the builder, issue 151 november/december 2015

Issue 151 · November/December 2015

Livnot u-l’hibanot: To Build and To Be BuiltPAGE 4

Chanukah 101PAGE 6

Shabbaton 2015Relive it!PAGE 7

WelcomeEmily Schnitzer, Our New CKT & Youth Program Director PAGE 10

Congregation Beth El is a member of

The Union for Reform Judaism

“Honoring Tradition, Celebrating Diversity, and Building a Jewish Future”

IT IS AN OFT-REPEATED STATEMENT ABOUT JUDAISM that we have a blessing for everything. And it’s true; we are a people with very specific blessings for everything from the sublime—seeing a rainbow—to the everyday—eating—and most things in between. There is a Talmud text that strongly underlines the importance of reciting blessings: “Our Rabbis have taught: it is forbidden to enjoy anything of this world without a blessing, and if anyone enjoys anything of this world without a blessing, he [or she] commits a sacrilege.”

Why? What could possibly be so important about the recitation of blessings that a missed opportunity would be considered a sacrilege? The answer lies in the Jewish value of hakarat ha’tov, literally, “recognizing the good,” or, more simply, “gratitude.”

The reason for any blessing is, basically, gratitude. When we offer blessings, we focus our attention on the bounty in our lives, even perhaps elevating the things we might otherwise consider mundane to the level of sacred or miraculous. On the other hand, when we miss the opportunity to express gratitude, we violate this important Jewish value, and, at worst, begin down the treacherous path towards selfishness or even greed. The Chasidic master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, is known to have taught, “Gratitude rejoices with her sister joy and is always ready to light a candle and have a party. Gratitude doesn’t much like the old cronies of boredom, despair and taking life for granted.” In other words, beware a lack of gratitude, because it is associated with taking life for granted. Herein lies the sacrilege. If life is God’s greatest gift to us, then taking life for granted is tremendously disrespectful to God.

Part of the beauty of Judaism’s many blessings is that the practice helps us to tune our sense of hakarat ha’tov (gratitude). In the twenty-first century, we all live such fast-paced lives that we might easily miss the simple miracles that we encounter everyday. Traditionally, Jews take three significant periods of time out of each day in

Thanks-Giving: A Jewish Value

by Rabbi Rebekah Stern

2 From the Rabbi3 From the President4 Oxford Street

10th Anniversary6 Chanukah 1017 Shabbaton 20158 Events10 Welcoming Emily

Schnitzer

11 YAFE12 New Members13 Scholar-in-

Residence13 B’nei Mitzvah14 BENS & Youth15 The Music Room15 The Chutzpah List16 Torah Study

16 Chanukah Books17 New Books in the

Library18 Recipe19 Ruth Simon’s High

Holy Day Appeal20 Tzedakah22 Calendar24 Gift Shop

CONGREGATION BETH EL

1301 Oxford Street Berkeley, CA 94709-1424

Phone: 510-848-3988 Fax: 510-848-2707

Youth and Family Education Office

Direct Line: 510-848-2122

Nursery School Office Direct Line: 510-848-9428

Camp Kee Tov Office Direct Line: 510-848-2372

Midrasha OfficeDirect Line: 510-843-4667

CLERGY & STAFF

Rabbi Yoel H. Kahnext. 215 · [email protected]

Rabbi Rebekah P. Sternext. 228 · [email protected]

Jim OffelInterim Executive Director

ext. 212 · [email protected]

Rabbi Mike RothbaumYouth and Family Education Director


Rabbi Reuben Zellman Music Director


Maguy Weizmann-McGuireEarly Childhood Education Director


Emily SchnitzerCamp Kee Tov & Youth Program Director


Rabbi Jennifer FlammMidrasha Director

510-843-4667 · [email protected]

Mimi AbrahamCommunications Coordinator


Aliza Minkina Rabbinical and Business Office Assistant


Allie LiepmanYouth and Family Education

Admin. Coordinator ext. 214 · [email protected]

Ben Bernard-HermanAdministrative Coordinator


Odette BlachmanGift Shop


Rabbi Ferenc RajRabbi Emeritus

[email protected]

IN THIS ISSUE

FROM THE RABBI

CONTIN UED ON PAGE 19

COVER PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SHOEY SINDEL

2 · THE BUILDER · NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

AS YOU RECEIVE THIS COPY of The Builder, we are in the midst of celebrating Congregation Beth El’s 10th anniversary in our new building. For those of us who lived through the long and, at times, challenging process to obtain approvals so that we could build this wonderful campus, we look back and marvel that we did it together—from the hundreds of member households who contributed to our capital campaign, to the hundreds of members who contributed their time and energy to shepherding the project through. These included not only those members involved in the building process itself (the names of the steering committee are on the donor wall

outside the sanctuary) but also the countless members who showed up at City Council meetings to show their support, the “schleppers” who gave their time and energy to pack up our items in the old building and to unpack in the new building, and the members who helped in so many other ways, large and small. I will never forget the honor of holding one of the chuppah poles as we carried our Torah from the old sanctuary to the new. Our entire congregation came together to create our new home for our generation and the generations to come.

Many of you reading this column have known only this campus, and that is just fine! You—and your children, and their children—are exactly who the members of Congregation Beth El 10 years ago built this campus to serve! So while our celebration is a wonderful time to look back and congratulate ourselves for a job well done, it is, in my opinion, primarily a way to celebrate our Beth El community today.

The “bricks and mortar” that we built are not, in and of themselves, meaningful. What is meaningful is our sacred partnership with each other as we build our Jewish community every single day, with our campus as the backdrop. The hundreds of activities that take place on our campus, from the most sacred and holy to the most secular, all have as their ultimate purpose the ongoing creation of our Jewish community, and they represent the tangible expression of the Jewish values of our progressive Reform congregation at the beginning of the 21st century.

Maintaining our community takes vision and dedication from our extraordinary clergy and hardworking staff, and it takes hundreds of hours of volunteer time. And it also takes money—to pay our clergy and staff, to service the debt on our building, to pay for maintenance and overhead (think insurance, utilities, the cost of computer and phone systems). While our budget has been in the black for the last several years, Beth El continues to stretch financially to provide the programming and services that make our community special. Part of what makes our community so special is that it is open to all who want to join. However, the total dues collected do not cover the cost of running our synagogue, and thus we depend upon the generosity of our members to help close that gap. The Annual Appeal is critical to our balanced budget. I hope that you will join my family and your fellow congregants in making an Annual Appeal gift to Congregation Beth El.

Our building has been built, yet much remains to be done. As Rabbi Tarfon said, “It is not up to you to finish the work, yet you are not free to avoid it.” In this season of rededication, I hope you will join me as we rededicate ourselves to our wonderful Jewish community. Whether your contributions are financial or of your time (and hopefully both!), you will enrich yourself, your family and Congregation Beth El. In the words of our hard-working Development Committee, “all together, we make a difference.”

Our 10th Anniversary in the Building: What It Means to Meby Jill Siegel Dodd, President of the Board of Directors

FROM THE PRESIDENT

CONTRIBUTE TO THE BUILDER:Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. If you have a subject of interest to the Congregation, submit a maximum of 500 words and send it to Mimi Abraham at [email protected]. No anonymous submissions will be accepted.

Deadline for the next issue: November 20, 2015

Letters, essays and guest articles may be edited for length, content and style.

Member Contributors (in order of appearance)

Jill Siegel DoddBob EpsteinSue AustinDebbie LeonMarlene GetzScott Spear

Marjorie GelbRuth SimonOdette BlachmanRobinn Magid

Communications Coordinator Mimi Abraham

Copy Editors Janine Baer Ben Bernard-Herman

Designer Mimi Abraham

I hope you will join me as we rededicate ourselves to our wonderful Jewish community...In the words of our hard-working Development Committee, “all together, we make a difference.”

CONGREGATION BETH EL · BETHELBERKELEY.ORG · 3

Livnot u-l’hibanot: To Build and To Be Built

Oxford Street 10th Anniversary Celebration ShabbatFRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

RSVP FOR DINNER! WWW.BETHELBERKELEY.ORG

FEATURE

Timeline IN 2005, CONGREGATION BETH EL REALIZED A DECADE-OLD DREAM when we moved into our new home on Oxford Street. In a moving ceremony and processional, hundreds of Beth El members joined together to carry the Torah scrolls through the streets of Berkeley from our community’s first home at Arch and Vine 1 streets to our new home. Built in 1951, our synagogue was designed for a maximum of 300 families and by 1996 we had grown well beyond the capacity of the building to meet our varied programmatic needs. The journey to our new home began when we learned that the 2 Chinese Alliance Church on Oxford Street — three blocks from our Arch and Vine street location — might be willing to sell their property to another religious institution.

3 Many Beth El members, along with clergy and staff, joined together to formulate a vision for the future and in June

ALL PHOTOS BY BOB EPS TEIN

1

לבנות ולהבנות

THE THEME BEHIND BETH EL’S OXFORD STREET BUILDING PROJECT WAS “LIVNOT U-L’IBANOT” WHICH MEANS “TO BUILD AND TO BE BUILT.” BY COMING TOGETHER TO BUILD A SYNAGOGUE, WE WERE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A STRONGER COMMUNITY.

ON DECEMBER 4, WE WILL CELEBRATE 10 YEARS AT OXFORD STREET.

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED...

2

3


1997, Beth El purchased the Oxford site and started the process of identifying an architecture firm. The firm of Moore Ruble Yudell was selected in 1998 and the initial design was completed in August 1999.

With the property secured, a $4.5 million capital campaign was initiated — the first major campaign in over 30 years. By the end of 1999 we had gifts and pledges of over $2 million. By completion of the campaign, half of the congregation had contributed financially.

Initial estimates of a 15-month permit process followed by 11 months of design and pricing and 14 months of construction (with a move-in date of mid-2003) proved optimistic.

In fact, the permit process took much longer. Our ultimate success was the result of receiving help from the entire Beth El community and other institutions, along with successful dialogue with the neighborhood.

4 By mid-2003, we were ready to turn the dream into reality. BBI Construction was selected and the project broke ground in June 2003. Unusually heavy rains in the winter of 2003–2004 presented yet another challenge, adding more time to the construction process.

