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The Shofar
Shaare Tefila Congregation
Celebrating our 64th year Vol. 64 #2 October 2014—Tishrei/Cheshvan 5775
FROM THE RABBI’S STUDY…
A Meaningful Sukkot
If we took a look at people attending services on
the Sukkot holiday most likely we would be taken
aback. We’d see people holding green branches
and a yellow fruit, sometimes people would be
shaking them and sometimes people would be pa-
rading with them! And we’d also see unusual hut-like structures
outside the synagogue and outside people’s homes. What is the
point of these unusual ritual objects and how do they help enhance
our religious experience?
The simple traditional answer of course is that we do these
things because God said so. We learn in the Torah in the book of
Leviticus that the branches of palm, willow and myrtle trees are to
be held together with the “fruit of a goodly tree” understood to be
an “etrog” or citron. We wave these branches and fruit and we also
are to dwell in a “sukkah” or booth to be reminded of our ances-
tors’ temporary desert dwellings and to be reminded of the Fall
harvest season.
But are these ancient, historical explanations still relevant for us
today? How could waving branches and fruit and building a hut
enhance our spiritual lives? Since I have been “doing Jewish” all
my life I personally find meaning in these rituals. I remember the
different “sukkot” – huts – that our family has built over the years
and the people we’ve invited to meals in them. And as a lover of
Jewish history, I also easily connect to my Jewish past.
For those without the personal, family holiday memories I think
it’s important to understand the values that Judaism tries to instill.
Judaism teaches us many ethical, moral and religious principles
that are meant not only to enhance our lives but are meant to pro-
vide a connection with God. Of the many lessons of Judaism, Suk-
kot teaches us to be connected with nature. We lead technological-
ly enhanced lives and do so mainly indoors. We live in safe, com-
fortable homes. We travel by car or public transit to a job in an
office building. We use smart phones and computers at work and
at home. Long gone are the days when we Jews farmed the land or
tended orchards or vineyards. If we’re lucky, we have a window at
work to look outside and maybe there are trees to look at!
The holiday of Sukkot then forces us to go outside. It forces us
to hold nature in or hands and to have festive meals in a temporary
dwelling so that at least for one week in the year we can connect
with the outside world. By doing these natural rituals we recognize
the wonder of all of God’s creation and we reconnect to our roots.
I look forward to seeing you in shul for Sukkot – Oct. 9, 10 and
11 - and Lenore and I also are pleased once again to invite you for
Kiddush after shul on Shabbat Oct. 11 at our home sukkah.
With wishes for a joyous and meaningful Sukkot holiday,
Rabbi Jonah Layman
FROM THE PRESIDENT… It was quite surreal sitting on the bima with Rabbi Layman at Rosh Hashanah and realizing that I was sitting there as your newly elected synagogue president. The High Holy Days are a time for both celebration and reflection, not unlike that of a significant birthday. As I look back over my 3+ years serving as Administrative Vice Presi-
dent I am amazed at what we have accomplished as a community. We have erected and relocated our spiritual home to Olney, en-hanced our Shabbat and spiritual services, grown and cultivated our preschool, religious school, and numerous adult learning op-portunities, as well as expanded our social programs to include Cafe ST, challah club, and Comedy Night just to name a few. By virtue of my position I was either a participant and or observer to most of, if not all of our wonderful scheduled events and programs. With that said, we, the Shaare Tefila community, can say with great pride and satisfaction that the array of programs and events as well as the level of participation at such events rivals that of many larger congregations in our area. If you haven't experienced one of what I like to call a “ST Cafe Sunday,” you need to make it a point to do so. It is rare to feel such a sense of community, friendship and joy as the building is filled with people. Our synagogue is immediately transformed into our bustling community center, just like the good ol’ shtetle days. You will come away with a smile in your heart (Nashuma). So as you evaluate your past year and think of ways to improve for the coming year, please think of the many ways in which you can give your support to our congregation. Through donations of time, attendance or money, you can make Shaare Tefila even better than it is today. Every volunteer hour you give, every event you attend, and every dollar you contribute - helps us retain the highest quality staff, grow our award winning Gates of Discovery Pre-school and Chavaya Experiential religious school, provides us with the programs and events we want most, and allows us to maintain our beautiful synagogue for now and generations to come. This is your synagogue. This is your family. Be generous in how and what you give today. It is an honor to serve as your congregation president. I am proud to be part of such a welcoming and inclusive community, one that honors and cherishes our past and continues to embrace the future. May you and your families have good health, joy and blessings for the coming New Year. G'mar Hatimah Tovah, (May you be sealed for a good year in the book of Life) Hyman J. Grosberg, President
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The Shofar
THE SHOFAR
Shaare Tefila Congregation, 16620 Georgia Avenue, Olney, MD 20832.
Vol. 64 No.2 October 2014, Published 10 times a year.
Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily representative of the
Shaare Tefila Congregation, the editorial staff of this newsletter, its
employees or membership.
Kosher and non-kosher supervised establishments advertise in the Shofar.
MINYANIM
One of the many things that we are proud of at Shaare Tefila is
evening minyan. What a wonderful way to support one another
and strengthen our camaraderie with each other. To maintain
this important mitzvah, it takes all of us. Each and every indi-
vidual is important to making the minyan. (It’s even okay to
have more than ten people.) For those of you who live close to
the synagogue, that’s great. For those who live far, look at that
as the glass being half full. Your drive time could be considered
Down time, Me time, Transition time, Think time, Time to get
away from your family for a little while, or Time to listen to
your favorite song. Attending the evening minyan is a way to
help your fellow man and woman. It is also a chance for you to
talk to God and who knows – you might even find a few mo-
ments of spirituality in your day. The congregation appreciates
your time and we thank you for attending the evening minyan
during your assigned week.
