august 2014 shofar - av/elul 5774

Page Jewish Family Congregation Shofar Av - Elul 5774/ August 20141

Av - Elul 5774/ August 2014 Jewish Family Congregation www.jewishfamilycongregation.org

August Shabbat Schedule

Shabbat Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22

August 1 6:00 pm Shabbat service

Free babysitting

Shabbat Va’etchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11


Shabbat Ekev, Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25

August 15 6:30 pm Picnic

7:15 pm Sing-a-Long

7:30 pm Shabbat in the Great Outdoors

Free Babysitting

Shabbat Re’eh, Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17


Shabbat Shoftim, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9


Congregants enjoying the food during the July BBQ

Rabbi Burstein celebrates his one year anniversary at JFC

Shabbat Service July 18, 2014


Preparing Ourselves for a New Year Like anything important in life, preparation leading up to a special event adds to the enjoyment of the event itself. From things like practicing soccer or violin for a game or a concert to reading about a place for months in anticipation of a foreign voyage, preparation enhances the experience and allows us to more fully engage in the moment when it happens. Our ancestors understood this same concept, and the Hebrew calendar and our rituals allow us to experience Jewish holidays through various means of anticipation and making ourselves ready for the holiday itself. Our rituals influence different senses in preparation for the holiday -- we smell the special foods of the holiday, we hear melodies of that holiday in advance, and we see and touch the ritual objects associated with those holidays. Incorporating different senses heightens our awareness and appreciation, priming us to fully enjoy the holiday when it arrives. Since Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur signify the beginning of a calendar year and -- ideally -- a fresh spiritual start, our tradition includes several ways for us to prepare. After all, it is very hard to expect that a few hours in prayer on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur are enough time to take care of all that we need to do. The entire Hebrew month of Elul that precedes Rosh HaShana contains rituals designed to remind us to focus on the relationships in our lives. Since the 18th century, Ashkenazic Jews typically read Psalm 27 each morning and evening of Elul (and through Yom Kippur), a psalm that contains words of hope and encouragement of God’s support for us. Sephardic Jews begin reciting Selichot, or prayers of forgiveness, on the second day of Elul, and continue for the entire month. Both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews sound the shofar during each day of Elul. Elul

begins on the evening of Tuesday, August 26 this year. As Rosh HaShana approaches, Ashkenazic Jews begin reciting Selichot prayers on the Saturday evening preceding Rosh HaShana -- provided that there are at least three days in between. (If there are not three days, Ashkenazic Jews begin the Saturday before that.) The service itself is called Selichot, and traditionally begins at midnight the Saturday before Rosh HaShana. At this service, we enter the final stage of preparation for the High Holidays and share some of the same liturgy and melodies as on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, as well as hear the shofar. What are the things that you need to do to prepare for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur this year? Who are the people you need to be in touch with, perhaps to smooth over some troubles of the past year? In what ways will you dedicate yourself to our congregation and the Jewish people this year? How will you be ready to appreciate the prayers of our tradition in a meaningful way this year when we gather together in our tent? Although you may choose to prepare for the High Holidays in a personal way during the entire month of Elul, please join us on Saturday, September 20 for a meaningful Selichot service. (Don’t worry -- the service will not begin at midnight!) More details will be in the September Shofar. Remember, I am available to help you prepare for a new year and a fresh spiritual start -- please be in touch if you would like to set up a time to meet. I look forward to hearing from you.

From the Rabbi’s Desk

Presidents’ Message--------------Page 3 Religious School-------------------Page 4Early Childhood Center-------- Page 5Ritual Committee---------------- Page 6

Sisterhood-------------------------- Page 7Ask The Rabbi-------------------- Page 8Annual Report---------------------Page 9


Jewish FamilyCongregation

111 Smith Ridge RoadP.O.Box 249

South Salem, NY 10590Phone: (914) 763-3028 Fax: (914) 763-3069

email: [email protected]: www.jewishfamilycongregation.org

-----------------

RabbiMarcus L. Burstein, D.Min.

[email protected]

CantorKerry Ben-David

[email protected]

----------------Director of Education

Leslie [email protected]

Administrator Kathleen Sakowicz

[email protected]

Early ChildhoodCenter Director

Jane Weil [email protected]

--------------------Glenn Kurlander Co-President

Hal Wolkin [email protected]

Josh Blum, First Vice –PresidentPolly Schnell, Second Vice-President

Robyn Cohen, TreasurerSuzanne Sunday, Secretary

[email protected]

Karen Conti, TrusteeJon Glass, Trustee

Mindy Hoffman, TrusteeRobi Margolis, Trustee

Paul Storfer, TrusteeBonnie Wattles, Trustee

Richard Mishkin, Ex [email protected]

Shofar EditorBryan Wolkin

Shofar PrinterCopy Stop

Royal Press

From The Presidents by Glenn Kurlander and Hal Wolkin

Co-Presidents’ Message

While we may not think of it in quite these terms, those of us who are members of Jewish Family Congregation actually have three “New Years.” There is, of course the secular New Year. And with Rosh Hashanah we observe a New Year of a more spiritual type. But while we’ll understand if no one is popping any corks, on July 1 each year, JFC observes a new year of a different sort—the be-ginning of a new fiscal year. While that is important for financial and account-ing purposes, as well as for the installation of a new Board of Trustees, the year that begins each summer is also a perfect time for us to reengage with our JFC community, or to deepen our existing engagement.

