Shofar - September 2010 - Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

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Shofar Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation www.jewishfamilycongregation.org

September 2010

From the Rabbi’s Desk Some years, we worry that we will be cold in the tent want them to develop an interest in being part of the adult over the High Holy Days; other years, we worry that we’ll community when they are older. be soaked by rain, or baked by the heat. We rent heaters We provide prayer books, kippot and tallitot, and we to offset the cold, we shift chairs when it rains, we lift the encourage those who have their own tallitot to use them. flaps of the tents to let in a breeze when it is hot. Against the white kippot, torah mantles, flowers, etc, (see And under every circumstance, we encourage our High Kids Ask the Rabbi in this issue) the array of colourful talliHoly Days congregation to dress appropriately for the tot adds some richness and diversity, which is much appreweather. Layers for cold, short sleeves and light-weight ciated. clothes for heat. Our cantor and choir provide spectacular and uplifting Since the tent sits on what is otherwise our parking lot, music, no matter the weather, no matter the hour. They we encourage sensible shoes for walking on the gravel. work hard to do this, and every year we marvel at their And those same shoes make it easier to get to cars parked success. It is all the more inspiring since the choir is comon our front lawn. posed of volunteers, temple members who gladly do what We advise congregants to bring a flashlight to help them they can to make our services memorable. find their cars after the evening services, and in recent And I work hard to add some food for thought to the years, we had some lighting services, via the sermons I We as a congregation do everything we can to put up to make the parking write. It is an interesting make the High Holy Days a series of significant area safer (thank you, Alex challenge, to write meaningoccasions to all who share them with us. Wattles!). ful sermons year after year, We provide Youth services for kids between the ages of when the liturgy, the themes of the festivals and the Torah 6 and 11, written and led by members of JFTY, our Youth readings are always the same; thank goodness for current Group. These have become more polished every year, and events (and maybe not!). though I never get to attend them, I hear great things So: we as a congregation do everything we can to make about the services themselves and the participation of the the High Holy Days a series of significant occasions to all congregation, too. who share them with us. Cantor Ben-David and I offer a Children’s service on the The variable over which we have no control, and no first day of Rosh HaShanah and on Yom Kippur, for premeans of response, is how each congregant responds to schoolers, where we try to convey some of the feel of the what we offer. That ball is in your court. occasion, and we use songs to teach some of the traditions We know that each person brings the day’s worries, the as well. These services come after the morning services, family concerns, the job issues ,along into the tent. We and we are both energized by the kids, who respond enknow that memories meet us there, reminding us of holy thusiastically, at a point in the day when our own redays past, family and friends no longer among us to celesources are somewhat depleted. brate with. We are aware that each person needs some JFC provides child care in the building, so that our adult specific things from these services, but of course, we don’t congregants can worship in the tent and know that their know what they are. children are well looked after. We delight in the kids’ driftSo we do our best to provide the environment, the acing in and out of the tent during our services, and we espe- coutrements, the prayers, and most especially the music, cially invite them in for the shofar service, because we (Continued on page 18) From the Rabbi’s Desk Service Schedule The President’s Message Early Childhood Center The Religious School Social Action Committee Boy, Are We Lucky!

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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

SERVICE SCHEDULE

Jewish Family Congregation 111 Smith Ridge Road P.O. Box 249 South Salem, NY 10590 Phone: (914) 763-3028 Fax: (914) 763-3069 e-mail: jfc@bestweb.net

jewishfamilycongregation.org

Rabbi Carla Freedman jfc@bestweb.net Cantor Kerry Ben-David cantorbd@aol.com

School Director Leslie Gottlieb lesliejo1960@gmail.com Early Childhood Center Director Fern Tannenbaum jfceccenter@gmail.com Temple Administrator Jolie Levy jfcoffc@gmail.com Board Of Trustees Richard Mishkin, Co-President 914-764-8305; Jeanette Sanders, Co-President 914-763-0311; Mark Lavin, Vice President; Polly Schnell, Vice President; Bill Pink, Secretary; Andrew Serby, Treasurer; Carrie Kane David Marceau Beth Tessler Debra Verbeke Elisa Zuckerberg and Johanna Perlman, Past President

Shofar Editor Jolie Levy Shofar Publisher David Emmer

September 2010

SEPTEMBER Friday, Sept 3/Elul 24

7:30 pm

Saturday, Sept 4

!0:00 am

Parshat Nitzavim-VaYelekh Robert Fischman chants Torah Bat Mitzvah of Leandra Fischman

Wed, Sept 8/Tishre 1

8:00 pm

Erev Rosh HaShanah

Thursday, Sept 9

Thursday, Sept 9/ Tishre 2 Friday, Sept 10/Tishre 2

10:00 am 10:30 am 1:30 pm

2:30 pm

Rosh HaShanah morning #1 Youth Service Tashlikh (at the Sterns’ home, 188 Smith Ridge Road) Children’s Service

8:00 pm

Second Evening, Rosh HaShanah

10:00 am

Rosh HaShanah morning #2

Friday, Sept 10/ Tishre 3

7:30 pm

Shabbat Shuva Parshat Ha-azinu

Friday, Sept 17/Tishre 10

8:00 pm

Kol Nidre

Saturday, Sept 18

10:00 am 10:30 am 2:00 pm 4:30 pm

Yom Kippur morning Youth Service Children’s Service Concluding Services (includes Yizkor)

Friday, Sept 24/Tishre 17

7:30 pm

Sukkot service

Saturday, Sept 25

10:00 am

Shabbat morning service

Thurs, Sept 30/Tishre 22

6:30 pm

Simkhat Torah

Friday, Oct 1/Tishre 23

7:30 pm

Parshat B’raysheet Spencer Kaplan chants Torah Bat Mitzvah of Elana Kaplan

Saturday, Oct 2

10:00 am


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

The President’s Message Would you be startled and surprised if I told you I thought that the JFC congregation is RICH !!! With all the recent focus on the fiscal difficulties of the temple and serious attention being paid to reducing costs, you might find it a shocking statement that we are a congregation with immeasurable wealth. Our richness is defined by the talent and abilities of our members. In taking stock of what we are as a population, I find that we have a pool of people with skills and strengths to be extraordinarily proud of. Our congregants are … doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, teachers, technical professionals, engineers, speech, physical and occupational therapists, homemakers, recruiters, HR professionals, accountants, investment counselors, tax specialists, real estate brokers, bankers, entrepreneurs, architects, landscape professionals, artists, writers, librarians, party planners, chefs, nutritionists and more. This only defines the way our congregants earn a living. We also

