Temple Topics: Winter 2022

Temple Topics

Winter 2022 | Choref 5783

Let Our Light Shine Among the Darkness

by Rabbi Jonathan Aaron Senior Rabbi, Temple Emanuel

The last several months have seen an increase in hate speech, anti-Semitism, gun violence, and war. Of course, it may be possible to write that statement every month—because darkness and violence and hatred is a constant in our world. Shining from that darkness is a holiday of light, Hanukkah. It has become a symbol of freedom from tyranny and darkness . . . it is a time to reflect on the value of religious freedom, and the openness of society to allow the self-determination of each person. Two thousand years ago our people fought against those whose values were not aligned with ours. Today, we have the power and freedom to speak out and express our beliefs, and Hanukkah reminds us of our responsibility to shine the light of goodness and compassion into the world and work to make it better for those who will light the candles of the Festival of Lights.

Ilona Schiffner (@jewishbychoice) wrote: In today’s darkness, we realize this war is not over. So we light a candle. And another one, and so on until the 8th day. We grow the light a bit more every day and we learn that a little light can eliminate a lot of darkness. The Hellenistic (Greek) culture brought to expression as a virtue all of the lowest part of the human being: violence, anger, jealousy, competitiveness, rudeness, blatant sexuality, etc. We acknowledge to have all of these within us in a way or another, however on Channukah we pray and intent on lighting a candle in the lowest places of our lives, and not give up the fight as eventually, like the Maccabees, we will come out as winners . . . We remember that the Jewish people are supposed to be authentic and shine their light. Our inner light must shine against the darkness of evil and indifference and must kindle the spirits of our fellow humans.

May the lights of Hanukkah help you to find the light within yourself, and let that light shine out to all who you love, and into the world.

TEMTY News

by Aaron Wiener TEMPTY Youth Director

Our teens are involved in so many opportunities that we forget to think about where their journey started. I believe it starts with establishing a foundation to understand your true identity. When our teens can network, engage, and collaborate with one another, they can all learn from one another. That’s what we are trying to do in our Jewish communities. I invite you to read the full article describing the importance of building a movement at the link below.

Visit urj.org or urj.org/blog/building-meaningful-jewish-world-lesson-expanding-temple-youth-group-programs.

Simchas

Samuel Bachner on the birth of his great granddaughter, Leighton Jean Rivera

Sue & Barry Brucker on the birth of their grandson, Zane Alden Brucker

Sylvia Chernock-Sabbe & Richard Chernock on their marriage

Alexandra Cohen & Scott Effman on their marriage

Amanda Collin on the birth of her grandson, Charlie Levi Gelvan

Ilona & Robert Eitches on the marriage of their daughter, Dana, to Vikram Sasi

Cheryl Factor on the marriage of her daughter, Megan Baer to Scott Pincus

Lorraine & Jerry Factor & the Factor Family on receiving the Legacy Award at the Welcome Back Shabbat Gala

Lorraine & Jerry Factor on the marriage of their granddaughter, Megan Baer to Scott Pincus

Gail & Mike Feuer on the wedding of their daughter, Danielle, to Matt Haimowitz

Tannaz & Tom Fouladi on the B’nai Mitzvah of their daughter, Sophie

Tina & Bryan Goodman on the birth of their granddaughter, Amelia Rose Goodman

Sarah Green on the birth of her son, Zachary Green

Amber Hay & Orin Malatskey on their marriage

Anita & Don Hecht on the marriage of their daughter, Ellen, to John Giddins

Kristin & John Jameson on the marriage of their daughter Ali to Lewis Stevens

Tannaz Lavian Gatto & Frank Gatto on the birth of their daughter, Mia Lavian Gatto

Melanie Murray & Brent Kaplan on the birth of their daughter, Sienna Grace Kaplan

Stacy Kesner on receiving the Community Service Award at the Welcome Back Shabbat Gala

Miura & Brian Kite on the B’nai Mitzvah of their son, Calder

Marsha & Ron Levenson on the marriage of their son Bradford to Chelsea Cunningham

