Ha’ShofarVOLUME X, ISSUE 5

CONGREGATION

BETH ISRAEL

May 2018

InsidePrayer Corner

..................... p. 2

Ongoing Events

..................... p. 3

Friday Noon

Study Group .......

......................p. 7

One Light .... p. 10

CBI Committee

News.......... p. 12

Gift Shop

................... p. 12

Donations .... p. 16

May

Calendar .... p. 19

As we enter the final stretch of the Counting of the

Omer, closing out the month of Iyyar and including

the first week of the month of Sivan, I want to offer

you a spiritual practice grounded in the Kabbalistic

tradition. Each week of the Counting of the Omer is

associated with a different Divine characteristic.

In the final three weeks we experience:

April 29 – May 5: Sefirah of Hod, Character Trait

of Humility – This week, temper the urge to speak

or respond quickly. Cultivate the habit of listening

and considering before acting. Practice being flexi-

ble, as our Sages of Blessed Memory taught: A per-son should always be soft like a reed, and should notbe stiff like a cedar (Taanit 20b).

May 6 – May 12: Sefirah of Yesod, Character

Trait of Creativity – This is a week to explore new

ways of thinking about familiar things and to

endeavor novel methods of accomplishing well-prac-

ticed tasks. Strive to never accept a simple solution

because it is the easiest, rather push yourself to find

fresh and innovative approaches. The Talmudic

Sages are models of creative thinking, inspiring us

to look at a seemingly simple problem from a multi-

plicity of angles as a way of teaching us that what is

simplest is not always what is best and to encourage

personal and spiritual growth. As Rambam taught

throughout his Guide for the Perplexed, the most

supreme form of honoring the Creator is through

utilizing our creative intellect to its highest capacity.

May 13 – May 19: Sefirah of Malkhut, Character

Trait of Awareness – The final week before Shavuot

is embodied by awareness of our surroundings and

those around us. Keep a short, twice-a-day journal

this week. In the morning set intentions of how you

hope to be more present and aware: for example, I

will be more present to the emotional needs of my

family and/or friends; I will notice the diversity of

colors that I see today. At the end of the day, reflect

on how you accomplished or fell short of those

intentions and jot down a sentence or two of what

you gained from succeeding or why it proved chal-

lenging to accomplish. As Rabbi Ovadia Sforno

commented on what it means to be Created after

God’s likeness means to act with knowledge andawareness.

Shavuot is a time to celebrate the Giving of the

Torah, the ongoing Revelation of the human relation-

ship to the Divine. It is a moment that we metaphor-

ically stand at Sinai in community ready to accept,

afresh and anew, the precepts of the Torah which

bring us into a life of consciousness and mindfulness.

As Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin (19th century Belarus)

taught: The purpose of life is to grow in our positive

characteristics. Shavuot marks the beginning of the

three 40-day cycles which Moshe spent on Mount

Sinai. As I shared on Rosh Hashanah 5777, each

cycle pushes us toward a different stage of personal

growth. Between Shavuot and the 17th of Tammuz,

our task is to engage in a 40-day journey of self-re-

finement. From the 19th of Tammuz through the 29th

of Av we consciously take a personal inventory.

Finally, from Rosh Hodesh Elul through Yom

Kippur, we spend 40 days engaged in a soul account-

ing so we are able to make proper teshuvah before

Yom Kippur concludes. The Omer is a 7-week period

which offers us an incredible opportunity to

consciously begin preparing for that process.

I look forward to standing at the mountain together

again this year.

A Practice Grounded in KabbalahBy: Rabbi Justin Goldstein

Shavu’ot

May 20 - 21

A monthly tour through the Siddur:

the meaning, significance, customs, laws,

history and choreography of prayer

L’el Asher Shavat (pg. 152 of Lev Shalem) – Shifting from poetry to prose, the liturgy turns its focus to the day of Shabbat

and acknowledging the day as the pinnacle of Creation. Indicative of prosaic liturgy, it is an anthological collection of

scriptural and rabbinic statements which, when joined together, construct a narrative of the relationship between Shabbat

and Creation. Because God rests, it is now the duty of Shabbat to praise God. The author of the piece reframes the opening

stanza of Psalm 92 not as a song in honor of Shabbat, but a song that Shabbat itself sings in honor of God. Since the act of

Creation is ceased on Shabbat, Creation itself has the opportunity to praise its Creator; since we cease in our own acts of

creating on Shabbat, we too have the opportunity to praise our Creator.

Next month … tit’barakh tzureinu

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 2

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 3

Social Action Volunteer Opportunities

Help serving dinner at the Western Carolina Rescue Mission on the third Tuesday of the month from 4:00 pm to

5:30 pm. The Rescue Mission is located at 225 Patton Avenue, Asheville. Contact Alan Escovitz aescovitz@charter.net

or Marlene Jacoby socialaction1@bethisraelnc.org.

Help with our involvement with Room In the Inn. Contact Jan Zollars warreallysucks@yahoo.com or Marlene Ja-

coby socialaction1@bethisraelnc.org.

