From The Rabbi - Temple Beth Ami · From The Rabbi Vol 59 No 59 Shalom Bayit תיב םולש Established 1987 June 7,1967/Iyar 28, 5727, stunned, ec-static, and awed Israeli soldiers

Newsletter - June/July 2017 Temple Beth Ami Page 1 of 13

June/July 2017 A monthly publication of Temple Beth Ami

www.templebethami.org

From The Rabbi

Vol 59 No 59

Established 1987 Shalom Bayit שלום בית

June 7,1967/Iyar 28, 5727, stunned, ec-static, and awed Israeli soldiers stood be-fore the Kotel, the Western Wall, praying, singing, weeping. The chief military chaplain intoned the memorial prayer for those lost in the battle. The shofar cried out again and again, obliterating gunshots from the nearby streets as the area was secured. The blue-and-white flag was hoisted. Those back at command headquarters heard the incredible

announcement: "All of Jerusalem is in our hands!" Fifty years ago Jerusalem was reunified, the Old and New sections of our holiest city were bought together once again.

This year I have the wonderful opportunity to spend the begin-ning of June in Jerusalem with members of our community, on Temple Beth Ami’s 7th trip to Israel in the last ten years! We will be walking through the Old City exactly fifty years to the day when Israeli paratroopers first stood at the Kotel.

For 3000 years Jerusalem has been the center of the Jewish faith, retaining its holiness throughout the generations. Jews who had been exiled after the Roman conquest and scattered throughout the world never forgot Jerusalem. Year after year we repeated "Next year in Jerusalem."

Jerusalem was the symbol of the desire of Jews everywhere to return to their land. It was invoked at every Jewish lifecycle event, enshrined in daily prayer, and sung by Hebrew poets in far-flung lands. Mount Moriah, where the Temple once stood; the Western Wall, the only remnant of the Temple, which has been the focus of prayer and longing of Jews for nineteen centuries; the Tomb of David on Mount Zion; and the ancient cemetery on the Mount of Olives where Jews have been bur-ied for centuries - all these are indelibly etched on Jewish con-sciousness.

Sanctified by religion and tradition, by history and theology, by holy places and houses of worship, Jerusalem is a city re-vered by Christians and Muslims as well. It reflects the fervor and piety of the three major monotheistic faiths, each of which is also bound to Jerusalem. Freedom of religion and the safe-guarding of all holy places are anchored in Israel's Declaration of Independence, and ever since Jerusalem was reunified, the holy places have administered by their respective religious communities, and Israeli law has guaranteed free access.

For Christians, Jerusalem is the place where Jesus lived, preached, died, and was resurrected. While it is the heav-enly rather than the earthly Jerusalem, which is emphasized by the Church, places mentioned in the Christian Scripture have drawn pilgrims for centuries. Among these sites are the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Garden of Geth-semane, the Site of the Last Supper, and the Via Dolorosa with the fourteen stations of the Cross.

According to Islamic tradition, the prophet Mohammed was miraculously transported from Mecca to Jerusalem, and it was from there that he made his ascent to heaven. The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa (“the remote”) Mosque, both built in the seventh century, made definitive the identifi-cation of Jerusalem as the "Remote Place" that is men-tioned in the Koran. Thus, Jerusalem is a holy place in ad-dition to, though much less important than the cities of Mecca and Medina. (Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran, as opposed to 667 times in the Hebrew Bible.)

This year, the 50th anniversary of the Reunification of Jeru-salem, Yom Yerushalayim/Jerusalem Day saw celebrations beginning the evening of May 23rd. Traditionally, most rec-ognition given to Jerusalem Day takes place in Israel, but special ceremonies and other programs outside of Israel are growing in number. This year documentaries, news reports and a host of media attention has been focused on the sig-nificance of Jerusalem. We hope you will follow our journey on the TBA Israel Trip 2017 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TBA-Israel-Trip-2017-172975916561513/ The political implications of moving the US embassy to Is-rael’s capital continue to be debated, but this year we, the Jews of the Diaspora, must celebrate that the unified Jeru-salem, the Eternal capital of our people, has been open to all people to worship in peace for half a century. We pray for a time when Jerusalem, as well as the entire land of Israel, will be at peace. And we look forward to the day when every Jew throughout the world will make true the words:

L’SHANA HA'BA-AH B'YERUSHALAYIM

NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!!!

