Temple Israel Doorpost - August 2015

August 2015

Av/Elul 5775

From the Rabbi’s Study…

Advances in communication technology have given us almost instantaneous access to information. This reality has been both a blessing and a curse for our children.

They have information at their fingertips. Research that may have taken hours can be conducted instantaneously. Our parents had the ability to share news stories that they deemed age appropriate and relevant. Given the nature and accessibility of media today we do not have the same choices to make.

When tragic events occur, it is more than likely that our children are well aware. Even if their internet access is limited their friends are likely to have access. So often we are faced with helping our children process tragic news. Our own fears and questions can only give us a hint to the fears and questions of our children. In the wake of the tragedies in Charleston SC, Chattanooga TN, and Lafayette LA, I offer the following talking points to assist you in addressing their concerns: 1. Use the details of the event to help address the child's direct concern; · Example: This happened far away. The bad people are not coming here. · Example: The police are looking for the people who did this and will catch them soon. · Example: The man who did this was arrested and cannot hurt anyone again. · Example: The man who did this is no longer alive and cannot hurt anyone again.

2. When something terrible like this happens people everywhere do their best to make sure that it does not happen again. Talk about the security that you have seen at public buildings, airports, etc. and how all those people are there to protect you.

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Bat Mitzvah of Kendall Lamm Saturday, August 8th, 9:30am

Bar Mitzvah of Aidan Berman Saturday, August 15th, 9:30am

Board Meeting Tuesday, August 18th, 7:00pm, Board Room

Shabbat at Strawbery Banke Friday, August 21st, 6:00pm, Shapiro House

Shabbat Club (Grades K-2) Saturday, August 22nd, 10am, Library

Hebrew School Open House for Prospective New Members Wednesday, August 26th, 4-6pm & Sunday August 30th, 4-6pm

Summer, Salads, Songs & Shabbat Friday, August 28th, 5:30pm Dinner & Services

Rabbi Senter’s Office Hours Wednesday 10:00am-5:30pm Thursday

10:00am-3:00pm

Friday

9:00am-1:00pm

Sunday

9:00am-12:00pm

Membership: What Does It Mean? (continued from page 1)

By Fran Berman, President

3. Things are in the news because they are extraordinary. If we break down the word "extraordinary" we see the words "extra" and "ordinary." Things that are on the news are things that don't happen every day. Something like this has never happened in our community and is not likely to happen.

August marks the lead-up to the High Holidays -- and the opportunity to renew your commitment to Temple Israel through your membership. Administrative Director Alissa Holmes has worked hard to prepare dues statements for all of our current members, which you likely have received by now. She is also fielding requests for new member packets from prospective members. We are a strong and growing community! But what does membership really mean?

4. Offer your children the opportunity to pray for those who were injured or killed and their families. This will give them a way to express concern in a constructive manner. It does not need to be eloquent: just simple and from the heart.

I hope that these talking points are helpful. If I can be of assistance please feel free to call upon me.

With Torah Blessings, Rabbi David Ross Senter

Please join us as our daughter

Kendall Lamm is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah Saturday Morning, August 8th, 9:30am Kiddush Luncheon to follow the service Kindly RSVP: seklamm@comcast.net 2

Recently, Rabbi Senter shared some materials with me that included a short essay by Ann Targownik, President of Temple Israel in Staten Island, NY, entitled “How One President Answered the Eternal Question: What Do I Get for My Temple Dues?” She seems to sum it up so well that I wanted to share it with you: What do I get for my dues? Well, for your dues, you get membership -- an opportunity to work and to contribute.

Now, what do members do here? They attend services, or maybe they don’t attend. Maybe they lead services. They send their children to our school, or maybe they don’t have children. Or maybe they sent their children years ago, but they continue to support the school so that the congregation’s next generation of children can continue to go to school. They come to study, or maybe they come to teach.

They come to connect to others, or to their own past. They come as individual Jews or as a family; they don’t always know why they come. Maybe they don’t come at all, but they’re members just the same. Maybe they are members simply because they are Jews…because they know whatever they need or want from their heritage or whatever hope there is for our future as Jews, it will be met with the strength of congregations if they ensure that strength through their membership.

