NEWSLETTER

Beth El - The Heights Synagogue builds vibrant Jewish community.We welcome all in participatory, traditional, egalitarian worship and learning.

Rabbi Moshe Adler s Saturday Morning Services at 9:15, 3246 Desota Ave., Cleveland Hts., OH 44118 s (216-320-9667

December 20155776 TBU / WLSK

The Apocryphal book of Maccabees describes how – after winning the first battle of their rebellion against Syria – Judah Maccabee and his brothers led the restoration of the Temple, cleansing it of all pagan items, repairing and adorning it, and re-creating its sacred objects. They then “offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand [m’norah]” (1 Maccabees 4:50). The chapter concludes, “Judah and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at this season, the days of dedication [hanukkah] of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev” (1 Maccabees 4:59).

Our Sages included in the liturgy a prayer of thanksgiving to be said on Hanukkah and Purim, holidays that celebrate national deliverance. It is called “Al Ha-Nisim,” after its two opening words. The Hanukkah version of this prayer reflects the Maccabees’ narrative and connects it with all times. It concludes, “Afterward, Your children came to the inner sanctum of Your house, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your sanctuary, lit lamps in Your holy courtyards, and established these eight days of Hanukkah for giving thanks and praise to Your great Name.”

The story of the miracle of the oil does not

appear in either of those two sources. It appears later, in the Talmud (Shabbat 21b):

[For] what [miracle] is Hanukkah [celebrated]? It is as our Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth day of Kislev the eight days of Hanukkah begin, on which one must neither eulogize the dead nor fast. For when the [Syrian] Greeks entered the Great Hall of the Temple, they defiled all the oils in the Great Hall, and when the House of the Hasmoneans overpowered them and triumphed over them, they searched and found only one container of oil that bore the [unbroken] seal of the High Priest. It contained enough to light [the m’norah] for only one day. A miracle was wrought for them and they lighted [the m’norah] from it for eight days. The following year they established those days as holidays for praise and thanksgiving.

Whether, in telling the story of the miracle of the oil, our Sages were drawing on historical tradition or writing midrash is irrelevant; what matters is what they were teaching:

The Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian army was a veiled miracle, one that can be attributed solely to the courage, skill and devotion of the Maccabees, without reference to God. The miraculous character of such a victory is veiled. (continued on page 3)

Miracles Veiled and Revealed

Rabbi Moshe Adler

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OYRWAGX

Beth El – The Heights Synagogue Newsletter, Vol. 18, No. 3, December 2015 © Beth El – The Heights Synagogue Carol Bruml, Editor – Telephone 216-932-9155, E-mail: news@bethelheights.org General submittal deadline is the 7th of each month. 3246 Desota Ave., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 Published 11 times per year.http://www.bethelheights.org/ For address or mailing list change, call 216-320-9667

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Ritual Committee’s Perspectives, December 2015

High Holy Day HighlightsOur shul has just completed a meaningful and spiritually satisfying High Holy Day season. With the wisdom of Rabbi Adler as our inspiration and the contributions of so many, we provided an experience that was uplifting, warm, and friendly. We want to express our sincere gratitude to all those committed members of our congregation who participated and shared their skill and knowledge with us.

We also want to thank all those of you who shared your comments with us as part of the congregational survey. Rest assured that we carefully read and evaluated each response; we listened to you. We will do everything we can to incorporate those suggestions that are appropriate and practi-cal into our planning for next year’s High Holy Day season.

We thought also that we would share several of the wonderful comments that we received, that reflect the positive nature of the impact our services had on those who attended:

“The participation was outstanding. The singing was inspired and there was a palpable sense of community.”“What a beautiful machzor...”“I appreciate the efforts of everyone who led services and read Torah. Everyone...did a great job.”“I enjoy the welcoming community; the lovely voices singing Hebrew.”“There was a great sense of community and spirituality.”“Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ser-vices were a gift. I feel fully grateful to have found this community and to hold

the weight and joy of this season with this congregation.”“Things seemed to go very smoothly. There was a great sense of community and spirituality. Yasher koach!”“I feel very welcome and now comfort-able at BE–THS and there isn’t any other place I would rather be.”“I really appreciated having a variety of voices leading. I applaud all the shelichei tzibor (service leaders), very beautiful energy from all of them.”

