January 20189
Tevet / Shevat 5779
From the Rabbi’s Study… Dear Chaverim,
Temple Office Closed Tuesday, January 1
There are certain traits of every human being that are inherited and there are other traits that are learned. The color of your hair, whether you are bald, whether you are nearsighted or farsighted, your sexual orientation and being prone to some diseases are all genetic; to a great extent, our genes often pave the way to the kind of life we will have and much of that is beyond our control. There are, however, ways to influence some of these traits. For example, you can dye your hair a different color, you can have a hair transplant, you can have lasik eye surgery to give you 20/20 vision and you can decide what to eat and what not to eat to help steer you away from certain diseases. There are other characteristics which are solely based upon human choice. The level of your religious identity is one such choice. You don’t have a choice of who your parents will be (some of you may wish you had that choice!) and therefore you didn’t have the choice in what religion you were Continued on page 2
Shlicha Noam visits Hebrew School 9:00 a.m. Sunday, January 6, Social Hall Israeli Dance Club 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 6, Social Hall Executive Committee Meeting 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 10, Virtual Meeting Development Committee Meeting 4:30 p.m. Sunday, January 13, Library Board of Directors Meeting 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 15, Board Room Basic Judaism Class with Rabbi Ira 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 16, Board Room Tu B’Shevat Observance 6:15 p.m. Friday, January 18, Sanctuary Widow / Widower Social Group Meeting 1:00 p.m. Sunday, January 27, Social Hall Sisterhood Meeting 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 27, Shmoozatorium
Basic Judaism Class with Rabbi Ira 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 30, Board Room
Save the Date! Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
From Bimah to Broadway Benefit Concert With Cantors Micah Morgovsky and Shira Nafshi Please join us in the sanctuary for an evening of inspiration and joy encompassing both Jewish tradition and modern life. Also: volunteer help needed! Please contact the office.
brought up. However, what you do with that identity is completely your choice. If you were brought up Jewish, you have the choice of continuing to live a Jewish life or abandoning your religious roots. You have a choice of teaching your children the importance of Jewish values that will guide them in their lives. However, there is a difference between teaching your children and being a role model for them. How can you expect your children to live a certain lifestyle if you yourself do not live that way? I once read about the lives of salmon. It is nothing less than awesome to watch how the salmon battle the current and swim upstream to get to their spawning place. When they enter a cascade, they jump high to get to the next level. If they fail to negotiate the leap, they swim around a bit to renew their energy and then try again, doing so repeatedly until they succeed. The salmon’s behavior is dictated by instinct. They “know” where they must go and they make certain that they get there, even though they have to swim against a strong current and leap over several cascades. There is no stopping them and they do not surrender in the face of the obstacles in their way. As humans, we operate primarily not by instinct, but rather by intellect. Our knowledge guides us in making the choices that we make in life and we are endowed with free choice to be able to make those decisions. Our society provides many obstacles to making Judaism come alive in our lives. There are Friday
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evening school dances, Saturday morning soccer leagues, “Saturday only” sales in the department stores, to mention but a few. But, making Judaism a focal point in our lives is much easier than leaping high over cascades of water. Making it a priority to attend Shabbat evening or morning services twice a month or more, attending an adult education program or the upcoming film series not only will help you to navigate the rivers of life better, the dividends that are paid out by making such decisions are priceless! L’shalom, Rabbi Ira Korinow
January & February 2019 Schedule for Basic Judaism Class January 16
“Tu B’Shevat: It’s More Than Just Planting Trees in Israel”
January 30
“Understanding Israel and the Conflict in the Middle East
February 13
“Journey to Judaism: An Exodus of the Heart” with Rabbi John Borak Rabbi Borak will share his personal story of how a boy born to a secular Christian family found his way to Judaism and the bimah. February 27
“Purim: It’s Not for Kids Only”
Basic Judaism meets at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room on the second floor, is free, and is open to everyone in the community.
