November 2007, Cheshvan/Kislev 5768

TidingsTidings Ohabei ShalomOhabei Shalom——New England’s First Reform CongregationNew England’s First Reform Congregation

What’s Inside: Congregational Updates • Rabbi Search • Berenson Library Cantor Schloss President’s Message Our Rabbinic Intern Worship • High Holyday

thank yous • Food Drive report Social Groups • Sisterhood • Brotherhood • Mitzvah Committee Lifelong Learning • Adult Hebrew • Winter Kallah • “Study with Sandy” • Lifelong Learning Lissner Hall Ansin Religious School • Mark Your Calendar • B’nei Mitzvah • Shari Churwin Community • Toy Drive • Family Table • CJP Seniordirect November Funds Yizkor Elohim November Calendar

Many of us know the Hokey Pokey, that popular favorite of children’s (and some adult) parties. You start by putting your right foot in, and continue until, in the words of the song, “you put your whole self in.” I would be hesitant to suggest that the Hokey Pokey can tell us anything about how to live a rich spiritual life, were it not that at least some scholars believe that it had its origins in a Shaker hymn. So, with a nod to the Shakers, I think that the process of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is about learning to put one’s whole self into Judaism. Here at Temple Ohabei Shalom, we have a wonderful tradition of Bar and Bat Mitzvah, where our children learn and show how they are moving toward Jewish adulthood. We are planning some new features that we hope will build on these traditions.

We ask our B’nei Mitzvah to put their hearts into Judaism. The heart, the feeling and passion for Judaism, is best demonstrated by leading a service. After all, our tradition refers to Jewish worship as avodah shebalev, a service of the heart. Our B’nei Mitzvah candidates currently read from the Torah and Haftarah and lead a portion of the service connected to Torah. A literate Jew should be able to lead from any part of the service, and Bar or Bat Mitzvah includes a demonstration to the community of the young person’s willingness and ability to be a literate Jew. So, we are gradually moving toward having our B’nei Mitzvah take responsibility for some additional parts of the service, in particular the

Sh’ma and the blessings that surround it. In so doing, we can integrate our B’nei Mitzvah into the service as a whole. This will strengthen us as a Jewish community.

We ask our B’nei Mitzvah to put their hands into Judaism. The hands symbolize our interest in being handy when it comes to doing tikkun olam, to repairing the world. Toward that end, we have begun to require a Mitzvah project from each of our B’nei Mitzvah. We are building structures to support those Mitzvah projects, including highlighting them in future issues of the Tidings.

We ask our B’nei Mitzvah to put their heads into Judaism. This is demonstrated by the thinking that is required in preparing their divrei Torah, their Bar or Bat Mitzvah speeches. We are developing a curriculum for these divrei Torah that will increase the opportunities for our students to engage in serious, yet enjoyable, Jewish learning about the relationship between the Torah and their own lives.

Please encourage our B’nei Mitzvah as they go about putting their whole selves into becoming Jewish adults. Maybe we can all help turn each other about toward leading fuller Jewish lives.

Put Your Whole Self In: Bar and Bat Mitzvah at Temple Ohabei Shalom

Welcome New Member!s Elliot Friedman James Barron Bonnie Becker Liza Berkowitz Gracemarie Kunkel Jerome Kravitz Jason Dubey Meredith Fishbane Arthur & Susan Flashman Lynne Fussteig David Goldman Gail Gordon John Hadley & Anne Shapiro Robert Nathenson Sherryl Rosenberg Scott Newberger & Lydia Brown Deborah Rothman Vanessa Seibald Scott & Mary Schneider Igor Shargorodskiy & Alla Shlosman Brandon Dickason & Susan Swerdlick Gabriele Spear

On November 2nd, at our Friday night Shabbat worship, I will be formally installed as the Cantor of Temple Ohabei Shalom. If you are not familiar with the “installation” of clergy serving a congregation, I will feel free to anticipate some of your questions: in short, no, this installation will not require power tools, additional insurance or a licensed electrician. But it does require two things: me and you, clergy and community.