- Rabbi Mark Blazer


Mission Statement of Temple Beth Ami The Purpose of this Reform Congregation shall be to worship G-d, to promote Jewish education and the fundamental principles of Judaism, to ensure the continuity of the Jewish people to cultivate love, understanding, and enjoyment of our Jewish heritage

and to encourage community involvement.

Rabbi - Mark Blazer [email protected] Cantor - Kenny Ellis [email protected] Board of Trustees: President - Rosemary Watson [email protected] Executive Vice President - Don Cogan [email protected] Past President - Eddie Nathan [email protected] Treasurer - [email protected] Secretary - Kim Boothby Fogel [email protected] Facilities Trustee - Bill Schwartz [email protected] Membership – Lori Litel and Cheryl Cogan [email protected] Men's Club - Daniel Levine [email protected] Sisterhood President - Francine G. Van Scoyoc [email protected] Mitzvah Trustee - Gaylin Cohen [email protected] Trustees at Large: Debra Block Cheryl Cogan Doreen Hawbecker Lori Litel Charles Peretz Michael Schoenwetter Bill Schwartz Andy Steier Kenny Ellis - Educational Director [email protected] Susie Unkeless—Newsletter and EBlast Editor [email protected] Ofra Naylor - Bookkeeper [email protected]


From The Cantor

Have a Happy & Safe Summer!

B’Shalom

Cantor Kenny Ellis

TREES & WATER PROJECTS: Please contact Cheryl Maliniak through SIsterhood ([email protected].) for your donations to Israel’s Tree and Water Projects. The Tree & Water Projects of Israel are a wonderful way to accomplish two wonderful mitzvahs: make a donation to Israel by you in honor of someone else - it could just be in honor of that person or for something special like a bar/bat mitzvah. These pro-jects have been very popular in helping support Israel. With the fires that occurred recently in Israel, this would be a great time to purchase a tree. Cost is only $18 per donation and you will receive a lovely certificate that can be framed as a gift. Please allow approximately ten days for this transaction to be complete.

There will be no Torah Study or Adult Education Classes

June 6, 7, 13 and 14.

MONDAY & THURSDAYS 9AMMONDAY & THURSDAYS 9AMMONDAY & THURSDAYS 9AM———3PM3PM3PM


Our son, Jason Jorel

Block, Cal Berkeley from

the business Haas

school, minor in Jewish

Studies -Debra & Brian Block

I'm so pleased to announce

Jeremy Sparage is graduating

on June 18th from University

of California at Irvine. He is

receiving a BS in Mathematics

with a teaching credential. He

has also been accepted into the

masters program at San Diego

state with an emphasis in

mathematics. I's so proud of

Jeremy!

- Bonnie Green

2017 Zayin Class of Temple Beth Ami

My granddaughter Michelle Gilden received her degree in biological sciences from the

University of Missouri

My grandson Sam Gilden is graduating from 6th

grade at Stevenson Ranch. - Diane Gilden

Anthony Boothby from Hebrew school

Dina Blazer graduated from Albert Einstein Academy. Com-munity Service award. Going to UCSD Zack Kaufman graduated from Albert Einstein Academy on May 31 Emma Hershenson graduated from Albert Einstein Academy on May 31 and will be going to Oregon State in the Fall. Adam Hersh graduated CSUN May 19 with a degree in Music- jazz piano

Celebrating OUR GRADUATES

Oh the places you’ll go, Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting So...get on your way!