Dear Fellow Congregants, We are fortunate as a community to have many opportunities to gather together, to share smachot, to participate in cultural activities, and to showcase our beautiful building to the broader public. As recent events have made clear, however, we also now need to pay even closer attention to the question of security and how we plan for events. Joanne Samuels, our Vice President for House, and Heather Tomlinson, our amazing Administrative Director, have developed checklists that everyone organizing an event at Temple Israel must follow. These checklists cover everything from seating arrangements and the use of the kosher kitchen, to rules about when and how the broader public outside of the Temple membership can be invited to events.
The final type of event is one that is open and advertised to the general public outside of the Temple Israel community. Events of this type also must be scheduled through the office. Because they are publicized and bring considerable numbers of non-Temple members into the building, there are restrictions on when they can be held, and additional security procedures that come into play. Both the office and the house committee look forward to working with you as you plan events that enhance the lives of the members of our community. If you are interested in getting involved with the security committee, please contact Joanne Samuels directly. David Bachrach
There are three types of events at Temple Israel. The first consists of those that are focused on Temple members, who already have fobs to enter the building. These include both regularly scheduled activities such as classes and committee meetings, as well as those to which the entire Temple Israel community is invited, including the Spring Fling, the Hebrew School Kabbalat Shabbat, the community Passover seder, and the new member dinner. All of these events will continue to be scheduled through the Temple office. For the nonroutine events, the organizers will need to obtain and follow an event checklist. The second group of activities includes those to which non-members also are invited, such as life cycle events and regular services. These must also be scheduled through the Temple office and the organizers will have to obtain and follow a slightly different checklist.
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Shalom everyone! Happy 2019! December, which coincides with the Jewish months of Kislev and Tevet, was a busy month for the Hebrew School. Here are some of the highlights of the month: Limmud Conference in Newton, Mass: The teachers’ turn to learn! Some of the workshops faculty attended were Whose Hanukkah Is It? with Rabbi Allan Lehmann, From Sinai to Boston: What a Long Strange Trip We Are On, Teaching (middle schoolers) the Continuum of Jewish Peoplehood with Joe Wolke, Conflict Resolution in Synagogues with Mitch Gordon, and Modern Hebrew in a Supplementary Setting with Lori Kipnes and Ilana Snapstailer. It was definitely worth the long miserable drive in pouring rain! Jewish Cooking with Laura Sher: The sixth and seventh graders made sufganiyot for Hanukkah and everyone who attended the candle lighting in the Schmooze on the fourth night got to sample those warm, sugar-coated, delicious donuts! Thank you, Laura! The kindergarteners and first graders made sufganiyot on Sunday, December 9. On December 12, the lucky fifth graders made rugelach (photo above). Yum! Breakfast with the Rabbi: The second and seventh graders had breakfast with Rabbi Ira in their classrooms. Kindergarten and first grade will be
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hosting the rabbi in January and I’m sure they will also have many interesting questions for him. Sefer B’Sakeet (Library): Kindergarten, first, and second graders visited the library and read books with the lovely Margie Fisher! Music with Morah Neshama a.k.a. Elissa Kaplan Senter: All the children got to sing Hanukkah songs and more! B’nei Mitzvah Informational Meeting for 6th and 7th grade parents: Parents received and reviewed the revised 2018-2019 Bnei Mitzvah handbook. We hope the handbook and our availability to answer questions will make their children’s journey to becoming a bar / bat mitzvah a less stressful and more meaningful experience for all involved. Community Hanukkah Party: On December 9, the seventh day of Hanukkah, the Hebrew School children were joined by their families and many congregants young and old as we lit hanukkiot, sang Hanukkah songs, and of course, feasted on the delicious, crispy latkes fried that morning by members of the Brotherhood. Dreidels were spun, chocolate gelt was devoured, and a good time was had by all. We are looking forward to welcoming our wonderful Israeli shlicha after our ten-day winter break. Noam Wolf will join us on Sunday, January 6. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2019. L’shalom, Elian Tackeff, Head of School
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Mazel tov to Rachel and James Burdin of Dover, on the birth of their daughter, December 10, 2018. She will be named at her simchat bat on January 1.
