SINAI NEWSA quarterly publication Issue 22, Volume 1 August, September, October 2015 • Av 5775-Cheshvan 5776 In this issue Presidents Message Here I am again. President. Some 20+ years after I did it before. Am I crazy? Is this a good idea? Why, you ask would I be willing to do it again? For me the answer was easy and clear. I saw Sinai at a turning point. With Rabbi Cohen at my side I was willing to take the job again, to take us to the next step in our maturation. Sinai is my Jewish home. I hope most of you feel the same way. And, because it’s our home, we need to support it to the best of our ability from a financial point of view and from a volunteering point of view. As we do these things, we will continue to make it the place we want to grow and live our Jewish lives. As I embarked upon this new role (again) as President, it seemed to me that changes were imperative to ensuring the future of our Jewish home: Step One was to change our fair share dues commitment structure to a voluntary pledge program. As a result of this change, many of our families were incredibly generous and increased their annual pledge. Others told us of hardship their families are currently going through and told us that they needed to pay less. Being a part of our family, we are happy to understand each family’s needs and welcome them. We had a congregant tell us that they are snow birds for the winter and belonged to another congregation for half of the year. Generously, they kept their Sinai pledge the same. Our bottom line is that everyone's story is unique and everyone's contribution is meaningful and important to us. Thank you, thank you! Step Two is to listen to you so that we can best meet the Jewish needs of our Sinai family as a whole. To that end, we held some listening sessions this past spring. To those that attended we learned a lot. To those who did not attend I am available to listen to you. Our entire Board of Trustees is also available to listen. Please call or email any one of us. Step Three has not yet been written. Helping me this year I have an incredible group of Officers, Trustees and of course our professional staff. I am confident and excited how "our" Sinai family is going to grow and flourish. Let's write this next step and our future together. Chip Mann
[email protected] 262-238-1535 Outdoor Shabbat Continues Thru September at Sinai! Outdoor Shabbat Services continue thru September 25th at 6:00 pm. Join us for Kabbalat Shabbat at 5:30 pm for wine & cheese. Friday, September 18 Shabbat Shuva Services will be held lakeside at the home of Moshe and Deb Katz. See page 6 of the HHD section for more details. Shabbat/Holiday Schedule 2 Reflections, Sinai @ 60 3 Sinai @ 60 Honors 4 Create a Jewish Legacy 5 Sinai Engagement 6 Lifelong Jewish Learning 7-11 What’s Happening 12-16 Women of Sinai, B’rit Nashim 17 Brotherhood 18 Social Action Committee 19-21 Chesed 22 “Scene” at Sinai 23 Library News 24 Supporting Sinai 25 Calendars 26-28 In the Sinai Family 29-30 Contributions 30-32 Those We Remember 33 Rabbi David B. Cohen • Cantor Lauren Phillips • Rabbi Emeritus Jay R. Brickman Director of Youth Education Barb Shimansky, MSW • Director of Administration Karen Lancina • Program Coordinator Jen Friedman Assistant to Rabbi and Cantor Karen Hintz• School Administrator Jeri Danz • Bookkeeper Ilene Wasserman • Sinai News Nicole Sether Congregation Sinai • 8223 N. Port Washington Road• Fox Point, WI 53217 414.352.2970• 414.352.0944 (fax)• www.congregationsinai.org August-October 2015 Page 2 August-October Shabbat & Holiday Service Schedule Shabbat Vaetchanan Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11 July 31 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm August 1 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Eikev Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25 August 7 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm August 8 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Ki Teitzei Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19 August 28 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Softball Shabbat 6 pm August 29 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Jordan Berger Bar Mitzvah 5 pm Shabbat Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8 September 4 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm September 5 Selichot September 5 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Dessert Reception 8 pm Selichot Study Session 8:30 pm Selichot Service 10 pm Shabbat Nitzavim Deuteronomy 29:9 - 30:20 September 11 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Shabbat Service 6 pm September 12 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Erev Rosh Hashanah September 13 Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 8 pm Rosh Hashanah September 14 Rosh Hashanah September 15 Yom Kippur September 24 Morning Service 9:30 am Young Children & Family Service, Tashlich & Shofar Blowing Contest 3 pm 2nd Day Service 9:30 am September 26 Kol Nidre Service 8 pm Morning Service 9:30 am Afternoon Study Session 12:30 pm Young Children & Family Service 2 pm Afternoon Service 3 pm Yizkor 4:30 pm N’ilah 5:30 pm Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Erev Sukkot September 27 Erev Sukkot Service 6:15 pm Sukkot September 28 Sukkot Morning Service 9:30 am Shabbat Vezot Haberakhah Deuteronomy 33:1 - 34:12 October 2 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm October 3 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Miranda Lile Bat Mitzvah 10 am Simchat Torah October 4 Erev Simchat Torah Service 6:15 pm October 5 Simchat Torah Morning Service w/Yizkor 9:30 am Shabbat Bereshit Genesis 1:1 - 6:8 October 9 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm October 10 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Ethan Schlesinger Bar Mitzvah 10 am Shabbat Noach Genesis 6:9 - 11:32 October 16 Green Shabbat Service 6:15 pm October 17 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Lech-Lecha Genesis 12:1 - 17:27 October 23 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm October 24 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Lauren Glusman Bat Mitzvah 10 am Shabbat Vayera Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 October 30 “Friday Night Lights” Family Shabbat: Unplugged Service 5:15 pm Congregational Dinner 6 pm Shabbat Service 7:30 pm October 31 Shabbat Vayeilech Deuteronomy 31:1 - 31:30 September 18 Shabbat Shuva Service 6 pm (off site) Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Ha’ Azinu Deuteronomy 32:1 - 32:52 September 25 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Shabbat Service 6 pm Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9 August 21 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm August 22 Erev Yom Kippur September 23 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Shabbat Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 August 14 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm August 15 September 19 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am August-October 2015 Page 3 Reflections Certainty Unlike its daughter religions, Christianity and Islam, Judaism viewed “certainty” with suspicion. The ordinary populace AM HAARETS was assumed to have small capacity for understanding. Those individuals who were closest to God, and who were recipients of revelation in visions and dreams, were the prophets. Of all of these, the one whose awareness of God’s word was most accurate, was Moses. The moment that Moses stood closest to God was atop Mt. Sinai when he was presented with the “Ten Words”. But even when the greatest prophet was afforded the greatest of revelations, Moses did not confront God “face to face”. The most perfect of men was only granted a vision of God’s back. Henry Slonimsky, beloved dean of my seminary, suggested that all that Moses saw was the knot of the Tephillin on the back of God’s head. Our contemporary world is threatened by the rivalry of contending visions of what is correct. The continued existence of the universe rests upon our capacity to devise compromise postures which prove partially satisfactory to each, and allow rival dominions to live side by side in relative tranquility. Rabbi Jay R. Brickman Sinai@60 Brick Campaign Dear Sinai, Thank you for your support of the Sinai@60 Brick Campaign. We surpassed our goal of 115 bricks donated, and the order has been submitted. We are hoping for a late August installation. The new meditation space will be dedicated sometime in early fall. A date will be set and announced in the future based on delivery and installation. The brick campaign will continue throughout the next year or until we have reached another 100 plus bricks on any order. (No shipping costs!). Remember, any time you would like to honor someone or commemorate a special event why not donate a brick?… Make your mark and support your Sinai community! Visit the website: www.congregationsinai.donationbricks.com Order forms in the lobby at Sinai. Questions? Email
[email protected] Shelly Seesel or Terry Jacobs
[email protected] Now is the time to Share Sinai! What is it that YOU love about Sinai? Warm, inclusive & musical worship? Engaging, interesting and challenging learning? Nights at the theatre, the ballpark or on the hiking trail with your Sinai community? Share what YOU love about Sinai with a friend! We are proud to offer you the opportunity to bring your friends and families into the amazing community that is Congregation Sinai. Know someone interested in checking us out? Please contact our Program Coordinator, Jen Friedman at (414) 352-2970 or
[email protected]. She’ll give you a token to share with your unaffiliated friends or family. Good for a one-year membership at Sinai.* Bring your friends & family into our congregational family! Share what you love! *Religious School fees not included August-October 2015 Page 4 Sinai@60 Honors... Save the Date! Celebrating Sinai at 60! L’Dor Va Dor - From Generation to Generation! Honoring Generations of Leadership at Congregation Sinai Saturday October 17, 2015 7:00 - 10:00 pm Dining, Honoring, Entertainment Dr. Jay Larkey and Lois Malawsky KETTER TIKKUN OLAM The Crown of Social Action Award In recognition of their lifelong passion and efforts in the areas of Social Action and Repairing the World Dr. Marvin and Marlene Lauwasser KETTER MALCHUT The Crown of Exemplary Leadership Award In recognition of their vison, commitment, and devotion to the Congregation Sinai and Milwaukee Jewish community. Tedd and Julie Lookatch KETTER KEHILLAH The Crown of Community and Engagement Award In recognition of their involvement and dedication in the areas of Community, Engagement, and Volunteerism Join us as we honor these couples who exemplify exceptional leadership and dedication at Congregation Sinai and in the wider community. We honor their passion and talents that they share with our congregation and the connections they make in our community. They inspire us with their ruach (spirit) enthusiasm and their wonderful ability to lead by example. Invitation to follow August-October 2015 Page 5 Create a Jewish Legacy As others may do, I joined Congregation Sinai when it came time for my son Noah’s Bar Mitzvah preparations. I expected that Noah would receive a fine education and have a positive Bar Mitzvah experience. I did not expect that I would find a second home. A single mother, I had become tired of coming solo to “group” events. Even so, I began popping into Shabbat services. Despite my rusty prayer book recollections, I was entranced by the services’ sweetness, the Rabbi’s kindness and affirming spirit, and the comfort of my fellow worshippers. After a while, my Hebrew school teachings returned, and I began to say or sing the prayers in earnest. Shabbat services, when I could get to them, became my favorite part of the week. Later, on a whim, I emailed Idy Goodman about the Social Action Committee. With her warm “Welcome!” I moved from passive congregant to active Sinaite. Shyly at first, then brimming with energy, I found my place, and my Sinai kindred spirits. From environmental Shabbats to Immigration Seders to Pathfinders Barrels to Voting Rights Speakers, we have the most active Social Action Committee in the Milwaukee area, if not the state. Our immigration work has been nationally honored by the RAC’s Irving J. Fain Award. Along with committee involvement, I have begun taking classes. Well, I took one class with Rabbi Cohen and had to miss its last session. I am still determined to take another, when schedules permit. The point is, Sinai has so much to offer. But services, classes, committees, and programs need more than attendees to thrive. They need financial security. When the Sinai eNews began promoting the Create A Jewish Legacy program, I watched as the numbers of Legacy Circle members grew each month. Surely, I thought, the intended commitment would be too rigid, the financial investment too steep, for my circumstances. I am happy to admit I was wrong. The Create A Jewish Legacy program is my way to thank Sinai for welcoming this lapsed and religiously ignorant woman into its family and reigniting my Jewish identity. To thank Rabbi Cohen for focusing us all on our spiritual obligation to make the world a better place for everyone, Jew and non-Jew alike (and for not showing me the door when my adolescent son blew off religious classes for car rides with his friends). To thank Idy Goodman, Craig Johnson and all the Social Action Committee members for their continued spirited, concrete work to fulfill that Jewish mission. The Legacy program is my way to make sure that the Congregation Sinai that I adore will continue for my son and grandchildren (if I ever get to be a Bubbie). And for you and yours. Every Sinaite has his own favorite congregation program, class or event. Yours may be the religious school, adult education classes. Shabbat Congregational Dinners, the Brotherhood, Women of Sinai, B’rit Nashim, or even Mah Jongg. Whatever is special to you, is special to other congregants. Your Legacy will help it continue. As for me, I’ve missed services lately, but