And there was so much more that we could share with you! We always want your input and if you still have comments regarding the Holy Day services, please feel free to communicate them to our committee or our officers. We will continue to work with you to create the best experience possible at BE–THS.

Have a meaningful and peaceful year.The Ritual Committee

High Holy Days Thank YousRabbi Moshe Adler and the Ritual Com-mittee would like to thank all of the following members for their leadership during High Holy Day services.

Service LeadersBruce Amsel, Lisa Lefstein Berusch, Henry Bloom, Stacia Dearmin, Robin Dubin, Leon Gabinet, Joe Buchwald Gelles, Mia Buchwald Gelles, Ari Klein, Alan Lerner, Miriam Palevsky, Jamie Saunt, Barry Starr

English ReadersBrian Aaronson, Bruce Amsel, Judie Amsel, Mark Davidson, Robin Dubin, (ctd. on p.3)

Questions? ConCerns?Comments? Complaints?

Please do not hesitate to contact the

Presidents by e-mail president

@bethelheights.orgor telephone

Eran (440) 223-9765Erica (216) 276-1029

Help usstay in touCH!

Please be sure we have your current

contact information.Send changes to

info@bethelheights.org

or call (216) 320-9667

Keep up witH tHe news!Join tHe

Be–tHs lists!Send an e-mail to

Mick Miller,mick@mickmill.com,if you need help with

signing up.

Co-presidents

eriCa new

eran sHiloH

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(Miracles, Veiled and Revealed, continued from page 1) The miracle of the oil, on the other hand, was a revealed miracle – a one-day’s supply of oil lasting for eight days is so obviously miraculous that it cannot be attributed to natural causes alone.

The Sages wished to remind us of something that Moses said in HaAzinu, the poem he taught the Israelites before his death (Deuteronomy 32:29-31):

Were they wise, they would think upon this, gain insight into their future: “How could one have routed a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, the LORD had given them up?”

The story of the miracle of the oil is intended, not to detract from human devotion and courage, but to remind us that behind every deliverance, whether veiled or revealed, stands God.

Have a happy Hanukkah! Peace to Israel and to the world!

q(High Holy Day Highlights, continued from page 2) Ilene Gertman, Richard Krueck, Stephen Pepper, Juliana Sadock Savino, Nina Sobel, Bud Stern, Cheryl Stone, Linda Tobin, Beth Wachter, Scott Wachter, Polly Wilkenfeld

Piyyut LeadersHenry Bloom, Michael Bloom, Stacia Dearmin, Leon Gabinet, Joe Buchwald Gelles, Naomi Klarreich, Ari Klein, Esther Mack, Alan Mintz, Juliana Sadock Savino, Menachem Shoham, Shlomo Shuck, Barry Starr, Peggy Sullivan

Torah and Haftarah ReadersHenry Bloom, Joel Falck, Mia Buchwald Gelles, Laura Gooch, Shaul Janes, Marilyn Malkin, Miriam Palevsky, Jamie Saunt, Shlomo Shuck, Barry Starr, Blanche Valancy

UshersRobin Dubin, Ilene Gertman, Richard Krueck, Karen Kugelman, Joel Genuth, Adam Probst, Nina Sobel, Cheryl Stone, Linda Tobin,

VIOLINS OF HOPE CLEVELAND is a community-wide collaboration that aims to inform, educate and inspire people throughout the Midwest. Played by Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps, the instruments have been collected and restored by Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein for more than two decades. The historic violins have been played in concerts from Jerusalem to Berlin and Charlotte, NC, and provide a rare opportunity to explore unique stories behind each instrument and the individuals who owned them. “The Violins of Hope will serve as a reminder to us all of the timeless power of music over adversity,” said Joel Smirnoff, President and CEO of CIM.

Tour the Violins of Hope

exhibit at the Maltz Museum

Sunday, December 13, 1:00 pm

Museum admission applies: ($8.00/adult; $6.00/student

or senior citizen). Please RSVP to Joel Genuth, jgenuth@

hotmail.com or 617-943-2076 by December 10; the Museum

requests to know the approximate size of the group in advance.

