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Happenings
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Rabbi Pam’s Message
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Rabbi Mintz’s Message
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Cantor’s Notes
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President’s Message
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Brunch with Brilliants
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You Shall Be Holy
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Kidz Corner
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Jewlicious Learning & Yad Squad
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Birthday’s and Anniversaries
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Yahrzeits
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Nid’vei Leiv—From the Heart
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Calendar at a Glance
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Clergy and Staff Interim Rabbi: Rabbi Pamela Frydman Rabbi Emerita: Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Cantor: Cantor Marla Goldberg Educators: Rabbi Yocheved Mintz and Cantor Marla Goldberg Teacher’s Aide: Austin Royer Bookkeeper: Lynn Pisetzner Treasurer: Lynn Pisetzner
702.436.4900 www.pnaitikvahlv.org info@pnaitikvahlv.org
TICKET PRICE $75 RSVP TODAY CALL 702 436 4900
Congregation P’nai Tikvah will worship on Shabbat, January 6th and 20th at 2685 South Rainbow Street, STE 108. Tot Shabbat-Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv services will begin at 6:30 PM on January 6th and Shabbat-Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv services will begin at 7:30 PM on January 20th. Torah Study will take place at 9:30 AM on January 7th and 21st. Congregation P’nai Tikvah meets at 2685 South Rainbow Street, STE 108, Las Vegas, NV 89146
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Message from Interim Rabbi
Finding Meaning In The Simple Things By Rabbi Pam Frydman Years ago, I was at dinner with friends on December 31st. One friend said, “My new year’s resolution is to have more beers.” We all laughed and I asked, “Why beer?” My friend got very serious. His wife had recently recovered from cancer. Their sons were still in high school and the entire family had taken a good hard look at mortality. “You’re a rabbi,” said my friend. “You visit people when they’re dying.” “Yes,” I said, not being quite sure where this was going. “When you visit someone who is dying, do you ever hear them say they wish they had spent more time at work?’” “No,” I said. “When people get to the end of the road, sometimes they wish they had had more fun. That’s what I mean by more beers. I want to take more time to sit down and have a beer with my wife or with friends.” I understood. When we are getting an education, making a living, raising kids and pursuing hobbies, life can be pretty full. Sometimes life can be dry, routine, even mundane. We’re doing the dishes yet again. Again the laundry, shopping, or whatever the chore. We are performing the same task at work for the umpteenth time. If we enjoy it, that’s great, but if a trip to the grocery store or the copier at the office doesn’t bring us joy, then we need to balance these tasks with opportunities to do things that are meaningful.
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Sitting back in our chair and having a quiet moment with nothing to do, nothing to accomplish, nothing to worry about is a luxury. Some of us meditate in moments like that. We focus on our breath, close our eyes or gaze into space. Sometimes we have the luxury of hanging out with people we love without having to accomplish anything. Sometimes we also have the luxury of playing sports or working out; listening to music or going for a beautiful drive. These are some the many moments that bring meaning to our lives and make life worthwhile. Milestones are important. A raise or good grades feel really good. A birthday, anniversary or big milestone like a bar/bat mitzvah or marriage are meaningful moments, but most of life is about finding meaning in the ordinary things, because most of our time is spent on them. I like to spend time in my kitchen. Whether I’m cutting vegetables or cooking, setting the table or removing the clutter. I like to leave the phone on vibrate so the ring doesn’t jar me and I like to go inside and think my thoughts slowly and savor them or just focus on the food itself and the slicing, stirring or whatever. If I leave myself enough time, when I’m done I feel like it is already Shabbat even it’s a Wednesday, and the feeling arises just from chilling by myself or sharing the time with a loved one. As the secular year kicks off during the month of January, I hope you can take some time to chill on your own or with friends and family. Even if just for a few moments here and there. Feel the vibrancy of your being. Let a smile come to your face for no reason. Just because. Reb Nahman of Breslov said, “Mitzvah gedolah lih’yot b’simcha.” It is a great mitzvah to be joyous. Give charity and be charitable – and please take a moment to read Rabbi Mintz’s article in this newsletter about reaching out for the people of Allepo. Be kind even when you don’t feel like it. Joke around without making someone the butt of your jokes. Fulfill your responsibilities well, and in the midst of it all, take time to feel joy and peace, the uplifting and the quiet; it’s part of being Jewish and it’s part of being human.
