Congregation Kneseth IsraelThe heart o f Fox Va l l ey Judai sm for over a century

330 Division St.Elgin, IL 60120

Phone 847.741.5656Fax 847.741.5679www.ckielgin.org

June 2008Iyar – Sivan 5768

RABBI JONATHAN KOHN PERRY PITZELE, Presidentjon_kohn@excite.com pesachp@sbcglobal.net

RONALD RABEN,Director of Educationrarcki@wowway.com

by Dr. Seussmodified by the CKI Education Committeeread by Anita Hornung at Ron Raben’sretirement party on Sunday, May 18, 2008

Please let me be.Please go away.

I am NOT going to get up today!

The alarm can ring.The birds can peep.A shofar can blow.But my pillow is deep.Today’s the day I’m going to sleep.

I don’t care if kids are getting upright now all over town.I’m retired, I’ve earned my rest…I am staying down.

All around the worldthey’re getting up.And that’s okay with me.Let the kids and teachers get up all they wantin Haifa or Tel Aviv.

Let the kids get up in Elgin….and Schaumburg.I simply do not careLet them get up for Hebrew school.But not me, I’m staying here.

I’ve never been so sleepy,not since the boys were small.You can take away my breakfast…bagels, lox, and all.

Fern can tickle my feet.Fern can shake my bed.Fern can pour cold water on my curly head.But she’ll be wasting her time.So go away!I am NOT going to get up today!

In bed is where I’m going to stay.And I don’t care what the Pitzeles say!They never wake me anyway.

Let them just try to wakeme.Let them scream and yelp.They can yell from now toChanukahbut it isn’t going to help.

I don’t choose to be upwalking.I don’t choose to be uptalkingI don’t choose to be upschmoozingI simply plan on snoozing

So won’t you kindly goaway.I am NOT going to get up today!

You won’t get me upwith a bagel and cheese.You won’t get me upwith an Entenmanns’ tease…or coffee, or orange juice, or any of that goo.My tongue is asleep.And my teeth are too.

You can print it in HaKol.Spread the news all over town.But nothing’s going to get me up.Today I’m staying down.

You can shoot me with falafel and beans!You can bring in the whole Israeli mil-i-tar-y.You can put it on YouTubebut no matter what you sayI am NOT going to get up today!

Nothing’s going to get me up.Why don’t you understand!You’ll only waste your moneyif you hire a Klezmer band.

That’s why I say,Please go away!I am NOT going to get up today!

In this IssueRabbi 2

President 2

Torah School 3

Sisterhood 4

Pleasure/Reading 5

USY/Kadima 6

Parashat 6

Social Action 7

Bar Mitzvah 8

Birthdays 9

Donations 10

Yahrtzeiten 12

Marketplace 13

Calendar Back

I am Not Going to Get Up Today !

Riva and I extend ourdeepest and most

heartfelt thanks to the very manyindividuals of Congregation KnesethIsrael who went far out of their wayto provide Riva with the kind of BatMitsva celebration that she deservedand that did our congregation proud.

I tried to thank as many of you fromthe Bima as I could by name, and Iknow that many more workedanonymously to make ourcelebration possible.

Riva’s Bat Mitsva day passed quickly,but its fond memory lasts the rest ofour lives. Every moment of the daywas good, and that could be onlybecause of the massive effortundertaken by this community.Your warmth, love, and generositymade all the difference. Thank youall, from me and from my family toyou and yours.

– Jonathan Kohn

I really look forward to thistime of year because it’sdefinitely the end of the

cold weather. No, REALLY, it’s definitelygetting warmer now! It marks thebeginning of leisure time activities,whether that’s fishing, hiking, boating,swimming, attending Cubs or Soxgames or, in my case, playing golf. Insome ways, for me at least, golf is like areligion: it requires a leap of faith tokeep playing and much learning andpractice to appreciate its intricacies.

Something we also associate with thistime of year,marked by the end ofTorah School, is a slow-down in activityat CKI. Actually, to some degree, this isan illusion because we still holdShabbat services every Saturdaymorning,we will be observing Shavuot(including a study session), we will becelebrating B’nai Mitzvah (IsaacMarshall and Jenna Mussar), Boardmeetings take place each month,planning for High Holidays is in fullswing and, yes, planning for this year’s

2

Kol Kneseth Israel is published monthly byCongregation Kneseth Israel of Elgin, Illinois. It ismailed to CKI members via first class postage.

Non-members who would like to receive a copymay do so by forwarding a yearly donation of $18(Chai) to cover cost of production and mailing.

Make checks payable to CKI.

All material for the July issue is dueNO LATER than June 10, PLEASE.

All items should be emailed toronrazowsky@gmail.com

Ha Kol Editor: Design/Production:Ron Razowsky Jana McFarlane

Ha Kol Information

From the Rabbi’s Study...

Freedom and Rules

The second Monday night of thismonth, on Shavuot, we begin tocelebrate the giving of the Torah. That’swhen our newly freed lives becameweighted downwith rules. But theancient Sageswouldn’t have putit that way.