So for your dues, Temple Israel simply supplies membership.

All the rest is up to us, the members.

What more can I say? We welcome your membership and your ideas. We also welcome your talents and your time, but mostly we welcome you as essential members of this Temple Israel community, whatever that means for you today, this month, this year. Welcome!

Bat Mitzvah of Kendall Lamm Saturday, August 8th, Temple Israel Sanctuary My name is Kendall Lamm and I am looking forward to the honor of being called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. When we return to school I will enter the 8th grade at the Cooperative Middle School in Stratham. When not at school, I like to horseback ride, be outdoors, play field hockey and lacrosse, ski and sometimes do agility with our dog Attie. I’ve enjoyed preparing for my Bat Mitzvah and learning even more about Judaism. Judaism has been important to me as it connects me to many generations of my family and has created a circle of friends outside of those I see at school.

When picking a mitzvah project, I wanted to do something that would impact our congregation in a positive way. Thanks to the kind donation of the Mackles family, I was able to obtain an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for Temple Israel. It has been installed in the lobby across from the elevator and is ready to be used. By working with the State of NH Department of Emergency Services, I was able to organize an AED training class, and now, many congregants who attended the training are prepared to use the AED should anyone ever need it. Completing the project has been very rewarding and I know the defibrillator will be in place for years to come.

Bar Mitzvah of Aidan Berman Saturday, August 15th, Temple Israel Sanctuary My name is Aidan Berman and I will be starting 8th grade at Marshwood Middle School this fall. I have played trumpet with the elementary and middle school bands for 5 years, and have been very active in sports. My favorite sport is soccer where I’ve played for travel and school teams; I also continue to enjoy playing for travel and school baseball and basketball teams.

For my Mitzvah project I combined the joy of teaching with the sports I love, and coached younger children in an indoor basketball league and indoor and outdoor soccer programs. I enjoyed my experiences studying with my B’nai Mitzvah class.

I felt that my education allowed me to bond with my classmates.

August 7th August 14th August 21th August 28nd

7:38pm 7:28pm 7:17pm 7:06pm

Tuesday Afternoon 5:30pm Friday Night 7:30pm Saturday Morning 9:30am Followed by Kiddush Luncheon

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Nancy Mae Shaines Library The 2015 conference of the Association of Jewish Libraries was number 50 for the organization, and I was happy to be a part of it! Our sessions included lectures by unique authors and children's illustrators, subject experts from research institutions, and workshops on unique topics.

Dr. Monika Schreiber from the Judaica Library at the University of Vienna spoke on a panel about a special reparations project she is working on. She and her colleagues at the library have been performing autopsies on thousands of books that are suspected to have been looted by the Nazis in World War II, searching for clues to the identity of the rightful owners.

Through this program, they have successfully found many such victims and their descendants, reuniting them with their families' stolen collections.

More to come next month on my adventures at the conference!

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Sara Lesley Arnold, Librarian

Membership

Yizkor Memorial Book of Remembrance.

The membership committee is excited to report the addition of 12 new member families to date to our community. If you are around the building and see someone new, please introduce yourself! The committee has been working on updating our materials including the new member packet and an upcoming new and improved Temple brochure.

Enjoy your summer and hope to see you around the synagogue soon!

L’Shalom, David Olken

Ritual Summer is in full swing and I hope you are having a relaxing moment somewhere catching up with events here at the Temple.

In this year’s dues notice, which you should have just received, is the introductory letter and sign up form for the Yizkor Memorial Book of Remembrance. I hope you will take a moment to review and consider participating. The form is also available through the Temple office and will soon be available on the website. The deadline for receiving replies is August 25th. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments.

Adult Education INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW GRAMMAR AND READING (INCLUDING THE BOOK OF RUTH)

Join us Tuesday nights at 6pm, starting Sept. 29, 2015, here at Temple Israel. In the first two weeks we will review the alef bet, then quickly move to the building blocks of grammar. Please order the text yourself, through Israel Book Store, River Run or Amazon, OR contact the instructor by Sept. 10th to participate in a group purchase.

Text: The First Hebrew Primer, 3rd Edition (EKS, 2005), ISBN 0-939144-15-8. More advanced students may delay entering class.