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by Jeanette Sanders

are rich with enthusiasm in so many hobbies. We like to … run, bike, swim, walk, ski, hike, snowboard, fish, spin, travel, meditate, cook, knit, crochet, sew, photograph, play tennis, golf, basketball, softball, frisbee and, of course, we read. Our temple family members are also active volunteers at a tremendous number of charitable organizations and devote their time to a number of worthy philanthropic organizations. We’ve got many members with advanced degrees and many who’ve traveled to the far reaches of the globe. Did you know we were such an accomplished and interesting bunch? Get to know your JFC family. This year at High Holy Day services, strike up a conversation with those around you. Ask each other about your lives. Inquire about each other’s summer vacations and recent events at work. You may be impressed by the richness of the experiences you hear about.

Have you checked out our Gift Shop lately? Stop in and take a look! The items change frequently! If you are interested in purchasing anything, please let the JFC Office know.


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

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Early Childhood Center By Fern Tannenbaum

This past summer I had hoped to complete many personal projects. I was planning to accomplish so many things and then the unexpected happened: I broke my wrist severely in a bicycle accident. Suddenly my aspirations went up in smoke and I found myself in a helpless situation. It was indeed a trying experience, but I believe that I gained new understandings about patience, realistic expectations, Tzedakah and the power of optimism. Surprisingly, what I learned from this experience can also be applied to early childhood education. Wearing a cast I discovered firsthand what it feels like to need assistance, and the frustration of not being able to care for my basic needs. Even as I struggled through my rehabilitation, I lamented my feeble progress. I realized then that parents and teachers of young children need to have patience for our young learners as our children often work very hard to accomplish even the simplest skills. Surely their progress may be slow, but in time they will achieve mastery. More importantly, it will happen at the appropriate rate of development for each child. This means that our expectations should not exceed what a child can accomplish at his or her age or stage of development. Teaching young children in this way is often professionally referred to as “Developmentally Appropriate Practice.” Our teachers are experienced in knowing the confines of what children can or should be doing at each age and stage of development. In addition, they are there to guide, encourage and celebrate every child’s effort as each one slowly gains in skills and confidence. Teachers then begin with what the child learned and expose the child to the next level so that he or she can achieve even more. I look forward to a wonderful new year of developmentally appropriate instruction with our returning teachers Debra Cohen, Ellen Ellias, Dinah Rader, Laura Vayness and Jodi Waxman. I would also like to welcome to our staff Lori Paprin, who brings a wealth of education and experience to the ECC. After I fell off of my bicycle, my husband rushed to my side when I needed support. Our cell phones did not work and my husband could not leave me alone on the bike path. Remarkably, people who we did not even know came up the path and stopped to help. One ran blocks to the call box, one ran to find the ambulance, one gave me water, two brought our bicycles back to our car, and the others stayed until help arrived. In Judaism, we talk about giving Tzedakah (righteous giving) and doing Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), but this time I was on the receiving end. It taught me how important it is to help those in need. The education we give at the ECC to teach our children about Tzedakah is not just about giving money. It is about caring for others whether they are their classroom friends who need help, or families receiving aid from the Community Center of Northern Westchester. Making sure Tzedakah is an important part of our curriculum is one of the objectives of our Early Childhood Committee capably headed by Rachel Clott and Elise Serby. The first meeting

of the year, on Monday, September 20, 2010, will include in the agenda selecting a charitable location to which our children’s Tzedakah money will go. We will also discuss how we can make giving Tzedakah to the receiving organization more meaningful for our children. Many other future activities for our children and their parents will begin to be planned at this meeting as well. The committee is open to all ECC parents who are willing to commit one Monday evening each month and we welcome their participation. By now I hope you have realized that there is a happy ending to my story. Due to the immediate care and surgery I received, the time I allowed for healing and the support of family, friends and even strangers, my wrist is mostly healed. Yet, I do not believe I would have made it through without faith and the confidence that I would be healed. A positive outlook meant not only my personal belief in a successful recovery, but it inspired others to believe in it as well. The High Holy Days will begin soon and it is a time to celebrate the purity of beginning a fresh new year. It is also a time of reflection, asking forgiveness and resolving to do better in the coming year. As I look forward to the new school year at the Early Childhood Center, I resolve to use what I have learned this summer about being optimistic to make the ECC perfect in every way. This is because being more positive will make every challenge become a victory. More importantly, it will make everyone involved in our exceptional program excited and happy to be part of it. Like the honey which makes a New Year sweet, a sunny outlook will help us to see the sweetness around us. I invite you all to join me as we accent the positive and work to make every wonderful thing we find even better. May you all enjoy a healthy, happy and positive New Year.

Have you checked out the JFC Blog yet? Go to www.jfc.rjblogs.org


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

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The Religious School by Leslie Gottlieb

Carrying his book around almost feels like sacrilege. No matter. Christopher Hitchens is a genius and a literary one, at that. He deserves to be heard but sadly it will only be for a limited time as, he, in his own words admits, “… would be a very lucky person to be alive another five years.” He has a terminal illness and this smacks smartly for many—especially those who would like to see him admit to a higher power before the lights go out. Hitchens, in his book, God is Not Great calls religion “contemptible.” He writes, “Literature, not scripture, sustains the mind and—since there is no other metaphor— also the soul.” In the September Vanity Fair article cleverly titled “Topic of Cancer,” he writes, “In whatever kind of a race life might be, I have very abruptly become a finalist.” For someone soon to encounter the other side if there is one, Hitchens is adamant about the belief that there is nothing like a deity out there for him to hold fast to now that the time for real self-reflection is in order. In a Times article about Hitchens, Liesl Schillinger wrote last month that, “… Mr. Hitchens dismissed both the notion that his cancer would lead him to make a tardy profession of faith and the idea that, if it did, such a profession would be valid.” He is clearly not hurrying to wait, so to speak, for a quick intervention from a spiritual power source. No thank you, he might say in a deeply brewed British accent. Getting closer to the bone, Hitchens in the opening