With the coming of the new fiscal year, each of us, in effect, makes a choice whether to renew our JFC membership. While it might not occur to us con-sciously, when we choose to renew our membership, each of us is reaffirming a part of our identity. When we choose to renew, even if we don’t think about it, we are at least implicitly declaring our formal membership in a unique commu-nity—a connection we make to something larger than ourselves. At least implic-itly, we are making a statement that being a member of the JFC community in a formal way has value to us. After all, each of could participate in this commu-nity without formally being a member: one could simply choose to attend ser-vices and programs, buy High Holy Day tickets, attend Rabbi Burstein’s Torah study sessions and avail ourselves of all the other riches JFC provides without becoming a member. So when we affirmatively decide to renew our member-ship, we are making the statement that, being a member of the JFC community has value and meaning, and our membership says to our friends and neighbors, Jews and non-Jews alike, that we support that community.

The Board of Trustee, of necessity, assigns a dollar value to that membership when, each year, it determines what the dues structure will be for the coming fiscal year. But of course the value each of us assigns to membership in JFC is both subjective and in many ways intangible. For some of us there is simply value in being members of a community of Jews. For others of us, the value comes in worshiping with those who are like family to us. For others the value lies in the importance of providing our children with a Jewish education. Each of us defines and receives value in a different way.

As the new fiscal year begins, we ask you to be reflective about the value you de-rive from JFC. What does JFC mean to you? How would you define its essence? What is special about it? In what ways does it matter to you and your family? What can you do, and what can we do together, to make JFC stronger, more vibrant and robust, more meaningful, more impactful? If JFC truly sustains us, what is the nature and scope of our duty and responsibility to sustain it? While membership has its tangible and intangible benefits, membership also comes with responsibilities.

JFC has always recognized a dues category for Sustaining Members; this year, $4,615.00 for families and $2,307.50 for a single member. Sustaining Members are just that: integral to the sustainability of JFC and, as such, with their con-

Continued on page 14


From the Religious SchoolBy Leslie Gottlieb

Rachamim or compassion is expressed when we show sympathy or concern for those in need of our help. When we become partners in healing and helping we call it someich noflim v’rofei cholim. When we save a life or rescue someone instead of standing idly by, we say that is hatzalah or piku’ach nefesh. When we show leadership we call that manhigut and when we feel part of the Jewish community we are part of a kehillah--- and at JFC’s Religious School, all of these Jewish val-ues and many others are what we aim to communicate every time we meet.

Teaching the midot or Jewish values is central to the learning experience at the Religious School. In an effort to continue the chain of tradition or shalshelet hamesorah, teaching values is a lens we use as we guide children from our earliest grade through their senior year in our high school program. Of course, there is so much else to pass along—like Jewish cul-ture, history and the language of our worship. At JFC, we have the chance to expand the minds and shared consciousness of our young charges to include an un-derstanding of what it means to be responsible to oth-ers beyond ourselves, including Israel —or areivut/k’lal Yisrael.

Our school tzedakah ( justice) program is a natural extension of these teachings. Although children in grade 2 get a formal introduction to Jewish values, the lessons are reinforced at every grade level. One of the themes of this school year is to become even more of a supportive inclusive environment… not just when it comes to children in our program who have learning challenges. We all have learning challenges and deserve, each of us, to be treated as special learn-ers. Since our classes are heterogeneous, we need to approach teaching from this angle and transform our practices to include this model of education. In this way we not only de-escalate challenging situations, we are able to reinforce the lesson that every person

counts, and we need to find a way to care for everyone. In this way compassion is something that becomes learnable and children then become agents for caring behavior. How can a school have a bullying problem if it has an authentically caring culture? Our children’s secular schools are learning this lesson the hard way, but have recently included some values-based pro-gramming to eliminate negative behaviors.

Whether it’s helping to raise funds for Autism Speaks, Birthright Israel, Feeding America, The Community Center of Northern Westchester, the Union for Reform Judaism and its Philippines Disaster Relief Fund, Neighbor’s Link, Chai Lifeline, the Connecticut Chil-dren’s Hospital or funds to support a seder for develop-mentally disabled adults (all 2013-14 school fundrais-ers), at our school we are all engaged citizens-- and Jews-- who see this obligation to help others as a key to our humanity—at every age.

In a moving article published by the URJ online this summer titled, The Reason that I Shaved My Head by Samantha Shauveney, a student of The University of Wisconsin and an aspiring Rabbi, explains why she cut off all of her hair. This selfless act is rooted in her belief that charity begins at home and that every person can make a difference. She is a mitzvah hero! Our school has many as well, and I hope to share these stories with you as they unfold.

Samantha’s essay begins with a quote from the Jewish Rabbi and sage, Hillel…

“Im ein ani li, mi li? U’ch’she’ani le’atzmi, mah ani? V’im lo ‘achshav, eimatai?: If I am not for myself who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” She writes, “Recently, I combined my two favorite things, com-munity and social action. It started because of Sammy Sommer, an 8-year-old who was diagnosed with Leu-

Continued on page 13


From The Early Childhood Centerby Jane Emmer

We are currently in the midde of our small, yet magical summer program. “Summer Fun” is always a highlight of my year, as I get to be outdoors with the kids, playing, riding bikes, blowing bubbles, gardening and splashing.

This year I took a vacation (my honeymoon) from JFC’s Summer Fun program and left it in the hands of the wonderful teachers in the ECC and Kathy Weingarten, my South Salem Enrichment right hand! Thanks to these inspiring educators… the FUN went on without me.

I am very proud to look around at the school and summer program and see our children growing and flourishing. Looking around during camp or school we are surrounded by happy, smiling, and curious faces. This says so much about the environment here at JFC. Our children learn so much. The school places great value on community, learning and fun.

