Clergy and Leadership Mishkon Clergy: Rabbi Gabriel Botnick Daniel R. Shevitz, Rabbi Emeritus

Executive Board: Melissa Tarsky, President Cindy Goldstein, Vice President

Rena Panush, Vice President Michele Prince, Vice President

Judy Gordon, Treasurer Dayna Greenspan, Secretary

Board of Directors: Phil Bell Carol Felixson

Jeff Fleck Jeff Gornbein

Michael Kirschbaum Itai Klein

Johanna Schmidt Russell Schwartz

Rosalind Silver

Committee Chairs: Phil Bell, Adult Education Sarah Portnoy, Social Action

Itai Klein, Cemetery Plots Jeff Gornbein, Tephila

Carol Felixson, Communications Rena Panush, Barbara’s Book Club

Miriam Barron, Hazak Group Cindy Goldstein, Communications

Marylyn Lewitt, Hazak Group Rena Panush, Membership Acquisition and Retention

Andy Bender, Kiddush Rena Panush, Kiddush

Johanna Schmidt, Preschool Liaison Michael Kirschbaum, Religious School Liaison

Michele Prince, Social Action

Senior Staff: Kelley Courtney, Executive Director

Elisa Coburn, Preschool Director

Mishkon Tephilo

201 Hampton Drive

Venice, CA 90291

Phone: (310) 392-3029

Fax: (310) 392-0420

E-mail: office@mishkon.org

Web: www.mishkon.org

Mishkon Tephilo is a participatory, egalitarian congregation. We strive

to meet the religious, spiritual, educational, and social needs of a

diverse membership within the framework of Judaism.

The commitment and participation of all congregants is to be

nurtured, with the understanding that all contribute to our

community. We value full participation, regardless of gender, race,

sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status. We view ourselves

as partners in God’s Mitzvot of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut.

We are bound together by traditional Jewish experience through the

following values: Spirituality: Members engage in prayer and study

experiences that bring them closer to God and to each other.

Community: We are bound together by a Brit Tzibur of providing

celebration, solace and support throughout the Jewish lifecycle. Torah:

We are an educational center for the teaching and study of Jewish

texts, rituals, practices and values. Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam: We

understand our obligations as Jews to care for and support the Jewish

people, the State of Israel, and the community in which we live.

Mishkon Tephilo

Mission Statement

Serving Jewish communities in Venice and Santa Monica since 1917

In This Edition

Journeying to the Promise Land

by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick ........................................... 2

Spring 2017

by Melissa Tarsky ......................................................... 3

Barbara’s Book Club by Adrienne Enzer ................. 4

Making Every Minute Count: Rabbi Botnick's First Year

by Dayna Greenspan ................................................... 5

Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool Class of 2017…..7

Preschool Enrolling for Summer and Fall ................ 7

Family Tikkun Olam Experience

By Elizabeth Tarsky ..................................................... 8

Register for Parent and Me ......................................... 8

Constantly Connected: Effects of Media on Young

Children ......................................................................... 8

Town Hall Meeting at the Jewish Federation

By Kelley Courtney ...................................................... 9

A Letter From Jerusalem

by Rabbi Dan Shevitz .................................................. 10

Mishkon Introduces Our New Logos ....................... 11

Adult Education Corner by Phil Bell ........................ 11`

Mishkon Doesn’t Have a Caterer; It Has Something

Better by Andy Bender ................................................ 12

Social Action

by Michele Prince and Sarah Portnoy ....................... 13

Todah Rabah ................................................................ 14

Todah Rabah to Our Mishkon Donors Below is a list of those who donated to Mishkon during the last quarter

We thank you for your generosity.