A WOW! Moment Plus Pizza at Gearity Elementary

The Beth El –The Heights Synagogue (BE–THS) fall garden party at Gearity Profes-sional Development School in University Heights on October 27 began with a student-led tour of the newly constructed outdoor learning labs. BE–THS members Eden, a 1st grader at Gearity, and Margie guided members through the woods to outdoor classroom areas on trails created by local high school students. These 15 high school students were commissioned by Youth Opportunities Unlimited to work 6 weeks under the direction of Joe Mendes, former 4th grade teacher, who spearheaded the entire project along with Heather Quinones, Gearity Garden teacher. Next stop on the tour was the hoop house also built by these same students with grant awards from multiple sources including the school district. Sherri Malek, who teaches 1st grade Math and Science at the school, joined the tour in the raised-bed outdoor area to explain how these facilities are incorpo-rated into lesson plans for all grades at the school. A highlight was learning how a Special Ed class had been especially enthusiastic about the project.

Another highlight was pizza – cooked in an adobe oven on the spot by our Chefs, Sherry Ball and Heather Quinones with assistance from many students. The oven was fascinating – heated to coals before the garden party began, it kept turning out pizzas for about two hours with no additional fuel. And the pizzas were quite good! Members got a chance to schmooze with several faculty members, and came away with a sense of Gearity as a very energized and special place.

An unexpected highlight of the tour was a trip inside the school after dark. The place was hopping, with at least two other events going on for students and families. Members visited the “Makerspace.” This laboratory, funded through the Ohio Straight-A Grant, provides equipment that enables students to design and create projects using computer-interfaced laser cutters and 3D printers. Since most had never seen a 3D printer – not to mention a 5th grader using one – this was a “wow” moment for many. Teacher Jackie Taylor explained the process as best she could for us, a group of novices. Fifth grade is not what it used to be, in more ways than one.

(Thanks, Sherry, for organizing this event!)Joe Buchwald Gelles and Sherry Ball

qCalling all fun-loving & work-friendly members. Join us for a completely informal Motzei Shabbat Party December 5th. We’ll meet in the social hall where we’ll dig out the Hanukkah decorations from last year, refresh them a bit with a few updated styles and get to work while enjoying some tunes. Around 6:45 pm we’ll take a group pizza order, collect about $6 a person to cover the cost of the pizza and send out “team pizza.” Just show up. No reservations needed. Happy Hanukkah!!!

Motzei Shabbat Party – More Pizza!

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Calendar, december 2015 5776 TBU / WLSK

The Short Stories

by

Jewish Authors

Reading and

Discussion Group

will next meet in

Dcember,

date TBA.

We plan to

discuss stories

from

John Clayton’s

newest book.

For information,

please contact

Sondra Jacobs,

216-397-1481

or sondrajacobs

@sbcglobal.net.

Saturday, November 28 after services – Monthly Simcha Kiddush: Join us as we celebrate some of the

happy events that have occurred in November.

Saturday, December 5 About 10:20 am – Learners’ Torah Study Group will meet in the Community Room

to discuss Parashat Vayeshev.After Kiddush – The Mishna Study Group will meet in the Community Room.6:15-8:15 pm – Motzei Shabbat Party: Come help decorate for tomorrow’s Hanukkah

party. We’ll all pitch in and send out for pizza about 6:45 pm. More info on page 4.

Sunday, December 6 Sundown – Hanukkah begins.5:00 to 8:00 pm – Hanukkah Party. Ma’ariv at 6:00 pm. Bring your own menorah

and Hanukkah candles, and join the conflagration! See flyer for details. Save money by making prepaid reservations.

Saturday, December 1211:00 to 11:30 am – Shabbat Playdate: Stories and songs for younger children in

the Babysitting Room.

Sunday, December 131:00 to 2:00 pm – Violins of Hope, special docent-led tour at the Maltz Museum,

2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood 44122. RSVP to Joel Genuth, 617-943-2076 or jgenuth@hotmail.com; the Museum requests to know the approximate size of the group in advance. Museum admission charge applies: $8.00/adult; $6.00/student or senior citizen, includes admission to all areas of the museum.

Friday, December 186:30 pm – Kabbalat Shabbat with learning. Vegetarian-friendly dinner served about

7:30 pm. $10.00/person; prepaid reservations requested by December 14. See flyer for details.

