Saturday, May 12, 2018

Join us for an electric night of cocktails and silent auccon, dinner and live auccon, then dance the night away with a

New Orleans Brass Band.

Buy Tickets Onlineshirhadash.org/gala

Where: Congregacon Shir Hadash 20 Cherry Blossom Lane

Los Gatos, CATicTickets:

$136 per person (through March 27)

When: 5:30PM - 9:30PM

Congregacon Shir Hadash

With the

North Beach

Brass Band Featuring Glenn Hartman

Gala

V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 8 M A y 2 0 1 8 | I y A R – S I V A N 5 7 7 8

www.shirhadash.org  |  408–358–1751

WHAT’S INSIDE

From the Executive Director 2

Shavuot Celebrations 3

Muslim/Jewish Women’s Afternoon Tea 5

Congregational Meeting 6

Retirees Lunch & Learn: Mexican Art & Activism 6

Join a Havurah 6

Adult B’nai Mitzvah 6

Camping Trip 7

Membership Renewal & Religious School Forms 7

Jewish Life in Spain & the Sephardic Experience in Israel 7

Gala Raffl e 8

DON’T MISS THE FUN!

2018 Annual GalaSaturday, May 12, at 5:30 pmJoin us for a wonderful night of food, music, dancing, live and silent auctions, and lots of fun. We’ll be entertained in style with music from the North Beach Brass Band, featuring Glenn Hartman, brother of our very own past-president Bruce Hartman.

The dining experience will feature New Orleans—inspired food, catered by Poor House Bistro.

Auction items include exciting house parties with live music, delicious foods and rare wines, vacation homes, and even a backstage peek of On Your Feet.

The donations and proceeds from ticket and raffl e sales all go to the temple’s general fund in support of programs throughout the year, including adult and youth education, speakers, Mitzvah Day, holiday celebrations, and social events.

Cocktail attire.

If you would like to make a contribution to the Gala, please contact the temple offi ce. Thank you for all donations!

2 | C O N G R E G A T I O N S H I R H A D A S H

”Many of us have a particular focus. Mine is the nuts and bolts — the tachlis —of synagogue operations.”

FROM ERIC STONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

It’s Tachlis TimeAll clergy, staff, lay leaders, and volunteers are here to serve the mission of Congregation Shir Hadash. Many of us have a particular focus. Mine is the nuts and

bolts — the tachlis — of synagogue operations. The work is tremendously satisfying, but my interest areas are decidedly not those of most of our members. Still, there are certain questions that I hear often, and in hopes that they are of general interest, I present some Q&A here.

Q The synagogue sends out so much mail. Isn’t this a waste of postage and paper?

A We carefully consider the balance of our different forms of communication, and send a paper mailing only when that makes the most cost-benefit sense. The mailings you now receive represent a fraction of the paper and (inflation-adjusted) postage that was used for synagogue correspondence a generation ago. Overall, postage is a tiny part of our budget, and cutting out some paper mailings would not affect our finances materially.

Q Why does Shir Hadash have a July-to-June fiscal year? Why not operate on a calendar year?

A Most synagogues operate on a July-to-June fiscal year because it corresponds most closely to the ritual and programmatic calendar. We use the summer to renew memberships and enroll Religious School students. As High Holy Days and the new school year approach, with their attendant major expenses, we know our membership and enrollment numbers, and can follow through with our plans with a good sense of the people who will be participating and the finances needed. If membership or enrollment is different from expectations, we have the entire rest of the year to make any necessary adjustments.

Q What do you and the rest of the office staff do all day?

A Ha! Our days are a mix of the routine and the unexpected. Planning upcoming events, processing incoming and outgoing payments, organizing our communications, seeing to maintenance and repairs around the building, and many other assorted tasks keep us on our toes. Busy as we are, there’s always time to help a congregant, whether for a simple accounting question or a personal matter. We’re here for you!

On a personal note, my family and I thank the people of Shir Hadash — congregants, clergy, and staff — for welcoming me so warmly into this role.