When Moshe camedown from Mt.Sinai and saw thatthe people wereworshipping aGolden Calf, heshattered thetablets of the TenCommandments and had to go up forseconds. Why did he shatter thetablets? There are many beautifulMidrashim to explain, but my favorite isthat the stones were simply too heavyfor him to hold. Now, if they were too

heavy, then how did he carry themdown to the foot of the mountain? Thestones were made of earth and, like allphysical objects, they longed to returnto the earth—that’s the Torah’s versionof the law of gravity. But the letters on

the stones camefrom heaven, andthey longed toreturn there. Aslong as theletters were inthe stones, thenthe stones couldbe carried easily.But when theletters took oneglimpse of theCalf—and letters,

says theMidrash, have feelings just likebooks and people—then they ran off toheaven leaving the stones behind.Moshe then could neither catch theletters nor hold the stones, and so helost both.

The letters of the Torah accounted forthe lightness of the stones. It’s a veryodd view, as if the rules of the Torahwere there to make our life easier.

AnotherMidrash explains. Thecommandments were “carved” into thestones. But the letters that spell carved(“charot”) also spell freedom (“cheirut”).The letters, if we read them right, were“freedom” in the stones.

Freedom isn’t what people think it is.

annual picnic and school registration.I know that with all of the summeractivities including vacations, sendingkids off to camp plus everything Imentioned above, perhaps thesynagogue may have troublecompeting in your life.

However, consider this a possibleopportunity to get reacquainted withthe shul: perhaps attend a SaturdayShabbat service and participate inTorah study, attend a Board meetingand find out how decisions are made byyour leadership (and even take part inthose discussions), check out an adultstudy session or get involved with ourSocial Action Committee (contactSherry Wiesman). In short, this could bethe time to actually meet one or two ofthose resolutions that you made duringlast year’s High Holidays.

Whatever you decide to do, I lookforward to seeing you in shul!

A Message from Our President

“ All the side issuesare unimportant.All that is real is“what does Godwant?””

(continued on p. 11)

Torah School News

3

So here I sit at my laptopand write to you for the last

time. Boy, I’ve been writing somethingto you in this newsletter for many years.It hasn’t been a chore. I enjoy writing.After teaching it for so many years, it’sjust grown to be another limb of myexistence as an old English teacher. Isuppose it’s that old “walk-your-talk”thing. But I have to admit that it’s goingto be a relief to know that I don’t haveto rush to meet a monthly publishingdeadline.

I’ve talked to you in my writing about somany parts of my life—my bubbe,myfather,my father-in-law,my Fern,mykids,my passions,my resume,myapproaches,my thoughts,myphilosophy,my hopes,my reactions toprofessional meetings, activities, films,and books,my little “bytes”of wisdomI’ve picked up along the road,my viewsof life,my shows I’ve directed,myformer students,my life in education.

Before joining CKI about 20 years ago,we were members of a couple of othersynagogues and especially active inone. Each congregation has itsdistinctive personality and direction.And in all the synagogues, I have foundone constant—the school is theheartbeat of that congregation.

I think about how CKI now comes aliveonWednesdays and Sundays. I thinkabout how people gather and want tobe with each other. I think of the FamilyServices, Junior Congregations,YouthServices, special programs, activities,field trips, holiday celebrations,experiences in Confirmation Class, andclasses. I think of the knowledge theteachers are giving to our childrenabout being Jewish. I think of thelessons we teach about tzedakah,chesed, tikkun olam. I think about ourschool themes like “AMitzvah a Month,”“A Kindness a Week,”“TheWit andWisdom of the Talmud,” and“Extraordinary Jewish Americans.” Ithink of our celebrations of Israel. Ithink of the parents who bring their

children to school and just hang aroundto be a part of the sociability of thiscommunity. I think of the teachers whogive so much of their time and heart totheir classrooms and students. I think ofthe student aides who willingly givetheir time to come back to CKI to helpout and to be with each other.

Over the years, I have truly come toknow that the school is what keeps asynagogue vibrant, vital, and populated.Without the school, I don’t think asynagogue has a chance. After all, it’sthe young families who bring theirchildren who make up a big part of themembership. And it is the children who,in most cases, will return to thesynagogue even when in college aslong as their parents are still members.It is here that they find a Jewishconnection. It is here that they findtheir Jewish roots. It is here that theyfind friends and continue to strengthentheir identities. It is here that they findtheir souls.

Sure, there are those who pull out afterthe “obligatory”Bar or Bat Mitzvah.Every synagogue has that segment. Butjust think of what they’re missing andall they are taking away from theirchildren. Not only do we provide aJewish education where children learnabout our heritage, traditions, ritualsand laws, but we work hard at instillingin our children the qualities that willcontinue to serve them well in life:patience, acceptance of others,understanding, kindness, respect,generosity, humility, compassion,strength of character, sensitivity. We getinvolved in the lives of the children andtheir parents. We teach them to begood people. And in the middle of allthat, we try to have some fun. That’s apretty tall order.

CKI is so very special and unique.Because we all come from ademographically non- Jewish“neighborhood,”we find our Jewish“neighborhood”within the walls of thisbuilding. We find our Jewish identitywithin the services. We find our Jewishidentity within the activities fromSisterhood,Men’s Club,Hadassah, Adult

Education, USY/Kadima and, yes, school!We reach out for and hang onto eachother.