Saturday, December 19 About 10:20 am – Learners’ Torah Study Group will meet in the Community Room

to discuss Parashat Vayigash.1:00 pm – Learn with the Rabbi, Session 3 – The Prophets, Who They Were and

What They Taught: Speaking Truth to Power. Free and open to all. Details on page 8.

Friday, December 2510:00 am to 10:00 noon (Morning Minyan at 9:30 am) – Annual Pancake Breakfast

– See flyer for details.

Saturday, December 26after services – Monthly Simcha Kiddush: Join us as we celebrate some of the

happy events that have occurred in December.

SSBJA

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TW$DXNews from Beth El

Condolences to: OYLBA OWXYNØ David and Karen Bardenstein, and their family, on the recent death of David's father, Maxwell Bardenstein z”l.Ø Adina and Mark Davidson and their family, on the recent death of Adina’s father, Sam Kelman z”l. All the old Library Minyanpeople will remember him from our days together (he was a founding member). He was executive director of Bellefaire for almost 20 years, and headed Habonim’s national camping program back in the early 60’s. In his retirement he was instrumental in founding the Reconstructionist move-ment’s summer camp.Ø Merry Singer Lugasy and her family, on the recent death of Merry’s father, Leonard Singer z”l. Merry’s father earned his doctor-ate at the University of Chicago. He was a research scientist with Union Carbide and was awarded multiple patents for his work with carbon fiber. Leonard played the violin, viola, clarinet, and saxophone and enjoyed playing in community orches-tras, dance bands, and string quartets. He also directed choir at Beth Israel The West Temple. (Full obituary at <http://tinyurl.com/kvj9d9n>)

Refuah Sh’lema to: ! HMYL$ HAWPRØ Rabbi Michael HechtØ Miriam PalevskyØ Marvin WarshayØ Daniel Weisberg, Marsha Weisberg’s brother.Ø Miriam Weisberg, Marsha Weisberg’s sister.

Yasher Koah to: ! XWK R$YYRobin Dubin, who was quoted in an article in the Cleveland Jewish News on Octo-ber 23, about the recent increases in baby boomer spending. The full article is avail-

able at < http://tinyurl.com/ndk5dno>.Ø Mia Buchwald Gelles, who is in the in-augural class of the Cleveland Jewish News’ 18 Difference Makers this month. Mia is being honored for her work as Operations director, Milestones Autism Resources.Ø Marty Gelfand, who was the front-runner in his run for reelection for an additional term as a South Euclid councilman. Incumbents Marty Gelfand and Dennis Fiorelli, along with newcomer Jason M. Russell, won seats on South Euclid City Council November 3. Read the full Cleve-land Jewish News article at <http://tinyurl.com/p9km373>.Ø Bernice (Brondy) Shanker, who was inducted into the 2015 Cleveland Heights High School Alumni Hall of Fame for her lifelong commitment as a reading teacher and for her role as the creator and teacher of the ESL program at the Shaker Heights Public Library. Brondy was named a Com-munity Hero in the Plain Dealer and was awarded Most Treasured Volunteer at the City Club of Cleveland by the Center for Community Solutions in 2012, for her dedication to teaching reading and ESL. Brondy graduated from Heights in 1946.

Mazel Tov to: ! BWU LZMØ Marvin and Miriam Palevsky on the birth of their new granddaughter, Anastasia Lynn Heindell (6 lbs.,10 oz.; 191/2 inches). Anastasia’s parents are the Palevsky’s daughter, Jessica Heindell, and her hus-band, Alex. Ø Noam Gelles, whose 20th birthday was in November.Ø Vicki Rosales, whose daughter Jillian recently became engaged to Joey Sacharow. Jillian and Joey both live on Kibbutz Alu-mim in the western Negev in Israel.