You MUST check out this awesome shopping card program! It’s so EASY! Tons of vendors you already love! And, of course, you’re helping JFC. Call the JFC Office for details!

chapter of his book earlier referred to says, “There is no need for us to gather every day, or every seven days, or on any high or auspicious day, to proclaim our rectitude or to grovel or wallow in our unworthiness. We atheists do not require any priests, or any hierarchy above them, to police our doctrine.” He continues, “To us no spot on earth could be ‘holier’ than another: the ostentatious absurdity of the pilgrimage, or the plain horror of killing civilians in the name of some sacred wall or cave or shrine or rock, we can counterpose a leisurely or urgent walk from one side of the library or the gallery to another, or to lunch with an agreeable friend, in pursuit of truth or beauty.” Bring it on, Mr. H.! As you can see, he does not hold back and, in fact, you might even find his command of the language and use of it sort of humorous. He is clever. Or maybe it is

the fact that he is so over-the-top in charge of his own feelings. Match that to his recent medical diagnosis and you have the makings of a perfect storm. Religionists everywhere are trying to make him see the light of Gd and their prayers for him have become a topic of interest for the writer and others. Is he bothered by the prayers going out on his behalf? He says, “No, no. I take it kindly, under the assumption that they are praying for my recovery.” So why write about all of this? I find it fascinating, frankly, that someone, a self-proclaimed atheist in this case, has taken the time to document his feelings by using history, science, politics and the like to create a forceful argument for himself and others with which to reflect. I respect him for this. I live with an atheist who is a wonderful person and a great contributor to this world and our discussions are respectful and deep; this book has given us fodder for discussion. As the Director of the Religious School--- and teacher here for over 15 years, the Gd argument has come up fewer times than you might think—and that in itself is a real surprise to me. That adults and children do not question or wrestle with the Gd question more is something that I really do not expect. Isn’t that exactly why Jews answer questions with questions so that the discussion will continue with no definitive answer there to impede real thought and development of ideas? In fact, the Gd dilemma, let’s call it, was the single thing that kept me up those nights before I stepped into my first third grade classroom over at the church in South Salem where we used to rent space. Those were the days—when parents used to bring challot to the school for the kids to enjoy for every class meeting! I fully expected to go at it with at least one bright student ready for a fight (my oldest son in the class, perhaps?), but-- no cigar. Not a peep. Then I thought, it must be that I am so wonderfully managing this issue as I present my lessons that I have satisfied all of the little atheistic bursts of thought that come into play in the minds of my class. I was too new at this to be so confident. Maybe if I were teaching English again back at the high school level would I have had that much bravado to think that way…. So what is it, then that keeps our kids from asking what it’s all about, really? Do the students in our school have great discussions at home about Gd and religion which satisfies their questions --- or is it more of a… “Why do I have to wake up so early on Sundays when Mom gets to sleep in?” When they get here and we teach them to thank Gd for this or that--- not a word is spoken about believing or not. Is that a good thing? Should Pandora ’s Box be left alone here? So what is it? When did Hitchens come into his professed atheism? He says it happened to him as a child and that is exactly when he found it “contemptible” to continue his study (and underdeveloped belief) of religion and Gd. This is a real challenge for religious educators to be honest, and yet, we as teachers here have not been challenged (Continued on page 25)


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010

TASHLIKH, JFC-style Our sages knew that a ritual benefits from an action or activity. And for the act of getting rid of our sins, they gave us the Tashlikh ceremony. We bring breadcrumbs to a body of water, and we cast the crumbs into it, as we would cast away our sins. This is a brief and delightful ceremony, especially attractive to children (of all ages!). We do it on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, directly after the morning service, at 1:30 pm. Some drive down the road to park their cars on the lot of Stevens Memorial United Methodist Church, and from there to walk across Rte 123 to the home of John and Barbara Stern, at # 188. Others will walk down the road (under police escort); this takes about half an hour, and is a nice break between the services. Please bring your own breadcrumbs. Following the short service (don’t be late...you’ll miss it!), we return to the tent for the Family Service, advertised for 2:30 pm. Many families regard the Tashlikh service as the informal beginning of the Family Service.

ECC Lunch-Bunchers This year we will be offering:  Karate  Cooking  Nature Lunch-Bunch takes place Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays 12:00 - 1:00 And is available for all of our 3- and 4-year old ECC friends Watch for details!

2010/11


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

JFC  Adults

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

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By Jeanne Shanin, Adult Program Coordinator

HARBOR TOUR OF JEWISH NEW YORK CITY Sunday, September 26, at 3:00 pm Join us for delightful 90-minute tour of the Jewish sites in New York harbor including the little known Liberation Monument, Castle (Kessel) Garden, Fraunces Tavern, Titanic Memorial, the First Jewish Settlement in America, as well as the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Brooklyn Bridge, Lower East Side, Williamsburg and much more. Guided by architect, historian and author, Oscar Israelowitz. Opt to join us for an early after-tour dinner TICKETS: $30.00 at boat $25.00 in advance: Mail check to Israelowitz Publishing P.O. Box 228 Brooklyn, NY 11229

DEPARTURE: Circle Line Cruises, 12th Avenue at 42nd Street, Manhattan. Tour is RAIN or SHINE (Boat is 75% enclosed or covered)

Please RSVP to let us know you’re coming!!! jfcadults@gmail.com or (914) 763-5650


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010

JFC 2010-11 Religious School Opening Day Schedules School/Congregational calendar will be out shortly (then available at www.jewishfamilycongregation.org)

Grades K-3 First Thursday Sept. 16th - 4:15-5:15 PM only NOTE: NOT A REGULAR CLASS SCHEDULE 4:15-4:45 PM Parents & students meet with teachers in classrooms for an informal gathering 4:45-5:15 PM Parents and students meet with the rabbi and school director in the sanctuary

Next regular schedule day for Thursdays: Oct. 7 due to Sukkot) ***************************************************

Grades 4-6 First Sunday

Sept. 19- 9 AM- 12 PM (Regular Day) 11:30-12:00 PM Teachers “Meet & Greet” with parents in classes while students attend a service in the sanctuary *Dismissal from classrooms *****************************************************

Grade 7 First Monday, Sept. 20 (Special Program Day)