Welcome re-joining members: Michael Blackman and Molly Samson of Dover.
Condolences to Gayle Blumenberg and her family on the loss of her husband, Robert Blumenberg.
Condolences to Bernice Richman on the loss of her sister, Shirley E. Richman.
Tuesday afternoon 5:30 p.m. Friday night 6:15 p.m. Saturday morning 9:30 a.m. followed by kiddush and lunch Israeli Dance Club forming! Please join us in the social hall on Sunday, January 6, at 4:00 p.m. All are welcome to come and learn.
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Ritual Committee Prayer, holiday observance, and community events are all central to the daily activities here at Temple Israel. One thing they often have in common is eating lots of good food. In order to foster community spirit and offer programs that are accessible and affordable to all in our congregation, the board has approved changes to the Kashrut policy that will allow for pot luck meals at specified temple events. B’nei mitzvah and wedding celebrations held at the temple must still use an approved kosher caterer. There can be no food served at these events which is prepared off-site by individuals or by a nonapproved kosher caterer.
New Potluck Rules Dairy or pareve vegetarian food prepared in a private home may be served as a potluck dinner at temple functions approved by either the rabbi or the ritual committee acting as the kashrut committee.
In order to preserve the kashrut (kosher status) of the temple kitchen, the kitchen will be closed during potluck events. There will be no opportunity to heat or refrigerate the food in the kitchen and it will not be possible to wash containers or utensils brought from home in the kitchen. Additionally, • All food for potlucks will be on a carry in- carry out basis. • All foods brought to the event must be dairy or pareve vegetarian. Pareve (neutral) refers to foods that are neither meat nor dairy. This includes anything that grows from the ground, eggs, and fish which have fins and scales. •
No shellfish is allowed.
• No meat (including poultry or kosher meats) or meat products (such as chicken broth) are allowed in and of themselves or as ingredients in what as a
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finished product appears to be dairy or pareve. Lard contains meat products and is therefore not acceptable. • All containers and serving utensils must be brought in to the potluck event. They do not have to be kosher. • There will be no kitchen access for serving utensils or flatware. • Bagged trash must be taken directly to the outside bins after the event. The Kashrut Guidelines for Potlucks will be posted in the kitchen and Shmoozatorium. If you have questions or comments, please feel to contact Rabbi Korinow or me. Breaking bread at community events is a wonderful way to build bonds that bring us together to celebrate, pray and enjoy each other’s company. I’m looking forward to sampling many home-made dishes at future potlucks. B’tayavon! L’shalom, David Olken
Shabbat Service Leaders Friday, January 4 Cantor Shira Nafshi Kabbalat Shabbat Musical Service Saturday, January 5 Cantor Shira Nafshi Friday, January 11 Saturday, January 12
Lay Leaders Cantor Shira Nafshi
Friday, January 18 Rabbi Ira Korinow Service will include readings from the writings of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., followed by a special Tu’BShevat Oneg Saturday, January 19 Rabbi Ira Korinow Followed by “Lunch and Learn” Torah study Friday, January 25 Saturday, January 26
Rabbi Ira Korinow Rabbi Ira Korinow 6th Grade Class Service Followed by “Lunch and Learn” Torah study
December highlights from the Early Learning Center: I hope everyone’s Hanukkah was beautiful and miraculous! The children learned about the story of the Maccabees’ victory over King Antiochus and his army. Tammy Labonté We marched to a song by Paul Director, ELC Zim, learned how to play dreidel, and moved our bodies in yoga poses to help us be strong, brave, kind, friendly, and wise. Every morning we lit a candle and said the candle blessings at our Hanukkiah in the hallway outside the Early Learning Center. Ms. Laura Sher came in and made sufganiyot with us. We helped peel apples for
homemade applesauce, and on our Family Celebration day, the children helped shred potatoes to make our yummy latkes. Cooking teaches us so much about measuring, following directions, and science. The children welcomed their families to a lovely Hanukkah celebration. We took advantage of the mild weather to climb on the playground structure, walk to the Portsmouth Public Library for story time, and enjoy our visit at the Wentworth Home with our Grand Pals. Shalom, Tammy & Elian