The relationship between clergy and congregation is a special one. Some often think that clergy members are somehow “holier” than your typical Jew, that we have a direct line to God. Indeed, rabbis and cantors are often referred to as klei kodesh: holy vessels. But what is it that would make us clergy “holy”? Using the analogy of a vessel, what truly makes the vessel holy? No matter the precious metal or the fine details of decoration that may adorn a Kiddush cup, what defines that vessel as sacred is its use. If we fill it with coffee and drink from it each morning, it is a coffee cup. If we fill it with wine and only drink from it after blessing Shabbat or another sacred occasion, it is a holy vessel.

In the case of cantors, we may have the ability to be klei kodesh, but it is not because a cantor is inherently “holy.” Rather we must serve a holy purpose to become klei kodesh. This does not diminish the role of a cantor. According to a

Update on the Rabbi Search Process

The Rabbi Search Committee met throughout the summer, reviewing candidate resumes and conducting interviews. With the end of the summer the pace of the committee’s work has accelerated. The committee continues to fulfill its charge of finding Ohabei Shalom the best candidate possible to fill the critical position of Senior Rabbi.

It is a sign of the desirability of this congregation that we have received many more applications than we’d expected from across the U.S. and abroad and we continue to receive re-sumes. The committee gives each candidate its full attention and consideration. The committee has been meeting regularly and is identifying a small group of candidates to consider on the “short list.”

Much work still lies ahead. The committee continues to work toward the goal of making its recommendation of our senior rabbi by the end of this calendar year. We appreciate the com-ments, thoughts and ideas members of the congregation have shared with the committee and we are considering this feed-back seriously as part of the process.

The updating of the Berenson Library that was started on Mitzvah Day continued during the summer with some exciting progress. In one seven hour day (which felt more like 14 hours), we met with a dealer in Judaica books who took doz-ens of boxes of books promising to find good homes for them. The money from this transaction added to donations from our congregation enabled us to obtain the skilled services of Marie Cloutier, a newly graduated Simmons librarian.

Since August, Marie has been entering the Berenson books on the same data base as the Gopen Family Library collection. Our goal is to facilitate access to materials from both libraries to the whole Temple Ohabei Shalom community.

We are so grateful to friends, colleagues and fellow congrega-tion members for volunteering their time and ideas to this pro-ject. Our next step will be to make possible the purchase of new and interesting books to add to the Berenson and Gopen libraries.

Come in, visit us and explore the treasures in a world of books!

Hanna and Herbert Zeiger

variety of sources from the Talmud to Maimonides, a cantor must, among other things, possess a pleasant voice, be skilled in chanting blessings and scripture and display a thorough knowledge of midrash, halachah and agadah. The Tosefta even adds that a cantor ought to have a mature beard (I’m sorry to fall short on the beard requirement). However these qualities merely give the cantor the potential to fulfill his holy purpose. In his article, The Vocation of the Cantor, Abraham Joshua Heschel explains not the qualities of a cantor, but the cantor’s holy purpose: “To attain a degree of spiritual security one cannot rely upon one’s own resources. One needs an atmosphere where the concern for the spirit is shared by a community. It is the task of the cantor to create the liturgical community, to convert a plurality of praying individuals into a unity of worship.”

An installation of a cantor does not honor the cantor alone. Nor does it honor the community alone. But it honors the holy relationship between cantor and community. It is my hope and prayer that my installation will allow me to become klei kodesh in serving this kahal kodesh.

Cantor Randall Schloss No Tools Required

Updates

Berenson Library Update

Think Ohabei before you buy !! OK, it’s pronounced o-ha-vey….but you get the idea. As I mentioned on the High Holidays, we are now able to contribute financially to Temple Ohabei Shalom when we buy over the internet from many of the vendors that we already use, without it costing anything more in the process. Our congregation’s website, www.ohabei.org, now features a link to an affiliates page where many of the websites that we commonly use, from Amazon to Ebay to iTunes to Staples, etc. are listed. When you click to these affiliates from our website and make a purchase as you would normally do, Temple Ohabei Shalom automatically receives a referral fee at no additional cost to you.

