even if you have a kosher
home, your food still must be checked, without exception.
We do this to ensure that our kitchen meets certain
standards of kashrut which allows us all to enjoy the
wonderful food you prepare for our congregation.
See here for a guide: http://bit.ly/BEkashrut
Please coordinate delivery timing with the office. Watch
your e-mail for an announcement soon regarding a new
part-time kitchen manager.
Please note that this reminder is in regards to food for
synagogue functions only. Any food brought for food-
drive donation purposes does not need to be kosher or
checked & should be delivered directly to the appropriate
lobby space.
11
Please join us as our daughter
Ariella Sofi Richman
is called to the Torah
as a Bat Mitzvah
Friday, December 13, 6:00pm
Saturday, December 14, 9:30am
Shabbat Vayechi
Kiddush Luncheon following
Saturday services
Laura & Barak Richman
Meet our Bat Mitzvah
Ariella Sofi Richman
I’m Ariella and I’m 12 ½ years old. If I
could use one word to describe myself it would
be driven. When I set my mind to do something,
it usually gets done. I love horses, dogs, and pretty
much all other mammals. My favorite colors are
turquoise and blue, and I ride horses, play piano,
occasionally baby-sit, sometimes cook, and am
an avid reader. I went to the Lerner School for
eight years, and I am currently at Duke School,
in middle school; 7th grade to be exact. My family
consists of: my mom, Laura, my dad Barak, my
little sister Eden, and little brother Izak. I also
have an adorable new puppy, George. I am
looking forward to seeing my many relatives at
my Bat Mitzvah!
Playworks Mitzvah Project
Eliana Davis (who will become a Bat Mitzvah in
February) is collecting donations for Playworks as part
of her Bat Mitzvah project. Playworks is an innovative
program that aims to create a safe and healthy playing
environment for children. It provides recreation equipment
and trained "coaches” to help children play and resolve
conflicts during recess. Playworks is a national organization
that serves 14 schools in Durham. See www.playworks.org
for more information!
Eliana is collecting lightly used and new playground
equipment. Playworks would appreciate donations of balls
for different sports (soccer, basketball, kickball) as well as
cones, hula hoops, jump ropes, tennis rackets, and more!
PANCAKE PALOOZA
Fre
nch t
oast
S
cram
ble
d e
ggs
Cas
sero
les
Fruit Pastrie
s Coffe
e T
ea J
uice &
More
Bring your friends, your families,
and your appetites.
http://tinyurl.com/pancakepalooza
Reservations can be made at:
Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Options
Sunday, December 15
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM @ Beth El
Adults: $10 with advance reservations ($15 @ door)
Now that December is upon us and we have a few months of the school year under our belt, this is a great time to think about how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go this school year. What are our goals for Jewish Education? What are our goals as parents? What are our goals as students? What are the teachers’ goals? Are they all the same? Where do they differ? And what can we do to work together to achieve our laundry list of goals? I think (hope) we can all agree that we have a shared goal to learn something—anything!—about Judaism. Personally, one of my major goals for the students is for them to have a positive experience in Talmud Torah. We want them to develop friendships with other students, to create bonds with the teachers, to feel safe and comfortable in the physical space around them, to be engaged in the material, and have a desire to continue learning in the future. This last item on the list is one of the most important, yet it is often overlooked. We regularly become consumed with learning as much as we possibly can in a short period of time (say, during the 8 or 9 years of Talmud Torah from Pre K to 7th grade). But as I stress to our pre-B’nai Mitzvah students, this is just the first part of the educational journey. You don’t need to learn everything now. You have a lifetime full of opportunities to continue learning. You could spend an entire lifetime studying one parasha of the Torah (and there are people who do!) The greatest thing one of my students can say to me is “I really liked learning Hebrew when I was younger. I didn't learn as much as I would have liked, so I’m going to take a Hebrew class in college this semester.” Or “I had fun as a student in Talmud Torah—now that I’m in high school, I want to come back as a Madrich(a)/Teacher’s Assistant. We have made some great strides in setting new goals this year and I’m pleased to say that we’ve accomplished many of them. Our enrollment is up, we have new learning and social opportunities for our post B’nai Mitzvah students (including Bogrim, Kadima and USY, Shabbat dinners at the Rabbi’s home and our Madrichim program), energetic, creative teachers coming up with engaging ways to implement our curriculum, thriving youth groups with a great new youth advisor—just to name a few. I’m eager to see what goals we can set for our school during second semester and excited to watch everyone set and accomplish their personal Jewish education goals.