5 Our community celebrated the completion of the building foundation with a site tour in September 2004. 6 With the roof completed at the end of 2004, construction moved rapidly, culminating in our celebration as a community in our new home on September 9, 2005.

6

5

4


CHANUKAH BEGINS THIS YEAR ON SUNDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 6 and ends on December 14 (the eighth candle is lit on Sunday, December 13). We will celebrate Chanukah as a community at our annual Latkefest Shabbat on Friday evening, December 11 .

LIGHTING THE CHANUKIYAH (Chanukah menorah)

Candles are added to the chanukiyah from right to left, but are kindled from left to right. The newest candle is lit first. Light the shamash — the helper candle — first, using it to kindle the rest of the Chanukah lights; say or sing the blessings:

ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו,

וצונו להדליק נר של חנכה.

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who makes us holy through mitzvot, and has commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lights.

ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם,שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה.

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season.

On the first night only (or the first time one is lighting the Chanukah menorah this year):

ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם,שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה.

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu laz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

There are now many Jewish sites and resources on the web. For Chanukah ideas, history, reflections, recipes, activities and songs, please visit one of our favorite websites:

• The Union for Reform Judaism, the national organization of Reform synagogues: www.urj.org/jewish-holidays.

• “Everything you wanted to know” (and a fair amount of silliness, too — including a very goofy “how to light candles” video) can be found at www.myjewishlearning.com.

• Especially created for interfaith families, www.interfaithfamily.com has many similar offerings, as well as articles and wisdom for families seeking to navigate their way through the challenges and joys of having family members who observe different traditions and customs.

CHANUKAH 101

LATKEFEST & SHABBAT YAFE SPONSORED BY THE MEN’S CLUBFRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 starting at 5:00 pm

Join us for the Men’s Club’s famous latkes, candle lighting, Chanukah songs and birthday cake in honor of the 10th anniversary of our Oxford Street building. Watch the e-Update for more details!

PHOTOS BY BILL Z ARCHY


Shabbaton 2015THANK YOU FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY SHABBATON!

We learned, we created, we connected, we played! Shabbaton 2015/5776 was one for the books!

Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially to all those who shared their time and their talents to plan, coordinate and lead this year’s program. Now all that’s left is to bring it home! How will you share the new insights you gained and sense of kehilah kedoshah (sacred community) you created with our wider Beth El community? Check out our weekly e-Updates for more opportunities to learn, create, connect and play right here at home at Beth El.

Save the date now for next year’s Shabbaton — don’t miss it!

September 16-18, 2016

PHOTOS BY EMILY SCHNIT ZER ,ALLIE LIEPM AN , AND

MIMI AB R AHA M


Special Upcoming EventsYitzak Rabin: LIFE, DEATH, AND LEGACYSunday, November 8 from 1:00 – 5:00 pmYitzhak Rabin was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel. A year after winning the Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yasir Arafat, he was assassinated by Yigal Amir following a peace rally attended by more than 100,000 in Tel Aviv. On the 20th anniversary of his assassination, the Jewish Federation of the East Bay and Lehrhaus Judaica will offer a day of keynote panels and workshops. Admission is free. Due to space limitations, registration is strongly recommended: For more information: 510-809-4953 or [email protected]. Location: The Magnes, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94720Congregation Beth El is co-sponsor of this event.

Beth El Young Adults Community Visioning Event Tuesday, November 10 at 7:30 pm Are you a young adult in your 20s or 30s? Join an energetic, creative, fun and community-minded group of your peers as we create new opportunities for young adults to connect — right here at Beth El. We’re getting together on Tuesday, November 10, at 7:30 pm to start thinking about what we want to build. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Bring yourself, your friends and your big ideas. RSVP to [email protected].

Shabbat YAFE Fridays, November 13 and December 11See page 11.

Rabbi Kahn at the Magnes Collection Censorship in Jewish Prayer Wednesday, November 18 at noonRabbi Yoel Kahn will present a “PopUp” exhibit at UC Berkeley’s Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art on Wednesday, November 18, from noon to 1:00 pm. Using examples of rare books from the Magnes collection, he will talk about how censorship—both external and internal—informed the printing of early Hebrew books. This talk is free and open to the public; you may bring your lunch. Refreshments are provided. Location: The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life is at 2121 Allston Way in Berkeley.

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class Orientation Session Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pmSee page 13.

Chanukah Bazaar Preview and Movie Night Saturday, November 21 at 6:30 pmEnjoy A Borrowed Identity (2015) selected by the Israel Committee and get a sneak peek at the goods that will be displayed and on sale by the Beth El Gift Shop on Sunday the following day. Pizza will be provided. A $10 donation is suggested.

Chanukah Bazaar Sunday, November 22 from 11:00 am – 4:30 pmSee page 24.

Berkeley Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Tuesday, November 24 at 6:30 pmPlease join this inspiring gathering of people from many different faiths and backgrounds. Rabbi Stern and the Beth El Chorus will be participating. Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707, 510-526-3805

Points of Light Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 pmPresented by Congregation Beth El’s Israel Committee. Judy Gussmann (Jewish) and Seema Dajani (Palestinian) traveled together to Israel and the West Bank last spring. There, they met with organizations where Jews, Palestinians and/or Arab-Israelis work together in a spirit of mutual respect for each other’s humanity, needs and rights. Especially in this time of heightened strife, when we tend to fall into despair and immobility, it is important to know about these groups. Please come to hear Seema and Judy to learn about these organizations, and to consider ways to strengthen them, that they may grow in numbers and light in their efforts to end the darkness of suffering, fear, hatred and violence.

10th Anniversary at Oxford Street Shabbat Dinner & Celebration Friday, December 4See page 4.

Armed with Scripture: Qur’an and Torah as Weapons in the War of Ideas A Live Streaming Conversation with Rabbi Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, PhD, and Rabbi Sarah Bassin, Facilitated by Dean Joshua Holo, PhD Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00 pmWe tend to call on the authority of religious texts to validate our own views. When those views, however, get adversarial, sacred texts also become militant ones. Join members of our Beth El community as we participate in a live streaming conversation with thought-provoking scholars from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform movement’s college and seminary.

CKT Reunion Shabbat Friday, December 18 at 6:00 pmMissing your counselors? Haven’t felt that ruach since the summer? Come to our blowout Camp Kee Tov Reunion Shabbat and get your CKT on! Watch the e-Update for more details.

Save the Date! Beth El Gala Saturday, February 6, 2016Save the date for the Beth El gala, our once-a-year chance to dress to the nines, dance, schmooze and most importantly, raise funds for our YAFE (Youth and Family Education) programs. This event supports program scholarships for BENS (Beth El Nursery School), Camp Kee Tov, Kadima, Chug Mishpacha, the congregational Shabbaton, BESTY (teen youth group) and Sababa (6th – 8th grade). We are seeking volunteers to help prepare for the gala, as well as donations for our silent auction: theater tickets, vacation rentals and excursions. Please contact [email protected] to join in the planning or to offer a tax-deductible donation.


EVENTS

People of the BookThursday, November 19 at 7:00 pm: Janine Baer will present Looking for Lost Bird by Yvette Melanson and Claire Safran. “In this haunting memoir, Yvette Melanson tells of being raised to believe that she was white and Jewish. At age forty-three, she learned that she was a ‘Lost Bird,’ a Navajo child taken against her family’s wishes, and that her grieving birth mother had never stopped looking for her until the day she died.”

— HarperCollinsThursday, December 17 at 7:00 pm: Author and psychotherapist Marta Fuchs, MLF, MFT, will present her book Legacy of Rescue: A Daughter’s Tribute. “The Holocaust and the Nazi era have been much written about. But you will find few with such a first-person feel, or so full of intriguing detail as the story Marta Fuchs tells here. Legacy of Rescue is about the experiences of her father, Morton (Miksa) Fuchs, and his family, as Jews in Nazi-era Hungary.” — John F. Duge, Ph.D., M.D., San FranciscoIf you have any questions, or wish to present a book at a future meeting, please contact Barry Silverblatt at 510-526-2985.

Rosh ChodeshThursdays, November 12, December 17 at 8:00 pm: All

women of Beth El are invited! Each month we explore a new

theme, enjoy good conversation and good company, sing,

nosh and note the new moon in the sky. Roots & Branches Sundays, November 15, December 6, 13 at 9:30 am:

For hundreds of years, Jews have said: “From Moses to

Moses, there was never one like Moses.” The author of A

Guide for the Perplexed, the Rambam sought to reconcile

scientific truth with the Torah and religious faith. Join Rabbi

Kahn in looking at key texts and exploring his message.

Life StoriesFirst and Third Mondays at 2:30 pm and Second

and Fourth Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: An experiential

writing group. Contact Marilyn Margulius at frontoffice@

bethelberkeley.org for more information.

Jewish Stories Proust

Reading GroupSaturdays at 12:15 pm: Join Beth El’s reading group

to discuss the writing of Proust. Newcomers are always

welcome. For more information, email Naomi Janowitz

([email protected]).

Hannah Arendt Reading Group

First Tuesdays of the month at 7:00 pm: Join us in

reading Arendt’s earliest Jewish writings, written between

1932 and 1952. Originally published under the title The Jew

as Pariah, edited by Ron H. Feldman, who has been an

important contributing member of our group, they have

been reprinted in a more complete edition under the title

The Jewish Writings, ed. Jerome Kohn and Ron H. Feldman,

Schocken Books. The book is available on Amazon for

between $12 and $17. New members are very welcome. Those

interested should contact Sandra Luft, [email protected]

Lunch & LearnThursday, November 12 at noon: Berkeley Walks:

Revealing Rambles Through America’s Most Intriguing City by

Robert E. Johnson and Janet L. Byron

Berkeley Walks celebrates the things that make Berkeley

such a wonderful walking city—diverse architecture,

panoramic views, tree-lined neighborhoods, historic homes,

unusual gardens, secret pathways, hidden parks, vibrant

street life, and intriguing history. Robert Johnson and Janet

Byron—longtime city residents and tour guides—designed

these 18 walks to showcase all the elements that make

Berkeley’s neighborhoods such fun to explore. Bring a bag

lunch. Dessert and beverages will be provided.