Life is not just about learning to read and write. They are important, but just as important is love and friendship. JFC places great emphasis on being part of the community. This is a lifelong skill which will help all of us thrive. It may seem slightly old-fashioned, but a sense of community to me is very important, and I believe that we do a great job in communicating this to our children. Thank you to Debra Cohen, Lynn Kassel, Kathy Weingarten, Laurel Levinson, Isabella Wakeman, Miranda Tygert and Ali Andrade for helping make the summer nothing sort of magical!!

We are encouraging your help in building JFC Early Childhood Center. Please tell your friends how wonderful our school is. We are accepting registration for the fall morning programs and/or afternoon enrichment. We now have early drop-off and extended day opportunities.


From The Ritual CommitteeBy Michael Salpeter, Chair

HOW TO BEST ENJOY THE HIGH HOLY DAYS AT JFC

1. Please check your tickets for start times of services. Services will begin promptly at the designated times.

2. Tickets are required for admission – due to security reasons access to JFC grounds will be limited to only those people possessing tickets issued in their name.

3. A Slichot service will be held on Saturday, September 20. Please check our website for time and location. (See Rabbi Burstein’s Shofar article about the meaning of Selichot.)

4. For Rosh Hashanah First Day morning and Yom Kippur morning services, there are accommodations for families with children. If you have children under the age of 5, please proceed to step 4a. If you have children between the ages 5 and 12 proceed to step 4b. If no children, proceed to step 5.

4a. Free childcare will be available for young children during Rosh Hashanah First Day and Yom Kippur morning services. Also there is a child-friendly family service on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur at 2:30 pm. Complimentary tickets for non-members are available in the office for these family services.

4b. For children ages (5-12) a youth service led by members of the JFC youth group will take place on Rosh Hashanah First Day and Yom Kippur morning at 10:30 am. This is a musical service that brings home the mes-sage of the High Holy Days for children of religious school age.

5. A Tashlich service signifying the casting away of our sins will take place immediately following Rosh Ha-shanah First Day service at a location to be decided. Please check our website for details and directions.

6. Rosh Hashanah Second Day monring services are followed by a luncheon which will take place at JFC. The luncheon is catered by our member Gary and Paula Levine of Bedford Bagels and was a tremendously popular and successful event last year. If you plan to attend, please contact the office by X date. The cost of the luncheon is $/pp and includes tuna fish, egg salad, whitefish salad, bagels, lox, dessert items, etc.

7. The Yizkor service is included in the Yom Kippur afternoon service which begins at 4 pm.

8. Please wear clothing appropriate to the weather conditions.

9. The rabbi, cantor, ritual committee, and Board look forward to hosting you and your family for these holi-day services.

10. L’ shanah tovah – Wishing you and your family a Happy, Healthy New Year of 5775!


From The SisterhoodBy Amy Fishkin

JFC’s Sisterhood is a vibrant organization within the temple that sponsors a variety of activities that combine social, cultural, charitable and educational aspects of Jewish life. Our programs are designed to enhance per-sonal growth, Jewish involvement, the feeling of community, strengthening one’s faith and learning its precepts and establishing and maintaining a meaningful Jewish lifestyle. We are women of all ages, professions, talents and interests. Being a part of JFC’s Sisterhood is your time to do something just for you. Take time to be with other Jewish women, learn something new, network, have some fun and make a difference. Our members make us strong, our events make us fun and your participation makes us run.

Renew Your Membership or Become a MemberWe invite you to renew your annual membership in the JFC Sisterhood. We have had a wonderful year and look forward to many more exciting events ahead! We hope you will continue to be a part of something that is ener-gizing, engaging, and enhancing to our synagogue and our community. Please send your $45 membership fee to JFC Sisterhood, 111 Smith Ridge Road, South Salem, NY 10590. Please make checks payable to JFC Sister-hood. For additional information, please contact: [email protected].

How Sweet It Is!

Looking for a wonderful way to share the sweetness of the Rosh Hashanah holiday with friends, loved ones, col-lege students, or business associates who are far away? Keep them close to your hearts by sending some honey for the holidays! Wish someone a sweet New Year, and support the JFC Sisterhood, with a jar of honey from “Honey from the Heart.”

This distinctive 8-ounce jar of kosher honey arrives in time for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, decorated with a festive label, and includes a personalized card reading “L’Shana Tova—Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year.” This card also lets the recipients know that a donation has been made in their honor to JFC’s Sisterhood. Your cost is $10.00 per jar plus a $4.00 shipping and handling fee for orders placed after July 21st. To order honey go to www.jewishfamilycongregation.org, click on the honey link or go directly to www.orthoney.com/JFC and follow the step-by-step instructions.