M A y 2 0 1 8 N O T E S | 3

May Services at a GlanceFRI

4 7:00 pm Family Shabbat Service

SAT

5 9:30 am Torah Study 9:30 am Shir Shabbat, Jr. 10:30 am Shir Shabbat Service 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah Service: Isaac Behnke

FRI

11 7:30 pm Shabbat Service with the Band

SAT

12 9:30 am Torah Study 10:30 am Shir Shabbat Service 10:30 am Gimmel Class Service

FRI

18 7:30 pm Board Installation Service

SAT

19 9:30 am Last Torah Study 9:30 am Last Shir Shabbat Service 10:30 am Dalet Class Service 7:00 pm Shavuot & Confirmation Service 9:30 pm Shavuot Study

SUN

20 9:30 am Shavuot Service with Yizkor

FRI

25 7:30 pm Shabbat Service

SAT

26 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah Service: Owen Botkin

CELEBRATING TORAH THROUGH JEWISH EDUCATION

Shavuot is celebrated seven weeks after Passover, at the conclusion of the counting of the omer. It is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel, coinciding with the first grain harvest. Shavuot also celebrates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Traditional celebrations involve the study of Torah and, very importantly, the eating of dairy products such as cheese blintzes and cheesecake.

At Shir Hadash, our yearly Shavuot practice involves a Confirmation service, adult study into the night, and a Yizkor service the next morning.

Shavuot Study: Making Religion a Force for GoodSaturday, May 19, at 9:30 pmThrough film and art, we will explore the ways religion can motivate a concern for the common good and a commitment to “loving our neighbor as ourselves.”

Join us as we view and discuss several TED talks. We’ll contemplate the different interpretations of the Golden Rule in other religions and cultures, learning from them a deeper understanding of our own faith.

We will break at 11:30 pm for the traditional cheesecake, and adjourn at midnight.

Confirmation ServiceSaturday, May 19, at 7:00 pmThe 10th grade Hebrew High class will be honored for their years of study by leading the service and sharing their insights. Friends, family, and the entire community are welcomed as we honor our confirmands from the class  of  2018: Isaiah  Behnke, Marley  Feigin, Daniella  Ginsberg, Atticus  Ginsborg, Cary  Gutnick, Liviya  Katz, Sophia  Kaufman, Liam  Master, Joel  Morel, Liam Nir, and Bode Saul.

Shavuot yizkor ServiceSunday, May 20, at 9:30 amJoin us for our Shavuot service during which Yizkor, the traditional memorial service for the holidays, will be recited. Following the service we will go into the Memorial Garden for the dedication of newly added names.

4 | C O N G R E G A T I O N S H I R H A D A S H M A Y 2 0 1 8 N O T E S | 5

1

4:00p Hebrew School 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:00 Intro to Judaism

6 9:30a Religious School 9:30 Congregational Meeting 11:30 Men’s Club Board Meeting

12:00p Continuing the Conversation on Clutter

12:05 Junior Choir Rehearsal 4:00 Muslim/Jewish

Women’s Afternoon Tea

13YOM YERUSHALAYIM 9:30a Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class 9:30 Religious School 10:00 SHOC Meeting

12:05p Junior Choir Rehearsal

20SHAVUOT 9:30a Religious School Special

Shavuot Program with the Junior Choir

9:30 Sesame Shul 9:30 Shavuot Service with Yizkor

27

7 10:30a Chair Yoga

4:00p Hebrew School

14 10:30a Chair Yoga

4:00p Hebrew School

21 10:30a Chair Yoga

28MEMORIAL DAYOffi ce & ECC closed

8 11:30a Retirees Lunch & Learn:

Mexican Art & Activism

4:00p Hebrew School 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:15 Choir Rehearsal

15ROSH CHODESH SIVAN

4:00p Hebrew School 6:30 Hebrew High School 7:00 Finance Committee 7:15 Choir Rehearsal