Nazila & Raphael Levy on the marriage of their daughter Kayla to Brian Gabbay

Lilly & David Lewis on the birth of their granddaughter, Melody Lewis Read

Janna Levenstein & Kieran McKiernan on the B’nai Mitzvah of their son, Ronan

Sharen & Sean Moghavem on the B’nai Mitzvah of their sons, Max & Sy

Sandy Silas & Perry Oretzky on the birth of their grandson, Sebastian Oretzky

Yasmin & Robin Rahmani on the B’nai Mitzvah of their son, Noah

PK Reich on the birth of her granddaughter, Remington Bea Zimmerman

Sharon & Evan Silver on the B’nai Mitzvah of their daughter, Amanda

Missi & Todd Stein on the B’nai Mitzvah of their son, Max

Faye & Adam Ugolnik on the B’nai Mitzvah of their son, Simon

David Weissberg & Troy Skinner-Weissberg on their marriage

Alex Pop & Joshua Tarnow on the birth of their daughter, Piper Reese Tarnow (Jeff & Belinda Pop are the grandparents & Ronda and Fred Rose are the Great Aunt & Uncle)

Kyle & Jake Weissberg on the birth of their daughter, Cooper Marlowe Weissberg

Elisa Newman & Andy White on the marriage of their son Jonathan to Paige Feldman

Seanna Zahlaway on her conversion

Condolences To . . .

Andrea Baum on the passing of her father, Morris Baum

Miriam Baum on the passing of Morris Baum

Rebecca Berg & Greg Porper on the passing of Greg’s grandmother, Rachel Franco

Michele Martin Birke on the passing of her husband, Charles Birke

Carmella & Springsong Cooper on the passing of their mother/grandmother, Norma Glickman

Jill & Michael Franco on the passing of Jill’s father, Philip Ruben

Leslie & Bruce Geller on the passing of Leslie’s mother, Doris Zacky Lazner

Tina & Bryan Goodman on the passing of Bryan’s father, Robert Stanley Goodman

Patty & Larry Goodman on the passing of Larry’s nephew, Bruce Goodman

Patty & Larry Goodman on the passing of Larry’s brother, Robert Stanley Goodman

The family of Carol B. Hyman, M.D. on her passing

The family of Ruth Karp on her passing

Shana & Don Passman on the passing of their beloved friend, Judith Axonovitz-Weintraub

Karen & Rob Porper on the passing of Karen’s mother, Rachel Franco

The family of Rhoda Sharp on her passing

Contributions

General Fund

In Appreciation from:

Michael W. Cohen for Online Shabbat Services

Clifford Kent Conner

Martha Koplin

Michael Solomon

Cathy Strull

In Memory of:

Morris Baum from Debbie, Meg, Cara, Lu, Lynne, Carol & Mark aka Maryland Gourmet Club

Carol B. Hyman, M.D. from The Balson Family

Carol B. Hyman, M.D. from Elisa Newman

Dr. Phil Ruben from Dick Seff

Marvin Seidman from Mark Jay Seidman & The Seidman Family Trust

In Honor of:

Dorothy & Avram Salkin on their 60th wedding anniversary from Anita & Henry Schneider

Wendy & Bryan Cutler on their 25th Wedding Anniversary from Barbara & Barry Cutler

Tannaz Lavian Gatto & Frank Gatto on the birth of their daughter, Mia Lavian Gatto, from Sonia Berman

Rabbi Aaron’s Discretionary Fund

In Appreciation from:

Gail Goldstein

Annie & Rabbi Avi Magid

Karen & Rob Porper

Rachael Moran

In Honor of:

Paige Feldman & Jonathan White’s wedding from Jody & Richard Feldman

Brian Gabbay & Kayla Levy’s wedding from Soleiman Gabbay

Amanda Johnson-Zetterström from Harriet Lipkin & Chris Sautter

Melody Lewis Read’s Birth from Lilly & David Lewis

Rebecca Stoll’s Bat Mitzvah from Lisa & Adam Stoll

Paige Feldman& Jonathan White’s wedding from Elisa Newman & Andy White

Jamie Hernandez-Silverman’s conversion from Jamie & Rob Silverman

In Memory of:

Carol B. Hyman, M.D. from Michelle & Alan Kaye

Carol B. Hyman, M.D. from Alissa & Warren Roston

Doris Zacky Lazner from Leslie Lazner Geller & Bruce Geller

Cantor Weiss’

Discretionary Fund

In Appreciation from: Karen & Rob Porper

In Honor of:

Penny Greta Axelrod’s Baby Naming from Betsy & Marc Axelrod

Sacha Daneshgar’s Bar Mitzvah from Valerie & Faraz Daneshgar

Liam Reese Krapft’s Baby Naming from Michele & Alan Krapf

Rebecca Stoll’s Bat Mitzvah from Lisa & Adam Stoll

In Memory of:

Morris Baum from the Baum Family

Doris Zacky Lazner from Leslie Lazner Geller & Bruce Geller

Doris Zacky Lazner from Michael J. Libow

Doris Zacky Lazner from Louise Kershman

Rhoda J. Sharp from Roger Hyman

Edward Kosmal from Nili Kosmal and Family

Rabbi Geller’s Discretionary Fund

In Honor of Danielle Feuer & Matt Haimowitz’s aufruf from Gail & Mike Feuer

Rabbi Geller’s granddaughter’s birth from Renee & Harold Brook

Rabbi Geller’s granddaughter’s birth from Marcia & Dick Schulman

Bradford Levenson & Chelsea Cunningham’s wedding from the Levenson & Cunningham Families

In Memory of

Rosalie Geller from Renee & Harold Brook

Rosalie Geller from Marcia & Dick Schulman

Carol B. Hyman, MD from Cathy & David Marcus

In Memory of Henry Baumgold from Sharon Baumgold & Roy Young

ChaiVillageLA E.D. Friedman Scholarship Fund

In memory of Gladys Friedman from Elinor & Marvin Sobel

In memory of Harold Friedman from Elinor & Marvin Sobel

In memory of Beatrice Kreeger from Elinor & Marvin Sobel

Minyan Fund

Minyan Lunch from Anonymous Donors

Minyan Lunch from: Continued

Gail Goldstein & Robert Bird

Andrew Dzedulionis

Mimi Reisbaum

Sally & Ron Rosenblatt

In Honor of

The 9th Anniversary of the B’Nai Mitzvah of Trisha Roth & Ruth Weisberg

In Memory of Norma Glickman from Judy Kandel

Norma Glickman from Jerry Silverhardt

Carol Hyman from Patric Kuh

Sam Silverhardt from Jerry Silverhardt

Alys Pollet Scholarship Fund and Gus Pollet Memorial Fund

In Honor of Gayle Jagoda’s birthday from Jill & Robert Cahn

Gayle Jagoda’s birthday from Judy & Michael Narvid

Yahrzeit Fund

In Memory of Philip Alberts from Sylvia Alberts

Sylvia Barenfeld from Patty, Larry, Greg, & Jeff Goodman

Bess Berman from Sonia Berman

Robert Berman from Sonia Berman

Esther (Pimpi) Degen from the Block Family

Ramona & Mack Delson from Marlene & Marshall Grossman

Bernice Esenoff from Ronda & Stanley Breitbard

David I. Flanzbaum from Lynn D. Flanzbaum

Laura Franco from Karen & Rob Porper

Louis Goodman from Patty, Larry, Greg, & Jeff Goodman

Rose Goodman from Larry, Patty, Greg, & Jeff Goodman

Tessie & Charles Gumbiner from Jill Gumbiner

Harry Kahn from Judy & Ron Kabrins

Estelle Kandell from Toby & Roger Brooks

Rachel Kates from Ronda & Fred Rose

Regina Kluger from the Wecker Family

Saul Kluger from Hannah & Mike Wecker

Bert Knaster from Ronda & Stanley Breitbard

Roberta Knaster from Ronda & Fred Rose

Bluma Kornblum from Charlene & Sanford Kornblum

Jess Kortz from Pearle Rae & Mark B. (z”l) Levey and Family

Edward Kosmal from Nili Kosmal and Family

Anya Leybovich from Ester Lebovich

Regina Rivka Lipman & R’ Dan Yedidiah Lipman from Rita Eichenstein

Rose & Sam Micon from Marlene & Marshall Grossman

Vitalis Nachmias from Karen & Rob Porper

Toby Perel from David Perel

Alma Pop from Ronda & Fred Rose

Samuel Pop, Bernice Esenoff, Leah Silverman from Ronda & Fred Rose

Betty Rapoport from Sonia Berman

Maurice Rapport from Sonia Berman

Donald Reynolds from Jeanne S. Marks

Beatrice Rose from Ronda & Fred Rose

Charlotte Sinay from Shelley & Michael Blumenfeld

Nicollette Slotkin from Mark & Savannah Slotkin

Mina Sobel from Elinor & Marvin Sobel

Albert Wallen from Martin Wallen, Ruth & Jeffrey Wallen

Gertrude Wallen from Martin Wallen

Blanche Wecker from the Wecker Family

Karen Weiner from Sanford Weiner

Adrianna Terri Weissman from Fred G. Weissman

Joyce Yavitch from Ronda & Fred Rose

Thank You to Our Pillar Members

Pillar members are a special group of donors whose contributions go to the heart of our operating budget—they are the lifeblood that allows us to continually create innovative, cutting-edge programs and sustain our thriving congregation. Pillar donors strengthen Temple Emanuel by giving annually in addition to their membership.