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Welcome New Members: OYABH OYKWRBØ Hannah FoxØ Zachary Lerner

Thanks for Contributions to: ! HDWTØ Sherry Ball and Marty Gelfand, in honor of Julian Saunt on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Bill and Carol BrumlØ Joe and Mia Buchwald GellesØ Frank and Jeanette Buchwald, who dedicated a new High Holy Days Mahzor in memory of Sam and Margaret Buchwald z”l.Ø Susan David and Bernard SharfmanØ Ilene GertmanØ Ilene Gertman, in memory of Isadore Gertman z”l.Ø Ilene Gertman, toward the cost of the building inspection.Ø Sharona Hoffman and Andy Podgur-ski, in memory of Sharona’s father, Rabbi Morton Hoffman z”l.Ø Rabbi Shulamit IzenØ Shaul Janes, who collaborates with his employer, Motorcars Honda, to donate 10X-Chai for every vehicle purchased through him from Motorcars. To date, this program has resulted in $990.00 in dona-tions to BE–THS.Ø Susan Klarreich, in honor of Gabriel Solomon Shapiro on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Martin and Nancy KosminØ Zachary LernerØ Mick Miller and Jamie Saunt, toward improving security of our website.Ø Stephen Pepper and Linda Tobin, in honor of Julian Saunt on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Adam ProbstØ Ezra and Susan RahamimØ Andrew RittermanØ Juliana Sadock Savino, in memory of her parents, Joe and Marilyn Savino z”l.Ø Vicki Spalding Rosales, in honor of Julian Saunt on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Vicki Spalding Rosales, in honor of Stephanie Gordon.Ø Arnold and Diane Stone, in memory of Arnold’s brother, Max Sonenstein z”l.Ø Arnold and Diane Stone, to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund.

Ø Laurie TicktinØ Leonard Tracht, in honor of Julian Saunt on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Leonard Tracht, in honor of Gabriel Shapiro on his Bar Mitzvah.Ø Leonard TrachtØ Toby Trevis, in thanks for the October 10 Lunch and Learn.Ø Mary and Richard ZigmondØ Anonymous

Thanks for High Holy Days ticket contri-butions to: ! HDWTØ Amy and Alan CadeskyØ Robin FreireichØ Donna LipsonØ Gary and Marilyn MagdenØ Vicki Spalding Rosales

Thanks for Kiddush Sponsorship to:October 6 – ! HDWTØ Zachary Lerner, who sponsored the pizza served on Simhat Torah.

October 10 – Lunch and Learn with Sharona HoffmanØ Robin Dubin and Richard KrueckØ Honey Massey and Bud Stern

November 15 – Brunch and Learn with Alanna Cooper. Ø Joel Genuth Ø Menachem Shoham

December 5 –Ø Bruce and Judie Amsel, in honor of Judie’s 75th birthday.Ø Bill and Carol Bruml, in honor of Judie Amsel’s birthday, and her love of dark chocolate.

Thanks for November Simcha Kiddush Contributions to: ! HDWTØ The Buchwald Gelles family, in honor of Noam’s 20th birthday.Ø Ilene Gertman, in honor of her birthday.

Thanks for November newsletter mailing help to: ! HDWTØ Richard KrueckØ Honey MasseyØ Bud SternØ David Tomberg

Ø Blanche ValancyØ Beth WachterØ Scott Wachter

The miracle, of course, was not that the oil for the sacred light -in a little cruse - lasted as long as they say;but that the courage of the Maccabees lasted to this day:Let that nourish my flickering spirit.

Charles Reznikoff, “Meditations on

the Fall and Winter Holidays”

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Yahrzeits, December 2015Kislev ~WLSK

Sanford Gelfand 19 Kislev 5759William Grossman 19 Kislev 5741Sylvia Della Streem 19 Kislev 5738Bracha Tenenbaum 19 Kislev Rev. Henry Einhorn 21 Kislev 5718Ronald J. Maeroff 21 Kislev 5718Shirley Newman 21 Kislev 5768Sadie Magden 22 Kislev 5754Sarah Cohen 25 Kislev 5705Joseph Fox 26 Kislev 5722Samuel Suskind 26 Kislev 5743Rachel Margolis 27 Kislev 5687Alexander Zeisler 27 Kislev 5720Henry Tepper 28 Kislev 5703Nat Slobody 28 Kislev 5723Louis Eifer 28 Kislev 5741Robert Mittman 29 Kislev David Davis 30 Kislev 5713Helen Citron 30 Kislev

Tevet ~ TBU Ginda Rouse bat Boruch Yuzefovich 2 Tevet Lenke Vamos 2 Tevet 5737Manual Collin 4 Tevet 5714Moses Horwitz 4 Tevet Dr. Richard Bloomfield 5 Tevet 5773Sol Olshansky 5 Tevet 5726Zoltan Saunt 5 Tevet 5736David Elliot Sobel 5 Tevet 5769Sam S. Birkner 6 Tevet Jack Lertzman 6 Tevet 5719David L. Susman 6 Tevet 5721Carl Gilbert Lampel 6 Tevet 5726