http://www.orthoney.com/JFC

http://www.orthoney.com/JFC


What is Tisha B’Av? Tisha B’Av literally means the “Ninth (day) of (the Hebrew month of) Av.” Just like we celebrate our Indepen-dence Day on the 4th of July, Tisha B’Av marks a sad day on the Jewish calendar. This minor holiday does not appear in the Torah, but was instituted by the rabbis in Mishnaic times in the second century of the Common Era. In Biblical times, our people worshipped in The Temple in Jerusalem, making a pilgrimage three times a year to celebrate Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot (as well as on Shabbat and other holidays). Tisha B’Av commemo-rates the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BCE by the Babylonians. King Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild The Temple in 538 BCE after the Babylonian Empire fell. We worshipped in The Temple for several hundred more years, until the Romans destroyed it in 70 CE on the same day the First Temple fell -- the 9th of Av. Up through the 20th century, additional calamities occurred on this Hebrew date, so Tisha B’Av commemorates not only the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, but other ter-rible events in our history as well. Because of the tragic events of this day, Tisha B’Av is a fast day, similar to Yom Kippur, in that we do not eat or drink for 25 hours. The other prohibitions on Yom Kippur are also in effect on Tisha B’Av. Many Reform congregations do not observe Tisha B’Av in the traditional manner, because -- unlike some branches of Judaism -- we do not long to rebuild The Temple in Jerusalem and return to the sacrificial cult rituals of Torah times. In fact, the reason that many Reform congregations are called “temples” is to make a statement that the congregation is their Temple, not the one that existed in Jerusalem. Congregations that do observe Tisha B’Av read from the Book of Lamentations, or Eicha in Hebrew. It is customary to have the lights of the congregation turned off during prayer services, and sometimes worshippers sit on the floor. The most famous story explaining the reason The Temple was destroyed states that senseless hatred among the Jewish people caused the destruction. Although JFC does not observe Tisha B’Av as a congregation, let us make sure that we remember the meaning of the holiday and let it remind us to be careful of our words and actions.

Ask the Rabbi


Presidents’ Message From our vantage point, we believe that, in most measures, JFC has had a very successful year. We’ve witnessed a truly transformative spirit take hold within our special community: a spirit of revitalization and rededication; of renewed, enhanced and broadened community; of heightened energy and more ambitious possibility. It’s been exciting to witness that. Of course, we’ve undergone an extremely significant change this fiscal year: the first change in our rabbinical leadership in almost two decades. While many of us continue to have fond memories of Rabbi Freedman, it is impossible to overstate how fortunate we are to have found Rabbi Burstein. Maintaining organizational stability at times of transformative change can be an immense challenge, but Rabbi Burstein’s exuberant energy, his personal warmth and unusual sensitivity and his wisdom and creative spirit have helped JFC not just weather the change, but emerge from the transition with an energizing sense of excitement and possibility. While these meetings aren’t typically about thanks, it’s appropriate to stop here and thank Rabbi Burstein for all he has accomplished this year. As the year has progressed, it’s been wonderful to watch new members come into the fold, while long standing ones have renewed and deepened their bonds with one another. That sense of renewal and of revitalized commitment was very much on display at our Gala, which has become the high point of the JFC social calendar. The Gala has become a powerful acknowledgment of all that JFC is and the depth of our community, and we’re grateful to all those who worked so tirelessly to make it a success. In very meaningful ways we have expanded the meaning and significance of community by joining in Passover and Shavuot observances we shared with our neighbors at Temple Shearith Israel. The need to broaden and expand our community in many different ways will be a continuing theme for the board of trustees in the year to come. We’ve had other very significant accomplishments as well, in the form of a very successful High Holy Days Appeal, a fantastic Comedy Night and an extremely meaningful JFC History Project, that put us back in touch with our roots. As proud as we are of all JFC has accomplished this year, of course the story is not all positive. JFC continues to face financial challenges. As we will discuss in greater detail when we turn to other parts of the Annual Meeting, JFC operated at a deficit this fiscal year and we project it will again operate at a deficit in the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2014. While our balance sheet demonstrates strength, in part from our illiquid assets (the building and property), these operating deficits simply cannot be sustained. Our membership ranks must grow, one way or another, or our operating deficits will eventually exhaust our endowment fund.

Presidents’ Message at JFC Annual Meeting


Notes for Annual Report to JFCJune 17, 2014Rabbi Marcus L. Burstein Pirke Avot, Section of TalmudAl shelosha devarim ha olam omed: al hatorah, v’al ha’avodah, v’al gimilut chasadim.The world stands on three things: torah, worship, and acts of lovingkindness. Torah -- LearningReligious school -- loved singing with entire school twice each week favorite story of one child yelling out “that’s the wrong one!” taught lots of new melodiesLoved teaching -- 7th grade, confirmation class, post confirmation class prepare for BM ceremonies, learn service together on Saturdays confirmation -- incredible group of students! Trip to LES, NYC post confirmation -- great students! Trip to Phily -- 3 ½ hrs museumJewish-BLT, Brunch and Learn Torah about 12 students throughout year; study in Hebrew and EnglishHopes for future: more adult education programs, including Judaism and the 5 Senses, maybe group conversion class Avodah -- PrayerShabbat and HolidaysShabbat -- Several innovations in past year: brought back babysitting 2x/month, shortened Friday night services, introduced new melodies and rituals on Friday and SaturdayHolidays -- 2nd Day RH -- new machzor, visual tefila, location, involvement of JFC members sharing their sto-ries, luncheon for entire congregation 60+Seder -- 70+ people signed up to attendGreat to share Passover and Shavuot services with Temple Shearith Israel, Ridgefield, CTHealing service; Hike and HavdallahEncourage participation in all services at JFC -- they are not private!!The Ritual Committee under the guidance of Michael Salpeter has been a significant help in accomplishing the successes in all areas of prayer this year. Hopes for future: continue to build on the good attendance of Shabbat and holiday services; continue to try new things out (like learning Kabbalat Shabbat prayers in July); hope to engage more JFC members to read/chant torah. Gemilut Chasadim -- Acts of Lovingkindness Pastoral -- hospital visits to different hospitals, funeral services, shiva minyanim, baby namings, check in on members with health or other challenges Communal -- love that people stay for Oneg Shabbat after services; loved being invited into many people’s homes for meals; Meet the rabbi events last summer very successful; New Member Welcome; Realtor’s Open House; planned trips to Gomez Mill House, LES this summer; Make JFC Sparkle Social action -- Purim Mitzvah project; event benefitting Community Center of Northern Westchester; Midnight Run, Blood Drive, JFAB (Jewish Family Alliance for a Better-World)

Page Jewish Family Congregation Shofar Av - Elul 5774/ August 201411Hopes for future: more of all the above!

I feel the excitement. Several people have contacted us in the past few weeks to join JFC -- from 3 other congre-gations, moving to area, rejoin, and others. Encourage you to share what you would like to see and get involved. We will continue to try to do new things that engage others and ideally transform our lives.

I could not do this alone!! Amazing staff -- Cantor, Leslie, Jane, Kathleen, and Carol. Most of all, our co-presidents are truly menschen -- Hal and Glenn contribute an incredible amount to our con-gregation each and every week. I enjoy our weekly conversations and meetings and feel supported and encour-aged by them.

I look forward to another exciting and meaningful year together. Thank you for inviting me into your lives and for enabling me to be your rabbi!

With much gratitude, all of us at

Jewish Family Congregation

want to express our thanks to

congregant Noah Sklarin who

recently finished his installation

project in memory of Religious

School students Molly and

Gregory.

Please visit the outdoor

memorial which is located in

the wooded area north of our

parking lot.

May the memory of Molly and

Gregory be a blessing.


August Oneg Hosts

Date Family Board Host

8/1/2014 Neil and Karen Blum Robyn Cohen Ken and Ellen Elias

8/8/2104 Frank and Susan Andrade Jon Glass Jeremy Tubbs and Daniella Goldman

8/15/2014 Sisterhood Josh Blum Board members

8/22/2014 Jack Wilson and Marjorie Schiff Karen Conti Bryon and Victoria Friedman

8/29/2014 Brian Besterman and Alison Ganis Hal Wolkin Neil and Holly Alexander

Use the Shofar to say...Happy Birthday, Get Well, Thanks,

or I Remember...

Sanctuary Chair Plaque $150Leaf on Simcha Tree $180

Memorial Board Plaque $450

General FundBuilding Fund

Caring Committee FundSocial Action Fund

Ground Beautification Fund

JFC-URJ Camp FundMolly and Gregory RS Scholership

Fund

Rabbi Discretionary FundMusic and Choir Fund

Religious School Director Fund

byNotesNancy, Inc.

Nancy SilbersteinInvitations and stationery at discount prices

tel/fax: 914-232-0835 e-mail: [email protected]

Page Jewish Family Congregation Shofar Av - Elul 5774/ August 201413Continued from page 4

kemia (AML) in 2012. The Jewish community rallied together to help however they could, raising funds to send him to Disneyland and Israel and helping make life easier for his family in other various ways. Sadly, Sammy passed away on December 14, 2013, and the whole Jewish community mourned together.

Then, something amazing happened. The Jewish community came together again, this time with the goal of ending childhood cancer, and many rabbis took part in. As an aspiring rabbi, I wanted to join in. While trying to figure out how I could help, I had to make sure I did it in a way that was possible, given that I am a freshman at University of Wisconsin, Madison. I didn’t have money to donate, but I did have the leadership skills, the cha-risma, and the chutzpah to run a fundraiser and eventually shave my head. Mitzvot, good deeds, are not one-size-fits-all. For some people, donating money was the right way to help, while I was thrilled to shave my head. It is important that we find mitzvot that work for us as individuals. If we are not looking out for our best interests, then who is?

As a member of the Jewish community, which calls for us to do mitzvot, I felt I needed to do something. I needed to help so that other families would not feel the same pain that Sammy’s family has gone through. Through St. Baldrick’s, I raised $1,300 for pediatric cancer research, and I continue to raise awareness every time I answer the question, “Why are you bald?” Some might think that agreeing to be completely bald is a difficult thing to do, but as I told my mother, “I don’t want to be one of those people who cares more about looks than I do about other people.” I wear my baldness as a badge of honor. The way the Jewish community has come together in the recent months is a true testament to the power of compassion and the impact that one little boy can have on a community.”

Samantha’s essay struck me hard. Our school has supported St. Baldrick’s but there is another reason I was moved by her story. Our son Dylan, who got married this summer, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma two years ago. In the exchange of vows at the ceremony, Dylan’s bride, Lee, recalled the fear of losing him to the disease. Many tears were quietly shed during her vows-- and the chuppah holders (all siblings of the bride and groom) really had to hold it together despite their emotions. It was a beautiful moment but a reminder that life has good and bad times. The breaking of the glass under the groom’s heel is a startling signifier of this lesson and it seems that our tradition has a way of symbolically incorporating all of life’s facets and phases. Our family received a lot of love and support from friends, family and our JFC family. The chesed we witnessed and expe-rienced helped our family and now we hope to pass that along and pay it forward. Chesed can be taught and modeled and this is another important value our school recognizes.

Tell everyone you know that something really special is going on here at the JFC Religious School and that we have room for… just one more student! And maybe just another. And one more after that--- because we have something truly grand to share. To register your child, visit the JFC website and you can do it all online!

I wish all of you a happy new year… coming soon. May the month of Elul help you to reflect on new ways to en-gage your family to make the world a better place and may tikkun olam be a roadmap for all of our lives.