Paul Tilles, Religious Vice President
SISTERHOOD: As you read this we are in the midst of celebrating our fall holidays. The air is crisp and we can enjoy this glorious festive time of year. Sisterhood had been busy with some fall celebrations of our own. Thank you to Charlotte Potosky, our Torah Fund
Chair for organizing and distributing our Torah Fund Pins. What a supportive Sisterhood we are in that so many of us participate in this fundraising effort for the Jewish Theological Semi-nary. Even though the pins were distributed, it is not too late if you would still like to order a pin. Please contact Charlotte for more information. Our Sisterhood wins awards year after year for the number of pins purchased so thank you to all who partici-pate. Thank you Susan Rubenstein for organizing the art program on 9/21. The turnout for this event was wonderful and everyone who attended the event had a marvelous time and great art-ful fun. Who knew there was such creativity among us!! We are so fortunate to have a thriving challah club here at Shaare Tefila. When Rabbi Layman suggested we have apple juice and honey cake served following the N’eilah service, the challah club, led by Lori Marshall agreed to make the honey cake for all to enjoy. We thank all of the enthusiastic expert bak-ers! Our first Rosh Chodesh study and discussion group will be held on October 18 and will be led by Sharon Kaye and Bess Teller. Be sure to join us that Shabbat. We are looking forward to the Paid Up Membership Dinner on October 27, chaired by Stephanie Buckberg. Please be sure to send your dues check and dinner reservation to Elaine Stein. Not only will you enjoy a fabulous dinner, thanks to Debbie Yedlin and her committee, but you will have a chance to shop among vendors and you will be enthralled by our guest speaker, Carolivia Herron, Jewish American writer of children's and adult literature, and a scholar of African-American Judaica. So don’t delay and send your reservations in now. Please be sure to join us for Education Day on November 16 at Beth El Congregation in Baltimore. The theme is “Our Journey: Past, Present and Future.” This program is from 9:30-3:30 with a charge of $36 which includes lunch. Please feel free to contact us for more information. Carpools can be arranged. Marilyn Pontell will now be selling mah jongg cards. She is taking over operations from Zella Shabasson Rosenberg who we thank for the many years she headed this effort for Sister-hood. As of this writing we are in need for a chair/committee for our College Moms project. Please contact us if you are interested in being the connection to our college students who might be in need of a little TLC from their Shaare Tefila community. We have been reaching out to our college students for almost 2 dec-ades and no doubt they are thrilled to receive communication as well as a goodie bag 3 times a year. The holidays are not over and this is a great time to stock up on scrip. Please contact Barbara Fink, Judy Beiser and Rita Ru-binstein or next time you are in the building for the Café, stop by the office with your check to help with this painless fund-raiser. We wish you a healthy and happy New Year. Chag Sameach.
Ethel Levine and Fran Kensky, co-Presidents
Did you Know…? Stuart, Judy, Zach and Max Carroll travelled to South Africa and Zambia in August for a long an-ticipated 2 week family vacation. They spent 4 nights in Sabi Sands Private Game reserve on safa-ri, with excellent lodging, meals and animal view-
ing. After Sabi, they ventured to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. They walked to the edge of the falls, took a helicopter trip over the falls, and Stuart and Zach spent an afternoon white water rafting the Zambezi River. Next they were off to Cape Town and Hermanus where the boys went on a cage dive with great white sharks! Judy, being the level headed one, stayed back to do some whale watching and shopping for handmade crafts. It was a trip of a lifetime and they are so glad that they were able to share it to-gether. Ask the Sandbergs about their trip to Israel. They have a lot to tell you! Because of lateness the following notice did not appear last month: High Holiday greetings from: The Futrovsky Family and from Henry Sandler. If you have any news to share, or just want to kvell about family, let me know. Jack Teller, Shofar Editor-in-Chief [email protected]
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THE ROSE AND GEORGE TELLER PRE-SCHOOL GATES OF DISCOVERY One of the core values of our school is the concept that parents are an important component of their child’s educa-tion. Education can be viewed as a system of relationships. The environment of the school fosters and nurtures these
relationships by providing opportunities in which children and adults be-come partners in learning. We view parents as a child’s first teacher and an essential resource for their child's learning. The interactions among children, families, and teachers are central to the learning process, serving to deepen the children’s understanding of the world in which they live. Putting this value into practice can be challenging; however. Most of our families are dual-income working families. So expecting parents to be available during the school day is not realistic. So how to keep that con-nection? One of the main tools that we use to accomplish this is our daily journal. Each day, every class in the school sends a detailed email to the families in that class. Photographs, quotations of the children’s dialogue and detailed looks at some of our activities, including why such activities were chosen are typical components of this email. This requires intense and constant observation by the teachers who must also document the children’s discus-sions Besides parents, grandparents, family friends and other loved ones re-ceive our daily journals. Families report that not only have they created connections between home and school, but also between families and far away loved ones, which is gratifying to hear. Below is the daily journal from one of our 2-year old classes. It is the 3rd day of this school year. The teacher decided to focus her journal on the time that her class spent on the playground.
Exploring the playground... What a beautiful sunshiny day we had today!! And what fun we had enjoying it! Our playground at school is wide open, full of mud, sand, spider webs and tree trunks to explore, and explore we did!