Now that I am preparing to leave myposition as Director of Education,several people have asked if Fern and Iare also leaving the congregation.Absolutely not! That is something wecannot do. Having been in this familyso long, loving all the people here, andbeing so invested in CKI’s welfare andexistence, leaving would be like a deathin our lives. We will be here.

I’ve said so much over the years; Isuppose the best thing to say now ispart of what I said in my letter to theBoard. So I say to you,

“I have cherished my time as Director ofEducation at Kneseth Israel. Thechildren, parents and staff have blessedme with loyalty, dedication, friendship,challenges and excitement.

“Thank you for giving me theopportunity to bring CKI Torah Schoolback to a viable and vibrant place tolearn. Thank you for all the help,support, and trust you have bestowedupon me. Thank you for some of thebest times.

“It’s been an extraordinary journey, butafter considerable soul searching anddeliberation, I have come to realize thatit is time to move on. After spending46 years in education and living by aschool calendar, I need a change. Fernand I are just looking forward toenjoying some years of retirement anddoing some different things together.

“CKI will always be a special place forboth of us. May we all continue to gofrom strength to strength.”

And let us all say……

L’chaim!!

4

Sisterhood News

As the 2007-2008 Sisterhood yearends, I have very mixed emotions as

I look back through this year. First, Imust thank my mentor and friend,Wanda Pitzele, for being my Co-President. In fact,most of the year shewas the President because sheunselfishly stepped in and did most ofthe work because I was in school.Second, to my executive board, thankyou ladies for working as diligently andas hard as you all have. Without yourindividual assistance, our year wouldnot have been nearly as successful.

The coming year 2008-2009 will be assuccessful or greater, as we have allfigured out what it takes to get the jobdone. My fellow Sisterhood womenhelped and I know will continue to help.We will have our same fundraisers:Corned Beef Luncheon,ChanukahBazaar, Soup Sales, along with manyother interesting programs. One of thethemes we are planning is “Aging,”which includes issues with parent(s)aging, along with some of us getting alittle bit older, too. We are still lookinginto having an interfaith get-together tolearn about other religions.

We are looking for other Sisterhoodmembers to help along with our“regulars.” I am looking for womenwhose children are in Hebrew schooland, therefore, at CKI onWednesdayevenings and Sunday mornings, to helppitch in with our Gift Shop and,hopefully, will consider being our newchairs. Both Tina Wolf and WendyShankman have given us years ofservice above and beyond, running ourGift Shop and the Chanukah Bazaar.Their children are grown, no longer inHebrew School, and it is getting harderfor them to run the Gift Shop. I knowthey would be happy to assist whoeveris interested in jumping in. So, if thereare ladies who love to shop, and most

importantly, love to sell, please let usknow. In addition, any women who arehere onWednesdays and Sundays andare willing to volunteer their time andservices for anything else in Sisterhood,we always like enthusiastic new ideas.

One of our last fundraisers for 2007-2008, the KitchenWish List, will be keptalive and running through the 2008-2009 year. If you have any questions,please see Shari Heiss. Wanda hasvolunteered to concentrate ondeveloping a system to facilitate ourmembers sponsoring onegs andkiddushes following services. Anyoneinterested in planning for an oneg orkiddush feel free to contact her.

Please make sure you continue to readHaKol for happenings in Sisterhood.Again, thanks toWanda and all thewomen in Sisterhood, and I lookforward to being sole president (Wandathinks she is off the hook, but we allknow better) for the coming year. Anysuggestions you may have will begreatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Kitchen Wish List

Love to eat? We all do. Every timewe serve any food item at CKI,

whether it be for a Latke Lunch, HutDogs, the Passover Seder or at an Onegor Kiddish, it is because the Sisterhoodworks hard year long to maintain theSTRICTLY KOSHER CKI kitchen.

Everybody benefits.

But just like your personal kitchen,utensils break, new items are needed,broken dishes need to be replaced.

The Sisterhood is having a fundraiser tofulfill the KITCHENWISH LIST.

Please participate. Look at the “Sederplate”on the wall of the Social Hall. Wehave need for items at a large range of

prices. You can purchase an entire setof items or just one part of a set. Weappreciate all contributions!

All of us can help ensure that theSisterhood is able to continue tooperate a modern kosher kitchen at CKI.

Meals on Wheels…Time for AnotherThank You!

The pre-Passover participants forMeals onWheels included Ron

Razowsky and Chuck Zimmerman,Cheryl Stanczak and Wanda Pitzele,Len and Laurie Winner, SherryWeisman and your chairwoman,MarcZemel and his mother,Mrs. Zemel.

These generous folk deserve extrapraise as this was just before the firstSeder, a busy time in all households.

Our next delivery will occur the week ofJuly 14-18. If you are a regular and can'tbe available, you might let me know; ifyou haven't done it for a while or needto schedule some pre-B’nei Mitzvahcommunity service, please call andreserve your date. Shari Heiss willdeliver on July 16 and could use apartner.

Sitting by the phone (847)-695-6540…

– Nancy Zimmerman

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The Pleasure of Reading

As this article goes to press,parents everywhere are

making summer plans for theirkids, whether it be travel,summer camp, or ways tooccupy kids who moan thatthey are bored. Summer is agreat time of adventure anddiscovery for children andteens.