Pre-registration welcome but not required. Course charge is $20 plus text ($45+/-). Pre-register or inquire through temple office, (603) 436-5301 x10 or templeoffice@templeisraelnh.org. For more info, contact instructor Kathryn Mulhearn at 207351-5654 or isogloss@outlook.com.

One other change for this High Holiday season is the method of distribution of Aliyahs. In keeping with customs in other communities, we will no longer auction off or sell Aliyahs. While the donation of tzedakah continues to be important for the operation of the Temple, the Board and the Ritual Committee are encouraging members to support the Temple by participating in the Yizkor Memorial Book or by making donations to the various Temple endowment funds. We are fortunate to have a dynamic and supportive membership and I hope this change in format of soliciting donations for the Temple will allow more congregants a meaningful and rewarding way to give tzedakah.

Kathryn began studying Hebrew at Temple Israel in 2000, and then started teaching Biblical Hebrew, Prayerbook grammar and Alef Bet in 2007. She says, “I guarantee a collaborative learning experience. Basic grammar simply makes reading Hebrew more fulfilling. It’s fun, intellectually and socially stimulating, and somewhat addictive. With such knowledge comes power. It’s a good practice for aging brains, as the grammar exposes unexpected levels of beauty in the text..

Learn to translate the Torah, so it’s always fresh.”

Change and growth are important for any organism or organization. I hope you will embrace these changes by participating in the creation of the

Join us on Friday night, August 28th at 5:30pm in the Social Hall for salad and songs then join us in the sanctuary at 7:30pm to welcome Shabbat.

Summer, Salads, Songs & Shabbat 5

Hello! Hope you are having a great summer. In Early Learning Center news: the Temple has been running a wonderful camp for preschoolers this summer and just in time - brand new playground equipment has been installed for their outside play at our Temple. Perhaps this a good time to ask you to please help out with the current ELC fundraiser as you can. More details online and forthcoming.

A reminder that at Temple this summer is the Shabbat Club, with loads of Torah stories, skits, games, and music for K-2 students. The next iteration of this event will be August 22nd. Contact Noa (nobourke@gmail.com) to RSVP and for more information. Your kids will not want to miss this.

How's your child's Hebrew coming along this summer?

In August, we will offer Hebrew Review sessions for kids going into grades 4-7 with our teachers. Please RSVP to Noa or the Temple office to schedule a session or two to give your kids a boost on their Hebrew over the summer.

Do your kids have some creativity that we can put to good use? Students are invited in over the summer to make banners and other art projects for Rosh Hashanah decorations with Noa. 7th and 8th grade students are also making small honey jars to sell as a fundraiser to pay for their Spring trip to Philadelphia. Look for these at the shul in the coming weeks.

Hard to believe it is time to mention this as the summer is flying by so quickly, but school starts on Sept 13th. The calendar will be sent in a digital format in August so stay tuned for updates.

Finally, I want to offer my sincere thanks to Noa, Laura, and Elian for their special efforts in keeping the Temple school events running over the summer months. Along with that, my thanks as well to our Education Committee for continuing to meet to discuss curriculum, policies, and events as we get ready for another great year at Hebrew School.

Warm regards, Sam, VP Education samuelberg@gmail.com

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Shabbat Club 8/22, 9/26 at 10am.

For incoming K-2! Meets in the library.

Shabbat stories, songs & fun. Contact Noa to RSVP & discuss snack restrictions/concerns.

Free Jewish Children’s Books to Seacoast Families!

We are pleased to announce that our community is now enrolled with the PJ Library!

PJ Library is a program that will mail free, high-quality Jewish children's literature and music to families of children six months through 8 years old across the Seacoast on a monthly basis.

The free books are a gift to Jewish children in the Southern NH area from the Greater Seacoast Jewish Federation. The program was created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in Massachusetts in 2005 and now works in partnership with more than 185 Jewish communities in the US & Canada, sending over 110,000 books each month.

“PJ” stands for pajamas and the goal of the program is to turn snuggly bedtime moments into Jewish moments. Some books are about holidays or Jewish folktales.

Others are about Israel or Jewish values like tzedakah (charity), repairing the world (tikkum olam) or taking care of the environment. To sign up your child or grandchild, contact Noa Bourke or find our community at www.pjlibrary.org.