In our class we strive to foster a love of nature. This is important not only to the teachers, but it is an important value of our school. We feel a love of nature is important for many reasons, but mostly because it gives one a sense of discovery and wonder. Being left alone to explore fosters inquis-itiveness and curiosity. Questions children have, have to be answered on their own. Today one child found an empty purple bottle lying on the ground. Shaking it, he heard nothing as he put it up to his ear. Finding rocks at his feet, he started putting rocks in to the bottle. One rock, a shake, no sound. Two rocks,... a sound!
A discovery was made... and he moved on to play elsewhere. A few minutes later, two other friends find an empty purple bottle. They shake it, but there is no sound. One hands the other a rock by his feet, and the first pops it into the bottle... no sound. Another rock is added. Now there are two, and when the bottle is shaken ... there is a sound! A discov-ery is made! Still another friend found the hills and perimeter of the playground fun for running around and down! The sandbox was explored by still more friends. The boat was a great place for meeting new friends and singing songs. And so it goes, until tomorrow, when we get to explore it all again. Research shows that those who engage in free play outside on a regular basis have a deep appreciation for beauty (i.e., balance, symmetry and
Volunteering
Our shul is small and we need your help. Volunteering for a project means that you can make a difference and benefit our community in so many different ways. Here are the top 10 reasons why you should volunteer: 10. Catch up with your friends 9. Bring joy and happiness to other people 8. See more of your community 7. Feel needed and important 6. Fight boredom 5. Use your mind, body and creativity 4. Spend time doing what you really care about 3. Utilize your skills and expertise 2. You can make a difference! 1. Have fun! We are a community that offers a lot of great programs that are spir-itual, educational and recreational. We can’t afford to pay others to do what we do, at the prices we offer. We desperately need volunteers to help us – won’t you please choose ONE PROGRAM where you can help? Some of the areas of greatest need include the following: Help plan an Adult Social on November 1- we need 3 people to help us decorate, find a DJ, decide on snacks and beverages to be served, and help purchase these items. Time commitment: SHORT Help Prepare Shabbat Dinners – Once a month we are cooking in the kitchen on Thursday evenings, and we also need people on Fridays to set the tables and do last minute preparation before Shabbat begins. Time Commitment: AS SHORT OR AS LONG AS YOU WANT. If you can help out with one or two dinners a year, it would greatly prevent our long-term volunteers from having to do it all. Purim Carnival- We need everyone to assist with this! Who doesn’t want to help create fun memories for the children? This year we are asking everyone to please get involved: Man a Booth! Sell some Hot Dogs and Popcorn! Do Face Painting! Put tablecloths on the game ta-bles! Sell tickets! TIME COMMITMENT: ONE TO THREE HOURS total. There will be other events, as the year progresses, and we will let you know what our needs are. We thank you in advance, and want you to know how grateful we are for your support!
Cathy Plotkin; Programming Vice President
color), order and wonder (i.e., curiosity, imagination and creativity). These are all values we like to instill in children. With so much technology around us today, it is even more important to just stop and "smell the ros-es". Nature offers a diverse display of colors, sights and sounds; uncertainty; multisensory qualities; and above all, aliveness. Nature is usually in a state of flux, which fosters problem-solving opportunities that build self-confidence. At the end of the day we asked the children what their favorite part of the day was. Some of the answers: Playing outside with friends. The big dump truck with wheels (an outside toy). Watching the garbage truck. I liked the hot day. Jumping down the log. Interesting how all the answers were related to the outdoors!
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CHAVAYA
After Simchat Torah, on Sunday October 19, Skype
tutoring begins. This program has evolved over the last
few years. I am frequently questioned about this by
other Religious school principals as well as inquiring parents. I
would like to take this opportunity to explain how our Skype He-
brew component benefits Chavaya.
Families today are busier than ever. Children are scheduled sev-
en days a week which leaves little, if any, after school time for Re-
ligious Education. Allowing our families to choose a convenient
time means fewer, if any, missed tutoring sessions. In addition, by
following our prescribed plan, students work towards mastery in a
systematic way.
Skype tutoring fosters a one-on-one connection between tutor and
student. Our tutors, like our teachers, are young Jewish role mod-
els. Skype tutors and students meet face to face from time to time.
The reunions are always joyous.
Care has been taken to ensure a tutoring staff
with a variety of traits. We currently have tu-
tors that specialize in beginning reading as well
as bar-bat mitzvah preparation. Our tutoring
staff has male and female, enthusiastic and
more-subdued, tutors to match up personality-
wise with our students. Many parents have re-
quested that their child continue working with the same Hebrew
tutor as the previous year.
The Skype program begins in third grade with Behrman House’s
Aleph Bet Quest book to introduce letters. We transition to the Kol
Yisrael 3-part series to support our goal of fluent prayer reading
with comprehension. Kol Yisrael 1, for fourth graders, introduces
home-based prayers such as brachot for Shabbat. Fifth graders
receive Kol Yisrael 2, which focuses on Shabbat evening and
morning services. Our sixth graders use Kol Yisrael 3 which is the
Torah service section of Shabbat morning. Seventh graders work
exclusively with a siddur – they master the specifics for their bar/
bat mitzvah. Our policy is for seventh graders to continue Hebrew
tutoring regardless of when their bar/bat mitzvah falls during the
year. For example a student with a fall bar/bat mitzvah will contin-
ue to learn/improve throughout the year. We believe a bar/bat
mitzvah ceremony is not the culmination of Jewish learning and
therefore our seventh graders participate fully in our Hebrew pro-
gram along with learning with the Cantor individually.