Email our awesome youth advisor, Julie Halpert with any questions about upcoming events, program ideas or if you are interested in volunteering: [email protected]
December IN YOUTH & FAMILY PROGRAMMING
6 Shabbat 25 Family service
7 JC
8 Simchat Tot
USY/Kadima
13 Teen Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Greyber’s
15 Pancake Palooza!
DECEMBER ‘13
S M T W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
USY & Kadima (9th-12th grade) (6th-8th grade)
Digital photo scavenger hunt at southpoint mall
Sunday, December 8th
Teen
Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Greyber's home
Friday December 13th
(formally listed as "Older Teen Shabbat Dinner," - now open to all Beth El 9th-12th graders)
RSVPs are required. More info coming soon.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 14
Capital Maintenance Fund Geoffrey and Caitlin Pitt
Cemetery Fund Ruth Greenberg in memory of her beloved husband,
Bernard G. Greenberg Lane Golden in memory of his mother, Bertha K.
Bergman
Chevra Kadisha Arthur and Judith Marks in appreciation of the
holiday services Arthur and Judy Marks in memory of beloved
parents, Beulah and Harold Goldstein
Earl and Gladys Siegel Endowment Fund Anonymous in honor of Artie Axelbank Gladys Siegel in honor of Lisa and Matt Zerden's
baby daughter Gladys Siegel in memory of Cecile Lipton Gladys Siegel in memory of Eda Bloch Yetta and Murray Brandt in memory of Cecile Lipton
Education and Youth Director's Discretionary Fund Fay Klein in honor of the High Holidays
Eric Pas Jewish Camp Scholarship Fund Arthur and Judy Marks in honor of Susan
Rosefielde's special birthday
General Fund *Bob and Merle Schwartz in memory of Ed
Halperin's sister *Bob and Merle Schwartz in memory of Sharon
Lunk's brother Nancy and Eric Bresler in honor of High Holiday
services Stephanie Sieburth in honor of the High Holidays Stephen Solomon in appreciation of Itzik Lebovich
and staff for their efforts on Russell Springer's Bar Mitzvah
Jeanette Kimmel in memory of her father, Benjamin Cone, on the anniversary of his yarzheit
Ruth and Fred Porter in honor of May Segal Carol and Jimmie Haynes for the recovery of Sam
Becker, grandson of Barrie and Jean Hurwitz
Carol and Jimmie Haynes in honor of the birth of Zak Meyers Davino, grandson of Eric and Carol Meyers
Sheva Zucker and Sandy Kessler in honor of Mardi and Errol Zeiger's 50th Anniversary
Sol and Sheila Levine in honor of Yuval Lebovich's Bar Mitzvah
Francine Lerner in honor of the Carson-DeWitt family on the occasion of Zosia's Bat Mitzvah
Bob and Laura Gutman in honor of David Klapper Howard and Marion Diamond in memory of Herbert
Lehman and Susan Diamond
Landscape Fund Arthur and Judith Marks in honor of JoAnn Rubin's
speedy and complete recovery
Mitzvah Fund Arthur and Judy Marks in honor of Errol and Mardi
Zeiger
Orthodox Kehillah Nancy and Eric Bresler in honor of High Holiday
services Leslie Rudd in honor of the High Holidays Shai Brosh donated to the Orthodox Kehillah in
memory of his grandfather, Jacob Janai Francine Lerner in honor of the Hacohen Family
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Lynne Grossman in honor of Mardi and Errol
Zeiger's 50th Wedding Anniversary Viana Romero Stuart and Ann Kaplan in memory of Lisa Heather
Kaplan
October Contributions
Beth El Congregation gratefully acknowledges all contributions. Please send donations & dedications to Sandy Berman, our corresponding secretary, at the Beth El address. Donations may be made via check, cash, stock transfer, or Paypal. A full list of funds, donation forms & the direct Paypal link are available on our website’s development page & through the office. When making a donation to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, please write a separate check payable directly to that fund.