Students meet at JFC at 4 PM on September 20 for the HHD Food Drive Dismissal at 6 PM at La Famiglia in Katonah Shopping Center

First Regular Class on Monday September 27- 4:20 PM-6:15 PM (Regular Day)

FIRST CHALLAH DELIVERY: THURSDAY, OCT. 7


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

JFC Social Action Committee We will be holding our annual Blood Drive on Veteran's Day, Thursday, November 11. We have had a fantastic turnout in the past and made significant donations to the local blood banks. This year, we'd like to see even more JFC members participating. If you would be interested in volunteering either beforehand to help organize the event or on the day of the blood drive, please let Debbie or Jeanette know. We will be doing two Midnight Runs in the fall; one on October 2nd, and the second date will be set soon. We encourage the new B'nai Mitzvah class to consider coming on one of the fall runs -- it is a moving experience and it would be great to get a jump on your Mitzvah projects! We would also appreciate bag dinner-making from the

The Tzedakah of the Month For

SEPTEMBER is

“MIDNIGHT RUN� Selected by the

JFC Social Action Committee

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by Debra Lavin

B'nai Mitzvah families. Several families could get together to coordinate a number of B'nai Mitzvah families to make bag dinners and take responsibility for all 60-90 dinners! Let us know if you're interested-- taking charge of coordinating all the meals would make a great project, even if you cannot come on the run itself. We are again in need of donations of gently used men's clothing (we do not need women's or children's clothing). The following are always needed: Men's Jeans Backpacks Sneakers Belts Ne Hooded zipper sweatshirts Mid xt Run night Blankets : Oc t. 2! Winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves New men's jockey-style underwear New white athletic socks Toiletry items: Disposable razors, mini-shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mini-deodorant, washcloths. (We have enough shampoos and soaps for now, thanks to Ed Verbeke and many others!) Gallon-sized zip-loc bags Cases of water bottles Financial donations in support of the Midnight Run help

Want to help too? Call Debra Lavin (2320756) or Jeanette Sanders (763-0311)

SUPPORT-A-WALK -- OCTOBER 3 On Sunday, October 3, members from JFC will participate for the 3rd year in Support Connection's annual Support-A-Walk at FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights. Support Connection provides free personalized support programs for people affected by breast and ovarian cancer. The walk is held to raise breast and ovarian cancer awareness with all proceeds benefiting Support Connection's free services. The threemile walk begins at 10am, with prewalk activities starting at 9am. JFC already has a team formed - men, women, and children are all welcome! To join the team and help us raise money online, follow these simple steps: 1. Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/jewishfamilycongregation 2. Click on "Join this Team" on the right hand side 3. Click on "Join Now" 4. Enter your email and password to create your account 5. Create your page and start fundraising! Please let Debra Paget (dpaget@aol.com) know if you are planning on walking with the team. If you can't walk with us but would like to make a donation to support our fundraising efforts, you can make donations directly on the team's home page: http://www.firstgiving.com/jewishfamilycongregation


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010

BOY, ARE WE LUCKY!!! By Cantor Kerry

This is a really busy summer for the JFC Adult Choir. Because the High Holy Days are relatively early this year, the choir has already kicked into high gear, starting their preparations in May. Summertime Monday evenings have been dedicated to rehearsing the music that you will soon hear filling our tent. These rehearsals are always spirited affairs thanks to the totally committed and gifted singers who have gathered under Kathy Storfer, our hugely talented conductor - music administrator and Barbara Orwick the choir’s brilliant accompanist. Kathy is a member of the Board of the Guild of Temple Musicians, an affiliate of the American Conference of Cantors. This important and coveted position keeps her closely connected to the most active and important Jewish musicians of our day. JFC has been incredibly fortunate over the years in the many highly gifted musicians who have helped form the music with which we have become so familiar. Before sharing a little of this history, I want to acknowledge Rabbi Carla Freedman who oversees our congregational life with a rare openness of heart and mind. She also possesses a tremendous love of music and a keen understanding of how the right musical setting of our Hebrew prayers can in fact lift the words right off of the page and fill our hearts and minds with the proper mood. Currently, we have a resident composer, Michael Horwitz. He has been composing music in a variety of venues for over 30 years. When he joined the JFC Adult Choir three years ago, he shared his background with Kathy. She immediately set about to utilize his considerable talents. To date, he has set five of our sacred texts to music. The choir loves to sing his selections. Typically, Kathy will describe the text and how it fits into the liturgy. Michael then goes to the drawing board and taking Kathy’s cue (e.g. participatory vs. presentational, or, up tempo vs. contemplative etc.), he goes to work always trying to stay true to the mood, the meaning and the linguistic accents of the Hebrew. Michael describes this process as “Heart in Mind Music”. Our High Holy Day selections have evolved over a number of decades. Three of our cantors have left specific imprints on the music of our Days of Awe. Cantor Martin Levson was very influential with an emphasis on balance.

He gave us many folk tunes that we still use today, but also encouraged the choir to stretch itself into more classical repertoire. The richness and variety of our services is very much due to his influence. Cantor Penny Kessler built on that tradition, introducing many pieces including Stephen Richards’ “R’tzei” which has now become Kathy’s trademark selection and highlights the beauty and range of her voice as well as her deep spiritual reserves. Similarly, Cantor Kari Siegal Eglash left a rich liturgical legacy. Her husband Joe is today one of the leaders in the forefront of contemporary Jewish music. He hosts a website “OySongs” and previously headed the prestigious Jewish publishing house, Transcontinental Music. The beautiful “Mah Tovu” that you will hear on Yom Kippur morning, and other pieces, were brought to us by Cantor Kari and her sweet soprano is a lovely memory for many. I would be remiss if I did not mention that our temple teen musicians are also not only contributing to the brilliance of our choir but are also having a significant impact at camps and colleges throughout the country. While we enjoy our services in the tent, our youth are beautifully leading services for our youngest congregants in the sanctuary. Matthew Emmer has been particularly influential in the development and preparation of the youth service. Alex Perlman, Jason Breslin, and so many more of our youth have often taken part in our services and led from the bimah. Even our choir has been blessed with the contribution of our young people. This year, Matthew Kaufman, Matthew Tessler, and Daniel Bloch are adding their voices to our regular choir members Paul Storfer, Curt Shulman, Carrie Kane, David Kane, Mark Albert, Michael Horwitz, Debbie Lavin, Sandi Auerbach, Jeanne Shanin, Laurence Furic, Shelagh MacLaine, Martie Gordon, and Sue Kaufman. If you love to sing, the DOOR IS OPEN! The choir welcomes new members and you, too, could be singing some beautiful music in the very near future. As you enter our HHD Tent this Rosh Hashanah, 5771, the music, so rigouously and lovingly rehearsed, will fill your ears and reach your hearts. Thank G-D for the gifts so richly bestowed upon our congregation!

