Kol Israel –Jan/Feb Page 1 Vol. 17, Issue 1

The voice of Temple Israel Greater Manchester’s Center for Conservative Jewry

Rabbi Eric Cohen, PhD Christine Dame, Office Administrator Volume 17, Issue1 (Jan/Feb) 66 Salmon Street, Manchester, NH 03104 office@templeisraelmht.org 603-622-6171

In this Issue: Words from the Rabbi ................................................... 1 The Braverman Chanukah Party Photos ........... 8

Schoolhouse News ....................................................... 2 Seniors ForEver Young ....................................... 9

Donations ....................................................................... 3 Passages .............................................................. 9 Yahrzeits .................................................................. 3 & 4 With Great Appreciation.................................... 11

January & February Dates ..................................... 5 & 6 Temple Israel is on Facebook .......................... 12 Schmooze & Spirits Soiree Photos ............................. 7

Temple Events at a Glance ............................... 12

By Rabbi Eric Cohen

“What? No Jewish holidays until February?! What’s a Jew to do after Chanukah?” Well, it’s true, to a certain extent. The next big holiday is Tu BeShvat, the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. And this year, that falls in February.

Tu BeShvat is called “the New Year for Trees.” It’s similar to our Arbor Day or our Earth Day. In ancient times, it marked the point at which the first fruits were earmarked for offerings to the Temple. Jews were obligated each year to bring the first fruits of their trees or of their fields as an offering. But, how did you know when to look for the first fruits? The rabbis taught that when the fruit on a tree, for example, began to bloom on the 15th day of Shevat, it counted as a first fruit. If the fruit blossomed the day before, that counted as fruit from the previous year. You needed a cut-off date to figure out which ones to bring - hence, Tu BeShvat. In Israel, Tu BeShvat also comes in the season when trees begin to bud, so it’s understandable that the rabbis chose a date at this time of year.

“That’s lovely,” you may remark, “but what about Jewish holidays in January?”

Well, there is one: Asarah BeTevet, the 10th day of the month of Tevet, which falls, this year, on January 8. This date marks the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, which ended with the city’s destruction and the exile of the Jewish people to Babylonia. Traditionally on this day Jews fasted from dawn until night-fall. Unlike, Tishah B’Av, the 9th day of Av, which falls in the summer, we are not commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem. This fast day marks the “beginning of the end,” not the end itself, and it’s often referred to as one of the minor fast days.

So, we might ask: should we fast on this day as tradition comes down to us? For some, this is not even a question. Of course we should fast! We’ve been fasting for 2,000 years. Why should we jettison this ancient tradition? Others wonder whether this day should remain one of fasting. If we are mourning the beginning of the loss of our independence, should this not be overshadowed by the establishment of the State of Israel? After all, we have our independence back.

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Good arguments can be made for either point of view. But, for me, what's interesting to note is how powerful fasting is. We not only commemorate our past hurt through liturgy and stories, we embody the pain felt by our ancestors by denying ourselves food and water. There is something very visceral about trying to mimic, physically, the feelings of the past. Judaism, interestingly, and despite its reputation, is not focused only on intellectual pursuits. Our ancient teachers wanted us to feel Judaism. They wanted us to drink it, to eat it, to smell it, to wear it, to dance it - Judaism is not only a spiritual path. It demands that we engage it with our bodies.

I’m still deciding whether, or to what extent, to fast on the 10th day of Tevet. But I’m not automatically rejecting fasting. Connecting myself to our ancient past is important to me. Feeling what my ancestors felt thousands of years ago grounds me in ways mere story-telling does not. Besides, many of us, who don’t have medical issues that dictate otherwise, can use a fast now and then.

So, without pushing anyone to decide to fast or not to fast, I ask you to consider what ways you can embody Judaism in this new secular year. May all our encounters with the Jewish tradition be rich and meaningful.

By Karen Jacobs and Aida Koocher

Happy New Year – we hope all our families had a wonderful winter break! We are all excited to be back in classes.

As of this writing, the Braverman Chanukah party has yet to take place, but we are certain that all in attendance will have a great time, lots of food, fun, and friends. If you missed it this time, mark your calendars for next year.

Two ongoing and semiregular school programs that you should watch your email for are Junior Congregation and Tot Shabbat (being renamed Junior Jr. Congregation).

Junior Congregation is for all of our students and parents. Kids put into practice what they are learning in the classroom and parents get to see their kids show off.

Junior Jr. Congregation is primarily for students in grades K-3, as well as younger siblings and friends. Parents are welcome to stay or participate in the regular service. Junior Jr. Congregation is about learning how to “be” in a service with music, games, and fun.