I’ll get back to them. I even bought the Shabbat prayer book and sing some prayers while I cook. When I joined Congregation Sinai those years ago, I could not have imagined I would be doing these things today. Who knew? Diane Slomowitz August-October 2015 Page 6 Hidden Path to Engagement: Getting in Touch with our “Inner Sinai” Hello, my name is Larry Glusman, the self-denominated “Engagement Czar” of Congregation Sinai. I am one of your Vice Presidents and was previously a Board Member serving most recently on the Executive Committee. My wife Caroline and I joined Sinai in 1996. We have two children, Jack (14) and Lauren (12), who will celebrate her bat mitzvah in late October. As part of Chip Mann’s new presidency, he has asked each of the officers to concentrate on one aspect of the synagogue such as membership or education. He wants us to try to function without formal committees, in a more organic and independent manner. My concentration is engagement, and I lightheartedly likened my position to that of a US-style czar. During World War I, Woodrow Wilson appointed financier Bernard Baruch to head the War Industries Board — a position dubbed industry czar (this just one year after the final Russian czar, Nicholas II, was overthrown in the Russian Revolution). Franklin Roosevelt had czars during World War II, overseeing such aspects of the war effort as shipping and synthetic-rubber production. The term was then essentially retired until the presidency of Richard Nixon, who appointed the first drug czar and a well-regarded energy czar, to navigate the 1970s oil crisis. Most recently, we’ve had a green jobs czar and a car czar to deal with the auto bailout. -A Brief History of White House Czars, Time Magazine, Randy Jones (9-23-2009) Engagement is a very broad topic and essentially encompasses the entirety of the Sinai experience. How and when and why each of us engages with Sinai or any institution in our lives is complicated and differs greatly from person to person. Sinai’s goal is to provide avenues for engagement for everyone and to increase the frequency and depth of engagement. Certain paths to engagement are clear – worship services, adult learning, religious school, life-cycle events, sisterhood, brotherhood, committees. You will continue to hear about the many great opportunities available at Sinai, and I encourage you to participate wholeheartedly. Over the next several months, I will continue my dialogue with clergy, administration, board members, committee chairs and congregants to gather views on engagement – How do you define it? What’s working? What isn’t? Why? My door is always open, and I encourage anyone who would like to talk to reach out to me by phone or e-mail, or we can meet in person. It is vital that we hear from you. I strongly believe that in order to increase and strengthen engagement, we have to look beyond the traditional avenues. We must uncover the hidden paths to engagement, what I call our “Inner Sinai”. What hidden interests, skills and talents exist within our Sinai community just waiting for us to tap into and connect with? Are you tech savvy? Are you a history buff? Are you musical? Are you a great cook? Are you an educator? Are you a writer? Are you willing to share more about yourself and your family to help inform new and existing programming and to help create opportunities for meaningful connections between congregants and Sinai itself? We will be designing some surveys later this fall to try to mine this data and then put it to work forming new affinity groups and using our soon-to-be-introduced new website and social media to provide additional platforms to engage. So please take me up on my offer to talk about engagement. I look forward to hearing from you soon and often. Let’s discover our “Inner Sinai” and make the most of our warm and welcoming Sinai community. Larry Glusman
[email protected] or (414-303-5853) August-October 2015 Page 7 Lifelong Jewish Learning In the Rabbi’s Study Sunday, October 18 10:00 am Author and veteran Journalist Avi Lank and Rabbi David Cohen discuss Avi’s book: The Man Who Painted the Universe: The Story of a Planetarium in the Heart of the North Woods by Ron Legro (Author), Avi Lank (Author) As a young boy Frank Kovac Jr. fell deeply in love with stargazing, painting glow-in-the-dark constellations on his bedroom wall and inviting friends to an observatory he built in his Chicago backyard. As he reached adulthood, Kovac did not let go of his childhood dreams of reaching the stars. He began scheming to bring the universe home. While working at a paper mill as a young man, Kovac tirelessly built a 22-foot rotating globe planetarium in the woods. Despite failures and collapses, the amateur astronomer singlehandedly built a North Woods treasure, painting more than 5,000 glowing stars—dot by dot in glowing paints. Today, Kovac and his unique planetarium take visitors to the stars every day. The Man Who Painted the Universe: The Story of a Planetarium in the Heart of the North Woods introduces readers to the mildmannered astronomy enthusiast whose creativity, ingenuity, fervor, and endurance realized a dream of galactic proportions. The story of this stargazer from Wisconsin’s North Woods so inspired two newspapermen, authors Ron Legro and Avi Lank, that they sought to document the story of the Kovac Planetarium for a new generation of stargazers and dreamers. Avi Lank is an essayist for Milwaukee Public Radio and panelist on the Interchange public-affairs program on Milwaukee Public Television. For almost 40 years he was an award-winning reporter, columnist, and editor at the Milwaukee Sentinel and later the Journal Sentinel. Born in Penn Yan in the Finger Lakes region of western New York State, he grew up in Rochester, New York, and holds degrees from Antioch College and the Medill School of Journalism of Northwestern University. He lives in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, with his wife, Dannette Lank. Rethinking Modern Judaism: The Role of Ritual, Commandment and Community Session 1 Tuesday nights Oct. 6 – Dec. 15 7:30 - 9:00 PM The story of modern Judaism often features traditional beliefs being changed or discarded because of the Enlightenment. Newer thinking places an emphasis on the role of the Emancipation (new roles for Jews in non-Jewish society) as the engine of Jewish transformation. How did the civil rights, economic possibilities, and social challenges that came with the Emancipation shape the Judaism we know today? What new factors have come into play to shape the Jewish future of tomorrow? Cost: Members - free Non-members - $36 Please register at: http://rethinkingmodernjudaism.eventbrite.com Kuzari: Arguments in Defense of Judaism with Rabbi Jay Brickman Mondays, 4:00 – 5:15 pm The Kuzari is a defense of classical Jewsh theology written by Judah HaLevi, an outstanding poet-philosophy who lived in 12th Century Spain. Class will read the Kuzari in Hebrew and in English (Reading knowledge of Hebrew is required). The class will meet at the home of Rabbi & Mrs. Jay R Brickman. RSVP to Karen Hintz at (414) 352-2970. Young-at-Hearts Senior Singles Group Young-at-Hearts is a social group for those looking to connect and make new friends in a social setting. This is not a grief group, or matchmaking group, but a social group intended to bring together people who may be divorced, lost a spouse or just want to regain the fun in life! Young -at-Hearts conducts monthly meetings and then often go to lunch together at Maxfield’s. Outings and activities include: card games, lunches, dinners, sporting events, mah jongg, theater etc. Young-at-Hearts is open to all Jewish seniors in the community. Meetings are held at Congregation Shalom, 7630 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Fox Point. Next meetings: Dates: Wednesday, September 9, Wednesday, October 14 Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am followed by lunch at Maxfield’s To sign up for a meeting contact Jen Friedman at
[email protected] or call 352-2970. August-October 2015 Page 8 Lifelong Jewish Learning Ongoing Adult Learning Lunch & Learn Rambam’s Shmoneh Perakim: Maimonides Day: Mondays, beginning October 19 Time: 12:00 PM Facilitator: Rabbi David B. Cohen RAMBAM’s Shmoneh Perakim: Maimonides Commentary on Pirke Avot, Sayings of our Ancestors Join us on Mondays at noon for sixty fast-paced minutes of learning. Our text will be Maimonides’ commentary on Pirke Avot. Living in Cairo, Egypt in the 12th century, RAMBAM reads the rabbis’ collection of Wisdom Literature and aphorisms with the eye of an Aristotelian philosopher, endeavoring to find structure and a set of core principles that comprise all of Judaism. Cost: Members - free Non-members - $54 To register: http://lunchandlearnrambam.eventbrite.com A Modern Rabbi’s Approach to the Bible Day: Wednesdays Time: 9:30 AM Facilitator: Rabbi Jay Brickman Rabbi Brickman is a trained Jungian, a philosopher, and a practitioner of Tai Chi. If you haven’t studied with him now is the time! Shabbat Morning Torah Study Day: Saturdays Time: 8:00 AM Through the Eyes of Women Day: Fridays Time: 9:30 AM Facilitator: Dr. Sherry Blumberg Using the Torah: A Woman's Commentary as a text, we are discussing the Torah, verse by verse using critical questions, feminist readings, modern midrash, traditional commentaries and women's poetry. Registration for this class will be open thru October 30th. To register: http://thrutheeyesofwomen2015.eventbrite.com Cost: Members - free Non-members - $54 Facilitator: Rabbi Jay Brickman Verse by verse, line by line, word by word, the Torah comes alive! August-October 2015 Page 9 Lifelong Jewish Learning School News In a recent class I took on Educational Leadership, my colleagues and I were challenged with the question, “What is the point of Jewish education?” Or, to put it another way, what is the fundamental human need that is derived from Jewish education – and by extension, Judaism? What evolved was a rich conversation where we attempted to put into words the things that we each, as Jewish educators, inherently felt. There was talk about the communal aspects of Judaism. Namely, there is a need for people to feel that they belong to a community, as well as a desire to feel connected to something larger than oneself. In our modern American world, we often belong to multiple communities, but it is the Jewish community that frequently allows people to feel grounded among all the other things we have going on in our lives. Our connections to friends in the Jewish community can sometimes run far deeper than our connections with others; this is mostly due to an underlying shared values system that is rooted in Judaism. We are not only connected to other Jewish people locally and throughout the world, but also to thousands of years of Jewish history before us, and to all that will come after us. Seeing ourselves as a vital part of the thread of Jewish continuity can serve as a powerful reminder of the role we each play in contributing to the Jewish community and to making the world a better place. But the majority of our discussion focused on individual rather than communal needs. We mentioned the opportunity, through our work as Jewish educators, to help people develop a moral compass and to work toward selfactualization. What greater jobs do we each have in life than these? And how fortunate we are to have Judaism as a guiding force in this work! It was also mentioned that Judaism provides a structure in which this work can take place. This is largely done through the fulfillment of mitzvot – the 613 commandments that we find in the Torah. Although many can no longer be carried out (as they pertain specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem, which no longer exists), and many others may no longer be relevant in and of themselves, there is moral intention behind all of them that we can use as a framework for living as good people in the world. Another aspect we identified is the human desire to make a difference. This is such a fundamental part of Judaism that we have a phrase for it – Tikkun Olam, which literally means fixing the world. Through our teachings, we learn the ways in which the world needs healing, and discover the gifts we each have to contribute to that cause in our own corners of the universe. Sometimes it may feel like our efforts are not enough. But as Hillel said, “It is not our task to complete the work, nor are we free to desist from it.” Anything we can do in the spirit of G’milut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness) can help in improving our world. This is also a vital way in which we can live out those mitzvot I mentioned earlier – to walk through the world with the intention to make it better. As my long-time teacher Cantor Ellen Dreskin says, “If it doesn’t make a difference, what difference does it make?” Toward the end of our discussion, someone quoted the wise sages John Lennon and Paul McCartney by pointing out, “All you need is love.” Psychologist Abraham Maslow would disagree that this is ALL we need, though it is certainly the basis for being able to achieve all of the other needs we encounter throughout our lives. And if there is one fundamental truth that Judaism can offer, it is love. We can find that throughout our tradition – not always overtly, but it is there. In fact, when we complete the cycle of Torah on Simchat Torah and immediately, without taking a breath, begin again, we are connecting the last letter of the Torah, a lamed, with the first letter, a bet, which can also be read as a vet. The letters lamed-vet spells lev, the Hebrew word for heart. This indicates that the Torah, God’s gift to the Jewish people, is wrapped in love, an essential need that can be met through our teachings. Perhaps love is not ALL we need, but so many of our fundamental human needs – community, developing a moral compass, self-actualization, learning, and making a difference – can be met through Jewish living. So what is the point of Jewish education? Learning gives us the tools to do all of this, and to do it well, and to continue refining it throughout our lives. Join us at an upcoming event with the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY)! All NFTY-Northern regional events are open to Sinai members in grades 9-12. NFTY-Northern Summer Kallah (with the Chicago Area region): August 12-16 at OSRUI, Oconomowoc, WI NFTY-Northern Fall Kallah: October 9-11 in Duluth, MN Barb Shimansky, MSW Director of Youth Education Questions about any of our youth group programming? Contact Barb Shimansky at:
[email protected] August-October 2015 Page 10 Lifelong Jewish Learning School News "Tzedakah" is the Hebrew word for justice. One of the many ways that we create justice in the world is by contributing money to organizations that help "lift up the fallen," thereby moving closer to a day when everyone will have what they need. During this past school year, each class was assigned a month in which they determined the recipient of the school's tzedakah funds. This proved to be a great way for our students to examine their values, learn about various organizations that speak to those values, and then educate our Youth Education Program community about the importance of giving to their chosen recipients. Here are some thank-you notes from the organizations that were chosen. Page 11 August-October 2015 Lifelong Jewish Learning School News BE A SINAI MADRICH(A)! Congregation Sinai Teen Counselor Program * Earn money or community service hours * Stand out on college applications * Be a stronger candidate for summer jobs * Make a positive impact upon Jewish kids Be sure to join us for our Youth Education Program Open House on Sunday, September 20! Stop in any time between 9:30 am and noon to meet the teachers and Madrichim who will be working with your child (ren) in the upcoming school year, and participate in some fun family holiday activities! We look forward to seeing you! All 8th-12th grade post B’nei Mitzvah are eligible Madrichim (assistants) help out in Religious School classrooms or the office on Sunday mornings, and may have the opportunity to help plan and lead other events within the Youth Education Program! For an application, please contact Barb:
[email protected]. Applications are due by Friday, August 21, 2016. Back-to-School Cereal Breakfast! Sunday, September 27 at 9:30 am. Bring your favorite box of cereal and your excitement for another year of learning in the Youth Education Program! CoSY Pizza in the Hut! Families are invited to join us for a Shabbat pizza dinner in the Sukkah on Friday, October 2 at 5:30 pm. More details to follow, but mark your calendars now! Save the Date! Mark your calendars for Sinai Mitzvah Day on Sunday, October 25! Projects for all ages! Lets come together as a Sinai community and make a difference! Midweek Mitkadem classes will begin on Tuesday, September 29 and Thursday, October 1. Kulanu begins on Tuesday, October 13 at 6:45 pm. All 8th-12th grade Sinai members are encouraged to join us for the second year of our combined learning program with Congregations Beth Israel Ner Tamid and Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun. NEW THIS YEAR: We will begin later and will not serve dinner; instead, we will have a longer break between classes that includes a snack. We are moving to a trimester system, so you will choose three electives throughout the year, and each congregation will host Kulanu for a full trimester. We are also planning more collaborative programs with BBYO. Our first trimester will be hosted at Sinai! Not sure about Kulanu? Join us for the opening evening and check it out! Sinai Family Retreat SAVE THE DATE! Our Sinai Family Retreat will be held this year from November 20-22 at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute camp in Oconomowoc, WI. Registration will open soon!! Page 12 August-October 2015 What’s Happening Sinai in in the City What does it mean to be a young, professional Jewish adult in 2015? Are you looking for a point of entry into metropolitan Jewry? Do you have a child or know someone – affiliated or unaffiliated - that is looking to meet other young Jewish professionals? Look no further…. Join Cantor Lauren Phillips for a unique alternative Shabbat and Holiday experience downtown for young professionals. We’ll utilize media, music, current topics, and alternative venues to worship, share, and get to know each other. This is a chance to meet like-minded Jewish adults to schmooze, eat, share in a little Torah and a lot of conversation! Come be a part of Judaism in a meaningful way that is relevant to you and your life. Young adults and grad students – 20’s and 30’s, singles, couples, married – all are welcome! Thursday, September 17th at 7:30 pm (location TBA—watch the eNews!) "Sin Before You Atone" - A chance to eat, drink, and schmooze before casting the sins of the past year into the water. Bring flashlights for this moonlight gathering on Milwaukee's lakefront. Please RSVP at: https://sinaiinthecityseptember2015.eventbrite.com (Birth - 3) Itsy Bitsy Sinai Sunday, September 20th at 10:15 AM We value every member at Congregation Sinai – even our youngest! Our preschool age program (birth-3) is called “Itsy Bitsy Sinai”. It includes Sunday morning fun with the rabbi and the cantor. Activities will include: Songs Stories Instruments Craft & holiday projects We want to make coming to synagogue something that our youngest children look forward to – a place of joy and laughter and fun. We strive to help parents connect to others with similar aged children, to develop bonds that will enable them to share their Jewish journeys together. RSVP to: https://itsybitsysinaiseptember2015.eventbrite.com Page 13 August-October 2015 What’s Happening Dine at the Annual Sukkot BBQ! Sunday, October 4th 5:00 PM - BBQ - rain or shine! Celebrate in the Sukkah with Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Phillips. Enjoy delicious food, socialize and shake the lulov! Cost: Adults $10, Children 12 and under $7, Children 3 and under are free RSVP by September 29th at https://sinaisukkotbarbeque2015.eventbrite.com Co-sponsored by Sinai Brotherhood, Israel Committee & Mitbach Sinai Erev Simchat Torah! Sunday, October 4th at 6:15 PM Come see the Torah completely unrolled! Together we rejoice in the celebration of Torah! We’ll sing, dance, and read Torah as we roll our scroll back to the beginning. Caramel apples for all! Who Wants to be in a Band? Perform at Simchat Torah Attention kids: Are you interested in being in a band? Playing music? Singing? Join the Sinai Youth Band! *Thursday September 24: 6:00-7:30 pm *Sunday September 20: 12:00-1:30 pm (right after religious school) *Thursday October 1: 6:00-7:30 pm Please make sure that your child attends at least two of the three rehearsals. If your child would be interested in participating, please e-mail Cantor Phillips at
[email protected] with your child’s name and instrument (vocalists are welcome, of course). Page 14 August-October 2015 What’s Happening Friday Night Lights! Shabbat for everyone at Sinai! Our community is comprised of young families, empty nesters, seniors, singles, couples, etc. Let’s come together for a Shabbat dinner - you choose the service that fits your needs! Friday, October 30th 5:15 PM: Family Shabbat Unplugged Service with Special Guests Marc & Wendy Cohen 6:00 PM: Shabbat Dinner - All welcome! 7:30 PM: Shabbat Service with Oneg to follow Congregational Shabbat Dinner Cost: Adults: $10, Children 12 and under: $7, Children 3 and under: free Please RSVP by Monday, October 26th at https://sinaishabbatdinneroct2015.eventbrite.com Sinai Mitzvah Day Interested in helping to plan the day and/or lead a site activity? Sunday, October 25th Please contact Julie Turetsky at
[email protected]. Page 15 August-October 2015 What’s Happening Youth & Family Programming Sinai Youth & Family Programming 2015-2016 Weekly Shabbat: We welcome everyone to experience Shabbat at Congregation Sinai. Family Friendly Friday Shabbat services are at 6:15 PM weekly during the year and 6:00 PM during the summer months when we are outdoors. We have 5:15 PM musical “unplugged” services and 6:15 PM “Rockin’ services. All Shabbat services last approximately one hour – please visit the website for updates. Tefillah: All religious school Sunday mornings begin at 9:30 AM with a VERY family friendly 25 minute service, with song and a “Dvar” of the weekly Torah portion. All ages are welcome to come experience this beautiful way to start the day. High Holy Days: Interested in sharing a holy day experience? We’d love for you to join us! Give us a call for some complimentary seats for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. August Friday 7 6:00 PM Outdoor Shabbat (5:30 PM wine & cheese) Friday 14 6:00 PM Outdoor Shabbat (5:30 PM wine & cheese) Friday 21 6:00 PM Outdoor Shabbat (5:30 PM wine & cheese) Friday 28 6:00 PM Outdoor Shabbat featuring the softball team recap followed by BBQ and S’mores! September Friday 4 Friday 11 Monday 14 Sunday 20 Sunday 20 Wed. 23 Sunday 27 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 3:00 PM 10:15 AM 9:30 AM 2:00 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 AM Outdoor Shabbat (5:30 PM wine & cheese) Final Outdoor Shabbat (5:30 PM wine & cheese) Rosh Hashanah Children’s Services,Tashlich & Oneg & Shofar Blowing Contest Itsy Bitsy Sinai - – story, song, crafts - ages 0-4 1st day religious school Yom Kippur Children’s Service Break-the-Fast (all welcome) Back to School Cereal breakfast October Sunday 4 Sunday 25 Friday 30 5:00 PM 9:30 AM 5:15 PM 6:00 PM Sukkot BBQ followed by Simchat Torah celebration, Dancing and Taffy Apples Sinai Mitzvah Day “Friday Night Lights” – Family Shabbat Unplugged Service with special guests Marc and Wendy Cohen Congregational Dinner Sunday 15 6:15 PM 7:15 PM 10:15 AM Rockin’ Family Shabbat Congregational Dinner Itsy Bitsy Sinai – story, song, crafts ages 0-4 December Friday 11 6:15-7:00 PM Channukah Shabbat Unplugged with school participation followed by Sufganiot Oneg Itsy Bitsy Sinai – story, song, crafts - ages 0-4 Consecration (families new to religious school) Design-Your-Own Chanukiyah Contest, Mitzvah Menorah gift wrapping & Latke Lunch November Friday 13 Sunday 13 January Sunday 10 Friday 22 10:15 AM 11:30 AM 12:00 PM 9:30 AM 10:15 AM 6:15 PM 7:15 PM Pancake Breakfast Itsy Bitsy Sinai – story, song, crafts - ages 0-4 Rockin’ Family Shabbat Potluck Dinner Page 16 August-October 2015 What’s Happening Youth & Family Programming February Friday 19 March Friday 18 Sunday 20 Wed. 23 April Friday 15 5:15 PM 6:00 PM “Friday Night Lights” – Family Shabbat Unplugged Service with special guests Marc and Wendy Cohen Congregational Dinner 6:15 PM 10:15 AM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM Rockin’ Family Shabbat Itsy Bitsy Sinai – story, song, crafts - ages 0-4 Purim Carnival (come in costume!) Family Megillah reading & Hamentashen 5:15 PM “Friday Night Lights” – Family Shabbat Unplugged Service with special guests Marc and Wendy Cohen Congregational Dinner 6:00 PM May Friday 13 Sunday 22 6:15 PM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM Shabbat Unplugged & Teacher Appreciation with school participation with guests Marc and Wendy Cohen Itsy Bitsy Sinai – story, song, crafts-ages 0-4 Year End Family Picnic For information on any of our programming or to RSVP for an event at Congregation Sinai, please contact: Jen Friedman – Program Coordinator 414-352-2970 or
[email protected] Visit our website at www.congregationsinai.org Mitbach Sinai (Sinai Cooks!) October 26th at 6:00 PM Do you enjoy cooking for fun with friends? Or do you find yourself in the kitchen at every party? Come have a glass of wine with Sinai Cooks! We gather in the Sinai kitchen (Mitbach) to cook and bake for the Sinai community and our own fun. Projects include Sinai events, soup for our congregants who need a little TLC, classes, onegs, and whatever we want to plan. We promise laughter, great conversation and friendship! Please look to your eNews for cooking dates and times. Looking forward to seeing many new faces! Have a great Sinai Cooks! Idea? RSVP to Jill Weinshel @
[email protected] August-October 2015 Page 17 Sinai Committees Women of Sinai Break-the-Fast with Sinai Break-the-Fast Kugels & Desserts Each year, on Yom Kippur, as N'ilah draws to a close, our Sinai family comes together for a warm and delicious break fast meal that is sponsored by the Women of Sinai. How can you help make this community building meal a success? • Make a plan to attend and join your Sinai family as we welcome a new year. Don't miss the N'ilah service right before the meal, as it is one of the most spiritually uplifting services of the High Holiday season. • Bake for our dessert table. Cookies, bars and other individually portioned bakery items are needed. • Make a donation to Women of Sinai to help offset the cost of the caterer. Donations can be sent to or dropped off at the Sinai office. Needed! If you are able to bake a kugel or dessert, please let us know by contacting Judy Shor at
[email protected] or https://bakingbreakthefast2015.eventbrite.com. If you are unable to bake, monetary donations are also appreciated. Please make checks payable to Women of Sinai. Drop off at the synagogue office or mail to Sinai. Join Women of Sinai Once we begin 5776, look for your Women of Sinai membership letter to arrive in the mail. All women of the congregation are welcome and encouraged to join, no matter where you are on life's journey. Women of Sinai supports all aspects of congregational life, and we need our members to help us make that happen. If you have not yet found our Facebook page, be sure to "like" us at facebook.com/ womenofsinai in order to receive event information and updates. Have a question or idea? Contact us at