In appreciation, special Pillar perks include:

• Pillar’s name on our Sanctuary Recognition wall

• Early entry to all High Holy Days services taking place in Corwin Family Sanctuary

• Guest passes at High Holy Days (Double Chai and above)

• Free participation in our Mishloach Manot Purim gift giving (L’dor V’dor and above)

Joining is easy, and membership has a tremendous impact. Contact Matt Davidson at Matt@tebh.org or 310-409-4646 for more information. Learn more at tebh.org/Pillar.

Bonim (Builders)

Kathy Javor

Malachim (Angel)

Lorraine and Jerry Factor

Sheryl and Jon Sokoloff

Tzadikim

Barbara Coyne and Jeffrey Hendel

Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg

Shana and Don Passman

Sylvia Price

Lisa and Adam Stoll

L’dor V’dor

Julie and Ken Moelis

Belinda and Jeff Pop

Ron and Shelley Singer

Sustaining

Lili and Jon Bosse

Sue and Barry Brucker

Nadine and Harold Davidson

Andrea and Rick Grossman

Joyce Kates

Pearle Rae Levey

Lilly and David Lewis

Nancy Davis and Ken Rickel

Jill and Dennis Roach

Cathy and Louis Rosenmayer

Dorothy and Avram Salkin

Michal Amir-Salkin and Ken Salkin

Double Chai

Isa and Bill Aron

Sandy and Chuck Aronberg

Sam Bachner

Pamela and David Bennett

Ronda and Stanley Breitbard

Barbara Bruser and Richard Clark

Toni Corwin

Pamela Reisman and Brad Donenfeld

Anne and Steve Factor

Jane Factor and Max Factor III

Bonnie and Ronald Fein

Bunni and Murray Fischer

Elayne Garber and John Forbess

Myra Lurie and David Goldman

Patty and Larry Goodman

Bobbi Holland

Kristin and John Jameson

Judy and Ron Kabrins

Vickie and Fred Kaplan

Terri and Michael Kaplan

Jackie Kassorla

Fran and Don Kates

Michelle and Alan Kaye

Linda and Ross Kemper

Rochelle and Richard Maize

Stacey Mickell

Jody Minsky

Lauren and Eric Muhlheim

Farhad Novian

Elizabeth and William Quicksilver

Carol and Jerry Redston

Claudia and Bruce Resnikoff

Ronda and Fred Rose

Alissa and Warren Roston

Paula and Allan Rudnick

Robert Schwab

Richard Seff

Leslie and Scott Shlecter

Linda Smith

Terri and Michael Smooke

Annika and Abe Somer

Peter Thompson

Sunnye and Richard Tuch

Cathy and Len Unger

Halina Wachtel

Sandy Weiner

Diane and Max Weissberg

Susan and Geoff Wharton

Penny and Bob White

Marilyn and Howard Wizenberg

Leah Bishop and Gary Yale

Chai Anonymous

Lynda Barrad

Robert Bird

Jan and Alan Block

Iris and Gordon Cutler

Eileen Dardick

Allison and Michael Druyanoff

Natasha & Jerry Ferris

Simone and Lester Friedman

Donna Garber

Bonnie and Bernie Goler

Andi & Larry Harrow

Sue and Bob Kazdan

Caroline Bloxsom and Samuel Kolstad

Iris Perl-Kornberg and Howard Kornberg

Char and Sandy Kornblum

Eugene Korney

Dennis Lavinthal

Nancy and John Lee

Marcia and Ron Levenson

Samantha and Greg Lombardo

Juliet Markowitz

Jean and Leonard Marks

Julie Mason-Fram

Corinne Auge and Laurent Opman

Nancy and Stephen Paul

Arline and Buddy Pepp

Vicki Reynolds and Murray Pepper

Ondania Pick

Cathy Costin and Mitch Reback

Mary and Robb Rothman

Marcia and Dick Schulman

Diane Vanette and Sander Schwartz

Tamar and Randy Seff

Hope Stevens and Peter Siegel

Edgar Simon

Laurie Goodman and Don Spetner

Susan and Ilan Tamir

Dorothy Schouten and Steve Tator

Karl Thurmond

Holly and Ronald Toplitzky

Flora Trostler

Sheila and Bill Wasserman

Barbara Weinstock

Ruth Weisberg

David Weissberg

Joan and David Wellisch

Elisa Newman White and Andy White

Joan Cohen Wilson and Chuck Wilson

Terri & Richard Wolf