The Shofar Vol. 90 Issue 6 (Published Monthly)

Congregation B’nai Israel: A Traditional Conservative Synagogue 45 Twombly Ave., Staten Island, NY 10306 Tel: (718) 987-8188 Fax: (718) 987-7870

Rabbi Pinchas Pearl 718-769-1454 , 718-564-5518, lamdan453@gmail.com

Email: Office@sicbi.com, web site: sicbi.com., Facebook: Congregation B’nai Israel, NY

Preschool and UPK 718-987-6200, cbiacademy123@gmail.com

J

June 2018

בס''ד

June 2018 The SHOFAR 1

Other dates to keep in mind June 3 - Sun. Barbeque and movie, “The Pianist,” 5 p.m. June 5 - Tues. Ritual committee, 8 p.m. June 10 - Sun. Rabbi’s study session, 10 a.m. June 19 -Tues. Finance Committee, 7:15 p.m. Board of Trustees, 8 p.m. June 24 - Sun. Rabbi’s study session, 10 a.m. All Rabbi’s study sessions are preceded by services at 9:15 a.m. and a light breakfast

President’s letter

Although June is neither the end of the secular nor the religious year, it nevertheless does mark an end. For parents with school-age chil-dren, it is the end of a school year, when the children have different activities. For many of us, it is vacation time, with plans for various re-laxing activities, such as camping, travel, quiet times at home, etc. Here at C.B.I, however, there is no res-pite. The Rabbi’s study sessions on Saturday Continued on page 2

Fri. June 1/Sivan 18 Light candles, 8:03 p.m.

Services, 8 p.m.

Sat. June 2/Sivan 19 Rabbi’s class, 8:40 a.m.

Services, 9:20 a.m.

Fri. June 8/Sivan 25 Light candles, 8:07 p.m.

Services, 8 p.m.

Sat. June 9/Sivan 26 Rabbi’s class. 8:40 a.m.

Services, 9:20 a.m.

Fri. June 15/Tammuz 2 Light candles, 8:11 p.m.

Services, 8 p.m.

Sat. June 16/Tammuz 3 Rabbi’s class, 8:40 a.m.

Services, 9:20 a.m.

Fri. June 22/Tammuz 9 Light candles, 8:12 p.m.

Services, 8 p.m.

Sat. June 23/Tammuz 10 Rabbi’s class, 8:40 a.m.

Services, 9:20 a.m.

Fri. June 29/Tammuz 16 Light candles, 8:13 p.m.

Services, 8 p.m. Guest speaker: see p. 2

Sat. June 30/Tammuz 17 Rabbi’s class, 8:40 a.m.

Services, 9:20 a.m.

From the

Desk of

Rabbi Pearl

The big news in the Jewish world, and throughout the world, was last month’s official opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. The opening of the embassy evoked widespread admiration among Jews, affirma-tion by Christian evangelical supporters, and violent and deadly reaction in the form of rioting along the Ga-za border, by Palestinians opposed to the move. The decision to open the Jerusalem embassy by President Trump has been very controversial. The violence by the Palestinians is as expected as it is un-necessary and futile. Under the pretense of “non-violent protest” the efforts to penetrate the security fence along the Gaza border, the stoning of Israeli sol-diers, and the placing of young Palestinians in mortal danger by inciting them to riot with full knowledge that Israeli soldiers will respond with gunfire is immoral, wasteful, and another clear example of Palestinian leadership’s disregard for human life. Of course, the international reaction has been equally disappointing. For European countries that for generations have never wavered in their refusals to return captured territories won in war to condemn Isra-el for desiring her capital to be placed in the holiest site of the country is blatant hypocrisy. The emotional benefits of this move are enor-mous. The affirmation of the Jewish bond to Jerusa-lem, denied and derided by the Arab world, is invalua-ble. “From Zion will come Torah, and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem” , “Spread the canopy of peace over us, over all your people Israel, and over Jerusalem”, “Rebuild in your mercy Jerusalem”, are but a few ex-amples of the emotional tie expressed in prayer to Je-rusalem. With this action by the U.S., our country has made the same expression. May it always be so, and may it never waver. Shalom.. Pinchas N. Pearl Rabbi