[email protected]. We are looking forward to a fun year of sisterhood! B’rit Nashim Join Us: Become a Member of B'rit Nashim in 5776 B'rit Nashim (Covenant of Women) is a group of Sinai women who meet once a month for programs of personal interest and Jewish content. The purposes of the group are: to build a community of women within the larger community of Congregation Sinai, to share interests, and to strengthen our connections to Judaism. Some highlights from last year included: Making lasagnas and donating them to Pathfinders Youth Homeless Shelter. Creating and leading the Erev Sukkot Service for Congregation Sinai. An Evening with Cantor Lauren Phillips discussing The History of The Bat Mitzvah. A speaker from the local organization: "Common Ground". A Presentation by B'rit Nashim member Phyllis Wiggins describing her experiences as a Red Cross Volunteer. Discussion of the Book: "Once We Were Brothers” by Ronald Balson. A fabulous offsite Shabbat retreat with the topic of "Happiness and Judaism" Most important of all, we have the opportunity to make connections with other women at Sinai. Each fall, B’rit Nashim welcomes new members. This brings wonderful new energy and input to our “covenant.” We invite you to join us. We meet the second Monday of most months. Potential members are invited to one or both of our Membership Recruitment meetings on: Monday, October 12th at 7:15 PM Monday, November 9th at 7:15 PM Watch for additional details as the dates approach. Please be sure to join us as we lead Congregation Sinai's Erev Sukkot Service on Sunday, September 27th. If you have any questions or want additional information AND/OR have an interest, but cannot attend either Membership Recruitment meeting, be sure to let one of us know: Toby Colton at 351-5205 or
[email protected] or Joanne Roberts at 351-6486 or
[email protected] August-October 2015 Page 18 Sinai Committees Brotherhood Softball Shabbat And BBQ Friday, August 28th Sinai Brotherhood will sponsor our Annual Softball Shabbat. Kosher hot dogs and other appropriate "ballpark-style food" will be served directly following Shabbat Services and the awesome annual "sermon from the mound"! The Sinai softball team will all be there to sign autographs! Don't miss it. RSVP by August 24th at: http://sinaibbqsoftballshabbat2015.eventbrite.com Acheinu (Men’s Spirituality Group) Day: Sunday: September 20th Time: 8:30 - 10:00 AM With: Joe Glassman, Mitch Colton, & Rabbi David B. Cohen Acheinu is sponsored by Sinai’s Brotherhood. Share nosh & discuss spiritual & practical matters concerning God, work, family & more. Come Help Build the Sukkah! Join us at 9:00 AM on September 20th as we construct the new sukkah. Please contact Terry Jacobs at
[email protected] August-October 2015 Page 19 Sinai Committees Social Action Committee Something for Everyone Social Action at Sinai offers a wide variety of ways you can become engaged in the social & economic justice issues of the day: Shabbat services with a speaker, topical films, Sunday morning or weekday evening speakers and discussion, interactive events, opportunities for you and/or your family to volunteer. Check out what we highlight in this newsletter and in the weekly Sinai E-News. Volunteer Opportunities: Become a member of the Social Action Committee – Help plan, organize and imagine (We also need a PR person!!! ) - Contacts - Idy Goodman (
[email protected]) & Craig Johnson (
[email protected]). Contribute to the Sinai Tzedakah Fund to make all this possible. All-Synagogue Mitzvah Day – plan, organize, participate – Contact - Julie Turetsky (
[email protected]). Sinai School Maven – volunteer to share your Social Justice, environmental expertise with our students – Contacts - Rabbi Cohen (
[email protected]), Naomi Cobb (
[email protected]), Naomi Soifer (
[email protected]), Idy Goodman (
[email protected]). Pathfinders (Homeless Youth) Drop-In Center – Serve Meals; Donate designated items to our collection barrel – Contacts - Shana Harvey (
[email protected]), Craig Johnson (
[email protected]). MICAH (Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope) – support MICAH & serve on one of the following committees: 11X15 Campaign for Prison Reform, 53206 Initiative, Jobs and Economic Development Task Force, Westlawn Sub-committee, AODA Issues committee - Contact - Lois Malowsky (
[email protected]). Mother Scott Meal Program –Help purchase food; help deliver food - Contact - Donna Neubauer (
[email protected]). Immigration Issues/New Sanctuary movement - Participate in Vigils; Drive people to court; attend programs, marches and rallies; support Voces de la Fronteras – Contacts - Rachel Buff (
[email protected]), Shana Harvey (
[email protected]), Edith Gilman (
[email protected]). Environmental Projects - Contacts - Deborah Schermer, Naomi Cobb (
[email protected]), Jenni Goldbaum (
[email protected]). Jewish Community Organizations JCRC committees (Jewish Community Relations Council) - Contact Naomi Soifer (
[email protected]) Tikkun Ha-Ir – multiple volunteer opportunities Contact - Donna Neubauer (
[email protected]). Congregation Sinai received the prestigious Irving J. Fain Award at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s (RAC) 2015 Consultation on Conscience, held in Washington, D.C. The RAC’s Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism (CSA) honored Congregation Sinai for its Social Action Committee’s initiative “MIKLAT – Spaces of Refuge: Congregation Sinai Engages the New Sanctuary Movement.” The CSA noted the Social Action Committee’s “outstanding initiative,” which caused the CSA to be “inspired by your congregation’s sense of community responsibility.” Rabbi David Cohen, along with Social Action Committee members Edith Gilman and Diane Slomowitz, attended the Consultation and accepted the award on the Congregation’s behalf. They also shared and discussed the Committee’s Initiative during a Conference breakout session. A video recognition of Congregation Sinai’s initiative, along with those of the other winners, is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reBU5cs99Kw. From left to right: Barbara Weinstein, Director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, Edith Gilman and Diane Slomowitz, Congregation Sinai Social Action Committee, Susan Freidberg Kalson, Chair, Fain Committee, Isaac Nuell, RAC Manager of Congregational Social Action Save the Date! New Sanctuary Prayer Vigil at Congregation Sinai Tuesday, December 1, 2015 August-October 2015 Page 20 Sinai Committees Social Action Committee Social Action Survey Results As part of its continuing effort to provide social action programs of interest to all congregants and to increase Committee participation, Congregation Sinai’s Social Action Committee issued an email survey to congregants in the spring of 2015. The survey’s over 75 responses confirmed congregants’ interest in, among others, issues of the environment, economic justice and social justice. Of note, congregants’ expressed interests in various specific subissues, including the following: Environment: Preserving environmental resources Maintaining safe food and water Climate change Public/private gardens Economic justice: Hunger Homeless Economic inequality Social justice: Racism Human trafficking Health care disparities Immigration Threats to all religious freedoms LGBT issues The Committee thanks those congregants responding to the survey, including those expressing an interest in participating in the Committee and/or its programs. The Committee will apply the survey results to provide activities and programs serving members’ interests and Reform Judaism’s dictate to do social justice. After all, and like Congregation Sinai itself, the Committee’s effectiveness is dependent on the strength of its relationship with all members. Protest and Nosh! As part of our ongoing participation in the New Sanctuary Movement, the portion of Voces de la Frontera that supports immigrants contending with deportation for themselves or their families, the Social Action Committee plans to have a presence at regular protest/ vigils at the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) building on 310 E Knapp Street. The vigils take place at noon. Afterwards, we will adjourn to a local lunch venue for conversation. All are welcome to join us! The dates for the vigils are as follows: August 6th September 3rd October 8th November 5th December 3rd Help Nourish Homeless Youth On Tuesday, June 23, over 25 young people (including some tiny tots) enjoyed first and second helpings of lasagna, chicken, bread, salad, cookies, festive vegan mini cupcakes, and took trail mix to go, courtesy of a devoted group of Sinai members. A small but vital way you and your family can alleviate young people’s daily struggle with hunger is to provide meals at Pathfinder’s drop-in center. Meals can be pre-made or cooked on site in Pathfinders’ state-of-the-art kitchen, and volunteers are always invited to break bread with visiting youth. What a delicious activity to strengthen ties within our congregation and feed our city’s most vulnerable. If you are interested in engaging in this culinary mitzvah in August, please email Shana Harvey:
[email protected]. Donations of gently-used youth-appropriate clothing, shoes, and new (unused) hygiene products are always welcome additions to our Pathfinders barrel. Our Sinai entry hall barrel holds items collected for Pathfinders. Please donate! *Toiletries *Gently used or new clothing August-October 2015 Page 21 Sinai Committees Social Action Committee Mayim: Green Shabbat Service, Pot Luck Dinner, Night Walk to the Lake October 16, 2015 at Congregation Sinai Join us for our 4th annual Green Shabbat Dinner, a time we reflect upon our role in caring for the earth and water, share food from our gardens or local markets, and relish in the beauty of the night with a night walk to the lake. 6:15 PM: Service and speaker: Ann Brummitt Co-Director Milwaukee Water Commons 7:15 PM: Dairy potluck dinner using locally grown foods, our local harvest meal 8:15 PM: Night Walk to the lake led by Naomi Cobb Please register at https://greenshabbatpotluck2015.eventbrite.com by October 12th. BRING THE FOLLOWING: 1. Potluck dinner: First letter of last name, bring the following vegetarian/ dairy foods: A-F (main dish) G-O (dessert or fruit) P-Z (side dish or salad) Please bring a Vegetarian/Dairy dish to share that is made using as many local foods as possible. This is Wisconsin's harvest season and between our gardens, local markets and CSA's, we can cook from our own land. 2. Bring a dining tablecloth for our Shabbat tables. 3. Bring shoes that are comfortable for walking on paths for the night walk to the lake and a flashlight if you want to use one. 4. Please pre-register to insure your place for the night hike, and to have children participate in art project by October 12th. Sponsored by the Social Action Committee Ann Brummitt is the Co-Director of the Milwaukee Water Commons, a cross-city network that fosters connection, collaboration and broad community involvement on behalf of our waters with 3 program areas: Water City, producing a series of recommendations and action steps we can take to catalyze a bold water future for Milwaukee, Water School, which cultivates neighborhood water leadership throughout the city to cement the value of water stewardship in all our participants, and We Are Water, supports art infused water activities. Learn more at www.milwaukeewatercommons.org Your contributions make a difference: Much of the financial support for our efforts comes through the Sinai Tzedakah Fund Please consider this Fund when making your next contribution in honor or memory of someone. Idea for “Greening” your Sinai Event Did you know that Sinai owns six, re-usable, vinyl, white, rectangular table cloths? They are a year old now and are holding up beautifully. If you are planning an event at Sinai and will be using rectangular tables for serving food - either for a buffet, or to eat on please be sure to request the vinyl table cloths instead of using disposable plastic covers! Let’s work together to keep the Sinai’s landfill contributions to a minimum! Page 22 August-October 2015 Sinai Committees Chesed Would you like to get more involved at Sinai? Give back with your time, energy and ideas to other congregants? We are looking for members to step in and run with our Chesed initiatives. Help us take our existing running programs (soup delivery, Chesed phone calls and notes of thought, caring visits) and make it your own. You could add new programs you always wanted, change how we run the current ones, invite friends or members to offer new services for our congregants through Acts of Loving Kindness. Please contact Karen Lancina at
[email protected] or (414) 352-2970 if you'd be interested. Chesed has opportunities to connect with our Sinai community in small and easy ways. Please consider including your name on our: *Funeral House Watch When there is a death in the Sinai community, we offer house watching during the funeral. We will email our list of house watching volunteers to see if someone is available to help. Interested? Please contact Karen Lancina at
[email protected] *Making Soup and Delivery When Sinai is notified of an illness, we like to bring soup to our congregant. We are always appreciative of members who come to Sinai to pick up our new quart containers, fill with soup, and bring the quarts back to the synagogue freezer, ready to deliver to a congregant in need. Would you like to make or deliver some soup? Contact Jill Weinshel at
[email protected]. *Sacred Aging Sally Moskol is using her skills, knowledge and experience to create meaningful programs for our older congregants. Please contact her at
