A quarterly publication of Temple Emanu-El of Tucson, Arizona’s First Congregation Volume 1 Issue 1
Fall 2012
History Founded in 1910, two years prior to Arizona’s statehood, Temple Emanu-El was the first synagogue in the Arizona Territory and is the historic Jewish congregation in the state. Temple Emanu-El’s original home, known as the Stone Avenue Temple, is the oldest synagogue building in Arizona. Although the Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Society (which eventually became our own Women for Reform Judaism) began meeting in 1884 and started raising funds for a synagogue in 1905, the congregation was not incorporated until March 20, 1910. Temple Emanu-El was initially known as The Hebrew Benevolent Society; the fi rst synagogue building in the Arizona Territory was dedicated and became known as the Stone Avenue Temple (now the Jewish History Museum) on October 3, 1910, the eve of Rosh Hashanah. In 1949 our congregation moved to a new home at 225 North Country Club where we continue to lead in Jewish life in Southern Arizona. Our fi rst structure in 1949 consisted of a multipurpose building, the Sy Juster Auditorium, used for services, public, and private events. This was followed in 1952 by the Jane and Sam Kurn Religious School classrooms. In 1955 the Solot Biblical Garden was completed. In 1957 offices, a board room, a gift shop, and the Schlanger Chapel were added. The Rubin Family Sanctuary was completed in 1962, followed by the completion of the Carol Gordon Fist Gallery of Judaica. A wing of classrooms was reconstructed as the Bob & Olga Strauss Early Childhood Education Center in 2000, and the Leonard & Doris Wiener School Auditorium was rebuilt and dedicated in 2007. The historic Sanctuary was “refreshed” and updated in 2004, with substantial improvements made to the bimah, sound system and acoustics, lighting, seating, ark, carpeting and furnishings without changing the central design. Temple Emanu-El has commissioned two Torahs, one for our 90th anniversary (the Eisner Family Torah, our Torah of Renewal) and one for our 100th Anniversary (the Linda Nadell Centennial Torah). Temple Emanu-El continues to be the community leader in a variety of social action, ethical, and interfaith causes. Several Jewish mayors, including the present Mayor of Tucson, have been members of Temple. We have hosted events and forums on important political issues on a regular basis, including our Constitutional Controversies forum this October. Today we are a full-service congregation with a wide array of opportunities for living an active Jewish life. Our worship services, educational, social, and cultural programs are for people of all ages. We have a caring community that embraces each and every individual and family that enters our building.
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Courtesy of Jon Wolf Photography
Shehecheyanu — A New Beginning We are pleased to send you the inaugural issue of our new quarterly publication, Simcha, an exciting way for us to connect to Temple Emanu-El of Tucson’s congregants, supporters and friends. Simcha means rejoicing, because we celebrate Judaism in so many ways here at Temple. Our goal is to provide information, education, and inspiration, and to share the events and programs that make Temple Emanu-El such a dynamic center for Jewish worship, life and learning. This initial issue highlights the many programs and services we provide at Temple. Future issues, while including information on upcoming events and programs, will focus on other themes: prayer and spirituality, social action, music, belief, conversion, virtually any area of Jewish life that is of interest and importance to our congregation. Just as Reform Judaism is continually a work in progress, this journal is also a work in progress—and we hope it will always remain just that. In the Book of Esther, the Bible tells us LaYehudim haytah ora v’simcha v’sason vicar: the Jews had light, joy, delight and dignity. Why quote Esther, the text for Purim, in the season of Yom Kippur? Because, in rabbinic tradition we are taught that Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is actually supposed to be understood to be “Yom K’Purim”, the day like Purim: we should rejoice in our heritage even on the most serious of days, find simcha in every Jewish day. May this new Temple Quarterly help us find our own smachot (simchas) each day. L’Shana Tovah Tikateivu v’Teichateimu, May you be written and sealed for a good year in the Book of Life for 5773. B’simcha, Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon
Fall 2012 CONTENTS Fall Festivals .................4 Worship/Spirituality .....4 Music Program .............6 B’nai Mitzvah ................6 Finding Judaism ...........7 Social Action .................7 Education......................8 Simchas & Sadness ..... 10 Membership ............... 12 Northwest Temple ...... 12 Family Programming . 13 To Light! ...................... 14 WRJ ............................. 14 Men’s Club ................. 14 Young Adults .............. 15 Wandering Jews ......... 15 Rei’ut........................... 15 Facility Upgrades ....... 15 Areivim Legacy .......... 15
Temple Emanu-El 225 N Country Club Rd Tucson, AZ 85716 phone (520) 327-4501 fax (520) 327-4504
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templeemanueltucson.org
Fall Festivals
Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year of 5773 September 16 and 17
Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement September 25 and 26
Sukkot Sunday, September 30 through Sunday, October 7
Simchat Torah Klezmer Celebration and Consecration Sunday, October 7 6:30 PM
Shemini Atzeret Yizkor Services Monday, October 8 9:30 AM The full service schedule can be found on our website: templeemanueltucson. org/worship/holidays/ high-holy-days
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The fall holiday season is celebrated with great energy, creativity, and warmth at Temple Emanu-El, while maintaining the integrity and beauty of each festival and observance. From Selichot on Saturday night, September 8, through Simchat Torah on October 8, we celebrate a full month of holidays both solemn and joyous. Please join us for as many of these festival celebrations as you can.