CHOIR If you would like to join the choir, or for more information, please contact Kathy Storfer at kstorfer@aol.com We welcome all adults -- 13 or older!



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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

IN LOVING MEMORY

September 2010

By Nicholas Lobenthal

Lila A. Gordon Jan. 3, 1932—Aug. 5, 2010 Young schoolchildren assume their teachers sleep in the school building, have no family, and mystically dematerialize at the start of summer vacation, returning to palpability a couple of days before the start of school in September. Lila, if rematerializing is one of the teacher’s secret arts that you mastered, then please come back. Your passing is a catastrophe. You knocked down the pillars. The house shakes. Being a teacher was your performance art for as long as I knew you, which is as far back as I can remember. You had a special connection with underdogs, underachievers, oddballs and anyone who you sensed could have a special need for you – and thus in whose heart you might find a safe place for yourself. That empathic quality was your genius. Schoolchildren love to imagine spying on their teachers at home – away from school, where Teacher wields total control and inspires terror and a slavish desire to please. In Lila’s case, we actually enjoyed that forbidden pleasure and, to our amazement, it turned out that, in her own home, Lila wielded total control and inspired terror and a slavish desire to please. Lila had strongly-held opinions on literally every thing and every one. Some of her strongest opinions concerned matters about which she knew absolutely nothing. The litmus test for her approval was whether you were for or against “the family.” Her voracious appetite for opinionation exhausted her own experience, and she searched other people’s lives for content to form opinions about. Some teachers are wizards on the blackboard. Some like overhead projectors. Lila’s preferred teaching tool was paradox and her opinions were her paradoxes – like what she called her Jewish fruit bowls (as opposed to the other kind of fruit bowl) – overflowing with sweetness and just a little foul in the middle. The magnificent hostess that she was luxuriated in serving up her point of view, in her elegant, animated, entertaining manner – even better if not asked for (what hostess would wait for a guest to ask for the Jewish fruitbowl before bring it out?). She would forge a conspiratorial bond by stating her position with elegant structure and unimpeachable logic, and top it off with a dollop of common sense. Even more paradoxically, the bond only became stronger when after a few hours, her views would repeat on you, and they turned out to be, often as not, excessive, irrational and/or flat out absurd. In a word, crazy. Like a fox that is. Teacher had forced you to solve what you hadn’t even been aware was a puzzle or a problem. Her exquisite taste, and her terrible taste, all randomly mixed up, made class pay attention. But what about the material? To tell the truth, I always thought of it as an easy A. The correct answers were so obvious: aim high, act strategically, be free. Schools were themselves living emblems of such ideals. Not so much the specific schools – she was remarkably unimpressed with them, although throughout her life if there was one constant it was her associations with great schools, Julliard, the University of Chicago, and numerous distinguished schools in the Quaker tradition of learning. Rather, it was the ideal of school – all schools -- as transformative places where people become free by making strategic choices and carrying through. School was a real place but much than that it was a

metaphor and design for living. Ultimately, Lila’s curriculum was about attaining one’s own ends. Which points to yet another level of the paradox. Opinionated as she was on how you should get there, she wisely declined to advise where you should go – except to law school. In her own life, Lila did not shy away from strategic choices and conscious self-invention. There were brilliant successes and flaming failures. She always carried through – except when she didn’t. Her choices brought her peace, except that many, many things still troubled her. Her midlife crosscountry drives in the Datsun – as I came to understand, a time of loose ends, detours and dramatic switchbacks – were searches for a way that was straight, even if it ran through stretches of emptiness. Her titanic, heroic struggles with music, family, love and the world surely played out to a soundtrack of Beethoven. I particularly feel Lila’s spirit in Beethoven’s piano sonata number 32, his last one, her special one, the one she literally hardwired into herself as a young woman. Listening to it is like having that last conversation with Lila that I didn’t have. In the last movement of that last sonata, there are not one but two absurdly long, comic-tragic trills. The first one sounds to me now like a bold meditation brutally interrupted by the steady state of life and death and life and death and life and death and life and death. The second one is much different. The melody is not interrupted; it merges with the trill into a lazy, shimmering haziness, just as Lila herself dissolved into this hot August like an acid slowly combining with a base, the essential qualities of each canceling into nothingness. After a middle-of-life double-fugue, her struggles brought her to a new – and delightfully unexpected – home key, here in South Salem, where her brother was. She slowly moved outward and outward. South Salem became her perfect laboratory. She was bat mitzvahed. She discovered ambitious, intense new harmonies in her friendships in and out of the Jewish Family Congregation. She loved the winter. She was mesmerized by the rich chords of the daily-changing lake. At the same time, she cherished not answering the telephone, drawing lines, putting up fences, isolation and distance – pointing to yet another level of the paradox: for such a connected person, there was probably nothing she was closer to than her own suit of armor, every creaky hinge – and every chink. Perhaps that was why, when it came finally to separate from the living, she remained clear-headed, articulate, unsentimental, and true. She said (her exact words): “It was a full life.” And: “I want to be at peace. It will not be long.” So it is for us, the living, to be dedicated here to the tasks remaining, and from all of our vast, colorful store of memories of Lila to take increased devotion to the direction of our lives, to our friendships and to the bonds of our families and community – and to reassure those who look to us that everything that is possible comes into existence in its own right time if you make it happen -- and also that, when the time is up, things stop, disappear, dematerialize. Just as, at the end of the spring semester, the posters are taken down, the walls do not echo, the chairs are placed upside down upon the desks, the classroom is empty again, and there is nothing left except what is essential, and that you carry home with you.


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ASK THE RABBI Question: Why do we have two days of Rosh HaShanah?

