RABBI’S MESSAGE - NOVEMBER 2019

Congregation B’nai Harim Children of the Mountains

Congregation B’nai Harim, P.O. Box 757, Pocono Pines, PA 18350/ (570) 646-0100 http://www.bnaiharimpoconos.org

NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019/ VOLUME 25, ISSUE 11

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I love it when congregants share the stories they find inspiring, whether these are personal vignettes or items from the Internet. Recently I received a very moving piece about a rabbi that I want to pass on to you in this post-High Holiday Season. I think it will carry the messages of the holidays a little further into the rest of the year. In this story, which was delivered as a substitute sermon for Sukkot, the rabbi set aside her prepared words to relate what had happened to her just a few days before. It was right after Yom Kippur and, like many rabbis, she was tired and wanted to indulge herself, to get away from temple concerns, other people, other responsibilities. She made an appointment for a massage. (Oh, can I resonate!!)

On the way to her appointment, a car gunned past her and cut her off. As time slowed before her eyes, she remem-bered thinking all at once, “that idiot! I’m going to miss my massage!” and, “who else is in that car? We’re going to crash” and “am I going to be hurt? Killed? Now?!” SMASH!! The cars spun around. When they stopped, she realized that she was just a bit bumped up. The other woman got out of the car; she got out of the car. She asked the woman who was alone in the car if she was ok. “Well, I guess I might be!” came the retort. This ticked the rabbi off as she went back to get her phone and papers, calling over her shoulder, “Well, I guess I’ll be alright, too!” She was understandably miffed at the woman’s insensitivity. But something nagged at her. “You know, we have to call the police,” she said. “I know that,” came the reply. As she stared at the woman and dialed 911, she noticed that the woman just didn’t seem normal. She was an older woman and she just seemed…off, somehow. Her eyes looked weird—too big, something. When the police came the officer checked the rabbi’s license, insurance and registration and went to the other driv-er’s car. When she came back, the rabbi said, “You know, I think that woman is very frightened. Her eyes just didn’t look right to me.” At first, the officer, a policewoman, said, “Well, she has something to be frightened about. She has no license, insurance or registration. If you need to go, move your car.” And off went the rabbi to get the car fixed, but not to get the massage. That night, visions of the crash haunted the rabbi’s dreams. She kept seeing the frightened eyes of the other driver. She had long before set aside her anger and resentment at the danger that the person had caused and the damage to the car. The massage was forgotten. In the morning, the phone rang. The policewoman was calling. “Rabbi? I wanted to tell you what I found out. I’m also a woman of faith and believe that things happen for a reason. I listened to what you said about the woman seeming frightened. I ran the license plate of that other car and called the number listed with it. I reached a woman who was the driver’s daughter. Her mother had been missing for two weeks. They were too poor to launch an investigation and feared she was dead. The poor woman had dementia and was a runaway. She took the keys and the car and drove off. Miracu-lously, she didn’t hit anyone in the two weeks. If she hadn’t hit you, of all people, she wouldn’t have been returned to her family. You saw her not just as the cause of an accident, you saw a frightened old woman. And you told me. Togeth-er we got her back to her family.” The rabbi confided in her sermon that had you asked her before this incident if she thought things “happen for a rea-son,” she would have said, “No.” She’s not quite as sure as before, but one thing she does believe: we don’t know what another person’s story is unless we ask. If we don’t have an open heart, we won’t ask, we’ll prejudge and jump to the quickest conclusion we can draw and leave it at that. With an open heart, with compassion for our fellow human beings, we can learn so much more than our judgmental brains can supply! Sometimes we have to slow down to observe clearly and learn what is true. Heaven willing that slowing down won’t come before a crash but the impact of another’s story will be life changing in a more powerful way.

Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum

SAVE THE DATES

Nov. 2 - 9:30 AM - Choir rehearsal 10:15 AM - Services Nov. 8 - 6:30 PM - Shabbat Nov. 9 - 10:30 AM - Choir practice 12:20 PM - Women’s Torah Study Nov. 14 - 7:00 PM - Game Night Nov. 15 - 6:30 PM - Kabbalat Shabbat

Nov. 16 - 9:30 AM - Choir practice 10:15 AM - Services followed by Kiddush and Book Club Nov. 17 - 9:30 AM - Board Meeting Nov. 21 - 12:00 PM - Women’s Luncheon Nov. 26 - 7:00 PM - Inter Faith Thanksgiving Pocono Lake Wesleyen Church Dec. 22 - 12:00 PM - Chanukah Party Burn the Mortgage

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE - NOVEMBER 2019 by Meredith