Galim Hanukah Edition 2016 10 Galim The Spring Passover Edition

Abrishamy, Lillian and Shawn Adler, Erwin and Stephanie Allen, Kirsten and James Alper, Eugene and Susan Bloch Anthony, Ittai and Ashley Baker, Carmen and Martin Paris Barenholtz, Brett and Rachel Barron, Miriam Beck, Laura and Loren Bell, Phil and Chana Ben Hagai, Sarah and Ehud Bender, Andrew Bennett, Sue Berger, Shelley Berkovich, Alon and Tali Berkowitz, Perry Bertwell, Ellie Birnbaum, Debra Black, Wayne and Sandee Blum, Lillian Bonilla, Monica and Lopez, Sebastian Brick, Ilene Bronner, Deborah Bronstein, Ella Brookman, Daniel and Linda Bubbs, Aaron Buch, Kenneth Casey, Shabby and Matthew Cogan, Neil Howard Cohen, Howard and Lehrman, June Cohen, J.S. Cola, Ed Cozen, Christine and Darrell Cummings, James and Sonia Daman, Phil and Jennifer Bliss David Levy and Molly Karcher Davis, Carol V. Davis, Howard and Sternfeld, Janet Diamond, Jonathan and Sandy Itkoff Drexler, Marcy Ehrenberg, David and Felicia Saltzbart Elkinson, Kenneth and Edythe Enzer, Adrienne Eule, Carole Feinberg, Stacy and Brylawski, Michael Felixson, Carol and Jaduszliwer, Bernardo Feuerstein, Helene Fischel, Elaine Fleck, Jeffrey and Steinhart, Deborah Freedman, Bernard and Gail Friedman, Lee and Cande Friedman, Lonnie Friedman, Max and Paty Fryszman, Bernard Gabel, Harris and Immer, Linda Gehlfuss, Shulamit Geil, Ed and Michelle Glosser, Ruth Goland, Rosaleah Goldberg, Adam and Toni Goldberg, Menucha Goldman, Jeremy and Magid, Emily Goldstein, Cynthia Goldstein, Jeffrey Goldstein, Robert and Tong, Olivia Goldstein, Sara and Raymond Gordon, Judith Gornbein, Jeff and Martin, Fredricka Gourarie, Hadassah Grebler, Rene Greenspan, Dayna and Schwartz, Robert Haber, Elaine and Darren

Harelik, Richard and Joan Helman, Daniel S. Herman, Sheldon and Prewitt, Victoria Hershkowitz, David and Helena Herzog, Feiga and Barry Allen Heyl, Hillary and Joel Weiner Hirt, Randy and Eddy, Bruce Hoehler, Dan and Robin Horn, Susan Fox Ivry, Gil and Segal, Elina Jacob, Alan and Miriam Jacobson, Marvin and Rosalinda Josephs, Susan Kadish, Sheldon and Rosenfeld, Mary Ann Kalis, Murray Kaplan, Sue Kapner, Jackie Lira and Andrew Katz, David I. Katz, George Katz, Monroe Katzman, Gerald Kaye, Ronnie Kennedy, Michael and Monique Kirschbaum, Michael and Michelle Klein, Itai and Stern Klein, Erica Kleinman, Alan and Sharon Kobritz, Bruce and Jill Lewis Komberg, Luba and Abram Kunstler, Peter and Karen Lempert, Philip and Gray, Laura Levine, Gerald A. Levine, Polly Levitow, Roberta and Greenhill, Mitch Levy, Suzanne and Steve Holtzman Lewis, Mel Lewitt, Marilyn Lindau, Susan T. Lintz, Deborah Lipsky, Allan and Marilyn Loberman, Loetitia London, Alan Lewis Lotan, Shuli and Assaf Louria, Ken and Meredith Bilson Lowenstein, Pierre Andre and Shireen Oberman Lustman, Nathan Malamud, Donna and Tom Laichas Malek, Violet Mansdorf, Bruce and Rebecca Mansdorf Markowitz, Michael and Goodman, Randi Marks-Barnett, Tzipporah Mashaal, Joy and Nuss, Matthew Mathason, Marcia and Bruce Max Sank and Deborah Lintz Sank Melnick, Anita and Michael Miller, Miriam and Michael Milstein, Hymie Mollin, Peggy Mooney, Rebecca and Jonathan Brill, Morris and Dale Myman, Frances Neiter, Margie and Jerry Nelson, Catherine Novos, Bessie Ober, Edward and Gail Ohta, Hiram and Joan Oskowitz, Selwyn Osser, Patricia and Irving Panush, Rachel and Will Grant Panush, Rena and Richard Paris, David and Cowen, Nancy Petralli, Damien and Alma Pomerantz, Earl and Myra

Port, Norman Portnoy, Caryl Prince, Michele and Jeffrey Puziss, Evan Rankin, Bonnie Rapoport, Avivah and Andrew Kamman Raz, Shifra and Rubinstein, Benny Rieger, Jane Luna Robbins, Nancy Rosen, Richard Rosenheck, Molly and Spencer Ross, Matthew and Page, Frances Rozay, Samuel Ruvinsky, Michael and Jessica Safran, Sandra and Gerson Saltzbart, Felicia and Ehrenberg, David Samuel, Judith and Lisa Samuel, Safra Samuel, Yael and Jacob Sank, Max and Deborah Sasson, Maurice Saunders, Brad and Lauren Schalit, Marilynn Schmidt, Johanna and Benjamin Schrag, Morton and Lorraine Schreck, Rhona and Ira Schwartz, David and Barbara Effros Schwartz, Russell and Goland, Susan Shepnick, Eric and Graziela Shepnick, Ira and Ninette Sherman, Cynthia Shevitz, Daniel R. Shirazian, Shabnam Sara Sigal, Anna and Ari Sikking, Florine and James Silver, Rosalind Silverman, Mark and Yaffa Singer, Ben and Portnoy, Sarah Slany, Fleur and Chris Small, Alan and Floriberta Smith, Cassandra Smith, Howard J. and Victoria Levine Sneh, Louis Sorter, Thomas and Phyllis Spevak, Albert Spiegel, Marylin and Simeon Starer, Lois B. Stein, David and Carole Stein, Russell Steinberg, Barry and Ann Stern, Arthur A. Stern, Yohan and Barbara Burtin Tarsky, Melissa and Brian Taxerman, Bill Taylor, Fern Vivian Tepper, Robert and Anita Tishman, Roberta Urbaitis, Marleen and Solomon Ortasse Weiss, Irwin Weissler, Eric Wilson, Stephen and Claudia Wine, Aliza Winnick, Lee and Stephen Bernard Wolken, Ann Wrobel, Avi and Nora Chiang Yannatta, Julie Yomtob, Abraham Zalben, Bradley and Janet Zimmermann, Naomi and Alan Van Gelder Zlotolow, Miriam Zuk, George and Heit, Karen

