Congregation Beth El Fall 2015 Vol. 5
Gratitude
Embracing Life’s Blessings in the New Year by Rabbi Susan Freeman
613 Shades of Obey Spreading Love and Kindness Persian Rosh Hashanah And More
Contents
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613 Shades of Obey, 3 On Gratitude, 4 Teen Spotlight: Teens Read Torah on the High Holy Days, 6 Feature Story: Gratitude and Embracing Life’s Blessings, 8
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A Taste of Beth El: A Persian Rosh Hashanah, 10 Calendar, 12 Member Spotlight: Pam Amundson, 15 Ask Doreen, 16
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Legacy Spotlight: Phil Shapiro, 17 Donations, 18 B’nei Mitzvah, 20 Life@Beth El, 22
We have much to be grateful for. At Congregation Beth El, we have two Rabbis who bring compassion, spirituality, and intellectual curiosity consistently and passionately. We have a staff excited to find ways to engage the Congregation and to connect Jews to Judaism and to each other. We have a leadership unafraid to work hard and tackle the difficult issues that come with running a mid-sized nonprofit that is also our spiritual home. And we have congregants who pray together, deliver meals to those who need them, defend Israel, comfort our own, care for the homeless, and share in celebration. This issue of Zmanim is dedicated to gratitude. As we take stock of the previous year, let us remember and be grateful for all the goodness that we can bring into the new year. Together we are making Judaism relevant, meaningful, comforting, and fun. And for that I am grateful. Welcome back to Shul. I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year. Judith Persky, Executive Director Mission Statement Congregation Beth El is a Conservative synagogue whose mission is to create a home for every soul by offering a variety of Jewish experiences to nourish the mind, heart, and spirit, while being a caring Jewish community.
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ADMINISTRATION Philip Graubart, Senior Rabbi Avi Libman, Rabbi & Education Director Judith Persky, Executive Director Jessie Blank-Birnbaum, Associate Director of Education Jason Lobenstein, Youth Director Doreen Prager, Director of Community Engagement Elana Kobernick, Chai Prog. Coordinator Dvora Vinick, Community & Israel Affairs Coordinator Maria Alvarez, Executive Assistant Eva Blank, Rabbinical Assistant / Simcha Coordinator Yochanan Winston, Musical Director Cheri Weiss, Cantorial Intern Tina Marchiano, Accounting Operations Assistant Antonio Carmona, Facilities Supervisor Daniel Garcia, Facilities BOARD OFFICERS Laurie Greenberg, President Dan Kaplan, Vice President Mike Dolinka, Secretary Jeannie Posner, Treasurer Sonia Israel, Immediate Past President BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pam Amundson, Raquel Benguiat, Bernardo Bicas, Hollie Bierman, Cliff Boro, Nancy Dosick, Sam Jacobs, Rick Nerad, Rebecca O’Neill, Stacy Rosenberg, Sarah Schatz, Larry Sherman, Edna Wallace, and Michael Weiner. BETH EL ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION BOARD Lawrence Sherman, President Jeffrey Elden, Vice President Alan Viterbi, Vice President Marjory Kaplan, CFO Richard Gabriel, Director Rodney Stone, Director Laurie Greenberg, Beth El President COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Janet Clancy, Chair Karen Bohrer Judith Persky Aliza Shalit ART DIRECTION / DESIGN / PRODUCTION Aliza Shalit COPY EDITOR Karen Bohrer COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Breskin
{ Synagogue }
613 Shades of Obey: The Joy of Doing What I’m Told
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y God, that is. Okay, by society too. I am grateful for guidance, for order, for having a path to follow. Yes, I can occasionally be creative, and I always schedule some time for spontaneity. This year I was surprised to note that whenever I do what’s “right,” what’s expected of me, what I “should” do, I end up feeling not only relieved, but fulfilled. In my personal life this means: Grocery shopping, and occasionally cooking Exercising Stopping at a yellow light Writing thank-you notes Remembering birthdays Intentional parenting Prioritizing relationships Supporting J*Company Youth Theatre At work this means: taking the very best care of my patients that I can, being invested in their health and well-being, understanding their goals, giving them choices, empowering them, keeping up with developments in my field, and supporting my colleagues. However, the personal reward of doing what I should has been especially apparent to me at Beth El. I am supposed to attend Shabbat services Friday and Saturday, and I have added a self-imposed expectation to attend Sunday Minyan whenever possible. I am expected to attend Beth El programming, so I attend lectures, Spring Fling, Shabbat shmoozes, and more. I love Services. I love the spirituality. I love learning. I love our congregants, seeing familiar and new faces, making connections, helping ensure a minyan. But would I go this often if it wasn’t expected of me? Probably not. I would have dozens of other things to do. So I am glad for the expectation.
And Tzedakah. I am expected to give, and not just to give, but to give with a generous spirit and in a way that stretches me. I am expected to give a little more than I did last year and to make long-standing commitments to the organizations I support. Ever since I was a child, I have been aware of how fortunate I am: being born to a stable family in the U.S., with our daily needs met, a military that protects us, an education, the freedom to worship, to vote, to say, “Yes,” and to say, “No.” It is a joy and an obligation to support those in need. I especially like the giving at minyan—tzedakah with no recognition. How would I push myself if it wasn’t expected of me to give? Judaism addresses this question: tithe, leave the corners of your land and the gleanings, care for the stranger. I am grateful to know what’s expected. We have Commandments. Ten basic ones that cover most things. God. Shabbat. Honesty. Contentment (a.k.a. gratitude). And there’s another 603 to tackle when I am feeling more ambitious. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we recite the poem Unetaneh Tokef, repeatedly reminding ourselves of the expectations of these Holy Days: Teshuvah, returning to our inner goodness Tefillah, prayer that connects us to God Tzedakah, giving for the sake of justice, of righteousness At this season, I am grateful for the directives of the High Holy Days: Apologize. Forgive. [Both of which are required.] Communicate. Pray. Fast. Study. Give Tzedakah. Give Praise. Give Thanks. L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.
Then there are the meetings. So many meetings. Committee meetings, Board meetings, and other random meetings. There’s work outside the meetings. But it is through the committee work that we strengthen our Kehilla, and I love this work. I love working with our members toward common goals, sharing bits of ourselves along the way. This is the social part of my life. I love contributing to our community. And, it keeps me busy. I’m not good at relaxing.
Dr. Laurie Greenberg is the current president and a 16-year devoted member of Congregation Beth El. She is a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist at IGO Medical Group in La Jolla, a board member of the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, and is active with J*Company Youth Theatre. Most importantly, Laurie is the grateful mother of two inspiring daughters.
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{ From the Rabbis }
On Gratitude by Rabbi Philip Graubart
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he one and only time in my life (so far) that someone pulled a gun on me he said, “Be grateful I don’t use this!” I was grateful.
I’d met him at a homeless shelter. My roommate and I were volunteers, sleeping over once a month, serving breakfast, cleaning up, helping out. Part of the job was also socializing, “hanging” with the men who slept in the synagogue basement. We enjoyed that part; we raved over Janet Jackson’s latest releases, bashed George Steinbrenner, swapped recipes (they hated herring and gefilte fish), smoked cigarettes, drank coffee. They were mostly our age, all single, all men. To a very limited extent, we shared life stories, developed a feeling for the way we each lived our different lives. My roommate, however, God bless him, took the whole “socializing, sharing lives” task a bit too far. One night, I answered the phone at our apartment. It was Mike, a homeless guy, a man from the shelter. He chatted with me a bit—the Mets, the Knicks, Mayor Dinkins—and then asked to speak with my roommate. “You gave him our phone number?” I hissed after he’d hung up. The shelter staff had explicitly instructed us not to give out phone numbers. But Mike seemed like a trustworthy fellow, and my roommate thought he could help him with a few business projects. No harm. Until he showed up at the apartment. I answered the door. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “Arnie here?” he asked. Arnie, my roommate, was standing right behind me. He held a box of clothes and an envelope. Mike came in, taking the box and envelope without comment. Arnie offered him a beer. I joined them, discussing Janet Jackson, Don Mattingly—and Mike’s alimony payments. “Are you out of your frigging mind?” I demanded of Arnie. “Our address? Now he knows where we live? And you’re giving him money?” Arnie, to this day still the kindest, most generous man I’ve ever met—he’s now a wonderful Rabbi—calmed me down. He told me Mike would not be back; it was a one-time gift.