*Sincere apologies for omitting these dedications
from the October Bulletin.
15
“Tzedaka is equal in importance to all other commandments combined” — Talmud
I am pleased to make a contribution to Beth El Synagogue
My name phone Address City/State/Zip In Memory of In Honor of
Please send acknowledgement to: Name Address City/State/Zip
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Speedy Recovery Happy Birthday Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Best Wishes Happy Anniversary Other
Mail To: Sandy Berman, Corresponding Secretary 1004 Watts Street Durham NC 27701
Please apply my contribution to: _____ Capital Maintenance Fund _____ Cemetery Fund _____ Chevra Kadisha (burial society) _____ Education & Youth Director's Discretionary Fund _____ Sam & Jeannette Fink Programming Fund
_____ General Fund _____ Gilbert Katz Scholarship Fund _____ Landscape Fund _____ Sandra Lazarus Youth Activity Fund _____ Library Fund _____ LifeLong Learning Fund _____ Mitzvah Fund
_____ Orthodox Kehillah _____ Eric Pas Jewish Camp Scholarship Fund _____ Elaine Perilstein Memorial Fund _____ Prayer Book Fund _____ Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund (please write a
separate check for this fund) _____ Earl and Gladys Siegel Endowment Fund _____ Synagogue Art Fund
Capital Maintenance Fund
The Capital Maintenance Fund (formally the Building Fund)
is intended to pay for major repairs to our Beth El buildings:
the new carpeting and painting in the Freedman Center as
well as the new roof. This year we also paid for repairs in the
preschool classrooms and Rabbi Greyber’s office.
In the past, new members were assessed but that practice
was discontinued in 2011, in part because we never raised
sufficient funds. Last year we used the small dues increase
to raise money for our building needs, but we still have a
long way to go.
The Strategic Plan identified a number of items at Beth El
that need repair or refurbishing and these will be paid for
out of the Capital Maintenance Fund. We need your help
to build this fund to a point that it can afford to fix and
maintain our physical plant. Please consider making a
contribution to this fund.
You can celebrate a simcha, honor a loved one, or send “get well” wishes by contributing to Beth El.
You may donate via our secure PayPal link or by check using the printable form online or below.
www.betheldurham.org/development
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Todah Rabah! Thank You!
Beth El Funds
During the coming year, we are running a series of articles highlighting various Beth El funds, many written by those
who helped start them or who remember the honorees. As you read these articles please consider directing donations
to these worthy causes to honor those who you’ve loved, but not forgotten. Let’s make sure that through the
programs supported by our special funds, Beth El remains a “heart of many rooms.”