The Men’s ClubLatkefest

Friday, December 11 at 11:00 am: Join the fun

in the Beth El kitchen and help make the latkes for

Chanukah Shabbat in the evening. This is an annual

Men’s Club event that brings together various

generations of novices, seasoned and sometimes

sauced latke-makers, mixers, fryers and tasters.

Our recipe has been handed down for ages, but

it takes those of all ages to help with the process.

Sign up now and get ready to have a fun day! Beer

and snacks provided. Please contact Allan Sobel at

[email protected] or 510-878-2726 to volunteer.

Coming up early next year will be Cal Kids’

Day at Haas Pavilion; March 25, 2016 will be the

Volunteer-of-the-Year Dinner and Shabbat; and

a day to be determined in June will be Day at the

A’s Game.


CAMP KEE TOV

ON EMILY SCHNITZER’S FIRST DAY as a camper at Camp Kee Tov, she got stung by a bee. She doesn’t remember it as a bad or hard day, though. Instead, she remembers that she had a counselor, who was also named Emily, who took care of her, made her feel loved and welcomed. She’s felt that way about Kee Tov ever since.

Chances are if you know Camp Kee Tov (or any of our youth and teen programs), you know Emily Schnitzer. She’s been involved with Kee Tov for 20 years — first as a camper, then as a counselor in training, program director, and camp administrator. In addition, Emily has been an integral part of our youth and teen programming, providing leadership in everything from organizing our childcare providers at the High Holy Days to helping design and oversee youth programming at the Shabbaton, to working with our teens in the Sababa youth group. Now, Emily is taking the next step: Kee Tov & Youth Program Director. I sat down with Emily to talk with her specifically about what she’s looking forward to about being Camp Director and what she loves about Kee Tov.

Emily is a Kee Tov “lifer” and takes great pride in the camp. She’s attended Kee Tov for both sessions every year since she began attending in 1996, with the exception of two summers in high school, when she only worked one session. Not working for both sessions each of those summers was one of her biggest regrets, though now she appreciates it because not attending helped her realize how much Kee Tov means to her.

What makes Kee Tov successful, according to Emily, is that the staff — starting with the director and continuing through the program directors, counselors and counselors in training — have a framework that “camp is for the campers.” Staff has full control over the programming that they put together, meaning that they can — and do — cater the day’s activities to the desires and needs of the specific group of campers. This helps makes campers feel listened to and loved, while it also gives staff an opportunity to be creative and silly. Working together to create this experience for the campers, in turn, helps to bond the staff together: over 95 percent of staff return each year.

In part because of this individualized programming, campers — and staff — have intense pride not just in being a part of Kee Tov, but in their specific groups and subgroups: for campers, Emily says, it’s “not only do we love Kee Tov, but we love Giborim; not only do we love Giborim, we love Edah Hey; not only do we love Edah Hey, we love Gib 5.”

Though Kee Tov has undeniably been one of the central organizations in her life, it has also helped broaden her horizons and build connections to other parts of her identity. Though her family is Jewish, she wasn’t involved in organized Jewish life before Kee Tov. “Kee Tov was our gateway into Beth El…and Judaism as a whole. Kee Tov was the way for us to connect Jewishly in the way that our family wanted to connect Jewishly.” She and her brother went on to become b’nei mitzvah at Beth El, and Emily participated in Midrasha all throughout high school. She doubts

that she would have sought out this connection to Judaism without Kee Tov creating a “safe, warm

Jewish place” for her.She sees Kee Tov’s approach to Judaism

as one that follows a similar trajectory she followed: it makes Judaism warm and

inviting to campers and their families, and then gives them the space and resources to take steps on their own to build their own Jewish connections — whatever they may be. Many families choose to join Beth El after sending their children to Kee Tov, and many campers and families who are not Jewish learn about Judaism and

build interfaith connections. Emily “lives, loves and breathes

Kee Tov.” Even when she’s not working, she’s surrounded by Kee Tov warmth.

Many of her closest friends are people she knows from Kee Tov, including people she’s

met at every stage of her Kee Tov experience — as a camper, a counselor, a staff person. She met her

boyfriend, Misha, at Kee Tov, and she participates in a softball league and a book club, both of which include Kee Tov friends.

One of the other things that Emily loves most about Kee Tov is its traditions — from fuzzy milk to kumzits, from chants to messy day to secret pals, a gift-giving program among Kee Tov staff where each staff person is paired with a secret pal, who gives them gifts anonymously over the course of the session. Emily reminisced about some of the best secret pal gifts she’d received and given. It feels fitting to note that, when she spoke about secret pal gifts, she first thought of the gifts that’d she’d given, rather than ones she’d received. One year, she found out that her secret pal loved both Legos and pirates, so she found a Lego pirate ship kit and gave it to him one morning. By the afternoon, the pirate ship was already built and her secret pal was playing with it. This captures Emily’s approach to running Kee Tov and to everything she does at Congregation Beth El: with warmth, generosity and thoughtfulness, with a staff that’s creative and flexible enough to be ready for whatever may come their way.

Welcoming Emily Schnitzer as Camp Kee Tov & Youth Program Directorby Ben Bernard-Herman


JUST BEING HERE IS A MIRACLE. So many of our services begin with Hine Mah Tov, a selection of verses from Psalm 133:

Hine mah tov...“Behold how good...

uMah-Nayim...and how delightful...

shevet achim gam yachad...for brothers/sisters to hang out — and on top of that, all together!”

This is a prayer not about believing or creating or acting. It’s just about being. The blessing of just being with other people.

And, sure enough, just being here with our students, families, and staff the last few months has felt really good. The Midrash teaches Kol haTechalot Kashot — “All Beginnings are Hard” (Mechilta on Exodus 19), but the great people who call this community home have made my start at Beth El a lot easier. There are so many people

here who care deeply about creating a blessed Jewish community. And as I’ve met countless teachers and families, I’ve had the feeling of being in a place of holiness, among good and kind people with deep spirit.

As we move through 5776, this is a great starting place. I’m really excited to be sharing the year with this school community. We continue to have a full schedule of classes and events for families with children — from Chanukiah lighting to Shabbat YAFE to Z’man Mofa! (the performances by our 5th and 6th grade chugim students). I invite you to come, and be there — and not worry about anything else. Don’t worry about knowing the words, or looking a certain way, or being late, or anything else. Just come. Hug a kid, or a friend, or even a stranger (with permission!) — and feel the blessing of being among good people. Feel the miracle of just being at Beth El in 5776.

Call it the Spirit of ’76. If we can keep that attitude, that spirit, going in the months to come, this will be a truly awesome year. May it be so for us, all the people we love, and all the world.

B’ahavah,Rabbi Mike

The Spirit of ’76by Rabbi Mike Rothbaum

YAFE

YAFE Dates to RememberNovember 10 7th Grade B’nei Mitzvah Speech Workshop #1 with

Paula Statman, 4:00 – 5:30 pmNovember 13 Shabbat YAFE

Tot Shabbat, 5:00 pm Catered Dinner, 5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Service, 6:15 pm Oneg Shabbt, 7:00 pm

November 17 7th Grade B’nei Mitzvah Family Program, Dinner, 5:45 pm Program, 6:00 pm

November 24–28 NO CLASSES — THANKSGIVING BREAKDecember 1 7th Grade B’nei Mitzvah Family Program,

Dinner, 5:45 pm Program, 6:00 pm

December 5 7th Grade B’nei Mitzvah Learning Service, 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

December 8 3rd Candle Chanukiah lighting, families encouraged to come at 5:40 pm

December 8 Z’man Mofa! — Showtime! for our 5th and 6th grade chugim, families encouraged to come at 6:00 pm

December 9 Parent Child Hebrew 4th Candle Chanukiah lighting, families encouraged to come at 5:30 pm

December 10 5th Candle Chanukiah lighting, families encouraged to come at 5:40 pm

December 11 LatkeFest & Shabbat YAFE: Tot Shabbat, 5:00 pm Catered Dinner, 5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Service, 6:15 pm Oneg Shabbat, 7:00 pm

December 12 Limos & Latkes, 6:00 – 10:00 pmDecember 18 Camp Kee Tov Reunion Shabbat, 6:30 pmDecember 19 NO CLASSES — WINTER VACATION

–January 4

Look out for weekly emails with everything you need to know about what’s happening in the YAFE department. Questions? Email Rabbi Mike at [email protected] for more information.

We look forward to seeing you at all these exciting YAFE events!

PH OTO BY M IM I A B R A HA M


NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to Beth El!compiled by Ben Bernard-Herman

Anna Goldberg and Clark Richter

Anna and Clark grew up in New York and Michigan respectively and came to the Bay Area two years ago. Anna is an HRIS (Human Resource Information System) analyst at Year Up, a nonprofit that works to close the opportunity divide by providing urban young adults the skills, experience and support that empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Clark is a PhD student in Ecology at UC Davis where he studies plant and fire ecology in the Sierra Nevada. He is examining how understory plant communities and certain species of shrubs respond to gradients in fire severity and intensity. Anna and Clark met while serving as Peace Corps volunteers in the Philippines, where they both worked with communities on fisheries conservation and environmental education. They were the only two volunteers on their very small island and had no choice but one another. Three years after returning to the US, they were married in New York. Anna and Clark live in Berkeley and both enjoy running, hiking, camping and cooking (particularly baking) and look forward to getting involved in the Beth El community.

Rebecca Milikin and Isaac Mankita

When their sons (Tobi, 7th grade and Max, 4th) transitioned from Tehiyah to public school this fall, they were eager to join a synagogue and find a new Jewish community with which to celebrate, learn and connect. They are thrilled to have landed at Beth El. Isaac hails from Mexico City where as a child he attended Jewish day schools, and learned Hebrew along with Spanish

and English. Isaac works at UCB at the intersection of business, technology and finance. Rebecca grew up in New York where her father was a renowned Reform cantor. Rebecca is a social worker passionate about sustainability and is working in the climate change arena. They live in El Cerrito and love to hike, be outdoors and play Rummy Q together. Until joining Beth El, their family had never belonged to a synagogue and they say it feels great to have found a new home.