June 2018

OFFICERS OF CONGREGATION B’NAI ISRAEL RABBI Pinchas N. Pearl Chairman of the Board of Trustees Martin Eisenberg President Charles Greinsky Executive Vice President Barry Kashubo First VP Roger Lader Second VP Martin Eisenberg Third VP Kevin Brosnick Treasurer VACANT Financial Secretary Susan Finkelstein Recording Secretary Rita Eisenberrg Sisterhood Presidents Zoya Khalfin Sandy Levy Editor Norman A. Kanter —————————————————–———————————

There are several ways you can remember a loved one or commemorate a special occasion. Here are some ideas: Call the Synagogue office (718) 987-8188: to schedule a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Baby Naming to dedicate a Chumash ($75) or Siddur ($36) to sponsor an Oneg or Kiddush to make a donation to the Hebrew School to reserve a date for a special function to dedicate a leaf on our Tree of Life to plant a Tree in Israel Call Dr. Selman Berger (718) 948-5447 for infor- mation about our cemetery plots Call Scott Diamond (917) 674-3317 for information about a Memorial Plaque ________________________________________________ President’s message continued mornings continue, as does our Book Club, which is reading “The Golem and the Jinni” by Helene Weck-er. Attending these session can be very worthwhile, not to mention entertaining. The discussions are live-ly, and everyone is given a chance to participate. So come down and attend a session. As the old Alka-Seltzer commercial put it, “Try it, you’ll like it.” This is not to say that the business part of C.B.I. comes to an end either. It most certainly does not! We are preparing for the holidays, which come early in September this year. As an aside, it is not too early to make sure you have your Holiday seats re-served. Furthermore, there are always things needed for our physical structure, which is 50 years old this year. I know that I have spoken of this before, but we have too few people doing too much work. Some of us, quite frankly, myself included, are coming to the point where it may not be possible to continue. Before this happens, however, we look to you, the members of our Congregation, to step forward and lend a hand. Over the last few months, I have singled out individuals who have stepped forward and did what had to be done. This month, I would like to commend Sandy Levy. Unfortunately, the current co-president of the Sisterhood has family issues that have precluded her from taking as active a role as she would have liked. Sandy has stepped into the breach, organizing

meetings and activities. Thank you, Sandy, for a job well done. Yours in fellowship,

Charles Greinsky President

Special offer from the JCC

The Jewish Community Center of Staten Island is offering a substantial discount in their Platinum mem-bership fees to our congregants who have never been, and are not now, current JCC Platinum mem-bers. The enrollment fee will be waived (a savings of $119 - $199) and the membership fee will be reduced by 25% if it is paid in full for the first year. The JCC offers a number of activities that are of interest. Thus, this is an offer that should be seriously considered/

In addition, JCC members who want to join C.B.I. for the first time will receive a 25% discount on their membership. This is a great opportunity for you to suggest to your friends who are members of the JCC that they come down to our services and enjoy the warm atmosphere that pervades them.

Guest speaker on June 29 The honorable David Frey will be the guest speaker at Friday night services, June 29. He will discuss his experiences as an Assistant DA in the Staten Island District Attorney’s office and as a judge. David and his family were members of C.B.I. for a number of years. His parents, Alice, a former Sisterhood president, and Steven, a for-mer Chairman of the Board, recently rejoined our congregation. We urge everyone to come out and listen to “one of our own.”

Inspirational Shavuot services Our holiday services are invariably filled with a high degree of religious spirit, but the recent holiday of Shavuot was exceptional. The congregation was treated to a perfor-mance by the Hebrew School, which featured two different recitations of the Ten Commandments, which this holiday commemorates. All the chil-dren did their parts perfectly. The result made the holiday more meaningful for everybody.. Our thanks to all the children who came and delighted everyone, and to our Hebrew School Coordinator, Lillian Brosnick, who orga-nized this event.. If that was not enough, the Congregation was treated to a delicious hot kiddush following each morning service, thanks to Rabbi Pearl, who obtained a generous donation to fund these meals.