Whether you are looking for a list ofbooks to occupy beach days on thesand or looking for rainy dayamusements, you will find that our CKIlibrary collection has stories aimed at allgrade and reading levels, from pre-school through teens (and also booksfor adults, of course).

There are shelves and shelves of fictionto help “while away the days.” Manybooks, both fiction and non-fiction,recount tales of valor, of courage, and ofconviction. There are wonderful booksabout role models: sports figures,statesmen, and inventors. There arebiographies of doctors who discovered

cures for various dreaded diseases andtrue stories of valiant heroic soldiersand of the determined Zionists whobuilt Israel. Our collection includesbooks about fictional children whosuffer the same types of insecurities andangst that all children endure growingup. Middle school children and highschool grade readers will find anextensive collection of Holocaust books(and of historical fictional characterswho hid to escape the Shoah).

Every nationality it seems,wants itsfuture generations to connect, respect,remember and celebrate all types ofethnicities. Jewish children have the

greatest and longest uninterruptedchain of customs and culture in theworld. No people have more history ormore reasons to celebrate ethnic pridethan we Jews. Help your childrendiscover who they really are byencouraging them to explore theirJewish heritage through reading.

– Sherry Wiesman

CKI BOARD MEMBERSPRESIDENT, Perry Pitzele

EXECUTIVE VP, Jack Fishman

Co-VPs/Sisterhood,Rochelle Fosco &Wanda Pitzele

VP/Education, Anita Hornung

RECORDING SECRETARY,Carole Burstein

TREASURER, Marc Zemel

FINANCIAL SECRETARY,Chuck Zimmerman

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT,Paul Glaser

Still a-Wishin’ anda-Hopin’…

We’re still wishing for…

� New lightweight 8-foot long tablesfor the social hall.(We purchase them at Sam’s. Prices:8’ long tables are $70.00 each.60” round tables are $100.00 each.We are tax exempt.)

� For privacy and comfort, we’d liketo purchase and install verticalblinds to cover the windows in thekindergarten and 1st-gradeclassrooms on the first floor.

� A new video setup (camera, etc.) inthe sanctuary that will recordDVDs.

� Help to improve the sound systemin the sanctuary.

Wishes are good. Granting them is evenbetter! We are truly grateful!

Thank you!

Annual Congregational Meeting June 3

As required by the synagogue bylaws, we will be holdingour annual congregational meeting which is scheduled for

June 3, at 7:00 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to elect fournew at-large Board members.

The Nominating Committee has nominated the followingindividuals:

Sue ZemelSherry WeismanSue MerdingerBarry Rose

Also, please note that during the meeting, nominations will beaccepted from the floor. Immediately following the meeting wewill be holding the regular June Board meeting to which you areall, of course, welcome to attend as well.

– Thank you,Perry Pitzele, President

6

Parashat HaShavu’a – Weekly Torah Portions

June 7 Naso – Numbers 4:21-5:104 Sivan Haftarah: Judges 13:2-25

June 9 First Day of Shavuot6 Sivan Torah: Exodus 19:1-20:23

Maftir: Numbers 28:26-31Haftarah: Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12

June 10 Second Day of Shavuot (Yizkor)7 Sivan Torah: Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17

Maftir: Numbers 28:26-31Haftarah: Habakkuk 3:1-19

June 14 Be’ha’alot’kha – Numbers 8:1-9:1411 Sivan Haftarah: Zekhariah 2:14-4:17

June 21 Sh’lach L’kha – Numbers 13:1-14:1718 Sivan Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24

June 28 Birkat Hachodesh25 Sivan Korach – Numbers 16:1 – 17:15

Haftarah: I Samuel 11:14-12:22

findyourselfinShul!

ShulisGood!

Dear CKI Family,

Thank you for all the kindnessesshown to us as we ended ourpositions as Youth Chairs. It is aspecial honor to be given a Leafon the Tree of Life. We treasurethe scrapbook filled with kindwords from so many adults andstudents at CKI. And we'regrateful for the gift certificateand notecards. Thanks to Robinand Liza for baking the deliciouscake for the last USY BoardMeeting of the year. Thanks, also,to everyone who attended theUSY Shabbat; it was inspirationalto participate in the service ledby our USYers. These children areour future, and it is veryheartening to see the many waysthat our congregation supportsthem. We exit knowing that ourUSY chapter will continue tothrive in the very capable handsof Liza Bachrach. We areconfident that CKI members willsupport her efforts just as youhave always supported us.

Todah Rabah,Dr. Joe and Maureen Rosenfeld

TORAH SCHOOL DIRECTOR NEEDEDCongregation Kneseth Israelin Elgin, IL is looking for anew Torah School Director.This part-time positioninvolves overseeing areligious education program

for grades K through 10 andan education staff of 12instructors. The successfulcandidate must be creative,energetic, motivational, havegood communication skillsand be a self-starter. A basicknowledge of Hebrew andJudaic history is preferred.For more information,contact Anita Hornung, CKIVice-President of Education,at 630-377-1351.

HonorableMenschen...