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Prayerbook Hebrew Class
We’re Invited… to a Gathering of Torahs
Begins January 22, 2019 on Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019, from 6:00 - 9:30 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El in New York City
Want to understand and take greater pleasure in the Hebrew words you use at services? Or understand your aliyah or your child’s haftarah portion? Come and learn easy grammar and vocabulary for a deeper appreciation of the songs and prayers -- the Sh’ma, the V’ahavta, Adon Olam, Ein Keloheinu, the Amidah and more. Basic knowledge of the alef bet is required, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Classes begin January 22 and continue on Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m. in the Nancy Mae Shaines Library. Jennifer Beard and Kathryn Mulhearn are teaming up to lead this course. Tuition: $18.00. Text: $30.00 Prayerbook Hebrew – The Easy Way (EKS). Most helpful to preregister by January 7 through the office templeoffice@templeisraelnh.org to secure text for first class. Contact instructors for more information and encouragement – Jennifer at 607-237-5398 or Kathryn at 207-351-5654. Security Fund Takes Off With Generous Gifts The Temple Israel community has responded generously to our initial request for help in funding expanded security steps this fall. The names of these initial donors are listed with other donations in this issue. Thank you to all who contributed!
The new Security Fund will help pay for remote monitoring systems at our exterior doors, doorbells at the State Street doors, security staffing for key public events, modernizing the fob (keyless entry) management and alarm systems, and security training sessions for volunteers and congregants. It’s not too late -- if you wish to help with these (or other) needs, you can donate online at www.templeisraelnh.org (indicate the name of the fund in the web form) or by check made out to Temple Israel, delivered to the temple office.
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To highlight the Bernard Museum’s Spring 2019 exhibition: “The Guiding Hand – Torah Pointers Past and Present,” the Memorial Scrolls Trust and Temple Emanu-El are hosting the first-ever gathering of MST Scrolls in New York City. Temple Israel congregants have been invited to attend, along with our Czech Memorial Scroll #486. The Procession of MST Scrolls will take place in Temple Emanu-El’s Sanctuary. Afterwards, all the MST Scrolls will be on display in the Bernard Museum or in the Social Hall, including an information card about the history of each Torah and its current host congregation. Seventy-five MST Scrolls are expected to participate, from within the NY Metro area and beyond. Over 1500 people are expected to attend this unique and inspiring celebration of Torahs saved from the Holocaust. Although the event is free, all attendees must register for security purposes at: http:// emanuelstreickernyc.org/events/the-guiding-hand/ For more information including hotel discounts, parking arrangements, etc., please contact TIP delegation leader Mel Prostkoff via email at mprostkoff1@gmail.com or 603-781-6903.
CEMETERY FUND Suzanne Sherman. CULTURAL ENDOWMENT FUND Donna Tobey. Jeannette Goodman in memory of her father. Barbara Levenson in memory of her uncle, L. Allen Levenson, her mother, Shura Levenson, her grandfather, Jacob Simon, and her grandmother, Sophie Simon Sandler. Shirley & Elliott Fishbein in memory of Donny Pearl. HEBREW SCHOOL FUND Barry & Claire Siegel in memory of Barry’s brother, Howard Siegel. Laura & Michael Rubin in memory of Michael’s grandfather, Jerome Sorkin. INSTITUTIONAL OPERATING ENDOWMENT FUND Bernice & Jordan Loftus in honor of Al Rubin’s 80th Birthday. “Mazel tov & a long and joyful life!” David Cline in memory of Daniel D. Cline. Susan Tober in memory of Lee Fruman. Gloria Moldoff in memory of her grandmother, Fannie Woolfson. Bob & Marge Goldberg in memory of Anne Emily Caplin’s father, Alvin Caplin. Elaine Lampert in memory of her parents, Brina & Morton Lampert. Donations received in loving memory of Audrey Bierhans from: Priscilla & Paul Davis, Ed & Kathy Mullen, Maria M. Waters, Thomas P. Reilly, Jerry & Jaime Holtzman. LIBRARY FUND The Ruben family in memory of Michael’s father, Maurice R. Ruben.