[email protected] if you would like to be a part of this engaging group. *Caring Connections Consider adding your name to this group of members. When we are notified of a member needing a phone call, a connection, or a helping hand, we will email the request to see if someone is available to make that contact. August-October 2015 Page 23 “Scene” at Sinai Wine and cheese Kabbalat Shabbat! Legacy Dinner Donna Neubauer and Sam Golding receive Volunteer of the Year awards at Sinai’s Annual Meeting Itsy Bitsy Sinai Shabbat! Building the Sukkah Garden Outdoor Shabbat Sinai Affirmation 2015 August-October 2015 Page 24 √ Check out Sinai’s library The World to Come (F Hor) by Dara Horn has on its cover, a Chagall – like picture and in fact, Chagall is a central character in this novel. A few years ago there was a theft of a Chagall painting from a museum and this event became the inspiration for this novel. The “world to come” means different things to different people. To some, it is life after death, to others, it implies an age of redemption, and for someone else, it hints at the future in everyday life. This book suggests all these may be possibilities. Horn has studied Hebrew and Yiddish and interweaves Yiddish folktales very deftly in the story. Surprisingly, she was only 28 when she wrote this. Love and Treasure ( F Wal) by Ayelet Waldman is a tale about the fascinating true history of the Hungarian Gold Train after World War II. American soldiers have captured the train filled with heirlooms taken from the Jewish population of Hungary on their way to concentration and death camps. A soldier is tasked with guarding the contents of this train when he meets a survivor, ravaged by the holocaust. The story begins seventy years later when this soldier gives his grand-daughter a necklace from the train and asks her to return it to the rightful owner. The characters are marvelous and stunningly described. If you are a Faye Kellerman fan, her newest book, The Beast (F KEL) is a bizarre case about a murdered man who kept a pet tiger and other dangerous animals in his small apartment. It is a Detective Decker novel but one in which as Kellerman has continued this series has become less and less Jewish. But, since we have most of her books and many of us enjoy them, this is in our library. An older Faye Kellerman book is Blindman’s Bluff (F KEL) is about a murder which Decker is trying to solve, while his wife is serving on a jury. Decker is relieved not to have to worry about Rina while he is working. But she encounters a court translator who needs her help and Rina lands in the middle of the murder investigation. More mystery novels by Batya Gur are good summer reads. Saturday Morning Murder (F Gur) and Murder on a Kibbutz (F Gur) take place in Israel and are Michael Ohayon mysteries. Gur lives in Jerusalem and her depictions of the scenery is as interesting as her intellectually challenging psychological motives. The Collaborator of Bethlehem by Matt Beynon Rees (F Ree) begins with the murder of a leader of the Palestinian Martyrs Brigade. Arrested is a Palestinian Christian who is accused of collaborating with the Israelis. This book sheds light on the conditions in the Palestinian territories while being a deeply moving story. Beside the popular fiction books, described above, the Sinai library also has excellent literature by world renowned authors. Amos Oz’s A Tale of Love and Darkness (B OZ) is an extraordinary memoir of his family saga. Included in this self-portrait is 120 years of family history from Russia, Poland, Lithuania and the Ukraine to Tel Aviv and Kibbutz Hulda. It is more than his story; it is the birth of a nation. It is hard to believe, but September will be here soon. I’d like to recommend a few books to prepare for the New Year. Beginning Anew (242 Rei) by Gail Twersky Reimer is an anthology of women’s spiritual writing for the High Holidays. The editors have included new interpretations of Biblical texts by many preeminent authors, scholars, and educators. Kol Nidrei (242 Ger) by Stuart Weinberg Gershon explores the synagogue service which inaugurates Yom Kippur. This part of the service is known by many Jews, but widely misunderstood. Rabbi Gershon explains that Kol Nidrei functions as a remedy for the problem of unfulfilled vows to God, others, and to ourselves. Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Survival Kit (242 Api) by Shimon Apisdorf answers the questions you would like to ask during the middle of the service. He helps us understand the prayers we are saying as well as gain insights into opportunities for personal growth. Please remember, there are lots of books on the Holidays for young and not so young children. The call numbers for the High Holidays are 242 and 242.1 We also have a nice cookbook section. The call number for cookbooks is 641.5. The cookbooks are then arranged by type of cooking, i.e. appetizers, holiday, Passover. Happy Reading! -Jayne Butlein Page 25 August-October 2015 Supporting Sinai Shop & Support Sinai! Support Sinai whenever you shop on-line at amazon.com. •Go to the Sinai homepage: www.congregationsinai.org. •Click on the amazon.com banner. You’ll be linked directly to amazon.com. By using the website link, your purchase will support Congregation Sinai. Support Sinai While Shopping at SENDIK’S! Purchase your Scrip card at times that are convenient! Scrip cards can ALWAYS be purchased during regular Sinai office hours. What is Scrip? Scrip means “substitute money”. Through Sendik’s Food Market Scrip program 5% of what you pay for your Scrip card is donated to Sinai. Shaina Shops! Such gorgeous Shofarot, challah plates, mezuzahs, B’nei Mitzvah gifts, Kiddush cups and jewelry! I’m telling you there is no better place to shop for that perfect piece of Judaica (as if you would go anywhere else knowing your purchase is a mitzvah at Congregation Sinai)! Come by and see what my Shaina has done! Oh, and if you know any nice boys…my Shaina is quite the catch! -Your Bubbe Sponsor an Oneg or Bima Flowers If you are looking for a wonderful way to honor or remember someone, or recognize a special occasion, you can do so by sponsoring an Oneg Shabbat after a Friday night service Congregation Sinai typically provides these items for Friday evenings when there is no Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Simply let us know that you would like to sponsor and we will do the rest. All sponsorships will be acknowledged in the Sinai Shabbat Pamphlet and the Sinai News. We will also send a Gift Shop note of congratulations or thanks to the honorees. The cost of sponsoring Bima flowers is $80.00 and an Oneg Shabbat is $260.00. Please email Jen Friedman at
[email protected] or call (414) 352-2970. 17 24 16 23 30 10 9 31 Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm 3 O N Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm M 2 U N Teacher Orientation 9:30 am CoSY Board Meeting 12 pm S 25 HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm 18 HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm 11 4 U E HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm T 26 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 19 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 12 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 5 E D Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am W 27 Board Meeting 7 pm 20 HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm 13 6 H U Finance Committee Meeting 7:30 am T August 2015 28 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Softball Shabbat & BBQ 6 pm 21 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm 14 Social Action Committee Meeting 12 pm Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm 7 R I Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm F 1 A T 29 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Jordan Berger Bar Mitzvah 5 pm 22 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am 15 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am 8 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am S 13 6 U N Erev Sukkot Back to School Cereal Breakfast 9:30 am Religious School 9:30 am Wine & Cheese 5:30 pm Erev Sukkot Service 6:15 pm 27 Acheinu 8:30 am Religious School Open House 9 am Religious School 9:30 am Brotherhood Sukkah Building 9:30 am Itsy Bitsy Sinai 10:15 am Madrichim Training 12 pm Simchat Torah Band Rehearsal 12 pm 20 Erev Rosh Hashanah Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 8 pm S 1 U E Mitkadem 4:15 pm 29 Sukkot Sukkot Service 9:30 am 28 23 30 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am Yom Kippur Office Closed Yom Kippur Morning Service 9:30 am Yom Kippur Adult Study Session 12:30 pm Yom Kippur Family Service 2 pm Yom Kippur Afternoon Service 3 pm Yizkor Service 4:30 pm N’ilah Service 5:30 pm Break the Fast 6 pm 22 Kol Nidre Office closes at 12 pm Kol Nidre Service 8 pm 21 Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 16 9 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am Young at Hearts (@ Cong. Shalom) 10 am 2 E D Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am W 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Office Closed 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Service 9:30 am HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm 15 Rosh Hashanah Office Closed Rosh Hashanah Morning Service 9:30 am Rosh Hashanah Children & Family Service, Tashlich and Shofar Blowing Contest 3 pm 14 8 HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm T Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm HHD Choir Rehearsal 7 pm 7 O N Labor Day Office Closed M 24 Simchat Torah Band Rehearsal 6 pm 17 Board Meeting 7 pm Sinai in the City 7:30 pm 10 3 H U Finance Committee Meeting 7:30 am T September 2015 25 Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Last Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm 18 Shabbat Shuva Service (off site) 6 pm 11 Social Action Committee Meeting 12 pm Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm 4 R I Kabbalat Shabbat 5:30 pm Outdoor Shabbat Service 6 pm F 26 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am 19 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am 12 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am 5 A T Selichot Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Selichot Dessert Reception 8 pm Selichot Study Session 8:30 pm Selichot Service 10 pm S 4 U N Religious School 9:30 am Sinai Mitzvah Day 9:30 am 25 Religious School 9:30 am In the Rabbi’s Study 10 am 18 Acheinu 8:30 am Religious School 9:30 am Social Action Film 10 am 11 Erev Simchat Torah Religious School 9:30 am CoSY Board Meeting 12 pm Simchat Torah Band Rehearsal 12 pm Sukkot BBQ 5 pm Simchat Torah Service 6:15 pm S Mitkadem 4:15 pm Kulanu 6:45 pm Rethinking Modern Judaism 7:30 pm 27 Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Cohen 12 pm Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Mitbach Sinai 6 pm 26 20 Mitkadem 4:15 pm Kulanu 6:45 pm Rethinking Modern Judaism 7:30 pm 19 Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Cohen 12 pm Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm Mitkadem 4:15 pm Kulanu 6:45 pm Rethinking Modern Judaism 7:30 pm 28 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 21 Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am Young at Hearts (@ Cong. Shalom) 10 am 14 7 E D 13 W Bible Study w/ Rabbi Brickman 9:30 am 6 U E Mitkadem 4:15 pm Rethinking Modern Judaism 7:30 pm T Kuzari w/Rabbi Brickman 4 pm B’rit Nashim Open Meeting 7:15 pm 12 5 O N Simchat Torah Office Closed Simchat Torah Morning Service w/ Yizkor 9:30 am Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm M 1 H U 29 Mitkadem 4:15 pm 22 Mitkadem 4:15 pm 15 Mitkadem 4:15 pm Board Meeting 7 pm 8 Finance Committee Meeting 7:30 am Mitkadem 4:15 pm Mitkadem 4:15 pm Simchat Torah Band Rehearsal 6 pm T October 2015 30 Friday Night Lights Family Shabbat Unplugged Service 5:15 pm Congregational Dinner 6 pm Shabbat Service 7:30 pm 23 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm 16 Green Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Green Shabbat Potluck 7:15 pm 9 Social Action Committee Meeting 12 pm Shabbat Service 6:15 pm 2 R I Shabbat Service 6:15 pm F 31 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Yoga Shabbat 9:30 am 24 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Lauren Glusman Bat Mitzvah 10 am 17 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Sinai @ 60 Celebration 7 pm 10 Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Ethan Schlesinger Bar Mitzvah 10 am 3 A T Torah Study 8 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am Miranda Lile Bat Mitzvah 10 am S Page 29 August-October 2015 In the Sinai Family B’nei Mitzvah Bios Miranda Ruth Lile Miranda Ruth Lile will celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah on October 3, 2015. She is the daughter of Sandra Saltzstein and Darrin Lile, and the sister of Malcolm Lile. She is the granddaughter of the late Arthur and Judith Saltzstein, as well as Darrell and Frances Lile of Glendale. Miranda is a 7th grader at Whitefish Bay Middle School. She loves music, and is a member of the Middle School choir, the women’s choir, and she plays flute in the band. Miranda loves to express herself through writing stories and drawing. She is a huge fan of the science fiction/ fantasy genre, and her favorites include Dr. Who, Supernatural, and Percy Jackson. Miranda’s Bat Mitzvah project is to raise awareness and support for Charity: Water which helps to provide access to clean and healthy water for people in need all over the world (my.charitywater.org/bat-miztvah-project). Miranda would like to thank Rabbi Cohen, Cantor Phillips, and Linda Ross for their teaching and support throughout her preparation process. Ethan Michael Schlesinger Ethan Michael Schlesinger will become a Bar Mitzvah on October 10th celebrating with his friends and family. Ethan is the son of Jill and Andrew Schlesinger, brother of Avery Schlesinger and grandson of Sheila and Ronald Nathan and Iris and Mel Schlesinger. Ethan is a 8th grader at Lakeshore Middle School and his interests include film editing, music and traveling with his family. Ethan is very excited for his Bar Mitzvah and has really enjoyed working with Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Phillips. We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone as Congregation Sinai for their kindness and immense support in helping Ethan reach this mitzvah. Lauren Glusman Lauren Glusman will become a Bat Mitzvah on October 24, 2015. Lauren is the daughter of Caroline Hogan and Larry Glusman, sister of Jack Glusman and grandson of Judy and Pat Hogan and Carol and Sheldon Glusman. Lauren is a 7th grader at University School of Milwaukee. She enjoys theater, singing, dancing, ballet, piano, swimming and tennis. Lauren enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with friends and family. Lauren is very excited about this important Jewish milestone. Lauren and her parents would like to thank Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Phillips for their assistance and guidance in preparing her for this special day. Life Cycle Events If you learn of any events - births, engagements, marriages, ordinations - that should be included in our “In the Sinai Family” page, please notify the Sinai office at