June 2018 The SHOFAR 2

June 2018 The SHOFAR 3

Seats Assigned (For office use)____________________________________

CONGREGATION B'NAI ISRAEL 45 TWOMBLY AVENUE

S.I. NY 10306 HIGH HOLY HOLIDAYS RESERVATION FORM

NAME________________________________________________ ADDRESS_______________________________ZIP CODE______ TELEPHONE NUMBER____________________EMAIL_____________

GUESTS OF FAMILY (list additional names and addresses on back) NAME________________________________________________

ADDRESS_____________________________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER___________________ EMAIL_______________ FAMILY MEMBERS (MAXIMUM 2)________________ _____ $ 100 EACH_______ PARENTS OF MEMBERS_______________________________ $ 100 EACH_______ ADULT CHILDREN OF MEMBERS (Out of college)__________$ 100 EACH_______ CHILDREN OF MEMBERS___________________________ $ 36 EACH_______ NON-MEMBERS___________________________________ $ 200 EACH_______ NON-MEMBER CHILDREN (17 or younger)_____________ $ 72 EACH_______ SUBTOTAL__________ $_________________ WE DO NOT SUPPLY PRAYER BOOKS. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR OWN HIGH HOLIDAY PRAYER BOOK ___ @ $36 each ________ MEMORIAL PLAQUES ARE AVAILABLE AT $360 EACH ($540 for nonmembers). TREE OF LIFE LEAVES ARE $72 EACH. TO ORDER, PLEASE SEND IN SEPARATE SHEET HIGH HOLIDAY PLEDGES: Rosh HaShanah______________________________________ Kol Nidre___________________________________________

SUMMARY OF CHARGES DUES__________________________________________ $________________ SCHOOL_______________________________________ $________________ TICKETS_______________________________________ $_________________ MEMORIAL PLAQUES___________________________ $_________________ TREE OF LIFE___________________________________ $_________________ PRAYER BOOKS_________________________________ $_________________ PLEDGES_______________________________________ $________________ TOTAL__________________________________________ $_________________ Credit card: American Express______ Discover______ Master Card_____ Visa___ Credit card number Expiration date Name on card Signature email

To include names for Golden Book, check here_____ and send in separate sheet

June 2018 The SHOFAR 4

Thank you for your contribution Contributions received after May 15 will be acknowl-

edged in the July issue. Contributions with no pecific designation are for the general use of the

synagogue. Al and Sophia Cohen in memory of Edith Cohen Vlad Cohen Mark and Ana Cramer in memory of Ben Cramer Joel and Rae Ganzman in memory of Anna Ganzman Stuart and Marilyn Goldstein in memory of Morris Goldstein Barbara and Norman Kanter for yizkor Laurie and David Raps for tzedakah Eugene and Roberta Sapolsky Diane and Harris Schwartz in memory of Valerie Levy Rita Shapiro in memory of her father, Misha Norman Smith in memory of Sidney Smith Doris Wasser in memory of Valerie Levy

News about our members

Mazal tov to Brenda Ness-Cooper and Marvin Cooper on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Noah Sacher, and to Rita and Martin Eisenberg on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Harrison Mischel. We wish speedy recoveries to Dr. Selman Berger ,Ana Cramer and Clyde Braunstein, brother of Janice Rappaport . Best wishes to our three new college gradu-ates, Erica Abidor, Zachary Diamond and Gary Lei. Congratulations, also to Erica’s parents, Milla and Joel Abidor, Zachary’s parents, Dr. Linda and Scott Diamond and to Gary’s mother, Dr. Heli Apelbaum and his step-father, Dr. Menachem Heller.. Do you have any news about your family that you would like to share? This can be a graduation, engagement, wedding, a new grandchild, or any oth-er event. We would very much like to share it with the rest of the Congregation. To have it mentioned in the Shofar, just send it to Norman A. Kanter, bnkanter@verizon.net or call or fax him at (718) 351-9150.