7

Social Action

Thank you to everyone who attendedthe Earth Day program. Special

thanks are extended to Joe Rosenfeldfor creating our power pointpresentation on composting and DanMarshall for speaking about the meritsof CFL bulbs. They sparked awonderfully interactive discussionwithin the well-attended program.

Also, in case you didn’t know, CKI is nowproud to announce that they havetaken one more step toward goinggreen. We have purchased acomposting bin and would like toencourage everyone,when working onthe synagogue grounds, to place anyyard waste in it. Additionally, when

working in the kitchen, anyfruit/vegetable peelings and/or eggshells may also be deposited. Proteinwaste shouldNOT be included. The binis located in the side garden outside ofthe office door entry.

As always, please remember that thereare many in our community who arehungry. Please continue to bring innonperishable food items and/orpersonal hygiene products to restockthe shelves of the food pantry.

Enjoy the warm weather,

– Sherry Wiesman and Fern RabenSocial Action Co-Chairs

Noticed the Green Lights in the Sanctuary?

Well, not really green green.Energy-efficient green, that is.

Thanks to a very generous anonymousdonation, we have begun replacingwhat had been 200-watt incandescentbulbs in our sanctuary chandelier-fixtures with 85-watt compactfluorescent bulbs. The 85-wattersproduce the equivalent of 350 watts oflight. So if each four-bulb fixture usedto use 800 watts, we’re now using only340. Multiplied by six fixtures, that’s2,760 watts we’re saving every time weturn on the lights!

We estimate the new bulbs will save usabout $500.00 per year on electricity.Plus, the bulbs should last about ten

years which will save on laddershlepping and $5,000 or more in thelong run. And we’re doing our part tohelp the environment.

On a related note, the Ritual Committeehas not yet weighed in on whether, dueto the energy savings, services shouldlast longer. But if they did, it’s comfortingto know it’s costing us a lot less.

…to DR. DANIEL & LISA SCHULMANfor their generous and kind donation tohelp us continue to purchase more newbooks for the Dr. Daniel and LisaSchulman Young Adult Library.

…to AMY FOSCO for all her work inorganizing and facilitating the CookieDough fund-raisers for Torah School.

…to ALL THE FAMILIES throughoutthe year who have generously donatedto and hosted the Family Services OnegShabbat. They made those Fridaynights even more special.

Jewish Employment NetworkJob Seekers experience many hopes and challenges in the job market. If youhave been recently downsized or are thinking of changing careers, the JewishEmployment Network offers numerous options to assist you with your careergoals: career counseling, job search strategies, networking opportunities, andaccess to monthly round tables and support groups.

For more information go to www.jvschicago.org or call Joyce Bogolub,JVS Career Counselor, at 630-889-0548.

Liza Bachrach andDan Marshall

invite you to sharetheir joy

at Shabbat Services onSaturday, June 14, 2008

as their son

Isaacbecomes Bar Mitzvah

�Please join us for Kiddush

following services

8

Bar Mitzvah

Isaac Marshall is to be called to theTorah as a Bar Mitzvah on June 14. Isaacis a 6th grade student at Haines MiddleSchool.

He enjoys playing baseball, bowling, pingpong, pool and spending time with hiscousins and friends. He likes jazz musicand plays the tenor sax. He will attendOSRUI (a Jewish overnight summercamp) for the fifth straight year this

summer. He is an active and enthusiastic member of Kadima.

Sharing this special occasion with Isaac are his proud parents,Liza Bachrach and Dan Marshall, and his brother Jake and hissister Lucy, as well as many relatives from near and far. HIsBubbe and Opa are eagerly watching in spirit!

Something Isaac has learned from his Jewish education is thatgiving tzedakah makes him feel good about himself, and thatvisiting Israel taught him that Judaism has a long, rich historyin which to be proud.

We Send You To Hebrew SchoolBecause ...• Because Hebrew School is just as important, and in someways may be more important, than public school.

• Because you are so fortunate that there is a State of Israel inyour lifetime, and going to Hebrew School is a great way tostrengthen your connection to Israel and to the Israelis—bylearning the history, songs, and stories of our homeland andits people.

There will beNO

“CKI SENIORS”

Lox & Bagel Luncheonfor the month of June.

CKI COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONSADULT EDUCATION - Barbara SharfBY-LAWS - Malcolm MorrisCEMETERY - Jeff RifkenENDOWMENT - Charles ZimmermanFUNDRAISING - Anita HornungHA KOL EDITOR - Ron RazowskyHOUSE - Dan MarshallMEMBERSHIP - Dr. Joe RosenfeldPUBLICITY - Melinda Abrams,Marcie MonteithRITUAL - Paul GlaserSOCIAL ACTION - Sherry Wiesman, Fern Raben,Tina WolfYOUTH ACTIVITIES - Liza Bachrach

To contact a Committee Chairperson,call CKI at 847-741-5656

M I T Z V A HP R O J E C TW I T HI S A A CMARSHALL

What do people do when they don’t have blankets and they are cold?

Come help me make new blankets for the poor.

It requires no skill, just bring a pair of fabric scissors, a ruler and a BIG heart!