Worship/Spirituality Temple Emanu-El offers a variety of Shabbat and festival services that provide the vehicle for spiritual engagement and fulfilment for every age and style of participant. We want to help you find a way to pray meaningfully in community! In general, Friday night services begin at 7:30 PM, while Shabbat morning services begin at 10 AM. But on any given Shabbat there may be two or even three services, both Friday night and Saturday morning, each with a different quality, tradition, style or location. Take the opportunity to experience the entire diversity of services and decide which ones speak most directly to you and your family. Our Friday night Shabbat services include: 1. Regular Shabbat, with the Rabbi and Cantorial Soloist at 7:30 PM in our Rubin Family Sanctuary, using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur (prayerbook), accompanied on piano, sometimes with the Adult Choir. This service includes a rabbinic sermon or guest presentation on an area of Jewish scholarship or community importance. 2. Tot Kabbalat Shabbat, a monthly (fi rst Friday), short, upbeat service for families with very young children, at 6:15 PM in the Schlanger Chapel or Weiner School Auditorium, using a leaflet of simple prayers and songs. 3. Shabbat Rocks!, a monthly Family Service in our Rubin Family Sanctuary at 6:30 PM, led by Rabbi Cohon with the Avanim Rock Band, along with student readers and participants from our Kurn Religious School, using the Shabbat Reflections Siddur (prayerbook). 4. Kabbalistic Shabbat, held in the Sy Juster Auditorium, a mystical evocation of the Sabbath lit by candlelight, held in the round, and incorporating a variety of meditative and musical practices designed to create a very different spiritual mood. We use our Kabbalistic Siddur (prayerbook) for this service. 5. Simply Shabbat, an Outreach Service is a slower-paced, simpler Shabbat service with explanations of the flow of the service, held quarterly in the Rubin Family Sanctuary at 7:30 PM. There is no sermon; rather, the rabbis and Cantorial Soloist engage the congregation and visitors in an informative and lively question-and-answer period during the service. 6. Late Shabbat monthly (corresponding to Shabbat Rocks! Friday nights) at 7:30 PM in the Schlanger Chapel for those who prefer a non-rock music service, using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur, and occasionally using the Gates of Prayer or the Union Prayerbook.
7. Northwest Shabbat, a warm and more intimate family-style service held at the Westward Look Resort on Ina Blvd. monthly, 6:00 PM Dinner, 7:00 PM Service, using our Northwest Siddur. 8. Chardonnay Shabbat, held all summer and on holiday weekends: wine, cheese, fruit, and juices Pre-Oneg at 5:00 PM, Service at 5:45 PM, using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur. 9. Occasional Variations, such as Shabbat Shirah of Song All-Music Sabbath service, the Wandering Jews Erev Shabbat hike service and the Temple Retreat Shabbat. Our Saturday morning Shabbat services include: 1. Regular Shabbat services in the Schlanger Chapel at 10:00 am using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur. 2. Bar and Bat Mitzvah Shabbat morning services, held in the Rubin Sanctuary at 10:00 AM, using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur. 3. Shabbat No’ar Family and Adult Morning Services in the Schlanger Chapel at 10:00 AM with Religious School students participating, using the Shabbat Reflections Siddur. 4. Wandering Jews Shabbat morning hike services; six or so throughout the year, usually starting at 8:00 AM at a local trailhead. 5. Shabbat Morning of Spirituality, twice a year, an opportunity to explore personal and communal spirituality in a service paced differently. 6. The Rabbi’s Tish, held once a month at noon (immediately following Shabbat morning services), is an extended Torah discussion with commentary led by our rabbis and featuring the finest pot-luck dairy lunch in all of Arizona.