The Skype Hebrew program provides a way for our busy families
to continue their child’s Jewish education during the week. Our
students are learning Hebrew at their own pace and forming rela-
tionships with their tutors. We are pleased at the success of this
program and how it enriches our school.
Aviva Janus, Education Director
ISRAELI AFFAIRS PROGRAM [Ed. Note: this is a reprint sent to me by our Programming Vice President] Prepared by Irwin J. Shorr: [email protected] Over 200 people attended an informative and enlightening program at Shaare Tefila on August 27th sponsored by Shaare Tefila, Tikvat Israel and B’nai Shalom of Olney. The program opened with an introduction by Rabbi Jonah Layman of Shaare Tefila with songs by Cantor Wendi Fried of Shaare Tefila and Cantor Rochelle Helzner of Tikvat Israel. Also in attendance were Rabbi David L. Abramson of Tikvat Israel and Rabbi Ari Sunshine of BSO. Two brief videos were shown on the Friends of the IDF by Ari Dallas and on the American Friends of Magen David Adom. Cathy Plotkin, Programming Vice President of Shaare Tefila who organized the event, introduced the speaker, Noa Meir, Director of the Israel Action Center and International Affairs for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC). Ms. Meir gave an engaging presenta-tion on “Current Events and How To Advocate for Israel” covering a range of diverse and timely topics on the crisis in Gaza supported by striking facts and photos. Topics included an explanation of the current conflict between Gaza and Israel and Hamas’ terrorist role in the conflict. Ms. Meir listed causes of the conflict and why Israel has engaged in military action in Gaza and cited Israeli forces’ attempts to avoid civilian casualties and Hamas’ repeated and admitted policy of placing their people as human shields in harm’s way by establishing rocket launching sites and arma-ments in residential areas and mosques. Ms. Meir explained Hamas’ blatant and proven misuse of donated resources to build ‘strike tunnels’ rather than building schools, hospitals and residences, which was the original intention of these external resources and donations. She also talked about the difference between ‘anti-Israel’ and ‘anti-Semite,’ as well as the good and the bad of the press including misrepresentation of the true aggressors by the press worldwide. Ms. Meir stressed the importance of becoming knowledgeable about the situation by reading Israel and Middle East News from the U.S., Israel and international sources, as well as websites of pro-Israel organi-zations. She also explained that we should be aware of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), which calls for the elimination of the State of Israel, has a double standard and is rooted in anti-Semitism, which is not new – extremists have been calling for anti-Jewish, anti-Israel boycotts since the 1930’s. Ms. Meir presented what can be done to serve in an advocacy role for Israel including writing letters to representatives, ‘talking back to talk radio,’ the use of social media and how to stay in-formed on the internet. A list of social media, Israeli Government sources and Jewish Advocacy Organizations, news sources and foreign policy think tanks was also presented and distributed. A brief question-answer session followed, after which the program closed with Hatikva led by Cantors Fried and Helzner. Following the program, refreshments were served in the Winer Gallery where the speakers interacted with the attendees. For further information contact: Cathy Plotkin Programming Vice President Shaare Tefila [email protected] Ms. Noa Meir, JCRC Director of Israel Action Center and International Affairs 6101 Montrose Road; Suite 205 Rockville, MD 20852 Tel: (301) 770-0881 E-mail: [email protected] Ari Dallas Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Telephone: 1-888-318-3433 Website: www.fidf.org American Friends of Magen David Adom Telephone: 1-866-632-2763 Website: www.afmda.org
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Our Latest Arrival! We are excited to have received the new reading table in the Grosberg-Baumgart Chapel. This was dedicated by Rita Rubin-stein as part of our Capital Campaign. Many thanks to the Arts and Interiors Committee for its hard work on this project. Their efforts were well worth it. Also, I’d like to acknowledge the artists who worked on this project: Steve Engel and Hannah Wides. Steve built the ark, reading table, Torah holders and lectern in the sanctuary. When approached about the project, he recommended working with Ms. Wides as well. Han-nah is a budding young artist and crafted the base of the reading table as well as the carvings on the sides. When you view the reading table, you’ll notice the Aleph in the
center. Hannah provided the following explanation:
Kabbalah has been the source of inspiration to Jewish and gen-tile artists for centuries. That is why when I was asked to design a shulchan that would evoke the tree of life, I looked to the Se-phirot. A central symbol in Kabbalah, it is a ten pronged chart, displaying the ways in which God emanates and exists through spiritual, cosmic, and physical realms. The Sephirot is considered to allude to the tree of life, as well as the human body. The “canopy” of the first four prongs represents the four dimensions through which God exists, each signified by a Hebrew letter. At the very top of this canopy is Aleph, for Crown, denoting the totality of God that is above and beyond our grasp. More has been written about this letter than perhaps any other in the He-brew language. In his short story The Aleph, the writer Jorge Lou-is Borges describes the letter as “a point in space that contains all other spaces at once.” The Shema, of course, ends with the allit-erated praise, “Adonai Echad!” Echad is Hebrew for One but has many meanings beyond this. It also implies unity, the first, same-ness. Therefore Adonai is One and all. When looking at the strokes to make up the letter, we can see Yud, Vav, and Hey. Thus Aleph in itself singularly expresses the unity and humanity of Adonai. Borges also notes how Kabbalists interpret Aleph’s shape as “a man pointing to both heaven and earth, in order to show that the lower world is the map and mir-ror of the higher.” After all, in the beginning, Adam was created in God’s likeness. On behalf of the Arts and Interiors Committee and the Board of Directors, we hope that you will enjoy the reading table as much as we do. Stuart Carroll, Administrative Vice President
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Shaare Tefila Congregation invites you to:
SHABBAT AROUND TOWN
An evening of intimate Shabbat dinners, with members of your Shaare Tefila family, hosted in congregant homes throughout the community.