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{ A Few Words } Rabbi Philip Graubart has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth El since 2002.
But he came back, several times, for money, and beer, and socializing. We got to know him better. We listened as he described his life spiraling out of control—more debt, traffic tickets, street drugs, child support. It was shortly after Arnie informed him he couldn’t give him any more money that he appeared for the last time, and showed me his gun. I told him I would call the police. He made the remark about gratitude, then turned around. I never saw him again. It wasn’t just the fact that he hadn’t shot me that made me grateful. I was, frankly, grateful that I wasn’t Mike. I had a home, a bed, a support system. I was poor in those days, with no family money to fall back on, but I wasn’t homeless, and I wasn’t hungry. I was grateful for what I had, but even more grateful when I compared myself to people like Mike, folks I saw every day on the street, people I served and spoke with at the shelter. I wondered then, and I still wonder, if gratitude comes most powerfully in comparison with the less fortunate, or others’ worse conditions—kind of a reverse envy. In the Aleinu prayer, we express gratitude that God “hasn’t made us like other people,” presumably folks worse off than us. This is the gratitude of one of my favorite songs “No Shoes” by the Roches. The lyrics begin “I had no shoes and I complained / until I met a man who had no feet. That's really beat. / I had no feet and I complained, until I met a man who had no knees. / That was his disease.” They then continue into the absurd: “I had no guts and I complained, until I met a man who had no heart. The most important part...I had no brain and I complained, until I met a man who had no head. As good as dead.” There’s always someone worse off than you, someone without even a head, and he’s the trigger for your gratitude.
I still wonder, if gratitude comes most powerfully in comparison with the less fortunate, or others’ worse conditions—kind of a reverse envy.
Or sometimes we feel grateful in comparison not to other people, but to what we once were. Our Hallel prayers, taken from Psalms, include lines like “I am grateful, for I was oppressed, and now I am exalted” and “You have turned my mourning into joy...I am eternally grateful.” Is gratitude, then, always a function of juxtapositions, of being superior to the other guy, or better than the way I used to be? Maybe not. There’s at least one prayer, one of my favorites, that resists this definition. It’s the second to last paragraph of the Amidah, which means we’re supposed to recite it three times a day. “I am grateful,” we proclaim, “for Your miracles that are with us daily.” “Daily miracles” sounds like a contradiction in terms—if it happens daily, it is not a miracle. But really it is a profound statement of gratitude, not in comparison to anything, but simply for the wonder of Being. It is my daily mantra now. I’m grateful not just because I managed to avoid getting shot, but because I’m alive.
I am
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{ Teen Spotlight }
A Beth El Tradition: Teens Read Torah on the High Holy Days Intro by Rabbi Avi Libman BELANIE NAGIEL
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ach year as we gather during the High Holy Days, we are mindful of the various stages of life. I am particularly aware and moved by the changes in families with children. Many families have new additions while many have sent their children off to college and will not be celebrating the fullness of life with them during the High Holy Days. This year, the Beth El family will say Todah Rabah to six graduating seniors who have honored us by reading Torah during the High Holy Days. It is a great source of pride watching our teens actively participate in the Service as they demonstrate their commitment to Judaism. Please join me in thanking them for making this important choice and continuing what has become a tradition at Beth El.
Rabbi Avi Libman has been a Rabbi at Congregation Beth El and the Viterbi Torah School Education Director since 2004.
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The Torah is such an integral part of the Jewish faith and being able to read it on the High Holy Days is such an honor. I feel proud to be Jewish when I read Torah because our history is so fascinating. The Jewish people persevered through hardships and banded together to create a mighty nation. I am proud to be the descendant of people who fought so hard for what they believed in and who trusted God to guide them in the right direction. Reading Torah connects me to my ancestors, both the ones in the Torah and the ones who read Torah before me. This allows me to continue a tradition that is centuries old.
DANYA GREENBERG As a participant in the Lamed Vav program, a program that provides an opportunity to further develop our Jewish identities leading up to and beyond our Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, the final mitzvah, mitzvah 36, instructs us to participate in the High Holy Day Services. I decided that chanting Torah in the main service would be a meaningful way to fulfill this mitzvah. Although as a 6th grader the idea of chanting Torah may have seemed like a way to “check off� an activity, over the years its significance and importance to me have become clearer. The High Holy Days are some of the few days the entire Congregation really comes together as a community, united in song, prayer, and purpose. By chanting Torah on these Holy Days, I am able to be a part of and contribute to the strong sense of community that is so important to us as a Jewish people.
KLARISSA HOLLANDER
SHOSHANNA FLEURY
I can’t believe I am coming up on my fifth year of reading the Maftir portion for the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It’s been a great way for me to participate in the services and I hope that whoever takes over the portion next year will have as fabulous an experience as I have had. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other readers and transitioning from a position of having my nerves soothed by those older than I am to a position of (hopefully) supporting those who are younger. I really appreciate having the opportunity to connect with the Congregation in such a meaningful way.
I really love having the opportunity to read Maftir for the second day of Rosh Hashanah as I have done these past three years. Reading the Torah on Rosh Hashanah gives me a chance to start off the New Year by doing something that brings me back to my Jewish identity. Reviewing the Maftir in preparation each year also brings back memories of when I was studying for my Bat Mitzvah. As a young adult, I enjoy being able to read at Beth El because it makes me feel more connected to the community and gives me the privilege of taking the lead for my generation in a tradition that spans so many hundreds of generations.
STEPHANIE BUCHBINDER I have been reading Torah on Yom Kippur since 2011. I read Torah on the High Holy Days because it helps me connect to my Jewish heritage. When I switched from the San Diego Jewish Academy, where I attended school for nine years, to La Jolla High School for my high school years, I often found it difficult to find ways to incorporate Judaism into my daily life and found that this was one way to stay committed to the Jewish faith. Reading Torah yearly also allows me to reflect on the past year and think about the year ahead. I feel a sense of community when I enter Beth El, a synagogue I have attended since I was born, and reading Torah keeps me connected to Beth El and the friends I have made here over the years, while giving back to my community at the same time.
JACOB SUROVSKY I read from the Torah to feel more observant of the High Holy Days. The responsibility of reading from the Torah helps me focus on what these holidays mean to me and to my community. It is very important for me to observe the High Holy Days properly because, by standing before the Torah, I am representing my whole Congregation.
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{ Feature Story }
Gratitude and Embracing Life’s Blessings by Rabbi Susan Freeman
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ver the last months, I have shared vignettes and reflections with my healthcare colleagues who were inspired by spiritual care visits I made to patients receiving Home Care services through Sharp HealthCare. I am in awe of the dedication, compassion, and care provided by these professional and skilled individuals.
WHAT CHOICE DO WE HAVE?
Every couple of weeks, I relay these stories to the Home Care staff through a podcast, a group voicemail. Since most clinicians spend their days out and about San Diego County visiting patients, we rarely see each other. By sharing these stories with my co-workers, I hope to strengthen our connections with each other; to offer support, encouragement, and reassurance; and, ultimately, to lift up the values and motivations that inspire us in our oftentimes demanding work.
I was touched by Gary’s intentionality in identifying the positive effects of the insights he had gained. He had re-evaluated his priorities in major categories of his life— the centrality of quality time with his family; keeping more healthful and manageable boundaries in his work life; reassessing which friendships were nurturing and which were draining; and, making his personal spirituality and affiliation with a worship community more integral to his life. For all the trials and trauma of the last months, Gary chose to look at his experience in as optimistic a light as possible and to express gratitude for how he had been changed for the better because of what he went through.
In Home Care, I find I often engage with patients at critical crossroads in their lives—when they are trying to adjust to, make sense of, and cope with significant health challenges that can have reverberating consequences affecting their intimate relationships, finances, living circumstances, and spiritual worldview. Many of the individuals I encounter are experiencing challenges in their lives that make day-to-day existence a new and sometimes daunting and incomprehensible reality. Before working as a chaplain and pastoral educator at Sharp HealthCare, I served in similar roles at a hospice for ten years. Prior to that, my professional identity was as Rabbi/Educator in a synagogue. Throughout my life, I’ve always enjoyed and engaged in writing. The following story is one that is especially relevant as we approach the High Holy Days.
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I met Gary, a 33-year-old married man with a young child, several months ago, just prior to his being discharged from Home Care. Despite all the limitations he experienced due to his health problems, it was very important for him to “be a blessing.”