14

Galim Hanukah Edition 2016 9

Mishkon has cemetery plots in our section of Eden Cemetery available to members at a discounted price. Call the office at 310-392-3092 for more information.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

Rent Our Facilities! Looking for a venue for your next event? We have a

beautiful sanctuary, social hall, chapel, and full-service

kosher kitchens for rent. Check our website for capacity

and rates, or call the office at 310-392-3029 for more

information.

Social Action by Michele Prince and Sarah Portnoy Help Mishkon Determine Where to Put Our Energy to Help Hunger, Bail System Reform, Immigration, Homeless A meeting at Miskon Sunday morning, March 26, was a terrific

first step in our newest efforts to develop continuing and

consistent efforts around social action for our community. We

were fortunate to learn about the work of Bend the Arc, Mazon

and OPCC.

Bend the Arc is active on many fronts, and Rabbi Aryeh Cohen

discussed advocacy around needs of the homeless and bail

system reform (jail bail bond funding). A guest from Beit

T’shuvah shared her story about living on the streets and her

recovery and current justice work.

Mazon is focused on food injustice and hunger and could use

our help with issues such as the federal SNAP (food stamp)

program.

Mishkon is already serving breakfast to those in OPCC's

transitional housing, and we are eager to continue that work

more regularly.

Congregants shared many ideas for these social justice themes,

plus efforts of members in other programs such as the

California Institution for Women state prison. We appreciated

our guest speakers and 15 attendees who joined us bright and

early on a Sunday morning. Attendees and other interested

members are selecting their top two areas of interest so we can

determine where to put our energy. To add your voice to the

discussion, please review the list below and email Sarah Portnoy

sarahportnoy@gmail.com or Michele Prince

michelefprince@gmail.com.

1. Help with meals at OPCC on a regular basis (every

other month)

2. Work on local advocacy for bail system reform

3. Help with advocacy on a national level to write/call our

senators, representatives and other stakeholders to protect

SNAP, which is embedded in the Farm Bill and gives money for

school lunches, Meals on Wheels for seniors, and other

programs that create access to healthy, affordable food for all

4. Learn more about becoming a sanctuary synagogue from

CLUE and other faith-based advocacy organizations

5. Help the local homeless population, particularly one local

homeless advocate who is on a hunger strike for increased

bathroom access for the homeless

6. Honor and support the work in which several of our

members are involved, such as the California Institution for

Women state prison

13

Journeying to the Promise Land by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick

2 Galim The Spring Passover Edition

In every generation, we are obligated to see ourselves as if we went out from Egypt."

This line from the Passover Haggadah is a pretty difficult one to grasp. Thank God,

the vast majority (if not all) of us have never tasted the bitterness of slavery or felt the

sting of a whip on our backs. So how can we see ourselves as if we went out from

Egypt?

Sure, the Haggadah may be trying to teach us empathy for those who are suffering.

But if that were the case, why not just say that explicitly? Although I do believe

empathy is one of the major goals of the Passover Seder, I think this line is speaking

to something different. But before we can address what that might be, we must first

understand what it means to go out from Egypt.

The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, meaning "a narrow place" or "dire

straits." Whenever the Torah speaks of Egypt, it uses language of "going down" - as

in, one goes down to Egypt. This phrasing stands in stark contrast to the way we

speak of Israel and Jerusalem - we say that one who moves to Israel has "made Aliyah" or has "gone up" to Israel. Therefore,

Israel represents the pinnacle of ideology, while Egypt represents the pit of despair.

But Egypt represents more than just despair. Egypt represents alienation, for our ancestors were strangers in this foreign land for

hundreds of years. Egypt represents disorientation, for our ancestors knew not where to turn to find salvation from their

enslavement. And Egypt represents ignorance and juvenile naïveté, for our ancestors did not yet know from freedom, education,

Torah, or God.