We encourage you to take advantage of these school programs.

Classroom Reports:

Grade K-1 students are learning Hebrew letter recognition and sounds, and exploring their Jewish universe through stories and games.

Grade 2-3 pupils are putting the skill and letter recognition into sounding and decoding Hebrew words, and learning their meanings. They are also learning about ethics and holidays through crafts and stories.

Grade 4-5 students are studying the liturgy of the Friday evening Shabbat service and how they fit into the great Jewish and secular communities at large.

Grade 6-7 pupils are studying the Torah service, and learning how to chant and lead it, along with Prophets and Jewish history past the end of the Torah.

Parents are always welcome to ask questions, provide feedback and talk with their child’s teacher.

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MEMORIAL TZEDAK

Milton Novak in memory of Henry Novak Arlene Kershaw in memory of Janet Laibson

Milton Novak in memory of Abraham Braverman Milton Novak in memory of Leonard Novak

Ilene & Stuart Brogadir in memory of William Brogadir Debbie Manning in memory of Pauline /Gladstone

Mildred Rosennberg in memory of Herbert Rosenberg, Sarah Rosenberg and Shirley Rubin

Sydell Rosen in memory of Edward Cutler, Ida Rosen, Fannie Rosen, Samuel Cutler, Dinzie Cutler, and Libby Lew Carol Krensky in memory of Carl and Sarah Krensky Judi & Bill Kennedy in memory of Harriet Winthrop

Bunny Golder in memory of Richard Golder Renee Brenner in memory of Jennie Sidman Richard Ekman in memory of Sheldon Ekman

Debbie-Ann Sklar in memory of Norman A. Roth Joyce Levitt in memory of Celia Rosenthal

HAROLD & CHARLOTTE GROSS HEBREW SCHOOL FUND

Charlotte & Harold Gross in memory of Ed Feldman Charlotte & Harold Gross in memory of Gerald Gross

SCHMOOZE & SPIRITS SOIREE

April & Brent Kiley Sedra Michaelson in honor of Norri Oberlander

Dia Stolnitz Renee Brenner in honor of Harry Shepler

Ruth Chevion Dallas Lagerquist

Michelle Gray

BRAVERMAN CHANUKAH FUND

Harry & Barbara Shepler Joy & Michael Sydney Cindi & Gary Singer

MANDELL TORAH FUND

Roberta Silberberg Phyllis & Jayson Levine in memory of Anna Spillberg

Renee Brenner in memory of Sylvia Cohen

SANDI MCCURDY TORAH COVER FUND

Phyllis & Jayson Levine Milton Novak

Arnold Cohen Bernice Singer

Robert Silberberg

SINGER FAMILY FUNDD

Bernice Singer in memory of Sylvia Cohen

JANUARY YAHRZEITS (Tevet 3 – Shevat 4)

Tevet 3 1 Lazar Cohen Tevet 4 2 Edward Cutler Hattie Wolfe Tevet 6 4 Ida Rosen Shirley Rubin Tevet 7 5 Max Cohen Nathan Landow Beryl Notelowitz Julius Notelowitz Tevet 8 6 Bertha Elsie Benjamin Morris Druker Richard Golder Tevet 9 7 Tillie Beitz Clara Zlotowicz-Bulion Tevet 10 8 Gladys Braverman Celia Gravitch Eric Jacobs Cecile Krupp Selma Rosenstein Celia Mushlin Rosenthal Tevet 12 10 Leon Benjamin Sadie Perlman Harriet Winthrop Tevet 13 11 Lewis Firestone Ida Holicker Evelyn Krivitsky Barney Rovner Tevet 14 12 Herbert Tillman Tevet 15 13 Miriam Heifetz Kavesh Abraham Meyer Horwitz Tevet 17 15 Allen Alterman Sarah Krensky Eugene Winneg Tevet 18 16 Carlotta DeSzabas Samuel Richmond Annette Schadick Tevet 19 17 Pearl Ehrlich Tevet 20 18 Norman Roth Tevet 21 19 Miriam ?