Ongoing CBI Events

Torah on Tap – A Lively Group Discussion

Led by Rabbi Goldstein

The last Sunday of the month 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. We will be meeting at Habitat Tavern & Commons,

174 Broadway, Asheville 28801. You are welcome to bring a snack or meal as Habitat does not serve

food. Dog-friendly with non-alcoholic options.

Meet the Midrash

Out of the texts of the Torah, the Rabbis created teachings bringing deeper meanings to the wisdom of the Jewish

people known as Midrash. Each week we will explore some of these teachings based on the weekly Torah portion.

We will gain not only an understanding of what the Rabbis were teaching, but how and why they were able to offer

these teachings. While there are many compilations of Midrash from different periods in Jewish history, we will

focus our studies on Midrash Rabbah. Wednesdays 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm

Hasidishe Kiddushled by Rabbi Goldstein

Fill your heart and soul with Torah (and schnapps...) and join together to learn Hasidic thought and wisdom on parashat

ha'shavu’a, the weekly Torah portion. Last Shabbat of each month at 12:30 pm.

Hazak

Hazak is a group of empty nesters who meet monthly for good food and conversation at local restaurants. The group

usually meets the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 pm, barring holiday conflicts. Anyone who is interested can

be added to the email list. Contact Sue Lerner.

Envisioning a Future for Youth EducationBy: Ali Climo

More and more, supplemental Jewish education is competing

with the myriad of other activities and interests our youth are

engaged with, such as soccer and scouts. Synagogues across

the country are finding they need to appeal to youth and

families in new ways. At the beginning of this school year,

our own Bet Sefer (now known as Youth Education Program,

or YEP) felt lethargic. We were in a displaced space, were

experiencing teacher turnover, had no principal and no

written curriculum.

Last fall a task force was established to develop a new,

distinctive and sustainable youth education program for CBI.

Members of the Task Force are: Laurie Chess, Ali Climo,

Dusty Fox, Rabbi Justin Goldstein, Hannah Limov, Lara

Hume, Rochelle Reich, Della Simon, and Ken Vallario. We

are excited to share our progress with you at this time.

First, Congregation Beth Israel’s Youth Education Program

is unique because it reflects the distinct nature of our

community, which is our haimish feel. The Jewish-English

Lexicon defines the Yiddish word haimish as at home,

comfortable and familiar, homey, informal, cozy, warm.

Expounding on this notion, Rabbi Justin Goldstein wrote:

Judaism is a tradition formed in the home – a collective story

passed down generation to generation, from teacher to

student, from parent to child. A home, however, need not be

bound by a house. Just as we make up a physical and cosmic

family bound together by a shared narrative, so too do we

make up the collective House of Israel.

The purpose of Jewish education is more than simply to

increase facts and knowledge; it is to cultivate a deep

connection to the accumulation of wisdom, which has been

passed down in our collective story through all the genera-

tions. It becomes the duty of each generation to ensure the

continuity of connection to Torah.

Our Sages of Blessed Memory taught: kol yisrael aravim zeh

l’zeh, all of Israel are mixed-up together. We must, in this

generation build an expansive definition of home.

From this concept, and with guidance from Alan Silverman,

we crafted the following vision statement:

CBI is family – the Jewish identity of every child is our

collective responsibility. We empower families from all

backgrounds to pursue their unique Jewish path in their

homes and communities. Through our Youth Engagement

Program we transmit our love of Torah by helping each other

discover ourselves in its stories, live its values, and develop

the curiosity and literacy for an engaged and meaningful

Jewish life.

We…

• Engage in dynamic Jewish learning rooted in inquiry and

exploration,

• Transmit love of Torah and foundational Jewish

knowledge,

• Live the core values of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)

and Gemilut Hassadim (the giving of loving kindness),

• Encourage relationships that expand Jewish community,

• Inspire a commitment to lifelong Jewish learning, and

• Personalize our shared culture, religion and history,

…in order to create positive Jewish experiences and a

strong Jewish identity.

The YEP Task Force is excited by this vision and hopes you

are too! The final curriculum and enrollment information will

be available in the next couple of months. In the meantime,

if you have any questions or would like to learn more, please

feel free to reach out to Rabbi Justin Goldstein, at

rabbi@bethisraelnc.org or YEP administrator, Ken Vallario

at yepadmin@bethisraelnc.org.

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 4

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Child care will be provided during the meeting. Please RSVP to the office ASAP

(252-8660 or admin@bethisraelnc.org) so that we can plan the meal and arrange for child care. We’ll have fun indoor or outdoor activities for the kids

on the CBHT grounds.

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Mike and Adina Weizman’s Passover trip to Haiti

By: Mike WeizmanThis past month, Adina and I spent Adina’s Spring Break

volunteering in Haiti on a medical mission trip with a local

organization called Consider Haiti. Participating in this trip

(which coincided with Pesach) meant that we would have to

miss the second seder at my parent’s house for the first time

in our lives. The experience felt very important and timely

for us, and we had Hanan and Goldie’s blessing to participate.