Gayle Saldinger and Ed O’Neil

Ed and Gayle live in Alameda. Growing up in Berkeley, Gayle’s family belonged to Temple Beth El. Ed is a retired Professor of Medicine at UCSF and actively consults in leadership and change. He is enjoying being a volunteer tour guide with the SF Library program and is an active backpacker. Gayle is a pro bono college counselor for low-income, disadvantaged high school students and loves outdoor activities, family and friends. All three of their boys were bar mitzvahed at Temple Israel in Alameda; the youngest, Josh, is 18.

Jessica and Joshua Trauner

Jessica and Joshua Trauner and their children, Avi (age 10) and Josie (age 7) are recent transplants from Brooklyn, NY. They are delighted to make their home in Berkeley and enjoy all the natural beauty and good food that northern California has to offer (not to mention also being thrilled to escape NYC winters). Josh is a government relations attorney for Crown Castle and Jessica is a consultant attorney with the Prosecutor’s Center for Excellence.

Additional new members include: Lauren Applebaum; Cheryl Bryan; Amy Keyshian, Randy Hauser and their children Penelope (7) and Abigail (5); Billi Romain and Doug Berman; Michael and Robyn Rothman and their children Liora (8 months) and Maya (8 months).

JOIN THE MITZVAH CORPSARE YOU ABLE TO HELP?Join with other members of Beth El to support fellow congregants in need. You can help by:

• Preparing a meal• Delivering a meal cooked by another volunteer• Giving someone a ride• Sending get-well cards• Making a phone call to check in on someone

To join, please go to: www.bethelberkeley.org/Mitzvah-Corps

ARE YOU IN NEED OF HELP?If you or a congregant you know is in need of assistance of any kind, please alert one of our rabbis. Our goal is to provide short-term, temporary assistance that alleviates the stresses of daily life for members in urgent situations. We will not be able to provide comprehensive or long-term services, but can serve as a bridge until such support is arranged. Only current Beth El members may serve as Mitzvah Corps volunteers or request assistance from the Corps.

To request help, please call the front office at (510) 848-3988, or email Rabbi Kahn and Rabbi Stern directly: [email protected].

For more information, please contact: Susan Zarchy at [email protected] or Laura Turbow at [email protected].


B’NEI MITZVAH

The congregation is cordially invited to attend the service and kiddush following to honor these bar and bat mitzvah candidates:

ELLA LANGENTHAL will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on Saturday, November 7 at 10:15 am. Eleanor is the daughter of Diane Halberg and Joshua Langenthal.

LILY MARYLANDER will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on Saturday, November 14 at 10:15 am. Lily is the daughter of Steven and Teresa Marylander.

DANIEL SARID will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, November 21 at 10:15 am. Daniel is the son of Uri and Karen Sarid.

Join the Next Cohort of Adult B’nei Mitzvah at Beth El!The next Adult B’nei Mitzvah class will begin studying together after next year’s High Holy Days (Fall 2016). If you are interested, we encourage you to begin your own Hebrew study this year. Beth El partners with Lehrhaus Judaica (www.lehrhaus.org), which offers Hebrew classes at various levels, or, if you would like individual tutoring, Beth El volunteer Sara Kupor is delighted to help you (see below). If you are considering joining the 2018 adult b’nei mitzvah class, please join Rabbi Stern at an orientation session on Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm.

Free Tutoring: Hebrew and Torah Reading Sara Kupor, a lifelong Jewish educator, has graciously offered to provide individual tutoring to Beth El members in Hebrew and synagogue skills at no cost. If you would like help working on your Hebrew or siddur (prayer book) reading skills or in leyning (chanting) from the Torah, please contact Sara at [email protected]. We are deeply grateful to Sara for her generosity.

SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE

Allan and Tybil Smith Kahn Scholar-in-Residence ShabbatJANUARY 22 & 23, 2016Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman: Growing Older – Wisdom and Spirit Beyond Midlife

Please save the Shabbat of January 22 and 23 for our Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat with Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman. On Friday evening, she will speak about: “Shattering and Repair: Finding Grit and Grace as We Grow Older.” How do we find wholeness amid brokenness and liberation amid constraint? What does it mean to grow as we grow older? A catered Shabbat dinner will precede the service.

At Torah study on Shabbat morning we will look at what we can learn from biblical examples of late-life creativity: “What Are You Doing With the Rest of Your Life? Callings in Later Life, Featuring Moses, Abraham and Naomi.” Our program will conclude on Saturday afternoon when Rabbi Friedman will discuss how our Jewish faith can help us plan and move through the challenges of growing older in a talk entitled “Take Your Timbrels: Facing the Unknown with Faith”. She teaches: “I believe that every Jewish person is born carrying a treasure chest—Jewish wisdom, practice and community. At any time, we can choose to open the chest and to draw from it tools for navigating the beautiful and terrible, rocky and exalting terrain of later life.”

Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and has spent more than 30 years as a teacher, chaplain, author and leader working with elders and the Jewish spiritual tradition. The Allan and Tybil Smith Kahn Fund was established in memory of the parents of Rabbi Yoel Kahn by him and his family to create an enduring memorial to their lives and values.

Simchat Chochmah — Celebrating Wisdom and Our Own Growing Older

Are you an elder? Marking a milestone birthday? We are planning a ritual celebration for a Shabbat morning on July 23, 2016 in honor of individuals who want to mark their new stage of life and celebrate the wisdom of the years they have attained. If you would like to help create and participate in this rite, please contact Rabbi Kahn for more information; our first planning session will take place in early December.


BENS YOUTH & CKT

Join us for an Infant/Toddler Parent Group! The group meets at Congregation Beth El in the Children’s Library and is led by Early Childhood Education Director,

Maguy Weizmann McGuire. The group will be an hour of discussion, play, songs and community building. Email [email protected] to confirm the next meeting. This program is free to all. Everyone is welcome!

WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME celebrating the High Holy Days at BENS. We explored Rosh Hashanah through story and sensory experiences. In Gan D’vorim, at circle time, Mercedes told a version of Jonah and the Whale with the aid of imaginative props. The children also painted handmade paper boats reminiscent of the one Jonah set to sea in.

We celebrated Rosh Hashanah by exploring apples through our senses in an apple tasting and by making fixing, healing, and friendship cards for those we love. We celebrated Yom Kippur by trying

to understand our feelings—what makes us feel happy, sad, excited, scared, upset and angry. We created Feelings Books and read stories about feelings, and made sure to check in with our friends’ and our own emotions. We also made a Healing Basket full of everything that makes us feel healed and happy when we are sad or upset.

BENS News Eyes on YOU(TH) WELCOME TO EYES ON YOU(TH), Congregation Beth El’s youth group corner. Check here for upcoming events, pictures of past ones, and more information on how you can be a part of Beth El’s quickly growing youth groups!!

SABABA is for you if you are in 6th–8th grade. Open to Congregation Beth El members and their Jewish friends, Sababa has multiple events throughout the year that are fun, interactive, and peer led. The Sababa Board works hard, planning and executing the events, and brainstorming what will be the most fun. Our two winter events coming up are not ones to miss!

Limos and Latkes (tentative date December 12), put on with our partner BBYO, is a scavenger hunt in a limosine followed by latkes at Temple Beth Abraham.

Cal Men’s Basketball vs. Utah, Sunday, January 3 at 4:30 pm: This is one not to miss! Our first event with Cal Basketball will ring in 2016 like never before! Tickets are $25.

BESTY is Beth El’s youth group for teens in 9th–12th grades and connectes Reform Jewish teens from all over the Bay Area. The programming is based on what the teens want and events are planned by the BESTY Board, a group of Beth El teens elected to be voices for all. BESTY is part of the greater NFTY organization, North America Federation for Teen Youth, and are able to represent Beth El and the Bay Area at regional events. This gives the teens a chance to be part of something extremely special to them, and something much much bigger than themselves.

For more information about Sababa and BESTY, please contact Emily Schnitzer, Youth Director, at [email protected] or Ali Greenland, Youth Advisor, at [email protected].

BENS Dates to RememberNovember 8 Gan Hadar Hike in Joaquin Miller Park, 10:30 amNovember 11 BENS CLOSED for Teacher In-Service TrainingNovember 13 Shabbat YAFE

Tot Shabbat, 5:00 pm Catered dinner, 5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Service, 6:15 pm

November 18 The Challenging Child: Tools You Can Use Workshop, 7:00–8:00 pm

November 20 All-School Family Thanksgiving Celebration, 9:00 am (NOTE: NEW TIME!)

November 22 Gan Galim Work Party, 9:00 am–1:00 pmNovember 25–27 BENS CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVINGNovember 25 BENS Mini Camp 8:00/9:00 am–3:30 pmNovember 30 BENS Resumes December 4 BENS Staff Meeting, 1:30–3:00 pm, Parent

Volunteers NeededDecember 11 BENS All School Shabbat, 12:30 pmDecember 11 Latkefest & Shabbat YAFE

Tot Shabbat, 5:00 pm Catered dinner, 5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Service, 6:15 pm

December 16 BENS CLOSED (Parent Teacher Conferences)December 21 BENS CLOSED for Winter BreakDecember 29–31 BENS Winter CampJanuary 4 BENS Resumes


The Music Roomby Rabbi Reuben Zellman

Save the date! Music of Freedom: A Passover Choral Concert at Beth ElSunday, April 24, 2016 at 5:00 pm

Beth El’s Chorus joins with the choirs of San Francisco State University to present classic concert music for the Passover season, as well as music of freedom from various cultures. Rabbi Reuben Zellman, Beth El’s music director, will be conducting this concert as his graduation recital for his Masters of Music degree. After you’ve celebrated at seder, spend a spring afternoon with spirituals, protest songs, music from the Jewish labor movement and some of the majestic prayers of the season of freedom. No tickets, no cost. All are welcome!

JOIN BETH EL’S MUSICAL COMMUNITY this new year! We welcome all members to consider making music with us—see some opportunities below.

Want to join in? Do you have a musical talent or idea you’d like to contribute? Is there something about Jewish music you’ve always wanted to learn? Contact our Music Director, Rabbi Reuben Zellman: [email protected]

Chant Torah or Haftarah: We need Torah and Haftarah chanters year-round, and we’d love for you to become part of our crew of leyners (chanters)! Chanters choose their own schedule by signing up online; you can choose to chant short or long sections, occasionally or frequently, at small services or at larger community events. I’ll be glad to provide any materials you need, including recordings and texts, and I’m happy to meet with you to help you prepare.

