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Israeli Culture Committee
ISRAELI CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Presented by Beth El’s Israel Affairs Committee
Beth El’s Israel Affairs Committee (IAC) is pleased to share cultural items of interest concerning Israel each month. IAC always welcomes new members. For more information about meetings and events, please contact either Tamar Tait atTamarTait@optonline.net, or Bruce Gold at Bruces.gold@gmail.com. This month’s Israeli Cultural Connections column is presented by Roni and Michael Schiffres.
Pnina Tamanu Shata: A Woman to Watch
As a woman of color, Israel’s Pnina Tamanu-Shata has been her mother and sisters again. likened to Kamala Harris in her attainment of many firsts. At age Tamanu’s family lived for several years in an Israeli government forty, she has risen to number two on Alternate Prime Minister Benny absorption center in Pardes Hanna (near Caesarea) before moving to Gantz’s Blue and White alliance ticket for the Knesset an apartment in the central town of Petah Tikvah. elections that will take place on March 23, 2021. In 2013, An excellent student, Tamanu participated in a high at the age of thirty-one, also breaking barriers, she became school program for gifted students and later served the first female, Ethiopian-born member of the Knesset. as an operations sergeant in the IDF Homefront And in May 2020, she was appointed first Ethiopian-born Command. She went on to earn a Masters in Public Minister of Immigration and Absorption. This cabinet Policy from Tel Aviv University and obtained a law post is both a significant honor, and springboard for higher degree from Ono Academic College. During this office as former office holders include Shimon Peres, Ehud period, she also served as an instructor for at-risk Barak, Ariel Sharon and Tzipi Livni. teens within disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Tamanu-Shata’s accomplishments are particularly A stint as elected chairperson of the Ethiopian impressive in light of her personal story. Born in Wuzuba, Israeli Student Union in 2004 launched her public a village in Northern Ethiopia, she immigrated in 1984 to career, where she fought against discrimination Israel as part of Operation Moses. Her aliyah at age three Pinina Tamanu Shata and racism. holds powerful memories. Tamanu’s grandfather was an Ethiopian rabbi whose family traced its roots back to הֶֶַֹּׁטש נומת הנְִָּינפ Tamanu also enjoyed a career in journalism, anchoring the “Friday at Five” news program on the legendary Abba Mahari, a famed Ethiopian Jewish spiritual public broadcast Channel 1. leader. Her ancestors’ attempt in 1862 to reach the Holy Land went In her current job as Absorption Minister, she has sought to unfulfilled but the family retained its dream of reaching Jerusalem. improve the lives of immigrants, drawing knowledge from her Tamanu’s experience was both thrilling and traumatic. The plane— own childhood experience, by expanding their financial aid and within which she, her father and five brothers flew—shut its doors, increasing funding for immigrant Hebrew education. leaving behind her mother and two sisters, whose truck broke down Whatever the political future holds for Minister Tamanu-Shata, en route to the airport. It would be a year before she reunited with she is an Israeli political figure to watch going forward.
Beth El Celebrates March Birthdays
Beth El would like to extend a “Happy Birthday!” to its members with a birthday in the month of March. If you have a March birthday, but your name does not appear on the list, we are sorry for the omission and ask that you e-mail the synagogue at info@bethelnr.org so that we can update our records. Contact us if you do not wish to have your name appear on our birthday list. (The list reflects our adult members and post-bar/bat mitzvah children up to the age of 21.)