In other words, when our ancestors went out from Egypt, they did not just leave slavery; they left behind feelings of alienation,

disorientation, ignorance, and despair. And they did not just travel to the promised land; they embarked on a journey toward

community, purpose, understanding, and faith.

Although it might be difficult to see ourselves as if we went out from a place of servitude, each of us can surely relate to having

found ourselves at one point or another in a metaphorical Egypt - a time when we've felt like an outsider, lost, or unaware. The

Passover Seder is an opportunity for us to reflect on our past year and consider the "Egypts" we may have left behind since the

last time we were humbled by the act of eating Matzah - the "bread of affliction."

And the Seder is also an opportunity to think about the "Egypts" in which we might be standing. Here, the task is more pressing:

The Passover Seder is a call to ask ourselves how we will find the strength to leave behind these new, modern-day Egypts. Will

salvation appear in the guise of family or community? Will it come to us through new insights we uncover in an article or a

book? Or will we find the strength to leave behind our Egypts through our traditions and faith?

No matter where you happen to find yourself this year - in the straits of your own, personal Egypt or the heights of your spiritual

Mount Sinai - I encourage you to take the charge of the Haggadah seriously this year: Strive to see yourself as the recipient of a

sacred promise to be brought into the Promised Land.

2

Spring 2017 by Melissa Tarsky, President

I have been spending a lot of time thinking

about Mishkon and money lately. We’ve

recently completed our mid-year budget review

and are starting to think about next year’s

budget. (Mishkon’s fiscal year starts on July 1.)

We’re trying to create a list of priorities for

next year, such as what we need to repair, what we can improve

and what new programs and events we can create.

I’ve been asked where Mishkon spends its money, and certain

themes regularly arise. Many people at Mishkon believe that

dues cover most of Mishkon’s expenses. As you can see in the

chart below, dues cover only about 40% of our expenses. If you

research dues charged by the synagogues on the Westside,

Mishkon’s are among the lowest. This is why we regularly ask

for donations for things like programs and Kiddushim and why

we may be hesitant to create new programs if we are unlikely to

cover the costs associated with the new program.

The restaurant next door (Teatro, across the alley from the

Hampton building) is expected to open in the late spring or

early summer. Because the rent the owners pay to us composes

25% of our revenue, we fervently hope for their success.

I’ve also heard from some members that we just need to

decrease the waste in our budget. If you look at the Expenses

chart, you can see that 83% of our spending is on staff, office

expenses and building expenses. That doesn’t leave much room

for waste removal, and I’m not sure there is any waste in our

budget.

I recently calculated how much it costs to run Mishkon per

member unit (family or single member). We expect to spend

about $2,800 per member unit on things like utilities and

salaries, High Holy Days expenses, Kiddushim, programs,

building maintenance and more (see the chart). Dues cover

about 40% of those costs, which means that we need to raise

the remainder of the funds (about $150,000) through large and

small fundraisers, High Holy Days fees, and charges for certain

programs.

To do so, we have the Simchah Kiddush each month, which

asks those who are having a birthday, anniversary or other

simchah to contribute to a special Kiddush fund. We ask those

observing a Yahrtzeit to make a donation to Mishkon in

memory of their loved one. We ask people celebrating a

simchah to sponsor a Kiddush. We have larger fundraisers to

ensure that we have enough money for everyday expenses.

Understanding where the money comes from and where it goes

is important for the leadership of the synagogue, but it’s also

important for the membership. I want you to have confidence

that I know what’s going on at Mishkon. I want you to

understand why we can’t add another staff member, hire help

for Kiddush every week or have another free program.

3 Galim The Spring Passover Edition 3

Galim Hanukah Edition 2016 6

Mishkon Doesn’t Have a Caterer; It Has Something Better by Andy Bender

“Are you the caterer?” one of our new members asked me recently.

On the one hand, I was flattered - are Mishkon's kiddushim that good? On the other,

I had to chuckle because the idea of our little shul having its own caterer seemed so

far from our reality. No, Mishkon doesn’t have a caterer, but it has something even

better: an awesome community of volunteers that makes these weekly lunches happen

after Shabbat services:

* The small but dedicated crew we nickname the kiddush elves. It takes work to

make a kiddush, and these volunteers give their time on Thursday, Friday and

Saturday mornings to help with everything from shopping for food to meal

preparation, serving, cleanup and making sure the shul is properly locked after lunch.

* Our generous sponsors, members who sponsor a kiddush in honor of a simcha

or in memory of a loved one.

* Our fundraising team that does outreach to bring in other funds.

* Fisherman Phil (a.k.a. our member and pal Phil Bell). Phil goes on regular deep-sea fishing adventures and brings back

an amaaaazing (his word) catch of high-quality fish, which he flash-freezes and gives away to Mishkon members. All he asks in

return is a donation for the Kiddush Fund.