Sunday. Why? Because if we were busy repenting and fasting from Thursday evening on, there would be no opAnswer: To begin to answer this question, we must first portunity to prepare the meals for Shabbat. And if Yom note that Rosh HaShanah is not only the first day of the Kippur came Saturday evening, there would be no oppornew year but also the first day of the new month (Tishre 1, tunity to prepare the food for the break-fast. This is based to be precise). It is the only Jewish festival that occurs at on the Orthodox rule that one does not cook on Shabbat the beginning of a month (Tu b’ Shvat, Purim and Pesakh, and one does not cook on Yom Kippur (cooking is allowed for example, are all on the 15th). on Rosh HaShanah). And our sages were very practical people, who did not impose a 48-hour fast upon us. In antiquity, the exact beginning of a new month was determined by designated “watchers” looking at the sky to The sages who devised our calendar (2000 years ago, withdetermine when even the tiniest sliver of the new moon out benefit of a computer, mind you!) worked it out so could be seen. That new moon indicated the beginning of that there is some flexibility in the exact length of the a new month. months (29 ½ days, 30 ½ days?) and so the calendar is aligned to prevent Yom Kippur from falling on a Friday or a Those watchers would then light a fire to signal to folks Sunday. down the road that the month had begun, and in each community, there would be someone designated to spot Now, you might think that we could clearly establish the the fire and light one of their own as a signal to the next exact arrival of the new moon and communicate it incommunity. Of course the communities at the farthest stantly all over the world today. But there is a longdistance from Jerusalem would be at a disadvantage. standing bias in Jewish practice against just ditching the customs of old, simply because we can do things differIn time, the lighting of fires was replaced with messengers ently today. sent to deliver the news, but this put the communities farthest away at a severe disadvantage, and so the practice So we have two days of Rosh HaShanah. If you look at the arose of celebrating Rosh HaShanah for two days, to encalendar, you’ll see that they are regarded as “day one” sure that the correct day is observed everywhere. and “day two” of the month. The liturgy is the same (unless one of the days is Shabbat), but the scriptural This also accounts for the addition of an extra day at the readings differ. beginning and end of Sukkot and Pesakh, and the observance of Shavuot. But a second day was never added to Hey! Two days of celebrating the beginning of the new Yom Kippur (thank goodness!) because of the obvious year is a bonus! hardship this would impose. Besides, it makes it easier to work out having a celebratory It is interesting to note that Yom Kippur never falls on a meal with two different sides of the family….. Thursday evening/Friday, or on a Saturday evening/

BLOOD DRIVE We will again be holding our annual Blood Drive on Veteran's Day, November 11. PLEASE plan to donate blood. Call Debbie (232-0756) or Jeanette (763-0311) if you want to volunteer to help organize the drive or otherwise help out. This is a significant community service that can save many lives.


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September 2010

From the Rabbi’s Desk (cont’d) to facilitate each person’s individual journey through the High Holy Days. Throughout, the members of the Ritual Committee, work hard to make sure that the services run smoothly, that all the “behind-the-scenes” activities remain unseen. And they, along with our magnificent cantor, our wondrous choir, and all the volunteers who participate in the actual services (Torah readers, Haftarah readers, prayer readers, shofar blowers, ushers, Board members, Youth group members) also come to these services to go through the process of Jewish renewal. So we are all in this together. Whatever your role, you are vital to the success of our High Holy Days experience. What you give to the process is an exact predictor of what you will get out of it. That is my challenge to you, and my invitation. Be an active participant in these services, whether from your chair or some other place in the tent. Invest your involvement with intent (Hebrew: kavannah), so that the meaning and the process of the High Holy Days will have an impact on your life. Only you can do that. I look forward to seeing you in the tent very soon. Jeanne joins me in wishing you and yours a year of health, peace and prosperity. L’shanah tovah u’metuka tikateyvu v’ tikhateymu. May you be inscribed in the book of life for a good and sweet year.

JFC HIKING CLUB! Are you interested in joining a JFC Hiking Club? Please contact Alan Sanders at alasanders@aol.com Open to all ages, genders and ability levels. Stay tuned for more information.

JFC CLASSIFIED ALL ADS ARE A FLAT $18 AND MAY NOT EXCEED 50 WORDS. THEY WILL RUN FOR ONE MONTH ONLY. To place an ad, submit the text and your payment to the JFC Office. You may email the text to jfcoffc@gmail.com and either drop off or mail your check (payable to JFC). Credit card payments are also accepted.


Elul 5770/Tishri 5771

Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

YAHRZEITS Edith Blumenthal Harry Brown Emery Ceisler Irving Cohen Murray Emmer Roslyn Garin Sophie Goodman Sonia Goodstein Max Kalb

Sidney Kirstein Stephen Laifer Samuel Levine Rose Margolis Mordecai Lester Mendell Herbert Storfer Evelyn Weinberg Leopold Weisberg

Please call the JFC Office when any relevant information arises or changes so all Birthday, Anniversary and Yahrzeit listings are accurate and up to date. JFC can only list names/dates that have been reported to us.

ANNIVERSARIES Gary Mathias & Amy Armitage David & Jennifer Ceisler Brian Besterman & Alison Ganis Drew & Mindy Hoffman Jerome Kerner & Alexis Johnson Joel & Laura Kaplan Peter & Jamie Kaplan Jeffrey & Elizabeth Klotz Mr. Michael Gitlitz & Dr. Rita Landman William & Jennifer Pink Andrew & Nicole Rose Matthew Meister & Dafne Sanchez-Aldama Michael & Bonnie Schwartz Edmond and Debra Verbeke

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BIRTHDAYS Susan Andrade Alissa Auerbach Sophia Barson Jeffrey Berg Isabella Berland Matthew Berland Ella Blum Zachary Brand Matthew Brodoff Chloe Carson Jennifer Ceisler Ellen Cohen Sarah Dash Bryan Dorf Noah Falconer Sophia Firestein Leandra Fischman Isana Frey Bryon Friedman Abigail Gabor Jack Goldberg Kevin Goldman Kevin Goldman Kristine Grossman Solomon Grossman Stephen Henshaw Mindy Hoffman Meryl Honig Zachary Horwitz Allison Junquera Lucas Kane

Andrew Kaplan Elana Kaplan Gregory Kaplan Zachary Kaplan Jerome Kerner Rachel Kurlander Henriette Kutscher Tyler Leitner Roy Lerner Eric Levine Jacquelyn Melinek Madison Melinek Carly Moss Ruth Ossher Douglas Paulding William Pink Julie Portnoy Samantha Rai Sarah Richman Noah Schefer Ginger Schwartz Michael Schwartz Jessica Sheptin Marcia Sher-Kalter Andrea Shulman Jonathan Storfer Sarah Valente Edmond Verbeke Sherry Levin Wallach Bonnie Wattles Gabriel Zuckerberg

Please consider celebrating significant birthdays and anniversaries with a leaf on our Simcha Tree of Life. Call the JFC Office for details.