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Music Program Music is the heart and soul of Jewish prayer and Jewish life. Temple Emanu-El’s music program is designed to engage every student, worshipper and guest at every opportunity. Music gladdens the hearts of worshipers at every Shabbat and Festival service, engages each child at every Hebrew School and Religious School session, and enriches the lives of children in the Strauss Early Childhood Center daily. Our congregants actively participate in making music, not only as congregational singers, but also as members of the High Holy Day Choir, the Adult Shabbat Choir, Teen Choir, Temple Emanu-El Youth Choir, the String Quartet, our famed Avanim Rock Band, and in many more ways. We have recorded three CD’s of Temple Emanu-El music that are available from the Temple Office: A Shabbat Evening of Song, A Shabbat Morning of Song, and our Avanim Rock Band’s “Shabbat Rocks!” CD. For more information about how you can participate in the musical life of our congregation contact Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg at mhochberg@ templeemanueltucson.org or call (520) 327-4501.
B’nai Mitzvah Program
Fall Event Orientation for 5774 B’nai Mitzvah and Families Tuesday, October 6, 6:00 PM .
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Becoming bar or bat mitzvah is a significant moment in the life of a young person and his or her family. At Temple Emanu-El we are dedicated to a process of preparation for that coming-of-age event that guarantees the spiritual, intellectual and moral development of each prospective b’nai mitzvah. Starting a year prior to b’nai mitzvah, Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg begins meeting weekly with students on an individual basis to coach and tutor them, not only to chant their Torah and Haftarah portions, but also to help them prepare for leading the congregation’s worship service on that special day. Five months prior to the ceremony, students begin meeting oneon-one with Senior Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon and Assistant Rabbi Jason Holtz to discuss the meaning of b’nai mitzvah and explore their Torah and Haftarah portions in depth, as well as discovering ways in which the student can give service to our community in a meaningful way that leads to Tikkun Olam. Students put this into practice by performing a Mitzvah Project, a social action program of their own choosing that furthers a meaningful cause close to the students’ hearts. For more information, contact Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Rabbi Jason Holtz or Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg at (520) 327-4501, or email to rabbi@ templeemanueltucson.org.
Finding Judaism/Outreach Outreach is a very important and active part of Temple Emanu-El’s programs and overall mission. Our Outreach programs are designed to introduce, engage, educate and inspire all who want to learn more about Judaism, whether they are Jewish, non-Jewish, or are considering Judaism. You can learn about worship at our Simply Shabbat Outreach Services and about home and holiday rituals at the Jewish Living class. Those who are exploring Jewish options for the family will enjoy Babies and Bagels events. For those who wish to learn more about all aspects of Judaism we offer the very popular introductory Taste of Judaism series, which has now taught over 5000 students in the last 13 years. Some will be inspired to continue on to Taste II: Jewish in America, our Basic Judaism and Intermediate Judaism series, and the Hebrew Marathon, and some may discover, after exploring Judaism and their own spiritual beliefs, that they feel at home with Judaism and decide to join the Conversion Group. These Outreach programs provide a warm, welcoming way for those who want to continue their Jewish exploration to enter and begin their journey. For more information contact Mila Vasser, our Program Coordinator, at mila@templeemanueltucson.org or by calling (520) 327-4501.
Our congregation is deeply committed to improving our community and we are involved in numerous projects. A few of the highlights are:
During the cold winter nights, Temple Emanu-El opens up its building to be a homeless shelter. Participants receive a hot dinner, a safe, warm place to sleep, breakfast, and lunch to go. We host about 30 nights a year; let us know if you can provide a meal, help out for an evening, or stay overnight as a proctor. Call our office at (520) 327-4501 to volunteer for Deep Freeze. We begin opening our Temple to the homeless when the temperature drops close to freezing at night, typically in late November or early December.
Simply Shabbat Friday, Sept. 21 7:30 PM
Taste of Judaism Sundays, Oct. 14, 21, 28 1-3 PM
Taste II Jewish in America Thursdays, Sept. 13, 20, 27 6-8 PM
Jewish Living
Social Action
Project Hospitality and Operation Deep Freeze
Fall 5773 Outreach Programs
Project Isaiah Temple Emanu-El participates in Project Isaiah, collecting food and donating it the Tucson Community Food Bank to alleviate hunger in our community.