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Message from Rabbi Mintz Dear Chevreh: “…And the world was silent” If we have learned anything from our own experience as a people caught in the Shoah of World War II, it is that world apathy allowed the atrocities that ended up in decimating our people. Yet, we are witnessing countless innocent lives being lost today in Syria…and the silence from the rest of the world is deafening. It is understandable that people, well-meaning people, pay lip-service to action. “Somebody should do something about the people of Aleppo.” Yes…and perhaps that Somebody is you. Here are some places you can go to find out how you can be most effective: Along with prayers and laments, there are actually things that can be done for the people of Aleppo, even if we can't do anything to stop the insanity of the fighting. I'd encourage folks to spread the word about MADRE (run by a wonderful Jewish woman) - they support grassroots groups in and around Syria that help women and girls specifically - you can learn more at https://www.madre.org/projects/care-crisis-women-and-girls. Other groups providing aid both within Syria and to Syrian refugees in the region: International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/country/syria Oxfam - https://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/syria Doctors without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/msf-sends-medicalsupplies-wounded-people-evacuated-east-aleppo International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent are supporting Syrian refugees in Jordan - http://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/2016/12/14/efforts-continue-to-support-families-devastated -by-conflict-in-aleppo/. HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society): http://www.HIAS.org To find out which agencies are resettling refugees in our area and/or how our congregation can support refugees, you can contact Isabel Burton isabel.burton@hias.org. In addition, call and write your governmental representatives. Urge them to action. It is already a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions. As Jews, we are taught to not stand idly by as our brothers bleed, and yet, understandably, we feel inadequate to make a difference. Please remember that your efforts will be added to those of others, so I urge you to get into the mix and together, we can indeed make a difference. L’Shalom,
Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Rabbi Emerita/Senior Educator 4
Cantor’s Notes A Note From the Cantor First, happy Secular New Year. I hope 2017 is a good one for all. I know there are going to be a lot of wonderful things happening with P’nai Tikvah this year. Many of the wonderful things involve our Jewlicious Learners. They are a wonderful group of young people who brighten my days every time I see them. As a cantor, and teacher, my heart is filled with great joy every time I work with them and they begin singing songs that I taught them. Many times they break out into song at the least provocation. For example, during our last class before winter break while we were making dreidels and cookies and just having Chanukah fun, they started singing Chanukah songs. They love singing them, and they know them well. One of their favorites is S’vivon, Sov, Sov, Sov. They know it by heart. Another song they love is Light One Candle by Peter Yarrow. I think they would sing it all year if they could. Again, as a cantor, for these wonderful children to enjoy the Jewish music I teach definitely makes me happy. That I am helping the next generation carry on our traditions, and to know they love them helps me know that I’ve made the correct choice in life. To be a cantor. Music links us all, and I hope it will continue to enrich and connect our generations for 2017 and beyond. L’Shalom,
Cantor Marla Goldberg
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FROM OUR PRESIDENT
In our history, our culture, our religion, we, as a people, continually evaluate who we are, where have we been and where are we going. Since the retirement of our beloved Rabbi Mintz, we have taken some major steps, from the hiring of an interim Rabbi to moving to a new location. We have taken risks. There are questions that your Board of Directors and the various CPT Committees, from Membership, Ritual, Education and Fund Raising constantly ask: Questions as simple as “will they attend (sometimes it truly feels that we are pulling teeth- still waiting for members to come to watch or come to bowl on the second Sunday of December in celebration of Chanukah…or the most important Fund Raising Program, Roasting Shelley Berkley). Questions, such as “how many members will we lose as a result of our changes and how many members can we bring into our Congregation and will there be a net change? And how will that impact our finances to operate the “business” side of a religious non-profit organization?” Sometimes, the burden is hard to bare…Sometimes, we wonder, is all of this worth it? The fact is that we continue to rely on the same members, over and over again, to help us facilitate the multiple functions, behind the scenes, that make a Congregation, viable. We will be holding a membership meeting at the Indigo Valley Campus early January. WHY? BECAUSE, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU TRULY CARE AND ARE WILLING TO LEND HELPING HANDS. Our history is full of successes and failures, of wonderful times and the worst of times- and yet we continue to survive when so many have not. The same can be said for our history, from Valley Outreach to The Faces of Hope, P’nai Tikvah. I am asking you, our members, to be part of the decision-making process and help us answer the big questions: “Where are we going? And how do we get there?”