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September 2010

Don’t miss this great offer… Purchase a 5 X 7 photo of your child’s entire grade set in an attractive paper fold (including your child’s teacher and Rabbi Freedman).

This will be a special keepsake!! As your child moves up through the grades each year, he/she will have a way to remember and cherish all of his/her Hebrew school friends. When your child is in his/her Bnai Mitzvah year, won’t it be amazing to look back at friends who started at JFC with him/her?

Each grade photo: $18 Grade photos will be taken during school on… Thursday, October 7

(Grades K-3)

Saturday, October 16

(Grade 7, 10:45 AM)

Sunday, October 17

(Grades 4-6)

Grades K-7: Return the form below with payment on or before Monday, Oct. 20th to your child’s teacher or the Religious School office. JFC Religious School Photo Fundraiser ($18 each) 1.

Student Name: ________________________________________________________ Grade: ______

2.

Student Name: ________________________________________________________ Grade: ______

3.

Teacher: ________________________________________________

Student Name: ________________________________________________________ Grade: ______

4.

Teacher: ________________________________________________

Teacher: ________________________________________________

Student Name: ________________________________________________________ Grade: ______

Teacher: ________________________________________________

Total fee included: $ _____________ Total number of photos ordered: _________

Please support this very special fundraiser.


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September 2010

Please Support our Advertisers

ShopWithScrip! And help support JFC at no cost to you while shopping at the stores you already visit!

If you have not yet created an account with ShopWithScrip, please contact the JFC Office and we’ll get you started! It’s easy! It’s free! And there are many exciting offers!


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Kids Ask the Rabbi Question: Why do we change the covers of

special white clothes and white tallitot for the Torah scrolls to white ones, and why do we these Holy Days. have white kippot, and other white things, for By wearing and seeing all this white, we make it the High Holy Days? clear that these days are different from othAnswer: I’m glad you noticed that we change ers, and all the white around us reminds us to the Torah covers for the High Holy Days, and identify the behaviours that make us less than that we have lots of white around us for those pure. The goal is to get rid of those behavspecial occasions. iours, and to start the New Year with a clean slate; the white around us reflects the clean White is the colour associated with purity, and slate, and encourages us to be thorough in getsince we want to be pure, or innocent, at these ting rid of any “black marks” in our behaviour, Holy Days, the custom is to wear white garthat would spoil the pure white of this special ments, and to have as much white around us as set of Holy Days. we can. When you are in the tent this year, why not Therefore, we use white curtains on the Ark in think about all the white you’ll see around you, our (white…but that’s just luck!) tent. We use and ask yourself if this colour of purity helps white kippot. The covers for the Torah scrolls to make the occasions special? are white. The flowers we use in the tent are white. And of course, the cantor and I wear

JiFTY

By Zia Waldman

Get Ready! JiFTY's gearing up again. We have our first official meeting October 7, but keep tuned in case we have an informal get together! We can't wait to see our returning members, and we can't wait to meet our new members! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Zia Waldman (zia.waldman@gmail.com)


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September 2010

EISNER CAMP AUG. 15, 2010

Andrew Emmer, Ivy Cohen

Rabbi Carla, Claire Lichtman

Dan Bloch, Renna Gottlieb

Sam Fischer, Rabbi Carla, Jeremy Fischer

Jacob Furic, Rabbi Carla


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The Religious School (cont’d) enough. I think some of this questioning process festers around the six and seventh grades for our students, if at all. I have had some great talks with kids this age and so has the Rabbi. Doubt seems to fade away when the kids are older and are in our confirmation program in grades eight and nine. Those kids want to sit around with the Rabbi and fight over political thought and ideas that surround Israel. One would expect their teenage angst to include a little Gd questioning, no? Okay, then. Let’s leave it alone? During the month of the High Holy Days, take a few minutes with yourself and think about how you will answer the questions that my parents never did. I can honestly say that I do not know if my parents are/were believers or not having known them over a lifetime. They would have said yes all those years ago when I challenged them—which I did many times over. But did they? They never talked about what Gd meant to them. I am always saying to my own family that faith in Gd all depends on how you define Gd for yourself. Everyone has to have a spiritual connection to themselves and the world around them, no? Can you simply take it for granted that we might be upside down at any given time thanks to gravity or that flowers are so brilliant in color and variety? Is there anyone out there who takes that for granted, really, or am I naive? So at this special time on the calendar for Jews and others around the world, take a very private minute and ask WJCS JEWISH SPIRITUAL HEALING CENTER SETS FALL/WINTER SCHEDULE Beginning September 2 the WJCS Jewish Spiritual Healing Center is offering a variety of programs including Spiritual Support Groups, Spiritual Journeying Groups and Healing Services. For information go to http:// tinyurl.com/wjcs-healcenter or contact Rabbi Pamela Wax, WJCS Spiritual Care Coordinator, at pwax@wjcs.com or 914-761-0600 X149. WJCS TO HOST SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DD WJCS Havorah will host programs for persons with developmental disabilities during the upcoming holidays. All are welcome and admission is free. For more info, contact Gail Oliver at 845 565-8610 or gailao777@aol.com. The schedule is as follows: A Rosh Hashanah Celebration for Persons with DD -- September 15 at 7:00 PM at Temple Shaaray Tefila, 89 Baldwin Road, Bedford. A Yom Kippur Service for Persons with DD -- September 20 at 7:00 PM Temple Beth Abraham, 25 Leroy Avenue, Tarrytown. A Sukkot Celebration for Persons with DD – September 28 at 7:00 PM at Congregation Sons of Israel, 1666 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor.

yourself what your relationship to Gd is and how you can define that for your own children. At the school, we will leave the question unanswered because we respect the privacy of each individual and family we reach. You cannot tell someone to believe in something. That is a personal journey and may take a lifetime—or longer! We tell them the history, teach them what there is to treasure in our tradition and then—lots of it is a mystical thing that each person has to color in for him/her self. Grab a box of crayons this fall. Happy New Year to all. And welcome back to Religious School!!!!! Todah Rabbah to…

 The Youth Group for working over the

summer on the Youth Group High Holy Days services

 All of the volunteers who offered to act as class parents this coming year

 Laurence Furic for uploading all of the

Religious School forms to our website all year long


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Jewish Family Congregation Shofar

September 2010

... at the Religious School this year?