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Joni Mitchell wrote the song, “Both Sides Now.” Hold that thought. Twenty-five years ago I was a witness in a criminal case. Approximately a year and a half after I opened a medical practice in the Poconos my receptionist announced she was going on vacation for three weeks. I was not in a position to close down the office for three weeks and thus had to quickly hire a temporary substitute and had the first receptionist train the new one in the use of my billing software. When it came time to trans-mit the billing information the words, “Password Invalid, Access Denied”, flashed across the screen. My first receptionist secretly changed my passwords, in effect locking me out. A technician I hired uncovered one key password allowing me to transmit information. I learned that what the receptionist had done constituted a felony and thus I called the police. Upon her return she was arrested. During the preliminary hearing before the trial she was given the opportunity to avoid a jail sentence by giving up the passwords. She reluctantly revealed a couple but omitted the one we had uncovered. The Assistant DA assigned to the case was replaced after the preliminary hearing with the excuse given that he was not experienced with computers. I and two other witnesses were subpoenaed to testify against the receptionist. They were never called into the courtroom to give their testimony. The ADA kept putting me off when I asked him when we would get together to pre-pare for the trial. He called me into his office fifteen minutes before the trial began to go over the case. When I said that the receptionist secretly changed my billing software passwords and locked me out he told me not to say that because it would confuse the jury. During my testimony, in response to the judge ask-ing me if I authorized the receptionist to change the passwords, I replied, no. The receptionist was found not guilty. The Pocono Record prominently featured an article with the receptionist’s picture portraying her as the victim in the case. Over a week later the Pocono Record buried an edited version of my side of the case in an inconspicuous section of the paper. Subsequently, the receptionist hired an attorney and sued me for damages caused by the stress of being arrested. I had to hire an attorney for my defense. Her lawyer withdrew from the case after looking into the facts and persuaded her to withdraw as well. What did Joni Mitchell say in her song about looking at life from both sides and then recalling life’s illu-sions? “I really don’t know life at all”.

You don't have to know the words or the music. All you have to know is that your voice is important. We rehearse once a month and sing during the next service. Even if you don't want to sing in a group during services, come sing together at practice! See Page 1 “Save the Dates” for choir practice and rehearsal schedule.

The Temple Judaica Shop is bursting with holiday gift items. Come check out what we have to offer. Remember Jewish Book Month is here and Chanukah is right around the corner. We have a wonderful selection of holiday gift ideas. Save yourself the hassle of bucking the crowds in the mall. If you don’t see what you want, contact me at edhoot@gmail.com and I will make every effort to get the item for you.

KIDDUSH HOSTS

Kiddushes are such a delightful part of socializing after a Saturday Morning service. We al-ways welcome hosts for our Kiddushes. The cost of sponsoring is $65.00 and includes bagels, cream cheese, coffee, tea, orange juice, milk and all needed paper goods. Sponsors are wel-come to supplement the Kiddush. To host a Kiddush, call Roberta Pineiro (570) 839-0107.

November 16th - Sandy Spinner

TEMPLE JUDAICA SHOP by Norma Krasne-Levine

TIKKUN OLAM by Steven Levine

The Talmud tells us that “Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the Commandments.” Thank you everyone for your generous donations of clothing, food, furniture, and plastic bags. The food collected during the High Holidays was donated to The Five Loaf House and a financial donation was sent to the Kosher Food Bank in Scranton. Barbara and Ray Perkowski and Norma and I are most appreciative that you keep our vans packed

to the ceiling each week with your generous donations of food, household items and HUGS. The items are handed out as quickly as they are received. The household items are given to families who finally have a home and a roof over their heads. The RSVP Merry Mat Makers convert the plastic bags into Plarn and cro-chet the Plarn into the valuable sleeping mats. Please know that the need is even greater now since the weath-er has gotten colder. Please continue to practice your “Deeds of Kindness.”.

CALLING ALL WHO LIKE TO SING OUR CHOIR NEEDS YOU!

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BOOK CLUB NEWS - NOVEMBER 2019 by Barbara

Our next book, “The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit,” by Lucette Lagnado, is the story of her family’s fleeing from Old Cairo to the New World. The story takes place between 1944 and Nasser’s rise to power. Nasser’s nationalization of Egyptian industry

causes the Lagnado’s to lose everything. The poverty and hardships they encounter as they travel from Old Cairo to Paris to New York are quite a contrast from the comforts of the lives they left behind. Please join us on Saturday, November 16, after the Oneg to discuss “The Man in the White Shark-skin Suit,” by Lucette Lagnado. All congregants are welcome to join us.