-Leslie Gottlieb


sent, have been acknowledged on the Donor Wall in our entryway, and in the future will be recognized on our website, at a special Shabbat service and in the Shofar. But as important as that special level of dues is to JFC’s revenue—and we encourage all who can afford to support JFC at such level to do so—sustainability isn’t only about dues payments. It’s also about a special engagement with and commitment to JFC. Over the next few weeks, we will challenge the Board of Trustees to define more clearly what makes a JFC member a Sustaining Member, so that we can properly expand our definition and acknowledge those who are essential to our sustain-ability. We welcome your thoughts on this matter as well.

Just as many of us make resolutions at the beginning of the secular New Year, we think that the beginning of JFC’s fiscal year is a great time for each of us to resolve to increase our engagement with and sharpen our commitment to JFC. There are many ways, of course, to do this. During the summer months, we intentionally adopt different starting times for Shabbat services from time to time, so to align with the slower, more relaxed rhythms of summer. Our July open house and Shabbat barbecue will be in the books by the time this issue is in your hands, but there will be an early Shabbat in the Great Outdoors at 6:30 on August 15. If you haven’t been to one of these, bring a dairy picnic dinner, join us in song and observe Shabbat on our beautiful and idyllic prop-erty. If you’ve never served on a JFC committee, we are always in need of additional hands. Chanting Torah on the High Holy Days is a uniquely meaningful way to make a contribution to the JFC community. But whatever you do, help sustain JFC by renewing your membership if you haven’t already, paying dues at the Sustaining Member level if you can and deepening your engagement in the ways that are meaningful to you.

Here’s wishing you a happy and meaningful fiscal new year.

Glenn Kurlander and Hal Wolkin

Don’t forget to stop in and check out the JFC Gift Shop!

If you are interested in

purchasing anything, please

let us know in the JFC Office.

Continued from page 3


First Sunday

September 14

Regular School Day

9 am—12 noon

11:30 –12:00 pm service

Parents welcome

First Monday

September 15

HHD Food Drive:

Monday, October 6, 4:15 pm

Meet at JFC

6 pm pickup in Katonah at

La Famiglia

Note: Not a regular school day

First Thursday

September 18

Regular School Day

4:15—6 pm

5:30 –6 pm service

Parents welcome

6:15—7:15 pm Staff Meeting

Friday Shabbat Grade Services

7:30 pm

Grade K & 1 May 1

Grade 2 March 13

Grade 3 February 27

Grade 4 January 23

Grade 5 December 12

Grade 6 November 14

Grade 7 October 15, Wednesday

Simchat Torah

2014-2015 JFC

Religious School

Check out the complete calendar on our website


What better way to wish family, friends and business associates a

“Sweet and Healthy New Year” than sending honey?

Rosh Hashanah HONEY

Fundraiser

Isn’t this a great way to send your New

Year wishes?

Support Our Sisterhood

This distinctive 8-ounce jar of kosher honey arrives in time for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, decorated with a festive label, and includes a

personalized card reading “L’Shana Tova—Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year.” This card also lets the recipients know that a

donation has been made in their honor to JFC’s Sisterhood.

Your cost is $10.00 per jar plus $4.00 shipping and handling fee.

To order honey go to www.jewishfamilycongregation.org, click on the honey link or go directly to www.orthoney.com/JFC and

follow the step-by-step instructions.

Chairperson: Linda Lederman

Phone: 914-232-7245 E-mail: [email protected]

If you don’t have internet

access, request an order form from Linda Lederman.

914-232-7245

For more information, please contact


We invite you to renew your annual membership in the JFC Sisterhood. We have had a

wonderful year! We hope you will continue to be a part of something that is energizing, engaging and enhancing

to our synagogue and our community.

NAME:_____________________________________________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________________________________________

EMAIL:____________________________ PHONE #:_________________________

JFC MEMBER: ____YES ____NO

Return form & payment to: JFC Sisterhood, 111 Smith Ridge Rd, South Salem, NY 10590

Jewish FamilyCongregation SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP

JFC SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP FORM

For Sisterhood membership renewal or to become a new Sisterhood member, please complete and return this form along with a $45

membership fee. Please make checks payable to JFC SISTERHOOD. We welcome JFC and Non-JFC members. For additional information please

contact: [email protected]


SELICHOTSelichot Saturday, September 20 8:00 pm

location to be determined

ROSH HASHANAHRosh Hashanah Evening Wednesday, September 24 7:30 pmRosh Hashanah Morning* Thursday, September 25 10:00 am

Special ServicesYouth Service (ages 7 - pre-B'nai Mitzvah) 10:30 am

JFC SanctuaryTashlich, Lewisboro Town Park, Route 35 1:30 pmChildren's Service (families with children under age 7) 2:45 pm

JFC SanctuaryRosh Hashanah Day 2 Morning* Friday, September 26 10:00 am

JFC Sanctuary

YOM KIPPURKol Nidre Friday, October 3 7:30 pmYom Kippur Day* Saturday, October 4 10:00 am

Music and Meditation Service 3:00 pmConcluding Services (Afternoon, Healing, Yikzor, and Neilah)* 4:00 pm

Special ServicesYouth Service (ages 7 -pre-B'nai Mitzvah) 10:30 am

JFC SanctuaryChildren's Service (families with children under age 7) 2:00 pm

JFC Sanctuary

* Childcare available in building

Immediate Family Member tickets $72/person, $288/maximumNon member tickets $360/person, $720/maximum****non member ticket costs may be applied to membership dues if you join before December 2014

Jewish Family Congregation111 Smith Ridge Road/ Route 123 South Salem, New York 10590

(914) 763-3028 fax (914) [email protected]

Jewish Family Congregation5775 - High Holy Day Services - 2014

(Services take place in the JFC tent unless otherwise noted.)TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL SERVICES

and are non-transferable


Torah Chanters and Readers Wanted! On High Holy Days, our lay people at JFC take the lead in reading and chanting of our most ancient texts. If you are interested in chanting Torah or read-ing for the High Holy Days please contact Rabbi Burstein at: [email protected] as soon as possible.