Two weeks of action-packed and joyful Summer Camp have just come to end for our thirteen participating preschoolers!

Our theme for the first week was Summertime Fun, and that’s exactly what we had! We made freshly squeezed lemonade, mixed an amazing bubble formula for blowing giant bubbles, created glass tiled stepping stones, and fashioned paper bag kites. We flew “birds of prey” kites near the shores of the Piscataqua River and ran through the flower gardens of Prescott Park identifying six different perennials for our nature scavenger hunt. During our second week of camp, Laura Sher themed Let’s go Camping, we pitched a huge tent, built a Director, ELC “fireless” campfire, “roasted” marshmallows, and made the best ever s’mores! We visited the Shapiro House, and of course, Mrs. Shapiro (our friend Elissa Senter), and the Victorian Children’s Garden at Strawbery Banke. We were even lucky enough to see the arrival of the Spanish tall ship, El Galeón Andalucía. We also enjoyed experimenting with watercolors, playing games, singing songs, reading stories, and swinging from the monkey bars on our new playground structure, as we laughed our days away! Wow! I’m exhausted just thinking about all that we did! Wishing you a healthy and happy rest of your summer! L’Shalom, Laura

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Shalom Everyone! I hope you are enjoying the beautiful summer weather! Another six weeks to go until Hebrew School starts, and our first Youth Group event is scheduled for Sunday, September 27th. I’m planning a new, super fun one! Hmm, what could it be?

Do you have a child in the 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th grade?

Do they like to have fun with their friends?

Do you want to super enhance their Hebrew School experience?

Then grab your calendars and SAVE THESE DATES: Sun, September 27th 12-2pm Sun, October 18th 12-2pm th Sun, November 15 12-2pm Sat, December 12th 6-8pm (Youth Group Hanukkah Party) Sun, January 10th 12-2pm th Sun, February 7 12-2pm th Sun, March 20 Purim Carnival (March 17 and 18 Set up days) Sun, April 10th 12-2pm th Sun, May 15 12-2pm Youth Group Registration/Release forms will be going out soon, and an e-mail flier will go out each month with event details. Please remember to return the registration/ release form before the first event, and RSVP to events by the deadlines, so I can arrange for chaperones, food, discount admissions, etc. in a timely fashion.

We want every child in our congregation to be able to experience Youth Group regardless of economic circumstances, so this year we decided that no event should cost more than twelve dollars. We will make up the difference by drawing upon the Youth Fund.

How lovely it would be if parents and grandparents who can afford to do so, would consider donating to the Youth Fund, to ensure that our children feel connected and want to continue to be part of our Temple Israel community, long after they become Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

Please feel free to call or email me with any ideas, suggestions or questions at EGT9@aol.com or 8 603-969-2984. L’Shalom, Elian Tackeff

INSTITUTIONAL OPERATING ENDOWMENT Howard Levingston in memory of his father Tomy Morris Levingston, David Forman in memory of Alice, Elaine & Shel Krasker in memory of her father Albert Sados and her aunt Fannie Gerber, Nancy Alexander in memory of her father Leo Sussman, Helen Steele & Holly Lashar in honor of Marlene & Alan Rubin’s 50th Anniversary KIDDUSH FUND Bernyce Goodman in memory of her father Louie Pearlman and father-in-law Max Goodman, Richard David Grossman in memory of his father Maurry Bernard Grossman, Myrna & Howard Promer in memory of Barbara Tober HEBREW SCHOOL DONATION FUND Izzy Bratter in memory of his wife Libby Bratter, Haskell Bernat in memory of his mother Gertrude Bernat DINNERMAN ROTTENBERG ENDOWMENT FUND Peter & Jennie Dinnerman in memory of his father Maurice Dinnerman, Stephen Paul in memory of his father Irving Paul

LIBRARY FUND Carol Moroze & Marcelle Moroze Yeager in memory of husband and father Brian Moroze RABBI’S FUND Bernyce Goodman in memory of her mother Annie Pearlman and grandmother Rose Cutler, Alissa Gold in memory of her mother Ethel Rose Gold, Fran & Sig Westerman in memory of their daughter Sally Westerman Jacoby, Sandy & Helaine Roberts in honor of Tyler Holmes’ Bar Mitzvah, Karl Singer in memory of his father David Singer CULTURAL ENDOWMENT FUND Shirley & Elliott Fishbein in honor of Shel Krasker on his birthday PRESCHOOL DONATION FUND Robert Schwartz in support of the new Early Learning Center Playground, Naomi & Arnold Fishbein in honor of Shel Krasker on his special birthday, Naomi & Arnold Fishbein in memory of Barbara Tober

One of our third graders is trying to get a service dog and needs some financial help!