We traveled to Haiti with three other doctors, two other

teenagers, two nurses and our team leader, Tom Plaut, who

helped found Consider Haiti many years ago. Consider Haiti,

which is a locally-based organization, focuses on some of

Haiti’s poorest families by providing pediatric medical care

one or two times a year, ongoing nutritional support for some

of the most malnourished children, delivering sustainable and

affordable clean water filtration systems to those in isolated

mountain communities, as well as providing pregnant goats

to the most needy families to aid in sustainable nutritional

support.

While in Haiti, our team worked four clinics that were

promoted ahead of our visit by the in-country team of eight

Haitians employed year-round by Consider Haiti. Two of the

clinics were held in semi-rural areas (roughly two hours out-

side of Port-au-Prince) and two of the clinics were held in

remote mountain villages. During these clinics the doctors

and teenagers saw 150-250 children at each site. After the

physicians interviewed and examined the children, they were

sent to the pharmacy (stocked with medications we brought

into Haiti) for any specific medications they needed. They

then moved on to the teenagers who helped administer

deworming medication, distributed vitamins, and provided a

toothbrush and toothpaste to the grateful children. While in

the remote mountain clinics, the doctors identified several

severely malnourished and otherwise ill children that required

transfer to the closest hospital that was two hours away by

vehicle.

This eye-opening experience exposed both Adina and me to

some of the most vulnerable people in Haiti, giving us a

unique opportunity to help them out in our small way. At the

same time, the extreme contrast between the beautiful

Caribbean coastline (dotted with fortified compounds for the

wealthy and well-connected) and the extreme poverty and

litter-ridden streets and ramshackle dwellings of the masses

was inescapable and clearly born out of chronic government

corruption and neglect. We witnessed firsthand that in spite

of living in extreme poverty and experiencing daily hardship

that many of us will thankfully never know, the Haitian peo-

ple are among the most gracious, honorable, compassionate,

and resilient people on the planet. It was an honor to serve

them and get to know them during our stay.

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 6

CBI’s Friday Noon Study Group will be discussing

Joseph and his Brothers (Genesis 37 50)Beginning on April 13, our informal discussion group will be exploring one of theHebrew Bible’s best known—and one of its longest—narratives: the dramatictale spans four weekly Torah portions, an impressive amount of ink consideringthat many other major biblical stories are told in less than one Torah portion.This doesn’t even begin to consider the quantity of ink used in Jewishcommentaries, both traditional and modern, dedicated to Joseph’s life history.

Our group meets every Friday from noon to one in Unger Hall at CBHT. All arewelcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise. Please bring whatevercopy of the bible you might have (the more different translations the livelier thediscussion). If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby atjbjacoby@uncc.edu. And if you have any amazing technicolored dream coats, feelfree to wear them!

only your personal copy.

Business OwnerHaShofar

HaShofar

Congregation Beth Israel229 Murdock AvenueAsheville, NC 28804

828-252-8660

Business / Professional Name (Please print exactly as it should appear in listing)

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Please make check payable to CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL. !"If you would like to use last year’s ad, please check the box.If you are using new ad copy email us an electronic copy to (jpeg or pdf preferred). Email ad to: shirley@allegraasheville.comEMAIL ADDRESS FOR PROOF:___________________________________________

DATE AMT CHECK # BY PRINTER PROOF FINALRECEIVED_________ RECEIVED__________ __________________________________________________

Advertisement Size of Ad Rate

Back Cover 5” x 8” $1100

Inside Cover 5” x 8” $800

Divider Page 5” x 8” $600

Full Page 5” x 8” $450

1/2 Page 5” x 4” $350

1/4 Page 5” x 2” or 2.5” x 4” $200

A Local Jewish Dialogue Group –Would You Like to Join Us?

We are a small, diverse group of local Jews who have been meeting informally once a month for the last several months

to discuss issues of concern to us as Jews. We come from different backgrounds, experiences, and have different views

on a wide range of topics from Jewish identity to Israel. We are committed to creating a safe environment to express

our own views and listen respectfully to each others’ views. Our goal is to widen our perspectives while respecting our

differences.

If you are interested in finding out more about our group, please call one of our founding members:

Roberta (828) 582-9996; Chuck (828) 242-5527; Florence (828) 675-0974

The group meets the second Tuesday of the month at 1:00 pm at Congregation Beth HaTephila

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 11

CBI Has Joined the CARS™ Program –Any Easy Way to Donate Your Vehicle As a Tax Deductible Contribution

CBI Committee NewsLiaison Committee

The committee’s purpose is to help resolve interpersonal conflicts within the shul. These disagreements can occur

between congregants, between congregants and the Rabbi, between congregants and the Board, or between the Board

and the Rabbi. The Liaison Committee is here to assist you if you have a concern.