22

29

9 10:30a Meditation Group

7:00p Jewish Life in Spain & the Sephardic Experience in Israel, Part 1

7:30 Havurah Liaisons Meeting

2 10:30a Meditation Group

16 10:30a Meditation Group

7:00p Board Meeting 7:00 Jewish Life in Spain & the

Sephardic Experience in Israel, Part 2

23 10:30a Meditation Group

30 10:30a Meditation Group

7:30p Ritual Committee Meeting

3LAG BAOMER

10

17 10:30a Women’s Study Group

24

31

4 10:45a Caring Committee Meeting

6:00p Family Shabbat Dinner 6:00 Erev Shabbat Babysitting 7:00 Family Shabbat Service

11 10:00a Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Support Group

7:30p Shabbat Service with the Band

7:30 Erev Shabbat Babysitting

18 10:30a Memoir Writing Class:

Legacies

7:30p Board Installation 7:30 Erev Shabbat Babysitting

25

7:30p Erev Shabbat Babysitting 7:30 Shabbat Service

5Shabbat B’har 9:30a Shir Shabbat Junior 9:30 Torah Study 10:30 Shir Shabbat Service 10:30 Bar Mitzvah Service:

Isaac Behnke

5:00p Shir Kids Movie Night

12Shabbat B’chukotai 9:30a Torah Study 10:30 Shir Shabbat Service 10:30 Gimmel Class Service

5:30p Gala

19Shabbat B’midbar 9:30a Last Torah Study 10:30 Last Shir Shabbat 10:30 Dalet Class Service

7:00p Shavuot & Confi rmation Service

9:30 Making Religion a Force for Good — A Night of Study, Film, and Art

26Shabbat Naso 10:30a Bar Mitzvah Service:

Owen Botkin

Know Your Neighbor:Muslim/Jewish Women’s Afternoon Tea

Sunday, May 6, 4:00 pm, at Shir Hadash

Free & open to the publicPlease register at www.shirhadash.org/calendar

Sponsored by Islamic Networks Group & Women of Shir Hadash

Gala

19

S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y

MAYPlease visit www.shirhadash.org for the full calendar.

6 | C O N G R E G A T I O N S H I R H A D A S H

AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND PARTICIPATE

Congregational MeetingSunday, May 6, at 9:30 amThe Congregation will meet to elect new members to the board of directors, review the annual budget, and ratify any policy changes that are presented. Join us for bagels and coffee beforehand.

A quorum is needed to conduct business, so your presence is an act of community engagement that ensures our ability to function in the new fiscal year.

Join a Havurah!

Over five hundred adult members of Shir Hadash belong to a havurah. Join them for friendship and fun. Contact havurah@shirhadash.org if you are interested.

CELEBRATE OUR ADULT LEARNERS

Adult B’nai MitzvahSaturday, June 2, at 10:00 amThe community is invited to celebrate Shabbat at morning services led by our graduating Adult B’nai Mitzvah students. Join us as we honor the achievement of these hard-working adult learners, who have been studying for two years: Trista  Bernstein, Danita  Evans-Behnke, Helen Kohn, Marci Nemhauser, Carol Parris, Arnie Pinck, Rose  Potasnik, Sara  Silverman, Joy  Spodick, Val  Swisher, and Dafna Talmor.

A Kiddush luncheon for all (relatives and friends, too) will follow the service.

RETIREES LUNCH & LEARN

Mexican Art & Activism: The LegacyTuesday, May 8, at 11:30 am

We welcome Marcia Klein, a docent from the San Jose Museum of Art, to show a multimedia presentation, Exploring the Artistic Legacy of Post-Revolutionary Mexico.

Learn how Mexican art inspired artists across the border and around the world, including muralists, Chicano artists, and contemporary street artists. Marcia is excited to hear comments about the art and activism movement of the 1930s and 1940s.

Join our retirees group for a monthly (second Tuesday) lecture, discussion, performance, or film. For the program and a light lunch a nominal donation of $5 per person is requested.