Take a look and save these dates!! Exciting Programs for Students in Grades K-6: New STARS initiative: All students sign in for every Friday Shabbat service they attend (self-sign in register book in Youth Lounge)& the two grades with the best scores get to attend the STARS party in May! New Student Government Program- “Kids Knesset”- See flier in this Shofar. Submit form to show interest and those chosen lottery-style will attend special meetings beginning Oct. 3 (grs. 4-6) & Oct. 14 (grs. K-3). Help make our school even better! (Forms due in by Sept. 30.) Two “Rock Shabbat” Friday night services led by JFC’s Youth Group- worth two credits for STARS! Grs. K-6 and ECC invited. 11/19 & 1/28 from 6:30-7 PM. New Talent Show!!! Students perform and families come to kvell! Event: Saturday, December 18, 5:30-7 PM. Submission forms (out soon) are due Wed., Nov. 10. Talent Show meeting/audition: Sun., Nov. 21, 12 PM. Tickets on sale soon!!!!! RS Family Bingo Night returns on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 5-6 PM!!! All are welcome. Sign up in January!!! Stay tuned for details. New: JFC Purim service the same morning as our CARNIVAL: Sunday, March 20. New Challah vendor: Steve’s of Ridgefield. First Thursday delivery Oct. 7. Find registration form at our website & in this Shofar. JFC & RS Tag Sale Event (last day of grs. 4-6 program): Sunday, May 1 (rain date, Sun., May 8). STARS party comes first (10-11 AM) followed by the family tag sale. All welcome. More info to come.


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Volunteer Committee By Polly Schnell

The database now has over 120 names of potentially willing JFC volunteers and is still growing. This potential volunteer list covers all aspects of synagogue life ranging from such committees as the Social Action, Caring, Fund-raising, Building Maintenance, Religious School, ECC, Technology, Membership Recruitment, and more.

Don't be surprised if you get a call one day, to help out in an area you have already expressed a possible interest in volunteering in. Thank you for help in continuing to make our congregation a Kehila Kedosha, a holy community. We remain committed to helping connect you with many rewarding and fulfilling volunteer experiences.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE’S RAFFLE WINNERS

ALYSSA COHEN

ELISA ZUCKERBERG

Donations to JFC Last Month Caring Committee Alan and Hilary Levenson

In Memory of Lila Gordon

General Fund The Salpeter Family The Feldman Family

In Memory of Joseph Salpeter In Memory of Abraham Feldman

JFC-URJ Camp Fund Jane Emmer Mark and Debra Lavin The Vlachos Family Cori Sanoqueira

In Memory of Lila Gordon In Memory of Lila Gordon In Honor of Jane Emmer

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Chuck & Ellen Cohen Elizabeth Goodman The Gordon Family The Emmer Family The Salpeter Family Nancy Walsh Cedarholm Margaret Van Tassell Trudy Wood The Kirby Family Joyce Lionel Wallenrod Doris Katz Harold and Ruth Ossher Renee Mendell Glenn Kurlander Laurie Hammer

In Memory of Lila Gordon

In Memory of Edward Mendell With appreciation from Mitchell Hammer

All High Holy Day Donations will be listed in the October Shofar.


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September 2010 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

1

2

Fri 3

Sat 4

Bat Mitzvah Of Leandra Fischman

5

6

7

LABOR DAY

Bd Mtg 9

8 Erev Rosh haShanah

K/L First Day

OFFICE CLOSED

Rosh haShanah

Service 7:30 Tot Shabbat 10

11

Rosh haShanah

Shabbat Shuva

OFFICE CLOSES OFFICE CLOSED OFFICE CLOSED 1:00 Service 7:30 Tot Shabbat

Distribution of Food Bags—Gr. 7 12

13

NFTY LTI (NYC)

14

15

16

ECC - 15-min. ECC - first day ECC - first day visits 3’s and 4’s 2’s ECC Parent Orientation 7:00 p.m.

K-3/CC/SMP/ ECC YG—Meet & Erev Yom Kippur Greet (w/ Kol Nidre parents) 4:15-4:45 classrooms; 4:45-5:15 OFFICE CLOSES 1:00 assembly; 5:156:15 RS Staff Mtg

20

23

NO RS 19

17

Gr. 4-6 ECC Meet & Greet ECC Comm. 11:30-12:00 Mtg.

21

22

ECC

Yom Kippur

24

25

ECC - meet

NO ECC

Gr. 7 9-9:45

Ellen Weisberg Sukkot 9:30 a.m.

Sukkot

Sukkot Morning service OFFICE CLOSES OFFICE CLOSED OFFICE CLOSED 10:00 a.m.

HHD Food Drive Gr. 7—4:00 JFC; 6:00 pickup in Katonah

1:00

26

27

28

29

Sukkot

ECC

ECC

ECC

Gr. 4-6 Sukka visit

Sukkot

Sukkot

Sukkot

JFC*Adults Fall Gr. 7 Kick-off Event— 4:20-6:15 Harbor Tour of Jewish NYC

18

10 Pk 6-7:30

Sukkot Service 7:30 30 Simchat Torah Service 6:30 Gr. 7 Service

1

2

Gr. 7 9-9:45

Bat Mitzvah Of OFFICE CLOSED OFFICE CLOSED Elana Kaplan OFFICE CLOSES B’Mitzvah Class 1:00 of 2011 Mitzvah Projects forms due

JEWISH FAMILY CONGREGATION


Jewish Family Congregation 111 Smith Ridge Rd/Rte. 123 P.O. Box 249 South Salem, NY 10590

CURRENT RESIDENT OR

Non Profit Organization Postage PAID White Plains, NY Permit No. 9022


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