SUNDAY

JUNE 8, 20081 PM

atFox Valley Jewish Neighbors

121 South Third StreetGeneva, IL

Please RSVP to Isaac MarshallArchbroch@sbcglobal.net

847.622.8855

Tikkun Leil Shavuot

Afull seven weeks after thesecond Seder of Pesach, please

join us at CKI on June 8 tocelebrate the giving of the Torah.Share blintzes and our traditionaldairy refreshments for the holidayof Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks,which celebrates as well theharvest of summer fruit.

Together we sing, eat, tell stories, and study from 7 to 10 pm.This is the time of year that God gave the Torah. Please joinus as once again we prepare to receive it.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot: Sunday, June 8, 7 pm to 10 pmMorning service with Yizkor: Tuesday, June 10, 8 am

I/We would like to make a donation tothe following CKI fund:

Fund: _______________________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________________

Amount Enclosed: $ ___________________________________

Please indicate � In Honor of

� In Memory of

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Make your check payable to: Congregation Kneseth Israel

330 Division Street, Elgin IL 60120

Donation Information

9

Consider a gift to the Congregation Kneseth Israel Endowment Fund through oneof our income for life plans:

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS in which you transfer funds into a trust or mutualfund that pays you income.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES in which you purchase an annuity and receive income.

All have significant tax advantages.

For further information, please call or write:

Charles Zimmerman,Chairman, phone 847-741-5656Congregation Kneseth Israel Endowment Fund, 330 Division Street, Elgin, IL 60120

June Birthdays

1 Ethel Schillmoeller

1 Jacob McFarlane

1 Isaac Marshall

3 Richard Stanczak

4 Maxine Turek

6 Sarah Rubin

11 Danielle Lindow

12 Bill Wolf

13 Adam Berkson

13 Jeff Silberman

13 Rachel Gauthier

13 Daniel Schulman

14 Shirley Friedman

16 Lynn Glaser

16 Kenneth Abrams

16 Ilene Peterson

19 Morgan Farr

20 Barbara Levine

21 Jennifer Finger

23 Liana Ginder

25 Marc Bear

26 Kevin Phelan

26 Jacob Fosco

26 Sandra Lindow

29 Jacob Rifken

29 Todd Nye

30 Jennifer Rifken

30 Jacob Gantz

8 Richard & Marci Zeoli

9 Gene & Sandy Lindow

14 Elaine Sofferman & Patrick Lewis

17 Ron & Carole Burstein

17 Jerry & Rose Goldstein

18 Alan & Irene Loss

19 David & Roselle McLaughlin Ashkenaz

24 Michael & Janet Seigle

26 David Goldberg & Krista Ravenscraft

27 Bruce & Kipp Freeman

28 Alvin & Norma Hass

28 Richard & Sue Johnson

28 Ilene & Jason Peterson

JuneAnniversaries

Special FundsThe following funds are available for your generous donations:

Seltzer Music & Cultural Arts Endowment Fund – Jewish culturalenrichment programs

CKI Education Fund – Support Torah SchoolClara Wechter Education Fund – Support Torah SchoolEndowment Fund – See the PresidentGeneral Fund – For multi-purpose useRabbi’s Discretionary Fund – Needs decided by RabbiLee Miller Book Fund – New books for LibraryLillian Roth Scholarship Fund – See the PresidentMajor Gifts – $5,000 and up. See the PresidentMemorial Plaques – $300.00Prayer Book Fund – Siddur is $25; Chumash is $60Shalom Academy – Pre-school Jewish EducationSimon C. & Ruth L. Kaplan Torah Fund – Repair of Torah scrollsSisterhood Flower Fund – Pulpit flowersSisterhood Vision Fund – Large-type Siddur $50Tree of Life – Leaf is $100; Rock is $1,000USY/Kadima Youth Group – Support for programs for our United Synagogue Youth

In Tribute to Ben Rifkenfrom JoAnn & Marshall Goldin

Lou & Merrian Rifken

In honor ofRon Raben

With admiration, gratitude and love.Your students and friends

2004-2008

In honor ofMaureen & Joe Rosenfeld

USY-Kadima Advisors ‘95-’08From CKI USY & Kadima 2008

fromThe Bachrach/Marshall Family

The Barrash FamilyThe Cox FamilyThe Fosco Family

The Gauthier FamilyThe Gerlach FamilyThe Glaser FamilyThe Graaf Family

The Hornung/Burker FamilyThe Kohn Family

The McFarlane FamilyChuck Miller & FamilyMary Miller & Family

The Schillmoeller FamilyThe Mark Seigle FamilyThe Shankman Family

The Stone FamilyThe Wohl FamilyThe Wolf FamilyThe Zemel Family

PASSOVER DONATIONSIn memory of my dear mother,Ethel Lange

Kathy LangeIn memory of Rosa A. Meza

Rose Marie SmithDonation

Gary Widen and Bonnie Karlin

In honor of the wonderful individualswho always work behind the scenes.Thank you from the bottom of myheart. Passover Seder would nothappen without them: SherryWiesman, Rina Baxter, Ron & FernRaben, & Kathy Lange. Also, thankyou, Gary Widen and Bonnie Karlin,for your generous donation

– Thank you all,Anita Hornung

10

Generous DonationsGENERAL FUNDIn memory of Ben Rifken

Marla & Michael FingerThe McFarlane FamilyLinda RudmanHarold & Vera RifkenMarty & Donna RifkenRose & jerry GoldsteinSusan & Jerry Goozh