Board InstallationFriday, May 18, at 7:30 pmThe new board will be installed at the Shabbat service on Friday night, May 18. We hope you will help us celebrate these amazing volunteers as they continue and/or enter into their new roles. Our community is strengthened with their gifts of time and talent.

Mural by José Clemente Orozco, “The Workers,” 1924–1926

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June 4-14, 2017

THE MANY FACES OF JUDAISMSPAIN & ISRAELTHE MANY FACES OF JUDAISMSPAIN & ISRAELA TRIP TO SPAIN AND ISRAEL

SPAINA TRIP TO SPAIN AND ISRAEL

SPAINA TRIP TO SPAIN AND ISRAEL

LED BY RABBI MELANIE ARONLED BY RABBI MELANIE ARON

WE AREGOING TO SPAIN &ISRAEL.June 10 – 21, 2018

Telling the story of Israel and the Jewish World SPAIN

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ISRAELTelling the story of Israel and the Jewish WorldISRAELISRAELTelling the story of Israel and the Jewish WorldISRAEL

For more details about the programand how to register, visitarzaworld.com or call 888-811-2812

M A y 2 0 1 8 N O T E S | 7

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP

Jewish Life in Spain & the Sephardic Experience in IsraelWednesdays, May 9 & 16, at 7:00 pm

Join us to discover just how exciting your adventure abroad will be! This course, beginning in person and followed by online materials, will introduce most of the sites you’ll be visiting on your itinerary.

Two sessions at the temple will introduce the history and culture of the Jews of Spain and Israel. The fully-narrated, nine-session online expansion of the course will weave together hundreds of images, video clips, and memorable texts that bring to life the Sephardic experience of Spain and the drama of both Biblical

and modern Israel. Throughout the online course, you’ll enjoy interactive features and games that allow you to dig deeper into the topics.

If you want to learn, but are not going on the tour, no problem! Please sign up!

Tuition is free to tour participants, $45 for the public, and $35 for Shir Hadash members (includes both classes and online materials).

Students may attend live at Shir Hadash, live online, or by viewing online recordings of the sessions.

YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS APPRECIATED

Membership Renewal & Religious School FormsBe on the lookout for your membership renewal mailing and, where applicable, Religious School enrollment information.

Help Shir Hadash plan for another dynamic year by returning your commitments early and by being as generous as you can with your fair-share dues pledge. Our fair-share system only works if everyone gives according to their means.

Questions? Please contact Executive Director Eric Stone at the temple offi ce to discuss any aspect of your membership.

CAMPING TRIP

Celebrate Shabbat in the OutdoorsFriday, July 27–Sunday, July 29Big Basin Redwoods State ParkJoin your Shir Hadash friends for a fun-fi lled weekend of camping, hiking, praying, volunteer-led activities, and s’mores around the campfi re.

• $40 per single• $75 per couple• $100 per family with kids

Price includes two nights of camping, Shabbat dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Register on the temple website — space is limited. Questions? Contact Rabbi Schwartz.

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAID

CAMPBELL, CAPERMIT NO. 7153Congregation Shir Hadash

20 Cherry Blossom LaneLos Gatos, CA 95032–4637

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Eco-friendly paper

Gala Ra� leDrawing Will Be Held at the Gala, Saturday, May 12Imagine a full year of pre-paid date night dining for you and your loved one —what a thought! And even better, all the restaurants are already chosen, so no hassle involved with planning.

This dream can be your reality! This Gala raffl e prize can be yours! The winner receives gift certifi cates to twelve local restaurants, ranging from $50–$100, for a total value of $1,000!

Raffl e tickets are $20 each, or six for $100. Every household has already received two tickets. To increase your chance to win, please contact the temple offi ce to purchase more.

The winning ticket will be drawn at the Gala, but the winner does not need to be present to win.

Help spread the word by encouraging neighbors, colleagues, and friends to purchase tickets as well.