Monthly classes start Sunday, Sept. 23 9:30-11 AM
Conversion Group meeting: Wednesday, Nov. 14 5:30 PM
The Rabbis’ Pantry Temple Emanu-El stocks non-perishable food for anyone, Jewish or not, who drops by the synagogue in need of food. Border Packs In cooperation with other nonprofit religious organizations and agencies, Temple Emanu-El provides humanitarian assistance for migrants in the Sonoran Desert who are at risk of serious injury or death.
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Adult Education Academy Temple Emanu-El has an exceptional Adult Education Academy, providing the broadest and deepest program of adult Jewish learning opportunities in Arizona and one of the finest programs in the country. Learners can study from a wide array of courses taught by excellent instructors on subjects ranging from overview classes like our Basic and Intermediate Judaism series, text classes on Torah, Psalms, Talmud, Midrash, and Zohar, to classes in Jewish theology and belief, ethics classes on Mussar, an extensive program of Hebrew language and liturgical instruction, a Jewish book group, films, and specialty courses on Life After Death, Messianism, Jewish and Islamic Mysticism, and Sacred Architecture in Tucson. All of our Adult Education Academy offerings are available in the AEA Brochure and on our website, www.templeemanueltucson.org. Please call the Temple office if you need a brochure or wish to register by phone at (520) 327-4501.
Fall Adult Education Academy Courses: 25 different courses begin this quarter! Check your Adult Education Academy brochure or our templeemanueltucson.org website for descriptions and enrollment information. September special interest: Is Life Really Temporary? and Taste II, Another Bite: Jewish in America October special interest: The God Connect: Jewish and Islamic Mysticism, The Architecture of Sacred Space, the Wednesday Sefer Book Club, and Judaism’s False Messiahs
Constitutional Controversies A Forum on Issues of Importance to Our Society in this Election Year At Temple Emanu-El Introduced by Barbara Atwood, moderated by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon Wednesday October 17, 7 PM
Wednesday October 24
Toni Massaro: “Federal-State Power Under the Constitution and SB1070”
Abortion”
Judge Stanley Feldman: “Judicial Inde-
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pendence and the Importance of the President’s Judicial Appointment Power”
Madeline Kochen: “Gay Marriage and
Roy Spece: “Health Care Reform: The Supreme Court’s Limited Consideration and Beyond”
Free and open to all | Sponsored by the Adult Education Academy of Temple Emanu-El
The Sam and Jane Kurn Religious School The responsibility to convey Jewish education is a sacred trust and an opportunity to share in the life-affirming, vibrant traditions of our people and our God. At Temple Emanu-El we feel this responsibility profoundly, and we work lovingly to create the finest religious school experience in the country. Students will develop a love and hunger for Jewish knowledge and experiences and pride in being Jewish through rich, hands-on experience that welcome all learners. Our students become Judaically literate and develop a deep appreciation for and commitment to full participation in the life of a Reform Temple and Jewish community. The greatest success in Jewish education and experience is accomplished through a strong partnership with each child’s family. With a committed partnership, we inculcate the finest Jewish values and knowledge in our students.
Religious School Events this Fall Religious School meets each Sunday from 9 am to noon and every Tuesday from 4 to 6 pm throughout the fall, providing quality Jewish education for students from Torah Tots through 10th Grade. September 17 Rosh Hashanah Family Service, 8:30 AM Tot Rosh Hashanah Service, 10:30 AM
October 5 Spaghetti Under the Sukkah, 5:30 PM; Shabbat Sukkot Rocks! Service, 6:30 AM
September 17 Tashlich Picnic in the Park
October 7 Simchat Torah Pizza Party, Klezmer Celebration & Consecration, 5:45 AM
September 25 Yom Kippur Family Service, 8:30 AM Tot Yom Kippur Service, 10:30 AM
October 13 Shabbat No’ar Youth & Adult Morning Service, 10 am, breakfast 9:30 AM
Bob and Olga Strauss ECE We all know that parents want nothing but the best for their children. What is better than an excellent model of early childhood education that inspires children to see consistently through a Jewish lens? That is just what you will find at the NAEYC-accredited, award-winning Olga and Bob Strauss Center for Early Childhood Education of Temple Emanu-El. Children ages 6 weeks – 5 years experience the best educational environment available, while families enjoy a meaningful experience in their lives. Excellence is found in a highly qualified teaching staff, professional administration, and enrichment activities such as sign language, Hebrew, Spanish and creative movement. Our children come from different backgrounds and our staff teaches in their own unique styles. Bringing both together enables us to offer an early childhood learning environment unmatched in Southern Arizona.