In honor of Ron Raben, for leadingour Torah School with love anddevotion

Joe & Maureen RosenfeldIn memory of Marion & Joseph Braun

Laurie & Len WinnerIn honor of Dr. Joe and MaureenRosenfeld

Rose & Jerry GoldsteinIn memory of Abraham Brody

Pearle & Ed BrodyIn memory of Gertrude & AlbertWinner

Laurie & Len Winner

PRAYERBOOK FUNDIn memory of Ben Rifken

Dorothy & Milton Perlman

CKI EDUCATION FUNDIn honor of Riva Shoshona Kohn’sBat Mitzvah

Saul MariasisBarbara Njus

In memory of Ben RifkenDan & Lisa SchulmanBarbara NjusFern & Ron Raben

In honor of Liana Louise Ginder onher Bat Mitzvah

Saul MariasisTo Joe and Maureen Rosenfeld,Yasher Koach and thank you for youryears of dedication and leadershipof USY.

Fern & Ron RabenBarbara Njus

In honor of Shirley Simon’s 90thBirthday

Barbara NjusIn honor of Christopher Miller’sBar Mitzvah

Saul Mariasis

Acknowledgements

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUNDIn memory of Ben Rifken

Milt & Blossom WohlPearle & Ed Brody

In honor of Martin Brody’s inductionin the“Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame”

Milt & Blossom Wohl

CLARA WECHTER EDUCATION FUNDIn honor of Riva Kohn’s Bat Mitzvah

Kara, Chuck, Marlee & RachelGauthier

CKI LIBRARY DONATIONIn honor of Shirley Simon’s 90thbirthday

Alvin & Norma HassSpeedy Recovery to Lisa Schulman

Adeline Kohlhagen

USY/KADIMAIn honor of Joe & Maureen Rosenfeldfor their devotion and commitmentto the youth of CKI and CHUSY.

Lisa Alter KruleIn memory of Ben Rifken

The Bachrach/Marshall Family

TREE OF LIFE – (All Leaves):

Ari Shaw Zimmerman-Bergin2-15-08

Third grandchild ofFChuck & Nancy Zimmerman

Regaling us with posters

Of contemporary Jews,

Near classes and near snacks where

we can

Read and nosh and schmooze,

And with understanding hearts

By which you help our children learn,

Every day you’ve done us good.

Now may God bless you, Ron and Fern.

– Jonathan Kohn

11

In Our Family

From the Rabbi’s Study(cont’d from p. 2)

We imagine that worries andresponsibilities take away our freedom,and that no one is more free than aninfant. Perhaps it is great to be aninfant, but I’m not sure. Babies cry a lot.

For the last two months, betweenPesach and Shavuot, we recalled Israelin its infancy. At Pesach the Jewishpeople were born, after long labor inthe mother country of Egypt and afterthe water of the Red Sea broke.Following Pesach, they entered infancyin the wilderness.

But shortly after their birth theysuffered their first trauma, as the nationof Amalek struck them from behind andcut off a part of them. That was thenewborn nation’s first hint of theirfuture struggle with evil, and thus oftheir covenant with God. It was Israel’sBris.

Now we celebrate Shavuot, the givingof the Torah, which was Israel’s BarMitzvah. Up until that time, Israel coulddo with impunity anything theypleased—rebel against Moshe,complain about God, anything. Only

after Sinai were they held accountablefor their actions.

It should have been a very good time inthe wilderness up until Sinai. Before thenation was born the people were slavesto Pharaoh. After Sinai they wereservants of God. In between, they werefree to do whatever they liked. Whatcould be more desirable?

But they didn’t feel that way. In fact, notime in their life was more miserable,and this despite their direct experienceof God’s signs and wonders. Theylearned that they didn’t want to dowhatever they wanted to do. Theyneeded direction. They wanted to serveGod.

A clue to this is found in the poem that Isometimes read on Yom Kippur,Rudyard Kipling’s “If….”The poetadvises his son to “meet with Triumphand Disaster/And treat those twoimpostors just the same.”

The infant’s life is full of triumphs anddisasters. Now he’s hungry and nowhe’s fed, now he’s wet and now he’s dry,now he’s bored and now he’s amused.

As adults, we learn to look beyond theimmediate present. We know that wecan be hungry for awhile withoutanything terrible happening, and thatbeing fed is no guarantee of fulfillment.Ours is a longer view. That’s the sourceof our freedom and our happiness. Butthe Torah’s view is the longest of all.

At Sinai we were told,“Do what Godwants. Do the right thing.”We learnedthere that nothing else counts. It took atremendous burden off our shoulders.All the side issues—what are myfeelings, what are my expectations,what do I deserve, who will be angry atme,what will be easy or difficult, whatwill people say, what will I look like—areunimportant. They are impostors. Allthat is real is “what does God want?”

That’s freedom, engraved within therules. That’s lightness. We can be freeas a bird, if only we bind ourselves tothe sky.