Adolph Weinberger 6 Tevet 5738Doug Keller 7 Tevet 5765Harry Samuel Weiss 7 Tevet 5710Private First Class Michael Marks 7 Tevet Lawrence Mesnick 7 Tevet Rebecca Dorothy Charms 8 Tevet 5729Joseph Tracht 9 Tevet Bella Sobel 10 Tevet Sidney Russack 10 Tevet 5755Max Adler 10 Tevet David Bernstein 11 Tevet Isadore Litt 11 Tevet 5722Bertha Weinberg 12 Tevet 5692Max Levinsky 13 Tevet 5719Milton Gutentag 13 Tevet 5738Minnie Jacobs Weinberger 13 Tevet 5725Margaret Jacobs 15 Tevet 5721Marion Siskind 15 Tevet 5762Eliezer Lindenbaum 16 Tevet 5697Henry Rocker 16 Tevet 5727Frederick Sadock 16 Tevet Frieda Amsel 18 Tevet 5773Morton Glaser 18 Tevet 5750Annie Moll 18 Tevet 5761Louis Shifrin 18 Tevet 5727Tamar Tepper 18 Tevet Sandy Cantleberry 19 Tevet 5765Fannie Eisenberg 19 Tevet 5733Jack Gordon 19 Tevet Errata: Sharona Hoffman’s father’s name was listed erroneously last month; it should have been Rabbi Morton Hoffman, whose Yahrzeit was 20 Heshvan.

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This six-class series will be taught by Rabbi Moshe Adler. The classes will meet approxi-mately once a month after Kiddush. The series is free and open to all; registration is not required; drop-ins are welcomed.

Session 3 – December 19: Speaking truth to powerSession 4 – January 16: The runaway prophetSession 5 – February 20: Anger and compassion: Human and divineSession 6 – March 19: Deep loneliness and sublime joy

The Prophets: Who They Were and What They Taught

Learn with the Rabbi 2015-2016

Missing Tallit !

Bud Stern misplaced his tallit at shul on October 31. It still has not been found. Please check your tallit bags to be sure you don’t accidentally have an extra.

Bud’s tallit is extra special, because he and Honey recently chose it, when they were in Israel, and carefully brought it back as a fond memory of their trip.

The missing tallit is dark blue, with symbols of Sukkot along the borders.

Please contact Bud or Honey if you find it: 216-991-7383 or docbud406@sbcglobal.net

Communicating with Members and Friends at BE–THS

Several members of the Board recently asked me questions about communicating with other folks at BE–THS... and I figure that if Board members are confused, there must also be a LOT of other confused folks out there!

We have two available email lists. You can sign up for one, the other, or both. Both of the lists are actually Google Groups, just so this does not confuse you when you at-tempt to sign up. You can sign up for either (or both) by following the blue “Join Our Google Groups” link on the BE–THS home page, <www.bethelheights.org>.

1. The primary list, sometimes called our “Big List” or the “On-Topic list,” is to be used ONLY for synagogue-related news, events, announcements, articles, etc. It should NOT be used for community-wide news items or events, or as an advertising or political forum. If you receive messages FROM this list, you can send mes-sages to the list, at <beths_list@googlegroups.com>. Messages sent to this list ARE moderated to be sure they are appropriate and synagogue-related, so there may be a slight delay in getting messages out, but we have several moderators, so they usually get out pretty quickly. If a moderator feels your message really should be sent to the off-topic list, instead, you will be notified to send it there.

2. The second list, our “Off-Topic list,” is for news and information that you feel is of interest to the congrega-tion as a whole, but that is not specific to the BE–THS synagogue itself. This might include news about general community events, happenings in the Jewish communi-ty, happenings in Israel, news of non-shul-related things that you and your family may be doing, etc. If you are receiving messages FROM this list, you can send your own messages to this list at <beths_list-ot@googlegroups.com>. These messages are NOT moderated, so please be careful and courteous about what you decide to send out: “keep it clean,” and no “flaming.”