- Dr. Seuss


From The President

Seeing our mortgage literally go up in smoke was probably the most fun I've ever had at a barbecue. The hot dogs and hamburgers were pretty good too. I'm also proud to welcome the Schwartz and Litel families to our Chai Club. As part of their member-ship commitment, these very special congregants have each committed to donate $3,600 per year every Spring for ten years to even out our cash flow and help us build a reserve, so that when unex-pected events overtake us, as they did this year, we will be prepared. I can't wait to hear about this summer's trip to Israel. I'm sure Rabbi Blazer will have plenty to share with the Torah Study and Adult Education classes when he gets back - so be sure to join us on June 20 and 21 when weekly classes resume.

Our newly elected Temple Board will have its first meeting July 9 at 6:30 PM - members in good standing are welcome to attend. There are some changes in the line up. Doreen Hawbecker is retiring as membership chair but will continue her term as Trustee-at-Large. Lori Litel and Cheryl Cogan will be co-chairing membership. Don Cogan will replace Andy Steier as Executive Vice-president and Kim Fogel will replace Mike Schoenwetter as Secre-tary. Andy and Mike will remain on the board and will join Charles Peretz as trustees at large. Robin Bratslavsky and Lori Garden will retire from the board July 1 - thank you so much for your service. Do you have what it takes to be a TBA Board member? If you've read this far, then you probably have the most necessary quality: a passion for our temple. If you also have a willingness to lead and to serve, the desire to be an effective ambassa-dor for our synagogue, and the dedication to add value to every activity that you attend, not just to sponsor and supervise the sacred work of the synagogue but to participate in it, then maybe you do. I am very proud of our board members and proudest that they have all chosen Temple Beth Ami as their way of serving our community. Thank you. Rosemary Watson TBA President

JUDAICA SHOP:

SHOP HOURS: Monday through Thursday 9 AM -3 PM and Ofra will be happy to help you. Now you may also VIEW AND ORDER ONLINE items for sale for your convenience! Please contact [email protected]. for any of your Judaica Shop needs.

When you give to Temple Beth Ami you support our entire community.

http://www.templebethami.org/support-tba.html



SISTERHOOD

As we turn to summer, this time of year is that for recognition and a thank you to those who have contributed to Sisterhood this past year. Susan Schmitt has been our Treasurer for the past two years and her term is up! She has done a fantastic and profes-sional job as our Treasurer in always providing all of the monthly reports and taking care of Sisterhood’s books and bank-ing – and not to mention what a pleasure she has been to work with on the Sisterhood Executive Board! We can’t thank you enough Susan for all of your support and for all of the work you have done these past two years. We were very lucky to have had you as our Treasurer. I also want to thank Sisterhood’s Executive Board for this past year as I personally feel very lucky to have been serving along with each of you: BJ Kaufman (Exec VP); Glori Stulman (Secretary); Susan Schlmitt (Treasurer); and Jennifer Ihrig (Past President). Thank you for all of your support. – each of you have been wonderful to work with. On May 12, 2017 the Sisterhood Shabbat Service took place (with thanks to Susan Schmitt organizing the service and oneg). Sisterhood gave the largest donation it has ever given to TBA: $3,500. It was all of our profit from all of our events (many of them fundraisers): summer long honey fundraiser, then the annual Tea Gardens Tea by BJ Kaufman and Glori Stulman, Mah Jongg Tournament by Jennifer Twitchell (a first year & very successful event - hopefully returning), Holiday Boutique (by yours truly with an awful lot of help from Shawn Monheim) to the Women’s Retreat and Seder by Judith Stol-nitz & Tracy Blazer– all being very successful events led by many strong women who also displayed a great deal of leader-ship through these events.

Congratulations to the Nominees for Woman of the Year:

Jennifer Ihrig, Shawn Monheim, Susan Schmitt, Rena Slabich, Judith Stolnitz, Glori Stulman and Jennifer Twitchell

We wish all of the nominees good luck! The 2016 Woman of the Year recipient will be announced June 23.

Francine G. Van Scoyoc TBA Sisterhood President

SISTERHOOD & COMMUNITY “Without You We Are One Woman Short”

Sisterhood’s website: www.templebethami.org/sisterhood.html (*PayPal here too)

Sisterhood updates: www.templebethami.org/sisterhood-updates.html

Sisterhood’s email: [email protected].

Judaica Shop : [email protected].

Please go to Sisterhood Updates page on the website for forms and event flyers!


SISTERHOOD

SISTERHOOD SOCIALS!

201720172017———2018 schedule2018 schedule2018 schedule coming soon!coming soon!coming soon!

SOME PAST EVENTS:

Thank you again to Jennifer Ihrig and Jennifer Twitchell for the April & May Yoga & Mah Jongg days. A fun time was had by all. WOMEN’S SEDER: Why was this year’s Seder different?

Originators of the Women’s Community Seder from 13 years ago, Judith Stolnitz and Tracy Blazer, set a goal and accom-plished a new experience that was immediately obvious when walking into the Old Orchard I Valencia Clubhouse. Atten-dees saw three very long tables set with the three selected themes for Passover Seders, making for a very colorful and unique display representative of the three possible Passover Seder services: (1) Family/Children’s (decorated with the scene of parting of the Red Sea), (2) Women’s (feminine décor w/ Matzah Tulip flower boxes), and Social Action (origami w/ various notations)!! (We hope you will enjoy the pictures from this year’s 2017 Women’s Community Seder!)

When asked what was the purpose of making the Seder service so different and innovative with the three themes, Judith Stolnitz responded by saying, “Passover has always been my favorite holiday, but the Seder can become stale (like mat-zah, lol). It is also a little intimidating to lead a Seder given personal memories of childhood Seders and just looking at a Haggadah. Our goal was to break it down to manageable pieces and inspire others to give the Seder service their own memorable touch. The thinking was also freshen up the Women's Seder itself and perhaps inspire some people who have-n't attended before to come.”

It was evident by all that attended that a great deal of research had gone into this year’s Women’s Community Seder and Wendy Hersh provided her talented music abilities that were enjoyed by all. Women then helped with planning and on the day of the seder were: Rena Slabich, Jennifer Twitchell, Doreen Hawbecker, BJ Kaufman, Shawn Monheim and yours truly. Each attendee was given a USB drive full of the resources and ideas they had just experienced to take home to use in making their own new memorable and inspiring Passover Seders for families and friends! Last, this year’s honorees were also a little different as they especially represented the SCV Community during Passover. Honored from Ralph’s Stevenson Ranch were Store Manager Kelly Hicks and Ralph’s employee Eileen Gelfand for their hard work and support of the Jewish Community during Passover when the Matzah Aisle Outreach program was done at the market for the past three years.


SISTERHOOD

SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP INFO Thank you to all of you that have either joined or renewed your Sisterhood membership for 2016-2017. All new TBA mem-bers are automatic members of Sisterhood for their first year – free of charge and are encouraged to attend all Sisterhood functions. SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION – Please contact Exec. VP/Membership Trustee BJ Kaufman to renew or join through [email protected]. Please go to the Sisterhood Website to download the 2016-2017 Mem-bership form. If you join from April, 2017 on your membership will be part of the 2017-2018 year. Basic membership is $36 but you may choose to contribute for membership levels: Sarah ($54), Rebecca ($72), Leah ($90), or Rachel ($180); Non-TBA Members: $46. Payment by check made payable to TBA Sisterhood or go to the Sisterhood website page: www.templebethami.org/sisterhood.html - and pay by Paypal (Note: please mark in "membership" in memo section). The purpose of Sisterhood at TBA is to have a group of women that come together and support one another while also participating in a variety of programs of choice. In doing so, Sisterhood supports the community of Temple Beth Ami along with a generous financial donation at the end of each fiscal year.

SISTERHOOD BOARD:

Francine G. Van Scoyoc – President; Jennifer Ihrig - Past President; BJ Kaufman - Vice President; Glori Stulman – Secre-tary; Susan Schmitt – Treasurer; Membership – BJ Kaufman; Mitzvah Trustee – Gaylin Cohen; Trustees at Large: Donna Casey, Elena Hedvig, Gaylin Cohen & Susan Sheftz; and Nancy Lefko. Communications: Newsletter Writer: Shawn Monheim; Flyers: Elena Hedvig; Facebook Postings: Joyce Stein; Website: Susie Unkeless and Francine G. Van Scoyoc


June Birthdays June Anniversaries

Keith Pritsker 4-Jun

Rachel Blazer 5-Jun

Aaron Gelberg 5-Jun

Pete Slabich 6-Jun

Steve Adler 8-Jun

Nancy Lepore 8-Jun

Virginia Switzky 9-Jun

Liam Naylor 14-Jun

Stephen North 14-Jun

Allison Adler 15-Jun

William and Marsha Saylor 1-Jun

Stacy and Lee Guss 5-Jun

Sonia and Richard North 18-Jun

Brett and Cory Watson 18-Jun

Dan and Yvonne May 19-Jun

Frank and Irene Saltzman 19-Jun

Keith and Courtney Jacobs 25-Jun

Kurt and Jessica Shlager 28-Jun

Adam and Heather Sarkin 29-Jun

Joseph and Harriet Merjan 30-Jun

June Yahrzeits

Herbert Atkin 1-Jun

Armand Cash 1-Jun

Connie Christensen 1-Jun

Larry George, Sr 1-Jun

Paul Newman 1-Jun

Phil Newman 1-Jun

Javid Talmoud 1-Jun

Marvin Pearlman 2-Jun

Joe Weber 2-Jun

Larry Berent 3-Jun

Steve Rich 3-Jun

Ben Katz 4-Jun

Nancy Atkin 5-Jun

Ruth Foster 5-Jun

Robert Garek 5-Jun

Jay Goldberg 6-Jun

Bernard Zimmerman 6-Jun

Leonard Frank 7-Jun

Mary Rubin 7-Jun

Heneratta Siegel 7-Jun

Gertrude Diamond 8-Jun

Harold Ruhenberg 8-Jun

Harold Greenberg 11-Jun

Ceil Monheim 11-Jun

Ronald Goldman 12-Jun

Sandra Sunok 12-Jun

Sonia Wolf 12-Jun

Eleanor Abrams 13-Jun

Lee Sitomer 13-Jun

Anne Arnold 14-Jun

Krana Brill 14-Jun

Freda Fox 14-Jun

Imre Bohn 15-Jun

Miki Bohn 15-Jun

Adler Morty 15-Jun

Chani Petrover 15-Jun

Rita Bachner 16-Jun

Roselyn Ackerman 17-Jun

Betty Block 17-Jun

Carole Elzer 17-Jun

Julie Rosen 17-Jun

Lillian Rosenblum 17-Jun

Arnold Weinstein 17-Jun

Max Blum 18-Jun

Mayer Levy 18-Jun

Alisa Monheim 20-Jun

Alexandra Poe 22-Jun

Robert Vines 23-Jun

Sherri Vines 23-Jun

David Fraser 24-Jun

Marshall Hann 24-Jun

Ilene Milak 25-Jun

Emma Peretz 25-Jun

Ethan Peretz 25-Jun

Alyssa Peretz 26-Jun

Seth Garden 29-Jun

Lainey Steier 29-Jun

Jessica Shlager 15-Jun

Mark Stolnitz 20-Jun

Henry Cohen 19-Jun

Lydia Jaffke 19-Jun

Ida Aberman 20-Jun

Keva Miller 20-Jun

Marvin Siegel 21-Jun

Max Thau 21-Jun

Jolan Deitch 22-Jun

Renee Kleinfeld 22-Jun

Phillis Rothmann 22-Jun

William Amitin 23-Jun

Harold Greenfield 23-Jun

Irene Veloz 23-Jun

George Coutin 24-Jun

Doris Berman 25-Jun

Dorothy Rosenberg 25-Jun

Brian Wess 26-Jun