This method of fundraising is something that we can all take advantage of. Not only does it not cost us anything, but it also gives us an opportunity to expand our ability to raise money. For instance, if your workplace already orders online from Staples or Office Depot or any of the other affiliates, please just ask them to click to these pages by going through the Temple’s website first. That is all there is to it! The same is true for family and friends who use these websites no matter where they are located. We are adding more links in the future, and hope to make this as user-friendly an option as possible. We do not endorse any of these websites, but merely offer them as organizations that have agreed to pay TOS a referral fee when people access their homepage from ours.

I am pleased to report that we continue to work on making our congregation more environmentally kind and energy-efficient as well. With the tremendous assistance of Ed Jacobs, we have replaced many of our energy-inefficient incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient (and cost-saving) compact fluorescent bulbs. We are working to improve the efficiency of our heating system as well, which helps the environment and our budget at the same time.

Finally, I am pleased to report that we are now renting our facilities to two very fine institutions. Meridian Academy is a wonderful charter school that uses our school building during the week when our Ansin Religious School is not in session. And on Sunday afternoons we are host to the El-Shaddai church, which holds its services in our chapel. We are doing our best to be hospitable and welcoming hosts to these guests.

With our joint efforts, we will continue to do our best to strengthen our community financially, much as we do in so many other areas. Your help and assistance, especially with the web affiliate program, will assure that our efforts will be successful.

Leonard M. Davidson President’s Message Personnel Update

Dianne Newman has now left her position as Executive Director at Temple Ohabei Shalom. We thank Dianne for the service that she has provided to our congregation and wish her well in the future. I am pleased to report that Dottie Berman has gra-ciously agreed to increase her hours at the synagogue while we work to fill the gap left by Dianne's leaving. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Our Rabbinic Intern Navah Levine is a third-year rabbinical student at Hebrew College. She is the rabbinic intern at Temple Ohabei Shalom and resides in Providence with her partner Claudia. I grew up in an observant home that was deeply committed to Jewish community and Jewish education. My values and interests have been shaped by that upbringing. I have been an active member of Havurat Shalom in Somerville since 1990. Havurat Shalom is a lay-led, non-denominational community where services and classes are led by members from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. We learn from each other and broaden our appreciation of what it means to live Jewishly. I have taught a number of classes on topics such as Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Mishna, and how to chant Torah. I am also an occasional leader of Shab-bat and holiday services. My spirit soars most when I am physically active, such as climbing a mountain, riding my bi-cycle or swimming in a beautiful lake.

After an extended career in investment consulting, I decided to enter rabbinical training based on two desires: to deepen my Jewish knowledge and to involve myself more fully in the Jewish community. Hebrew College’s trans-denominational approach (people from different denominations learning and praying together) is one that embodies values I hold dear. Among these values is an emphasis on the Jewish community as Am Echad, One People. Within our larger community, we have different approaches to Jewish observance and different theological and philosophical beliefs. Those differences should enrich us as a whole, not divide us. We do not al-ways bridge these gaps, but I think the effort to do so is worthwhile and strengthens the Jewish People. For this rea-son, the opportunity to work and learn with the diverse membership, clergy, and staff of Temple Ohabei Shalom has particular appeal.

Among other responsibilities, I will act as the staff point-person for the Annual Winter Kallah and for the Spring Mitz-vah Day. I look forward to our year together.

Sisterhood Crafts Fair Sun, Nov. 4th, 11 am–4 pm Penn-Spero Social Hall

Unique hand-crafted gifts for Hanukah or everyday…

Books African art Jewelry Soaps Note cards Mezzuzot

and much more

Raffles! Face Painting! Admission: $2.

Children under 5—free

Tables for crafters are still Available, $25— contact Julie Boris:

Juboris@aol.com or (617) 566-0748

Worship

Oue thanks to everyone who helped to make our recent High Holyday services a meaningful time for everyone.