As grateful as we are for these volunteers, we could always use more help. Here are a few easy ways to get involved and have fun:

* Help prepare a kiddush: Prime prep time is Friday morning, a fun hour or two of cooking and kibbitzing. Come join us!

* Sponsor a kiddush: I’ve done it many times, and the gratitude you get back is worth way more than any funds you give. There

are a variety of kiddush packages starting at around $200, or we can help you design your own. Check out the shul’s website,

or contact the office or one of us below for further information.

Mishkon’s one-of-a-kind Kiddush Club. Each month, members celebrating birthdays and anniversaries are invited to

contribute a modest amount (suggested donation: $75), which we pool toward the monthly Simcha Kiddush, now combined

with Family Shabbat. This extra-festive lunch shows off Mishkon at its best, and having many co-sponsors keeps the cost low

for everyone, while leftover funds go toward other kiddushim with no special sponsor. When a volunteer from the Kiddush

Committee contacts you about co-sponsoring the Simcha Kiddush and Family Shabbat, please say yes.

Then there’s the most important part of the kiddush: you. All are welcome at any kiddush, but if you haven't been in a while,

the Simcha/Family Kiddush, usually the third Shabbat of the month, is a great way to experience the ruach of our community

(check the calendar on the shul’s website for details). Come by any Shabbat, and we'll even make a l’chaim with you.

For more information, to volunteer, donate or sponsor, please contact the shul office, me (andy@andrewbender.com) or

Kiddush Committee co-chair Rena Panush (rapan18@gmail.com). Fisherman Phil Bell can be reached at shalvah@aol.com.

Todah rabah, and b’tayavon!

Galim The Spring Passover Edition 12

Galim Hanukah Edition 2016

Adult Education Corner by Phil Bell

Join Us After Kiddush

One recent Shabbat after Kiddush, I participated in a discussion

led by Rabbi Botnick. It was a wonderful teaching on the

"Secrets of the Siddur." He explained the holiest of Jewish

prayers, the Shema, and where and why it is placed in the siddur

in the morning service.

We are so blessed at Mishkon to have Rabbi Botnick teach

twice a month after Kiddush lunch. On the first Shabbat of the

month, he teaches "Spiritual Paths to the Parsha," an in-depth

discussion on an issue raised in the Torah portion of the week.

On the third Shabbat of the month, he teaches "Secrets of the

Siddur," which uncovers the structure and content of our new

siddur, Lev Shalem.

We are also blessed

to have Jeff Fleck

teach the "Chug

Rashi" class on the

second Shabbat of

the month. Jeff uses

Rashi's commentary on the parasha as a springboard for

discussion about the weekly portion.

I encourage you to stay after Kiddush lunch to experience these

programs.

Learning on Sunday Mornings

This year, Mishkon has offered several exciting programs on

Sunday mornings:

1. A panel on Advance Care Medical Directives, organized by

Michele Prince and Shelley Berger

2. The film "Let Freedom Ring" and a Freedom Sing-Along on

MLK Sunday, with filmmaker Meyer Shwarzstein

3. "A Morning of Jewish Poetry," with Mishkon Fulbright poet

Carol V. Davis and Marcia Spiegel

We can look forward to additional stimulating Sunday morning

programs:

1. Mishkon Day at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival on April

30 at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills

2. "Yiddish Collage," with Yiddish singer and guitarist Cindy

Paley, accompanied by an accordionist on June 4

If you would like to be part of Adult Education at Mishkon,

please contact Phil Bell at shalvah@aol.com.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

Mishkon Introduces Our New Logos!

Mishkon Preschool at Mishkon

Full Logo

Full Logo Icon Icon

11 Galim Hanukah Edition 2016 4

Although we expect to end the fiscal year with a small surplus,

we will continue to budget conservatively. We had a few years

with deficits and want to ensure that Mishkon is in a strong

financial situation so we can continue to serve our community.

Many people in our community are generous with their time

and with their money. If you are not already one of those, I

hope you will consider joining them. We always need more

people who will help out, and we always need more money.

In Parshat Vayak’hel, which we read toward the end of March

this year, Moses asks the Jewish people to bring jewels, gold and

silver to him. He asks those who can produce beautiful things

to come forward to help build the Mishkon. The Jewish people

are so generous that he has to tell them to stop giving; he has

enough. Too many people volunteer to help with the project, so

he has to send some away.

I would love to be in a position in which I have to tell people

that Mishkon doesn’t need any more money or volunteers. Can

you make that happen ?

Barbara’s Book Club by Adrienne Enzer

Mishkon's book club is very active. Started several years ago by

Mishkon member Barbara Wiesenfeld, the group was renamed

in her memory. The club meets every four to six weeks in the

home of one of the participants.