father, Arthur Leblanc. Arnold Fishbein in memory of his mother, Lena Fishbein. Nona Lane in memory of Roberta Baer. RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Michael Klarov. The Siegel family in memory of Myrna Siegel, Howard Siegel, and Arthur Pooler. MJ, Larry, and Cindy Shoer in appreciation for the rabbi’s services at the funeral of their mother, Sylvia Shoer. RABBI DAVID SENTER MEMORIAL FUND Peter & Jennie Dinnerman. SECURITY FUND Ira & Jennifer Schwartz, the Young / Talis family, Andrew & Nance Joffe, Evelyn Dickson, Richard LeSavoy & Jane Liemer LeSavoy, Sally Cohen & Rick Robbins, Stacy Whittier, Rachel Dennis, Richard Silverman, Lisa Hirschkop, Peter & Jennie Dinnerman, Amy & Brian Hyett, David Cline in memory of Vernon H. Byus, Jr., Michael & Susan Golden, Beth & David Salzman, Margie Wachtel, Phyllis Heilbronner, Arthur & Mary Anker, Shel & Elaine Krasker, Robin & Tom Powley, Norma & Marvin Lesser, Fran Berman. TZEDAKAH FUND Melvin & Nancy Alexander in memory of Mel’s mother. Marjorie Cypres in memory of her mother, Lillian Lorde. Unity of the Seacoast, “Dear Siblings in Faith, please know that there are strangers who love you, respect your faith, and wish you the highest good.”
MUSICAL SHABBAT FUND Sharen Eidelberg Spratt, “in honor and memory of Rabbi David Rafael Senter, who sang from the heart and soul and inspired our musical Shabbat programs.” PRESCHOOL FUND Al & Adina Linden in memory of Al’s mother, Bella Linden. Claudia Leblanc in memory of her
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January Yahrzeits 1. Fannie Woolfson, Libby Ginsberg, Pauline Cohen, Louis Stocklan, Leo Brill 2. Mary Halprin Levey, Ida Shapiro, Ruth Sussman, Garrett Aviles, Beatrice Saltman Dulberg, Ruth Talisman 3. George Hooz, Betty Prietz, Jack Lasky, BettyRose Leader, Rose Silverman Cohen, Rabbi Sidney Rothstein 4. Burton Kreisworth, Rachel Promer, Frieda Beubis, John McGowan, Jeannette Marks 5. Jacob Cohen, Benjamin Abramson, Samuel Greenfield, Dora Segal, Rose Chaikin 6. Lena Fluster, Rosalea Elowitz Cohn, Harold J. Potter 7. Albert Levy, Arthur Black, Harold Fisher, Melvin Gordon, Arthur Obermayer 8. Alex Paul, Mollie Krasker, Lillian Rosenwald, Morris Kram, Nathan Allen 9. Samuel Hooz, Julian Meltzer, William Chernin, Mary C. Feltes 10. Rose Fisher 11. Leon S. Fein, Samuel Vetstein, Sarah Kornhauser 12. Benjamin Goldberg, Golda Singer, Eli Coles, Ann Hanan, Steven Goodstein 13. Sarah Shapiro, Shirley Persin, Marjorie Alberts 14. Ida Oshry, Chayim Meyrowitz, Irving Pastor 15. Harry Abelson, Robert Taylor, Lena Stone, Beatrice Shore, Marian Frankel 16. Harry Cohen, Esther Hooz, Benjamin Kisner, Rebecca Thorner, Jason Smith