President Congregation P’nai Tikvah 6
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KIDZ KORNER for January
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Jewlicious Learning & Yad Squad SIGN UP TODAY FOR OUR 2016-2017 SESSION Jewlicious Learning Hands on, experiential learning makes Jewish education fun and meaningful for our youngsters from Kindergarten through B’nai Mitzvah. Working with Rabbi Mintz, Cantor Goldberg, and our caring and engaging teaching staff makes a loving, caring, and motivating environment for our youngsters. Yad Squad (formerly “Teen Torah Tribe”) Post B'nai Mitzvah teens will be meeting from 10:00 to 11:30 on Sunday mornings once monthly this year for continuing education and leadership training. In addition to increasing their skill in "doing Jewish," they will experience: Social Action Opportunities Building self-esteem Building Jewish identity Building Jewish literacy Connecting with other Jewish teens and with the community and being provided with opportunities for positive personal expression.
Jewlicious Learners playing and painting dreidles for Chanukkah.. 10
January Birthdays Sari Aizley Susan Dubin Cindy Fox Edie Edwards Henry Fish J.D Jenkins Meyer DeLee
10-Jan 12-Jan 14-Jan 22-Jan 23-Jan 27-Jan 28-Jan
Rachel & Ronald Piekarsky Debbie & Wil Wilreker Adrianne & Sol Rubin Marti & J.D Jenkins
19-Dec 19-Dec 22-Dec 26-Dec
For $40.00 a prayer book can either be purchased for personal use or be dedicated to the congregation “In Memory” or “In Honor of” and a card from CPT will be sent to the family. The prayer book plate will be placed on the inside cover of our Kol HaNeshamah siddur. VOLUNTEERISM ABOUNDS AT CPT Homes are always needed for the various activities and meetings of our congregation. Offer a Personal prayer – If you’d like to write your own, please do so. If you would like to see it published in the newsletter.
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For the Month of January Betty Baum -Remembered by Marian Baum Sidney Brandt -Remembered by Ann Brandt Charlotte Clark -Remembered by Susan & Rick Bindhamer Stanley Feinberg -Remembered by Faith & David Silverman Martin Hillman -Remembered by Anne & Gary Ullman Samuel Kamanitz and Bernice Kuryk -Remembered by Barbara & Andrew Holland Roseanne Klane -Remembered by Susan Dubin
Memorial plaques are available; to honor the departed, to inspire the living. to be remembered in the hearts of those we leave behind is, in a sense, to live forever. For further information, call the Synagogue office at 702-436-4900
Elaine Lytel -Remembered by Laurie Lytel Lee Sol Mintz -Remembered by Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Karen Anne Murphy -Remembered by Lynda French
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Nid’vei Lev- Donations from the Heart David Aris -MiShebeirach Ann Brandt -In Memory of Minnie & Nathan Etkind Anita Lewy -Nid'vei Lev Carol & Larry Bernstein -In honor of Rabbi Mintz being honored Sondra & Stanley Rose -MiShebeirach for granddaughter Samantha Rose Julita Patascher -MiShebeirach for Gideon David Walter Carnwright II -Nid'vei Lev Rabbi Yocheved Mintz -In honor of Shelley Berkley Scott Linker -Nid'vei Lev
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January 2 January 2 January 3 January 4 January 4 January 6 January 7 January 7 January 8 January 9 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 20 January 21 January 21 January 23 January 29 January 30 January 31 February 1 February 1 February 3 February 4 February 6 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 13 February 14
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE: 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 7:00 PM ORIENTATION: You Shall Be Holy 7:00 PM Jewish, Alive and American 3:30 PM Biblical Hebrew IV 7:00 PM Ivdu et Hashem B’Simcha-Jewish Liturgy as a Spiritual System 6:30 PM Tot Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv Service 9:30 AM Torah Study 7:30 PM Lach’kor-Explore Series: X-Rated Jewish Sexual Practices and Pleasures 10:00 AM Yad Squad 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 7:00 PM Mussar Va’ad 7:00 PM Jewish, Alive and American 3:30 PM Biblical Hebrew IV 7:30 PM Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv Service 9:30 AM Torah Study 7:30 PM Lach’kor-Explore Series: Prostitution in the Ranks 7:00 PM Mussar Va’ad 11:30 Brunch with Berkeley: A Roast to Remember 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 7:00 PM Jewish, Alive and American 3:30 PM Biblical Hebrew IV 7:00 PM Ivdu et Hashem B’Simcha-Jewish Liturgy as a Spiritual System 6:30 PM Tot Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv Service 9:30 AM Torah Study 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 7:00 PM Mussar Va’ad 7:00 PM Jewish, Alive and American 3:30 PM Biblical Hebrew IV 4:15 PM Jewlicious Learning 7:00 PM Jewish, Alive and American
Blessing for the month of Tevet: May the tendrils and shoots of your new growth begin to squiggled and squirm, ready for the coming spring. May these cool days and long nights be the beginnings of great things to come. And let us say Amein
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