Friday, November 14, 2014, 6:30 pm
Friday, March 20, 2015, 6:30 pm
There is no cost for your program; a contribution of side, salad, dessert, or drinks required.
Kabbalat Shabbat and Pot-luck Tradition-al Shabbat Meal
To register to attend, please go to Chaver-web and sign up.
For more information contact: Lisa Arber at [email protected]
ADULT NIGHT OUT!
Enjoy an evening out socializing with your Shaare Tefila friends.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Music, Dancing, Nosh and a Cash Bar
$10 per person
Register through Chaverweb.
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Shaare Tefila Youth Groups Rock!!
Being part of a Jewish youth group from a young age helps build positive Jewish identity and encourages lifelong connections with the
Jewish community. At Shaare Tefila, our Youth Groups pro-vide a warm and nurturing environment where children of similar age groups come together for programs and activities that focus on fun, socializing and developing lasting friend-ships within our synagogue community. Staffed by Youth Advisors, our synagogue chapters include: Bonim (Builders) for children in K-2nd grade; Machar (Tomorrow) for children in 3rd-5th grades; and Kadima (Forward) for stu-dents in 6th-9th grade. Membership is open to our Shaare Tefila members as well as other non-Shaare Tefila youth. Activities and programs will take place either on-site at Shaare Tefila Congregation or at designated locations off-site. In addition to chapter programming, Kadima youth [6th-8th grade], and all USY age youth [9th-12th grade], have the op-portunity to participate in Seaboard Kadima & USY Regional programs throughout the year. Registration for membership in our youth groups, and all events, is being handled through Chaverweb. For more information please contact Lisa Ar-ber, Youth Director, [email protected], or Stefanie Levy, Youth Commission Chair, at [email protected]. Lisa Arber, Youth Director
Bonim/Machar/Kadima Calendar Dates: Saturday, October 11-12, 7:30 pm-9:00 am Sumo & Sushi & Sleepover in the Sukkah Kadima Sunday, October 12, 12:00-3:00 pm Fun on the Farm Bonim Sunday, October 12, 1:00-3:30 pm Harvest Happenings Machar Sunday, November 2, 12:00-2:30 pm Game On! Giant Board Games Plus! Bonim Sunday, November 2, 12:00-3:00 pm WHC Hunger Project Machar, Kadima Sunday, December 14, 12:00-2:30 pm Chanukah Arts Festival Bonim, Machar Sunday, December 14, 12:00-3:00 pm Laser Tag and Sufganiyot Kadima Monday, January 19, 8:00 am-2:00 pm Snow Tubing Bonim, Machar, Kadima Saturday, February 7, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm Movie and Mask Making Bonim Saturday, February 7, 7:00-9:30 pm Monster Mini-Golf Machar Saturday, February 7, 7:00-9:30 pm Indoor Rock Climbing Kadima Saturday, February 7, 7:00-9:30 pm Parent Social Sunday, March 22, 12:00-3:00 pm Bounce Bonim Sunday, March 22, 12:00-2:30 pm Magician’s Workshop Machar Sunday, March 22, 12:00-4:30 pm Great Mall Scavenger Hunt Kadima Sunday, April 26, 12:00-3:00 pm Sandy Spring Adventure Park Bonim, Machar Sunday, April 26, 12:00-3:00 pm Geo Cashing Kadima Sunday, June 7, 12:00-3:00 pm BBQ & Boating Bonim, Machar Saturday, June 6-7, 9:30 pm-12 noon Campfire & Overnight Camping Trip Kadima Look for more information through Constant Contact and Group Emails from: Youth Director: Lisa Arber & your Youth Advisors Registration for all programs through Chaverweb.
CELEBRATE SIMCHAT TORAH
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Beginning at 6:00 pm
A light dairy dinner featuring Torah Wraps, Salads and Chips
$12 for adults; $6 for children
Followed by Evening Service Singing, Parading, and Dancing with our
Torahs
Don’t miss out on all of the fun!
Register through Chaverweb. Cost is for dinner only.
For more information contact Lisa Arber at [email protected]
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Membership Update
L'Shannah Tovah, a happy, healthy and
prosperous New Year to all. What a won-
derful sight it was to see so many of our
congregants and their family and friends
gathering for High Holy Day services at
Shaare Tefila. Seasoned, returning and new
families prayed for peace, good health and
happiness as one united community. It doesn't get better than that
in my eyes and heart.
As our High Holy Days were approaching, many membership
volunteers were busy getting new programs started with the assis-
tance of ST VP of Programming Cathy Plotkin; forming new
Chavurah groups, thank you Sherry Cohen, Ellie Alpert and Bess
Teller; printing Shaare Tefila new "home edition" membership
directory...special thank you to Adrianna Sandler for her superb
job in getting ads, organizing and printing our new directories; and
welcoming new members at ST meet and greet on Sunday Septem-
ber 14th. Rabbi Layman, Cantor Fried, Hyman Grosberg (ST
President), Cilla Grosberg (Membership VP), Aviva Janus ( Edu-
cation Director), Beth Adler ( Early Education Director) and lay
leaders schmoozed and enjoyed a wonderful meal at Cafe ST and
also learned of ways to get involved within their new community
and home.