Strauss ECE Fall Events First Friday of Every Month Tot Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 PM dinner at 5:30 PM September 17 Rosh Hashanah Tot Service 10:30 AM September 26 Yom Kippur Tot Service 10:30 AM October 2 ECE Lunch under the Sukkah, 11 AM October 9 Simchat Torahpalooza! 11 AM
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Simchas and Sadness:
Jewish Life Cycle at Temple Emanu-El Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible teaches, “For everything there is a season, a purpose for every time under the sun.” Jewish tradition provides rituals that celebrate life’s joys, mark life’s transitions, and mourn life’s losses. Brit Milah (Bris)
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For everything there is a season, a purpose for every time under the sun.
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-Ecclesiastes 3:1
Jewish tradition provides rituals that celebrate life’s joys, mark life’s transitions, and mourn life’s losses.
Brit Milah (Bris) is a joyous, powerful ceremony that celebrates new life and brings our sons into Judaism’s sacred covenant with God. The oldest continually observed Jewish practice, brit milah originates in the Torah with Abraham, where it is a mitzvah for us to circumcise our newborn sons on the eighth day of their new lives. Senior Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon and Assistant Rabbi Jason Holtz can connect you with a board-certified mohel (Reform ritual circumciser and practicing medical doctor), help you understand and enjoy the ceremony, and usually co-officiate at the celebration along with the mohel. If you have questions about circumcision, please be in touch with one of our rabbis and we will be happy to discuss it with you. Simchat Bat and Baby Naming We celebrate the great blessing of a newborn daughter with a ceremony that brings her into the covenant and confers upon her a Hebrew name. Our rabbis can help you think through and design this ceremony, which can take place either at home or at the synagogue, either on Shabbat or on a week day. Our rabbis are delighted to help you choose a Hebrew name for your child! While the name is often officially given at either the Brit Milah for boys or the Simchat Bat for girls, we also bestow names on children at Shabbat evening and morning services. Baby namings for both girls and boys who have not yet received their Hebrew names are held at the beginning of Friday night services or during the Torah service on Saturday mornings. Call our rabbis at (520) 327-4501 to arrange for a ceremony. Confirmation
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Students confirm their commitment to Judaism and the Jewish community in their tenth grade year. Confi rmation students meet weekly at noon on Sundays for a one-hour discussion of Jewish identity, the role that Judaism plays in their lives, Jewish views on contemporary ethical hot topics,
God, and spirituality. Rabbi Jason Holtz is the primary teacher. The Confirmation experience culminates in a beautiful and meaningful Confirmation Shabbat ceremony in the late spring, celebrating our 10th Graders’ commitment to Judaism as young adults. Wedding Weddings are wonderful simchas, joyous occasions, and we delight in working with couples to help them understand and plan everything in the ceremony from the ketubah (the marriage document), to the chuppah (the marriage canopy), to the prayers and vows, to the breaking of the glass at the end of the wedding. In addition to planning the ceremony with the couple, we also offer—and strongly encourage—pre-marital pastoral preparation with our rabbis. While a Jewish wedding is the ultimate simcha, it is also just the opening 30 minutes of a life-long marriage journey together. Rabbinic pre-marital counseling can be a valuable way to begin your marriage on the right foot. Weddings can be scheduled at Temple Emanu-El in our Rubin Family Sanctuary, Schlanger Chapel, Biblical Garden, or off-site at any other appropriate venue on days other than Shabbat, High Holy Days, or other significant festival days on the Jewish calendar. Call our rabbis at (520) 327-4501 to make an appointment. End of Life Temple Emanu-El is a caring community, dedicated to supporting one another. Our rabbis are available to guide, provide support, and be with those who are dying and their loved ones. Our rabbis officiate at funerals, memorial services, shiva minyanim, and unveilings. Our community also provides assistance to bereaved families by providing Meals of Condolence and other forms of moral support at this challenging time. There is no better place to be when you are in the process of mourning and healing than Temple Emanu-El’s supportive, family environment. Bereavement Group Temple Emanu-El and Jewish Family and Children Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS) co-sponsor a bereavement group for individuals who are experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one. The group meets at Temple Emanu-El and is co-facilitated by Rabbi Jason Holtz and Shoshana Elkins. There is no charge to join the group. For more information, please contact Rabbi Jason Holtz by e-mail at jholtz@templeemanueltucson.org or call him at (520) 327-4501. Fall Events Bi-weekly Bereavement Group on Thursdays, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM October 18, November 1, 15, 29, December 13
Cemetery and Memorial Plaques Temple Emanu-El has plots available in two cemeteries – Evergreen Cemetery, 3015 N Oracle Road at Miracle Mile, and Sha’arei Shalom Cemetery, 2151 South Avenida Los Reyes off Old Spanish Trail. We also have an Urn Garden at Evergreen. Memorial Plaques are available for purchase in memory of your family members who have passed away. All plaques are located in the lobby of our synagogue. Names of those loved ones listed on our memorial wall are read at Yizkor services four times a year, on Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret, Pesach, and Shavuot, as well as being recited at Shabbat services the week preceding the yahrzeit, the anniversary of the death.