Committee members are carefully chosen for their abilities to be impartial and to provide a discreet and safe sounding

board. They are ready to listen to any concerns that you may have. You can contact any of the members of the

committee. They are:

Caren Kessler – chairperson (693-0897) Rabbi Wolff Alterman (337-6185)

Eva Blinder (275-6447) Laurie Chess (545-7318)

Marc Penansky (279-0940) Davida Horwitz (279-6599)

Our Madrichim Help You Create

Personal and Meaningful Programs at CBI

At its core, the CBI Madrichim initiative is designed to engage each and every member on a personal level; empower

each of us to create the Jewish experiences that are meaningful for us; and, in doing so, enhance our potential for

authentic Jewish expression. Success is when we realize that we benefit as much by supporting another’s personal

journey as we do from the program itself. What is your passion or interest: a class, a club, a social action program, a

fundraiser, a tikkun olam project, a social event? Think about it. Then contact one of the folks below and let us help

you make it happen!

CBI MadrichimAli Climo Sally Gooze

Caren Kessler Alan Silverman Mike Weizman

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 12

Our Gift Shop

During our year away from our home on Murdock Avenue the Gift Shop will

have to be shuttered as well. However, if you remember unique items from our

shop, especially works of a local artists, for instance the mezzuzot by Walter

Ziffer, please get in touch with Carol Samsky at (828) 676-0765. Most of our stock

is stored at her home and she is happy to help you.

Come this time next year, we look forward to a Grand Reopening of the Gift

Shop. Meanwhile Carol Samsky (828) 676-0765 or Beth HaTephila’s Gift Shop

(828) 633-6666 are both available to you.

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 13

Have You Tried Out Our

Web Check Payment System?CBI’s Web Check Payment system is being used by quite a few congregants. Try it out, if you haven’t already. It’s an

easy-to-use, NO FEE way to make any of your payments to CBI – Dues, Bet Sefer, Ingles Gift Cards, or Donations. This

is a direct debit from your checking account. You just need your routing number and account number. There is also a

place for a memo entry so that you can indicate the purpose of your donation (in memory of, a particular fund, etc.).

Please make sure to fill in the memo box so that we can allocate your payment correctly.

We have contracted with a third party web check provider for this service. They have all of the necessary security issues

in place to handle sensitive account information data. Beth Israel Web Check Payments Online

Click on the donate button at the left to pay your dues,

make a contribution, pay your Annual Appeal Pledge or

pay for your Ingles cards. This simple Web Check system

is a direct debit to your checking account and allows you

to send a message to the CBI office along with your pay-

ment. No need to write checks or make special trips to the

office.

Ingles cards are a no-cost fundraiser for Beth Israel. Each month

CBI members and friends buy $8,000 worth of Ingles gift cards to

help raise $400 for Beth Israel – over $4,800 annually. Ingles gift

cards can be used at any Ingles store for groceries, pharmacy items

and gasoline. Sign up now to receive your Ingles cards automati-

cally each month. The office also keeps an inventory of Ingles

cards for immediate purchase. Contact the CBI office to get more

information and/or to participate at 252-8660 or admin@bethis-

raelnc.org.

Your Amazon Purchases Can Help Support Beth Israel

Your Amazon purchases can help support Beth Israel. Amazon Smile donates 1% of your purchases to CBI at no cost

to you. Just visit https://smile.amazon.com and select Congregation Beth Israel, then shop as you regularly would. If

you are a regular Amazon shopper, you can bookmark this website so as to find it easily every time you shop.

For Information about Burial Plots

at Lou Pollock Memorial Park

Contact:

Josh Tager cemetery@bethisraelnc.org

or Fred Lashley

Current rates: $1,000 CBI members;

$1,250 non-members

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 14

Carolina Jews for Justice UpdateBy: Linda Wolf

May 8 is Primary Voting Day

For complete information and answers to many questions

about voting, go to United Way’s Voter webpage at

www.unitedwayabc.org/voting. Primary elections are May

8th, but early voting started on April 19th. You can check

Buncombe County early voting sites, dates and times at

www.buncombecounty.org/common/election/2018/early-

voting-schedule.pdf. If you will be 18 by November 6th

(Election Day), you are eligible to vote in the primary.

Important information that everyone should know:

• You do not need a photo ID to vote in elections.

• Same-day registration: You can register to vote and vote

during Early Voting.

• Preregistration is permitted for 16- and 17-year-olds to

identify themselves and indicate their intent to vote when

they turn 18.

Raising Wages Lobby Day in Raleigh,May 22

Free transportation is offered from Asheville for this

statewide event to be held in Raleigh on May 22, beginning

at 10:00 am. Demand a raise to $15/hour for working families

in NC. All workers are invited, as well as employers who

support a living wage. Lunch and training are provided. To

register, go to raisingwagesnc.org/lobby-day-sign-up.