JFC Religious School Calendar 2014-2015 / 5775

Important Dates: Book Fair– Oct 19– Oct 26 Purim Carnival– Sunday, March 1 RS STARS Party & Carnival– Sunday, May 3

Leslie Gottlieb, Director of Education (914) 763-3028 Ext. 24

[email protected] [email protected]

Grade Services/Onegs 7:30 p.m.

Grade 7– 10/15, *Wed 7:30 PM Simchah Torah Grade 6 11/14/14 Grade 5 12/12/14 Grade 4 1/23/15 Grade 3 2/27/15 (Rock Shabbat) Grade 2 3/13/15 Grades K/1 5/1/15

First Class Dates

Sun.9/14-Grs. 4-6 9 AM-12 PM Parents invited 11:30AM –12PM

Mon., 9/15- Gr. 7 4:15 at JFC Gr. 7 HHD Food Drive

Thurs., 9/18- K-3 4:15-6PM Parents invited 5:30 –6PM

Thurs.,9/18- Confirmation (6:15-7:15 PM)

Thurs., 9/18- Student Mentor Program– SMP

3:30-6:00 PM Thurs., 9/18-Youth Group

7:15-8:15 PM

8/28-Board Meeting 4-5 PM

9/15-Board Meeting 4:45–5:45 PM

9/18 10/2 10/23 11/6 11/20 12/4

12/18 Chanukah party

1/8 1/22 2/5 2/26 3/5 Purim Service,

3/19 4/16 5/7- YG Party 6:15-7:30 PM

NFTY/NAR Activities

LTI NYC – 9/14 Fall Kallah– 11/14-11/16 Winter Kallah– 1/9-1/11 Albany Social—3/1– 3/2 Elections/NYC– 3/15 Jr.Youth Kallah– 3/27-3/29 Spring Kallah– 4/24-4/26 Gala—5/9

RS Staff Meetings Thurs., 6:15-7:15

Sept 18 Dec 4 Feb 26

May 21 7:00 pm Staff Dinner

RS Committee Meetings

Wed., 12:30-1:30 PM

Sept 10 Nov 5 Jan 14 Mar 25

Kids Knesset Meeting Dates

Sundays

10/9, 12/14, 3/8,

Thursdays 10/2, 12/11,2/5

Schedule changes will be announced by email AND

posted at

(914) 763-3028 ext. 24 for weather-related closures

Symbol Legend

School Days NO School on these days

Youth Group Thurs., 7:15-8:15

YG HHD Services Rosh H. 9/25 10:30-11:30 AM Yom K. 10/4 10:30-11:30 AM

www.JewishFamilyCongregation.org

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 # 29 30 31

January S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

February S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28

November October

March S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

15 14

23

12

27

13

April S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

May S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Open House February 26

Open House April 23

Early Registration for 2015-16 February 11 to March 18—Discounted Rates!!

Post Confirmation Meeting Dates

Tues., 6:00-7:15 pm

Nov 18 Dec 9 Jan13 Feb 10

March 10 April 14

May 17 - Trip

September December


Jewish Family Congregation Religious School presents the…

Kids Knesset Student Government Program: Grades K-6

Just think…you can volunteer to be one of two

student representatives for your grade in order to help make important decisions about our school.

There will be several meeting dates throughout the

school year (with the school director) and the other student representatives.

Meetings will be: Thursdays and Sundays during Religious School.

See calendar for exact dates. You can also volunteer to help run many Religious

School special events as a student leader!!

Volunteer by filling out this form. Submit it to Leslie Gottlieb or send an email to:

[email protected]

Who should volunteer? Anyone who believes that he/she can help to create

and plan great programs for the school!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Return this section or email information!

Name___________________________________ Grade in Sept. ___________


JFC Religious School Fundraiser- Challah Program --From Steve’s Bagels of Ridgefield--

****************************** Want to make Shabbat a special time in your home?

A fresh-baked challah on hand can help distinguish Friday evening dinners from all the others.

--All proceeds go to the Religious School Fund—

Challah will be distributed during our K-3, YG & Confirmation program on Thursdays. All school participants/congregants may register if Thursday pick up is possible. Each challah will be wrapped in a plastic bag so that it will be fresh for Shabbat. If your child is absent, we will hold it for you until noon on that Friday. If we do not hear from you, the items will be donated to that week’s Oneg Shabbat.

2014-15 School Year: Cost- $143 ($6.50 each)

22 Thursdays/Dates of Delivery: October 2- April 22

************************************** Please return by Thursday, September 18

2014-15 JFC Religious School Challah Program Student’s Name: _____________________________________ (last) (first) Grade:________ Thursday Religious School Teacher: __________________ or ___YG ___Confirmation Check # ___ Amount paid $_______


Malcolm Brown

MIT Chemical Engineer B.S., M.S.

Pr ep • SAT, PSAT & ACT

Math • 7th & 8th Grades• High School sequence• Calculus

Sc i en c e • Chemistry Physics

• Earth Science

For further information, contact:

Telephone: (914) 533-5468 E-mail: [email protected] Registered State tutoring. Serving Westchester and Fairfield

MB TUTORING Hundreds of students helped to excel

Local ShoppingEach time you shop at DeCicco Market, 1 Cross River Plaza, Cross River NY, tell thecashier you are a JFC member before ringing up your order. JFC will recieve a small rebate from your purchases.