Looking for and embracing the good in the daily ups and downs means that when a crisis hits, we will have cultivated the resources to open our minds and hearts wider to appreciate the lessons, insights, and wisdom that may be buried beneath the pain. As I listened to and supported Gary in his reflecting, I felt inspired by his upbeat and grateful attitude. At the same time, then as now, I can’t help but wonder: Why, when faced with trying times, do some people focus on the blessings, lessons, and opportunities for growth and insight, while others tend toward self-pity, anger, resentment, despair, or seeing themselves as victims? One possible answer is that some people are more naturally positive— it’s just part of their personalities, how they were born. On the other side, biological factors underlying certain
Rabbi Susan Freeman is a Chaplain and certified Clinical Pastoral Education supervisor at Sharp HealthCare in San Diego. She has an M.A. in Hebrew Literature and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Her professional experience includes congregational Rabbi, education director, author, and dancer. Rabbi Freeman shares her passion with Beth El through teaching, including Adult Education, Jacob's Ladder, and Women's Connection; leading services and prayers on Shabbat and holidays; and, hosting Synagogue dinners at her home with her husband, Beth El’s Senior Rabbi Philip Graubart.
mental health diagnoses may complicate some individuals’ abilities to control their moods and attitudes, at will. But let’s take a person who is not born with a predisposition to optimism and gratitude, nor suffering from clinical depression or other mental illness. To what degree does such an individual have the choice to embrace the blessings, to find the meaningful lessons amidst the trials? There’s a Biblical passage that exhorts listeners to choose what is life-giving, to choose blessing over curse—insinuating that we have the capacity to choose where we direct our energy, what priorities we set, and how we view setbacks (Deut. 30:19). If we wait until the crises to seek and embrace the blessings amidst the curses, and to access the life-giving lessons, we likely will come up short. To face life’s most daunting challenges with maximum grace requires cultivating the trait of choosing blessing each and every day. We have to practice! Looking for and embracing the good in the daily ups and downs means that when a crisis hits, we will have cultivated the resources to open our minds and hearts wider to appreciate the lessons, insights, and wisdom that may be buried beneath the pain. And how does all this translate to patient care or supporting those around us? I don’t suggest explicitly thrusting our own endeavors for personal growth onto others. But I do believe if we practice choosing life and blessing in our daily experiences, those around us will pick up on our attitude and energy and, perhaps, grow in their courage to see and experience their own circumstances with more insight, wisdom, and gratitude.
Choose what is life-giving, choose blessing over curse, choose where we direct our energy, what priorities we set, and how we view setbacks. Fall 2015 | 9
{ A Taste of Beth El }
Gondi: Persian “Matzah” Balls by Manijeh Breskin
Manijeh Breskin and her husband Stephen have been at Beth El for eight years. She lovingly shares much of her Iranian heritage. Here she shares her family’s traditions for a Rosh Hashanah seder and her recipe for the traditional Iranian “matzah” ball called “Gondi.” Beth El member Manijeh Breskin.
Gondi (pronounced go-n-dee) is perhaps the single most unique food to the Iranian Jews and it is on the dinner table of most families for their Shabbat and High Holy Day meals. Prepared as dumplings that are cooked in chicken soup, Gondi is the traditional side dish Iranian Jews enjoy along with Iranian flat bread and fresh herbs like mint, watercress, and basil. Having Gondi is always a time for families to gather, have family time, and connect with one another and their past. Every Iranian Jewish woman has her own recipe for Gondi, a little more of this or a little more of that! Noshe Jon (enjoy)!
GONDI
Serves 6. To be cooked in chicken soup. Ingredients: 1 big onion ½ pound of ground meat or chicken 12 ounces of chickpea powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric 1½ teaspoons cardamom 1 teaspoon cumin (optional) Directions: Prepare a large pot of chicken soup and heat to boiling. For Gondi: 1. Grate the onion by hand or use the food processor. 2. Mix all the ingredients, add water if needed (very small amount) to make a dough-like mixture. Let sit for an hour or so. 3. Make small balls and drop them in the boiling chicken soup. 4. Try one ball first to make sure the consistency and taste is right before dropping them all in the soup. Adjust accordingly and finish making the balls. 5. Boil for one hour. Serve Gondi with the soup, or as an appetizer with pita bread, basil, tomatoes, and cucumber.
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A Persian Rosh Hashanah Seder Plate by Manijeh Breskin
Jews have lived in Persia (or Iran) for over 2,500 years. They left the land of Israel after the destruction of the First Temple and followed Cyrus the Great, the Persian Empire’s king, who had conquered Jerusalem, to Iran and settled there. In general, Persian Jews have similar customs and traditions to the Sephardic Jews. But they have kept most rituals regarding life cycles and holidays according to the descriptions in the Talmud, in some cases nearly word for word. Among the Persian Jews, even though Rosh Hashanah is not quite as important as Passover, it is still observed with great care and importance with its own Seder including many different fruits and vegetables with their own individual blessings. All blessings start with sanctifying God’s name, praising God’s great name, and addressing God as “God of Ibrahim, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Here is the order for eating the special foods and their blessings: First we eat apples and honey and wish for a sweet year,
Then it’s time for beets and asking again for our enemies’ destruction, warning those who seek to destroy us that our Creator has heard our cry and is looking to protect us.
Then we eat leeks and wish for our enemies’ annihilation.
Then we eat dates and ask for all cruel people to be punished and hope to be protected from them.
Next is the zucchini with the wish for easing of our hardships.
Next is lung (which we usually pass on eating!), and we ask that our sins be treated lightly (like lungs).
Then we have blackeyed beans and wish for increasing happiness and ask for more understanding and wisdom.
Last but not least, we eat pomegranates and ask that, like pomegranates, we should be full of seeds of mitzvot as each pomegranate is supposed to have 613 seeds!
Then it is time to have tongue while wishing for God’s compassion and helping us to be our own ruler and no one’s slaves.
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{ Calendar }
{ Calendar }
Classes, Events, and Activities This calendar lists Beth El classes, events, and activities from September through December 2015. Pull out this calendar and keep it for reference, but don’t forget to check your email for the weekly eblast and visit www.cbe.org for updates and additions.
HIGH HOLY DAYS 2015-5776 - Please see High Holy Day Preview Guide in print or online for details Community-Wide Selichot Service Saturday, Sept. 5 8:30pm, Congregation Beth Israel ROSH HASHANAH Erev Rosh Hashanah Service Sunday, Sept. 13 6:15pm, Jacobs Family Community Hall Chai 20s & 30s Service & Oneg Sunday, Sept. 13 7:30pm, Stone Family Sanctuary Rosh Hashanah First Day Monday, Sept. 14 Morning Service 9:00am, Jacobs Family Community Hall USY Drash-N-Donuts (7th-12th), 9:45am Family Services and Youth Activities, 10:15am Tashlich 5:00pm, Kellogg Park, La Jolla Shores Rosh Hashanah Second Day Spiritual Adventures Tuesday, Sept. 15 Traditional Service 9:00am, Stone Family Sanctuary Jewish Meditation 9:00am, Beit Midrash Chai 20s & 30s: Trail Conversation 9:00am, Offsite Hike 9:00 am, Offsite Text Study 10:00 am, Beit Midrash Teen: It’s A Mitzvah 10:00am, Youth Lounge
Rosh Hashanah Second Day Spiritual Adventures, cont’d Tuesday, Sept. 15 Young Family: Journey through a Jewish Year 10:00 am, Jacobs Family Community Hall YOM KIPPUR Kol Nidre Tuesday, Sept. 22 Kol Nidre Service followed by Sermon & President’s Remarks 6:00pm, Jacobs Family Community Hall Kol Nidre Family Service 6:45pm, Stone Family Sanctuary Chai 20s & 30s Kol Nidre Service 8:30pm, Jacobs Family Community Hall Alternative Kol Nidre Community-Wide Service Open to the Community 8:45pm, Stone Family Sanctuary Yom Kippur Services Wednesday, Sept. 23 9:00am, Jacobs Family Community Hall Family Services and Youth Activities 10:15am Sermon followed by Yizkor Service 11:15am Lecture/Discussion 2:30pm, Stone Family Sanctuary Minchah & Neilah Service Open to the Community 4:00pm, Jacobs Family Community Hall Ma’ariv, Havdalah, and Shofar Service 6:30pm Conclusion of Fast, 7:24pm
Yom Kippur Services, cont’d Wednesday, Sept. 23 Chai (20s &30s) Break the Fast, 8:00pm SUKKOT Sukkot Day 1 Monday, Sept. 28 Sukkot Festival Morning Service 9:30am, Stone Family Sanctuary Sukkot Day 2 Tuesday, Sept. 29 Sukkot Festival Morning Service 9:30am, Stone Family Sanctuary Friday, Oct. 2 Erev Shabbat Services followed by Congregational Family Sukkot Dinner in the Sukkah 6:15pm Chol Hamoed Sukkot Saturday, Sept. 30 – Saturday, Oct. 3 SH’MINI ATZERET/SIMCHAT TORAH Monday, Oct. 5 Sh’mini Atzeret & Yizkor Memorial Service 9:30am, Stone Family Sanctuary Community Potluck Lunch in the Sukkah 12:00pm Simchat Torah Pizza Dinner 5:30pm, Sukkah on the Plaza Chai Simchat Torah Service & Celebration 5:30pm, Beit Midrash Simchat Torah Service & Torah Parade 6:30pm, Stone Family Sanctuary SIMCHAT TORAH Tuesday, Oct. 6 Simchat Torah Service & Parade 9:30am, Jacobs Family Community Hall
HOLIDAYS & OFFICE CLOSURES Beth El's main office will be closed on the following days unless otherwise specified. Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7
Yom Kippur, cont’d Wednesday, Sept. 23
Rosh Hashanah Monday, Sept. 14 Tuesday, Sept. 15
Sukkot Monday, Sept. 28 & Tuesday, Sept. 29
Yom Kippur Tuesday, Sept. 22 Office closes at 12:00pm
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Sh'mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Monday, Oct. 5 & Tuesday, Oct. 6 Veterans Day Wednesday, Nov. 11
Thanksgiving Thursday, Nov. 26 Friday, Nov. 27 National Holiday Friday, Dec. 25 New Year Friday, Jan. 1
{ Calendar } ADULT EDUCATION See Jewish Journeys: Adult Learning at Beth El for full course descriptions and details. Also available online at cbe.org. Daily Morning Minyan Monday – Friday 7:30am – 8:00am Sunday Morning Service 9:00am – 9:30am Beit Midrash Weekday – Torah Study 8:00am – 8:30am Beit Midrash Mondays & Tuesdays – Jewish Law Wednesdays – Talmud Thursdays – Torah Study Fridays – Pirkei Avot Shabbat Morning – Torah Study 9:00am – 9:30am Jacobs Family Community Hall Sunday – Torah Study Discussion* 9:30am – 10:15am *On days when VTS is in session Shirenu Chorus Wednesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm Oct. 14 & 28, Nov. 4 & 18, Dec. 9 & 23 Stone Family Sanctuary Registration required Scholar in Residence – Rabbi Shefa Gold Friday, Nov. 13 - Dinner 7:15pm – 9:00pm Saturday, Nov. 14 - Lunch 12:00pm – 2:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Note Special Additional Sessions with Rabbi Gold: Thursday, Nov. 12, 6:00pm - 8:30pm Women’s Connection Rosh Chodesh Saturday, Nov. 14, Time TBD Chai Havdalah Tefillah Challenge with Jane Conners Wednesdays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm Oct. 7, 21; Nov. 4, 18; Dec. 2, 16 Beit Midrash Learner’s Minyan Saturdays, 9:00am – 9:30am Oct. 10, 17, 24, 31; Nov 7, 14, 21, 28; Dec. 5, 19, 26 Beit Midrash Short Stories led by Mo Gold Sundays, 10:30am – 12:00pm Oct. 11, Nov. 15, Dec. 6 Beit Midrash Registration required Encounters: Different Opinions on Jews, Judaism, God, Torah, and Israel with Rabbi Graubart Thursdays, Nov. 5 & Dec. 3 7:00pm – 8:30pm Beit Midrash Registration required
Women and the Kibbutz with Deborah Hertz Tuesdays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm Oct. 27; Nov. 3, 10 Beit Midrash Registration required Class: Intro to Judaism I Mondays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm Nov. 9, 16, 30; Dec. 7, 14, 21 Beit Midrash Registration required Shabbat Schmooze Saturday, Oct. 17 following Shabbat Services Jacobs Family Community Hall Registration required Coherent Judaism with Rabbi Shai Cherry Tuesdays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm Oct. 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17; Dec. 1, 8, 15 Children’s Shul Registration required Mystical Teachings on The Torah Readings – Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Graubart Wednesdays, 12pm – 1:00pm Oct. 21, 28; Nov. 4, 11, 18; Dec. 2, 9, 16 Beit Midrash Couplehood as a Spiritual Path Thursdays, 7:00pm – 9:00pm Oct. 22, 29; Nov. 5, 12, 19; Dec. 3 Children’s Shul Registration required Shabbat Morning Bike Ride Saturday, Nov. 7 9:30am – 11:30am Offsite Tacos & Torah Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6:00pm Quantum Brewing Registration Required
CHAI GROUP 20’S & 30’S CULTURAL Going to CMC Women’s Weekend Friday - Sunday, Oct 16 - 18 All Day Camp Mountain Chai Participating in Mighty Mitzvah Sunday Sunday, Oct. 25 9:00am – 12:00pm Offsite JED Talks: Jewish Expressions & Dialogue Wednesday, Nov. 4 6:00pm – 9:00pm Offsite SHABBAT Second Saturday Saturday, Oct. 10 12:00pm-2:00pm Youth Lounge Saturday, Nov. 14 4:00pm-6:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall
Chai Shabbat (Service & Dinner) Fridays 7:00pm – 10:30pm Oct. 23, Nov. 20* & Dec. 25 Children’s Shul & Youth Lounge *Offsite Couples Shabbat Friday, Dec. 4 7:15pm - 10:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Latke Cook Off Sunday, Dec. 6 5:00pm – 9:00pm Beth El Kitchen HOLIDAYS Challah-Days - Challah Baking Thursday, Sept. 10 6:00pm - 8:00pm Beth El Kitchen Chai 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Alternative Program Tuesday, Sept. 15 9:00am - 12:00pm Offsite Yom Kippur Break Fast with Chai Wednesday, Sept. 23 8:00pm Offsite Chai Sukkot Dinner Wednesday, Sept. 30 6:30pm – 9:00pm Sukkah on the Plaza
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SHABBAT PROGRAMMING Summer Shabbat Beach Services Friday, Sept. 4 6:15pm – 7:30pm Playa Pacifica Beach Site Newlyweds Shabbat Dinner Friday, Sept. 11 7:15pm – 9:30pm Youth Lounge Congregational Hanukkah Celebration/ Concert Friday, Dec. 11, 6:15pm – 9:00pm Saturday, Dec. 12, 4:00pm – 9:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Shabbat B’Bayit (With Children and Without Children) Friday Nov. 6 & Dec. 4 With Children, 6:30pm – 8:00pm Without Children, 7:45pm – 9:00pm Offsite Pajama Shabbat & Potluck Dinner Fridays, 6:30pm – 7:15pm Oct. 16, Nov. 20 & Dec. 18 Children’s Shul & Youth Lounge Tot Shabbat & Potluck Dinner Fridays 6:00pm – 9:00pm Oct. 9 & Nov. 13 Children’s Shul & Youth Lounge
Some classes, events, and activities may require registration and/or fee. Check www.cbe.org for more information.
