12A
Federation Star
SYNAGOGUE NEWS
November 2021
www.naplestemple.org / 239.455.3030
TEMPLE SHALOM
Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning open for registration
W
ould you like a structured course where you can learn, discuss and debate with others from across the Jewish spectrum in a stimulating and nonjudgmental environment? How about a world-class curriculum and outstanding faculty, that leads to a profound understanding of what it means to be Jewish? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, an interactive, pluralistic learning model, was designed with you in mind. Temple Shalom, the sole provider of the Melton School in our area, is privileged and delighted to host the Melton School and offer this valuable resource for our community once again this winter. No homework, no exams or Hebrew required. With its international headquarters at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Melton School forms an international network of community-based schools offering adults the opportunity to acquire Jewish literacy in an open, trans-denominational and intellectually stimulating learning environment. The Florence Melton School of Jewish Learning is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world.
Founded in 1980, at the initiative of Florence Zacks Melton, a community activist and longtime supporter of Jewish education, the Melton School initially opened with three pilot sites in North America. Driven by her vision, there are now 50 Melton Schools throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, attended weekly by 4,000 students. Melton learning comes to play a significant role in students’ lives — impacting conversations with family and friends about life’s most important issues, influencing family decisions, connecting them more deeply to their community and significantly changing the way they view themselves as adult Jews.
will create a meaningful community with your peers. “Most of us are frozen in time in our Bar and Bat Mitzvah aged bodies. The Melton program helps make that transition to the adult Jewish world, not only for ourselves, but for the future of our families.” “Melton is for everyone who thinks they know a great deal about Judaism as well as those of us who realize how much more there is to learn. It’s the Jewish education that I never had. Every week, it’s inspiring, stimulating, thought-provoking and fun. My husband and I frequently find ourselves discussing Torah and the Bible. Prior to this course, this was not the case!”
BETH TIKVAH
What makes Melton learning transformative? • The texts themselves -- ancient and modern -- connect students to the past, present and future in powerful ways. Textbased study is a link to enduring Jewish values and ideas, and the opportunity to engage with these timeless sources through a systematic, proven curriculum is empowering. • Our rabbis encourage students to ask higher-level questions and to make connections between the texts and their lives. Through this type of learning, you
www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239.434.1818
Thanksgiving Steven Chizzik President
T The Cardozo Society is formed as a way to network the many existing and new Jewish attorneys in our legal community. The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples continues to reach out to raise awareness through this association of Jewish attorneys promoting professionalism, cooperation, and identification with our Jewish community. For more information contact Joshua Bialek at
jbialek@porterwright.com
OF GREATER NAPLES
With Temple Shalom’s Senior Rabbi, Adam Miller, and Director of Lifelong Learning, Rabbi Boxman, along with special guest lecturers, our students ask questions that lead to discussion. Discussion leads to understanding and understanding leads to more questions. This unique environment turns education into an experience that becomes more fulfilling over a lifetime and guides your journey to a more fulfilling Jewish life and community experience. To learn more and sign up for Melton, call or email Temple Shalom at 239-4553030 or info@naplestemple.org.
hanksgiving is one of the few Holidays in America without religious overtones. I find it interesting that the Hebrew word for “turkey” is “hodu,” which just happens to also mean “to give thanks.” Thanksgiving is always a special day to be with family and to “Give Thanks.” It has always been the custom at our Thanksgiving table to ask each person (no matter how old they are) to tell us what they are thankful for. So today, I’d like to let you know a few of the items I am thankful for during this Thanksgiving season. First and foremost, I am thankful that my family has stayed healthy during the past two years of the COVID pandemic. I am grateful to all the researchers, doctors, nurses and frontline workers who have put their lives in jeopardy to protect ours. I am grateful for the technologies (Facetime and Zoom, in particular) that have allowed us to be “closer” to one another when we couldn’t be near each other. I am especially grateful to Rabbi Chorny, who early on knew how important it was to keep our synagogue functioning — our services, classes and social activities alive — as we learned to live through these crises. I owe a great deal of gratitude to our task force, which has continually done everything possible to keep us safe and healthy. And, I’m in debt to all our committee members who kept programming and services running during these trying times. I am so delighted to give thanks to Cantor Norman Brody and his beautiful
voice for collaborating with Rabbi Chorny to inspire us during these past High Holidays, making them the best High Holidays ever at Beth Tikvah. There is so much more for each of us to be thankful for. I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I’d like to add the prayer that we all are soon free of worry from this virus and can be together, hugging one another again, very soon. Please remember to keep Sunday afternoon, Dec. 5 clear on your calendar. State Attorney for the 13th District of Florida (Tampa area), Andrew Warren, will come to Beth Tikvah to discuss antisemitism. I’ve had the privilege of listening to State Attorney Warren speak on this topic. I can only say he was so dynamic, that I immediately asked him to come to Beth Tikvah. This event will be cosponsored by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Please follow our website to see all the exciting happenings being scheduled at Beth Tikvah for the new season ahead. I again would like to remind everyone that Beth Tikvah is now offering new members their first year’s dues free of charge. If you or a friend wants to experience the warmth and community found at Beth Tikvah, please come meet our special congregation. Beth Tikvah is the affiliated congregation in Greater Naples of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). We are grateful to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) for support of our Scholar in Residence, Naples Jewish Film Festival and All Things Jewish programs.
Religious services streaming schedule Sunday morning services begin at 9 a.m. Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m. Saturday services begin at 9:30 a.m. Yahrzeit minyanim is convened upon request. You may reach Rabbi Chorny directly at 239-537-5257.