Donations

General Fund

Jeff Berg & Debra Paget in memory of Phyllis Goldfield

Rabbi Discretionary Fund

Tyler and Hilary Hughes in honor of Rabbi Burstein for Carter’s naming

Lee Blum in memory of Ed Blum

Sisterhood

Wendy Lipp

Jewish Family Congregation Religious Schoolpresents the…

Kids KnessetStudent Government Program: Grades K-6

Just think…you can volunteer to be one of two student representatives for your grade in order to help make important decisions about our school.

There will be several meeting dates throughout the school year (with the school director) and the other student representatives.

Meetings will be: Thursdays and Sundays during Religious School. See calendar for exact dates.

You can also volunteer to help run many Religious School special events as a student leader!!

Volunteer by filling out this form. Submit it to Leslie Gottlieb or send an email to: [email protected]

Who should volunteer?Anyone who believes that he/she can help to create and plan great programs for the school!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------Return this section or email information!

Name___________________________________

Grade in Sept. ___________


Please join us for JFC’s Special 5775 High Holy Day

Children’s Services

Friends and family are welcome as long as they contact our office in advance. Our Children’s Services are designed especially for children age 7 and younger.

Please join us for special songs and prayers with

Rabbi Burstein and Cantor Ben-David

Jewish Family Congregation 111 Smith Ridge Road, South Salem NY 10590 914-763-3028 www.jewishfamilycongregation.org

Rosh HaShanah Thursday, September 25

at 2:30 pm * In the Sanctuary

*Join us at 1:30 pm for Tashlich Lewisboro Town Park

Don’t forget to bring bread

Yom Kippur Saturday, October 4

at 2:00 pm In the Sanctuary


Jewish Family Congregation

Babysitting is available for children 8 and under

on the first and third Friday of the month from 7:30 - 8:30 pm

Please contact the office with any

questions or to sign up

[email protected]

914-763-3028

Babysitting 1st and 3rd Friday of the Month


Ushers Needed

For High Holy Day Services

Contact the ritual committee to volunteer

[email protected]


Birthdays

Zachary Amerling

Adam Andrade

Charlotte Bellinson

Samantha Berg

Richard Bersch

Cole Brand

Jason Breslin

Debra Cohen

Rick Cohlan

Matthew Duckett

Jane Emmer

Sally Firestein

David Firestein

Dillon Firestein

David Fischer

Andrew Fishkin

Nate Fishkin

Lillian Gilbert

Michael Gitlitz

Kenneth Gordon

Dr. Allan Gottlieb

Abbey Grzymala

Alexander Junquera

Peter Kaplan

Spencer Kaplan

Hillary Lavin

Dylan Leitner

Justin Lipper

Luca Lipp

Rebecca Mishkin

Elisabeth Rich

Alan Sanders

Eva Schenk

Anthony Senese

Aspen Shafer

Skylar Shafer

Steve Shainmark

John Stern

J. J. Stevelman

Zoe Vandervelden

Daniel Westlake

Rheba Alpert

Ferdinand Aufsesser

Jerry Blum

Sadie Dutka

Theresa Ehrman

Sam Feinleib

Abraham Feldman

Richard Glass

Julius Goodman

Lila Gordon

Charles Karsch

Leo Klotz

Claire Markham

Edward Joel Mendell

Dax Nemerov

Kenneth Rosenthal

Henry Salmon

Joseph Salpeter

Edith Sherr

Hugo Sternberger

Janet Treitman

Yahrzeits


Frank & Susan Andrade

Jeffrey Berg & Debra Paget

Theodore Bloch & Lisa Block

Adam & Robyn Cohen

David & Sally Firestein

Andrew & Amy Fishkin

Allan & Ellen Goldstein

Lawrence & Leslie Gottlieb

Richard & Lydia Hellinger

Peter & Dawn Kessler

David & Erica Levens

Harold & Ruth Ossher

Harry & Sandra Rosenhouse

Fulvio Segalla & Wendy Lipp

Steven & Judy Vandervelden

Anniversaries

A Big Thank You to:

Phyllis and David Amerling and Catherine Lipper for gardening.

The Sisterhood for hosting the Oneg Shabbat at our open house BBQ.

Become a Sustaining member. your generosity will enables JFC to provide memberships to families and indi-

viduals facing financial difficulties.

Donate to one of the many JFC funds.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xiy0z2mezxoop9x/DonationsContributions.pdf

Volunteer for one of our committees - a great way to support JFC and help the community

Shop at Amazon through Jewish Family Congregation website, which gives us a commission on all purchas-

es. This is a convenient way to support JFC and a convenient way to shop.

http://www.amazon.com/?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&link_code=hom&tag=jewishfamil0e-20

Shop at DeCicco Market and tell the cashier you are a JFC member before ringing up your

order. JFC will receive a rebate from your purchases.

Easy ways to Support JFC


Non Profit Organization

Postage PAID

White Plains, NY Permit No. 9022

Current Resident Or

Make sure to check out our calendar for up to date events at www.jewishfamilycongregation.org

Summer fun at JFC

August 15 Shabbat in the Great Outdoors September 12 ECC Back to School Picnic 10 am September 19 Unity Shabbat with ECC, Open to all 11:30 amSeptember 20 SelichotSeptember 24 Rosh Hashanah

august 2014 shofar - av/elul 5774

Documents