24 Tevet / 25 Shevat 17. Richard S. Levy, Ida Zeidman, Mildred Katz, Hyman Miller 18. J.Z. Shafran, Shura Levenson 19. Fannie Greenberg, Jacob London, Isadore Stack, Lawrence H. Adelman, Alfred Anderson 20. David Bauer, Donald Leo Lebowitz, Nathan Roffman, Harry Goodstein, Isaac C. Kates 21. Jacob Simon, Anne Singer, Ronald Gross, Gertrude Baer 22. Charles Handleman, Fannie Landon, Harry Riback, Louis White, Jane Wise, Jacob Rosenberg, Ann Isacoff 23. J.L. Cohen, Joseph Pasternak, Max Becker, Sue Ann Lieberman 24. Michelle Robbins, Joseph Steinberg, Daniel M. Berman, Mary Blum, Estelle Israel, Marian Ruth Frankel, Gertrude Berenson 25. Gilda Koeppel, Nathan Klaiman, Vivian Lafargue, Thomas Weinbaum 26. Rebecca Schwartz, Harry Gelman, Nardia Kay, Isaac Goodman, Frances Levitt, Frances Davis, Elizabeth Schoonmaker 27. Jennie Cohen, Beatrice Downs, Ruth Shaines 28. Jewell Schiffman, Sam Rottenberg, Israel Trubowitz 29. Esther Cohen, Dorothy Katz, Jacob N. Paisner 30. Mary Weiss, Irving Bratter 31. Saul Lepoff, Kate Shaines, Lewis J. Fisher, Laura Ossoff, Abraham Levine
When you are observing a family member’s yahrzeit, you are welcome to say kaddish at Shabbat services Friday night or Saturday morning, at Tuesday minyan (5:30 p.m.), and when Hebrew School is in session, on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. or Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
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Shalom Everyone! Happy 2019! Youth Group may have started a bit late this year, but we sure know how to start things up with a bang! Our first event was the Youth Group Hanukkah Party on Saturday evening, December 8. A record 21 children (grades four through seven) filled the Shmooze for a night of laughter and friendly competition. The evening started with Havdalah, followed by the Hanukkiah lighting. Next was a very lively Yankee gift swap, where the movie theater-sized collection of candy caused the happiest outbursts ever! We continued with some latkes and pizza, then proceeded to spin the dreidels until Ben Miller was finally declared the winner of the tournament. Stella Pillet-Shore was the gracious runner-up. There were prizes for all! The evening ended with ice cream sundaes as the parents started to arrive from their date nights. Many thanks to the parents and children for the eleven full bags of canned goods that Crossroad Family Shelter gratefully accepted the next day. It’s so nice to mix fun and mitzvah at our youth group events.
Rav todot (big giant thanks) to Marjorie Raven, Jonathan Young, Tim Sands, and Lori Leonard who helped out with the food, the games, and clean-up. Couldn’t have done it without you!
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or suggestions at 603-969-2984 or egt9@aol.com Wishing you a happy and healthy 2019, L’shalom, Elian Tackeff, your friendly youth person
Temple Israel Portsmouth Board of Directors David Bachrach, President Fran Berman, Immediate Past President Amy Hyett, President-elect David Olken, VP Ritual Joanne Samuels, VP House Seth Wizwer, VP Education Beth Salzman, Recording Secretary Jennifer Sebeny, Financial Secretary Amy Borne, Treasurer Robert Bradbard, Director Tobey Harman, Director Marc Hiller, Director Mel Prostkoff, Director Steve Sacks, Director Ira Schwartz, Director Margie Wachtel, Director
Proud member of USCJ Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. OFFICE HOURS 200 State Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-436-5301
Temple Israel