Fall 2015 | 13
{ Calendar } BETH EL BABIES Kidventures Sunday, Oct. 18 10:00am – 12:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Animals – Petting Zoo Sunday, Nov. 15 2:00pm - 4:00pm Turk Family Plaza Hanukkah Brunch Sunday, Dec. 13 10am – 11am Beit Midrash
FAMILY CONNECTIONS FC Event Sunday, Nov. 1 12:00pm – 2:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall CLUB 1318 Parent Dessert Event Saturday, Oct. 3 5:00pm – 9:00pm Beit Midrash Night Before Thanksgiving Bowling Wednesday, Nov. 25 6:00pm – 8:30pm Offsite
SENIOR PROGRAMING Friendship & Learning Tuesdays, Nov. 10 & Dec. 8 11:30am – 1:30pm Jacobs Family Community Hall
HESED Hesed Appreciation Brunch Saturday, Oct. 3 12:00pm – 1:30pm Sukkah on the Plaza
ISRAEL COMMITTEE Shabbat Program with IDF Soldiers Saturday, Nov. 21, 11:30am – 1:30pm Jacobs Family Community Hall “History of Israel” Shabbat Lunch Saturday, Dec. 5 11:30am – 1:30pm Jacobs Community Hall
MEN’S CLUB
{ Calendar } Kadima Event Saturday, Nov. 21 6:00pm – 9:00pm Offsite
Winter Shelter All Day Dec. 13 – 27 VTS Classrooms
Jr. USY Kinnus @ Congregation Ner Tamid Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 20-22 9:00am – 5:00pm Offsite
VTS
San Diego Shabbat 360 Friday, October 9 6:00pm - 9:00pm Offsite Machar & Kadima Event Sunday, Dec. 6 12:00pm – 3:00pm Youth Lounge USY Lounges Tuesday, Sept. 1, Oct. 20, Nov. 3 & 17, Dec. 1 & 15 6:00pm -8:00pm Youth Lounge USY Disneyland Sunday, Sept. 6 Time TBD USY Shabbat – Service & Dinner Fridays, 6:15pm – 9:30pm Dec. 18 Jacobs Family Community Hall Yachad Beth El Teen High Tuesdays, Oct. 13, 27; Nov. 10, 24; Dec. 8 6:00pm – 8:00pm Youth Lounge, VTS Classrooms Mighty Mitzvah Sunday USY Project Sunday, Oct. 25 Time: TBD Offsite USY Lead at Camp Ramah Friday - Sunday, Nov. 6 - 8 All Day Offsite USY Event Saturday, Nov. 14 & Dec. 5 6:00pm – 9:00pm Offsite USY LTI at AJU Friday - Sunday, Sept. 18 – 20 All Day Offsite
Men Talking with Men Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 8:00pm Oct. 20, Nov. 17 & Dec. 15* Beit Midrash *Jacobs Family Community Hall
Youth Sukkah Sleepover Saturday, Oct. 3-4 4:00pm – 9:00am Sukkah on the Plaza
TEENS/YOUTH Kadima Lounge Thursdays, 6:00pm – 7:00pm Oct. 8, Nov. 12 & Dec. 10 Youth Lounge
Mighty Mitzvah Sunday Sunday, Oct. 25 9:00am – 3:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall, Youth Lounge, Children’s Shul & Offisite
Machar Event Sunday, Nov. 15 12:00pm – 3:00pm Youth Lounge & Offsite
Ronald McDonald House Sunday, Nov. 15 3:00pm – 8:00pm Offsite
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TIKKUN COMMITTEE
VTS Begins (Grades K-7) Sunday, Sept. 20 9:00am – 12:00pm Stone Family Sanctuary 7th Grade Ethics Class, Service & Family Lunch Saturday, Sept. 26 9:00am – 1:00pm Children’s Shul 7th Grade Shabbaton Friday , Oct. 23 6:00pm – 9:30pm Youth Lounge Conference Room Saturday, Oct. 24 3:00pm – 11:00pm Sanctuary & Children’s Shul Rabbi Sizoumu of Uganda Thursday, Nov. 12 4:00pm – 6:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Stone Family Sanctuary Simchat Torah Dinner & Service Monday, Oct. 5 5:30pm – 7:00pm Sukkah on the Plaza
WOMEN’S CONNECTION Rosh Chodesh Monthly Gatherings Oct. 13, Nov. 12 & Dec. 10 6:00pm – 8:30pm Jacobs Family Community Hall Women’s Connection Board Meetings Tuesdays, 7:00pm – 9:00pm Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3*, Dec. 1**, Children’s Shul, Classroom 1*, 2** Mah Jongg Every Monday (except holidays) 12:00pm – 3:00pm Beit Midrash Knit ‘n’ Nosh Second Thursday of month Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, Dec. 10 1:00pm – 3:00pm Beit Midrash Festival Art Series: Sukkot Sunday, Oct. 4 12:30pm – 3:00pm Sukkah on The Plaza Torah Fund Event Sunday, November 8 3:00pm – 6:00pm Jacobs Family Community Hall
{ Member Spotlight }
Pam Amundson: Spreading Love and Kindness by Janet Clancy
W
hen Pam Amundson agreed in 2004 to help her former colleague, Dr. Ruth Covell, develop a program to provide support to Beth El congregants during life cycle events, she had no idea how much this decision would impact her own life. Today, 11 years later, Pam remains committed to enhancing and nurturing the spirit of community within Beth El through Hesed, acts of loving-kindness. As Chair of the Hesed Committee, Pam oversees the life cycle outreach program that supports congregants who are dealing with a personal issue, illness of a loved one, death of a family member, or joyous celebration like a new baby. With currently 48 volunteers, the Committee’s vision is for every Beth El member to become a Hesed Haver, a friend, who is ready and willing to perform some form of mitzvot of mutual support and loving-kindness for the benefit of the entire congregation. “I like to think of Hesed as more than a committee,” says Pam. “There’s no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Instead, we are all united in our desire to help one another.” Acts of loving-kindness include attending a Shiva service, preparing and delivering a Shabbat meal for a family after the birth of a baby, making a phone call or sending a card, visiting someone who is recuperating from surgery or an illness, and so much more. Activities range from onetime events to long-term relationships with those who are homebound. It’s about celebration as well as times of sorrow. “However you choose to participate, Hesed gives you the opportunity to brighten someone’s day,” says Pam.
{ Member Spotlight } Pam remembers the first time she attended a Shiva service on behalf of the Hesed Committee. She entered the congregant’s home, not knowing any of the bereaved. However, what little unease she may have felt was immediately replaced with overwhelming feelings of joy and community that came from sharing in the Minyan’s embrace of the family with comfort, compassion, and love. “I still get goosebumps whenever I have the opportunity to stand with others who are in need.” Pam would not have been able to dedicate so much of her time to chairing Hesed, serving on the Board, and performing deeds of loving-kindness had it not been for the support of her husband, Stan. “Stan and our two daughters, Chrissy and Heidi, are natural role models for their peers in providing care and comfort to others.” Pam is also grateful for the ongoing support of Dr. Covell who continues to be an inspiration and active Hesed Haver.
“I like to think of Hesed as more than a committee,” says Pam. “There’s no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Instead, we are all united in our desire to help one another as part of the Beth El family.” When asked what she is most proud of from her decadelong work on the Hesed Committee, Pam says it’s the commitment that Beth El has to nurturing a sense of compassion and to building community. “Congregants are always so surprised by a Hesed visit or call. They are touched to learn that someone really cares. What an honor it is for us to be able to do these Mitzvot.” Become a Hesed Haver! Email Pam at hesed@cbe.org or call the CBE office. If you would like to receive Hesed support, please first contact Rabbi Avi Libman.
As a medical doctor, taking care of others comes naturally to Pam. She has excellent listening skills and is warm, empathetic, and compassionate. And having a strong code of ethics, Pam is tenacious about ensuring Hesed volunteers honor members’ privacy and confidentiality. “Pam has the biggest heart,” says Judy Persky, Beth El’s Executive Director. “She wants everyone in our synagogue to feel cared for. She and the other members of Hesed work tirelessly ‘under the radar’ to do meaningful work on behalf of our members. We are so fortunate to have them watching over our congregation.”
Fall 2015 | 15
Other than feeling warmly welcomed, what do you think is the most important message that the Welcoming Committee can convey to new members?
Doreen We asked volunteers from the Welcoming and Family Connections Committees to ask Doreen their questions.
Doreen Prager, Director of Community Engagement, brings a sense of adventure and excitement to all she does. Besides membership relations and outreach, Doreen plans and facilitates programming for our congregants in every stage of life. Doreen works with several committees, organizing events for families of all ages and sizes, including Shabbat B’Bayit, Beach Shabbat, Tot and PJ Shabbat, holiday and new member dinners, Purim baskets, and creating Havurot.
We are really enjoying the Family Connections events. Where did you get your sense of adventure?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved family Shabbats and holiday festivities. Growing up, we were always doing something adventurous and explorations that were out of the ordinary. Larry We had a motorhome and would travSimpson el for months at a time. In each state we would look for unusual and interesting facts, museums, and events. I love planning fun events for our families. At Beth El we strive to be an extended part of every congregant’s family—and Family Connection events are one of the best ways to do that. Describe your work at Beth El in five words.