Do you have a preschool child?Would you like a Jewish Preschool?Shalom Academy was founded to answer those questions.If you are interested in helping re-open the preschool, call WandaPitzele at 630-289-3349 or email to wandanp@sbcglobal.net.Traditionally, it is a multi-age classroom or 3 and 4 year olds with alimited enrollment of six. How exciting to have your child learning theJewish holidays and Shabbat along with such things as the alphabet,colors, shapes, seasons, etc. With only six children in the class, there isa lot of individual attention for your child. Given enough interest, wewill open Shalom Academy in the fall!

Grants are available from JUF forthe first child in a family to enrollin a Jewish preschool.

A J e w i s h P r e s c h o o l

SHAL M Academy

HAMAKOM YENAHEIM ETKHEM –CONDOLENCESThe congregation expressescondolences to the family of BenRifken, father of Jeff Rifken, andbrother of Louis (Merrian) Rifken

May God comfort you and may hismemory be for a blessing

R’FUAH SH’LEIMAH – GET WELL

Fern Raben Herman LoebRose Goldstein David GoodmanLisa Schulman Pearle BrodySherry Wiesman Sue ZemelShirley Friedman

May God bring speedy and completehealing to you and all others who are illamong the people of Israel.

12

May 31 June 1 Gladys Fox

May 31 June 1 Jack Lisagor*

May 31 June 1 Bella Goldman

May 31 June 3 Michael Fosco*

May 31 June 3 Rose Sohn

May 31 June 3 Edith J. Mendel*

May 31 June 3 Jenny Brazner*

May 31 June 4 Norton T. Burstein*

May 31 June 5 Capt. IreneWirtschafffter*

May 31 June 5 Melvin Frisch

May 31 June 6 Sarah Stern*

May 31 June 6 Allen Mintzer

June 7 June 7 Abraham Brody*

June 7 June 8 William Goldstein*

June 7 June 8 Joseph Polis*

June 7 June 9 Capt. Bernard Sohn*

June 7 June 10 Ruth Bachrach*

June 7 June 10 Herb Friend

June 7 June 10 Isaac Cohien*

June 7 June 10 Max Fishman*

June 7 June 11 Beatrice Feldman

June 7 June 11 Morris Hartzman*

June 7 June 12 Morris Rosengarden*

June 7 June 12 David Abraham Nerove*

June 7 June 12 Maurice Hymen*

June 7 June 12 Harry A. Jaffee*

June 7 June 13 Rose Meza

June 14 June 15 Sidney Kramer*

June 14 June 17 Rose I. Schwartz*

June 14 June 17 Richard Kenneth Johnson

June 14 June 18 Sarah Dinah Mell*

June 14 June 18 Edward Simon*

June 14 June 18 GertrudeWinner*

June 14 June 19 Lena Sievers*

June 14 June 20 Tessie Rose

June 14 June 20 Anna Rosengarden*

Yahrtzeiten

We recall with loving memory those whose yahrtzeiten are commemoratedduring the coming weeks, and those whose names are read in theSynagogue at Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat servicesduring the month of June. It is appropriate for members of theirfamilies to be present when these names are read.

There are two dates listed above on our yahrtzeit list.The first is the day of the service at which the names are read.The second is the actual date of the yahrtzeit, and memorialcandles should be lit on the preceding evening. An asterisk aftera name indicates that a plaque is affixed to the Memorial Tablet.

KINDLE THE SHABBAT CANDLES

June 6 ...............8:05 PMJune 13.............8:09 PMJune 20.............8:11 PMJune 27.............8:12 PM

June 21 June 22 Etta LeVine*

June 21 June 22 Julius Kreeger*

June 21 June 23 Bessie Turek Solomon*

June 21 June 23 Benjamin Bear*

June 21 June 24 Barney Berman*

June 21 June 25 Renee Levine*

June 21 June 26 Joseph Fisher*

June 21 June 27 Rachel Flowers*

June 21 June 27 Harris Wolfson*

June 21 June 27 Bertha Kahn Polis*

June 21 June 27 Frieda Levin

June 28 June 29 Manuel Sievers*

June 28 June 30 Daniel Hochstadter

June 28 July 1 Sam Mintzer

June 28 July 1 Ann Goldstein*

June 28 July 2 Minnie Bernstein*

June 28 July 2 Rabbi Morris Greenfield*

June 28 July 3 Louis Burstein*

June 28 July 3 Henrietta Rosenberg*

June 23 July 3 Phyllis Rothman

June 23 July 4 Jerome Finger*

June 23 July 4 Barbara Johnson

NOTE: Shabbat ends one (1) hour after

candlelighting time on Saturday night.

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3 CKI Board meeting 7:30 pm

8 Tikkun Leil Shavuot – Shavuot Study 7:00-10:00 pm

9 SHAVUOT – Office Closed

10 SHAVUOT – Office ClosedMorning service with Yizkor 8:00 am

11 ORDER FUNDABILITY CERTIFICATES

Shabbat Services: Friday evenings thru 6/20 7:30 pmSaturday mornings 9:30 am

12 Sisterhood BoardWrap-up meeting 7:00 pm

13 Oneg: Dan Marshall and Liza Bachrach 7:30 pm

14 Bar Mitzvah: Isaac Marshall 9:30 amKiddush: Dan Marshall & Liza Bachrach

18 PICK UP FUNDABILITY CERTIFICATES

20 Last Friday Night Shabbat for the season 7:30 pm