Beth El Talmud Torah- 5883
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 16
Yahrzeit Reminders
Kislev December 29 Michael Kline 2
Tevet December 1 Carolyn Flicker 4 1 Irving Levine 4 1 Eva Markman 4 1 Nathan Rosenstein 4 1 Meyer Zucker 4 2 Alfred Feiler 5 2 Max Meyer 5 2 Eli Nachamson 5 3 Philip J Goldberg 6 3 Sabrina Morris 6 5 Ruth Halberstadt 8 5 Samuel Levy 8 5 Sarah Meyer 8 6 Arthur Gutman 9 7 Jeffrey W. Fried 10 8 Sarah Miriam Evans 11 8 Miriam Levinson Kwatcher 11 8 Jacob Levtow 11 8 N. Nachamson 11 8 Norman Schultz 11 8 Robert Spilo 11 8 Morris Weinstein 11 9 Monice Arnold 12 9 Elias Gadlli 12 9 Beulah Goldstein 12 9 Avigdor Victor Koren 12
10 Norman Bartelmay 13 10 Morris Nachamson 13 10 Bessie Satlof 13 10 Gilltle Sawilowsky Schwartz 13 11 Louis Meyer 14 12 Daniel Berley 15 12 Fannie Cramer 15 13 Edward Alpern 16 13 Rosalyn Koffler Brown 16 13 David Carson 16 13 Rabbi Josiah Derby 16 13 Louis Fridovich 16 13 Bernard Gingold 16 13 J. Everett Levinsohn 16 14 Irving Alexander 17 14 Aaron Rosenblatt 17 15 Patricia Silver 18 16 David Convissor 19 16 Marion Dronsky 19 17 Nathaniel Barnett 20 17 Benjamin Culp 20 17 Max Gerald Levy 20 17 Vivian Weinstein 20 21 Arnold Grier 24 21 Moshe Shweky 24 22 Herman Bernard 25 22 Maurice Dworski 25 22 Sam Markman 25 24 Jerry Becker 27 24 Mary Hart 27 24 Alfred Korkin 27 24 Rose Leibel 27 26 Arlene Ammerman 29 26 Esther Mandel 29
Tevet January 29 Edwin Price 1 29 Sara Abosch 1
Sh'vat January 2 Miriam Zucker 3 2 Sam Margolis 3 2 Yehuda Ohayon 3 3 Sandra Lazarus 4 4 Barbara Lipp 5 4 Barry Margolin 5 4 Evelyn Weber 5 4 Hanah Landau 5 4 Louis Sher 5 6 Arthur Holstein 7 7 Ellen Egger 8 7 Gershon Gitman 8 8 Esther Margolese 9 8 Frances Lynn 9 9 Bartow Culp 10
10 Alan Grossinger 11 10 Alexander Ostroff 11 10 Ernie Bronstein 11 10 Esser Yehuda Ben Esser Yehuda 11 10 Eva Baden Slifkin 11 10 Gertrude Brown 11 11 Allen Hess 12 11 Rae Korkin 12 12 Esther Lebovich 13 12 Gerard Rohde 13 12 Leon Kahn 13 12 Norman Friedman 13 13 Alice Tepper 14 13 Howard Kramer 14 13 Jim Wells, Sr. 14 14 Anita Weinblatt Halberstadt 15 14 Hannah Mulowitz 15 14 Rabbi Nathan Levinson 15 14 Teresa Koplowitz 15 14 Walter Schlesinger 15 15 Ada Lou Carson 16 15 Ben Ornoff 16 15 Carol Stollwerk 16 15 Elaine Perilstein 16 15 Jeanette Prastein 16 15 Louis Leibson 16 16 Arnold Korn 17 16 Mary Zeitune 17
Barukh Dayan Ha-emet “Blessed is the Judge of Truth”
Beth El congregation extends condolences to
Carla Fenson on the death of her father, Morley Fenson
Robin Cohen on the death of her mother, Lucille Livingston
May the Ever Present One comfort them among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
Sh'vat January 17 Albert Heyman 18 17 Sue Speier 18 18 Bessie Serody 19 18 Carl Bernard Erdberg 19 18 Yetta Seidman 19 19 Ruth Goldberg 20 20 Celia Margolis 21 20 Julius Saffron 21 20 Nathan Schreiber 21 21 Anna Fisher 22 21 Bernie Kessler 22 21 Dora Levine 22 21 Rabbi Samuel Perlman 22 22 Bert Weaver 23 22 Max A. Peck 23 22 Paul Gidwitz 23 22 Sidney Markman 23 23 Hannah Libman 24 23 Louis Saper 24 23 Michael Margolis 24 23 Morris Sher 24 24 Bob Roberman 25 24 Claire Krohn 25 24 Muriel Modell 25 24 Samuel John Sontag 25 24 Shmuel Lebovich 25 25 Marie Whitehurst Wells 26 26 Alex Rubin 27 26 Neil August 27 26 Robert A. Robbins 27 26 Sophie Abrams 27 27 Barbara Mildred Kraft 28 27 Joanne Sachs Skibell 28 27 Milton Mills 28 27 Sondra Stang 28 28 Henry Levine 29 28 Marcia Goldstein 29 28 Ruth Watnick Sherr 29 29 Abraham Stadiem 30 29 Dave Margolis 30 29 Florence Telen 30 29 Michael Jay Gladstein 30 29 Sadie Rosalie Shimm 30 30 Armand A. Zaleon 31 30 Benjamin Eli Grossman 31 30 Edith Abelkop 31
Traditionally, we light a memorial candle on the evening before the
anniversary of a loved one's death.
