IN THIS ISSUE...Congregation Or Shalom 835 Darby-Paoli Road Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-644-9086...

HORIZONS JANUARY 2021 TEVET, 5781 — SHEVAT, 5781

Tevet 5781— Shevat, 5781

UPCOMING EVENTS

Host an Oneg …………………...………….. 2

President’s Column ……………………….. 3

Rabbi’s Column…………………………….. 4

January Yahrzeits……….……...…………. 6

November Contributions …….……………. 7

Tot Shabbat …………………………………… 8

Adult Jewish Learning ……………………. 9

Social Action News ……………………….. 10

Sisterhood News ……………..………….. 11

Sisterhood—Or Shalom Talk with Zora … 12

Sisterhood — Jewish India ……………… 13

Larisa Averbakh …………………………… 14

Or Tamid Religious School Calendar ….. 15

Student Learning Services ………………. 16

In Memory ……………………………….... 17

Odds & Ends.. … …………………………. 18

Calendar …………………………………….. 19

Ian Shapiro Bar Mitzvah Drive …………… 20

Donation Form ……………………………… 21

Advertisers ………………………………….. 22

IN THIS ISSUE

1/1/21 Office Closed

1/7/21 Board Mtg 7:30 pm

1/10/21 Or Shalom Talk with Zora Natanblut @10:30am

1/17/21 No School—

MLK Holiday

1/22/21 Tot Shabbat 5:30 pm

2/14 No Religious school—President’s Day

2/15 Office Closed—President’s Day

2/19 Tot Shabbat @5:30 pm Theme: Purim

2/21 Sisterhood Event @7:30 pm “Jewish India”

2/25-2/26 Holiday Purim Service

HORIZONS 2 JANUARY 2021 TEVET, 5781 — SHEVAT, 5781

Horizons is published monthly. Materi-al submitted for publication may be edited for style, length and content. Please contact the office to report any errors or omissions. Thank you. Editor: Lauren Porter Congregation Or Shalom 835 Darby-Paoli Road Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-644-9086 www.OrShalom.com E-mail: [email protected]

Congregation Or Shalom Executive Committee

President: Andrew Levin Vice President: Treasurer: Alan Daroff Secretary: Larry Bilker Membership: Betsy Cohen Events/Fundraising: IPP:

Auxiliary & Community Groups

Sisterhood: Mindy Bernstein Men’s Club: Social Action: Gina Arlen Education Chair: Ben Shender Ritual Committee: Joel Stern

Advertising rates

Advertising contracts are arranged through the Temple office. All adver-tising is due the first of the month for next month’s edition of Horizons. We accept ads with a check made out to Congregation Or Shalom and the ad copy sent at the same time. Size 11 issues Per issue Full Page $1000 $110 1/2 page $750 $80 1/4 page $500 $60 1/8 page $250 $35

To put your announcement in next week’s, please contact the office via email or phone with your message, photo, and $36 per an-

nouncement. We also now accept payment by Venmo to @Congregation-OrShalom for your donations.

Do you know Unaffiliated Jews in Chester County, Montgomery County

and Delaware County?

Celebrate with Or Shalom

Do you have Jewish friends or acquaintances who live in Chester County, Montgomery County and Delaware County who are not already members of a synagogue? If you do, why not invite them to one of the upcoming events at Or Shalom. They may have a good time and decide to come back. They may have such a good time that they decide to become members themselves. According to a recent survey by the Jewish Federation, there are many, many unaffiliated Jews in Chester county. We’d love to contact them, but don’t know who they are. You can help. Todah rabah!

Please support Or Shalom and designate Or Shalom as your preferred charity when you purchase from Amazon. Just go to smile.amazon.com and register. It costs you nothing and Or Shalom receives a benefit.

We now accept payment by Venmo

@Congregation-OrShalom for your donations


The President’s Column

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2021

As always … the content of this article is based on my thoughts and not those of the Or Shalom (Board, Rabbi, and Congregation) By the time you read this article 2020 will be over and we will be starting 2021. I hope this will be a better and healthier year for everybody. Hopefully we can get back to people in restaurants, people in the office, and importantly people at shul. I do not know about you, but I am Zoom’d Out. If I can avoid another online meeting I definitely will. I hope this makes you feel a little better know you are not the only person that feels this way about online meetings. Last month I noticed something that I thought was new. Or at least new to me. Did you hear about Giving Tuesday after Thanksgiving? After a quick Google search I found out that Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. How many people reading this article contributed during Giving Tuesday? How many of you even considered Or Shalom as a recipient of your charitable donation? I know how generous the Or Shalom community is when it comes to charity. My only ask is that you consider donating to Or Shalom and/or locally to help the people in our community. So often we see the need far away because of the media coverage, but we overlook the people close to home who are in the same need. In the middle of writing this article I heard a knock on the door. I went upstairs to check and it was one of my neighbors. A lovely couple and the wife is a doctor. She has seen Albert, Rita, and my mother-in-law. These visits are normally on a weekend and/or late at night. The husband knocked on my door to ask me if I could drive a large trash can down to his wife’s office in my truck. I ran back in the house, put on boots and a jacket, and we were on our way. We had a nice conversation back and forth, but I think we spent about a third of the time during the round trip thanking each other for helping the other. I totally have gotten the better end of the deal with the medical visits, but I have also helped them with the truck, mowing, and small engine repairs. I am having a hard time getting over how nice it is that we both feel like we owe the other and neither of us feel like we have been taken advantage of by the other. I am blessed to have such good friends, neighbors, and community. I am wishing the same for y’all in 2021. In G-d we trust, Andy


Rabbi’s Reflections

In a recent Adult Education class, we studied the theory of spiritual types. The theory of spiritual types was first developed in the field of psychology, it made its way into Christian practice, and now within the last twenty years has gained popularity within the Jewish world, mainly the Reconstructionist and Reform communities. Like the Briggs Meyers test which categorizes people into different types based on personality, personal style, tendencies, etc, spiritual types identify four different ways in which people experience and connect with their spirituality:

• Type 1: Head Spirituality: This is an intellectual “thinking” spirituality that believes strong-ly in the knowability of G-d (as based on revelation). It favors the concrete (what it can see, touch and imagine).

• Type 2: Heart Spirituality: Here G-d is still understood to be knowable, but more through the heart than the head. Personal holiness is the goal of spirituality.

• Type 3: Mystical Spirituality: This is a mystical spirituality that emphasizes the mystery of faith and the ultimate un-knowability of G-d. The goal of spirituality is understood as a union with G-d.

• Type 4: Social Justice Spirituality: An active visionary who is single-minded with a deeply focused, almost crusading, type of spirituality. These people equate prayer and theology with action.

In recent decades the spiritual types have been translated into Jewish language and theolo-gy, creating five types (created by Rabbi Vivie Mayer): • Bereisheet/ Genesis (Roots): Connection with the experience of the patriarchs and the

matriarchs and “I am part of an ancient chain.” • Shemot/ Exodus (Awe): Connection with Moses as law-giver and “I stood at Sinai.” • Vayikra/ Leviticus (Devotion): Connection with Moses as priest and “I am part of a king-

dom of priests and a holy people.” • B’midbar/ Numbers (Struggle): Connection with Moses as political leader and “I am part

of a community who is figuring out how to live.” • Devarim/ Deuteronomy (Action): Connection with Moses as rebuking prophet and “I am

part of the plan for a perfect world.” I bring you this teaching to highlight that we all connect with spirituality in such different ways. Also, depending on where we are in our lives, the situations we face at the moment, or our growth as human beings, we fluctuate between the different spiritual types at different points in our life. At one point in your life, you may connect through prayer, another point in your life study may be the mode in which you connect with Judaism. In that same class, someone so wisely said: “We all connect differently but we are all need-ed. We need every spiritual type in our community to make our community complete.” This translates into a very tangible way of continuously engaging with our community at Or Shalom. (continued)


Rabbi’s Reflections

Page 2

Understanding that we all connect with Jewish community and spirituality in different ways throughout different points of our life, we understand that your involvement in the community will take different forms as well. In the next few months many opportunities will be available for you to be more involved at Or Shalom and we are asking all to consider stepping up to help. So, based on the traditional four spiritual types here are some of the opportunities available: • Head Spirituality: In April and May Rabbi Kami will be out on maternity leave and we are

asking for volunteers to lead 1-2 classes on any subject of their choice! • Heart Spirituality: Learn to lead different parts of the service. Sign up to lead parts of the

service while Rabbi Kami is out on maternity leave (we need lots of help!) • Mystical Spirituality: Find connection through cultivating relationships? Help us grow our

congregation by serving on the membership committee and help to spread the word about all Or Shalom has to offer.

• Action Spirituality: We are recruiting for board positions: general, Vice President, and the President to begin June 2021! Join us as we lead the community into the next few years!

There are so many ways to contribute and be active at Or Shalom and as stated earlier: We all connect differently but we are all needed. We need every spiritual type in our community to make our community complete. Please reach out to me and the office if you are interested in any of these opportunities or have additional ideas. We thank you for being in community with us! B’Shalom (in peace), Rabbi Kami


january YAHRZEITS

January 2, Tevet 18, 5781

Siegbert Kosterich, father of Jeff Kosterich


Michael Goldman, brother of Dede Strumpf

Stephen Zatuchni, brother of Beth Zatuchni


Moe Blaustein, father of Bernard Blaustein


Max Dreiblatt, father of Hedda Shupack

Pauline Dreiblatt, mother of Hedda Shupack

Morris S. Jenkins, father of Lane Liebman

Saul Shupack, husband of Hedda Shupack


Irving Rubin, father of Harriet Krant


Leon Messing, father of Florence Messing

January 14, Shevat 1, 5781

Betty Fox, mother of Stephen Fox

Leonard Roy Lurie, brother of Howard Lurie


Henrico Farina, uncle of Jonathan Schechter


Louis Greenberg, stepfather of Don Strumpf

Tola Messing, mother of Florence Messing


Frances Miller, mother of Harris Miller


Pauline Shwartzman, grandmother of Ellen


Adele Daroff, mother of Alan Daroff

Gertrude Slavin, mother of Susan Goldberg


Jean Noble, mother of David Noble

Evelyn Zatuchni, mother of Beth Zatuchni


Samuel W. Gross, father of Susan Weiss

Blanche Wahl, mother of Jo Ann Weiss


Contributions

Congregation Or Shalom gratefully acknowledges the following

generous contributions in the month of November 2020

Yahrzeit Donations Bernard & Paula Blaustein: Memory of May Seidenberg Anne Burke: Memory of Harry Hughes Fred & Helaine Leibowitz: Memory of Fred Strass Fred & Helaine Leibowitz: Memory of Harold Krasnick Fred & Helaine Leibowitz: Memory of Irene Milberg Mitchell Evan Stein & Bari Michele Brandt: Memory of Martin Stein General Fund Ashley C & Randy S Klein: Thanks for your support Kami Knapp Schechter & Jonathan Schechter: Tzedakah


TOT SHABBAT SERVICES FOR 2021

Time: 5:30 pm to 6 pm

January 22nd (Theme: Tu B'Shevat)

February 19th (Theme: Purim)

March 26th (Theme: Passover)

April 23rd (Theme: Lag B'Omer)

May 14th (Theme: Shavuot)


Adult Education: Every Wednesday from 7:00 -8:00 pm (online for now)

Topic: Jewish Topics for Today

Dates:

1/6, 1/13

Topic: TBD Dates: 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24

Zoom (same for every class)

Contact [email protected]

For zoom information

Please RSVP to the office if attending


Social action news

A note of thanks…

Thumbs up to everyone who donated to our winter toiletries drive. Your generosity will help deserving families get back on their feet during these (yes, I’ll say it) unprecedented times.

JAFCO Foster Care/Adoption Orientation

When a child is removed from their family, they leave behind what they have known and take with them their fears, anger, hurt and insecurities. JAFCO facilitates the healing process by providing a child with a familiar cultural and religious environment. If you would like to learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, contact Rachel Levy: [email protected] / 610-525-1040.

Looking for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah project?

Mitzvah Circle is a non-profit organization that provides support, hope and dignity to individuals and families during times of crisis, poverty, homelessness and serious illness. They provide individualized support such as clothing, school supplies, diapers, household items, food and referrals. Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah project volunteers and their families can participate in a variety of activities at their warehouse including homeless outreach, diaper bank, adopt-a-class, care packages, hats for homeless and more! To get started, Contact Fran Held at 484-897-0414 or [email protected]

To volunteer, contact Gina Arlen: 610-225-0262 / [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


sisterhood news

I think I speak for most of us when I say I am happy to say good bye to 2020. I’m hopeful that sometime in 2021 we will be able to get together with family and friends again, and actually have in person services at Or Shalom and in person Sisterhood events. Unfortunately, it isn’t going to be anytime in the very near future, but things will get better. Until then, I’m grateful to see friendly faces on Zoom (or very socially distanced) and I’ll continue to hold Sisterhood events on line. I hope you can join us at our upcoming events- one in January and one in February. January’s speaker is an author who is part of our very own congrega-tion. Zora Natanblut’s “Who is Zora? Sight Unseen” is now available at Amazon in both kindle and paperback. Zora will be speaking about her book on Sunday, January 10 at 10:30 AM, Zoom. The Zoom information will be available the week before. Please rsvp to the office if you would like to participate. Everyone is welcome- even friends who are not members. Our February event is on Sunday evening February 21st at 7:30—Rahel Musleah, a woman who lived in India where her father was a Rabbi, will speak about her experiences as a Jew living in India. Her talks have re-ceived rave reviews by other shuls. This event is sponsored by Sistehood (with other Sisterhoods) and is open to all synagogue members. Please click on the link on the flyer to sign up. RSVP by February 5. Wishing you all good health, warmth, love and happiness in 2020. Mindy Bernstein Sisterhood President


Sisterhood News Sunday, January 10 at 10:30 AM, Zoom


Sisterhood News Sunday, February 21 at 7:30 PM


Larisa Averbakh Education Director

Or Tamid

When I was growing up in the USSR, the secular New Year was everybody’s favorite official holiday. It meant the beginning of a long awaited winter break at school. It was not related to anything communist or revolutionary, we were not forced to go on demonstrations early in the morning, carrying red flags, hot air balloons, or portraits of the party leaders. It was about gathering with family and friends around the big table covered with countless homemade dishes, one tastier than the next, and staying awake in the cheery company way past midnight, even if you were still a child. It was the feast for all senses, but above all that irrational but exhilarating sense of anticipation, of a new beginning, hope that all the wishes you were making while the clock was striking midnight, might come true!

Gradually the New Year’s Eve has lost much of its appeal. Now it feels more like an aftertaste

to Chanukah, and in the USA it means the end and not the beginning of the winter break. But this year I am filled with my childhood thrill as 2020 comes to a close. I have very high

expectations for 2021 and hope it will bring a brighter future, end the pandemic, and allow us to return to normalcy! I guess our ancestors realized this mysterious power of starting anew, that’s why in Juda-ism there are as many as four New Years. One of them, Tu B’Shevat (the 15th of Shevat), the New Year for the Trees, we will celebrate at the end of January. In honor of this day, when it is customary to plant new trees in Eretz Israel, Or Tamid will have a special program, featuring the tour guide, Itamar Ben David, who will join us virtually from Jerusalem on Sunday, January 31, and let us explore the nature, landscapes and wildlife of Israel.

As always, we are interested to hear what new initiatives and changes you would like to see at Or Tamid. I hope all the parents will join me on Sunday, January 10th, as we start a new semester to exchange ideas and brainstorm, how we can make the rest of this school year uplifting, enriching and rewarding for our children despite all the challenges. Whether you can make this meeting or not, your input is always welcome, please reach out to me via email or phone.

I hope you and your family will stay healthy and strong and pray for the day when we can safely return to our classrooms and our sanctuaries.

With much love and best wishes,

Morah Larisa


Or tamid religious school calendar

January 2021


Ron Leight

December 4, 2020

Brother of Janet Hurwitz

Dan Bernick December 22, 2020

Husband of Libby Bernick & family

IN MEMORIAM

We received a check from Amazon Smile for $78. Thanks to everyone that used the site.


Donations We would like to thank those who have donated books and other items to the

synagogue. Unfortunately, just like you, we have no space to accept most of the

books and other items that have been donated unsolicited. Please contact the

synagogue office before you drive over to drop off items. If we can use the items, we

will welcome them and provide a tax letter receipt but if we just have no room for the

items you want to donate, please consider another worthy cause for your donation.

Membership Directory

The new simplified membership directory and class list is now posted on our web site. It is password protected and will be updated

regularly as members notify the office of changes to their information. Members should contact the office to obtain the

password. Please review it today to make sure information about your family is correct.

Odds & Ends

Please make sure you notify the office or the rabbi about serious illnesses or injuries in your family and/or close friends. We will add the name to our Mi Sher-berach list and if you wish, the rabbi will call that person if you provide a phone num-ber and they want a call. These days it is even more challenging to hear about people's illnesses or injuries therefore it is more likely that the rabbi and office have no heard the news. It is better to receive several calls rather than no calls.


JANUARY 2021 OR SHALOM CALENDAR


Or Shalom Donation Form I would like to help support Or Shalom. I have specified each donation and I have included one check for the total amount payable to Or Shalom. Please send all donations to: Congregation Or Shalom, 835 Darby Paoli Road, Berwyn PA 19312 We also now accept payment by Venmo to @Congregation-OrShalom for your donations

Name____________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________ Fund #________Amount $________ Phone #___________________ Made in memory of________________________________________ Made in honor of__________________________________________ Speedy Recovery__________________________________________ Send acknowledgment to (include address)

Name____________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________ Fund #________Amount $________ Phone #___________________ Made in memory of________________________________________ Made in honor of__________________________________________ Speedy Recovery__________________________________________ Send acknowledgment to (include address)

Definition of Funds

1. Building Fund: Donations are used for the continuous upkeep of our building. These funds help offset unexpected expenses such as A/C, Heater, roof repair and any emergency repairs to our facility. 2. Beautification Fund: Donations are used for the upkeep of our grounds. Trees, plants, mulch, etc.

3. Biblical Garden Fund: Donations are used to maintain and support our biblical garden. 4. Paul Seres Education Endowment Fund: This fund is maintained to provide interest income for restricted use by the synagogue for Education. 5. General Fund: All monies donated to this fund will supplement the current year’s budget.

6. Hebrew School: Funds are used for the needs of the Religious School. Examples: Bulletin boards, books and school supplies, etc. 7. Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund: The Rabbi uses these funds for charitable purpose. Donations to this fund can be made directly to the synagogue office.

8. Social Action: Donations will be used for all social action events and programs. Any questions to this fund should be addressed to Gina Arlen at [email protected]. 9. Tree of Life: A leaf can be purchased to honor or commemorate any important life event. The cost of a leaf is $180.00 which will be displayed in our foyer. For more information please contact office at 610-644-9086

10. Yahrzeit Plaque: Two plaques can be purchased for $360.00. The first would be a permanent plaque on the back wall of the sanctuary. The second plaque would be placed during the week of the Yahrzeit on the memorial wall in the front of the sanctuary. Additional information will be requested when purchasing a plaque. Please contact Ellen Gross at [email protected] for more information.

11. Oneg: Celebrate With Or Shalom: A weekly (Friday) email where you can announce your birthday, wedding, anniversary, or Yahrzeit to your friends at Or Shalom. Include a photo if you like. $36 per message. We also now accept payment by Venmo to @Congregation-OrShalom for your donations. 12. Siddur Lev Shalem Visit our web site to learn how to donate. $50 each or 12 for $500

mailto:[email protected]

IN THIS ISSUE...Congregation Or Shalom 835 Darby-Paoli Road Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-644-9086...

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Transcript of IN THIS ISSUE...Congregation Or Shalom 835 Darby-Paoli Road Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-644-9086...