SYNAGOGUE NEWS
May 2021
BETH TIKVAH
Federation Star
25
www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239.434.1818
Beth Tikvah update
A
s the season winds down, we can look back with pride. COVID19 made this the most unusual season ever. We were forced to discover inventive ways to stay connected. Zoom and streaming became familiar means to meet those needs. Our first challenge was to celebrate Passover virtually. We did so, both in 2020 and 2021, allowing all who wished, to enjoy the holiday together on Zoom. This paved our way to embrace virtual High Holiday Services, which were made special with Zoom Torah blessings by our congregation, as well as musical interludes by Cantor Frani Goodman, Cantor Rabbi Hilary Chorny and Cantor Nicole Chorny. It is our hope to celebrate the High Holidays in 2021 with some in-person attendance. Our services will continue to be available by Zoom and streaming for those who wish to participate in that manner. Our All Things Jewish educational programs were also conducted virtually. Highlights included our Lecture series, three musical programs with Jewish Jazz, the Chorny Women of Influence concert, as well as our Scholar in Residence weekend with Dr. Sandra Lilienthal. The Naples Jewish Film Festival provided four excellent movies for the community and an informative evening
with the producer of the first movie, “They Ain’t Ready for Me,” showcasing Tamar Manasseh. We are grateful to everyone who helped support the Naples Jewish Film Festival and the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Many of us have received our COVID19 vaccinations; however, the need to be careful, stay physically distanced and wear masks continues.
of Officers and Trustees for 2021-2023 at our 14h Annual Membership Meeting held on Sunday, March 21, 2021. Our new President, Steven Chizzik, will be announcing plans for the reopening of Beth Tikvah. Please visit our website for more information.
Beth Tikvah happenings on Zoom in May 2021
Upcoming events We at Beth Tikvah have extended our programs to allow our congregation and the community to stay socially connected, virtually, as needed. Here are some of the programs coming in May: • Our Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study Group will meet this month on Sunday, May 9 at 11 a.m. All women who are interested in attending are welcome. • On May 16, Erev Shavuot and Rabbi Chorny will conduct a study session at 8 p.m. • The third concert in our Jewish Jazz with Amici series will be held on Wednesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. • Sampson Giad will be our speaker on Sunday, May 23 at 4 p.m. Please visit our website, www.beth tikvahnaples.org, for the Zoom link to all events and to make reservations as needed. Further additions to our programing
NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION
Beth Tikvah Past Co-Presidents Shelley Goodman and Sue Hammerman
will be announced as they are scheduled. Please refer to our website for the most recent information throughout the summer months. Beth Tikvah is the affiliated congregation in Greater Naples of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). We are grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) for support of our Scholar in Residence, Naples Jewish Film Festival and All Things Jewish programs. All Beth Tikvah events are open to the Greater Naples community.
Officers and Trustees 2021-2023
Sunday, May 9 at 11 a.m. – Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study Sunday, May 16 at 8 p.m. – Erev Shavuot Study Monday, May 17 at 9 a.m. – Shavuot Services Wednesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. – Jewish Jazz Concert Sunday, May 23 at 4 p.m. – Speaker Sampson Giad
Religious services streaming schedule Thursday and Sunday morning services begin at 9 a.m. Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m. Saturday services begin at 9:30 a.m. We convene Yahrzeit minyanim upon request. You may reach Rabbi Chorny directly at 239-537-5257.
We are pleased to announce the election
www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239.431.3858
The resiliency of Naples Jewish Congregation Steve McCloskey Past President
I
t has been my privilege and honor to have been President of the Naples Jewish Congregation (NJC) since August 2017. My tenure, which started with a short-term crisis, concluded on April 1 with a long-term one. As the High Holy Days approached in September 2017, Hurricane Irma was bearing down on South Florida. Since we seemed destined to lose electricity, we scrambled to find another location for our services. Quite miraculously, the lights came back on within hours of the start of Erev Rosh Hashanah. The long-term crisis began last year with the coronavirus. NJC’s last in-person Shabbat service was held on March 13,
2020. Our intrepid octogenarian, the unflappable Dick Lechtner, took it upon himself to learn the intricacies of Zoom and YouTube Live with the alacrity demanded of the moment. Within a couple of weeks, we were, for the first time, streaming our Shabbat services on these platforms. In order to keep the NJC family together, we instituted our NJC Connects events, a series of “virtual” events, drawing upon the expertise of some of our members as well as outside speakers, to engage members on a diverse set of topics. We recently started our “Talk Amongst Ourselves” series, where members share their thoughts on Zoom about a topic designed to elicit robust and frank discussion. We will continue these worthwhile events going forward to cement the bond we feel with fellow members, albeit remotely. With opportunities to get our COVID-19 vaccine shots proliferating as supply and locations rapidly expand,
we can envision a return to in-person services and events sometime early this fall. Of course, proof of vaccination, mask wearing and physical distancing may well be the new norm when we begin to gather again. These precautions will be a small price to pay to, once again, be able to bask in the warmth of the embrace of our NJC family. Besides, we will be taking these necessary steps as an affirmation that we truly value not only our health and welfare, but just as importantly, the health and welfare of our fellow members and guests. As we eagerly anticipate congregating again in person, my thoughts turn to what is undoubtedly NJC’s most valuable asset, its members. At NJC, members are known to extend a helping hand and to lead with lovingkindness. Our emergence from the pandemic will allow us to engage again with the Greater Naples community, seeking to find another meaningful Tikkun Olam project on which to focus to do our small part to repair our world.
With the tumultuous past year we have endured as a country, it will take all of us to make even a small dent in the hard work to be done. It is with a profound sense of gratitude that we can look back on the last year with deep appreciation for the collaboration among clergy, leadership and our wonderful congregation to provide the spiritual solace we so desperately needed. Kudos to Rabbi Howard Herman; Cantorial Soloist Jane Galler; Music Director Alla Gorelik; Peter Weissman of our choir; Barry Goldenberg, our Ritual Chair; Dick Lechtner and Charles Flum, our Zoom and YouTube Live hosts; and our hardworking Board of Directors, who all kept us well connected. We hope for a coming year of good health, peace and equitable treatment for all. We all wish Roberta (“Rob”) Obler mazel tov as she takes on her new role as NJC’s President. NJC is in “good hands.”
SIGN UP FOR THE FEDERATION’S WEEKLY COMMUNITY eNEWSLETTER! Get the latest information on upcoming community events and cultural activities, news from Israel and lots more.
Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org