We read books of Jewish interest, both fiction and non-

fiction. We read about Israel, the Holocaust, Jews in the

Diaspora - Egypt, Iraq, England, Argentina - and the American

Jewish experience.

A few years ago, we began what has become a tradition of

having a local author come to a meeting once a year to talk

about his or her book.

Our first speaker was Professor Yona Sabar of UCLA, who

spoke about My Father's Paradise, a biography written about him

by his son, Ariel Sabar. Yona was the last bar mitzvah in his

small village in Kurdish Iraq. He has taught Aramaic and

Hebrew at UCLA for 40 years and was a fascinating speaker.

Marte Cohn spoke about her book Behind Enemy Lines, in which

she tells of her experiences as a young Jewish woman spying for

the French during World War II. Another year, our speaker

was Jonathan Kirsch, book review editor for the Jewish Journal,

who spoke about his book The Short, Strange Life of Herschel

Grynzspan.

Last year, we learned about the history of the Jewish community

of Los Angeles from Janice Steinberg, author of The Tin Horse,

and in 2016, our own member Alexis Landau spoke about her

Ph.D. subject, Irene Nemirovsky, author of Suite Francaise.

Earlier this month, Jewish Journal

columnist and author Gina Nahai

discussed her book The Luminous Heart

of Jonah S, as well as the Persian Jewish

community of Los Angeles.

Our discussions are always lively because our members have

varied life experiences and professions - and, of course,

opinions! Apart from the intellectual stimulation, the book

group has provided its stalwart members with an added,

priceless benefit: the creation of a family within the family of

Mishkon.

Last year, the book club added a service project: repairing

Mishkon’s chumashim.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

Gina Nahai

4

Galim Hanukah Edition 2016 7

Making Every Minute Count: Rabbi Botnick’s First Half-Year by Dayna Greenspan and Cindy Goldstein

Friday Night Shabbat Community Potluck

We have created the Shabbat B'Yachad and Community

Potluck for the second Friday of each month. It is a family-

friendly service for young children followed by potluck dinner

and our regular Friday evening service. We begin with a service

geared toward preschoolers and early elementary school

families (5:30-6 p.m.). At 6 p.m., we have a Community

Potluck Dinner in the Social Hall with everyone welcome.

Then we continue with our traditional Friday night service at 7

p.m. These nights have been a successful way to bring a variety

of groups in our community together.

Saturday Morning Shabbat Services and

Learning After Kiddush

Rabbi Botnick leads spirited services every Saturday morning,

engaging everyone with his passion and stories, culminating in

ways that the congregation can incorporate the lessons into

their daily lives. After Kiddush, he leads a discussion one

Saturday a month on “Spiritual Paths to the Parsha” and

another Saturday on “Secrets of the Siddur.”

Engagement Survey

We sent an Engagement Survey to all of our members. Our

goal was to develop an understanding and take an inventory of

their Mishkon passions and interest areas. Also, we wanted to

identify congregants and new members willing to participate in

these areas. The engagement survey responses at the beginning

of the year surpassed our expectations. Leadership and

mobilization into projects and committees are underway.

Religious School

Rabbi Botnick has been the Acting Director of our Religious

School since Cantor Laurie left last June. It has been a huge

growth year for our school, with 29 students enrolled

(compared to 18 from the previous school year, a 60%

increase!) We have 19 students in TK - 2nd grade, seven

students in 3rd and 4th grades, and three teens.

Students and parents have been excited by our new schedule

and updated curriculum:

Judaics - All students are taught Judaics, on Wednesdays.

Hebrew - All students are taught some Hebrew, on

Wednesdays.

Family Shabbat Experience – One Saturday morning a month,

the 3rd and 4th grade families are required to come to shul,

where our Judaics teacher (and rabbinic student) Aviva Funke

leads a musical, interactive learners’ service. This service, at

10:30-Noon, is followed by family participation in the

community lunch, thereby giving the families a sense of what it

means to “keep” Shabbat.

We have also included a musical service for the preschool-age

children on these Shabbat mornings that includes our entire

community.

Family Tikkun Olam Experience – One Sunday a month, the

3rd and 4th grade families are required to participate in a

Tikkum Olam activity. This is in response to the parents’

interest in more social action for the children. This program is

facilitated by both Aviva Funke and Rabbi Botnick.

B’nai Mitzvah

We have had two bat mitzvahs in 2017, which Rabbi Botnick

has overseen with enthusiasm and warmth. Our many out-of-

town visitors have been delighted by our welcoming

congregation and our new rabbi.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition 5

I was asked by a friend of a friend to help make a minyan at an

Azkarah. An Azkarah is a memorial ceremony held on the

Yahrzeit at the graveside and involves the (usually quite rapid)

recitation of some chapters of Psalms, a few more verses whose

initial letters spell out the word for “soul,” and the mourners’

Kaddish. The cemetery is in Givat Shaul, a once-suburb and

now part of Jerusalem, which is an industrial area known mainly

for the cemetery and two of Jerusalem’s biggest bakeries. The

wafting aromas from the bakeries make concentrating on the

gravity of the memorial service a challenge.