[email protected] or (414) 352-2970. When there is a death in our immediate family, please notify the synagogue office, even if the funeral is out of town. The clergy and the Sinai community would like the opportunity to express sympathy for your loss. Page 30 August-October 2015 In the Sinai Family Mazel Tov to: Sinai's newly installed Board of Trustees. The 2015-2016 CoSY Board, installed during Shabbat services on May 29! President: Maya Goldbaum Social Action Vice President: Jack Styler Religious & Cultural Vice President: Aviva Silverman Membership Vice President: Lia Oren Communications Vice President: Noah Borkin Sinai High School Graduates: Naomi Arenzon, Eli Cohen, Jacob Cohen, Alexander Elias, Joey Flegel-Mishlove, Jacob Lappin, Noah Lookatch, Ma'ayan Oren, Jack Rhead and Dylan Ross. To Andrea Bernstein on her recent appointment as Co-President of the National Council of Jewish Women. Chip and Kate Mann on the birth of their granddaughter, Emma Josephine Mann. Al and Dorothy Meyers on the birth of their great grandson Morris Joseph Azose. Joanne and Keith Roberts on the birth of their granddaughter, Olivia Mae Bladwin. Linda and Bill Ross on the birth of their grandson, Roman Wilkinson. Director of Youth Education, Barb Shimansky on her appointment as Treasurer of the Chicago Association of Reform Jewish Educators. Sydney Stelzer on her election as S'ganit (Vice President) of Wisconsin Region B'nai B’rith Girls! Micah Sweet on becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Ellis Bromberg for his retirement from MPTV. Ilana Friedman on her election as N'siah (President) of Wisconsin Region B'nai B'rith Girls! Andy Gollin for becoming an Administrative Law Judge in Cincinnati. Condolences to: Alan and Shirley Horowitz on the birth of their twin grandsons Nathan Marshall Horowitz and Samuel Albert Horowitz. Dorothy Bein-Arenzon and Steve (Robin) Arenzon on the death of their husband and uncle, Simon Arenzon. Brad Houston & Sarah Etlinger on the birth of their son, Gabriel Itzhak Etlinger-Houston. Herb Bratt on the death of his wife, Rosalee Bratt. Rebecca Katz graduated from Berkeley law school. She will be working in the public defender's office in Marin County San Francisco, California. Michael (Barbie) and Gage Grossman on the death of their grandfather and great grandfather, Lowell R. Grossman. Sheri and Lloyd Levin on celebrating their 50th wedding Anniversary. Victor Manuel (Ramona), Temoc, Cecilia, Ricardo and Sarai Tenorio on the death of their mother and grandmother, Trini Ochoa Salomon. Dr. Paul Loewenstein and Jody Kaufman Loewenstein on the recent marriage of their son Scott to Shu Fen Situ. Contributions Donations received from 4/7/15-7/2/15 In Memory of Leo Wexler Fred & Ellen Eckman Adult Programming & Education Fund In Memory of Simon Arenzon Jim Fowler Judy Joseph Tzedakah Fund In Memory of Simon Arenzon Bill & Idy Goodman In Memory of Tillie Goldstein Bob & Donna Neubauer In Memory of John Bradbury Theodore Bradbury In Memory of Arthur Ross In Memory of Katherine Ross Judith A. Ross In Memory of Frances Fershtman Mort & Naomi Soifer In Memory of Lois Schatz In Memory of Sidney Schatz Marc & Carol Schatz In Memory of Ervin Teplin Jeff Teplin & Susan Engler Building Fund In Memory of Mamie Muchin Toots Hassel In Honor of Gerry Salinsky’s 85th Birthday Herb & Rosalee Bratt In Memory of Eugene (Gene) FranK Jeff Frank & Family In Honor of Idy Goodman being honored by Tikun Ha’Ir Joan Lubar In Memory of Bessie Kohlenberg Simon & Dorothy Arenzon In Memory of Herman Larkey Jay Larkey In Memory of Hirsh Larkey Jay Larkey & Lois Malawsky In Honor of Donna Neubauer-Volunteer of the Year In Memory of Irwin Porter In Memory of Trini Ochoa Salomon Bill & Idy Goodman In Memory of Edith Sarah Schermer The Schermer Family In Memory of Kenneth Schmidt Lois Schmidt In Memory of Bede Segal Edith Gilman Lewis & Leatrice Marshak In Memory of Harry Soifer Mort & Naomi Soifer In Honor of Micah Sweet’s Bar Mitzvah Mike & Joan Friedman Page 31 August-October 2015 Contributions Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund In Appreciation The Goodmans Terry & Dena Grossman Shu Situ & Scott Loewenstein Dean & Laurie Segal Jack Shlimovitz In Memory of Daniel Burton Albert In Memory of Hana Mae Albert Michael & Wendy Lerner In Memory of Maurice J. Ansfield James & Joni Ansfield In Memory of Jeanette Barnow In Memory of Eugene (Gene) Frank Bernice Fagan In Memory of Robert Brill Marian Brill In Memory of Nellie Cherniack Gerry Cherniack In Memory of Robert Eiseman Eva Eiseman In Memory of Erwin Grossmann In Memory of Donna Resek Ron & Beth Shapiro In Memory of Helen Grossman Ron & Beth Shapiro In Memory of Lowell Grossman Barbara Shafton In Memory of Jeffrey Hayes Jim Phillips In Memory of Sam Kaufman Barbara Shafton In Memory of Selma Joy Kay Stanley Jolton & Sons In Memory of Lillian Rosenstein Pugach In Memory of Paul Pugach Bill Rickards & Marleen Pugach In Memory of Herb Reiss In Memory of Leo Shafton Barbara Shafton & Family In Memory of Nina Rotman In Memory of Rose Taitelman Sheila Taitelman In Memory of Jane Shlimovitz Dick Kahn & Sue Freeman Don & Helen Polacheck In Memory of Beatrice Segal Marshall & Bonnie Medved In Memory of Bede Segal David, Elaine, and Benjy Elkind Herbert Rubin & Mindy Segal Barbara Shafton & Family In Memory of Dr. Eugene Jack Usow Barry & Leslie Usow In Honor of Neal Zechman’s 75th Birthday Morrie & Sheila Rudberg Cantor’s Discretionary Fund In Appreciation The Goodmans Dean & Laurie Segal In Memory of Siegfried Lowin In Memory of Frances Pories Bill & Linda Ross In Memory of Mollie Razeper Doje Sherman In Honor of Bill & Linda Ross’s New Home Richard and Gayl Franz In Memory of Morton Wolfe Gary & Rona Wolfe & Family Floral and Oneg Fund In Memory of Shirley Barnes Marty Barnes & Jan Rosenberg In Memory of Sadye Brown In Memory of Solomon Brown In Memory of David Lipschultz George Lipschultz In Memory of Dr. Theodore Cayle In Memory of Adele Frumin In Memory of William E. Miller Shari Cayle In Memory of Jack D. Levin Jim & Deborah Gollin & Family Ketten/ Miringoff Simcha (Celebrations) Fund In Memory of June Berg In Honor of Idy Goodman’s Social Action Award In Memory of Miriam Miringoff In Memory of Bede Segal In Honor of Shu Situ In Memory of Gisha Swernoff Michael & Judi Ketten In Memory of Sol Gollin In Memory of Harold Ottenstein Jim & Deborah Gollin In Honor of Michael & Judi Ketten’s New Granddaughter Gary & Marley Stein Music Fund In Memory of Joseph Aaron John Yopps & Melissa Chudnow In Memory of Selma Cherniack Nasberg Gerry Cherniack In Memory of Louis Cohen Beverly Rattner In Memory of Eugene Horenstein Beverly Rattner In Memory of Robert Rice Marion Rice In Memory of Regina Jacob In Memory of Simon Jacob In Memory of Fred Neubauer In Memory of Raymond Neubauer In Memory of Ruth Neubauer Fred & Eva Jacob In Memory of Bess Rosenberg Gerald & Marcia Cherniack In Memory of William Kopans Fred & Ellen Eckman In Memory of Muriel Levin George Levin Chesed (Caring) Fund In Memory of Irvin M. Becker Mike & Joan Friedman In Memory of Anna Lauwasser Marv & Marlene Lauwasser In Memory of Rose Fishkin Debra Zarne Pauline Zarne In Honor of Scott Loewenstein’s Marriage to Shu Situ In Honor of Scott Lowenstein’s Medical School Graduation Marv & Marlene Lauwasser In Memory of Jeffrey Hayes Leslie, Zach, & Eli Hayes In Memory of Bede Segal Marleen Pugach & Bill Rickards In Memory of Beatrice Hoffman Hugh & Robin Hoffman In Honor of Jerry Salinsky’s 85th Birthday Stephen Colburn & Marlee Sabo Colburn In Memory of Cheryl Lubotsky BJ & Elyse Cohn In Memory of Mathilda Luff Al & Dorothy Meyers In Honor of Barry & Leslie Usow’s Granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah Richard & Elyce Lernor In Memory of Betty Miller Shari Cayle & Family In Honor of Rebecca Yee’s Bat Mitzvah Marv & Marlene Lauwasser In Memory of Elaine Perry Stelzer Family Jacob M. Fine & Family Library & Technology Fund In Memory of Rae Baily In Memory of Sheldon Baily In Memory of Milton Hoffman Hugh & Robin Hoffman In Memory of Bede Segal Jeff Winter & Sally Brown Winter In Honor of Harriet Weiss’s Special Birthday In Memory of William Luff Al & Dorothy Meyers Page 32 August-October 2015 Contributions In Memory of Beverly Bender Herb & Rosalee Bratt In Memory of Irvin M. Becker Margery Becker In Honor of Kyle Friedman-grandson of Mike and Joan Friedman Jim & Judy Silbermann In Memory of Murray Bein Dorothy Bein-Arenzon In Memory of Morty Greenspan Eric & Jayne Butlein Janet Greenebaum Scholarship Fund In Memory of Katherine Loewenthal Janet Greenebaum Passport to Israel Fund In Memory of Murray Glass Mark & Ingrid Glass Landscape Fund In Memory of Marc Flesch Jim & Ellen Flesch Jim Phillips In Memory of Morris Mendeloff, Jr. Alan & Lola Mendeloff In Memory of Ardell Eisenberg In Memory of Gerald Kahn Rosalie Kahn In Memory of Morris Fredlich Rob & Lauri Roth Happy Mother’s Day to Edith Gilman Daniel & Jeanie Gilman & Family In Memory of Lowell Grossman Ronald & Marissa Grossman Robert Mandel Marc Rasansky & Beth Kushner Gerry Schmidman David & Jill Sheer In Memory of Ellis B. Hassel Toots Hassel In Memory of Elza Roth Lancina Family In Memory of Jack Kohlenberg Simon Arenzon & Dorothy Bein-Arenzon In Memory of Julius Rubin Charles & Laura Waisbren In Memory of R. Todd Lappin Mike & Tracy Lappin Family In Memory of Dolores Schlossmann Brad & Holly Schlossmann In Honor of Marv & Marlene Lauwasser David Goldhaber & Davida Amenta In Memory of James I. Schulhof In Memory of Pearl Schulhof The Schulhof Family In Memory of A. Hart Wurzburg Mary Wurzburg Future Fund In Memory of Beatrice Segal Max & Cindy Rasansky Lieberman Memorial Arts Fund In Memory of Allen A. Goldmann Ruth Goldmann In Memory of Ben E. Kolbur In Memory of Faye Kolbur Ruth Goldmann Joan Lieberman Congregation Sinai Operating Fund In Memory of Simon Arenzon Belle Bernstein Daniella Nilva Cunningham Robert & Sharon Goldstein Blanche Kahn Sheila Cole Nilva Stephanie Mara Nilva Jerry & Jill Polacheck Gus & Joanne Ricca In Memory of Cheryl Lubotsky Nick & Janet Padway Youth Engagement Scholarship Fund In Memory of Elaine Perry Stelzer Family In Memory of Shirley Lederman Stolzer The Fishbach Family Dick Kaeppel Youth Engagement Fund In Memory of Eva Jolton Stanley Jolton & Sons In Memory of Dick Kaeppel Larry & Ellen Rowen In Memory of Elaine Perry Stelzer Family Congregation Sinai Endowment at the Jewish Community Foundation In Memory of Eunice Kartman Marc & Cynthia Kartman In Memory of Edward J. Kelly Sr. David, Madeleine, Hannah & Patrick Lubar In Memory of Earl Zechman In Memory of Ida Zechman Neal & Susan Zechman Prayer Book Fund In Memory of Sol Gollin Jim & Deborah Gollin In Memory of Everlean Wiggins Phyllis M. Wiggins In Memory of Lisa Phillips Jim Phillips In Memory of Rachel Porter Bill & Idy Goodman In Memory of John K. Roberts Keith & Joanne Roberts In Honor of Gerald Salinsky’s 85th Birthday Philip & Rosemary Hudson In Memory of Bede Segal Dick & Barbara Simon Chuck & Bunny Winter In Memory of Milton Soref Nita Soref In Honor of Micah Sweet’s Bar Mitzvah Steve & Rae Sweet Robert Grant Marks Youth Fund Happy Mother’s Day to Joyce Kaplowitz Jerry & Brynn Bloch Bruce & Debbie Parelskin Those making donations will receive recognition for their generosity in the Sinai News. Those honored or the family of someone remembered will receive notice in the mail from Congregation Sinai. Page 33 August-October 2015 Those We Remember August Yarhzeits August 7, 2015 Helen Goldberg Ball Samuel Bender Sally Bodanskya Eva Eisenberg Dorf Neel Wehe Laing Jo Ann Mann Harry Meissner Morris Aaron Paschen Isabelle Polacheck Ari Porat Slava Porat Rachel Presley Leonard Roth Lucia K. Schaub Eugene Schlossmann Molly Scklore Howard Silver Samuel Tarachow Robin Temkin Ethel Veit Arthur Zechman William Kaufmann Louis Lebow Larry David Lieberman Melvin Orenstein Jacob Schapiro Janet Shlimovitz Hyman Stern August 14, 2015 Ceil Baum Ida Heifetz Berman Lawrence Chudnow Laurence H. Eiseman Bertha Falk Natan Feldman Bill Goldberger Gerald Goldbaum Marie “Mickey” Green Margaret Kaufmann August 21, 2015 Bernard Borkovitz Barbara H. Bortin Rose Bradbury Jack Brandes Agatha Calisch John Feldman Jo Anne S. Fox Sadye Gumbiner Herbert Samuel Heavenrich Murray Herman James J. Katz Jay Marshall Lieberman Joseph J. Lubar Roland E. Meissner Fanny Mossman David Orenstein Ruth F. Orenstein Ronald Padway Edgar Neuman Pincus Henry Rosenberg Harry Rubinstein Molly Schwartz Isadore Sedlet Ben Stein Vivianne Sulds Louis Temkin Yetta Usow August 28, 2015 Helen Blesser Richard A. Cook Sheldon Frank Esther Gliber Robert Glick William C. Heller, Jr. Carolyn Hoffman Rose Hoffman Sherwin J. Kader Charlotte Schwartz Goldene Strauss September Yarhzeits September 4, 2015 Ruth Gelbart Dr. Mary Zeldes Friedman Alvin S. Hartz Whilemina Jacobs Geraldine “Gerri” Kay Gertrude Kerns Esther Larkey Beryl Levine Irving Malawsky Racine Meyerowitz Lee Ostermann Esther Smith September 11, 2015 Rose Adler Naum Akselrod Andy Alameno Kenneth Allschwang Phyllis Holzman Bernstein Andrew Cherniack Claudia Anne Cowan Ben Zion Hersch Mae Horowitz James J. Katz Milton B. Katz Edward Rosenberg Molly Jeanette Rosenberg Victor Salinsky Benjamin Schiffer Pauline Schwedelson Jacob Malcom Seidman Lilly Wallis Sidon Jeffrey C. Siegel Ann Simon H. Alan Stein Harold Stemerman Lois Taus September 18, 2015 Phillip Altshul Hilda Barash Klara Borkovitz Leon Borkovitz Irving A. Bram Dr. Carl O. Diamond Selmer Melvin Feld Nathan Fishbach Russell Fisher Abe Friedman Ethel Geisenfeld Paul Gratch Carl Greenfield Edik Loxvitsky Leah Mandel Jim Muchin Samuel Rothman Maybelle Sametz Myra Steiner Charlotte Teweles Aaron James