Monica Afran Lauren Afran Stan Arkow Jesse Bartell Stephen Bartell Hannah Bases Paul Bernstein Andrew Bosworth Joan Brown Enrique Casanova Sherri Cohen Yehuda Cohen Janis Demartini Sari Dweck Noel Edelson Erica Epstein Jordan Esrig Michael Felberg Richard Feuerstein Russell Geller Bruce Gold David Gordon Lita Gottesman Florence Graff Daniel Groner Peter Gross Ellen Gross Beth Halperin Mark Hirsh Jeff Hogan Barbara Horowitz Robert Jacobson Alan Kellman Shlomo Kessel Nora Klion-
Wolloch Jennifer Klonsky Rubin Kuszel Ian Leaderman Seth Leibowitz Jay Lerman Elliot Lesser Susan Lesser Gilbert Levine Elizabeth Levine Lance Levine Shireen Lewis Michael Malina Rafael Malka Etel Malka Serge Malka Lisa Mandelker Leonard Mark Miriam Morris George Newfield Jason Newman Lillian Newman Dianne Newman Selma Parker David Pfeffer Greg Portnoy Margery Reisfeld Jonathan Rieber Jamie Rothenberg Evelyn Rothenberg Samuel Schiller Melanie Selber Joel Siegel Deborah Solymar Jeffrey Stahl Rachelle Stern Steven Stern Pearl Sullivan Marianne Sussman Harriet Suvall Andrew Tannen Barnett Troodler Mitchell Troyetsky Charlotte Watt Zwi Weinberg Leni Wiener Sophia Wolk Arthur Wolk Ivor Wolk Allan Wolkoff Steven Young Lester Zimmerman
Happy Birthday!
NURSERY SCHOOL NEWS
Winter play is a valuable experience for young children, and although all of the snowfall we had this season might be challenging or even annoying to adults, snow presents wonderful opportunities for learning. Consider the movements associated with outdoor winter play beginning with the simple act of walking in snow or on ice (in thick/heavy boots and clothing, no less). Immediately, the brain is fired up! This is a new experience and a complex one. Legs must go higher, balance is tested. Throw in some other activities such as sledding, rolling and even throwing snowballs and you’ve got yourself a season that is filled with opportunities for children to challenge themselves in complex physical ways that benefit their brains and bodies. Winter also brings all new possibilities for creative play, imagination and construction. Forget sandcastes, build a frozen snow castle! Or snowmen, snow mountains, snow towers, snow forts, snow volcanoes, snow lanterns, snow sculptures, snow cakes, etc. You can paint the snow, eat the snow, and make angels in the snow. Snow and ice offer kids a neverending supply of elements for creative little minds. It can be easy to think of a season where everything seems monochrome as drab, one without possibilities. But the elements of outdoor winter play are so open-ended that we have at our finger-tips a literal blank canvas of endless opportunity! Creative opportunities abound during this marvelous season!
Ronnie Becher, Director
NOW OFFERING KINDERGARTEN CLASSES
CELEBRATING TWO SPECIAL WOMEN: Judith Leiber, Master Craftsman, and Judy Schmeidler, Torah Fund Honoree Monday, March 8th • 6:45 pm, via ZOOM
(Visit the Beth El Homepage, Live-Stream Events for the link.)
Judith Leiber
We will begin by honoring our own JUDY SCHMEIDLER for her many years of dedication to Torah Fund. We will then travel to the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU via Zoom, for a fascinating view of the life and career of JUDITH LEIBER. Her fabulous evening bags, called minaudières, have been coveted and appreciated through the decades.
Join us for this unique Sisterhoo1d Event.
Judy Schmeidler
There is still time to purchase your 2021 Torah Fund Pin and make a donation of $180! Contact Sheila Cohen at Chilly321@aol.com, or 914- 576- 1078 or Janis DeMartini at Jdemartini37@gmail.com, or 917- 836-6892.
Sisterhood’s Ongoing Programs
WALKING CLUB: every Monday at 9:30 am for a nice easy walk—not a jog. All are welcome!
MITZVAH KNITTING: Free lessons and supplies. Knit at home and donate your work. Email Phyllis at pjf920@ verizon.net.
QUESTIONS? Contact Arlene: aesalman@aol.com, or 914-235-2485.
Sisterhood Scene: Pesach Once Again in Quarantine (of sorts)
Remember last year when almost no one could be with family for the holiday of Pesach? The night when more Jews observe a family tradition than any other in the Jewish year was remote or held alone. It was strange for me in two ways. First, the sadness of not being able to join with loved ones and hear their singing voices and chatter. Second, I had to do the four questions at a Seder for the first time in my entire life. Being the number two child of three, my sister was always the youngest until I established my own family and then our kids did it. With just my husband and I doing the actual Seder, it fell to me and I did great!