The service itself was short and to the point. Toward the end, a

random person joined the group and, uninvited and

unbeckoned, started giving a sermon on the week’s Torah

portion. He was ignored by most, but at the end, a few people

tipped him a few shekels. This, I found out later, was a well-

known profession: a cemetery floater who would help out when

asked or not asked and who ekes out a living, so to speak, at the

borders of life and death.

What I found remarkable was what happened in the parking lot

before the service.

As we were waiting there for everyone to arrive, I found myself

part of a subtle choreography of shifting centers. Several

individuals wanted to say Kaddish, and they each had fewer than

ten (I must add that, if they had counted all adult Jews present

without gender discrimination, they would not have had this

problem, but that’s another story). Each mourner made use of

the random swarm of individuals, each there for their own

reason, and repurposed them, temporarily, into their own

community for long enough to say Kaddish. That group then

dissolved, and it happened again with another selection, another

mourner, many of the same individuals. I felt myself part of a

swarm of bees, with shifting foci and imprecise boundaries, but

doing its thing efficiently.

Now, if you’re looking for a minyan for the purpose of saying

Kaddish, I bet there is no better place than the parking lot of

the cemetery. I wondered briefly why they didn’t try in the

cemetery proper, but then I realized that parking lots are liminal

spaces. They are gateways for comings and goings, for being at

the border of something else, and that itself makes them ideal

for rituals.

People involved in organizations that have board meetings

know the phenomenon of the parking lot meeting. Questions

that were shunned or insufficiently addressed at the meeting, or

even questions that were presumably settled, often resurface in

the parking lot after the meeting and find new life. Some people

warn of the dangers of such extra-judicial assignations; others

use them effectively.

We know that sometimes the most important things in a

Shabbat morning service occur at the Kiddush after or on the

stairs on the way in. Though we may not have a parking lot of

our own, we have cleverly made use of other liminal spaces for

finding both spiritual and administrative gateways.

Another recurring use of liminal space is our tendency to sit at

the back of the room or on the aisle. We may say to ourselves

that this is an efficiency providing unobtrusive retreat or easier

bathroom breaks, but I suspect that the edges of a room pack a

more spiritual wallop then the center.

This is all part of a larger phenomenon of unbracketed

significance: the few words before the speech and the post-

mortem summary, the hors d'oeuvres and the dessert, the

morning after and the erev before, the hand-on-the-doorknob

revelation (when you think someone is leaving) and the casual

remark in the waiting room (before you’ve actually begun), the

preface and the post-script, the internship and, yes, the emeritus.

Watch for surprises at these places; they are God's parking lots.

That's where the ladders to Heaven are planted and the bushes

are life. Some people warn of the dangers of such extra-judicial

assignations; others use them effectively.

A Letter From Jerusalem by Rabbi Dan Shevitz

Galim The Spring Passover Edition 10

Town Hall Meeting at the Jewish Federation by Kelley Courtney

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

In response to the telephoned threats against Jewish

community centers around the country and vandalism in

Jewish cemeteries, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los

Angeles held a Security Response Town Hall on March 15.

I attended to represent Mishkon and to learn from experts

about security issues. The Board Room at the Federation was

more than half full. Most of those in attendance were people I

did not recognize. As I entered, there were police officers

lining the walls – quite a turnout to demonstrate their

support.

There was an impressive panel, including senior

representatives of the FBI, Chief of Police Charlie Beck and

City Attorney Mike Feuer, as well as Ivan Wolkind, chief

operating and financial officer of the Federation.

I don’t know that there was any new information imparted –

but a reiteration that the law enforcement community is here

to help protect all of our (and other faith-based)

organizations, that the latest incidents are unacceptable, and

that all branches are working together locally and across the

nation to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

It was reassuring to be surrounded by so many professional

support agencies, knowing we are not alone and that we are

blessed to have so many local resources at hand.

Our Federation’s Community Security Initiative works with

local, state and federal agencies to assure the safety and

security of all Jewish institutions in greater Los Angeles. CSI

links institutions to Jewish organizations and provides site

assessments, emergency and disaster training, and special

events that ensure that, if a threat arises for any one location,

we are all prepared.

Last year, our CSI program won an award from the federal

government and was honored at the White House.

Voice Coach

Did you know that one of our

board members is a

voice coach!

Contact Rena Panush using the

contact information in to the

left, and she can assist you with

a variety of prep and production

needs.

9 8

Community Outreach / Social Action

We had a booth at the Abbot Kinney Festival in September, a

popular event in our community. Rabbi Botnick was there for

most of the day meeting people in the neighborhood.