17
Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation Events
Campaign Kick-off Saturday evening, December 7th
Honoring Beth El members
Eric Meyers & Perri Shalom-Liberty
The Keynote Speaker, Daniel Gilbert is a
Harvard psychologist, Guggenheim Fellow
and a best selling author. Register online at
www.shalomdch.org — $65 per person - free baby sitting.
Mitzvah Day
Wednesday, December 25th
Register by Dec. 1 for a free shirt:
http://levinjcc.org/about-mitzvah-day
Beth El is collecting kitchen supplies for Genesis Home.
Collection basket is in the Beth El lobby.
Visit www.shalomdch.org
for updates on these & more!
Sicha, Hebrew for "conversation," is an organization that
promotes the vital ongoing dialogue between classical Jewish texts
and modern life. Essays engaging modern and classical texts in
conversations can be found on our website:
www.sichaconversation.org.
B’almah. Our next B’almah gathering will take place on
December 5 at 7:30pm at the Levin JCC (December 12 at
7:30pm at Beth Meyer, Raleigh). The topic will be Mourning
Has Broken: Bringing mourning to a close. More information
can be found at: http://bit.ly/balmah12-13 .
Beyond Belief. Join Rabbi Sager and Sicha for the next in a
series of conversations this fall that explore Jewish identity.
On Sunday, December 15 at the Levin JCC at 3:30, the
theme of our conversation will be “Questionable Miracles and
Dependable Stories.” More information can be found here:
http://bit.ly/BB12-15-13 .
SAVE THE DATE for Sicha’s second annual Hevra Kaddisha
Afternoon of Learning on Sunday, February 16 at the Levin
JCC. The theme will be “The Death of Moses and the Godly
Act of Bearing Loss,” honoring the day Moses died. All Hevra
Kaddisha/Burial Society members are invited to celebrate their
work at the season of Moses' death. Watch for more information
on our website: http://www.sichaconversation.org.
The Duke Center for Jewish Studies &
Duke Human Rights Center presents:
The Jewish Tradition & Human Rights, a lecture series
These lectures occur on the dates listed at 5:30pm in Westbrook
Building Room 0016 (Duke West Campus)
Monday, December 2, 2013: Evyatar Marienberg of UNC Chapel
Hill, “The Rabbis and Human Rights: The Ancient Period”
Monday, February 3, 2014: Kalman Bland of Duke University,
“Medieval Jewish Perspectives on Human Rights”
Monday, April 7, 2014: Zachary J. Braiterman of Syracuse Univer-
sity, “What’s Human? Who’s Right: Moses Mendelssohn and the
Jewish Enlightenment”
Contact Duke Center for Jewish Studies
for more information: 919-660-3504
Triangle Seminar For Jewish Studies Fall Semester 2013: Provocative Jewish Interest Topics
Final fall session:
Monday, December 9, “Prospects for Peace in the Middle East”
Gerhard Weinberg, Ph.D., Prof. Emeritus, UNC.
Peace will take a long time to come to Iraq. This lecture explores
that issue.