Well, this year I hope to be vaccinated and together with our kids and so I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you some of our family Seder traditions you might like to incorporate into your own celebrations. • Assign different parts of the Seder to different people attending or to different family members. Ask them to be creative and to offer a drash, a song, or even a parody as their way of sharing Passover knowledge. • Have the children prepare something from their school learning as a way to share their freedom with the family. Obviously Jewish learning would be preferred, but secular knowledge tied in somehow to the holiday’s themes should also be welcomed. • Let the kids hide the afikomen and the adults have to find it and still give gifts to he kids for finding interesting hiding places. • Have different family members find alternate recipes for charoset and maror, maybe highlighting a country from which your family might hail. • Find activities to engage the younger children like distributing bunches of scallions for them to whip the adult slaves; all come dressed in costumes like slaves with pillowcase dresses and head wraps and sit on pillows on the floor for the first part of the Seder until the meal; show the parting of the Red Sea by taking a bowl of water and sprinkling pepper heavily over its surface and then lightly tapping the surface with a finger that has a little bit of dish detergent on it.
Be creative, be open to learn new things, and be grateful for whatever form your S'darim take. Hag Pesach Sameach – may it be a joyous holiday for one and all. Sandy Gruenberg, Sisterhood President
Susan Morris Memorial Tea Bag Fundraiser
Our Jewish tradition teaches us to reach out with acts of comfort and consolation to those in our community who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Your support of our annual Tea Bag Fundraiser, with a donation of any amount, enables Sisterhood to send Shiva diners to grieving families. Information has been mailed to all Beth El members, but if you have questions you may call either Barbara Horowitz at 914-738-1988, or Linda Resnick at 914-576-3632.
Thank you for joining us in this important act of love and compassion.
SISTERHOOD PRESENTS BAGELS & BOOKS
Monday, March 22nd 9:30 am
We will discuss Not Our Kind, by Kitty Zeldis Questions? Call Arlene Salman 914-235-2485, aesalman@aol.com.
EVENING BOOK CLUB
invites you to discuss its next book The Jews Should Keep Quiet, by Rafael Medoff April 21st • 7:30 pm
Questions? Contact Erica at mmleepstein@gmail.com or Cynthia at cynglickman@gmail.com.
Join Our S.M.A.R.T. Group (Senior Mature Adults Retired Together)
• The SMART group continues to meet every Monday and Friday from 11:00am -12:00 noon.
We will meet for a discussion on Friday, March 26th. The group will not meet on Monday,
March 29th, or Friday, April 2nd. The group will resume our regular schedule on Monday, April 5.
• The last jazz class with MainStream is Monday, March 1st
• On Monday, March 22nd, from 11:00 am-12:00 noon
Author Phyllis Birnbaum will speak on her book, Manchu Princess,
Japanese Spy, which tells the story of Kawashima Yoshiko, the crossdressing spy who commanded her own army. Ms. Birnbaum is also the cousin of Beth El member Ruth King!
Sale of Hametz
The ritual sale of hametz must be completed by 8:00 am on Friday, March 26th. Many prefer to perform this ritual in person. A member of our clergy will be available for this purpose after morning minyan and before evening minyan for 30 minutes, beginning Monday, March 22. Please come masked and bring a new, clean pen. The sale of hametz will take place in the back of the sanctuary. Those who cannot tend to this matter in person may complete the form and return it to the main office. You can also sell your hametz on line at https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/webform/sale-hametz.
FORM FOR SALE OF HAMETZ
I, __________________________________________, do hereby authorize Rabbi David A. Schuck of New Rochelle, New York, to act as my agent to sell the hametz that may be in my possession, whether it may be at home, place of business, or elsewhere, in accord with the requirements and provisions of Jewish law. NAME ______________________________________________________________________________
I enclose a contribution for Maot Hittim (Passover tzedakah) to help others, less fortunate, celebrate the holiday. Make your check payable to Beth El Synagogue Center, and write Maot Hittim on the memo line.