Beginning chanters are encouraged. All that is required is the ability to sound out the Hebrew letters and vowels; you don’t need fabulous Hebrew and you don’t need to know any trope (chanting symbols). Torah chanting is a wonderful spiritual practice: leyners develop a deep connection to a Torah text, improve Hebrew and musical skills, and fulfill a mitzvah for the community, transmitting our sacred text while inspiring others.

Chorus: Our warm, fun adult chorus welcomes you to meet great people and learn about Jewish history and texts while singing in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino and English. No prior singing experience is necessary. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. This year we’ll be performing new Jewish music written for Beth El, preparing for a Passover concert with the choirs of San Francisco State University, and raising the roof at LGBTQ Pride Shabbat. Recordings, as well as sheet music, are available to practice with. Join us!

Service leaders: Join the dedicated Beth El members who fulfill mitzvot through music by leading shiva minyans or weekly prayers. Choose your own schedule. Materials and coaching are happily available.

FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

The Chutzpah ListDO YOU HAVE UNUSED ITEMS we can put to good use here at Beth El? Consider donating them. The following is our Chutzpah “wish list.” Contact the front office ([email protected]) if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation of a gently-used (or new) item on this list:

• Windows 7 laptop or desktop, new or less than two years old• Wireless routers, new or less than two years old• Color laser printer• Cuisinart food processor• Assisted listening devices/systems• Set of computer speakers for AV presentations• A folding machine for large mailings• Area rug• Tree stumps (for landscaping)

CAMP KEE TOVMARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Pre-Registration for Camp Kee Tov 2016 for Beth El members exclusively will open on Tuesday, December 1. Many programs fill by January, so don’t wait to register! Look for more information at www.campkeetov.org.

Session 1: June 27, 2016 – July 22, 2016

Session 2: August 1, 2016 – August 26, 2016

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ARELLA BARLEV, Beth El member, teacher and artist who created the banners that hung in the sanctuary throughout the High Holy Day season.

Thanks also to Barry Levine and Tim Golden who assisted her.PH OTO BY M IM I A B R A HA M


TORAH STUDY

TORAH STUDY meets on Saturdays at 9:15 am in the Beit Midrash. All are welcome! For questions or to sign up as a presenter, contact: Florence Lewis at [email protected].

November 7 Parashat Chaye Sarah Genesis 23:1–25:18 Rabbi Yoel Kahn

November 14 Parashat Toldot Genesis 25:19–28:9 Bob Brandfon

November 21 Parashat Vayeitzei Genesis 28:10–32:3 Ellen Goldstein

November 28 Parashat Vayishlach Genesis 32.4–36.43 Katherine Haynes Sanstad

December 5 Parashat Vayeishev Genesis 37:1–40:23 Rabbi Mike Rothbaum

December 12 Parashat Miketz Genesis 41:1–44:17 Sue Reinhold

December 19 Parashat Vayigash Genesis 44:18–47:27 Rabbi Yoel Kahn

December 26 Parashat Vay’chi Genesis 47:28–50:26 Bruce Carter

Chanukah Booksby Marlene Getz, Children’s Library volunteer

IT’S FAIR TO SAY that there are more children’s books about Chanukah than any other Jewish holiday. In our library, two shelves are devoted to the holiday, from the story of Chanukah to stories about latkes, dreidels—and so much more!

Recent Chanukah additions to the library:

Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer is a charming story told by Latke, a newly adopted dog, who, through mishaps, learns the traditions of Chanukah. Jamie Korngold’s Sadie’s Almost Marvelous Menorah tells how Sadie, a preschooler, turns a major disappointment into a learning experience. In Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig, with lovely illustrations by Vicki Wehrman, the reader learns how Hanukkah is celebrated in different countries. Included are tasty recipes for latkes, burmelos, precipizi, cookies and more. Looking for a story with a Chanukah adventure? Check out the following two books: In Anna Levine’s Jodi’s Hanukah Dig, with amazing illustrations by Ksenia Topaz, a young girl convinces her dad to go on an archeological dig in Israel and finds a surprise treasure! A young boy in Heidi Smith Hyde’s Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue, who is drawn to the sea, becomes a stowaway and ends up fighting a storm. In the end the lights of the menorah guide the ship to shore and change his father’s attitude about the menorah.

Illustrated in tones of orange and reds by Gosia Mosz and written by Deborah da Costa, Hanukkah Moon gives the reader a multicultural focus when an aunt from Mexico teaches her niece some new things about Hanukkah. Daniel Bloom’s mom’s zucchini latke experiment is one of the many holiday challenges that he needs to deal with in Joanne Rocklin’s The Very Best Chanukah Gift. The story, told in eight chapters, is geared for children between eight and 10 years of age. ABC Hanukah Hunt by Tilda Balsley is an interactive book, told in rhymes, which introduces the reader to the symbols of Chanukah. Helen Poole’s colorful and cheery illustrations make this a delightful book to read.

Chanukah recommendations:

In Latkes and Applesauce by Fran Manushkin, a family, kept inside due to a blizzard, continues, despite their meager supply of food, to have a joyous Chanukah celebration. In the end, they are rewarded with two wonderful miracles! A very touching and moving story. Leslie Newman’s Runaway Dreidel is a humorous story told in rhymes of how a boy’s new dreidel spins out of control. The Magic Driedels by Eric Kimmel with colorful and expressive illustrations by Katya Krenina is a magical tale of how an old lady swindles a boy out of his special dreidel. Probably one of the most beloved Chanukah books is The Chanukkah Guest, written by Eric Kimmel. In the story an elderly woman who is nearly blind mistakes a bear for a rabbi and serves it a very delicious feast! Another wonderful Eric Kimmel book is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. The story, set in Eastern Europe, tells how a stranger outwits goblins that haunt a town. Due to the graphic illustrations, I would recommend this book for children five years or older.

I was drawn to Aidel Backman’s nostalgic look at traditions passed down from one generation to another in One Night, One Hanukkah Night. With beautiful illustrations by Linda Dockey Graves, Bobbi Katz’s The Story of Hanukkah is a very easy-to-read history of the festival of lights, ending with the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the oil. As Molly and her grandmother make latkes together, her grandmother takes the opportunity to explain the story of Chanukah in Malka Drucker’s Grandma’s Latkes. Eve Chwast’s watercolor illustrations add to the appeal of this intergenerational story.

Happy Reading and Chag Sameach!

The children’s library is missing some books, so if you have a book that needs to be returned, please bring it to the library! Thank you!


LIBRARY

Donations to the Aaron Plishner and Rabbi George Vida Funds make it possible to buy new children’s and adult’s books. Here are some recent additions to Beth El’s library:

As soon as they came to power in 1933, the Nazis built concentration camps—Dachau, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen and others—and began to fill them. One now-deceased Beth El member was imprisoned in Buchenwald on Kristallnacht, and indeed many thousands of Jews experienced the camps long before the Holocaust. Their history is told in Before Auschwitz: Jewish Prisoners in the Prewar Concentration Camps by Kim Wünschmann of Hebrew University. Their imprisonment in itself meant, to “true Germans,” that Jews were different and dangerous; this message served to portray Jews as fair game for acts of intimidation and violence, preparing, before the war had begun, for what was to come to be accepted: the German people would allow it.

In 1516, Miqra’ot Gedolot, “the Commentators’ Bible,” was published for rabbis who could not afford commentaries, surrounding each verse of the Torah with the words of many great commentators. Five hundred years later, it is being translated into English, and the fourth volume, on Deuteronomy, has come out. (The fifth, on Genesis, is due out in 2018.) This provides us with comments by commentators not otherwise available in English, for example, Sforno, Radak, Abarbanel, Hizkuni, Bekhor Shor, Ralbag, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra. The four volumes are in the Torah Study section.

A more recent Bible commentator, Avivah Zornberg, has published Bewilderments: Reflections on the Book of Numbers

to join her wonderful books on Genesis and Exodus and her reflections on the Biblical unconscious. Here she draws upon Hasidic commentators to turn a book seemingly given over to complaints, whining and resentment, a book of existential skepticism, into a book about receivers of the Torah to the fullest extent, a people of ecstatic faith, sharing the wilderness with God.

The Heart of the Matter: Studies in Jewish Mysticism and Theology by Arthur Green collects Rabbi Green’s scholarly writings, centering on the history of early Hasidism plus his highly personal approach to a rebirth of Jewish spirituality in our time, combining here the fruits of his scholarship in Kabbalah with his focus on inward devotion. Rabbi David Ellenson, chancellor of HUC-JIR, says, “This is a book to savor!”

Roads Taken: The Great Jewish Migrations to the New World and the Peddlers Who Forged the Way by Hasia Diner, professor of American Jewish history at NYU, tells how the way into America, Australia, and other destinations by one-third the world’s Jews between the late 1700s and the 1920s, an entry into a new wilderness, was paved by intrepid Jewish peddlers, the men who, with packs on their backs, traveled forth across the world. For example, young Jewish men came to the California Gold Rush not to pan for gold but to sell pants to the gold miners. The peddlers followed, greatly expanding the geography of Jewish history to, for example, Kentucky, Maine and South Africa.

Michael Satlow, professor of religious studies and Judaic studies at Brown University, relying upon recent decades of research and study in biblical history but avoiding the obscure entanglements of much such research, relates clearly the long history of the Bible’s coming into existence in his book How the Bible Became Holy, from the inception of the northern kingdom of Israel in 922 BCE under King Jeroboam I up to the tannaitic rabbis and the Mishnah in 220 CE. Rabbi David Wolpe calls this book “a lucid, learned, and elegant guide to the history and ideas that gave us our holy books and changed the world.”

New Books in the Libraryby Scott Spear, Library Chair

Sponsor an OnegYOU CAN CELEBRATE YOUR SIMCHA or remember loved ones with your Beth El community by hosting a Shabbat Oneg on a Friday night or Shabbat morning.

Your sponsorship will be acknowledged in the e-Update and from the bimah. Beth El members will be able to join you in your celebration or honor the memory of your loved ones.