Updates from Carolina Jews for Justice/West Focus

Groups

The Immigrant Rights/Sanctuary Group has created an

online survey inviting members of the Jewish community to

offer their interests in volunteering to help with a Sanctuary

site as well as develop relationships with members of the

immigrant communities. The group is looking for volunteers

to help at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville

(UUCA). UUCA is one of three faith communities that have

agreed to be a Sanctuary site with numerous other faith

communities offering to support them.

The Voting, Democracy Rights and Civic Engagement

Group continues to develop and coordinate a group of

volunteers to help with voter registration, education, turnout,

and advocacy. They have created a calendar of events,

activities, candidate forums and trainings to help coordinate

voting rights efforts from nonpartisan groups. There is also a

pledge to vote campaign targeting faith communities,

nonprofits, and people who are typically underrepresented at

the polls. Working with United Way, this group is overseeing

its Voter webpage at www.unitedwayabc.org/voting, as well

as drafting timely e-newsletters with important information

on topics like early voting, candidate forums, guides, and

more.

The Racial Justice Group is developing plans to work more

closely with the African American communities in our area.

Several ideas have been proposed for more effective

communication and support, including more training for

members of the group.

The Interfaith Initiative Group has decided its issue for

this year is racial equality and healing. About a dozen people

have stepped forward to be involved in a planning committee.

The Economic Justice Group is focused on the Living Wage

Campaign as well as connecting with community partners to

determine where we have mutual goals and support.

The Inclusivity Group is exploring connections with other

minority communities. The first event was the Passover

Sheni, a gathering of diverse communities to discuss

exclusion and inclusion. In addition, they are part of a

coalition working on a proposal for a Human Rights

Ordinance for the City of Asheville.

For more information about getting involved in any of these

groups please contact

Frank Goldsmith goldsmith.cf@gmail.com or

Judy Leavitt judleavitt76@gmail.com

Introducing the Jewish Community Relations Council

(JCRC)

The JCRC was formed on the initiative of Carolina Jews for

Justice/West. Administratively it falls under the Jewish

Leadership Collaborative of WNC, of which CJJ/W is a

member. The Council is made up of Jewish parents,

educators, and leaders in the community with the goals of

promoting greater cooperation and collaboration around

issues of religious inclusion and anti-Semitism, as well as

combating all forms of racial and ethnic hatred and prejudice.

For more information about the JCRC, please contact

Rochelle Reich at rochelle@jcc-asheville.org or call 253-

0701, ext. 111.

Boray Perie HagafenBy: Ira Naiman

Value Man was minding his own business, walking up and

down the wine aisles in his local Ingles, with his CBI Ingles

card in hand. It’s an enjoyable activity checking out the labels

on the bottles, and seeing if anything is new. A sharp eye is

always on the lookout for the sale tags that stick out from the

shelves.

Suddenly, Value Man notices a soft, low, cooing, Come

hither, siren song, coming from a small set of shelves off to

the side. What could be summoning him in such a manner?

Value Man cautiously approached the small set of shelves

that seemed to radiate a heavenly glow.

There they were, in their black and gold labels: Robert

Mondavi (a patriarch of the California wine industry) created

two limited edition wines, a Chardonnay and a Cabernet

Sauvignon, aged in Bourbon barrels. Their magnetic field

drew Value Man in.

First let’s look at the Bourbon barrel-aged Chardonnay.

Mondavi claims this is the first and only Chardonnay aged

in Bourbon barrels, which is a unique way of aging

Chardonnay. Generally, if Chardonnay is aged in a barrel, the

barrel is made from some type of oak. The oak barrel can be

new or previously used. The oak imparts a creamy vanilla

flavor. If aged in stainless steel tanks, there will be no oak

flavor, and the wine will be referred to as un-oaked on its

label.

But here, Mondavi takes Chardonnay grapes from Monterey

County, California, and ages the wine in new barrels (vanilla,

oak flavor) and used Bourbon barrels that come from a

renowned Kentucky distillery. This Chardonnay has

pineapple and lemon (typical of Chardonnay), light toasted

coconut and marshmallow, graham cracker and spice flavors

(from the Bourbon barrel). Value Man has to say that this

Chardonnay is different, and he’s not sure what to make of

it. It’s like mixing a Great Dane with a Chihuahua. You’re

not sure what to make of the finished product. Wife, however,

was a big fan of this wine. That’s what makes the Wine World

go ‘round.

On to the Bourbon barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Again

the grapes come from Monterey County, California. Mondavi

ages some of the wine in new barrels (toasted oak flavor) and

some in used Bourbon barrels from the Kentucky distillery

(graham cracker, herbs), then blends them. The overall flavor

profile includes blackberry, coffee, caramel, graham cracker,

spices and oak. It has a medium body, a faint taste of

bourbon, and pleasant tannins. Mondavi proudly states the

2015 Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, Monterey

County, was awarded Double Gold at the San Francisco

International Wine Competition 2017.

Value Man and wife both liked this wine. The flavor profile

from the grape and the barrels seemed to be in harmony. The

alcohol content is 15%, so this is a big wine. On sale (Value

Man loves that word), each bottle is just under $12. A

smidgeon over the target range, but definitely worth a try for

an unusual effort by a historic and solid winery.