Madeline (a member of the Temple Israel family and a student in Temple Israel Religious School) is seeking a service dog to help her with anxiety, making friends, and dealing with meltdowns related to her autism. A great organization, Gilford's Goldens, breeds and trains golden retriever service dogs for kids with autism.

The puppy would come to her at 4 months old, and then for one year she would do training sessions with the organization and volunteer her time throughout the dog's life to help other people and be an advocate for people with disabilities. It would be a wonderful way to get Madeline out in the community and to help her help other people. All with the amazing added benefit of a dog by her side.

If you've had the pleasure of seeing Madeline interact with animals, you know how much this will help her, how happy it makes her to be around them and what a calming influence they have -- especially dogs!

Any help is certainly welcome and appreciated! Madeline needs $1650 to purchase the puppy and then another $2500 toward the training fee to get started. The full training fee is $5000 -- half is due when she gets the puppy, and the remainder is due monthly.

A GoFundMe account (http://www.gofundme.com/ybzsgs) has been set up for Madeline, and groups at her school and community are contributing. Thank you for your help!

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August Yahrzeits: 1 Charles Katz, Zelda Wagman Harrison 2 Sylvia Collier, Arthur Saklad

18 Ada Rammer, Moses Silfen, Charles Gouse, Max Fluster

3 David Jaffe, Miriam Fox

19 Baby Alkon, Annie Freedman, Samuel Gerstein, Frank Moroze

4 Rose Cohen

20 Celia Goldman, Milton Klaiman

6 Henry Gerber

21 Helen Miller

7 Lillian Rubin, Zena Lang, Jeanette Rosenfield

22 Eleanor Goodman Sorrell

8 Sam Wiseman, Earle Fox, Dorothy Bailey

23 Bette Weissman, Abraham Isaac Feldman

9 Isaac Blankenberg

24 Joseph Feitelson, Bertha Levenson, Fannie Salloway, Herbert Kahan, Fanya Mason

10 Leonard Rosenson

26 Bernard Winebaum

11 Perry Sussman, Monroe Albert

27 Rebecca Borwick, Louis Mackles, Burton Sacks, Frances Spaien

12 Abram Kushious, Eli Diament, Max Goodman 13 Lewis Levine

28 Ephraim Green, Ernest Salloway, Clara Shamesman

14 Simon Shapiro

29 Rose Levine

15 Kenneth L. Downs, Ethel Feldman

30 Belle Silfen, Sophie Sados, Margaret Thompson, Irene Morin

16 Beatrice Gelman 17 Cecelia Finkelstein, Ida Belostock, Estelle Ross

Cemetery Benches Due to an increased number of requests, the Cemetery Committee is seeking donations to purchase and install two (2) granite benches adjacent to the bench presently located in the front section of the cemetery. The cost is $750/bench. Engraving is extra. Please send your donation to: Cemetery Bench, Temple Israel, 200 State Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801.

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Av 16 / Elul 16

31 Hyman Krasker, William Krasker, Lolly Silverman, Sadie Gouse

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Temple Israel Portsmouth Board of Directors Fran Berman, President Barney Share, Immediate Past President David Olken, VP Ritual Robert Bradbard, VP House Sam Berg, VP Education Mel Prostkoff, Recording Secretary Matthew Herman, Financial Secretary Howard Rubin, Treasurer Sue Goldin, Director Amy Hyett, Director Stephanie Ilberg-Lamm, Director Alan Lincoln, Director Ira Schwartz, Director Jennifer Sebeny, Director

Friday

8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Wednesday 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday

8:30 am - 2:00 pm

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS 200 State Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-436-5301

Temple Israel