On the same day, our new Preschool playgroup Gan K'Tan had
its first meeting. We had 12 children and their families come to-
gether to meet and enjoy all the various activities that were going
on in the building: Challah Club, Rabbi's Talmud class, Cafe ST,
schmoozing with Chavaya families and ST Meet and Greet. It was
a wonderful day to see so much happening in our building and
community.
Our preschool club was formed to help bridge preschool fami-
lies (affiliated and non-) with their ST community. Our new mem-
ber, Jill Steinberg, who has 2 children in the preschool and teach-
es in our Gates of Discovery Preschool, did a fabulous job running
the program. Children enjoyed story time with Deborah Letow,
played on our wonderful playscape playground, and enjoyed apples
and honey while making Rosh Hashannah cards for their parents.
This group will meet once a month while Chavaya RS is in ses-
sion; their next meeting is October 12, 2014.
This time of year, Rosh Hashannah is also the start up of Ellie
Alpert's team of dedicated phone volunteers who send out special
holiday wishes to our Shaare Tefila family. Ellie and her captains
Bernice Kisliuk, Florence Polinsky and Charlotte Potosky,
along with volunteers: Sharon Appel, Barbara Axelrod, Audrey
Frank, Sylvia Glaser, Joan Gould, Don Helfer, Arlene Hoff-
man, Iris Hyman, Karen Kaufman, Gilda Kuritzky, Bettyann
Lansky, Deborah Letow, Shirley Liberman, Florence Lipsky,
Judith Peritt, Florence Polinsky, Marilyn Pontell, Sylvia Pot-
ash, Jane Saphier, May Savage, Elaine Schenberg, Lionel
Shapiro, Peggy Slade, Carol Waganheim, Eileen Weinstock and
Myrna Yalon.
Our community and I are grateful for the time and effort these
volunteers put forth to bring special cheer and good wishes to our
Shaare Tefila family, Todah Rabbah.
(continued —>)
"GETTING TO KNOW YOU"…
This month we will begin to highlight bio's of our newest Shaare
Tefila members. Enjoy reading about the Feldman/Bender family;
Katz family, and Wendkos family. As of this writing we have wel-
comed 14 new families. Additional bio's will follow in future Sho-
far Membership articles.
WENDKOS FAMILY:
Carol and Phil Wendkos recently arrived from Atlanta, Ga. Phil
was an instructor in Arabic Studies at Georgia State University and
had his own business selling Jewish books to religious institutions.
Carol taught at a Solomon Schecter school for 26 years. They have
2 children, a daughter in Bethesda and a son in Seattle. They also
have 3 grandchildren--two here and one in Seattle. They live at
Leisure World and joined the synagogue because of the friendly
atmosphere. Phil is originally from Philadelphia and Carol from
Rego Park, NY. They're happy to be in the North again!
KATZ FAMILY:
Jeff is from Queens, NY and Dodie is from
Olney. They originally met at Brandeis Univer-
sity and started dating about five years later,
when they re-met at a mutual friend's wedding.
Jeff asked Dodie to dance and the rest is histo-
ry. They now live in Brookeville and have two
beautiful boys, Zev (2 years old, enrolled in the Preschool) and
Noam (6 weeks old). Dodie is a PhD candidate in the graduate
school of Education and Human Development at GW and Jeff is a
business strategy & innovation professional working for a leading
digital media company. Dodie and Jeff express their thanks for the
kindness and love they have experienced in the Shaare Tefila com-
munity.
BENDER/FELDMAN FAMILY:
Sharon Bender & Andrew Feldmann are the parents of Alison
(age 6) and Danica (age 2 and 1/2). Alison is in first grade at
Flower Valley Elementary. Danica attends Children in the Shoe.
Sharon grew up in Great Neck, N.Y. She serves as vice president
of communications at B'nai B'rith International. Andrew is a na-
tive of the White Oak section of Silver Spring. His family be-
longed to Shaare Tefila when it was located on Lockwood Drive in
Silver Spring. Andrew is a system engineer and subject matter
expert at EMC corporation, specializing in the field of data storage.
Alison is into super heroes and toy cars. Danica is into...- every-
thing.
Looking forward to celebrating Sukkot and Simchat Torah with
all of you. If you see a new face at shul, please walk up and intro-
duce yourself...it may be a new member or visiting guest. Share
some of your joys of being a member of our Shaare Tefila family.