Again, you can join either or both of these lists/Groups by following the Join Our Google Groups link on our home page, www.bethelheights.org. If you have difficul-ties doing so, please contact our webmaster, Mick Miller, <mick@mickmill.com>.

If you need to change your email address for sending/receiving messages on either list, go to <http://groups.google.com/group/beths_list> for the on-topic list or <http://groups.google.com/group/beths_list-ot> for the off-topic list, sign in with your Google ID, and edit your settings there.

Carol Bruml, Communications Chair…among many other hats!

Join us to study and discuss selections from the weekly Torah portion. We consider commentaries, raise questions, and share tips for using the Humash. Each week’s lesson is self-contained so come as your schedule permits. The sessions are accessible for non-Hebrew speakers or readers and open to people at all levels of experience.

We meet in the Communiy Room, after the Torah is taken out and the portion is introduced (about 10:20 am to 10:30 am), and rejoin the service in time for the d’var Torah. Questions? Contact Mia Buchwald Gelles: 216-321-6717 or miabgelles@gmail.com. Upcoming Learners’ Torah Discussion Dates (every other week this fall):

December 5 - Parashat VayeshevDecember 19 - Parashat Vayigash

Learners’ Torah Discussions Open to All

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Sitting in Shabbat services recently, my eyes lit on the Prayer for Our Congregation. More often, our congregation reads the Prayer for Israel or the Prayer for our Country. I don’t know why – perhaps we think the country and Is-rael need our prayers more? With a little searching, I discovered that the Prayer for Our Congregation is essentially the same prayer as one written roughly 800 years ago in France. One version of the prayer is

May He who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, bless this entire congregation, together with all holy congregations: them, their sons and daughters, their families, and all that is theirs, along with those who unite to establish synagogues for prayer, and those who enter them to pray, and those who give funds for heat and light, and wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, bread to the wayfarer and charity to the poor, and all who devotedly involve themselves with the needs of this community and the Land of Israel.

As Development Chair and Finance Chair, I spend a lot of time thinking about funds for synagogue heat, light, and wine. You will be receiving an end of the year appeal for just these needs. I hope that you, too, will spend some time thinking about this prayer, and the mitzvah of establishing and maintaining a synagogue like Beth El – The Heights Synagogue.

Thank you,Ilene Gertman, Development Chair

Prayer for our Congregation

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Sunday, December 6th 5:00-8:00 pm Ma’ariv at 6:00 pm

Bring your own Menorah & Hanukkah candles

for lighting at ~6:20 pm

Cost:  $8  per  person  if  prepaid  by  Nov.  30th  (max.  $28/household)  $10  per  person  at  the  door  (max.  $36/household)  

Children  under  6  –  free  To  RSVP,  contact  Sherry  at  ball.sherry@gmail.com  or  216-­‐371-­‐8827  

(or  mail  checks  directly  to  the  synagogue)  

 Beth El–The Heights Synagogue 216-320-9667

3246 Desota Ave. Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 www.bethelheights.org

Find us on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/cdtgjyl

Pancake BreakfastFriday, December 25, 10:00 AM to 12:00 NoonMorning Minyan 9:00 AM - Crosswords for all ages$9/person, max $36/family, ages 5 & under free! (Please mail checks to the synagogue by December 21)

Pancakesand

Crosswords !

BETH EL

The Heights Synagogue3246 Desota Avenue, Cleveland Hts., OH 44118info@bethelheights.org ~ www.bethelheights.org

We welcome all in participatory, traditional, egalitarian worship and learning.216-320-9667

inviteS you to celebrate

shabbat with a Service and dinner.

Friday, December 18, 6:30 p.m.Kabbalat Shabbat 6:30. dinner at about 7:40. dinner includes fish, vegetarian-friendly menu. Learning with a teacher to be announced.

Price: $10.00 per person.

RSVP: Go to Bethelheights.org and click on the flyer. or you can call Joe at 216-321-6734. (Please make prepaid reservations by Dec. 14.)

Location: beth el–the heights Synagogue 3246 desota avenue cleveland hts., oh 44118

This is a membership event — a great time to introduce potential members to our community, a little less formal and a lot shorter than Shabbat morning. So bring a friend — don’t be shy about asking!

FRI

18DEC