Fiddler on the Roof’s song “Tradition” says it all: our grappling with keeping our tradi-tions while adapting to modern ways and changes in our lives. Marrying for love became a possibility. Tradition is important to us on the high holidays. Our “Gates of Repentance” machzor had it’s third printing in 1979. When we hear the prayers of old, we are transported

back to our youth with parents and grandparents, lots of hugs and answering to how you are doing in school, comments on how big you’ve gotten and perhaps some cheek pinching. For some of us we were the recipients and others the perpetrator, but family, friends and yes, TRADITION, united us. It is for this reason, I love being at B’nai Harim and seeing the familiar faces, reading the familiar prayers and hearing the familiar melodies. The familiar is often supplemented with new prayers, that take on deeper meaning and have become part of our service. They have become part of the B’nai Harim tradition. Rabbi Peg has found the per-fect blend of old familiar and new meaningful passages. My father, Norman Gruenberg, stressed tradition. He was mortified when Tabatchnick’s started selling blueberry bagels. He wouldn’t let them in our house. He did break down on cinnamon raisin bagels since they at least stayed the color of a bagel. Which takes me to this month’s Netting it Out subject: Unicorn Challah - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/a-unicorn-challah-straight-out-of-your-fantasies/?utm_content=buffer5ea8d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=thenosher&utm_campaign=buffer

What a shande -turning a challah into a unicorn! I’ve also seen the rainbow bagel https://

libertybagelsny.com/the-best-rainbow-bagels-in-manhattan/ . What will I do when faced with the possibility that my granddaughter, Emilia, might want a unicorn challah or rainbow bagel? Hopefully, I will break out in song like Tevye and Norman Gruenberg, “Tradition, Tradition”. Mimi: She wants a unicorn bagel (Unheard of, absurd.)

You’ve had unicorn bagels before (Unthinkable.)

Where do you think you are? In Amsterdam? In Effort? Where do you think you are? Jersey City?

And what do you think you're doing? You toddler, you sweetie! Who do think you are? Martha Stewart? This isn't the way it's done, not here, not now.

Some things I will not, I cannot, allow. Tradition!

Bagels and Challah should look like bread. This should never be changed!

One little time you pull out some food dye, and where does it stop? Where does it stop? Where does it stop?

NETTING IT OUT by Honi Gruenberg

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DID YOU KNOW? shared by George Novick In medieval Europe Jews were often prohibited from baking bread. The justification for this was that bread was a holy food and too good for Jews to enjoy. In the 13th century an enlightened Polish prince decreed that Jews might buy, sell and touch bread just like Christians. However, the Church stepped in and forbade Christians from buying Jewish bread claiming that it was poisoned. Eventually Polish Jews were given permission to make and sell bread, boiled bread, making it different from Christian bread. Thus was born the bagel, an instant hit with both Jews and Christians alike. There is no clear explana-tion for the word bagel. It is however, thought that it comes from the Yiddish word beigen which means to bend. New York claims to have the best bagels because of the use of city water. Montreal claims to have the best where honey is added to the boiling water to make them sweeter and they are baked in wood burning ovens after shaping them with bigger holes. Jerusalem bagels also have larger holes and are sprinkled with sesame seeds. New ways of making bagels have crept into the industry. They are no longer hand rolled and shaped and are steamed rather than boiled and baked. They are no longer touched by human hands but rather entirely machine made. Several start ups have reverted to the age old traditions of bagel making. One of them, the Finagle the Bagel chain in Boston, is producing traditional style. I’ll have one with a schmeer

please.

FEED THE HUNGRY HARVEST LUNCH by Irene Stolzenberg B’nai Harim had a trial run of its first Lunch to Feed the Hungry. The weather was cold and rainy but, with warm hearts, a significant number of Temple members cooked a variety of superb dishes fit for royalty. Thank you to all the cooks, container suppliers, and hard workers. Contributions ranged from soup to nuts. The only hitch in the day was that the people who were go-ing to drive our visitors to the Temple took ill and were not able to bring our lunch guests. Never a group to skip a beat, those present enthusiastically set upon the food, had a wonderful meal and when they were finished, immediately transitioned into a social action meeting to discuss what could have been handled differently to make this social action event more effective. A number of excellent ideas were thrown around and the general consensus was that it was important for B’nai Harim to interact more with our neighbors. One of the most significant realizations was that this sort of program is important and has to be worked on by committee. Most of our congregants who were present agreed to sit on a Feed the Hungry subcommittee of our Tzedek committee. The first meet-ing will be held on Friday, Nov. 8 at 10:30 AM at the Temple. Hot coffee and tea will be available. New members and interested parties are encouraged to attend. Your input is important. There is a role for you to play whether you choose to brainstorm, cook, become a liaison with groups that serve the hungry, traipse through the woods to bring them food or come to B’nai Harim to break bread with them. Please mark your calendar now and RSVP: Irene 732 735 0983 or Mirenestolzenberg@gmail.com Where: at B’nai Harim