Shalom Hartman Institute of North America

Rabbi Botnick participated in the yearlong Westside

Collaborative Lecture Series: Visions for a Shared Society.

He led a discussion at his table after each lecture.

The Rabbi’s Spare Time

In his free time, Rabbi Botnick has rewired the Sanctuary

speakers, added microphones, purchased and installed new

thermostats, set up remote controls for the fans and

thermostats, and set up WiFi for the office staff.

Venice Congressman Mike Bonin read the Prayer for Peace at

our Yom Kippur services.

Rabbi Botnick has been reaching out to interfaith leaders in our

community, and he delivered the invocation at the MLK

Westside Coalition Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday celebration

on January 16 at the SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium,

in Santa Monica.

Our Communications Committee has developed a greater social

media presence as well as a new logo for Mishkon.

External Rabbinic Activities

Introduction to Judaism Course

Rabbi Botnick taught the Introduction to Judaism course

through the American Jewish University during Fall 2016. He

was asked to teach a class at rabbinical school for spring 2017.

Limmud Conference

We were proud that Rabbi Botnick represented Mishkon

Tephilo as a presenter at Limmud UK conference last

December in London.

Rabbinic Assembly Conference

This February, Rabbi Botnick attended the Rabbinic Assembly

Conference in Baltimore, where he served as the moshkiach,

responsible for kashering the kitchen and maintaining kashrut

standards for the conference of rabbis.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

6

Join Us in Celebrating the Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool Class of 2017

Please join us for the Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool

Bridge Ceremony, where we will celebrate our graduates on

their journey through preschool.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

3:30 p.m. in the Mishkon Sanctuary

Celebratory dessert immediately following the ceremony

in the Mishkon Social Hall

Lior Berkovich

Talia Brylawski

Ry Elkinson

Zac Hirt-Eddy

Zooey Markowitz

Claire Nuss

Esme Ross

Ayla Saunders

Lyra Sigal

Bela Slany

Ethan Small

Dylan Spiegel

Warm, Loving, Community-Oriented Preschool Now Enrolling for Summer and Fall by Elisa Coburn

The Preschool at Mishkon has openings for summer and fall in our early childhood program. The goal of our preschool is to

provide a warm, nurturing environment in which the children can develop to their fullest potential and that meets the individual

needs of every child. This is achieved through a Reggio-inspired, developmental, hands-on curriculum influenced by the

children's ideas and interests and by Jewish values and traditions. We welcome families of all religious and mixed-faith

backgrounds who are excited to be part of this fun and friendly Jewish community.

Children can attend two, three, four or five days a week until 12:30 or 3 p.m. We have low child-teacher ratios, and children do

not have to be potty-trained. Classes fill up quickly, so call today!

We also offer Parent and Me Infant and Toddler programs.

We have excellent reviews on Greatschools.org. If you are interested in a private tour, please

contact Elisa Coburn at preschool@mishkon.org or 310-396-7733.

Galim The Spring Passover Edition 7

Galim The Spring Passover Edition

The Family Tikkun Olam Experience by Elizabeth Tarsky

At this month’s Religious School Tikkun Olam program, we fulfilled two

mitzvot of Purim. The first is listening to a reading of the Megillah.

Because of the young age of some attendees, we read a simplified English

version. The second mitzvah was giving to the poor. The group, which

consisted of preschool families, Religious School families, and other

members, made sandwiches, decorated lunch bags, stuffed the bags,

handed them out, and generally had a good time. We made 55 lunches,

which were handed out in about half an hour. As my sister, Sarah, put it,

“It makes me happy that 55 people got a lunch they might not have had

otherwise, but it makes me sad that we found 55 people that quickly.”

Elizabeth is currently enrolled in our religious school eighth grade class.

Register for the Upcoming Parent and Me Session

We will hold an 8-week session of Parent and Me Toddler from 9 a.m. to

10:30 a.m., beginning Thursday, April 20 and ending Thursday June 8. It is

open to non-members and members. The cost for the session is $240.

Families can apply for a voucher to attend the program. That means that you

could attend the 8-week session for $72 ($9 per class!). Please feel free to

share this with family and friends. Let us know if you are planning to join us

and/or if you have any questions.

Contact Elisa at preschool@mishkon.org or (310) 396-7733.

Constantly Connected:

Effects of Media in Young Children We will be hosting a workshop at Mishkon on Monday, May 7 at 10 a.m. The

fee is $15 per parent and $25 per couple. The charge for child care is $10.

Facilitator Karen Dudley - a Marriage, Family and Child Therapist and a Child

Development Specialist - has been working with families for 38 years, through

infant-parent and toddler-parent groups, parenting workshops, private in-home

family consultations, and school consultations. Karen has a B.A. in Psychology

from UCLA, an M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, and

an MFT license from the state of California.

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