Etta Kruger Beatrice Mallin Benjamin Mallin David Waldman Tevet 22 20 Hilda Citron Sarah Glichouse Hyman Rovner Sadie Silver Tevet 23 21 Eli Cutler Sheldon Ekman Joseph Friedland Nathan Smulian Tevet 24 22 Samuel Charron Tevet 25 23 William Diamond Ida Rudnick Tevet 26 24 Ida Cavall Abraham Golod Murray L. Scharf Rose Tatelman Tevet 27 25 Max Berger Philip Haller Rhoda Richmond Stanley Sydney Tevet 28 26 Martin Bresnick Abraham Holicker Joseph Levine Tevet 29 27 Carl Krensky Abraham Tevelov Shevat 2 29 Fannie Rosen Isaac Rudnick Shevat 3 30 Harry Hoffman Shevat 4 31 Leo Baer Leonard Cohen Sheila White

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FEBRUARY YAHRZEITS (Shevat 5 to Adar 2) Shevat 5 1 Hyman Krieger Molly Levin

Shevat 6 2 Beatrice Lillian Caras Anna Gorenstein Leon Rosenberg Shevat 7 3 Joel Cohen Sadie Falk Anna Gross Rose Itzkowitz Robert Jolton Yetta Myers Bill Plotkin Dr. Robert Weissman Shevat 8 4 Isaac Semiat Shevat 10 6 Edmond Hardoon Harold Landfield Shevat 11 7 Ida Levin Harry Lewis Shevat 12 8 Dena Baer Leon Mandell Mollie Schill Shevat 13 9 Gertrude Plotkin Shevat 14 10 Alice Alterman Hyman Goodman Shevat 15 11 Leland Churchill Samuel Cutler Joseph Diamond Rea Rubinstein Shevat 16 12 Dinzie Cutler Shaindel Gilman Elizabeth Lewis Masza Stein Shevat 17 13 Abraham Barland Shevat 18 14 Herbert Hoexter David Krattenstein Anna Steinberg Shevat 19 15 Rosalind Shaer Shevat 20 16 Marc Buff Edith Ellenson Lena Fleischman Joseph Gliserman Shevat 21 17 Sadie Rovner Shevat 22 18 Hyman Gross Leon Rifkin Shevat 23 19 Solomon Bresnick Dora Wexler Dell Joseph Eluto David Landsman Shevat 24 20 Lillian Gruber Theodore Richmond Shevat 25 21 Joseph Cramer Charles Richmond Joseph Roiter Shevat 26 22 Hyman Falk Hillel Perlstein Cyril White Harry Zlotowicz Shevat 27 23 Bertha Bornstein Eva Silberberg Samuel Spector

Shevat 28 24 Juliette Barland John Kurtz Lily Kurtz Bella Marmer Shevat 29 25 Leslie Todd Shevat 30 26 Alfred Benton Goldie Madnick Adar 1 27 Harold H. Drasner Solomon David Kaplan Libby Lew Ida Novak George Silberberg Abraham Tatelman Herbert Winneg Adar 2 28 Helen Buckin Jacob Foster II

FEBRUARY YAHRZEITS (Shevat 5 to Adar 2) Adar 2 Lena Hoffman Dr. Harry Press David Schwartz Anna Silber Louis Specter

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Nineteen people attended the Seniors ForEver Young Chanukah party at Temple Israel. In addition to everyone’s favorite potato latkes, Alan Kaplan entertained the group. Seniors ForEver Young is a wonderful organization that hosts many activities throughout the year. New members are welcome.

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By Norri Oberlander

We are excited to announce that Temple Israel now has a Facebook Page! Please join our group “Friends of Temple Israel of Manchester, NH.” Here you will find:

Information about Temple Israel Events (Family Shabbats, Schmooze N Schmear, Junior Congregation, Kibbutz & Cooking and much more!).

Every week we highlight a congregant-owned business so you can purchase goods and services to support our congregation.

Local Jewish information such as where to purchase Kosher or holiday food.

Thank you to Debbie Berger & Norri Oberlander for administrating our NEW Facebook Page. Stay connected and join our Friends of Temple Israel of Manchester, NH Facebook Page today

January

Jan. 1: Chanukah Day 8 & New Year’s Day

Jan. 2: Office closed

Jan. 4: Lunch & Learn

Jan. 7: Junior. Congregation – 9:30am

Jan 8: Schmooze with Rabbi Eric followed by Schmear with Hebrew School Parents

Jan. 13: RSVP for Jan. 20th family Shabbat closes at noon

Jan. 14: Junior Congregation

Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Day – office closed

Jan. 20: Family Shabbat Around the World

Chinese Food Night. Registrations close by noon on Jan. 13.

Jan. 28: Junior Congregation – 9:30am

February

Feb. 11: Pjammin’ Havdalah Party/Dinner 6:15pm

Feb. 12: Schmooze with Rabbi Eric

Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day

Feb. 18: Pjammin’ Havadalah Dance Party & Dinner – 6:15pm

Feb. 20: President’s Day – office closed

Feb. 24 & 27: Office closed