you are invited to attend a torah donation eremony ... · 9401 village green drive, shreveport, la...

CONGREGATION AGUDATH ACHIM February, 2019

Hazzan Neil Schwartz Spiritual Leader (612) 999-5060

David E. Ginsburg President (318) 469-8503 [email protected] Website: agudathshreveport.com

The Shul Shpiel

Shabbat Services: Friday Evening at 8:00 p.m., Saturday Morning at 10:00 a.m.

Shevat - Adar I 5779 FEBRUARY 2019

Congregation Agudath Achim Synagogue

9401 Village Green Drive, Shreveport, LA 71115

Phone: 318-797-6401

You Are Invited to Attend a Torah Donation Ceremony Saturday February 9th 2019

Agudath Achim Synagogue Occurring During Shabbat Services

10 AM – 12 Noon

Please Come to a Ceremony Commemorating the Donation of One of Our Beautiful Torahs to Congregation Bet Haverim,

Atlanta, whose members include the family of Bernice

and David Cohen, Daughter and Son-In-Law of

Aubrey and Joan Lurie

Please join us for a Deluxe Kiddush Luncheon sponsored by Men’s Club and Dr. Aubrey and Joan Lurie. Following the Kiddush lunch, Rabbi Josh Lesser will teach about “Four-Fold Song” of Rav Kook.


Over the weekend of January 18-20, we were visited by Rabbi Gary D. Kessler and his

wife, Ruth, who came to us from Queens, New York. Rabbi Kessler expertly led services

both Friday night and Saturday morning, davening our prayers with his strong

melodious voice, and spoke on several interesting topics – the meaning of Tu B’Shevat

and lessons learned from the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, offering important

insights. Rabbi Kessler also led a discussion Sunday on "The Song at the Red Sea

According to Two Midrashim” following our Men’s Club minyan breakfast, in which we

were pleased to have Rabbi Jana join us. Another highlight of the weekend: Harriet and

Rich Dechowitz hosted a “Havdalah and Hors D’oeuvres” reception at their lovely home

on Saturday evening. All four events were well-attended. Is this memorable weekend, in

which so many of our members participated, a harbinger of our future? Indeed, strong

rabbinical leadership is key to our future viability. Rabbi Kessler clearly offers us that.

Ruth, who is from Israel and is a Jewish educator, gives us an additional dimension that

can only deepen our Jewish experience at Agudath Achim. It is thus my hope that we

can go in this direction.

But what if we can’t? Other options for the future must be considered. One is to rely on

our lay leaders to lead Shabbat services, supplemented with periodic visits by itinerant

rabbis. Such a rabbi could lead our High Holiday services for example. A second is to

combine forces with the greater Jewish community of Shreveport-Bossier. We have

considerable resources, both in terms of a dedicated, core group of congregants and of

material assets, that could be brought into any vision of our future. While this option

may strike some as giving up, I can foresee an arrangement that would allow us to

continue our Conservative worship services and other traditions.

This is an important decision that we as a congregation must soon make. On behalf of

the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors, I ask that you contribute to this

conversation.

David S. Gross

Vice President

Executive Board Message


Hazzan’s Notes

World Religion Day

Shreveport has wonderful opportunities for culture and education, but not a huge number of venues where both of these combine with religion. Many churches have Adult Education programs, and I have been privileged to speak about both Judaism and Jewish music in several of these churches.

There are two times each year when Shreveport's religious communities gather to share food, music, educational displays, and non-denominational prayers, which are truly wonderful. The Jewish community participates fully in both of these Interfaith activities.

One is called "Taste of Interfaith", and it is literally just that: many religious groups bring a "culture-specific" dish of warm or cold food for a long buffet table, and part of this event is the opportunity to taste a variety of foods in one eclectic meal. While people are eating, there is music presented by many different religious groups, and even a Karate demonstration from Oriental spirituality.

The other is called World Religion Day, which happened this year at the end of January. This has a slightly different format, whereby each religious group among the nearly 20 represented places books, pamphlets, poster-boards, and ritual items from their faith on their table as an educational display. Many faiths also bring small food treats, and in another part of the host church, there are musical presentations and three panel discussions on religious topics.

For the last two years, one of the panels has been youth leaders from vari-ous religions, and we have been well-represented by a teenager who is finishing high school this year. Rabbi Jana and I usually participate on the other two panels, and these discussions range from general issues of morality, to the treatment of refugees, to dealing with religious doubts.

Our "Jewish display" contains two tall tri-fold poster-boards of written infor-mation, many ritual items such as a Passover Seder Plate and a Hanukkah "Hanukkiah" (Hebrew word for the Hanukkah Menorah), Shabbat and Havdalah candles, a Mezuzah and Kipot. We also have treats; this year our Federation Director brought Hamentashen, Star cookies, and Challah. I brought the Shofar that I used for the Opening Prayer, and an old Lulav (palm frond).

In future years, please consider attending these two events, and helping to staff the "Jewish table" at World Religion Day. Each year it is a wonderful afternoon of answering questions about Judaism, and showing many of the ways that we worship throughout the cycle of a year.

Hazzan Neil Schwartz


Social Media Requests

Although Cantor’s contract will not expire until next

year, the search is lengthy. Tell your out-of -town

friends and relatives in the event they might know of

someone wanting to relocate to a warmer climate.

Did Jew know?

That we have a Valentine’s Day? Well, not exactly…

It’s the Day of Love!

It’s Tu B’Av, originally a post-biblical day of joy, it served as a match-

making day for unmarried women in the Second Temple period (before the

fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.).