Musicians/Choir: Jennifer Harney, Jeanne Lucas, Leah Schloss, Soprano Diane Whiting, Mindy Hinkel, Alto Martin Thomson, Dan Moore, Tenor Ron Williams, John Proft, Bass David Sparr, Music Director; Mickey Katz, Cello

Makhela Sophia Mosner-Koor (Teaching Assistant) Abby Alfaro Ashley Davidson Micah Katz-Zeiger Eliza Klein Jay Rauch Max Tepermeister Sophia Tepermeister

The Greenfield Family Torah/Haftarah readers Sarah Plovmick Miriam Seldin-Stein Catherine Stein Laura Jacobs Hannah Gottlieb Sydney Karnovsky Ezra Plancon Diane Rosen Sammy Greenfield Rhonda Solomon Leah Schloss

Yom Kippur Service and Study Session: Shelly Tennenbaum Len Davidson

Ushers and Ticket takers Jake Bamberger Evie Bazer George Bazer David Chused Jesse Cochin Ashley Davidson Louis Goldman Elliot Goldstein Marilyn Goldstein Eddie Gould Spence Gould Larry Green Arnie Greenfield Judith Halpert Ed Jacobs Sam Jacobs Kathy Jonas David Kanter Estelle Katz Jonathan Kaufman Stan Keizer Mark Lipof Judy Mabel Ellen Mosner Robert Pierson Shellee Robbins Donna Rubenoff Shelley Schwartz Chip Shore Max Shore Bob Silton Palma Spunt Michael Weintraub Ita N. Wiener

Chlild care Sarah Gusky Abigail Alexander OSTY & all of the teenaged volunteers

Youth Service Shari Churwin Kate Mikesh Ari Fleisher And the Temple Ohabei Shalom Staff

Social Groups Brotherhood News Jonathan Atkins & Ben Adler Betsy Gould

One wonderful bonus of involvement in our Sisterhood is the formation of warm, meaningful relationships. Our dinner at Rubin’s on Oct. 17th was a gathering of these friends for great food, and sharing of interesting conver-sation. A good time was had by all! The excitement and momentum is building towards the Sisterhood Crafts Fair on Sunday, November 4th, from 11 am to 4 pm in Penn-Spero Social Hall. A plethora of diverse crafters will be offered! Local artists include: 4 Sisters’ Soaps, bags by My Oilcloth, Oppenheim award-winning author Leslie Sills, Buddha Belly natural lotions, wide selections of handmade jewelry, journals, notecards, Judaica, and more. We will have face paint-ing, nostalgic candy, and hourly raffles. Admission will be $2 / person, while children under 5 will be free. This promises to be a fun-filled afternoon, and a great op-portunity to purchase holiday gifts. Any crafters still in-terested in securing a crafts table at the bargain price of $25. Please contact Julie Boris at (617) 566-0738 or juboris@aol.com. We’re thrilled that the Polly Epstein Gift Shop is open and filled with beautiful and varied life cycle Judaica gifts and cards. Come to our gift shop, located across from the Gallery between TOS’ two social halls. It is open every Sunday morning 9:15 am - 12:15 pm, or by spe-cial appointment. Visit us first, for you will have no need to go elsewhere! Proceeds from the gift shop enable Sisterhood to generously support to our beloved syna-gogue and Ansin Religious School. Contact Amy Hozid (617) 566-1939 or ahozid@gmail.com for further in-formation.

After a very successful Telethon hosted by the Brotherhood Officers, new members were welcomed and returning members were happy to connect with friends.

The annual Installation of Officers Ceremony was a gala highlight of the current year, presided over by national officers of the Men of Reform Judaism (formally NFTB). The Officers and Board of the TOS Brotherhood for 2007-2008, are as follows:

Co-Presidents Jonathan Atkins & Ben Adler VP-Programs Howard Koor VP-Membership Barry Lyons Treasurer Ed Kahn Co-Secretaries Jeremy Robin & Louis Goldman Past Presidents Spencer Gould & Robert Pierson Inspiration Chair Dr. Hubert Caplan Hospitality Chairs Craig Greenwald & David Alpert

Monday, November 5, 2007 will feature a dinner meeting for members, followed by a speaker. We shall be honored to welcome Matthew Ganz, a former Peace Corps worker who was stationed in Chad. Matthew will share with us his experiences with working in neighboring Darfour. We will hear firsthand of the plight, condition, and emotions of the natives.