Please go to our website and click on “Ways to Give” and then “Oneg Sponsorship.” Read the description of how to sign up, then follow the link to select your menu choices and make payment. Your donation to Beth El will cover the cost of food, preparation, serving and cleanup, and will help support our programs.

To speak to someone regarding oneg sponsorship, please contact Mimi Abraham in the Beth El office at [email protected].


Baked Lemon Chicken BreastsFrom Ina Garten’s “How Easy Is That?”by Marjorie GelbYes, you should have guests over for Shabbat dinner. No, you shouldn’t have to work hard to cook them a delightful meal. There are many cooks out there who understand the virtues of a prep-it-and-forget-it recipe, and Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, may be their queen. With a little thought and careful selection you can pluck out her kosher-style recipes, and this one happens to be a new favorite. Serve with a rice pilaf.

To prepare pilaf, simply combine 1½ cups chopped onion, 1½ cups rice, ½ cup currants, salt, pepper and 3 cups of stock in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, add a pinch of saffron, cover and cook over low heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Toss in ½ cup toasted slivered almonds at the end.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)1/3 cup white wine2 lemons’ worth of grated zest2 tablespoons lemon juice1½ teaspoons dried oregano1 teaspoon fresh thyme leavessalt and pepper4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin on1 lemon

Encountering Israel: History, People, Connections A BETH EL TRIP WITH RABBI YOEL KAHN

April 3-11, 2016JOIN RABBI YOEL KAHN and a group of fellow congregants for an unforgettable exploration of Israel. Intended especially for those who have never been before, we will visit the “must see” places — including the Old City of Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea and more. For a complete itinerary, please visit the Beth El website. If you are considering the trip — even if you aren’t sure — please let us know by emailing [email protected] so that we can keep you informed of informational meetings, pre-trip get togethers and other updates.

Cooking Directions

1. Warm olive oil in small saucepan. Add the garlic and cook on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, add wine, zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. You can make this in advance and set it aside until you’re ready to cook.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.3. Pour the marinade in a baking dish large enough to hold the

breasts. Pat the chicken breasts dry. Place skin side up in the sauce. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Bake 30 minutes until cooked through. Remove from oven. Cover with foil or wax paper and let rest 10 minutes. Serve with pan juices.

Serve chicken on pilaf and sprinkle with parsley.

Preparation: 15 minutesCooking and waiting: 40 minutesServes 4.


order to slow down and appreciate these everyday miracles. In the morning service, we recite a series of 14 blessings, called Nissim B’chol Yom—literally, “Everyday Miracles”—that offer thanks for everything from the ability to distinguish between day and night to being created in the image of God. And, every time Jews come together in prayer and recite the Amidah (the standing prayer at the heart of every service), we end with a prayer of gratitude: “…Let us thank and praise You—for our lives which are in Your hand, for our souls which are in Your care, for Your miracles that we experience every day, and for Your wondrous deeds and favors at every time of day: evening, morning, and noon…”

I was recently talking about the process of pregnancy and birth with someone whose sister had just given birth. I expressed the sense of awe I feel at witnessing and participating in what I described as these miraculous processes. He asked, “If something happens everyday, can it really be considered miraculous?”

Judaism’s answer is a resounding “Yes!” Our tradition trains us to see miracles and express appropriate awe and wonder at the simplest of everyday activities—waking up in the morning, breathing, digestive function, and on and on. When we open our eyes to the complexity of our own bodies—let alone the interactions between people, and the way all of Creation fits together—it’s an easy step from awareness to gratitude.

As Jews, then, this American season of Thanksgiving comes very naturally. And what a joy it is to share our Jewish value of gratitude with all of our friends and family members, regardless of their religious affiliation. This American holiday can also help tune our sense of gratitude to another gift we American Jews so often take for granted: the peace, comfort and safety we feel so much of the time as a minority religious group in this country. Jews have only experienced this kind of freedom and security in a few countries in the Diaspora over the millennia. With this in mind, let us seize upon the opportunity that this season provides us to live our Jewish values as American citizens. Gratitude is not about ignoring the ways that we are unfulfilled, instead, hakarat ha’tov is about heightening our awareness of all of the blessings in our lives that we might otherwise miss.

In Pirkei Avot (a third century rabbinic work), one of the sages, Shimon Ben Zoma, is quoted as asking, “Who is rich? One who is happy with what he [or she] has.” As Jews, let us make good use of this Thanksgiving season to attune ourselves to the bounty in each of our lives so that we may all, by Ben Zoma’s definition, become aware of our tremendous wealth.

Wishing each of you a very happy thanks-giving.

Rabbi Rebekah Stern

From the RabbiCONTINUED FROM PAGE 2Excerpts from

Ruth Simon’s High Holy Day AppealL’SHANA TOVAH. MY NAME IS RUTH SIMON, and my family has belonged to Congregation Beth El for eight years.

Our first experience of Beth El was through Camp Kee Tov and we became members at Beth El so that our daughters, Maya and Sarah, could extend their Jewish education beyond Kee Tov to Kadima. I started visiting the classroom and chaperoning field trips, and then we joined the Saturday Chug Mishpacha group, where families come and learn together on Shabbat. Soon, it became obvious that I was getting as much of an education as my girls were.

As you all know and as I have found, Congregation Beth El is a home for everyone — including those just beginning their Jewish journey — for parents, empty nesters, our seniors, and of course, our children.

Providing continuity in Jewish practice and culture and including all those who wish to be part of our community carries a great responsibility for all of us. Congregation Beth El’s commitment to participation by all, regardless of ability to pay full membership, translates to a need to supplement our annual dues with Tzedakah.

Simply put, membership dues alone do not pay for the expense of the services or the rich and varied programming that our congregation provides. My girls are now full-fledged acting members of this community because our congregation has committed to subsidizing our childrens’ and all congregants’ Jewish education.

The Annual High Holy Day Appeal is the main fundraising campaign for the congregation and I am here to ask you to consider giving if you have not before, to thank those who give every year, and to ask that you consider stretching a little more this year. Your gift to the Annual Appeal is a vital part of making all of this possible.

I am delighted to announce that 100 percent of the Board of Directors and a group of donors have created a matching challenge pool. This pool will match every new donation and every dollar of your increased donation in a two-to-one match. That means every dollar of a new gift and every dollar of an increase will be matched with $2. For example, a new $100 donation will be matched 2 to 1, with $200, meaning that your new $100 contribution adds $300 to the Annual Appeal. We hope that you will feel moved to give generously. Every contribution, whether $18, $180, or $1,800 or more will help to sustain our Beth El community.

Together, we can make a difference. G’mar chatimah tovah. May you be inscribed for a good New Year.


TZEDAKAHAARON PLISHNER CHILDREN’S LIBRARY FUND Phyllis Zisman in memory of Naomi Wollins

GoldbergARJMAND ADULT EDUCATION FUND Towfig & Beryl Arjmand in memory of Rachel

PirnazarVadjiheh Yadegar in memory of Yadegar

YadegarBUILDING FUND Ruth Ehrenkrantz & Spencer Klein CAMP KEE TOV SCHOLARSHIP FUND Karen Feldman & Niklaus LargierRabbi Ferenc & Paula Raj Jean Henderson in memory of Sarah Blacker &

Joan Blacker LangleySondra Napell in memory of Emanuel Joel

MatkowskyGENERAL FUND Janine Baer in memory of Millie SalkinJoanne Backman & Harry Pollack in memory of

Edmund BackmanIgor & Olga Barer in memory of Ninel BarerBruce & Susan Carter Bonnie Cooperstein in memory of Itzhak

Finkelberg

Martin & Jill Dodd in memory of Nancy Dodd, Irma Siegel & Anna Silverman Shahan

Steven Joseph & Corey Hansen-Joseph in memory of Bob Kupor and in honor of Nancy Silverman’s first grandchild

Carol Klein Jaeme Koyil Melvin & Dorothy Lemberger Janet Lipkin in memory of Barry ShapiroAlexsander Shirman in memory of Bella

ShirmanClifford Stanley & Elizabeth Carpenter Matthew Stolbach Joan & Elmer Walston in honor of Ruth SimonMarian Wolfe & Scott Scheffler HOMELESS MEAL FUND Christopher & Meghan Beynon in honor of Leo

JohnsonJoan Alexander in memory of Janet SachsClarke & Maria Daniels Dorothy Dayton David DerrBecky Gross & Joel ChalaEstie & Mark Hudes in memory of Leah GlickJerry Iserson in memory of Sylvia Apple, Hyman

Iserson & Judy CarrollDoug Johnson & Sara Marcellino in honor of

Leo Johnson

Laurence Kaplan in memory of Jacques KaplanLeroy Kessler Sharon Beth Levy in memory of Ruthie Levy,

Anne Zeigman & Aaron ZeigmanSarah Elizabeth Schroeder in honor of Leo

JohnsonThalia Silverman Ruth & Scott Spear in memory of Robert

Goldstein & Bob KuporMadelyn Stone in memory of Sidney SteinMARIAN MAGID MEMORIAL FUND Bonnie Magid Roditti MITZVAH CORPS Eleanor Goldstein-Erickson in honor of the

Mitzvah CorpsEdward & Stacey Holly Sara Kupor in honor of Rabbi Kahn, Rabbi

Stern, Dan Magid, Carol Lehman, Arella Bar-Lev, & Katherine Haynes Sanstad

Phyllis Zisman in memory of Eleanor SchereNURSERY SCHOOL FUND Louis Lurie in honor of Leo LombardiRABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Dorothy Dayton in memory of Barbara MorganMartha Berman in honor of Julia & Lauren

Wheeler

James & Marcia Emery in memory of David Rose & David Gelfand

Anthony Hecht & Michelle Wolfson Selma Graham in memory of Lisa Laddie

GrahamStephen Joseph & Corey Hansen-Joseph Ann Manheimer & Arthur Swislocki in memory

of Marie SwislockiJim Offel & Nancy Lewin-Offel in memory of

Leonard SchlusselMike Harrar & Noushin Pirnazar Jane Mayeri Pottebaum John & Susan Prausnitz Jennifer Rader & Barbara Wenger in honor of

Ann Gonsky & Ellen GoldsteinSteven & Katherine Resnik Stephan & Doreen Rothman in memory of