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Courtesy of Bruno Charbit Photography
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Membership
October 26
Our congregation is an exciting and extraordinarily active place, and we pride ourselves on being a warm and caring community. Temple Emanu-El is many things for our congregants: a holy place to worship God, a center to learn about and experience our amazingly rich Jewish traditions, a comfortable location to meet and make friends, a working center of living Judaism. It is also a place of creative exploration, where we can seek that which moves and excites us religiously and intellectually. Our membership is exceptionally diverse, ranging from the tiniest infant to members over 100 years of age, with different needs and desires. Through our many programs and services, we offer a wide range of opportunities to live your Judaism. We continue to be pioneers in Reform Judaism in southern Arizona. At Temple Emanu-El, we honor the tradition of lifelong learning, starting from our Bob & Olga Strauss Early Childhood Education Center, to the Sam and Jane Kurn Religious School, through our outstanding Adult Education Academy. We offer a wide variety of worship services, music and spiritual experiences. Our congregants are engaged in living Judaism at the annual congregational retreat, through meaningful social action, community outreach, active Young Adult group, Women of Reform Judaism, and Men’s Club auxiliaries, innovative programming and a variety of social events. Join us by calling Donna Beyer at (520) 327-4501, or email her at dbeyer@templeemanueltucson.org.
November 16
Northwest - We’re bringing Judaism to you!
December 14
Northwest Friday Night Shabbat Services
6:00 PM Dinner 7:00 PM Service
October 6
Temple Emanu-El invites everyone to join us for fun, festive celebrations of Shabbat at the Westward Look Resort, 245 E. Ina Road. We start at 6 PM with a delicious Shabbat dinner of kosher chicken, side dishes and salads. At 7 PM, Rabbi Jason Holtz and NW Cantorial Soloist Rachel Dajches lead a festive, joyous Shabbat service at 7 PM. After services join friends new and old for desserts and conversation. Everyone is welcome - bring all your friends. Please call (520) 327-4501 to RSVP for the dinner by the Wednesday prior to NW Shabbat. Dinner is $11 for Temple members, $13 non-members, free for kids under 13; there is no fee for attending services.
November 3
New Northwest Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Study
December 1
Come join us for a lively Shabbat morning Torah Study and Services in the Northwest, led by Rabbi Jason Holtz and Cantorial Soloist Bryce Megdal. We meet at the Jewish Federation’s Northwest location, 190 W. Magee, Oro Valley, AZ 85704. October 6, November 3, December 1, 8:30 am Torah Study, 10:00 am Service
Fall 2012 NW Friday Night Dates September 21
Fall 2012 NW Saturday Morning Dates
8:30 AM Torah Study 10:00 AM Service
Bikkur Cholim
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“God visited the sick, as it is written, ‘Adonai appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre.’ Like God, so too must you visit the sick.” – Talmud Sotah 14a When members of our community are ill and unable to come join us at Temple, we
go to them. It is a mitzvah, a sacred obligation, to visit the sick. While this mitzvah is incumbent upon everyone, and our rabbis fulfill it regularly, we have volunteers at Temple Emanu-El who are especially dedicated to this task. All volunteers receive training and support. To join us, or receive a visit yourself or for a loved one, contact Rabbi Jason Holtz at (520) 327-4501 or jholtz@templeemanueltucson.org.