National Humanities Center in RTP
7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Series Fee: $20.00 per person, full time students $5.00
Contact: Ronni Marblestone 848-3752
For updates see: www.shalomraleigh.org/calendar or
JFS Gift Card Program: JFS seeks gift cards to shops, movies, restaurants, shows, hair salons. Your gift will be apreciated by those in need. To make a donation or for more information, contact Jenny Schwartz at 919-354-4923 or [email protected]
JFS volunteers needed:
Shabbat Outreach volunteers are needed to lead a short Shabbat service on Fridays for Jewish residents of an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill.
Friendly Visitors are needed for isolated older adults living in the community. Not appropriate for volunteers who want to visit someone with their child. Friendly visitors will spend time with the person as friends do- talking, exploring common interests, or going for a walk. Minimum time commitment: 2-4 hours per month. For more information on these volunteer opportunities, please contact JFS Social Worker Jenny Schwartz at 919-354-4923 or [email protected]
Volunteer as a Guardian ad Litem: Help change the lives of Durham's abused and neglected children. For more information or to volunteer, contact Stephanie Kelly at 564-7289 or [email protected]. Sandy Kessler can also give you information on what it is like to be a Guardian ad Litem.
Help our Jewish Elderly: Jewish Family Services provides a program and lunch for seniors in our community (Chaverim). This is a wonderful opportunity for our elderly seniors to get together on a regular basis, spending time together chatting over a good lunch. We are looking for small groups of friends, such as a family or two, a Hebrew school class or a B’nei Mitzvah student to consider preparing or sponsoring ($100 donation) a lunch in honor or memory of someone or just for the fun of it, for between 15 - 20 seniors. This is an easy and wonderfully rewarding mitzvah opportunity. For more information please contact Michele Pas at [email protected] or 919-493-3175.
We need Beth El volunteers at the Chapel Hill Community Kitchen to cook lunch on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30-12:30. Anyone able to help please contact Gladys Siegel ([email protected])
Servers & Tuna Casseroles Needed for Durham Community Café Dinner the fourth Sunday of each month! Several casseroles are needed for the Community Café dinner that is served on the fourth Sunday of each month. For your convenience, the recipe is printed below. Please deliver the casseroles to Judea Reform before the fourth Sunday of each month during their regular office hours. If you are unable to deliver the casserole, please contact Erica Gringle to make alternate arrangements. This mitzvah is an easy one in which to involve children. Besides making casseroles, Beth El's commitment is to provide servers for the community meal on the fourth Sunday of each month (5:30 PM - 7:00 PM). If you are interested in participating in this community service project, please contact Erica Rapport Gringle. Pre-teens through adult can serve so this too is great mitzvah to do with your older kids.
TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE (use a very large rectangular or oval disposable tin) Please note changes for pasta & vegetables —2 lbs. of rotini (other pastas get mushy after being frozen, thawed and baked) —about 42 ounces of water packed tuna, drained —7 cans of cream of mushroom soup (about 70 ounces and low sodium, if possible) —8 carrots and 8 stalks of celery, diced —Boil the noodles in a large pot of water until al dente or almost done. Drain and place in casserole. —Add all other ingredients and mix well. —No need to cook. Just cover tightly with lots of foil and transport it to the Judea Reform freezer.
Duke Hospice Volunteers Needed: If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a hospice volunteer for Duke Hospice, please contact Carolyn Colsher at 919-620-3859, ext. 235 or [email protected]. For more information on programs visit www.dhch.duhs.duke.edu.
Jewish Family Services at the Levin JCC 1937 Cornwallis Road, Durham
Women’s & Men’s Groups BRIDGES Sensational Sundays
BETH EL SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Friday evening services:
Services are held on Friday evenings only in conjunction with other programming or special occasions. See monthly calendars for noted dates and times.
Saturday morning services: Services in the Orthodox Kehillah begin at 9:00 a.m.
Services in the Main Sanctuary begin at 9:30 a.m. Weekday minyanim in the Main Sanctuary: (watch your e-mail for information on winter suspension) Sunday mornings at 9:30am
Wednesday mornings at 8:00am
*Please let the office know in advance if you need to say Kaddish, even if a minyan has already been scheduled.
OFFICE HOURS: Monday through Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Fridays: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.