Sisterhood News You can still make reservations for the barbecue on June 3 by calling the office. In addition, arrangements for the open house on August 26 have been set. Sisterhood will do the silver polishing. They will serve a light breakfast to all who come to help.. In addition, Sisterhood is considering a num-ber of ideas for future fund raisers. They include go-ing to the Little Victory Theater and the Wagner Col-lege Theater. Both ideas will be explored. We also discussed continuing our annual Karaoke night and Bingo. Plans were discussed for the 50

th anniversary

of our building, which will take place in the spring of 2019. Rabbi Pearl will look into getting someone to

check our Torahs and get a price for any repairs needed. Sisterhood will contribute to defray the cost of these repairs. The shopping during June for the Onegs and Kiddushes will be done by Alice Frey, Susan Finkel-stein, Bette Goldstein, Laurie and David Raps, Bar-bara Kanter, Sandy Levy, Janice Rappaport, and Barbara Smith. We are grateful to all of them. Our next meeting will be on June 20 at 6:45 followed by fun night.

Laurie Raps

Take me out to the ball game Our annual excursion to see the Staten Island Yankees will be on Sunday, September 2. Details are on page 7. Thanks to Laurie Raps for all her hard work in making the arrangements

It’s that time again! The High Holidays will begin on the evening of Sept. 9, so it is not too early to make your arrange-ments. It is important for everyone to attend services to start off the year on the right spiritual note. Help will be needed Sunday August 26 to set up the chairs. Silver polishing, ticket sales and He-brew School registration will take place at the same time. The form for seats is on page 3. Note that if you want a name read from the Golden Book that has to be indicated on the form. You can also send greetings to your fellow congregants by taking an ad in our Memorial booklet. This is also a convenient way to have a notice remembering your loved ones. New this year is the availability of the inside front and back covers. See page 5 for details and the order form. For further information, please contact the of-fice.

Book discussion As Charlie’s letter notes, we are reading “The Golem and the Jinni.“ We will discuss that book on June 10. It is a “different” story, and there are likely to be very diverse opinions about it. It is not too late to get a copy so that you can participate. The session starts at 10 a.m. with a light breakfast served. Preceding the session, there will be a tallis and tefillin service, starting a 9:15 a.m. for which we would appreciate a minyan. So please come.

Remember! Shabbat is the most important part of the week. Please observe it properly by attend-ing services Friday night or Saturday morning,

or, even better, both services. While you are at it, bring a friend.

Congregation B’nai Israel 45 Twombly Ave.

SI NY 10306 (718) 987-8188, office@sicbi.com

MEMORIAL BOOKLET ORDEER FORM

Please send your announcements no later than August 16, 2018. Rosh Hashanah starts the evening of Sunday, September 9, 2018.

Rosh Hashanah Greetings

In Memorium

Cost per ad Inside front or back cover $108________ Full page @72_____________________ ½ page @50______________________ 1/3 page @36_____________________ Name only 18____________________ Your name: Telephone number: Email: Amount of check enclosed $ Credit card: American Express___ Discover____ Master Card____Visa____ Credit card number: Expiration date

June 2018 The SHOFAR 5

Yahrzeits This Month Yahrzeits start on the evening before the date

given. For additions or corrections to this list, please contact Scott Diamond at (917) 674-3317, or

slzdiamond@hotmail.com If you need to say kaddish for a yahrzeit, please call the office two weeks before, and we will try to ar-range a minyan. It would be helpful to bring a few family members and friends to the service to make sure of a minyan as it is not always possible to ar-range one from our congregants. Many congregants come to services Friday night to say kaddish.