Your outreach and welcome makes a big difference.Shalom and
Shannah Tovah,
Cilla B. Grosberg, Membership Vice President
PAGE 9
The Shofar
TRIBUTES:
Andrea Z. Tilles Memorial Chesed Fund
In honor of
Chesed Committee Larry & Ellie Alpert
Chesed Committee Richard & Wendy Abraham
In memory of Murray Hysen Michael & Anita Froehlich
Cantor Gershon Levin Michael & Anita Froehlich
Mildred Radish Seth Zarny & Ellen Radish
Stan Rosenthal Zelda Rosenthal
Building Fund
In honor of
Hyman Grosberg Jay & Rita Hagler
Cantor Wendi Robert & Audrey Haber
In memory of Frieda Gallan Barry & Sandra Handloff
Edith Rothschild Marvin & Sylvia Levy
Cantor's Discretionary Fund In memory of
Cantor Gershon Levin Jay & Rita Hagler
Seymour Adler Lee Lunden
Charles Futrovsky Endowment Fund In memory of Edith Rothschild Larry & Ellie Alpert
Chumash Dedication In honor of Marvin & Sylvia Levy Jack & Bess Teller
D. Joseph Williamowsky Scholar-in-Residence Fund
In memory of Mollie Burg Andrew & Marlene Sandberg
Education Fund In honor of
Birth of George and Marilyn’s Alan & Adriana Sandler
great grandaughter
Birth of Dodi & Jeff Katz’s Alan & Adriana Sandler
son Noam
Jaime Gordon's Bat Mitzvah Alan & Adriana Sandler
Being called for an Aliyah David Kale
Shaare Tefila Inge Guttman
Dennis & Sharon Kaye Jay & Rita Hagler
Patricia Greene's special birthday Marvin Schneider
In memory of Helen Chamoy Andrew & Marlene Sandberg
Edith Rothschild Bill & Barbara Harkaway
Esther Ferouz Denise Marzouk
Goldie Grenker Gershon & Diane Kieval
Alvin Bernstein Helen Sandler
Gertrude Thaler Henry Sandler
Kurt Weinberg Inge Guttman
Florence Feinstein Jay & Joyce Feinstein
Murray Hysen Jay & Rita Hagler
Wiliam Rosenthal Jerry & Micheline Rosenthal
Elaine Isaacs Joan Gould
Cantor Gershon Levin Joan Gould
Sid Alpert Joan Gould
Edith Rothschild Johanna Weinstein &
Jack Minker
Ethel Winer Joseph & Anne Shuman
Seymour Adler Joseph & Anne Shuman
Samuel Oshinsky Lillian Oshinsky
Tobie Leiderman Max Leiderman
Abraham Shulman May Savage
Yehuda David Ullman Monica Friedman
David Slade Peggy Slade
Nathan Berkovitz Philip & Rita Horwitz
Ida Lipsky Phillip Goldman
Lore Seeliger Ricardo & Marianne Kleiner
David Cohen Robert & Ruth Cohen
Louis Berkowitz Ronald & Thelma Daub
Belle Berkowitz Ronald & Thelma Daub
Horace Sragow Ruth Newhouse
Evelyn Sragow Ruth Newhouse
Gussie Osheroff Sharon Kamerow
Rita Sirulnik Yetta Buckberg
Speedy Recovery to Roberta Freedman Bill & Barbara Harkaway
Harold Fink Israel Quest Fund In memory of Paul Libby Barbara Fink
Machzor Dedications In honor of Arthur Bresler Judy Bresler
In honor of our children Andrew & Marlene Sandberg
In honor of our grandchildren Andrew & Marlene Sandberg
Cilla Grosberg David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Michael Auerbach David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Judy Bresler David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Marlene Sandberg David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Joy Levin David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Cathy Plotkin David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Jesse Stiller David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Stuart Carroll David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Hyman Grosberg David & Lee-Ellen Ronis
Cantor Wendi Fried Hal & Elaine Stein
Rabbi Jonah Layman Hal & Elaine Stein
Our grandchildren: Riley, Howard & Judith Rumerman
Cameron, Brayden, Addie,
Logan & Ella
Joshua Kossoy Fuhrmann Mark & Marjorie Fuhrmann
Beth Stearman and Mitchell Berk Lee & Lisa Hedgepeth
for your remarkable courage
and determination
Fran and Stan Kensky Jason, Lauren and Hariel Kensky
Our Children, Jason, Lauren
and Hariel Kensky Stan & Fran Kensky
(See nest page—->)
PAGE 10
The Shofar
Hot off the Press! Our first Program Guide
When you get your new Shul Directory, with all of the phone numbers and email addresses of our Shaare Tefila family, please take a look at the back of the book. We present to you a spe-cial Program Guide that will help you plan and organize your schedule by sharing dates and times (whenever possible) of events that will be occurring over the 2014-2015 school year. At your fingertips will be the dates for everything from the Shabbat Alive/Shabbat Dinners, to the monthly children’s services, to special events and programs that have been planned. This year there will be a special Wellness Series, during the winter, that focuses on health, nutri-tion, and exercise. We have speakers, fundrais-ers, and events to celebrate the holidays. Please note that while every effort has been made to provide you with correct dates and times, there may be some changes due to un-foreseen circumstances: speakers who change dates, weather that cancels events, and more. Please know that each of these events will have additional advertising- through the web, weekly E-Dafs, and flyers. Consider this guide a Heads Up on our events, and look for further infor-mation each month! We hope you enjoy the guide. Please let us know what you think! Cathy Plotkin; Programming Vice President
In memory of Harold Fink Barbara Fink
Rose Bloch Barbara Fink
Louis Shapiro Barbara Fink
Myer & Phyllis Kuritzky Clarence & Gilda Kuritzky
Shirley, Burt & Steven Borrok Clarence & Gilda Kuritzky
Mark Sokolowsky Clarence & Gilda Kuritzky
Jack & Anne Polinsky David & Florence Polinsky
Jeanne & Alexander Weisberg David & Florence Polinsky
Nathan & Lilyon Fradin Eric & Ellen Beebe
Cantor Gershon Levin Hal & Elaine Stein
Ethel Henner Howard & Judith Rumerman
Jeffrey Henner Howard & Judith Rumerman
Lillian Rumerman Howard & Judith Rumerman
Elliott Henner Howard & Judith Rumerman
Sol Rumerman Howard & Judith Rumerman
Gert Ackerman Joe & Amy Federman
Paul Libby Kenneth and Amanda Libby
Henry Goldstein Larry & Carolyn Goldstein