Abraham RothmanSara Sarasohn & Ellen Evangeliste Joan Sarnat & David Hoffman in memory of

Bernard Sarnat SOCIAL ACTION FUND Sandy & Vivian Golden in memory of Muriel

Oppenheimer

Frances AlexanderDaniel & Nancy AltmanAdele AmodeoEthan Andelman & Laura MytelsRichard & Christine AptakerMichael & Susan AustinShoshana Berger & Anthony SaxeStuart & Judy BermanRalph & Gail BernsteinOdette BlachmanStephen Blum & Lorraine MidanikJames Blume & Kathryn FrankHenry Brady & Patricia KatesBarbara BrennerJanet ByronMona CainBruce & Susan CarterJonathan Cherin & Catherine Pfister CherinMax, z”l & Bonnie CoopersteinElliot Cravitz & Miriam SchultzMarc Davis & Nancy TurakMarc Derewetzky & Jennifer KawarMartin & Jill DoddScott & Julie DrummondRuth Ehrenkrantz & Spencer KleinMichael Eichberg & Maya PonteMichael & Merle Fajans

William Falik & Diana CohenLisa FeldmanDaniel & Lynne FingermanAlison Fisher & Matt OshryAndy & Lauren GanesJack & Rose GanskyJim Gilbert & Susan OrbuchSandy & Vivian GoldenArthur & Carol GoldmanRobert Goldstein, z”l & Anna MantellDavid & Dorothy Golner z”lBarry & Erica GoodeHoward & Alice GruberValerie Gutwirth & Elio GizziDiane Halberg & Joshua LangenthalJohn Hartog & Margaret HandJean HendersonDavid Hoffman & Joan SarnatDonald & Ronna HonigmanJerry Iserson & Nancy SilvermanPaul Johnson & Sali Gold-JohnsonRabbi Yoel Kahn & Dan BellmLaurence KaplanSeth Kaufman & Tatiana RoegiersPatrick Kennedy & Julie Matlof KennedyAndy Kivel & Susan GoldsteinJeff & Debbie Leon

Leo & Rebecca LevensonKeri LevyMichael & Peggy LipsonBrian & Wendy LukasThomas LurquinAlbert MagidDaniel & Robinn MagidLeigh MarymorEugene & Robin MillsteinAdam & Lauran MizockMark Mogill & Maribel Paterno-MogillMo Morris & Paul SteckelJoanna Moss & Robert SondereggerAllen & Pamela NudelLisa Ochs & Lea SalemJim Offel & Nancy LewinAmy Oppenheimer & Jennifer KrebsRenee Passy-ZaleMarv PearlsteinTodd & Diane PerlmanLori & Douglas PerlstadtAndy Pollack & Debbie JordanHarry Pollack & Joanne BackmanLeslie Reckler & Cameron MooreAmy Resner & William LeeJena Resner & Jon LoranSteven & Katherine Resnik

Bonnie RodittiBruce Saldinger & Lynne RoyerKatherine Haynes SanstadWilliam SchechnerStanley & Miriam SchiffmanDebra Schoenberg & Karen FiererSusan & Richard SeeleyJeffrey Seideman & Elisabeth WechslerRobert & Elizabeth SharfJeff SloanScott & Ruth SpearAlan & Paula StatmanMarvin Sternberg and Sharon Levy Paul & Susan SugarmanLaurie SwiadonDavid & Debbie TaylorEdward Vine & Ellen Singer-VineBuddy & Jodi WarnerGerald WeintraubRobin & Edward WenrickJohn & Niloufar YadegarVadjiheh YadegarBeth ZeitmanPhyllis Zisman

Congregation Beth El’s L’Dor Vador Legacy Circle We gratefully acknowledge the members of Congregation Beth El’s L’Dor Vador Legacy Circle. These members have made a planned gift for the congregation. If you have provided for the congregation with a bequest in your estate plan but have not yet informed us, please let us know by contacting Ruth Ehrenkrantz. We welcome the opportunity to thank and acknowledge you. Daniel & Nancy AltmanMax* & Odette BlachmanMartin & Jill DoddRichard & Beverly EignerAndy & Lauren Ganes

Arthur & Carol GoldmanDavid* & Dorothy* Golner Barry & Erica Goode John HartogRabbi Yoel Kahn & Dan Bellm

Patrick Kennedy & Julie Matlof KennedySpencer Klein & Ruth Ehrenkrantz Jeff & Debbie LeonThe Magid FamilyJim Offel & Nancy Lewin

Marv & Gwen PearlsteinKatherine & Steven Resnik Jeffrey M. Seideman & Elisabeth Meyer

WechslerPaul & Susan Sugarman

Ma TovuWe gratefully acknowledge our members who have contributed to the Ma Tovu Capital Campaign. This is the last time we will acknowledge these donors in the Builder newsletter. Thank you.

The following donations were acknowledged between July 31 and October 15, 2015. If your name was inadvertently omitted from this list, please contact the front office.


Anonymous (2) = +Mark Aaronson & Marjorie Gelb aKimberly Beeson & Rebecca Abravanel a mRoberta Achtenberg aSusan Amdur aAdele Amodeo aMichele April aDaniel & Heidi Aronson mArella Barlev aPeter Barnes aAlex & Michelle Bergtraun aRachel Berkowitz & Jose Villagrana aMartha Berman & Charles Wheeler aStuart & July Berman mLeyna Bernstein & Brian Parker a = +Ralph & Gail Bernstein mOdette Blachman a =Henry Brady & Patricia Kates mJames Blume & Kathryn Frank aSteven Branoff & Elizabeth Friedman a m =Seth & Jennifer Brysk =Janet Byron aMona Cain aBruce and Susan Carter mJonathan Chajet & Mary Bergstrom aMichael Charlson & Susan Austin a mBarbara Cohn a =Bonnie Cooperstein aAlfred & Anita Cotton aMarc Davis & Nancy Turak mMarc Derewetzky & Jennifer Kawar aJill & Martin Dodd ma + =Kathleen Egan aRuth Ehrenkrantz & Spencer Klein a + =Miles Ehrlich and Abby Rezneck + =Richard & Beverly Eigner mLeah Emdy aJames & (Rosarin) Ping Fahn mMichael & Merle Fajans m =Maureen Fan & Steven Fainaru aJonathan Feinstein & Meera Sharnoff aLisa Feldman =Elizabeth Fishel & Robert Houghteling aAnna & Michael Fogelman a =Rose & Jack Gansky aDavid & Nurit Garner aLinda Gerson aJim Gilbert & Susan Orbuch m Robert Gilden & Marlene Getz aGordon & Jodi Gladstone aAnna Goldberg & Clark Richter aSandy & Vivian Golden a

Ellen Goldstein and Jack Holleman aJosh & Barbara Goldstein mBarry & Erica Goode a mJohn Gordon & Janis Mitchell mSelma Graham mMichael & Laura Greenberg aMike Harrar & Noushin Pirnazar aDavida Hartman aJohn Hartog & Margaret Hand ma + =Katherine Haynes Sanstad = +Anthony Hecht & Michelle Wolfson aJean Henderson aDavid Hoffman & Joan Sarnat mEdward & Stacey Holly aDonald & Ronna Honigman mDavid Huebner & Sandy Bacskai =Cecile Isaacs & Norman Schneider mJerry Iserson & Nancy Silverman =Veta Jacqulin aAaron Joffe aMarisa Johnson aSteven Joseph & Corey Hansen-Joseph aLaurie Juengert aRabbi Yoel Kahn & Dan Bellm =Peter Kane & Barbara Gordon mJudith Katz aSeth Kaufman & Tatiana Roegiers mJulie Matlof Kennedy and Patrick Kennedy = +Ilan & Marlene Keret a mAndy Kivel & Susan Goldstein mJosh Langenthal and Diane Halberg m = +Juliet Lee aMary Ann Leff & George Kich aJessica Lehman aLeo & Rebecca Levenson a m = +Margaret Levine aJanet Lipkin aPeggy & Michael Lipson a mJudith London aSandra Luft mBrian & Wendy Lukas a =Louis & Sylvia Lurie aDaniel & Robinn Magid =Isaac Mankita & Rebecca Milliken mEmily & Bill Marthinsen m =Julianne & John McGarry aBrian & Lisa Meckler aCharles Meier & Sharon Friedman a mDonna & Gadi Meir aRachel & David Metz mGene & Robinn Millstein =Lloyd Morgan a

Alisa & Calvin Morrill aSondra Napell aAdam Noily & Maia Beyler-Noily mAllen & Pamela Nudel a =Amy Oppenheimer & Jennifer Krebs mJonathan Packman & Elizabeth Kaplan mAlicia Park & Lee Bernstein mMarv and Gwen Pearlstein m =Harry Pollack & Joanne Backman m =Lon Poole & Karin Bliman mSuzanne Portnoy aNorman Postone & Lisa Fruchtman a mJennifer Rader & Barbara Wegner aSteven and Katherine Resnik m =Maria Reven & Andrew Dreskin mJennifer Ring & Lillian Jacobson aMartin & P.J. Rosenthal mDavid & Phyllis Rothman aAbigail & Craig Rudnik a m =Bruce Saldinger & Lynne Royer mGayle Saldinger & Ed O’Neil mMiriam & Stanley Schiffman aJoseph & Elisabeth Schlessinger aRachel Schreiber & David Gissen aMaxim Schrogin & Karen Harber aMarcel & Margrit Schurman mPaul & Stefanie Schwartz aSteven & Barbara Segal mJill Shugart aAlan Siegal & Tracy Green mJonathan Simon & Christina Spaulding aDavid & Jane Stern mPaul & Susan Sugarman ma + =Arthur Swislocki & Ann Manheimer mEd Vine & Ellen Singer-Vine aGerard Weintraub aJon Wellinghoff & Karen Galatz aRobin & Edward Wenrick a mBeth Zeitman aAlexander & Izabella Zheleznyak aPhyllis Zisman m

Annual Appeal & Maimonides SocietyWe gratefully acknowledge all of our donors to Beth El’s Annual Appeal, as well as the members of our Maimonides Society. The Maimonides Society includes those members who have pledged an amount greater than base dues. Special thanks to the Beth El board of directors and a small group of donors for generously providing the 2:1 matching fund challenge for new and increased donations this year. Gifts support our wonderful synagogue programming, community activities and diverse membership. Donations listed below were received between July 1, 2015 and October 15, 2015. If your name was inadvertently omitted from this list or requires correction, please contact the front office.