What: The Feed the Hungry inaugural subcommittee of Social Action

When: Friday November 8 at 10:30 AM

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DONATIONS

HOLIDAY FLOWERS From: Florence Sweifach In memory of: 1. Her Brother, David Bernard

Fisch. 2. Her Father, Israel Benzion

Fisch. From: Lew & Irene Stolzenberg In memory of Lew’s Father, Jack Stolzenberg. From: The Schur Family In memory of Lorraine’s Mother, Sally Wrubel. From: The Mitgang Family In memory of Stacy’s Father, Michael Bayer. From: Marjorie & Alan Seger In memory of Alan’s Father, Louis Seger. From: Judy Brown In memory of her Father-in-Law, Sol Brown. From: Susan Vogel In memory of her Father, Joseph Condiotti. From: Dorothy Jablonka In memory of; 1.er Uncle, Samuel Spielvogel. 2. Her Father, Israel Benzion Fisch. From Barbara Kapitansky In memory of her Mother, Etta Thaler.

YAHRZEIT FUND

.

New Members

Arthur & Ann Tanenbaum

Birthdays/Anniversaries & Yahrzeit On page 6

BEAUTIFICATION FUND

From: Michael & Marilyn Umen Flowers for Yom Kippur.

SIMCHAT TORAH

From: Al & Ellen Kagan Wishing a Happy Birthday to: Jim & Peggie Hannan & Joe Bedrick

5780 with our B’nai Harim Family at Breakfast & Shukkah Building

MEMORIAL BOARD

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If you take photos at any Temple function, PLEASE send them to my e-mail LHStine @gmail.com and identify the occasion and

the faces. These photos make our publicity more interesting to the community. Thanks, Leslie Stine

NOVEMBER 1 Sandra Scher 2 Bertha Mora

7 Abraham Schips 9 Daniel Barnett 10 Fred Feder 12 Adele Morrison Ciporen 4 CHESHVAN 14 Sandra Wasserman 15 Hannah Kane Ruth Sturm 16 Simon Mitgang 21 Mark Corinoff Seymour Stevens Michael Weinberger 23 Alice Gruenberg Jay Allan Olshein Anna Wilder 25 CHESHVAN 27 Jim Stine 28 Harry Scharf 30 CHESHVAN Saul Weinberger 29 Allen J. Spector 30 Murray Novick 2 KISLEV

YAHRZEIT REMEMBRANCE

REMEMBER YOUR LOVED ONES BY ADDING THEIR NAMES TO OUR MEMORIAL BOARD— The cost for each plaque (one name per plaque) is $236. A minimum of $50 must accompany each request. The balance can be paid over one year for 1 or 2 plaques and/or two years for more than 2 plaques. For further information, please contact Stan Kapitansky, (718) 428-2140 or e-mail me at bspoco@verizon.net. Copies of the order form will be available at the temple, or you may download a copy directly from the web site. Stan Kapitansky, Yahrzeit Committee Chairperson

CELEBRATIONS

IF YOU TAKE PHOTOS

TREE OF LIFE

Dear friends! Every leaf on our beauti-ful Tree of Life is filled with your good news and events. It’s time to order a new batch! I am ready to take your

orders. Each leaf costs just triple Chai ($54.00) and will be engraved to your specifications. Please call Julia Shaykevich at (570) 620-0104 or contact her by e-mail at juliett72@yahoo.com to place your order.

ANNIVERSARIES

William Shaid November 2 Marcia Joslin December 3 Alla Leybinsky December 4 Al Schips December 5 Sara Bedrick December 14 Starr Witty December 24

Lee & Ron Emerson December 7

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the respective author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Congre-gation B’nai Harim or its members.

DISCLAIMER

PATRONIZE B’NAI HARIM’S ADVERTISERS YOUR PRINT PROJECTS ARE OUR PRIORITY

Let The UPS Store print your next project. No job too large or small - Newsletters, flyers, manuals

-A variety of finish options-

413 ROUTE 940, MT. POCONO, PA 18344 (570) 839-8010 (570) 839-8020

Store 5501@theupsstore.com

PAGE SEVEN/B’NAI HARIM

The Area’s Only Jewish Assisted Senior Living So Much Comfort So Close to Home

465 Venard Rd. Clarks Summit, PA 18411

Phone: 50-585-4400 Fax: 570-585-4500

Website: www.elangardens.org

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES

Jewish Family Service is in need of Kosher food and toiletries marked with a recognized symbol. Please remember to bring a donation of at least one item when you visit the synagogue. All items

must be kosher, unopened and within the expiration date on the packaging. If each one of us brings one can or box of food each time we come to the Temple, it will make a real difference to the needy in our commu-nity. You can also write a check to “Jewish Family Service of Northeast Pennsylvania” and it will be delivered. It is also tax deductible. Thank you and keep up the great work. We hope you will continue to be generous throughout the year.