June 2/Sivan 19 Marvin Armband, brother of Ronald Armband

June 4/Sivan 21 Joseph Abramowitz, father of Bernard Abramowitz

Joseph Grossman, father of Karen Saks Raisa Krasner, sister of Klavdiya Boginsky Allen Perner, relative of Shelly Harwayne

June 6/Sivan 23 Anna Wolf, grandmother of Naomi Kirsch

June 7/Sivan 24 Raisa Vernovskaya, mother-in-law of Barry Miltz

June 9/Sivan 26 Leonard Brosnick, husband of Lillian Brosnick and

father of Kevin Brosnick June 10/Sivan 27

Lucille Rosenbach, mother of Janet Rosen June 13/Sivan 30

Jacob Davis, grandfather of Dr. H. Davis Gertrude Gordon, mother of Gary Gordon

June 14/Tammuz 1 Gertrude Berger, mother of Dr. Selman Berger

June 15/Tammuz 2 Evelyn Gruschka, mother-in-law of Norman Smith

Jennie Poris, mother of Steven Poris June 16/Tammuz 3

Charles Landwehr, father of Eleanor Dovdovany Mendel Mayzlin, husband of Mira Mayzlin

June 19/Tammuz 6

Hyman Hoffnung, grandfather of Diane Schwartz Benjamin Kalifowitz, grandfather of Eileen Cooper

June 20/Tammuz 7 Joseph Levine, father of Norman Levine

.June 21/Tammuz 8 Miriam Cooper, mother of Marvin Cooper

June 22/Tammuz 9 Lev Shoikhetbrod, father-in-law of Gretta Kovler

June 23/Tammuz 10 Heinz Moddel, father of Susan Finkelstein

Herb Sohn, father of Rita Eisenberg June 25/Tammuz 12

Kenneth Zolotsky father of Traci Frey June 26/Tammuz 13

Maizie Klug, relative of the Mayle family June 27/Tammuz 14

Gertrude Springer, mother of Sandy Levy June 28/Tammuz 15

Zelda Cramer, mother of Mark Cramer George Eisenberg, father of Martin Eisenberg

June 29/Tammuz 16 Manya Gitelman, mother of Mikhail Giltelman

June 30/Tammuz 17 Morris Finkelstein, father of Richard Finkelstein and

Gail Kashubo Harry Goldstein, father of Dr. Steven Goldstein

Edith Levy, mother-in-law of Sandy Levy and grand-mother of Michelle Brosnick

Harry Nathanson, father of Leonard Nathanson Harvey Phillips, husband of Lillian Phillips

Preschool News

As we approach the end of this school year, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support you have given us. It is wonderful to end the year on the high note of being assessed by the NYCDOE as above average in several areas. We are also delighted that we have filled all of the availa-ble seats in our PKA program for September 2018. Summer registration as well as registration for The Two and Three Year Old Class continues. We hope you have a wonderful summer!

June 2018 The SHOFAR 6

June 2018 The SHOFAR 7

Congregation B’nai Israel’s Afternoon with

the Staten Island Yankees vs. Brooklyn Cyclones Sunday, September 2, at 1:30 p.m.

Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace, SI NY 10301

Ticket & Kosher Meal Deal To Purchase tickets

. $25 for adults (over 13) Mail order form to:

(includes $10 meal voucher) Congregation B’nai Israel.

. $15 for ages 3-13 (includes Kosher Meal) 45 Twombly Avenue

. Free for children 2 and under Staten Island, NY 10306

C.B.I. name on park’s high definition board

For further information, call Susan at (718) 987-8188 or Laurie at (718) 967- 4975

______________________________________________________________________

Order Form (Reply by 7/31/18)

____ Tickets @ $25 ____Tickets @ $15 Total Ticket Amount $_______

Please make checks payable to: Congregation B’nai Israel

Name_______________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________

City_______________ State__________________ ZIP code___________

Phone_________________________ Cell phone_____________________

Credit card type (please circle one)

American Express Discover Mastercard Visa

Credit Card Number ______________________Expiration Date _________

June 2018 The SHOFAR 8