INSIDE THIS ISSUE Around Beth Shalom ................................ 2 Spotlight ...................................................... 3 President’s Message .................................. 4 Cantor’s Notes.......................................... 5 CBS Religious School ............................... 6 Youth ........................................................... 7 Adult Learning & Programming ...................................... 8-9 Chanukah .................................................. 10 Keruv ......................................................... 11 Library........................................................ 12 Calendar .............................................. 13-14 Sisterhood........................................... 15-16 Men’s Club .......................................... 17-18 Anniversaries/Birthdays ................... 19-20 Shabbat Schedule & Candle Lighting ........................................ 21 Donations ........................................... 22-23 Yahrzeits ............................................. 24-25 Advertisements ................................. 26-27 Chavurah ................................................... 28
Rabbi ................................................... Aaron Melman Cantor .................................................. Steven Stoehr Assistant Rabbi ..................................... Ari Averbach Executive Director ............................ Michael Garlin Dir. Of Jewish Life & Learning ................................................. Leann Blue Director of Education ......................... David Barany Ritual Director .................................... Naomi Weiss Director of Youth Activities................ Matt Rissien Controller ......................................... Susan Karlinsky President .......................................... Larry Grossman Sisterhood President................................. Beth Sher Men’s Club President ............................Scott Rogoff USY President .............................................. Bari Sigal
Rabbi Emeritus .......................................Carl Wolkin Executive Director Emeritus ........................................Harvey Gold, FSA Director of Education Emeritus ................... Rabbi Sander J. Mussman, RJE
SHALOM INFO Shalom is published monthly by Congregation Beth Shalom, 3433 Walters, Northbrook, Illinois 60062-3298 for the exclusive use of its members and staff. All material contained herein is the property of Congregation Beth Shalom.
DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016 • VOLUME 49, ISSUE 6 & 7 Rabbi Melman
RABBI MELMAN’S MINUTES had a chair wai!ng for him in heaven. Last week I experienced one of the more proI suggested during this conversa!on that his found hospital visits I had ever had with one of family wasn’t ready for him to depart this our members. I am happy to say that this conearth. While that might sound selfish - perhaps gregant is alive and well, however, there was a he was indeed ready to die - I was trying to draw moment where he felt that he would not be out more from this individuaround for much longer. I al on what he was thinkwalked into this gentleing. When I men!oned man’s hospital room and that we s!ll wanted him was greeted by one of “I have learned that around he told me that the members of his famisimply being there for and today was the day. While ly with, “Oh good, Rabbi, he may not have been you are here. He has beside someone is often been asking for you all the most important thing correct, the fact that he was completely at peace, day.” I went to see this we can do. ” put me at a loss for words man prior to the start of for a moment. Shabbat thinking that it We visit our friends and was a nice !me to offer loved ones when they are him a blessing of well being ill. It is what we do as good and decent human and how we all hoped he would get be#er beings, and it is what we clergy do professionalsoon. I was taken aback by what would happen ly. This was indeed a unique visit. I waited on next. pins and needles throughout Shabbat for the call “Rabbi, I have had a conversa!on with the Lord”, the gentleman began. “I don’t know what that he had died and was so thankful to hear of his recovery. I did to deserve such a conversa!on. Moshe That par!cular visit has made me think about Rabbeinu had such a conversa!on and I am nowhere near Moses.” As you might think, I wasn’t all of our pastoral visits. What is it that people sure as to whether this individual was completely need? What is it that people want? What is it that we as clergy can do for people? I have lucid, however what followed next suggested that he was completely coherent. He went on to learned that simply being there for and beside someone is o%en the most important thing we tell me that he thanked God for allowing him to can do. It’s what is referred to (in the non-Jewish leave this world without any pain. He thanked clerical world) as a Ministry of Presence. When God for living a good and long life blessed with an incredible extended family. He felt so blessed we are in the same place as someone, standing to be able to talk with God and that our congre- or si&ng at his or her side brings a presence of God to that loca!on. It can be a hospital room, a ga!on gave him such a great sense of faith. He shiva house, or even larger scale disaster events. told me that he was leaving this world with no While I hope I brought this gentleman comfort regrets and did just about everything he could during our !me together, he, in turn, gave me a while on this earth. This special conversa!on didn’t end there. He referenced another congre- special gi% – first hand knowledge of something gant of ours who recently passed away, how the beyond comprehension. two of them were friends, and how that person