It should be noted that Tu B’Av, like several Jewish holidays

(Passover, Sukkot, Tu B’Shevat) begins on the night between the 14th and

15th day of the Hebrew month, since this is the night of a full moon in our

lunar calendar. Linking the night of a full moon with romance, love, and

fertility is not uncommon in ancient cultures.

In modern day Israel, it is celebrated as a holiday of love, similar to

Valentine’s Day. It has been said to be a great day for weddings.

And that famous Dead Sea cosmetics company, Ahava, means love.

Sources: myjewishlearning.com and hebcal.com


Please join us on Wednesday,

February 20th at 7:00 pm

Topic: “The Scandal of Purim”

Family Service

Friday, February 22nd

at 8:00 pm

(New Time)

With story and songs

Board Meeting

Sisterhood

Adult Education

Sisterhood Dues for 5779, 2018-19

of $36.00 are due.

Please send your check to Sara Zweig or drop

off at the synagogue office Monday - Friday,

9am-2pm.

Also, save and drop off your labels for Educa-

tion, Box Tops for St. Judes.

Thank you for your donations of toiletries

which are now being donated to Project Cele-

bration , Inc. which provides shelter and ser-

vices for domestic violence survivors .

AA Board Meeting

Monday,

February 18th

7:00 pm


Birthdays in February

The Rubenstein Gift Shop

Jewish Film Festival Series

Daniel Lachman Feb. 3

Patricia Anne Parker Feb. 4

Wendi Marrus Feb. 4

Tammy Willson Feb. 6

Bernard Lobel Feb. 10

Les Alan Lobel Feb. 11

Eliza Campbell Feb. 11

If there are any errors or omissions, please be

assured it was unintentional. Contact the office

with corrections and additions for Rakefet.

Our Gift Shop has some stunning new items including

mezzuzot, seder plates, havdalah candles, and tallit clips.

Please stop in to browse.

Alex Leblang Feb. 18

Barbara Joseph Feb. 19

Richard Dechowitz Feb. 27

Anne Kawaler Feb. 28

The Last Resort

6pm February 27th

Robinson Film Center

It’s a Beach Party!! This captures two photographers and the

vibrant community of Jewish retirees that focused their cameras

on the sunburned paradise of 1970s Miami Beach.

If you wear your Hawaiian shirt - you will receive a free popcorn!

Also, there will be a preshow beach blanket bingo for a chance to

win prizes.


Donations

In memory of: By:

Max Carroll Samuel & Ingrid Carroll

Irvin Levine Ike & Berte Muslow

Isaac Tebele Sara Tebele

Joey Tebele Sara Tebele

Rachel Bersin Ed Bersin

Mollie Gelfand Yetta Gilbert

Arnold Lincove Warren & Janice Epstein

1/2 Oneg Committee

8th Tammy & Paul Willson in honor of

Tammy’s Birthday

9th Men’s Club & Dr. Aubrey & Joan Lurie

15/16 Bernard & Dorothy Lobel

22/23 Carolyn Sheehan in memory of her parents,

Ann & Roy Roberts

February - Oneg Shabbat / Kiddush


YAHRZEITS It is the custom of Agudath Achim to commemorate the Yahrzeit

by reading the name the Sabbath before.

Week of Feb. 16 - Feb. 22

Week of Feb. 23 - March 1

Week of Jan. 26 - Feb. 1



Chana Fehier Lurie

Rachel H. Groner

Victor Kolanko

Nathan Levine

Jake Cullick

Mollie Gelfand

Goldie Sternberg

Joey Tebele

Rebeca Murov

Darlene Swift

Barry Provisor

Frieda Wilenzick

Ray M. Gilbert

Sadie Katz

Sara L Levinson

Jasck Cole

Sol Abramson

Rosabel L. Shavin

Ann Gamze

David Goodman

Roy Robertson

If there are any omissions

or errors in the list above,

please be assured it was

unintentional. You may

notify the office with any

corrections.

Ernest Braun

Sarah Greenberg

Rachel Bersin

Helen Arnold

Louis Feldman

Abie Werth

Enrico De Benedetti

Fannie Rubenstein

Janice G. Gross

Janice Hyman

Irving Lippton

Louis Schorr

Max Kutcher

Bernard Rosenfeld

Mary Yellen

Isaac Tebele

Mollie Chapman

Franca De Benedetti

Patricia Siegel

Mamie Lustberg

Daniel Dechowitz


February 2019

Shevat - Adar 1 5779

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

26 shevat 1

8:00 pm

Service

27 shevat 2

Mishpatim

10:00am

Services

28 shevat 3 29 shevat 4 30 shevat 5 1 adar 1 6 2 adar 1 7 3 adar 1 8

8:00 pm

Service

4 adar 1 9

Terumah

10:00am

Services &

Torah Donation

5 adar 1 10 6 adar 1 11 7 adar 1 12 8 adar 1 13 9 adar 1 14 10 adar 1 15

8:00 pm

Service

11 adar 1 16

Tetzaveh

10:00am

Services

12 adar 1 17 13 adar 1 18

7:00pm

AA Board

Meeting

14 adar 1 19 15 adar 1 20

7:00 pm

Adult

Education

16 adar 1 21 17 adar 1 22

8:00 pm

Family

Service

18 adar 1 23

Ki Tisa

10:00am

Services

19 adar 1 24 20 adar 1 25 21 adar 1 26 22 adar 1 27

Jewish Film

Series

6:00 pm

23 adar 1 28 24 adar 1 1

8:00 pm

Service

25 adar 1 2

Vayakhel

10:00am

Services

SHABBAT

SHEKALIM

5:48pm

5:54pm

5:42pm

5:36pm

5:30pm

you are invited to attend a torah donation eremony ... · 9401 village green drive, shreveport, la...

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