Please Note: Dinner reservations are a MUST, by calling Craig Greenwald, at 617-738-8316 before October 30th.

Once again, we remind members that when shopping at the Butcherie in Brookline, to please have your cash register tape receipts stamped. And either bring them with you to TOS, or mail them to the Ohabei Shalom Brotherhood.

Sisterhood News

Mitzvah Committee “No one is lonely when doing a mitzvah. For a mitzvah is where G-d and man meet.” —Abraham Joshua Heschel

Please join us on Saturday, Dec. 1st, as we visit our congregational shut-ins for Hanukah. First we attend Shabbat services, and after a Kiddush lunch, we are off to spend some quality time. When you give the gift of yourself, you experience a powerful sense of joy and fulfillment. Those interested in doing this wonderful mitzvah, or if you know of a congregant who would benefit from a holiday visit, please contact Betsy Gould.

Student Away At College? Attention parents! Do you have a college student who will be away from home for Hanukah? We would like to send a holiday gift package to help him or her stay connected to our community. Please send contact in-formation by November 15 to: Besty Gould 27 Locust St Dedham, MA 02026 781-329-7439 buppygould@aol.com

Learning Mondays: Study with Sandy

Four evenings with Rabbi Sandy Seltzer The Liturgy of the Synagogue:

Some Celebrated Controversies

The development of Jewish Liturgy has been a long, un-even and frequently controversial process. Often what

was deemed to be a radical innovation in one generation became standard and fully accepted in another. In these sessions four such controversies will be explored both

historically and in terms of their significance today.

November 19: The Controversy Over the Creation of a Written Prayerbook and its Contents November 26: The Controversy Over the Role of Women in the Prayer Life of the Congregation December 3: The Controversy Over the Recitation of the Aleinu December 10: The Controversy Over Kabbalat Shabbat, Welcoming the Sabbath,

Lifelong Learning

Learn to Read Hebrew! Adult Hebrew “Crash Course” Sundays, 9:30-11:00 a.m. October 28 November 4 November 18 December 2 December 9

Annual Winter Kallah January 25-27, 2008

with Dr. Joel Hoffman: The Mystery and Majesty of the

Dead Sea Scrolls

Share in a great Temple Ohabei Shalom tradition of a weekend of study and relaxation, to be held again this year at the Sea Crest Inn in North Falmouth. Dr. Hoff-man’s first visit to TOS last year left those who studied the history of the Hebrew language with him asking for more. This time, he turns his attention to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since their discovery a half century ago, the Dead Sea Scrolls have captured the popular imagination, and created more controversy and intrigue than any other ancient find. This engaging presentation offers an intro-duction to the fascinating story behind the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Save the date!! Details to follow.

Adult Education classes for spring semester will include: My People’s Prayerbook

Israel @60

From Birth to Death and Beyond: the Jewish Life Cycle

Plan to Join us!

Our sincere thanks to the following vendors. We thank them for their professionalism and price considerations in doing the Lissner Hall remodeling work. • Wallpaper: Heritage Painting, Kevin Carty - owner. (508)958-4880 • Carpet: Mal Elfman's, Fred Richard, contact. (781)899-9400

TOS Hanukah Celebration

Friday December 7 Service 6:00pm

Dinner and Latke Tasting

7:00 pm

Spending Hanukah with your TOS community—

priceless.

Watch your mail and email for details and reservation forms.

New at Temple Ohabei Shalom

Thanks to our wonderful real estate broker for locating our two new tenants. John Barry Richards Barry Joyce & Partners, LLC 53 State Street, 37th Floor Boston, MA 02109 Tel (617) 439-3230

Little Hands Jewish Programming for Young Children

Mondays

Story Hour at TOS 10:00 am—11:00 am Support the formation of your child’s Jewish identity, the development of pre-reading skills and your child’s social / emotional development through exposure to

Playgroup at KI 9:30 am — 10:30 am Join other parents and young children (0-4 years old) for Jewish books, games, toys and puzzles. A great opportunity for parents to make connections with others in the

community.