Stanley Goldflam 27-Jun

Louis Gottschalk 27-Jun

Jay Margolies 27-Jun

Abraham Switzky 27-Jun

Marilyn Voltz 27-Jun

Martha Winadwer 27-Jun

Cynthia Levy 28-Jun

Jeanette Saylor 28-Jun

Gina Orent 29-Jun


July Birthdays

Haydie Scott 3-Jul

Hal Monheim 4-Jul

Benjamin Watson 4-Jul

Susan Schmitt 5-Jul

Abigail Peretz 7-Jul

Loren Fogel 8-Jul

Zachary Schoenwetter 8-Jul

Natalie Talmoud 8-Jul

Sharon Kale 10-Jul

Shelley Hann 11-Jul

Susan Sheftz 11-Jul

Tom Naylor 14-Jul

Brett Watson 18-Jul

Nikki Corben 20-Jul

July Anniversaries

Charles and Alyssa Peretz 1-Jul

Brian and Debra Block 7-Jul

Greg and Carroll Gelberg 8-Jul

Daniel and Adrienne Levine 9-Jul

Siamak and Marjan Talmoud 20-Jul

Fred and Debbie Kreger 21-Jul

Edwin and Sharon Eberts 22-Jul

Alan and Ronnie Lasky 22-Jul

Jeff and Joyce Stein 22-Jul

Steve and Allison Adler 28-Jul

Jim and Kim Schaffer 30-Jul

Susan and Chris Schmitt 31-Jul

Lena Baron 1-Jul

Abe Dubitsky 1-Jul

Vicent Heiser 1-Jul

Jonia Sutton 1-Jul

Abraham Diamond 2-Jul

Fred Suffin 2-Jul

Murray Wosk 3-Jul

Lillian Brown 4-Jul

Abe Gottfried 4-Jul

Charles Goodstein 4-Jul

Abraham Gottfried 4-Jul

Olga Petrover 4-Jul

Sam Piken 6-Jul

Linda Schaffer 6-Jul

Marvin Goodson 7-Jul

Alex Radvanyi 9-Jul

Jacob Deitch 13-Jul

Patricia Frank 13-Jul

Thomas Hedvig 13-Jul

Michael Gilden 14-Jul

Natalie Zuckerman 14-Jul

Harold Sheftz 15-Jul

William Rothmann 16-Jul

Barbara Friedell 17-Jul

Siamak Talmoud 20-Jul

Garrett Casey 22-Jul

Tim Davis 22-Jul

William Roth 22-Jul

Sam Vila 22-Jul

Ofra Naylor 24-Jul

Neal Schneider 25-Jul

Mark Blazer 26-Jul

Jacob Spalter 26-Jul

Dan May 27-Jul

Adam Sarkin 27-Jul

Mark Kaplan 28-Jul

Bill Schwartz 31-Jul

July Yahrzeits

Mary Porter 17-Jul

Olive Robinson 17-Jul

Ernest Margolies 18-Jul

Kathy Fromberg 19-Jul

Doroty Fuchs 19-Jul

Florence Wolf 19-Jul

Cele Troyan 20-Jul

Sidney Fields 21-Jul

Bob Blum 22-Jul

Jeff Lewis 22-Jul

David Siegel 23-Jul

Harvey Stolnitz 23-Jul

Sarah Hoodkin 25-Jul

Annette Katell 25-Jul

Haskell Silver 25-Jul

Cyril Amitin 26-Jul

Leroy Denton 26-Jul

Donna Kaswan 26-Jul

Bryna Lewis 26-Jul

Ed Reiff 26-Jul

Adam Rensin 26-Jul

Jacob Silverstein 26-Jul

Abe Nudel 27-Jul

Clara Gorecki 28-Jul

Jack Klass 28-Jul

Pearl Richter 29-Jul

Murray Brandstein 30-Jul

Seymour Kubernick 30-Jul

Lawrence Rosen 30-Jul

Robert Turer 30-Jul

Max Widawer 30-Jul

Gloria Tabach 31-Jul

Howard Wayne 31-Jul


JUNE CALENDAR


JULY CALENDAR

Documents

From The Rabbi - Temple Beth Ami · From The Rabbi Vol 59 No 59 Shalom Bayit תיב םולש Established 1987 June 7,1967/Iyar 28, 5727, stunned, ec-static, and awed Israeli soldiers