Helen Chamoy Larry & Carolyn Goldstein
Sylvia Goldstein Larry & Carolyn Goldstein
William Chamoy Larry & Carolyn Goldstein
Leon Lunden Liane Lunden
Rebecca Kornspan Melvyn & Sandra Kornspan
Helen Eisenberg Melvyn & Sandra Kornspan
Ernest Eisenberg Melvyn & Sandra Kornspan
George Kornspan Melvyn & Sandra Kornspan
Rabbi Robert & Lea Chernoff Stan & Fran Kensky
Harry & Lillian Kensky Stan & Fran Kensky
Cantor Gershon Levin Judith Bresler
Sam & Bella Goldman Philip, Elaine & Susan
Goldman
Louis & Ida Lipsky Philip, Elaine & Susan
Goldman
(see next page——>)
Irving Lipsky Philip, Elaine & Susan Goldman
Henry & Rosalie Goldman Philip, Elaine & Susan Goldman
Nathan Rubinstein Rita Rubinstein
Joseph (Joey) Newhouse Ruth Newhouse
Harry Samson Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Sonia Schecter Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Leonard Kaplan Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Cantor Gershon Levin Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Leon Bomberg Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Moishe Schecter Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Abraham Schapira Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Libbey Sansanowicz Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Golde Sansanowicz Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Sayas Sansanowicz Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Ida Samson Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Irene Kaplan Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Helen Bomberg Zisel Sansanowicz & Lydia Bomberg
Martin S. Halpern Adult Education Fund In honor of
Birth of Rose Halpern’s great
grandaughter Rita Rubinstein
In memory of
Albert Zelenski Joan Gould
Nathan Rubinstein Youth Fund In memory of
Captain Tzvika Kaplan May Savage
Seymour Adler Rita Rubinstein
Edith Rothschild Rita Rubinstein
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund In memory of Harry Zubkoff Elaine & Richard Blackman
Siddur Dedication In memory of Max Sandberg Andrew & Marlene Sandberg
Max & Esther Sokolowsky Clarence & Gilda Kuritzky
Leizer & Esther Kuritzky Clarence & Gilda Kuritzky
Gertrude & Lawrence Froehlich Michael & Anita Froehlich
PAGE 11
The Shofar
SHAARE TEFILA CONGREGATION
KIDDUSH ORDER FORM Mazel Tov on your upcoming simcha!
Please complete this form & mail or email it at least FOUR (4) weeks before your event to: Jill Goldwater, Executive Director; [email protected]
Shaare Tefila Congregation; 16620 Georgia Ave.; Olney, MD 20832
Keep in mind that certain items may not be available if this form is not received BY THE DUE DATE.
NAME: ____________________________________________________ PHONE: ____________________-_____
KIDDUSH DATE: ____________________ EVENT: ___________________________________________________
# ROUND TABLES NEEDED, IF MORE THAN 6 TABLES ARE REQUIRED (AT $5 ea): _______
# OF NON-MEMBER GUESTS: ______ # RESERVED TABLES: ________
NAME OF KIDDUSH SPONSOR: ____________________________
Please select one of the following:
_____ Basic Kiddush: June through August = $205; September through May = $300 + $30 for each additional ten (10) guests
_____ “B’nai Mitzvah” Kiddush: June through August = $520; September through May = $775
$70 for each additional ten (10) guests
Additionally, for the B’nai Mitzvah Kiddush, you must provide two bottles of liquor; otherwise you will be billed accordingly. Please ensure that the liquor has proper kosher certification. _____ My Kiddush will be catered; minimum usage fee; $400. Other fees may apply.
Supplements (use number of non-member guests for calculating guest charges): The above listed items are fixed, however some additions/customizations can be made. You may order additional items at your expense from any of the approved caterers or kosher markets. Any item(s) you bring in must be certified kosher according to our approved list and must remain sealed until delivered to the synagogue. Please note: any items you are providing need to be delivered and checked in at the synagogue before Friday at noon. Please circle any of the following items you will be providing:/Kippot//Candy (certified Kosher only)//Centerpieces//Napkins//Table Covers TO PACKAGE YOUR LEFTOVERS, if any, you must provide a new package of zip bags and a new package of plastic containers. Nothing may be removed from the synagogue before Havdalah on Saturday evening. Any leftovers remaining in the kitchen on the follow-ing Tuesday will be donated. Please check here if you would like your items donated to Chesed_____ Prices are driven by the economy and are therefore subject to change. Some items may be subject to availability. Rev. 10/8/12
2 uncut challahs Hummus and pita chips Assorted sweets Instant coffee, tea and soda Paper goods
Bagels & cream cheese Vegetable tray Hummus and pita chips 2 uncut challahs Assorted sliced cheese
Choice of two of the following proteins: Herring Egg salad Tuna salad Gefilte fish
Choice of one of the following sides: Assorted sweets Pasta salad Carrot & Raisin Salad Cottage cheese/peaches and/or
Greek yogurt/granola Urn of brewed coffee, tea, and soda Paper goods
The Shofar Shaare Tefila Congregation
301-593-3410
www.shaaretefila.org or [email protected] Rabbi Jonah Layman Cantor Wendi Fried Rabbi Emeritus Martin S. Halpern, Z”L Cantor Emeritus Gershon E. Levin, Z”L President Hyman Grosberg Executive Director Jill Goldwater Education Director Aviva Janus Early Education Director Beth Adler Family, Youth and Special Programs Director Lisa Arber Shofar Editor-in-Chief Jack Teller Shofar Editor Wendy Abraham Shofar Editor Doreen Bonnett (Tober) Shofar Editor Jesse Stiller Shofar Advertising Manager Julie Mintz
SHAARE TEFILA
16620 Georgia Avenue
Olney, Maryland 20832
301 593 3410
Click here for our Calendar