Family Programming Family programs are at the heart of what we do at Temple Emanu-El. We connect families to Judaism through a variety of activities, worship, holiday celebrations, education, traditions and rituals that are meaningful, engaging and fun, and nurture strong Jewish families. For more information, go to http://templeemanueltucson.org/ community/family-programs. Tot Kabbalat Shabbat - Every first Friday of the month; ideal for families with preschool through kindergarten-age children. Partially potluck dinner at 5:30 pm (we provide the kosher chicken and challah, you bring a non-dairy, meatless side dish or salad), child-friendly Tot Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6:15 PM Family Shabbat Dinner and Shabbat Rocks! Service - Monthly; partially potluck dinner at 5:30 pm. We provide the kosher chicken and challah, you bring a non-dairy, meatless side dish or salad. Shabbat Rocks! Service with our Avanim Band (celebrating its eleventh year as our in-house Jewish rock band!), Youth Choir, and students at 6:30 pm using our Shabbat Reflections Siddur. Shabbat No’ar (Youth Shabbat) a monthly, faster-paced Shabbat service perfect for families with children. Saturday mornings at 10 am. Babies and Bagels Club - Fun, varied monthly activities for families with preschool-age children that incor-
porate Jewish themes or holidays, while providing a memorable family outing. “Date Night” Shabbat - Monthly kids’ program/pajama party that gives parents the chance to attend a regular Shabbat service together while we watch your kids. High Holy Days: Family Education Day and shofar workshop, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family and Tot Services, Youth Programming, childcare, Tashlich celebration in Reid Park. Special Holiday and Lifecycle events: Greatest Hanukkah on Earth! Celebration, Purim Extravaganza, Tu B’Shevat Model Seder & Nature Day, Passover Fair & Model Seder and 2nd Night Seder, B’nai Mitzvah Fair, school dances, Social Action & community involvement, and much more. Congregational Retreat at Rio Rico - a multigenerational weekend of community, Judaism, learning, fun, great food, games, music, and great memories to last a lifetime!
Fall Family Events September 17
Rosh Hashanah Family Service, 8:30 AM Tot Rosh Hashanah Service, 10:30 AM
September 17
Tashlich at Reid Park, 5:00 PM
September 25
Yom Kippur Family Service, 8:30 AM Tot Yom Kippur Service, 10:30 AM
October 5
Spaghetti Under the Sukkah, 5:30 PM Shabbat Sukkot Rocks! Service, 6:30 PM
October 7
Simchat Torah Pizza Party, Klezmer Celebration & Consecration, 5:45 PM
October 13
Shabbat No’ar Youth & Adult Morning Service, 10 AM, breakfast 9:30 AM
October 21
Babies and Bagels Noah’s Ark Adventure at International Wildlife
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To Light!
Temple’s Emanu-El’s Environmental Initiative
“The Earth abides forever”—when we choose to help her flourish.
Ever since an enterprising and devoted group of settlers first gathered together in the original Stone Avenue building, the members of Temple Emanu-El have exemplified the pioneer spirit. That spirit lives on as our congregation works every day for tikkun olam, to heal the world. The Torah requires us as Jews to honor our planet and take care of her; we hope to lead the way for other Jewish communities to a greener future for our synagogue and the world around us. To Light! is Temple Emanu-El’s campaign to inspire a sustainable future for ourselves and our children through education, ingenuity, initiative and action. The first act in the To Light! campaign was the construction of a solar power array that is delivering more than 80% of our daily electrical needs. We will build on this success to teach and to practice environmental ethics, which are deeply rooted in the Torah and are inspired by the rabbinic tradition of bal tashchit (“thou shalt not destroy or waste”). The To Light! campaign will be considering a variety of “green” projects over the coming weeks and months. If you have suggestions for projects, or questions about how you can help with this new environmental initiative, contact Donna Beyer at dbeyer@templeemanueltucson.org or call the Temple office at 327-4501. In addition, if you wish to participate, financially or by volunteering time and energy, please contact Sol Brody at (817)271-7210 or brodys@brodys.net. Coming soon: The Men’s Club is sponsoring a To Light! breakfast featuring Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, who will speak on the importance of solar energy to the Tucson community. Stay tuned for details.
Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) WRJ Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El, an affiliate of the Women of Reform Judaism, provides a community of women to foster friendships, spirituality, learning, celebrating Judaism, and support for the children in the Kurn Relgious School and our congregation.
Fall WRJ Events
October 10, 7 PM First Words with Bunny Davis First of a three-part public reading of our formative American documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. October 14, 9:30 PM Member Welcome and Talk “How I Met the Rabbi: or, the Genesis of Gender in the Garden of Eden” with Dr. Wendy Weise Cohon
November 3, 5:30 PM A Night of Magic Featuring Eric Buss, Comedy Imaginator November 11, 9 AM - 1PM Hanukkah Bazaar Every Monday, 10 am Monday Morning Mah Jongg Mondays October 1 - November 5 Beginners Class, contact Dana Adler at Danaa@me.com.
The Men’s Club Just two short years ago we established our now-thriving Men’s Club at Temple. Our focus is on providing social activities designed to bring our Temple Emanu-El family together for Fun, Food, and Friendship, while raising funds to support the mission of our congregation. This fall our dedicated team will be returning to the kitchen to produce our world-famous latkes—look for the pre-order forms in your mailbox soon, for delivery at the WRJ Hanukkah Bazaar November 11.
Fall Men’s Club Events
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Poker Night, Tuesday, October 23, 7 PM at Temple Greatest Hanukkah Latke-Making, Sundays in October and November Mal Eisenberg’s “Playing Bridge in the 21st Century” Class, begins Tuesday, October 16, 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Young Adults Temple Emanu-El Young Adults (YAD) is a group for people in their twenties and thirties to become a part of a vibrant Jewish community. We are an open, inviting, and welcoming group. Young Adults hosts regular programs, including Shabbat Dinners, Holiday Parties, Happy Hour Get-Togethers, and movie nights. Young Adults also joins together with the rest of the congregation to participate in programs like Wandering Jews hikes. For more information, please contact Rabbi Jason Holtz at jholtz@templeemanueltucson.org (520) 327-4501
Wandering Jews Temple Emanu-El’s Wandering Jews is a free-form group that enjoys hiking and praying together in the beautiful Sonoran Desert that surrounds us. Now in our fourteenth year, we gather once a month for an outdoor experience and prayer in the great outdoors, either on a Saturday morning, for Havdallah on Saturday afternoon/evening, or occasionally on Friday night or another festival. No preregistration is necessary, and instructions and directions to the hike site are provided in the eTemple Times and our weekly eblast, as well as on the Temple website and in our Shabbat leaflets. Fall Wandering Jews Events: Tashlich Monday, September 17, 5 PM Reid Park Lake and Rose Garden Shabbat Morning of Spirituality Walk & Service Saturday, October 27, 8:30 PM Yetman Trail, Westside Shabbat Hike and Service Saturday, November 10, 8:00 PM 7 Falls/Bear Canyon
Rei’ut Rei’ut is our Jewish Singles Group catering to the 50-70 crowd. Our goal is to get single Jewish people out to socialize and make new friends. Our activities include dinners, happy hours, lectures, Shabbat dinners at people’s homes, holiday gatherings, hikes, movies and anything else that sounds interesting. We also have two free brunches a year at Temple with a guest speaker. If you’re Jewish, single and between 50-70, come join us! For more information, contact Gail Ben-Jamin at (520) 544-3602 or gailbj@earthlink.net.
Fall Facility Improvements This fall, as part of Temple’s on-going improvements, we have renovated the restrooms in our sanctuary wing, and we are completing plans for a major renovation of our main offices, WRJ gift shop, and north entryway. Our recently completed To Light! Solar Project has been producing the majority of our electricity since May and affords us covered parking as well.
Areivim Second Century Legacy Project Temple’s Second Century Legacy Fund will help sustain and preserve our congregation for our children and our children’s children. This endowment program has been enhanced with a grant from the Areivim Legacy Community Project through the Jewish Community Foundation, which has provided funds to help educate our congregation on the importance of leaving a legacy gift to Temple and to build our endowment funds. We will soon have a ceramic recognition wall plaque with pomegranate flowers for each legacy donor. For more information, call Donna Beyer at (520) 3274501 or email dbeyer@templeemanueltucson.org.
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Published Quarterly by Temple Emanu-El of Tucson 225 North Country Club Road Tucson, AZ 85716
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