Until next time.

June/July Ha’Shofar Deadline –

May 10thI welcome your newsletter contributions, but

please, please respect the deadline of the

10th of the month

PAGE 15

Support Your Shul and Its Congregants!

Active Donor Directed FundsFor those members of

CBI who would like to

direct their financial

support toward a spe-

cific area within CBI,

these are the active

donor directed funds.

You are encouraged to

support the General

Fund with your dona-

tions, allowing the Board of Directors the

discretion to direct this support toward

areas of the most need.

** These funds are very active and in the

most need of regular contributions.

� ** Spiritual Life Fund – Support of

spiritual life programs and needs

� **Social Action Fund – Funds CBI’s

social action projects

� ** Chesed/Tzedakah Fund –

Supports the Bereavement Committee

and other Chesed related activities

� ** Ted Liebowitz Children’s Fund –

Provides scholarships for Bet Sefer

students and supports Bet Sefer

expenses

� ** Toby Cohen Minyan Katan and

Junior Congregation Fund

� ** Family Education Fund –

Supports family education program-

ming

� Shorashim Teen Program Fund –

Supports CBI teen programs

� **Adult Ed Fund

� Website/Computer/Tech Fund

� Cemetery Committee Fund –

Supports maintenance of CBI’s

Lou Pollock Cemetery

� Chevra Kadisha Fund – Supports

efforts toward preparing the body of

the departed for Jewish burial.

� **Rabbi Discretionary Fund –

Supports needs or causes the Rabbi

chooses to support

General Fund

Linda Wolf

Iva Edwards

Eva Blinder: in appreciation of

Bruce Brown’s many contribu-

tions over the years

Eva Blinder: in memory of Carla

Sandler, Adrian Sandler’s mother

Jeffrey & Rebecca Blitman: in

appreciation of CBI’s hospitality

Avishai family: in honor of Marlene

Jacoby’s birthday

Michael & Michele Heller: in

memory of Carla Sandler, Adrian

Sandler’s mother

Gerard & Thelma Uhler: in honor

of the marriage of Kevin Uhler to

Viktoria B. Riabykh of

Khabarovsk, Russia

Lee Avishai: in memory of Abe

Freedman

Yahrzeit Fund

Hanan & Goldie Weizman: in mem-

ory of Hanan’s father, Michael

Weizman

Eliot & Nancy Renick: in memory

of Eliot’s father, Nathan Renick

Caren Kessler: in memory of her

mother, Bertha Robkoff Kessler

Jimi & John Moore: in memory of

Jimi’s brother, Fredric Bornstein

Robert & Karen Marcus: in

memory of Robert’s mother, Julia

Marcus

Miriam Zaretsky: in memory of her

father-in-law, Joe Zaretsky

Mike & Ilona Sena: in memory of

Mike’s father, Harry Sena

Capital Campaign Fund

Karpen Steel (in-kind)

Bustle’s Hardware (in-kind)

Claire “Cookie” Mager-Jaffee: in

memory of her brother, Sidney

Mager

Barb Hall & Lee Berkwits: in

memory of Carla Sandler

Claire “Cookie” Mager-Jaffee:

wishing refuah shleimah to Neil

McCollum

Ted Liebowitz Children’s

Education Fund

Gerard & Thelma Uhler

Adult Education Fund

Jay & Marlene Jacoby: in memory

of Carla Sandler, Adrian Sandler’s

mother

Jay & Marlene Jacoby: wishing

refuah shleimah to Sheldon

Neuringer

Chesed Fund

Eva Blinder: in memory of Abe

Freedman

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund

Eleanore Fisher: Ma’ot Hittin

Arnold Wengrow: Ma’ot Hittin

Jonas & Meryl Goldstein

One Light Sponsors

Bronze

Sally Gooze

Friend

Lee Berkwits & Barb Hall

Carol Cohen

March to April

A Look Ahead !

Leil Shavu’ot ..................................................................... May 19

Shavu’ot................................................................. May 20 and 21

2018 One Light ................................................................... June 3

CBI Annual Meeting ........................................................ June 10

Have You Tried Our Dip Jar?As you know, most of our programs are FREE and open to all. The Dip Jar resides in the temporary

CBI office at CBHT alongside a donation jug. It is an easy way to make a $5 contribution to Beth

Israel by inserting your credit or debit card. Or feel free to leave a check or cash in the donation

jug.

If you have enjoyed a program at CBI, please make a donation the next time you are in the building

(except on Shabbat).

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 17

https://www.facebook.com/bethisraelnc/

Check Out Walter Ziffer’s New WebsiteDear Fellow Congregants:

I thought you might be interested to know that I now have a website in which I share my thoughts on current events,

musings about religion and my Holocaust experiences. I welcome having this outlet as a way of sharing my thoughts

with you and would enjoy hearing from you on this website. You can access my website at this link. I hope we can

exchange our ideas this way.