Rewarding Humbling Awesome Gratifying Heartwarming
Hollie
Bierman
16 | zmanim
Welcoming Committee members are some of the most important leaders we have at Beth El. Our Rabbis and staff are fantastic. What keeps our congregation alive is our passion to enjoy a good Jewish life to- Lloyd gether. The Welcoming Committee knows Kuritsky that support comes in all forms—from a simple invitation to meet at the next Beth El event, to coffee after a family adversity. They strive to invigorate, engage, and keep our Synagogue strong for generations to come. This year we created a new Gesher Program, where current members are partnered with new members to welcome them into their new Beth El family. If you would like to be part of the Gesher Program, please call me.
What has drawn you to the work you do at Beth El?
Beth
Licha
My love for Judaism and bringing people together! I strive to make Beth El warm and welcoming, where every member of every family feels more connected to their Jewish community and where we can make a positive Jewish impact on their lives. My commitment to building a stronger Jewish community started over
15 years ago. I am so happy for the privilege of doing this at CBE. Everyone at Beth El is part of my family. Every stage of life brings new opportunities, excitement, and challenges and I feel it is important for our members to know they can always come to our synagogue to explore and solidify each part of their Jewish lives. My hope is that I have positively impacted every family that is part of Beth El. Would you rather have a good local burrito or get dressed up and have a nice sit-down dinner?
Julie Hyde
I would love to have a good, giant, local burrito at a fancy sit-down restaurant! It’s the perfect balance. The beauty of a Jewish community is that there is a powerful sense of formality in process, practice, history, and leadership while at the same time fulfilling the great mitzvah of having a good time and enjoying
each other’s company. Shabbat B’Bayits at our congregants’ homes, and congregational Shabbat dinners at Beth El, imbue the strongest sense of Jewish spirituality and wisdom with the most exciting sense of community. My job enables me to share the whole spectrum with our members of all ages. Plus, who wouldn’t like to get dressed up while sharing a burrito (that I could never finish in one sitting) with all my closest friends around the dinner table at Beth El!
{ Legacy Spotlight }
What Our Beth El Family Can Do by Phil Shapiro
M
y family and I moved to San Diego in 1974. We wanted to live in La Jolla, but the realtor told me he could not sell me a house because my last name was Jewish. This made us want to become involved in the Jewish community even more. We landed in University City (UC) with our three young children, all under the age of 5. We learned there was a small Conservative synagogue close to UC: Temple (yes Temple) Beth El on Mt. Acadia Blvd. Sheldon Kirsh was the Rabbi (and stockbroker) and Don Schwartz served as President. There were maybe 40 families. My young family visited and next thing we knew, we became members...a cost of $150 for a family membership! The gift shop was in Eva Nerenberg’s trunk. There were no children’s services; everyone stayed in the same room. For $25, you could get a “brass” plaque glued on the back of a chair with the name of a loved one on it. Everyone pitched in to make the Service and Kiddush afterwards. We’d make phone calls before sundown on Fridays to ensure enough men would be there to hold services. Originally, only men counted in the Minyan. In 1975, we voted to give women “equal rights.” It was one of our better ideas. Everyone knew everyone. We had a few Navy doctors, many of the members were engineers working
in the aerospace industry. A young and rapidly maturing UCSD attracted professors to the Synagogue, but La Jolla was still seriously restricted for Jews. So, a couple of us decided to move Beth El to La Jolla. Beth El has grown from 50 to over 500 families, from small, mostly wooden structures in Clairemont to our present location that is the pride and joy of members and visitors. Our property was home to a horse farm when we first saw it, with horse stalls and stables. These were great times. Our entire congregation prayed AND played in the small white house near the top of the property. We got our mail by way of a pulley system from La Jolla Scenic Drive to the small building. We had one small restroom and no air conditioning. I was President of Beth El from 1976 to 1979, “The Mud Years.” Nobody else wanted the job. We begged and borrowed and were joined by wonderful families you all know who opened their wallets and hearts to ensure the building of our magnificent campus.
what our Beth El family can do in times of sadness and joy. Since that time, 2006, I have been a “full time” member. I attend as many Friday evening Services as I can and am a regular at Saturday Services. In addition, I am proud to be a card-carrying “Minyanaire.” The early morning Minyans are a wonderful way to start the day, surrounded by lots of good people, prayers, and study. In the end (that is, my life’s end) I do not want my association to end. It is for that reason that I decided long ago to help ensure a long future for Beth El by joining the Legacy Circle.
I left Beth El for several years—law school, lots of illness in my family, etc. I thought I’d lost touch with my Beth El friends. At my wife Joyce’s Shiva, over a dozen of my old Beth El friends came to the house. We hadn’t seen each other for 10 years. They provided strength when I needed it most. It was a valuable lesson about
ANYONE CAN LEAVE A LEGACY Planning your legacy can be a meaningful, lifechanging experience. Legacy Circle donors in all life stages have unique family and financial situations. Remembering Congregation Beth El in your estate plans at any level would greatly impact Beth El’s future and provide a foundation for future generations of Jewish families.
If you would like to discuss your legacy plans or have questions about Beth El’s Legacy Circle, contact Beth El Executive Director Judy Persky at (858) 452-1734, or Elise Wald, Charitable Planning Officer at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, at (858) 279-2740. Fall 2015 | 17
{ Donations } DAILY MINYAN In memory of… My loving mother, Esther Ancoli-Barbasch by Sonia Ancoli Israel GENERAL FUND Leopoldo Norten & Miriam Robbins In memory of… Joseph Mermelstein by Abraham & Bonnie Romanowsky Jakob Buchbinder by Marion Hirsch In honor of... Adam and Amy Sacks’ Wedding by Denise Handler & Stephen Shoemaker Julian Josephson by Neil Senturia & Barbara Bry Lesley Davis’ Bat Mitzvah by Colin & Jane Scher In appreciation of... Jane Conners by Laurie Greenberg Bernardo Bicas & Cheri Weiss by Stephen & Dvora Celniker HAZZAN IN RESIDENCE In appreciation of... Jane Conners by Cathy Jo Cozen HESED FUND In memory of… Sarah Simonby Isaac & Candice Lagnado David Yorysh by Sheila Nerad My beloved mother, Mary A. Flores by Pamela Amundson In celebration of… Lucy Muller’s special birthday by Dan & Cheri Weiss In honor of... Dr. Harry Jaffe by James & Sheila Nerad In appreciation of... Judy Persky by Laurie Greenberg ISRAEL COMMITTEE In honor of... This year’s Israel Committee for their outstanding work and commitment to the cause of promoting and sharing the connection and love of Israel with our CBE Congregation (see photo on page 23) by Wendy Avraham, Chair MEGILLAT AVI EVENT (not previously listed) In honor of Rabbi Libman by Clive Walden by Edith Kahn MEMORIAL FUND In memory of… My loving mother, Rachel Teper by July Galper My loving sister, Cheryl Persky by Judy Persky Jerome Katzin by Norman & Sivia Mann Miriam Katzin by Norman & Sivia Mann My loving father-in-law, Willie Kalmanson by Marjorie Kalmanson My loving mother, Babs Walden by Clive Walden My loving wife, Mary Alkin by Morris Alkin My loving mother, Rosella Goldberg by Bryna Haber
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Donations received Apr. 24, 2015 to July 31, 2015 MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d My loving brother, David Goldberg by Bryna Haber My loving father, Barry Effress by Richard Effress My loving mother, Esther Roth by Cicely Reiss My loving mother, Charlotte Gothelf by Roseann Brozinsky My loving mother, Sigrid Fischer by Sylvia Geffen My loving grandfather, Leon “Leibus” Finkelstein by Linda Muller My loving mother, Barbara Sukenik by Debra Aronoff My loving mother, Pauline Vann by Richard Vann My loving sister, Jane Senturia by Neil Senturia My loving father, Julius Rosenberg by Donald Rosenberg My loving husband, Alfred Marshak by Celia Marshak My loving husband, Ben Zion Yedid by Edna Yedid My loving mother, Selma Lichter by Derek Lichter My loving sister, Karen Alman by Robyn Lichter My loving father, Bard Cosman by Bard Cosman My loving father, Faradj Afari by Salman Afari My loving mother, Florence Golub by Hedda Schmidt My loving father, Benjamin Lepolstat by Hedda Schmidt My loving mother, Sarah Gladstone by Pamela Nathan My loving father, Michael Gold by Eleanor Bluestein My loving grandfather, Eli Gold by Eleanor Bluestein My loving grandmother, Regina Malik by Jana Printz My loving grandfather, Samuel Malik by Jana Printz My loving mother, Herta Lehmann by Gaby Kuperman My loving father, Khodadad Khadjehzadeh by Parivash Khajehzadeh Curran My loving father, Albert Kaufman by Herschel Kaufman My loving mother, Millie Wine by Dorene Goldfinger My loving husband, Hans Wiener by Dagny Wiener My loving father, Milton Panzer by Diane Busch My loving uncle, Samuel Reigenstreich by Michael Busch My loving father, Morris Busch by Michael Busch My loving father, David Brooks by Barbara Mendell My loving father, Harold Sonduck by Michael Sonduck My loving father, Percy Glikman by Denise Hyde My loving father, Bernard Hyde by Paul Hyde In memory of David Yorysh by Terry Miller
MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d My loving husband, Harvey Schuster by Marcia Schuster Florence Rich by Joel Sperber My loving mother, Sarah Gladstone by Barbara Klein My loving father, Cantor Rothman by Miriam Rothman My loving father, Sam Rachofsky by Marc Rachofsky My loving grandmother, Dorothy Tobman by Janice Van Lint My loving mother, Bertha Senz by Carole Turk My loving mother, Dobba Silverberg by Victor Moreno My loving wife, Elizabeth Rosen by Charles Rosen My loving father, Samuel Rosen by Charles Rosen My loving mother, Lili Leib by Gerald Leib My loving brother, Arthur Liebers by Ruth Newman My loving father, Sol Simpkins by Beverly Berger My loving mother, Rose Simpkins by Beverly Berger My loving father, Ben Berger by Stan Berger My loving mother, Betty Berger by Stan Berger My loving mother, Marie Mandelbaum by David Mandelbaum My loving brother, Ronnie Mandelbaum by David Mandelbaum My loving mother, Ida Batzofin by Felicia Ann Mandelbaum My loving father, Joseph Batzofin by Felicia Ann Mandelbaum My loving father, Harry Alman by Robyn Lichter My loving father, E. Louis Gothelf by Roseann Gothelf Brozinsky My loving mother, Nettie Shapiro by Phil Shapiro My loving father, Nathan Brozinsky by Steven Brozinsky My loving father, Paul Mann by Norman Mann My loving friend, Pierre Madacsi by Jan Allan Steinert My loving father, Herbert Steinert by Jan Allan Steinert My loving brother, Steven David Jablon by Fern Jablon My loving father, Benjamin Penn by Sheila Seid My loving father, Harry Seid by Allan Seid My loving mother, Fanny Seid by Allan Seid My loving father, Jacob Goldberg by Bryna Haber My loving mother, Yetta Fialkow by Elaine Maltz My loving mother, Miriam Soumekh Cohen by Joshua Cohen My loving grandmother, Anne Pearl by David Geffen My loving father, David Romanowsky by Elena Romanowsky
MEMORIAL FUND, cont'd My loving son, David Feldman by Elena Romanowsky Oscar Cardenas by Martha Alden My loving mother, Sarah Levin by Mildred Millman My loving father, Arthur Pelusio by Renee Ravich My loving father, Shulim Bronshteyn by Boris Bronshteyn My loving mother, Rachel Lagnado by Isaac Lagnado My loving wife, Vivian Lagnado by Isaac Lagnado Sarah Simo by Joy Wasserman-Polun David Michan by Joy Wasserman-Polun My loving father, Alex Zeligson by David Zeligson My loving father, Siegfried Michelson by Lesley Davis My loving mother, Rhoda Kapchan by Wendy Avraham My loving father, Louis Friedheim by Max Friedheim My loving mother, Pauline Rosenbaum by Mindy Gold My loving father, Robert Gorodess by Charles Gorodess My loving husband, Harold Simon by Ruth Covell My loving grandfather, Max Berger by Stanley Berger My loving grandmother, Sophie Ritter by Stanley Berger My loving uncle, David Busch by Michael Busch My loving uncle, Samuel Haft by Michael Busch My loving sister-in-law, Ann Levin by Mildred Millman My loving father, Moses Greenberg by Norman Greenberg My loving mother, Tova Greenberg by Norman Greenberg My loving grandfather, Alex Boesky by Roger Boesky My loving sister, Joy Faith Knapp by Elyse Sollender My loving grandmother, Annie Charney by Adrianne Shaw My loving grandfather, Alexander Bronson by Roger Boesky My loving father, Aaron Fialkow by Elaine Maltz My loving mother, Zilla Pakier by Brenda Mann My loving father, Nathan Entous by Joel Entous My loving mother, Bessie Entous by Joel Entous David Michan by Caryn & Alan Viterbi David Michan by Andrew Viterbi My loving mother, Trudy Frenkel by Jean Penn My loving uncle, George Schneider by Irv Bressel My loving father, Sam Bressel by Irv Bressel My loving husband, Jack Newman by Ruth Newman My loving mother, Bessie Liebers by Ruth Newman
MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d My loving father, Jack Newman by Eugene Newman My loving father, Hymie Tagger by Orah Yaell My loving father, Joe Rubnitz by Myra Bressel My loving grandmother, Paula Markus by Rachel Ben Porat My loving uncle, David Goldstein by Katie Feifer My loving mother, Lucille Feifer by Richard Feifer My loving mother, Mildred Goldstein by Katie Feifer My loving father, Leo Feifer by Richard Feifer My loving father, David Russell by Paula, Bella, Leslie, Heather, and Jacob Russell My father-in-law Ferdinand Falk by Isaac Lagnado My loving father, Fred Dallal by Hilarie Sehgal My loving mother, Ida Leibman by Ruth Wahl My loving mother, Bertha Wohl by Ruth Wohl My loving mother, Alta Wenger by Justin Wenger My loving sister, Pauline Wishnick by Shirley Wenger My loving father, Abe Blum by Shirley Wenger My loving sister, Janet Melman by Shirley Wenger My loving father, Joe Shapiro by Phil Shapiro My loving father, Joseph Batzofin by Felicia Ann Mandelbaum My loving mother, Lillian Turk by Jerry Turk My loving mother-in-law Mary Haber by Bryna Haber My loving sister, Nancy Rubnitz-Bernstein by Myra Bressel My loving father, Nissan Ancoli by Sonia Israel My loving father, Philip Knox by Israela Manson My loving mother, Rachel Teper by July Galper My loving mother, Rose Davis by Roy Davis My loving mother, Sigrid Fischer by Sylvia Geffen MEN’S CLUB In memory of… My loving father, Isaac Bicas by Bernardo Bicas My loving brother, Moises Guillermo Bicas by Bernardo Bicas In honor of... George Glickman by Martha Alden by Victor & Nehama Moreno by Alan & Caryn Viterbi by Wendy & Chaim Avraham RABBI GRAUBART’S DISCRETIONARY FUND In appreciation of... Rabbi Graubart for his kindness and wonderful eulogy by Israela Manson Rabbi Graubart for everything he has done to help Lesley prepare for her Bat Mitzvah by Roy Davis
RABBI GRAUBART’S DISCRETIONARY FUND, cont’d Rabbi Graubart by Daniel Katzin & Lawrence Branton Rabbi Graubart by William & Wendy Blank In honor of... Lesley Davis’ Bat Mitzvah by Meryll & Chris Page by Renee Levine by Nancy & Steve Senreich by Barbara Wapnick by Randall & Diane Rein by Barbara & Steven Mendell Allan & Karen Entous’ 50th Wedding Anniversary by Vivian & Barry Entous Phyllis & Mo Gold’s 69th Wedding Anniversary by Randall & Diane Rein Bar Mitzvah of Victor Zavala by Barbara & Steven Mendell Yochanan Winston enhancing worship with music by Rhonda Schwartz In celebration of … Hali Lapidus & Charlie's Engagement by Carole & Jerome Turk Bris for Ilana & David Mauser's baby boy, Lev Mauser by Miriam & Steven Klane In memory of… My loving father, Lane Wolman by Randy & Nancy Wolman My loving husband, Norman Manson by Israela Manson Marilyn Posner by Sandra Persky My loving sister, Sarah Simon by Nehama Moreno RABBI LIBMAN’S DISCRETIONARY FUND In celebration of … Rebecca and Ben Yaghoubian by Murray & Orah Yaell In honor of... The Bris for Asher Franko by Stuart Rubenstein Lesley Davis’ Bat Mitzvah by Minna & Steve Jacobs Rabbi Libman. A heartfelt thanks by Carlos & Esther Michan & family Rabbi Avi Libman by Joel Kopstein In memory of… Nehama’s loving sister, Sarah Simon by Victor Moreno My loving husband, Stuart Gold by Mindy Gold My loving father, Moses Bodenstein by Frieda Levinsky George Persky by Cathy Jo Cozen David Yorysh by Hanna & Mark Gleiberman My loving mother, Raquel Guasp by Maty Feldman-Bicas TIKKUN FUND General Donation In honor of Stand Down for Homeless Veterans by Anita & Eli Plaxe In appreciation of Marjory Kaplan by Laurie Greenberg Yahrzeit Donation… My loving father, Hayim Adotoledo by Dora & Snir Warshaviak My loving father, Chester Goldstein by Katie Feifer Bernardo Romanowsky by Bev & Len Bernstein
Fall 2015 | 19
{ B’nei Mitzvah }
Carter CHASSON • 10/10
I love being Jewish because it is a great sense of identity and I believe in the Jewish values I have learned. I also love being able to learn from the Torah, learn the Hebrew language, and everything else that comes with it.
Zach LAFER • 9/5
I love being Jewish because it's a unique religion and I get to meet many friends at Beth El.
My favorite holiday is Passover because I really enjoy the festive Seders we have at our house and it is really fun to cook with my Dad. We usually have 2 to 3 families come over and have a fun time. I also enjoy eating matzah and making matzah pizza.
My favorite holiday is Passover because it brings the whole family together. The people I admire the most are my parents because they drive me to do my best. I am excited about my Bar Mitzvah because I am becoming an adult in the Jewish community. The Tikkun Olam project I am interested in is raising awareness of genocide. I hope to start a non-profit organization to aid in this.
Nikka FRANK • 9/12
What I love about being Jewish is that since I go to a public school there are not many Jewish kids there so I feel very unique. I love Friday night Shabbat with my family and the Jewish holidays that bring us all together. It keeps me connected to my Jewish heritage. My favorite Jewish holiday is Hanukkah because it is 8 days long and I get to spend a lot of time with both sides of my family. When I think about my Bat Mitzvah, I’m most excited about getting all of my friends and family together and having an amazing time with everyone. Someone I most admire as a role model is my older brother Sky. He had a Bar Mitzvah and he did really well. I want to do just as well as he did. My Tikkun Olam project is making gift baskets for Passover. It was really fun and I was excited to do it because it’s a great experience working as a community and helping others.
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The person I admire the most is my Dad because he teaches me so much−from Jewish teachings and cooking to which stocks to buy and sell. Even though he works he still has time to take me to hockey games and practices, LA for auditions, and other fun adventures. I am excited about my Bar Mitzvah because it is the time I will finally be looked as a man by my Jewish community. Bar Mitzvahs are entrenched in Jewish traditions. I am very excited to celebrate this passage to adulthood with my friends and family. The Tikkun Olam project I am interested in is collecting stuffed animals, books, and toys to give to the children at Rady Children’s Hospital suffering from illness. I want the kids to be able to stop worrying about their illness and just enjoy life.
Dylan STEINERT • 11/7
I love being Jewish because I get to be part of a community that has a very long and interesting history. My favorite holiday is Shabbat because of how frequently it comes and because I get to celebrate it every Friday during the summer at the JCC. I chose two people whom I admire a lot. They are my two brothers, Nick and Max. They have a lot of good qualities that help them in life and I want that for myself. I am excited about my Bar Mitzvah because I am particularly happy about the many prayers that I have learned in my education. I also can’t wait for the party after I say my Haftarah. For my Tkkum Olam project, I am interested in helping Athlete Ally, an organization that works for equality in sports. My brother Max will help me with my project.
Kate
STEINERT • 11/7 I love being Jewish because it’s taught me to lead a good life. I’ve had a good time in Jewish activities where I’ve met good friends. My favorite holiday is Hanukkah because I think the story of how the menorah burned for eight days when they only had enough oil to burn for one is cool. The person I admire the most is my big sister Lindsey because she is beautiful, successful, hilarious, smart, caring, and the coolest person I've ever met. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her. I'm excited about my Bat Mitzvah because I’ve worked hard learning Hebrew and I'm especially excited to celebrate with my family and friends. The Tikkun Olam project I am interested in is the Beagle Freedom Project because they're on a mission to save beagles from animal testing. It’s important to me because I’ve had many beagles and love dogs.
GIFTS PRESENTED TO THE B’NEI MITZVAH:
•Sim Shalom Siddur From the Albert & Babs Walden Fund
Ilan
COSMAN • 11/28 I love being Jewish because of the intellectual arguments that I can get into with my peers and teachers. My favorite holiday is Pesach because my family has a tradition where kids hide the afikomen and adults search for it. We hide it in the most clever spots conceivable. Once we hid the afikomen in a desktop computer. Another time we hid it in a detergent bottle (in a Ziploc bag).
•Chumash
From the Marcine Kline Cohen & Miriam Kline Kuss Fund
•JNF Tree Certificate •Bar Mitzvah Certificate •Kiddush Cup & Candlesticks: From Women’s Connection & Men’s Club
•USY Song Book
& Gift Certificate
•A gift from Viterbi Torah School to its students
The person I admire the most is Elon Musk, because he is an accomplished entrepreneur. He was a founder of PayPal, Tesla Motors, and SpaceX. I want to found companies that are as important and interesting as his. I am excited about my Bar Mitzvah because I will get to look snazzy and sing. Maybe I can also provoke some arguments about my Torah portion. For my Tikkun Olam project, I think I will volunteer at Ronald McDonald House (which helped out my parents while I had my pacemaker operation) and also raise money for Technion, which is a center for innovation and entrepreneurship in Israel.
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FAMILY
CLUB 1318
BETH EL BABIES
BETH EL BABIES
{ Life at Beth El } Beth El Babies Fun-A-Palooza, August 2, 2015
Our babies had so much fun, and so did the parents!
Clowning around at Fun-A-Palooza
Quack! Beth El New Babies Brunch, July 12, 2015
Our parents and babies showing off their Ducky lunchboxes, a gift from us to you! A wonderful opportunity for new parents and babies to meet, welcome!
Parents and teens enjoyed an afternoon of Tikkun Olam at the Leichtag Ranch and then went off to a pool party!
USY had a super time at Super Hero Rock Climbing at Solid Rock Gym Family Connections spent the morning picking buckets full of strawberries! Then they enjoyed a picnic lunch together!
VTS
Kotel art projects.
Camp fire for Lag Ba’omer kumsitz and sing-along.
Hamentashen baking for Purim.
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SHIRENU
Members of the Shirenu Chorus, under the direction of Cantorial Intern Cheri Weiss (pictured 5th from the right), performed at Seacrest Village text Retirement Communities.
B’NEI MITZVAH
Mazal Tov to the Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class: Lesley Davis Amanda Lowe Brooke Weller Kids in costune enjoying our Steve Milgrom Megillah Reading. Mona Pearlman Lance Duran Mario Tomic Dana Greene and Robert Matorin Marti Sands-Weinstein at our Megillah Reading. Victor Zavala
ISRAEL
Israel Committee Members Standing from left to right: Clive Walden, Marsha Sutton, Debbie Aronoff, Esther Moscona, Maty Feldman-Bicas, Sharona Benami, Joe Erle, Jamaz Farajzadeh Sitting from left to right: Linda Kozin, Wendy Avraham, Chair, Paul Schultz, Joy Wasserman Not Pictured: Beverly Berger, Jenny Josephson, Karen Bohrer, Michael Winer, Nancy Dosick, Yosi Yedid
Yoni, Janese, Sam, and Michelline at Chai’s 2nd JED Talks: Jewish Expressions and Dialogue.
W. C.
Women of all ages at the August 13 special session of Women’s Connection’s monthly Rosh Chodesh Gatherings when Rabbi Susan Freeman (3rd from right) helped everyone prepare for Elul and the High Holy Days through prayer, reflection, movement, and meditation. Of course there were apples and honey!
CHAI
The sky was clear, the ocean glistened, and 70 young adults celebrated Shabbat with a delicious potluck dinner as the sun set in front of us.
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NON-PROFIT ORG. U. S . P o st a g e Pa i d San Diego, CA Permit No. 925