LegendAnnual Appeal DonorMaimonides Society MemberAnnual Appeal Multi-Year DonorMatching Fund Donor

ma

+=


CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 2015 · CHESHVAN-KISLEV 5776

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

19:30 am Midrasha9:30 am Roots and Branches2:00 pm BESTY Board Meeting3:00 pm Lehrhaus Beginning Hebrew4:35 pm Lehrhaus Intermediate Hebrew6:05 pm Lehrhaus Advanced Hebrew

22:00 pm Library Committee2:30 pm Life Stories

39:00 am BENS Parent Café4:00 pm Kadima7:00 pm Hannah Arendt Reading Group7:15 pm Ritual Committee Meeting

44:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew7:00 pm Chorus Rehearsal

5 4:00 pm Kadima7:00 pm Israel Committee

610:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening ServiceMidrasha Retreat at Camp Newman, November 6–8

78:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:15 am Shabbat Service: Ella Langenthal Bat Mitzvah12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

8No Midrasha11:30 am Yitzhak Rabin 20th Yahrzeit: His Life, Death and Legacy (offsite: Magnes)3:00 pm Lehrhaus Beginning Hebrew4:35 pm Lehrhaus Intermediate Hebrew6:05 pm Lehrhaus Advanced Hebrew

92:00 pm Library Committee

104:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm Men’s Group7:00 pm Early Childhood Education Committee Meeting7:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting7:30 pm Beth El Young Adults Community Visioning Event

11Veteran’s Day BENS closed – Teacher In-service4:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew 7:00 pm Chorus Rehearsal7:00 pm Life Stories

1212:00 pm Lunch and Learn4:00 pm Kadima 8:00 pm Rosh Chodesh Group

1310:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group5:00 pm Shabbat YAFE5:00 pm Tot Shabbat5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Dinner5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening Service

148:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:00 am Chug Mishpacha10:15 am Shabbat Service: Lily Marylander Bat Mitzvah12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

159:30 am Midrasha9:30 am Roots and Branches2:00 pm Homeless Meal Medical Clinic3:00 pm Lehrhaus Beginning Hebrew4:00 pm HIAS: Community Briefing About the Current Refugee Crisis (offsite: Temple Sinai)4:35 pm Lehrhaus Intermediate Hebrew5:00 pm Homeless Meal6:05 pm Lehrhaus Advanced Hebrew

162:00 pm Library Committee2:30 pm Life Stories

17 4:00 pm Kadima 5:00 pm Summer Camp Informational Evening7:00 pm Board of Directors Meeting7:00 pm Men’s Group

1812:00 pm PopUp Exhibition - Rabbi Yoel Kahn on External and Internal Censorship in Jewish Prayer (offsite: Magnes) 4:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew7:00 pm Chorus Rehearsal

194:00 pm Kadima 5:45 pm Kadima All School T’fillah7:00 pm People of the Book7:30 pm New Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class Orientation

209:00 am BENS Family Thanksgiving Celebration10:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening Service

218:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:00 am Chug Mishpacha10:15 am Shabbat Service: Daniel Sarid Bar Mitzvah12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group3:00 pm B’nei Mitzvah Family Havdalah Program6:00 pm Chanukah Bazaar Movie Night and Pizza Party

229:30 am Midrasha11:00 am Chanukah Bazaar3:00 pm Lehrhaus Beginning Hebrew4:35 pm Lehrhaus Intermediate Hebrew6:05 pm Lehrhaus Advanced Hebrew


24No Kadima6:30 pm Berkeley Interfaith Thanksgiving Service (offsite: Northbrae Community Church)

25 BENS closed for Thanksgiving

break7:00 pm Life Stories

26ThanksgivingBENS and office closedNo Kadima

27BENS and office closed5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 pm Shabbat Evening

Service

28No Chug Mishpacha9:00 am Shabbat B’Yachad12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

29No Midrasha

30 2:00 pm Library Committee


CALENDAR

DECEMBER 2015 · KISLEV-TEVET 5776

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

14:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm Hannah Arendt Reading Group7:15 pm Ritual Committee Meeting7:30 pm Program Council

24:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew7:00 pm Chorus Dress Rehearsal

34:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm Points of Light: Presentation by Judy Gussman and Seema Dajani

410:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group5:00 pm Talmud Study5:30 pm 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner6:15 pm 10th Anniversary Celebration Shabbat Evening Service

58:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:00 am Chug Mishpacha10:15 am Shabbat Service: Family Learning Service12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group5:00 pm BENS Alumni Havdalah Art Experience and Dinner

6Chanukah – First Candle9:30 am Midrasha9:30 am Roots and Branches3:00 pm Lehrhaus Beginning Hebrew4:35 pm Lehrhaus Intermediate Hebrew6:05 pm Lehrhaus Advanced Hebrew

7Chanukah – Second Candle2:00 pm Library Committee2:30 pm Life Stories

8Chanukah – Third Candle4:00 pm Kadima 7:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting

9Chanukah – Fourth Candle4:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew7:00 pm Chorus Rehearsal7:00 pm Life Stories

10Chanukah – Fifth Candle12:00 pm Lunch and Learn4:00 pm Kadima 5:45 pm Kadima Chanukiah Lighting

11Chanukah – Sixth Candle10:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group12:30 pm BENS All School Shabbat5:00 pm Talmud Study5:00 pm Latkefest & Shabbat YAFE5:00 pm Tot Shabbat5:30 pm Shabbat YAFE Dinner6:15 pm Shabbat Evening Service

12Chanukah – Seventh Candle8:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:00 am Chug Mishpacha10:15 am Shabbat Service12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group6:00 pm Limos and Latkes / Sababa

13Chanukah – Eighth Candle 9:30 am Midrasha9:30 am Roots and Branches


154:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm Board of Directors Meeting7:00 pm Rabbi Tamara Eskenazi, PhD: “Armed with Scripture: Qur’an and Torah as Weapons in the War of Ideas”7:00 pm Men’s Group

16BENS Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences4:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew7:00 pm Chorus Rehearsal

174:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm People of the Book8:00 pm Rosh Chodesh Group

1810:30 am Infant/Toddler/Parent Group5:00 pm Talmud Study6:00 pm Camp Kee Tov Reunion Shabbat6:15 pm Yismechu Shabbat Evening Service

19No Chug Mishpacha8:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:15 am Shabbat Service12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

20No Midrasha2:00 pm Homeless Meal Medical Clinic5:00 pm Homeless Meal

21 BENS Closed for Winter Break (12/21 – 1/3)2:00 pm Library Committee2:30 pm Life Stories

22No Kadima

237:30 pm Life Stories

24No Kadima

25Office closed5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening Service

26No Chug Mishpacha9:00 am Shabbat B’Yachad

27No Midrasha


29BENS Winter Camp, Day 1No Kadima

30BENS Winter Camp, Day 2

31BENS Winter Camp, Day 3No Kadima

1Office closed5:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening Service

2No Chug Mishpacha8:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study10:15 am Shabbat Service: Ariel Zeiler-Abarbanel Bar Mitzvah 12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

3No Midrasha4:00 pm Sababa at Cal Basketball Game

4BENS resumes2:00 pm Library Committee2:30 pm Life Stories

5Kadima resumes7:00 pm Hannah Arendt Reading Group

64:30 pm Parent/Child Hebrew

74:00 pm Kadima 7:00 pm Israel Committee

85:00 pm Talmud Study6:15 Shabbat Evening Service

98:30 am Early Minyan9:15 am Torah Study9:30 am Chug Mispacha10:15 am Shabbat Service12:15 pm Jewish Stories Proust Reading Group

JANUARYCONGREGATION BETH EL · BETHELBERKELEY.ORG · 23

CONGREGATION BETH EL1301 Oxford StreetBerkeley, CA 94709–1424

Nonprofit OrgUS Postage

PaidBerkeley CAPermit #207

WE’VE OFTEN HEARD THE EXPRESSION “TIMING IS EVERYTHING” and so we have scheduled the annual Chanukah Bazaar for Sunday, November 22—the week before Thanksgiving weekend—because so many of our volunteers and customers travel for this feast day. The first night of Chanukah falls on December 6, which leaves plenty of time to get ready for the holiday if you shop at our bazaar!

Like most retail business, the Beth El Gift Shop relies on the year’s fourth quarter sales to fulfill its annual projections. Since our mission is to support the synagogue, we are counting on your shopping loyalty for this holiday season. Please come and support Beth El. The bazaar provides the whole range of Chanukah merchandise, displayed in a comfortable setting. For your convenience, we have extended the hours of the bazaar from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm. As usual, we will have a preview sale the night before during a short break at the Israel Committee’s Movie Night event in the Beit Midrash.

You will find charming chanukiot (menorahs), beautiful candles, long-spinning dreidels, delicious chocolate gelt and heirloom-quality ritual objects as well as secular gifts appropriate for all ages. We stock a ready supply of hostess and teacher gifts too, so come buy a little slice of our culture to spread around for the holidays! We carry:

• Brain teasing games and puzzles• Greeting cards and gift paper• Mezzuzah cases and kosher klaffim (parchments)• Antique Roman glass necklaces and earrings from a kibbutz, and• Dazzling, fabulous jewelry by famous Israeli designers such as Ayala Bar, Michal

Golan and NetaSome of our fair trade items include coin purses, bracelets and adorable hand-

crocheted stuffed animals that would delight any child, all reasonably priced. Other “gifty” items include elegant designer scarves and face and body products from AHAVA care from the Dead Sea.

So, mark your calendars for November 22, bring your family and friends, and enjoy a latke lunch, gourmet coffee and cookies. We’re preparing extra latkes this year, so bring a friend!

Odette and [email protected]

Inside this issue

Thanks-Giving: A Jewish Valuepage 2

Scholar-in-Residence Shabbatpage 13

Ruth Simon’s High Holy Day Appealpage 19

PH OTO BY B ILL Z A RCH Y

FROM THE GIFT SHOP

the builder, issue 151 november/december 2015

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