Jerry Goodstein

MI SHEBEIRACH LIST

When putting a person onto the Mi Shebeirach List, it should be with person’s permission. Would the person like to be listed with their Eng-lish or Hebrew name? Please include a contact name and telephone number so that Rabbi Peg

may follow up with the person or with the member who placed the name on the list. Our policy now states that the list will be limited to members and their immediate family (parents, grandparents, siblings and their spouses, children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses). Con-gregants are strongly encouraged to mention any person aloud at the appropriate time during the service, so we can pray for their improved health. REMEMBER TO HAVE THE PERSON’S NAME REMOVED, IF THE PERSON NO LONGER NEEDS TO BE ON THE LIST.

Our Yahrzeit list is open not only to those who have plaques, but to the entire congre-gation. This will allow you to remember your loved ones on their anniversary date.

The forms available at the Temple can be completed and returned directly to me. With this information, a reminder will be sent to you at the appropriate time, and the name of your loved one will be added to our kaddish list for that date. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at bspoco@verizon.net, 718-428-2140 or 570-646-4668.

Sincerely, Stan Kapitansky Yahrzeit Committee Chairperson

YAHRZEIT NOTIFICATION

In addition to the monthly newsletter, we publish a weekly online newsletter for all members with e-mail

addresses and Internet access. If you do not want to re-ceive email announcements or cannot access the Internet, please call Richard Feman 570-355-5124 or 516-481-6114.

WEEKLY ONLINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congregation B’nai Harim

PO Box 757 5349 Pocono Crest Road Pocono Pines, PA, 18350

http://www.bnaiharimpoconos.org

PHONE: Message Center (570) 646-0100

E-Mail:

rwbs@hotmail.com

DIRECTIONS Driving East on Route 940, turn right at the Pocono Pines traffic light at Route 423, continue on Pocono Crest road (formerly Sullivan Road) about 1&1/2 miles. Synagogue on left (before reach-ing 940). Driving West on Route 940, turn left at intersection of Pocono Crest Road (formerly Sullivan Road), and the Syna-

gogue will be on the right.(approx. 1/10th of a mile).

Next Board Meeting date: Sunday, Nov. 17th at 9:30 AM. To be put on the agenda, contact Meredith Stempel at (570) 242-6244 no later than five days prior to the meeting.

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER

This is your newsletter, and we want your input. When

you have any news to share, please let us know so we

can publish it.

Deadline is the 20th of the month. News can be sent

(using WORD) to Paula Guenst at rwbs@hotmail.com.

The newsletter is published each month. Newsletter

subscriptions are available for $18 per year to non-

members of Congregation B’nai Harim. Please contact

Barbara Feman.

In addition to the monthly newsletter, we distribute

weekly online announcements to all members with

e-mail addresses and Internet access. If you have not

been receiving this please contact Richard Feman at

570-355-5124 or 516-481-6114.

CONGREGATION B’NAI HARIM PO Box 757

5349 Pocono Crest Road Pocono Pines, PA 18350

RECURRING SCHEDULES Services Sat. 10:15 AM Shabbat Dinner Fri. 6:30 PM Religious School Sat. 9:00AM

PAGE EIGHT/B’NAI HARIM

Rabbi: Peg Kershenbaum Pres.: Meredith Stempel VP: Stacy Mitgang Sec.: Carol Yates Treas.: Steve Bram Editor: Honi Gruenberg Member of the URJ - Union For Reform Judaism

The members of B’nai Harim are a very caring, close group but sometimes a member needs a little extra help. If you know of someone who needs a phone call or a visit, please either encourage them to call the Rabbi directly or email her yourself to let her know one of her congregants needs help.

DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES FOR THE DECEMBER NEWSLETTER IS NOV. 20TH.

NEED SOME CHICKEN SOUP

NEED A CALL FROM RABBI?

KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES?

If you have recently moved, please send your new information to Honi Gruenberg at Gruenberg.honi@gmail.com. She will update the Membership list and generate a new list.

NEW ADDRESS?

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED