HaShofar השופר Congregation Beth Israel Asheville, NC

Complaints about

Jewish religious

services are well

known and not

confined to disap-

pointed Jewish

participants. In

October of 1772,

a Christian named

Charles Burney

visited an Ashke-

nazic synagogue

in Amsterdam. He reported the worship “resembled

the hum of bees,” and at the end of various sections

of prayer “the congregation set up such a kind of cry

as a pack of hounds when a fox breaks cover. It was

a confused clamor, and riotous noise more than

song or prayer.” Though admittedly it wasn’t to the

taste of Mr. Burney, it sounds like loads of fun to

me.

Getting services right is fraught. Some expect an

atmosphere of polished decorum. Others favor

something more hamish and relaxed. Some seek a

transformative spiritual experience, whereas others

are relieved simply to hear what page we’re on.

Since antiquity we’ve debated whether our worship

should tend more toward “keva” (standardization)

or “kavanah” (intentionality). Some of us want the

services to be conducted correctly, some of us are

focused on making services more meaningful, and

rabbis (unhelpfully) insist they can be both.

At the risk of stating the obvious, being fully present

is considered essential to Jewish prayer. To simply

“go through the motions” by rote without paying

attention to the prayer is shallow, misses the point

of worship, and probably renders the prayer invalid

according to Jewish Law. That’s why it is astonishing

to find in the Jerusalem Talmud:

Rabbi Hiyya said, “In all my days, I’ve

never concentrated in prayer. I wanted to

once, and I ended up daydreaming about

Persian court protocols.” Shmuel said,

“[During services,] I count clouds.” Rabbi

Bun b. Hiyya said, “I count the bricks in

the wall [during services].” Rav Matinya

said, “I must express gratitude for my

head, for it knows to automatically bow

at the right time!” (Yer. Ber. 2:4)

The traditional commentators are under-

standably loath to take this passage at

face value. They assume it must contain

some deeper, hidden meaning. As mod-

ern readers of our tradition, we can accept that

plainly some of our founding sages found it very

difficult, even impossible, to pay attention during

services. Their transparency about this difficulty em-

powers us to confront it honestly as well. This is

why we’ve begun our year at CBI with a community

zoom conference to start working now on creating

High Holiday services that will be most fulfilling. In

October, we tried Kiddush for Breakfast, an attempt

to abbreviate the service in order to combine it with

a learning experience. Soon we’ll be ready to launch

a lay-led Contemplative Shabbat program. Rochelle

and I are actively exploring options for improving

the online experience for remote participants. I've

met and continue to meet with a diverse group of

stakeholders in order to hear what members feel

makes our services attractive and successful, and

where we may find opportunities for innovation and

improvement. Whether you have questions, sugges-

tions or criticisms, I hope you’ll share them with me

and our devoted Ritual Committee. Together we

can find the “answer to our prayers.” I look forward

to the conversation.

Inside this issue

Louis Schactman Bar Mitzvah……………………..3

Social Action Committee News ……..………..4-5

Friday Noon Study Group …………….…..6

Rabbi Mitch Class………..7

Donations ………….12-13

Yahrzeits …….…...…. 14

Community News .16-17

November Calendar. 18

November 2021 Cheshvan-Kislev 5782

Message from Rabbi Mitch Levine

HaShofar השופר Page: 2

From the CBI President

Ellen Sanders

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has such things in His world.” This is a prayer that I found when I was wondering if there is a prayer for seeing a beautiful sunset. (Note: there isn’t a prayer for sunsets specifically.) We have a row of windows in our house that face west-NW, and, because our house sits on a ridge, we have the privilege of seeing many beautiful skies at sunset. It’s a sight that I will never grow tired of, and for which I am always grateful.

Since it’s Thanksgiving this month the idea of gratitude is one that naturally comes to mind, so that’s what I chose for this month’s column. I began looking at some of the many ways we express gratitude in Judaism. For example, the “Modeh ani” is an expression of gratitude for the privilege of simply waking up in the morning. And there are so many other prayers we can recite that give thanks for many things that might simply be taken for granted. In our busy day-to-day lives we often don’t pay attention to many of the things that regularly happen around us – they become background.

I read somewhere that “gratitude needs to be cultivated on a regular basis”, and that really struck me. I have so much to be thankful for, both material and personal! I do

think, though, that I will take that quote to heart and start taking a mo-ment to note my gratitude for the everyday, the mun-dane, as well as the little moments of Zen that I come across daily. Sun-sets, the changing of the season, a cool-looking moth that is resting on my front porch, the morning fog – all regular occurrenc-es that really are little mini-miracles that should be acknowledged.

And I’d like to challenge myself to take difficult situations that I’ve dealt with in the past and find something that came out of them that I’m grateful for. Did I end up grow-

ing from the experience? Did I meet someone who ended up having a positive influence in my life? Again, search out the good that came from a challenging experience.

Saying a blessing reminds us that we are in the pres-ence of something that should not be taken for granted. Whether or not I choose to actually learn and say the specific bless-ings that we have in Juda-ism for many of these mo-ments, I do commit to tak-ing the time to express my gratitude for them. Beauti-ful moments and beautiful sights do so much to en-rich our lives and I am tru-ly grateful for them all.

HaShofar השופר Page: 3

Louis Schactman is becoming a Bar Mitzvah

We are excited to welcome another CBI congregant to the Jewish adult family on Shabbat morning, Saturday November 6th. Louis will be surrounded by family and close friends traveling from afar and is thrilled to invite fully vaccinated members of his CBI family to also attend in person. There are members of the Schactman fami-ly who are immunocompromised and for this reason, the CBI Board is requiring that for this particular Shabbat that ONLY those whom have been fully vaccinated attend in person. Everyone else is encouraged to join on Zoom.

The kiddush that will follow will only be for the family, to limit the number of peo-ple eating indoors while un-masked.

We understand that this is a slight deviation from our existing COVID policy and CBI customs and hope that you will understand that these adjustments have been made in order that we can place the family's health as the highest priority in the spirit of pikuah nefesh.

Well not quite yet, but by the time you are reading this, it will be less than a month away. Two important things you need to know: 1) We have candles for sale (and lots of other fun stuff too) but we will be closed Thanksgiving week and Hanukkah starts that Sunday night. So plan ahead folks- come visit the gift shop before November 19 so you aren't in the dark. 2) Ingles Cards make great gifts for the holidays!! Please let Lee know by November 4th how many cards you would like and in what increments. Cards will be available at the end of November for pick up or can be mailed.

The photograph on this US postal stamp used from 2004-2008 was taken by the editor’s daughter, Elise Moore Warshavsky.

CBI will be hosting a 'pop-up' Hanukkah Museum this December and we are seeking artifacts from the community to be on loan for the exhibit. The mu-seum will have 100 (or more) Hanukkah menorahs (hanukkiot) on display for the CBI family, greater Jewish community and general community to come and view. This COVID friendly celebration of Hanukkah will allow for small, masked gatherings to view the exhibit and we will host a Hanukkiah Lighting and Havdalah on December 4th- More info to come on that. If you are interested in having one or more of your Hanukkiot on display,

the please contact Rochelle by November 15th to arrange. All types of me-

norahs are welcome so that we have an interesting and eclec-

tic array. Those with an interesting or historical backstory are of particular

interest. Thanks in advance!

Hanukkah is Here!

HaShofar השופר Page: 4

CBI’s Social Action Committee Continues to Promote Racial Justice Here in Asheville Marlene and Jay Jacoby, Committee Co-Chairs

One of the objectives our committee established when we first met in August 2020 was to increase our congregants’ awareness and understanding of racial equity issues in Western North Carolina. This month we have chosen to share with you an informative and uplifting interview conducted by Carolina Jews for Justice (CJJ) with DeWayne Barton, founder of Hood Huggers Interna-tional, who offers his vision for a better community and how we can partici-pate in creating it. The interviewer from CJJ was Linda Wolf, a long-time friend of CBI. CJJ: What originally inspired you to start Hood Huggers? Barton: I wanted to get young people invested in their community early, the same way I was. My family has been in this area for over 4 generations, and I wouldn’t be doing this work if I hadn’t been taught early in life to always contribute to my community. After co-founding Green Opportunities, I decided to create Hood Hug-gers as a way to work with kids throughout the city in their neighborhoods, train them up, and create that pipeline that would eventually guide them to start their own business or define their own work out in the world. CJJ: Where did you get the idea to create Hood Tours? Barton: Coming out of a nonprofit world and wanting to go into a social enterprise, I needed to create a busi-ness that would support it. Grant money is good, donations are good, but how were we going to create security and sustainability if we were to start a business? Tourism is such a thriving industry here, and I didn’t see the African American community represented in the way they should be, based on the sacrifices they made to build this city. I decided to go into the tourism industry as a way to support the overall work, offering Hood Tours. CJJ: You developed the Community Accountability Plan (CAP) that drives everything you do, including this new initiative, the Blue Note Junction. Could you describe CAP and explain your latest project? Barton: CAP is a framework for revitalizing historically African American neighborhoods at the grassroots level. It creates a sustainable and economically just culture. The Blue Note Junction continues the work that started when we created the Peace Gardens, trying to improve the neighborhood. The Blue Note was a general store in the 1920s owned by E.W. Pearson, a prominent leader in the Black community who founded the Bur-ton Street neighborhood, among many other achievements. We’ve been looking at this spot for The Blue Note Junction for 5 years. We have until the end of the year to raise the money for the land. Our plans include a market featuring local BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) makers and growers, Hood Tours, spaces for BIPOC businesses, performance and teaching spaces, greenhouses, gardens, a neighborhood spa, a commercial kitchen, and housing. Following the CAP framework, the synergy of businesses, organizations, volunteers, and agencies is led by the plans of neighborhood leaders, as well as local/state/national policies, instead of prescribing solutions from outside the community. This is also an opportunity to raise awareness for visitors from around the world on how a neighborhood can empower itself. The CAP framework was designed to be scaled up and shared. CJJ: How can we help? Barton: If you go to our website, the “Practice with Us” link allows people inside and outside the neighbor-hood to list their skills and interests. We also welcome any and all donations through our fiscal sponsor, Ashe-ville Creative Arts, to help meet our goal to purchase the land before the end of this year and begin our 5-year plan to open by the end of 2026.

HaShofar השופר Page: 5

As has been our practice, the Social Action Committee continues to feature African American businesses and institutions in our region. This month we focus on the YMI Cultural Center located at 29 South Market St here in Asheville.

Initially branded as “The Young Men’s Institute,” the more commonly known YMI Cultural Center is one of the oldest, most unique and beautiful Black cultural centers in the United States. The YMI is a local landmark with-in the City of Asheville, North Carolina and is on the National Register of Historic Places. YMI was founded by Mr. Isaac Dickson, the first person of color appointed to the Asheville City School Board and Dr. Edward Stephens, principal of Asheville’s first public school for African American students, who envi-sioned an organization similar to a YMCA to support Asheville’s African-American community. For more infor-mation on YMI’s history, facility and programs, visit https://www.ymiculturalcenter.org/.

Give A Gobble

For the past several years CBI members have generously donated to a

Give-A-Gobble Fund to help purchase turkeys for the Western Caroli-

na Rescue Mission for Thanksgiving. These turkeys help provide

meals for folks who have nowhere to go for the holiday and to help

food-insecure families celebrate. We hope congregants will contrib-

ute to the fund this year by sending their donations to the CBI office

with “Give-a-Gobble” in the memo line. Thanks.

HaShofar השופר Page: 6

CBI’s Friday Noon Study Group is exploring

The first of the five books of Moses, Genesis (“Origins”) is viewed in Judeo-Christian traditions as an account of the creation of the world, the early history of humanity, Israel's ancestors, and the origins of the Jewish people. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, Bereshit ("In the beginning"). Genesis is filled with wonderful—and problematic—stories: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, No-ah and the Great Flood, the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and Joseph and his broth-ers. At CBI, and in synagogues around the world, Jews, whom a rabbi once called participants in the oldest book club in the world, once again began their annual Torah cycle with the reading of the first chapters of Genesis on October 2. Our weekly discussion group began examining these opening chapters on October 8. It has been several years since our Friday Noon Study Group has read Genesis together and we look forward to the insights and questions all the chapters of the Book of Genesis will bring forward. Our group meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1. Check the CBI web page for a link. All are welcome to join us, regardless of their level of expertise. Please bring whatever copy of the Bible you might have (the more different translations the livelier the discussion). If you have questions, please contact Jay Jacoby at jbjacoby@uncc.edu.

HaShofar השופר Page: 7

The Invention of Judaism

Learning with Rabbi Mitch

Contending hosts were seen meeting in

the skies, arms flashed, and suddenly the temple was illumined with fire from the clouds. Of a sudden the doors of the shrine opened and a superhuman voice cried: "The gods are departing": at the same moment the mighty stir of their going was heard. Few interpreted these omens as fearful; the majority firmly be-lieved that their ancient priestly writings contained the prophecy that this was the very time when the East should grow strong and that men starting from Judea should possess the world. This mysteri-ous prophecy had in reality pointed to Vespasian and Titus, but the common people, as is the way of human ambition, interpreted these great destinies in their own favour, and could not be turned to the truth even by adversity. -The Histories of Tacitus, c. 105 CE (Loeb Classical Library edition, Vol. III) About 30 years before our story begins, the world’s most powerful government, the Roman Empire, brutally sup-pressed a Jewish rebellion which culminated in the greatest trauma ever to have affected the Jewish people, the de-struction of the Bet HaMikdash (the Temple) and Jerusalem. The Mediterranean had long been a Roman lake, with Rome the undisputed ruler of all the real estate surrounding it. To the north, Agrippa II has just died. The death of Agrippa, a distant descendant of the Hasmonean (Maccabean) rulers of over a century ago, marks the loss of the last vestige of Roman appointed Jewish rule, placing all of the inhabitants of the eastern Mediterranean between Syria and Egypt under the direct control of the Emperor and the Senate. This diverse population comprises rural and city dwellers and many of the cities are dominated by Greeks who regard Jews with distaste and enmity. A rapidly grow-ing heretical sect called “Christianity,” originating in Jerusalem within a small circle of eschatological Jews but over-taken by an astonishing number of non-Jews, has just been recognized as a religion separate and distinct from Juda-ism through having won an exemption from the fiscus judaicus (special Jew tax) for its adherents. Jews live all over the Roman Empire, including the city of Rome, where we periodically enjoy sympathetic contacts in the upper eche-lons of power. A small band of Jewish intellectuals, refugees from the destruction of Jerusalem, have established a community dedicated to the study of Jewish law in the backwater town of Yavneh, near Lod (no airport yet). Despite all odds, they managed to reimagine and reconstruct the religion of biblical Israel so that it could survive, even flour-ish, in the new and radically changed era of Roman antiquity. They were the inventors of Judaism. In this course we will be introduced to the 3 rabbinic sages who proved to be the most important founders of this enterprise.

Join your CBI friends on three consecutive Tuesdays at 12noon for a 'lunch & learn'. Please bring your own vegetari-

an or kosher lunch, your listening ears and your opinion (don't be shy!). November 2nd, 9th and 16th. We'll see

you then!

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Hannukah is almost here!

We are happy to announce that the Gift Shop is finally re-opening in anticipation of the holiday celebration. You will be able to find all the special holiday items that make this time of year so special and memorable. You will find new and different hanuk-kiahs (menorahs), dreidels galore, decorations, chocolate gelt, toys and craft kits for children, and of course, a variety of candles. Gift Shop hours in November will be: Weds and Fri 12:00 - 3:00 except for the week of Thanksgiving Gift Shop hours in December (and beyond) will be: Fri 12:00 - 3:00 Outside of these regular hours, Rochelle and Lee may be avail-able to assist you in purchases from the shop, or call Carol Samsky at (828)676-0765 to ar-range for opening the shop at another time and for special orders.

Our Gift

Shop

HaShofar השופר Page: 9

Malaprop's is pleased to partner with host Congregation Beth Israel and co-sponsors Asheville Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Studies at UNCA, and Congregation Beth Ha Tephila to present this hybrid event. There is an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats are available to attend in person at Congregation Beth Israel. Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event. Please click here to register for the IN-PERSON event. Please note that in order to attend the event at Congregation Beth Israel you must be vaccinated and wear a mask. Please read the registration form carefully for other important information.

Andrew Lawler will sign and personalize books for those who pre-order Under Jerusalem and for those who pur-chase books at the in-person event. To request personalization when you pre-order online, use the order comments field to tell us to whom the book should be signed, e.g. "To Sarah." Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and purchase the author's books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop's. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. Thank you!

In 1863, a French politician and adventurer heard a ru-mor of biblical treasures beneath Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem was a venerable backwater, not the thriving religious center we think of today. Archaeology itself was in its infancy--more a pastime for treasure-hunting aristocrats than a legitimate scientific discipline. But when Louis-Felicien Joseph Caignart De Saulcy found a stone sarcophagus inside an ancient tomb, explorers from England, Germany, and Russia followed in his foot-steps, competing with one another to make the next big find. De Saulcy's dig gave rise not only to a new field; it opened a Pandora's Box, turning Jerusalem into the most disputed piece of land on Earth.

Andrew Lawler is the author of three books, Under Jeru-salem: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City, The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke, a national bestsell-er, and Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?: The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization. As a journalist, he has written more than a thousand newspaper and magazine articles from more than two dozen countries. His byline has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Smithson-ian, and many others. He is contributing writer for Science and contributing editor for Archaeology. An-drew’s work has appeared several times in The Best of Science and Nature Writing.

And the Asheville Jewish Community

HaShofar השופר Page: 01

Our Madrichim Help You Create

Personal and Meaningful Programs at CBI

At its core, the CBI Madrichim initiative is designed to engage each and every member on a personal level; empow-

er each of us to create the Jewish experiences that are meaningful for us; and, in doing so, enhance our potential

for authentic Jewish expression. Success is when we realize that we benefit as much by supporting another’s per-

sonal journey as we do from the program itself. What is your passion or interest: a class, a club, a social action pro-

gram, a fundraiser, a tikkun olam project, a social event? Think about it. Then contact one of the folks below and let

us help you make it happen!

CBI Madrichim

Robert Marcus Sally Gooze

Caren Kessler Alan Silverman Mike Weizman

Volunteer Needs at the Shul

We are currently seeking folks interested in reimagining several of our shul's committees. Don't let the word '“com-mittee” scare you; we need your energy and enthusiasm! All committees welcome new members, but specifically we are looking for new folks to join the Fund Development, Adult Ed, Security and newly-forming CBI Club Havurah social committee. Contact Rochelle to discuss your interests.

High Holiday Planning for NEXT year Thank you to the 30+ people who joined the Rabbi on October 13th to begin thinking about how we might bring in more meaning to our High Holiday services and experienc-es. Many insightful and well-articulated ideas were generated. As one might imagine, the only clarity that came from the discussion is that you are very passionate and spiritual people who have individual preferences. We want to keep the conversation going and give those of you who weren't present an opportunity to share your thoughts as well (and for those of you who were there, but didn't want to speak publicly). We invite you to respond to any of the following questions in email form and send them to director@bethisraelnc.org so that they can all be compiled together with the notes from the meeting. Next we will analyze your comments to determine our next steps. Look for updates on this process each month in the HaShofar. Thank you for your participation in our amazing shul.

Questions/ Things to Ponder: In the future, do I see myself/my family participating in CBI High Holiday services in person, remote/internet, or both?

Based upon past experience, what changes could be considered to improve the High Holiday services experience for me? Consider the following prompts: How do I feel about: - High Holiday services should be shorter or longer or start or end at different times. - there should be more or less balance of services with social and/or educational programming. - The services should be more traditional or more creative. - there should be more or less English. - I enjoy services led by a strong, professional cantorial voice OR I enjoy services led by a leader skilled in getting others to sing along OR I enjoy services led by volunteers in the CBI community who I know and love (or a combination of the above).

Based upon what I’ve heard from family/friends/articles about what other synagogues are doing, what new approach-es should we consider trying at CBI?

Services involve many moving parts. There’s brainstorming, planning and organizing, volunteering to lead parts, chil-dren’s programming, setting up and running the technology, room set up, building security and so forth. What aspects of CBI High Holiday services might I be available to help with during the coming year?

HaShofar השופר Page: 00

CBI Virtual Office

If you would like to pay your dues or make a donation, you can do it quickly and securely online through CBI's

Virtual Office on the CBI website. You can use ACH, your credit card or debit card, and save yourself a stamp

or a trip to CBI.

Just go to CBI's home page at https://www.bethisraelnc.org/ and click on CBI Virtual Office in the top bar https://

www.bethisraelnc.org/cbi-virtual-office/

If you are making a donation or ticket payment, please fill in the memo line so that we can allocate it correctly. Thank you for

supporting CBI!

Click on the donate button at the left to pay your dues, make a

contribution, pay your Annual Appeal Pledge or pay for your In-

gles cards. This simple Web Check system is a direct debit to your

checking account and allows you to send a message to the CBI

office along with your payment. No need to write checks or make special trips to the office.

Support Your Shul and Its Congregants!

Ingles cards are a no-cost fundraiser for Beth Israel. Each month CBI members and friends buy $8,000 worth of Ingles gift cards to help raise $400 for Beth Israel – over $4,800 annually. Ingles gift cards can be used at any Ingles store for groceries, pharmacy items and gaso-line. Sign up now to receive your Ingles cards automatically each month. The office also keeps an inventory of Ingles cards for immedi-ate purchase. Contact the CBI office to get more information and/or to participate at 252-8660 or admin@bethisraelnc.org.

Your Amazon Purchases Can Help Support Beth Israel

Your Amazon purchases can help support Beth Israel. Amazon Smile donates 1% of your purchases to CBI at no cost to you. Just visit https://smile.amazon.com and select Congregation Beth Israel, then shop as you regularly would. If you are a regular Amazon shopper, you can bookmark this website so as to find it easily every time you shop.

HaShofar השופר Page: 02

For those members of CBI who would like

to direct their financial support toward a

specific area within CBI, these are the

active donor directed funds. You are en-

couraged to support the General Fund

with your donations, allowing the Board

of Directors the discretion to direct this

support toward areas of the most need.

** These funds are very active and in the

most need of regular contributions.

♥** Spiritual Life Fund – Support of spir-

itual life programs and needs

♥**Social Action Fund – Funds CBI’s so-

cial action projects

♥** Chesed/Tzedakah Fund –Supports

the Bereavement Committee and other

Chesed related activities

♥** Ted Liebowitz Children’s Fund –

Provides scholarships for Bet Sefer stu-

dents and supports Bet Sefer expenses

♥** Toby Cohen Minyan Katan and Jun-

ior Congregation Fun

♥** Family Education Fund – Supports

family education programming

♥Shorashim Teen Program Fund –

Supports CBI teen programs

♥ **Bernard Coleman Adult Ed Fund

♥Website/Computer/Tech Fund

♥Cemetery Committee Fund –Supports

maintenance of CBI’s Lou Pollock Ceme-

tery

♥Chevra Kadisha Fund – Supports efforts

toward preparing the body of the depart-

ed for Jewish burial.

♥**Rabbi Discretionary Fund –Supports

needs or causes the Rabbi chooses to

support

♥**Executive Director’s Discretionary

Fund –Supports needs of the shul/

community that were not budgeted for

Support Your Shul and Its Congregants!

Active Donor Directed Funds

לדור ודורSeptember-October

General Fund Rick & Laurie Chess: in memory of Murray Farkas Allison Marks: in memory of Lowell Fisher Marta & Jimmy Metscher: in memory of Esther & Burnerd Horwitz Yahrzeit Fund Alan & Suzanne Escovitz: in memory of Alan’s mother, Dorothy Escovitz David & Sharon Boas: in memory of David’s father, William Boas Norm Winkelman: in memory of his wife, Carrie Winkelman David & Sharon Boas: in memory of David’s father, William Boas Al Quiery: in memory of his parents, Albert & Anne Quiery Eva & Beth Blinder: in memory of Eva’s father, Jo-seph Blinder William & Barbara Lewin: in memory of Barbara’s grandmother, Bessie Blick Elyse Meltz: in memory of her mother, Rose Meltz William & Barbara Lewin: in memory of Barbara’s grandmother, Pearl Kaufman Robert & Kathie Kline: in memory of Robert’s moth-er, Claire E. Kline Bernard Coleman Adult Ed Fund Tom & Connie Glaser: in appreciation of Jay Jacoby leading the Friday Noon Study Group Nancy Zaretsky Steve & Carolyn Kayne: in honor of Jay Jacoby

Social Action Fund Jeremy & Carol Samsky: in honor of the birth of Robert & Kathie Kline’s new grandson High Holiday Donations Peter Ganz Sheila McKinna Kol Nidre Donations George Ackerman & Stanlee Stahl Neal & Beth Appel Lee Avishai Eva Blinder & Beth Israel Blinder David & Sharon Boas Kevin & Lauren Boyd Bart Brass & Michelle McCalla Bruce Brown & Brian Stone Rick & Laurie Chess Gail Clement Carol Cohen Bob & Carol Deutsch Perry & Haviva Dror Bob & Eileen Elkin Alan & Suzanne Escovitz Wendy Feinberg Brad & Shelley Fisher Karin Fraade Frank Goldsmith & Dee Cash Bob & Leslie Goldstein Jeremy & Heather Goldstein Sally Gooze

HaShofar השופר Page: 03

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS 01 Bob Deutsch Laura Kaufman 02 Elyse Meltz 03 Mary Lewis 04 Davida Horwitz 05 Michele Heller Jeremy Lerner Saul Nathanson 07 Joseph Mann-Stadt Vivien Saron Eliot Renick 08 Marc Rudow 09 Danielle Tocaben Nancy Renick 10 Karin Fraade 12 Wolff Alterman 14 Nesya Klausner 17 Jan Zollars

21 Leonard Jacobs Fred Stichel 23 Bob Elkin Hannah Kirschenfeld 24 Richard Bogner 25 Mindy Pardoll 26 Rendi Mann-Stadt 27 Jonah Hauser Lisa Harnash 28 Jamie West Ali Climo 30 Rick Chess Leonard Koenick Julianna Leigh Boyd NOVEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 20 Frank Goldsmith & Dee Cash 24 Larry & Marcia Schantz 25 Jodi Travis & Terri Brne

Mazel Tov! To Bruce Brown & Brian Stone on the birth of their granddaughter Charli Shea Scudder, daughter of Bruce’s daughter Dara Brown and her partner Matt Scudder. To Adrian and Shirley Sandler on the marriage of Dylan Sandler & Beth Caldwell on September 25

th.

Refuah Shleimah To Patti Haskell, Eliot Renick, Janet Harnash, Eleanore Fisher, Jerry Uhler, Thelma Uhler, Julie Sherman, Neil McCollum, Devorah Reed.

Thank You! To Josh Tager, Bob Deutsch, Alan Silverman, Josh, Louis and Lilly Schactman, Davida Horwitz and Sage West for dismantling the CBI sukkah.

Kol Nidre Donations Continued Sheldon & Janet Harnash Michael & Michele Heller Jay & Marlene Jacoby Steve & Carolyn Kayne Eytan & Mari Klausner Caren Kessler David & Beth Kulick Richard & Barbara Laibson Fred Lashley Jeremy & Susan Lerner William & Barbara Lewin Lauren Malinoff Helene & Saul Nathanson

Allen Nichol & Barbara Lebovitz Hal & Mary Lewis Caroline Manheimer Ira & Sheila Naiman Albert Quiery Louis & Hanina Ruttenberg Rick & Ellen Sanders Adrian & Shirley Sandler Mike & Ilona Sena Gail Shulimson Margaret Teich & Shuchin Shukla Jerry & Thelma Uhler Hanan & Goldie Weizman Mike Weizman & Della Simon Walter Ziffer & Gail Rosenthal

September-October Continued

Thank you to all of you who have made a generous pledge to the Kol Nidre Appeal. As a reminder, the goal is 100% participation at whatever level you can give. Please consider making a donation to this year's annual cam-paign. You can pledge now and pay before June.

HaShofar השופר Page: 04

יזכורYahrzeits

May their memories be for a blessing

Announced during services on: October 30 02 (27 Cheshvan) Ira Naiman for his mother, Gloria Naiman 02 (27 Cheshvan) Eliot Renick for his father, Nathan Renick 05 (30 Cheshvan) Wolff Alterman for his grandmother, Ann Zodikoff 05 (01 Kislev) Sara Yakira for her mother, Tziporah Heckelman

November 5 & 6 05 (01 Kislev) Hanan Weizman for his brother, Nissim Weizman 05 (01 Kislev) Richard Nielsen for his uncle, Carlton K. Dorsey 05 (01 Kislev) Frank Goldsmith for his father, Frank Goldsmith 05 (01 Kislev) Gail Shulimson for her aunt, Jean Shulimson 05 (01 Kislev) Barbara Miller for her grandmother, Nettie Slosman 06 (02 Kislev) Carol Deutsch for her mother, Helen Hillman Cohen 09 (05 Kislev) Richard Nielsen for his mother, Ada Nielsen 11 (07 Kislev) Jillian Krupp for her grandmother, Selma Krupp 12 (08 Kislev) Jeremy Samsky for his mother, Sarah Samsky

November 13 13 (09 Kislev) Barbara & Steve Miller for their grandson, Jack Owen Day 14 (10 Kislev) Alan Baumgarten for his uncle, Miki Altberger Haran 18 (14 Kislev) Norman Katzwer for his mother, Dora Katzwer 18 (14 Kislev) Lauren Malinoff for her grandmother, Rose S. Malinoff 18 (14 Kislev) Lauren Malinoff for her grandfather, Herbert Lipman 18 (14 Kislev) Gail Shulimson for her uncle, Morris Shulimson 19 (15 Kislev) Ellen Goldstein for her grandmother, Florence Malin 19 (15 Kislev) Jodi Travis for her uncle, Norman Bander

November 19 & 20 21 (17 Kislev) Hanina Ruttenberg for her mother, Adele Lassar 21 (17 Kislev) Marc Penansky for his mother, Ruth Penansky 21 (17 Kislev) Goldie Weizman for her mother, Anna Zucker 24 (20 Kislev) Barbara Lewin for her mother, Ruth Kaufman Blick 25 (21 Kislev) David Boas for his sister, Carol Boas 25 (21 Kislev) Norman Winkelman for his father-in-law, Sam Samuels 26 (22 Kislev) Sara Yakira for her grandfather, Jack Heckelman

November 27 27 (23 Kislev) Nathalie Rudy for her mother, Sarah Rudy 27 (23 Kislev) Paul Michalove for his father, Jack I. Michalove 28 (24 Kislev) Jodi Travis for her grandfather, Phil Bander 29 (25 Kislev) Hannah Kirschenfeld for her grandfather, Henry Parasol 30 (26 Kislev) Barbara Lewin for her father, Milton Blick

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Ongoing CBI Events

Social Action Volunteer Opportunities

Help serving dinner at the Western Carolina Rescue Mission on the third Tuesday of the month from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. The Rescue Mission is located at 225 Patton Avenue, Asheville. Contact Alan Escovitz aescovitz@charter.net.

Help with our involvement with Room In the Inn. Contact Jan Zollars warreallysucks@yahoo.com.

All COVID-19 precautions are observed in these activities.

Torah on Tap at the CBI Firepit

A Lively Group Discussion

On the last Sunday of the month from 4- 5:30 pm., Torah on Tap, a lively group discussion is meeting at the CBI Firepit. You are welcome to bring a lawn chair, snack or meal, and a beverage of your choice.

Parsha discussion with Justin Once a month following services and lunch, join your CBI family and Justin Goldstein in a deep dive into the week's parsha. Come for lunch and stay for the discussion, or spend the day celebrating Shabbat with services, lunch and discussion. Discussion begins at approximately 1pm on 13 November 2021.

Membership

Renewal

Thank you to all of you who have renewed already for the 21-22 year that began in July. We've heard from many of you that you hadn't received membership renewal request- so we are putting one here as hopefully one more place that it may be seen. Not sure if you've renewed yet? Please contact the office and we'll look it up for you. Also, if you haven't received a statement lately, that is a good indicator that you haven't renewed yet. Please remem-ber that membership support is our core revenue source and your commitment is vitally important.

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Classes

We are seeking individuals interested in partic-ipating in adult bar and bat mitzvah classes, likely to start in the spring. Please let Rochelle know of your interest.

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Community News

In the interest of civil dialog and inclusivity, this information is provided as a service to the CBI community.

The views of these organizations may or may not reflect the views of CBI or its members.

Happenings in the Asheville Jewish Community – www.jcwnc.org is your gateway into all the amazing and won-derful organizations and activities that you can explore. The Asheville Jewish Community Center strengthens Jewish identity, celebrates Jewish culture, and builds inclu-sive community through a wide variety of social, educational, cultural, and wellness programs for people from all backgrounds at every stage of life. For more information www.jcc-asheville.org. Jewish Family Services (JFS) provides unique and integrated services that will engage you in identifying your needs, strengths and goals. We offer support for our aging community members through our unique Elder Club Group Respite Program; sliding-scale mental health services through Healing Solutions counseling; case management; cri-sis services and spiritual care and healing services. We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, too! Reach out to Cindy@jfswnc.org to learn more! Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Asheville Area – Our Mission – The Jewish Community Rela-tions Council (JCRC), in keeping with the traditional Jewish mandates to pursue justice and to repair the world, builds bridges of understanding and communication within our Jewish community and beyond to the general com-munity. We work within the Jewish and broader communities in the greater Asheville area to enhance cooperation with other religious, racial, ethnic and civic groups and to foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society. Whether advocating for students, teachers and staff with local schools and universities, meeting with government officials, collaborating in interfaith initiatives, responding to issues of anti-Semitism, or combatting all forms of racial and ethnic hatred and prejudice, the JCRC assists our community in this pursuit for justice. Carolina Jews for Justice is a statewide organization devoted to pursuing social justice from a Jewish perspective in the areas of racial equity, fighting poverty, opposing anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred (including anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ discrimination), working on a non-partisan basis for increased voter engagement and fair redistricting, and advocating for sensible and humane immigration policies, among others. Please visit its website at https://www.carolinajewsforjustice.org to learn more. We are committed to being a dependable source of sup-port, education, advocacy, and action. We have a WNC chapter, CJJ/West, and a CJJ/West Facebook page, and we would welcome your involvement. Fair Redistricting. Participation in decision-making is a Jewish value. CJJ leader Ron Katz writes about the Jewish basis for voting, and how to make yourself heard as the state moves towards redefining its political districts, in this column. Remembering Our Local History. The Buncombe County Community Remembrance Project Steering Committee recently met to discuss the installations of the Historical Markers honoring the three men “of record” that were lynched in Buncombe County. CJJ/West is represented on that committee. The Project is working with the Equal Justice Initiative’s (EJI) National Memorial for Peace & Justice located in Montgomery, Alabama, for the ceremony. It is tentatively set for Saturday morning, October 30th, at 10:00 a.m., in City/County Plaza in downtown Asheville. For additional details and to confirm the date and time, contact Ron Katz, ronkatz327@gmail.com. The CJJ Anti-Semitism Listening Project. Over the past two years, CJJ has hosted several retreats and workshops about the relationship between anti-Semitism, racism, and white nationalism. To expand on this work, we are initi-ating a statewide listening tour focused on developing a better understanding of how North Carolina's Jewish community experiences, understands, and relates to anti-Semitism. There will be sessions in the Asheville area. For more information, and to sign up to stay informed about the project, click here. CJJ urges people to support the Walk the Walk project of the Racial Justice Coalition (of which CJJ is a founding

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https://www.facebook.com/bethisraelnc/

Brunch b'Yachad Virtual

Join us for a joint JCC/CBI program Brunch B'yachad Virtual. Fridays at 10:30 am. The

format for the hour will be some facilitated socializing followed by a discussion

through the Jewish lens of a relevant topic or current event. Past topics have included

optimism in the face of adversity, civil discourse, Jewish identity and anti-Semitism.

member). Find out more details, including a link to donate, in this article by CJJ/West member Linda Wolf. For more information about Carolina Jews for Justice and the CJJ/West chapter, contact Frank Goldsmith at gold-smith.cf@gmail.com. Dayenu, A Jewish Call to Climate Action—A movement to confront the climate crisis, rooted in Jewish values, experi-ence, and spirit. dayenu.org/ Jewish Conservative Coalition-Lamed 18 – JCCL was formed to bring together like-minded individuals who support and defend the Jewish people and our Constitutional values. Lamed is the Hebrew letter that teaches us to learn from eve-rything in life. Eighteen (18) in Gematria means good things to come. For additional organization, member and upcom-ing events information contact: JCCLevents@charter.net Conference of Jewish Affairs – We believe that America is a unique civilization worth preserving, and that liberty is the core engine behind America’s success. As Jews and as admirers of the Bible, we believe in free markets and capitalism; judging people as individuals as opposed to indistinguishable members of groups; personal self-defense; reverence for the Constitution; property rights, national sovereignty and patriotism; a strong and capable military; and opportunity for all to succeed. We have a deep pride in Israel and her extraordinary achievements, and advocate for a secure and strong Israel. Please visit the website for additional information.

Community News Continued

Editor’s Note

Deadline: 15 November for the December issue

15 December for the January issue

For questions or submissions contact the editor at

hashofar@bethisraelnc.org

HaShofar השופר Page: 08

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 12noon

Learning

with Rabbi

Mitch

3 4 5 12noon Study

Group

6pm Kabbalat

Shabbat Ser-

vices

6

9:30am Shabbat

Services

Louis Schact-

man Bar Mitz-

vah

7 2:30pm Jewish

Meditation &

Chant

7pmUnder Jerusa-

lem Book Talk

8 9 12noon

Learning

with Rabbi

Mitch

10 11 12 12noon Study

Group

6pm Family

Shabbat on

Zoom

13 9:30am Shabbat

Services

1pm Parasha

Study with Jus-

tin

14 15 16 12noon

Learning

with Rabbi

Mitch

17 18 19 12noon Study

Group

6pm Kabbalat

Shabbat Ser-

vices

20 9:30am Shabbat

Services

21 2:30pm Jewish

Meditation &

Chant

22

Office

Closed

23

Office

Closed

24

Office

Closed

25 Thanksgiv-

ing

Office Closed

26

Office Closed

27 9:30am Shabbat

Services

28 4pm Torah on Tap

29 30

November 2021

HaShofar השופר Page: 09

Congregation Beth Israel

229 Murdock Avenue

Asheville, NC 28804

Office Phone (828) 252-8660

email: admin@bethisraelnc.org

Synagogue Office Hours:

Tuesday to Friday

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

For updated information

visit our website at

www.bethisraelnc.org

November

Candle-lighting & Havdalah

Friday 11/5/21 6:13 pm Saturday 11/6/21 7:02 pm

Friday 11/12/21 5:07 pm Saturday 11/13/21 5:56 pm

Friday 11/19/21 5:03 pm Saturday 11/20/21 5:52 pm

Friday 11/26/21 5:00 pm Saturday 11/27/21 5:49 pm

Chesed: CBI’s Support Network Chesed is a caring team of CBI members who are here to help out their CBI com-

munity during both challenging as well as joyous times. This committee has assist-

ed individuals and families in a variety of ways. Sometimes it’s as simple as making

a call or writing a card. Sometimes it’s preparing a meal, making a visit or providing

a ride. Sometimes it’s helping with a life cycle event: a bat or bar mitzvah, the birth

of a baby, the loss of a loved one. But we need your help to continue our work ef-

fectively.

We can’t offer to do anything unless we know who needs and wants some support.

If we can help you with something or if you are aware of someone who needs assis-

tance, please tell Lee, who will pass along that information to the Chesed commit-

tee. Or you can send an email request to chesed@bethisraelnc.org. Many people at

CBI are waiting to help out. At this point, over 70 people have put their names on

one or more lists to provide support for their CBI family.

We also need your help responding to the requests. If you want to be involved,

please tell Lee, who will pass along your interest to the committee. You can also

contact the Chesed committee directly at chesed@bethisraelnc.org. We’ll get in

touch with you to see what you are interested in doing. We’re grateful to have you

volunteer to do one or all of the following (it’s really up to you):

• Visit those who are sick

• Make calls

• Be part of a shiva minyan

• Prepare meals

• Provide transportation

• Run errands

• Assist with set up for a bar/bat mitzvah party

• Host someone for a holiday meal

Jewish communities have a rich history of taking care of each other. The Babyloni-

an Talmud teaches us that All Jews are responsible one for another (Shevuot 39a).

The Chesed Committee invites you to be a part of that meaningful tradition.

Administration

Rabbi Mitch Levine, rabbi@bethisraelnc.org

Rochelle Reich, Executive Director director@bethisraelnc.org

Lee Avishai, Administrator admin@bethisraelnc.org

Adrian Press , Kitchen kitchen@bethisraelnc.org

Executive Committee

Ellen Sanders, President president@bethisraelnc.org

Danielle Tocaben, Vice Pres. vicepresident@bethisraelnc.org

Julie Sherman, Secretary boardsecretary@bethisraelnc.org

Bruce Brown, Treasurer cbitreasurer@bethisraelnc.org

Mike Weizman, Past President msweizman@gmail.com

Committee Chairs/Members

Gail Gordon, Membership chokma@outlook.com

Meta Berkowitz, Membership metabetamax@gmail.com

Eva Blinder, Spiritual/Ritual ejb5711@gmail.com

Marlene Jacoby, Social Action marlenejacoby@gmail.com

Jay Jacoby, Social Action jbjacoby@uncc.edu

Caren Kessler, Chesed chesed@bethisraelnc.org

Jimi Moore, HaShofar hashofar@bethisraelnc.org

Steve Kayne, House 1houseforu@gmail.com

Board Members-at-Large

Beth Blinder bci92411@nc.rr.com

Bob Goldstein goldst9@gmail.com

Alan Baumgarten abaumgarten4@gmail.com

Karen Fraade kfraade@gmail.com

Alan Escovitz aescovitz@charter.net

For everything else, contact admin@bethisraelnc.org