Carr Thomas Herman Veit September 25, 2015 Wolf Armour Sam Butlein Jewel Calloway William Dinkes Henry Federlin Margaret Federlin Morris Hackman Oscar Jacobs Maureen B. Kahn Milton Letven Sol Lindenberg Lottie Lubar Mariam Medvedovsky Anna Melcher Joan S. Parelskin Ethel Primakow Eugene Prudell Anna Reuter Tammy Robinson Judith Saltzstein Eugene Schwartz October Yarhzeits October 2, 2015 James Buchbinder Albert Cherniack David Colburn Lucille Fensin Charles Geisenfeld Ralph Heilbronner Sara Kaplan Warren W. Laing Miles Mandel Eli Meltzer Sara Moskol Ada Perlson Charlotte Rabenn Jonathan David Resek Benjamin Rosenberg Richard Saltzstein Mildred Sanderson Sara Shafton Beatrice Fein Weber Ethel Weinberg October 9, 2015 Lillian Schwartzberg Armour Max Fershtman Marvin Fishman Mary Fishman Louis Kaufman Sylvia Letven Scot Alan Levin Eleanor Mann Joseph Pereles Herman Pollishuke Sofie Feld Rozoff Ida Rugowitz Virginia Saffro Michael Shapiro Charles Wiggins Jenny Wiviott October 16, 2015 Hannah Auerbach Milton Auerbach Irving Isador Cowan Steven Doyle Robert Fishkin Mary Flesch Harold Frolkis Errol J. Glusman Jean Golper Sadie Schweitzer Harris Beverly Hassel-Manburg Thomas E. Hassel Jody Hersch S. David A. Hirsh Edward Jacobson Elise Low Kahn Isadore Kaplan Elizabeth Lamb Dr. Jerome Marks Robert Grant Marks Morris Moskol Fanny Padway Geneva Rife David Joel Schechter Shirley St. Germain Bernice Stein Esther Handelman Vail Florence Waxman Arthur Weissman Dora Werbel October 23, 2015 Bessie Becker Ishmael Bratt Edith Bromberg Jack Fagan Jacob Fine Fanny Goodman Louis Greenebaum, Jr. Helen Hillman Sandra Tina Kessler Dr. Abram Levine Ronald Mayer Emil Neubauer Dorothy Polacheck Rose Shaiken Rabbi Ulrick Steuer Elmer Winter Lewis Winter October 30, 2015 Janet Bensman Sidney M. Eisenberg Paul Elias Samuel Ettinger Joan Frazer Lew Goldstein Alvin Hansher Dr. Bernard Horwitz Abe Lipton Nancy Mandel Alize Quateman Carol Siegel-Zdatny Janet L. Stillman Margaret Stuckert Abraham Tepps Robert Weber Theodus Wiggins Congregation Sinai 8223 N. Port Washington Road, Fox Point, WI 53217 Member of the Union for Reform Judaism Board of Trustees, 2015-2016 Chip Mann, President Larry Glusman, Vice President Mike Weinshel, Treasurer Judy Flegel, Secretary Dan Elias, Past President Marc Kartman, Past President Judi Ketten, Past President Rachel Buff, Social Action Andrea Bernstein, Youth Education Mitch Colton, Brotherhood Jenni Goldbaum, Membership Bill Goodman, Membership Robert Hieb Michael Hool, Finance Terry Jacobs, Fundraising Steve Kravit Marvin Lauwasser, Fundraising Julie Lookatch, Vice President Nick Padway Sandy Saltzstein Michelle Silverman, Vice President Carmel Sweet Phyllis Wiggins, Finance/Fundraising Deborah Wilk The form below may be used when submitting your donation. Those remembered will be promptly informed of your thoughtfulness. Please return form to the Sinai office. Please make checks payable to Congregation Sinai. Note: Suggested minimum donations is $10.00. □Adult Programming & Education Fund □Andy Brickman Museum & Ritual Fund □Barbara Eiseman Memorial Fund for Spiritual Growth □Congregation Sinai Building Fund □Cantor’s Discretionary Fund □Chesed (Caring) Fund □Congregation Sinai Endowment (@ the Jewish Community Foundation) □Congregation Sinai Operating Fund □Floral & Oneg Fund □Jacob M. Fine & Family Library & Technology Fund □Janet Greenebaum Scholarship Fund □Landscape Fund □Lieberman Memorial Arts Fund □Ketten/Miringoff Simcha (Celebrations) Fund □Music Fund □Passport to Israel Fund □Prayerbook Fund □Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund □Robert Grant Marks Youth Fund □Tzedakah Fund □Dick Kaeppel Youth Engagement Scholarship Fund □School Scholarship Fund □Other_________________ Enclosed is a $________________ contribution □In honor of □In memory of □Other ________________________________________________________ Send acknowledgement card to: Name:_______________________________________ Address:_____________________________________ City:___________________ State:_____ Zip:________ From: Name:___________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________ City:____________________ State:_____ Zip:__________ Phone:__________________________________________ □ Do not include my contribution in the Sinai News. Congregation Sinai wishes you !לשנה טובה Rosh Hashanah September 13-15 Yom Kippur September 22-23 Rabbi David B. Cohen • Rabbi Emeritus Jay R. Brickman Cantor Lauren Phillips • Director of Youth Education Barbara Shimansky, MSW Director of Administration Karen Lancina • Program Coordinator Jen Friedman 8223 N. Port Washington Road • Fox Point, WI 53217 414.352.2970 • www.congregationsinai.org From Rabbi David Cohen To Judge Others and Ourselves If all Reb Nachman had to teach us was every person, even the most seemingly evil, has a nekudat Tov, a spot of goodness, and that we have the capacity to find and nurture that spot of goodness and to enable the person to reach toward Teshuvah, Dayeinu! But having focused on the ethics of judging others, he now turns the tables. “So now my clever friend,” Nachman writes, “now that you know how to treat the wicked and find some bit of good in them—now go and do it for yourself as well! You know what I have taught you: “Take great care, be happy always! Stay far, far away from sadness and depression.” I’ve said it to you more than once. I know what happens when you start examining yourself. “No goodness at all,” you find, “just full of sin.” Watch out for despair, my friend, which wants to push you down. That is why I said, “Now go do it for yourself as well.” You, too, must have done some good for someone, some time. Now go look for it, just the smallest bit: a dot of goodness. That should be enough to give you back your life, to bring you back your joy. By seeking out that little bit, even in yourself, and judging yourself that way, you show yourself that this is who you are. You can change your whole life this way and bring yourself to teshuvah. It’s that first little dot of goodness that’s the hardest one to find (or the hardest to admit you find!) The next ones will come a little easier, each one following another. And you know what? These little dots of goodness in yourself—after a while you will find that you can sing them! Join them one to another, and they become your niggun, your wordless melody. You fashion that niggun by rescuing your own good spirit from all that darkness and depression. The niggun brings you back to life—and then you can start to pray.” Nachman’s teaching provides an alternative to the prevailing notion that we have to love ourselves before we love others. While that may be true for some, for others the reverse is true: to learn to love ourselves it is best to start that work by trying to love others first. With enough practice, we will be able to recognize our own best qualities, and learn to judge ourselves with the rachmanus, compassion and patience we would want others to use when judging us. As we judge ourselves in the weeks ahead, let us approach Teshuvah (repentance) gently and sweetly, trying, as Reb Nachman urges, to see ourselves as kindly and compassionately as we see others. In that compassion, we will meet the face of God: God's endless love and limitless compassion for all of us created in the divine image, trying as best we can to live up to who we know we can be. For in the end, God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy are balanced before us; the rest of the work is up to us. In Jewish tradition, God is portrayed as giver of life, the source of laws, values and ethics, a comforting and merciful presence, and the Judge of Truth. In particular, God as judge is the theme at the High Holy Days, an all-seeing witness to who we are and what we’ve done. At this season, it’s not only God’s judgment that counts, but also the way we judge ourselves and others. The 19th century Hassidic Rebbe Nachman of Bratzlav (Breslau) taught: “Judge one and all generously, leaning strongly toward the good, even if you think they are as sinful as can be. Always look for that place, however small, where there is no sin (and everyone, after all, has such a place) And by telling them, by showing them, that this is who they are, we can help them change their lives. Even the person you think is completely rotten (and he agrees!)—how is it possible that at some time in his life he has not done some good deed, some mitzvah? Your job is to help him look for it, to seek it out, and then to judge him that way. Then, indeed, as it states in the Psalms, you will “look at his place” and find that the wicked one is no longer there—not because he has died or disappeared, but because, with your help, he will no longer be in the place where you first saw him. By seeking out that goodness, you allowed him to change. You helped teshuvah take its course.” Reb Nachman suggests we should give others the benefit of the doubt, seeking in them even the most minute quantity of goodness. Interpreting a phrase from the Psalms, Reb Nachman says the Psalm doesn’t mean that wicked people will vanish on account of their wickedness -rather, that they will undergo a fundamental shift and will cease to exist as they were. They will become different people, no longer enmeshed in the place they were but capable of rising to a new level. In contrast with our tendency to see people as inherently and irredeemably corrupt, Nachman, reminds us that each of us has, at the very least, a small nekudah, a brilliant point, of goodness. Rabbi David B. Cohen 2 Cantor Lauren Phillips We have scheduled three rehearsals prior to Simchat Torah, and we ask that each child be able to attend at least two of them. We wanted to give scheduling options in order to ensure maximum participation. These are the gifts that we bring that we may build a holy place. This is the spirit that we bring that we may build a holy place. We will bring all the goodness that comes from our hearts And the spirit of God will dwell within..... -Debbie Friedman, based on Parshat Terumah Sunday, September 20: 12:00-1:30 pm (right after religious school) Thursday, September 24: 6:00-7:30 pm Thursday, October 1: 6:00-7:30 pm Please make sure that your child attends at least two of the three rehearsals. We’ll serve pizza prior to the rehearsals, so don’t worry about your kids missing lunch or dinner! Simchat Torah services will take place right after the Sukkot BBQ on Sunday, October 4. The BBQ begins at 5 pm. We ask that all of the kids and teens joining us in the band be done eating by 5:45 pm so that we can do a sound check and warm-up before our 6:15 pm service. If your child would be interested in participating, please send me an e-mail at
[email protected] with your child’s name and instrument (vocalists are welcome, of course). If you are an adult reading this who happens to have musical talents, please let me know – we’d love for you to share these gifts with the Congregation Sinai community in the coming year. Rabbi Cohen often explains to our B’nei Mitzvah students that the Torah doesn’t change when we read it each year. Instead, we change. May the Torah we write in 5776 be one where we bring our individual gifts and talents together to find new ways to build community here at Congregation Sinai. These lyrics, from Debbie Friedman’s song “Holy Place,” are based on the Torah portion Terumah. The word “Terumah” is Hebrew for gift, or offering. The portion focuses on the individual gifts and offerings that each of the Israelites were asked to contribute towards the building of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary that served as God’s dwelling place as the Jews wandered in the desert. These gifts did not have to be monetary. In fact, most of the gifts were based on the individual talents and creativity of the Israelites. In recent months, we have been having a lot of conversations about engagement here at Congregation Sinai, our very own holy place. One of the strategies we have been using for engagement is learning about the individual talents of our members and finding ways for them to use these skills for the benefit of our community – much like the Israelites did in Parshat Terumah. This applies to both children and adults alike. Many of the kids and teens here at Congregation Sinai are talented musicians. Some take private lessons, while others are actively involved in school ensembles and plays. This year, we are hoping to showcase the singers and instrumentalists in our congregation during Simchat Torah. Instead of hiring a band made up of professional musicians, our kids and teens (fourth graders and up) will be leading the celebration alongside Rabbi Cohen, Karen Horwitz, and myself. We hope that this initiative will enable families to join together as we celebrate the end of one Torah cycle and the beginning of a new year of active participation in music and worship at Sinai. If the band is success, there may be other opportunities for our youth to participate in Rockin’ Shabbat or other services throughout the year. Shana tovah u’metukah – best wishes for a sweet new year! Cantor Lauren Phillips 3 Table of Contents Rosh Hashanah Page 5-6 Yom Kippur Page 7-8 High Holy Day Youth Programming, Volunteer Opportunities & Registration Page 9-10 Important Holy Day Information Page 11 Bring It On, Bubbe! Page 12 Sukkot & Simchat Torah Page 13 High Holy Day Guest Ticket Form Insert Yizkor Book Form Insert Selichot Selichot: Selichot are a series of prayers we say in the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah which are designed to focus our intention and prepare us for the Heshbon HaNefesh (soul accounting) that lies at the heart of the High Holy Days, which in turn prepare us to do Teshuvah - repentance. Join us for Selichot Saturday, September 5th 8:00 p.m. Dessert Reception We will begin the evening with coffee & dessert in the foyer 8:30 p.m. Selichot Study 10:00 p.m. Selichot Service Simon Weisenthal’s ‘The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness’ “You are a prisoner in a concentration camp. A dying Nazi soldier asks for your forgiveness. What would you do?” This is the premise of Simon Weisenthal’s devastating book, “The Sunflower.” We will read from the 1999 edition, which contains the responses of dozens of notable voices in the Jewish community. From this most extreme of examples, we’ll work our way back to ethical challenges we face in weighing forgiveness. 4 Rosh Hashanah 1 Tishrei 5775 Erev Rosh Hashanah Sunday, September 13, 2015 8:00 PM Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 1st Day of Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 14, 2015 9:30 AM Rosh Hashanah Morning Service See page 9-10 for High Holy Day Youth Programming. 3:00 PM Rosh Hashanah Young Children & Family Service, Tashlich* & Shofar Blowing Contest *We symbolically cast away our sins by throwing breadcrumbs into a body of water (purification). This is a way of expressing our yearning and repentance. 2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah Tuesday, September 15, 2015 9:30 AM 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Service & Kiddush Friday, September 18, 2015 6:00 PM Shabbat Shuvah Service (see page 6 for details) 5 Rosh Hashanah 1 Tishrei 5775 Rosh Hashanah Family Special Second Day Service, Tashlich & Shofar Rosh Hashanah Services! Blowing Contest New! Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. Monday, September 14, 2015 3:o0 PM Kiddush will follow The second day services for Rosh Hashanah are more relaxed and intimate than the day before, which often makes the contemplative work of the High Holy Days easier. This year we will pilot the just published Reform Movement Machzor (High Holy Day prayer book). Fully transliterated (Hebrew spelled out in English letters in addition to the Hebrew) and filled with new readings, essays and poetry, it will make for a refreshing morning. Come join us as we take a closer look at the themes of repentance and renewal that mark this season. Join us for the Rosh Hashanah Young Children & Family Service, stay for Tashlich (participate in this special Rosh Hashanah ritual) and enjoy a sweet snack! Shabbat Shuvah-Lakeside! Friday, September 18, 2015 at 6:00p.m. Shofar blowing contest immediately following Tashlich. Join us for Shabbat Shuvah. Service will be held lakeside at 7718 N Beach Drive, Fox Point. Please bring a lawn chair and flashlight! Join us for this very special Shabbat. If you wish to bring something sweet please let us know what you will be bringing by registering on Eventbrite at http://tashlichbaking2015.eventbrite.com no later than September 7th. Questions? Contact Linda Cayle at
[email protected] Hosted by Deb & Moshe Katz 6 Yom Kippur 10 Tishrei 5775 Erev Yom Kippur Tuesday, September 22, 2015 8:00 PM Kol Nidrei Service Yom Kippur Wednesday, September 23, 2015 9:30 AM Yom Kippur Morning Service See page 9-10 for High Holy Day Youth Programming. 12:30 PM Adult Study Session Join us as we reflect on the messages and themes of the High Holy Days! 2:00 PM Yom Kippur Young Children & Family Service 3:00 PM Yom Kippur Afternoon Service of Healing and Forgiveness 4:30 PM Yizkor (Memorial) Service 5:30 PM N’ilah (Concluding) Service Please bring your children to share in a special candlelit service. Bring your shofar and join in the final shofar blast of this holiday season. 6:30 PM Break-the-Fast Sponsored by Women of Sinai 7 Yom Kippur 10 Tishrei 5775 N'ilah (Concluding) Service - Families Welcome • Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 5:30 PM • Join us for the final opportunity to reflect on High Holy Day themes before the gates of repentance close. Please bring your children to share in this special candlelit service. Bring your own shofar for this very moving and meaningful experience. Break-the-fast! The Women of Sinai invite you to break-the-fast at the conclusion of Yom Kippur services on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. Shanah Tovah We look forward to breaking the fast with you! Kugels & Desserts Needed! If you are able to bake a kugel or dessert, please let us know by contacting Judy Shor at
[email protected] or registering at: https://bakingbreakthefast2015.eventbrite.com by September 15th. If you are unable to bake, monetary donations are also appreciated. Please make checks payable to Women of Sinai. Drop off at the synagogue office or mail to Sinai. 8 High Holy Day Youth Programming and Volunteer Opportunities for Kids & Adults The High Holy Days at Sinai provide an opportunity for meaningful participation at all ages. During services your children should be seated with you or in our youth programming at all times. Rosh Hashanah—Monday, September 14, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. Yom Kippur—Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. Youth Programming K-5 Kindergarten - Grade 5 (Children will be in classrooms according to grade level and activities will be geared toward their specific age group) Rosh Hashanah Youth Programming Activities will include: Age appropriate Rosh Hashanah themed stories and craft activities Youth service (K-5 grades are all together for service--approx. 45 minutes) Snack Yom Kippur Youth Programming Activities will include: Age appropriate Yom Kippur themed ethics activities (i.e. story time with Jonah and the Whale, discussion groups, drama and movement activities related to overcoming obstacles and making good choices for the year ahead) Create items to hang and decorate the Sinai Sukkah from the harvest of our Sinai garden Youth service (K-5 grades are all together for service--approx. 45 minutes) Light Snack *Continue on the next page for more youth programming. 9 Pre-teen/Teen Programming 6th - 8th Grades For both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our 6th through 8th graders will have a chance to take a break from the main service to have a discussion in a relaxed atmosphere, led by an adult from our Sinai community, on themes related to the High Holy Days. 9th - 12th Grades All interested 9th through 12th graders are invited to sign up to volunteer to help out in the classrooms for the High Holy Day Youth Programming. Please feel free to sign up to volunteer for either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, or both. Adult Volunteers Adult Volunteers We need adult volunteers to work in the classrooms for our High Holy Day Youth Programs. If you are interested, please sign up and we will be in touch to discuss responsibilities and options. Please sign up for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or both. Registration below. Have questions about our High Holy Day Youth Programming or volunteering? Contact Judy Flegel at
[email protected] or Andrea Bernstein at
[email protected]. Youth & Teen Programming & Adult Volunteer Registration Information: Register by September 7th Rosh Hashanah To register your K – 12th grade child and Adult Volunteering for our Rosh Hashanah Youth Program please go to https://sinairoshhashanahyouthprogramming2015.eventbrite.com Yom Kippur To register your K – 12th grade child and Adult Volunteering for our Yom Kippur Youth Program please go to https://sinaiyomkippuryouthprogramming2015.eventbrite.com Questions about registration? Please contact Jeri Danz at 414-352-2970 or
[email protected] 10 Important Holy Day Information TICKETS Tickets: Two tickets are included with this packet for each member household. Please be sure to have your tickets with you at all times. Their children age 30 and younger (and their significant others) will not need separate tickets and should be seated with their families. Guest tickets are available for purchase. For your safety, Sinai ushers will be checking tickets for every service. Guest Tickets: Congregation Sinai Guest Ticket Policy encourages families and friends to celebrate and pray together, as well as encourages congregational affiliation. Please purchase your guest tickets by completing the enclosed High Holy Day Guest Ticket Request Form and returning it to Congregation Sinai no later than Tuesday, September 1st. There is a $50 per person per holiday guest ticket cost. Payment must be received before tickets will be mailed. Guest tickets are available to all out-of-town family and friends without limitation in receiving tickets year after year. Guest tickets are available to local family and friends one-time only. If your local family and/or friends wish to attend in subsequent years, we ask these guests to consider joining Congregation Sinai. If your guests are members of another congregation (URJ or otherwise) there will be no guest ticket charge. Guests must contact their synagogue for a reciprocity letter and arrange to have the form sent to Congregation Sinai as soon as possible. Visiting another congregation? If you are traveling during the Holy Days and wish to worship at another URJmember synagogue, please contact the Sinai office so that we may help you arrange for guest tickets in the community that you will be visiting. PARKING Parking: We have limited spots available in our parking lot. There is additional parking available at Maple Dale School and on Port Washington Road. Parking Pass: Your parking pass should be on the dashboard of your car so that you are not ticketed in the parking lot or on the street. SECURITY Professional Security Officers and Volunteer Ushers: are here to ease your experience and protect us in case of emergency. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in placing your parking passes in your car and showing your tickets to our ushers. This is for YOUR safety. Disabled Parking Spaces: are limited. Please arrive no less than 30 minutes prior to services to ensure parking. ACCOMMODATIONS Congregation Sinai is an accessible congregation for all of your needs. If you are in need of hearing assistance, transportation, or reserved seating, please contact Karen Hintz in our office, (414) 352-2970 or
[email protected] PRAYER BOOKS Congregation Sinai worships on the Holy Days while using the red “Gates of Repentance” prayer book. A limited supply are available to borrow from Sinai for each service. You are encouraged to purchase your own copy of “Gates of Repentance” for $25 by calling Karen Hintz in the Sinai office prior to the Holy Days. For all tickets, parking accommodations, prayer book arrangements please contact Karen Hintz in the Sinai office or by email:
[email protected] 11 Bring It On, Bubbe! (really – this will be funnier if you read it with the appropriate accent) 1. You get shvitzadik? - Sit on the ends. You get kalte? - Sit in the middle. Not sure? - Bring a sweater. 2. Make room for Bubbe! When coming to Sinai, remember that some of us have an easier time walking from Port Washington Road than others. If you’re able, please reserve our little parking lot for those who need it. 3. Shush! It’s great to catch up with friends and fellow congregants. Please remember to keep your conversations during services to a minimum. The mishpacha should also sit together. Keep your school-aged children worshipping with you. Let’s work together to create an environment worthy of prayer. 4. I know you think it’s standard Jewish practice to be late, but these are the Holy Days…so come on….be on time and don’t save seats. 5. Let’s be mensches at the start of this New Year, after you finish praying and asking God for forgiveness, take a look around your chair, please pick up your pamphlets, wrappers, and your dirty tissues. There’s a place for everything and the sanctuary floor is not one of them. Please find a trash can. 6. The choir and Cantor Phillips are so beautiful - how lucky we are to have them. Let’s be sure to join them in song even if you sing like me! 7. The folks who wear carnations? They are our volunteer ushers, here to make your experience more comfortable and safe. Don’t forget to thank them! 8. Gesundheit, oy, these allergies are killing me - outside is bad enough with all that pollen in the air, let’s keep our Sanctuary as it’s meant to be….Fragrance Free. Leave the Chanel at home. 9. Not everyone is as fortunate as we are! On Erev Rosh Hashanah there will be brown bags handed to you as you exit. Take it home and fill it up (with non-perishable food, of course). Return it by Yom Kippur for the Jewish Community Pantry. It’s a MITZVAH! 10. Bubbe (and Congregation Sinai) wish you and your family Shanah Tovah U’Metukah! May you have a happy and a sweet new year! And remember, all those sweet apples have plenty of good fiber. P.S. Did you know the Holy Days don’t end with a little Break-the-Fast nosh??? Oh yes, there’s more…… 12 Sukkot/Simchat Torah 15 & 22 Tishrei 5775 Sukkot/Simchat Torah Service Schedule Erev Sukkot Hosted by B’rit Nashim (Sinai women who meet once a month for programs of personal interest & Jewish content) Erev Sukkot Sunday, September 27th at 6:15 p.m. Sukkot Morning Services Monday, September 28th at 9:30 a.m. Sukkot BBQ Sunday, October 4th 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 27th at 6:15 p.m. Join at 5:30 PM for wine & cheese! Join us for a warm and spiritual service to welcome and celebrate Sukkot! Open to all! Simchat Torah & Celebration Sunday, October 4th at 6:15 p.m. Simchat Torah Morning Service with Yizkor Monday, October 5th at 9:30 a.m. Oneg to follow! Dine at the Annual Sukkot BBQ! Erev Simchat Torah Sunday, October 4th Sunday, October 4th 5:00 PM - BBQ - rain or shine! 6:15 PM Celebrate in the Sukkah with Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Phillips. Enjoy delicious food, socialize and shake the lulov! Come see the Torah completely unrolled! Together we rejoice in the celebration of Torah! We’ll sing, dance, and read Torah as we roll our scroll back to the beginning. Cost: Adults $10, Children 12 and under $7, Children 3 and under are free Help us welcome our new member families! Caramel apples for all! RSVP by September 29th at https://sinaisukkotbarbeque2015.eventbrite.com Co-sponsored by Sinai Brotherhood, Israel Committee & Mitbach Sinai Don’t you want to “dwell in our new hut” with your family and friends? Contact Karen Hintz at (414) 352-2970 or
[email protected] to reserve time between September 21st & October 1st in the sukkah! 13 Warmest wishes for a sweet and happy New Year!