Thanks,

Walter

Mazel Tov !May Birthdays01 Sheldon Harnash

03 Richard Laibson

Liam Pohlman

04 Solomon Goldstein

05 Daniel Dunn

Elizabeth Goldstein

07 Lauren Boyd

08 Abigail Rose

Goldstein

09 Lois Bernard

11 Steve Miller

12 Phyllis Cooper

Danise Hauser

Judi Haskell

13 Larry Schantz

15 Lauren Malinoff

16 Steve Lehrer

Beth Appel

18 Sally Gooze

24 Eli Kayne

25 Malina Japp

26 Karen Marcus

28 Jeremy Samsky

Bob Pohlman

29 Thelma Uhler

Carolyn Goldstein

Michael Sena

Rick Sanders

30 Jordan Scheffer

Denise Pohlman

04 Gail Gordon, Marc Penansky & Judy Gross, Robert & Kathie Kline

11 Sandy Slosman, Alan & Marilyn Friedman, Steve & Barbara Miller

18 Bill & Jo Golson, Norman & Tamar Katzwer, Teri Kayne

25 Jason & Rhonda Diamond, Michael & Michele Heller

May Kiddush Hosts

May Anniversaries05 Adam & Laura Kaufman

24 Michael & Ilona Sena

28 Sebastian Matthews & Ali Climo

29 Jordan & Barbara Miller

HA’SHOFARPAGE 18

To Rabbi Goldstein, Jay Jacoby, Linda Wolf, Ali Climo, Mike Weizman and Ira Naiman for their

articles to Ha’Shofar this month.

Many Thanks!

Refuah ShleimahTo Ezra Landau, Julie Sherman, Neil McCollum

Our SympathyTo Adrian Sandler on the passing of his mother, Carla Sandler.

We mourn the passing of our longtime member, Abe Freedman, at age 94. Abe served as CBI

president and JCC president.

1 2

12:00 pm Meet

the Midrash

3

Lag B’Omer

7:30 pm The

Jewish Bakery

4

12:00 pm

Noon Study Group

8:01 pm Candles

5

9:30 am Shabbat

morning services

8:50 pm Havdalah

69:30 am Youth

Education

1:00 pm Jewish

Meditation

7 8 9

No Meet the

Midrash

10

HaShofar

Deadline

7:00 pm Board

Meeting

11

No Noon Study

Group

6:00 pm Friday

Night Family

Shabbat Service and

Potluck8:07 pm Candles

12

9:30 am Shabbat

morning services

(no parking on

CBHT lot)

8:56 pm Havdalah

13

Mother’s Day

14 15 16

12:00 pm Meet

the Midrash

17 1812:00 pm

Noon Study Group

8:13 pm Candles

199:30 am Shabbat

morning services

10:45 am Youth

Shabbat

9:02 pm Havdalah

9:30 pm Leil

Shavu’ot Program

20

9:30 am First

Day of

Shavu’ot morn-

ing services

21

9:30 am 2nd

Day of

Shavu’ot

morning serv-

ices and Yizkor

22 23

12:00 pm Meet

the Midrash

24 25

12:00 pm

Noon Study Group

6:00 pm Friday

Night Services

8:18 pm Candles

26

9:30 am

Shabbat morning

services and

Hasidishe Kiddush

(no parking on

CBHT lot)

9:07 pm

Havdalah

27

4:00 pm Torah

on Tap

28

Memorial Day

29 30

12:00 pm Meet

the Midrash

31

HA’SHOFAR PAGE 19

May 2018SUN FRI SATTHUWEDTUEMON

HA’SHOFAR

May Yahrzeits

PAGE 20

Announced during services on:

April 27 & 28

03 (18 Iyar) Carolyn Goldstein for her stepfather, Albrecht Benno Strauss

04 (19 Iyar) Barbara Lewin for her grandfather, Morris Kaufman

May 5

05 (20 Iyar) Bruce Brown for his mother, Frances Brown

08 (23 Iyar) Lauren Malinoff for her great aunt, Celia Malinoff

08 (23 Iyar) Miriam Zaretsky for her mother, Bessie Aronson

09 (24 Iyar) Frank Goldsmith for his mother, Mary Bess van Landingham Goldsmith

10 (25 Iyar) Davida Horwitz for her grandfather, Avraham Neugebauer

May 11 & 12

13 (28 Iyar) Alan Baumgarten for his aunt, Hanni Friedmann

14 (29 Iyar) Elie Aharon for his mother, Carolyn Pollard

16 (02 Sivan) Robert Feirstein for his father, William Feirstein

16 (02 Sivan) Carolyn Goldstein for her father, Richard Russell Curtis

17 (03 Sivan) Ronald Neimkin for his mother, Marion C. Neimkin

17 (03 Sivan) Norman Winkelman for his brother, Seymour Winkelman

18 (04 Sivan) Barbara Miller for her grandmother, Miriam Liebowitz

May 19

20 (06 Sivan) Steve Miller for his grandfather, Harold Abrams

20 (06 Sivan) Cathy Kayne for her grandmother, Catherine Santoli

20 (06 Sivan) Alan Silverman for his mother, Faye Silverman

21 (07 Sivan) Lois Bernard for her grandfather, Jacob Dipsiner

22 (08 Sivan) Jimi Moore for her mother, Margaret Bornstein

23 (09 Sivan) Meryl Goldstein for her brother, Charles Gardner Tillotson

May 25 & 26

27 (13 Sivan) Steve Miller for his grandmother, Irene Abrams

28 (14 Sivan) Rochelle Reich for her grandmother, Lillian Segel

29 (15 Sivan) Jimi Moore for her brother, Andrew Peter Bornstein

30 (16 Sivan) Carol Cohen for her husband, Philip Cohen

31 (17 Sivan) Roberta Wall for her father, Sidney Wall

May their memories be for a blessing.

Beth Israel Synagogue

Rabbi Justin Goldstein

Congregation Beth Israel

229 Murdock Avenue

Asheville, NC  28804

Office Phone (828) 252-8660

Rabbi’s Phone (828) 252-9024

Fax (828) 252-8431

email: admin@bethisraelnc.org

Synagogue Office Hours:

Monday to Friday

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

For updated information visit our website at

www.bethisraelnc.org

May

Candle-lighting & Havdalah

Friday 5/4/2018 8:01 pm

Saturday 5/5/2018 8:50 pm

Friday 5/11/2018 8:07 pm

Saturday 5/122018 8:56 pm

Friday 5/18/2018 8:13 pm

Saturday 5/19/2018 9:02 pm

Friday 5/25/2018 8:18 pm

Saturday 5/26/2018 9:07 pm

RabbiRabbi Justin Goldstein rabbi@bethisraelnc.org

Office AdministratorLee Avishai admin@bethisraelnc.org

Executive CommitteeDella Simon, President president@bethisraelnc.org

Ali Climo, Vice President vicepresident@bethisraelnc.org

Danielle Tocaben, Secretary boardsecretary@bethisraelnc.org

Bruce Brown, Treasurer vpfinance@bethisraelnc.org

Legal CounselBob Deutsch bob@dglawpa.com

Board Committee Chairs/Members

Alan Silverman, Membership membership@bethisraelnc.org

Eva Blinder, Spiritual/Ritual ritual@bethisraelnc.org

Marlene Jacoby, Social Action socialaction1@bethisraelnc.org

Robert Kline, Adult Education adulted2@bethisraelnc.org

Members-at-Large:

Julie Sherman mal1@bethisraelnc.org

Alan Escovitz mal4@bethisraelnc.org

Non-Board Committee ChairsMeryl Goldstein, Chevra Kadisha chevrakadisha1@bethisraelnc.org

Jay Jacoby, Chevra Kadisha chevrakadisha2@bethisraelnc.org

Alan Escovitz, Habitat & Mission socialaction4@bethisraelnc.org

Mike Weizman, Capital Campaign msweizman@gmail.com

Lauren Malinoff, Yahrzeit yahrtzeit@bethisraelnc.org

Caren Kessler, Liaison liaison@bethisraelnc.org

Caren Kessler, Chesed chesed@bethisraelnc.org

Jeremy Samsky, House/Grounds houseandgrounds1@bethisraelnc.org

Steve Kayne, House/Grounds houseandgrounds2@bethisraelnc.org

Josh Tager, Cemetery cemetery@bethisraelnc.org

Security:

Frank Goldsmith security1@bethisraelnc.org

Alan Escovitz security2@bethisraelnc.org

Marc Rudow security3@bethisraelnc.org

Chesed: CBI’s Support NetworkChesed is a caring team of CBI members who are here to help out the CBI

community during both challenging as well as joyous times. Some of the activities

we have been involved with are:

• Visiting those who are sick

• Checking in with those who are homebound

• Assembling a minyan for shiva

• Preparing meals

• Providing transportation

• Running errands

• Helping people connect with area services

• Assisting with set up for a bar/bat mitzvah party

We need YOUR help to continue our work effectively. We can’t offer to do

anything unless we know who needs and wants some support. If we can help you

with something or if you are aware of someone who needs assistance, please tell

Lee or the Rabbi. They will pass along that information to the Chesed committee.

Many people at CBI are happy to help out.

We need YOUR help to respond to the requests. If you can volunteer to provide

any of the kinds of help Chesed offers, please tell Lee or the Rabbi. You can also

contact the Chesed committee directly at chesed@bethisraelnc.org. Your involve-

ment is not usually something that takes a lot of time; yet it will create tremendous

satisfaction in knowing you have helped someone.

Jewish communities have a rich history of taking care of each other. The Babylon-

ian Talmud teaches us that All Jews are responsible one for another (Shevuot 39a).

The Chesed Committee invites you to be a part of that meaningful tradition.