Thursdays

Locations & Contact Info: Temple Ohabei Shalom

1187 Beacon Street, Brookline (617) 739-9200

Congregation Kehilith Israel

384 Harvard Street, Brookline (617)277-9155

Newly Refurbished Lissner Hall

Lissner Hall, site of countless committee meetings, Brother-hood Dinners, Receptions, Open Houses, weekly Shabbat Kiddush and festive events, has been refurbished. Thanks to a generous gift from Shirley Spero, the room has been re-done from top—thhe chandeliers, to bottom—the carpeting. With a new color scheme and new lighting, the room has a totally different and more elegant “look”. Shirley’s vision for the room was turned into reality by two talented members of the Congregation, Danit Ben-Ari and Alina Duckham, interior designers, who offered their exper-tise and industry contacts to complete the project in time for the Temple’s fall Open House and pre-Slikhot reception. The result is truly beautiful. Thanks, too, to Eddie Jacobs who added energy-efficient lighting which will save dollars while further softening the ambiance in the room. If you haven’t yet seen the refurbished Lissner Hall, please stop by. And next time you see Alina, Danit or Shirley, please say “thanks” from all of us at Temple Ohabei Shalom.

Special Birthdays: Dr. Judith Ferry Mr. Igor Ostrovsky Mrs. Rosalie Mover Mr. Stanley Z. Band Mr. Robert Gopen Mr. Barry Lyons Mrs. Anita Leibowitz Mr. Jeffrey Wexler

Special Anniversaries Howard Koor & Ellen Mosner

Ansin Religious School News

Mark

You

r Cale

ndar

s!

Turkey Tzedakah Drive Hopefully, we all have many things to be thankful for in this New Year, 5768. As November approaches we tradi-

tionally begin thinking about preparing for our own meaningful family Thanksgiving celebrations. At JF&CS's Family Table, Greater Boston's Jewish Food Pantry, our "family" consists of 170 needy Jewish families, including 105 chil-

dren, 100 elderly, and 180 adults. Family Table helps Jews in 38 local communities who are experiencing great financial stress due to job layoffs, low wages, serious illness or disability, and the trauma of domestic

violence. Imagine what it must be like for a parent to have to choose between paying the rent, or buying food to feed their children.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we are asking families in the Jewish community to share their many blessings by helping a Family Table recipient provide a meaningful Thanksgiving celebration for

their household. Through our "Turkey Tzedakah" drive, we provide each recipient family with a food certificate or kosher turkey and holiday foods for their family.

Please send a tax-deductible donation of $18 or an amount of your choice to "Family Table", c/o Jewish Family & Children's Service, 1430

Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451 by November 22, 2007.

No School Sunday & Monday 11/11 and 11/12 Veteran’s Day Weekend Sunday 11/25 Thanksgiving Weekend High School Family Forum Monday, December 3rd, High School Family Forum 6:00-8:30pm Hanukkah Family Service & Dinner featuring TOSTY (Grades 1 & 2)Friday December 7 More information to come soon! BOSTY Shabbat-In Friday December 14, 4:00 pm – Saturday December 15, 9:00am For students in Grades 5 & 6. Watch for more information to come. Youth Group Events: • TOSTY (Grades 1 & 2) Sunday November 4, 2007, 12:15 pm • MOSTY (Grades 3 & 4) Sunday November 4, 2007, 12:15 pm • BOSTY (Grades 5 &6) Sunday November 4, 2007, 12:15 pm B’nai Mitzvah Havurah Saturday, December 1, 10:30-1:00 For 6th grade students and parents

Mitzvah Mall: Save the World One Present at a Time! Sunday, November 18

Our 4th annual Mitzvah Mall will feature different organiza-tions to whom a small contribution can make a big differ-ence. We encourage everyone in the school to participate and for members of the congregation to stop in as well!

Isabel Fine

Daughter of Alan Fine and Carol Rosenberg

November 17, 2007

Charlotte Edelstein

Daughter of Bernard Edelstein and Ann Epstein

December 1, 2007

Mazel Tov to our B’nei Mitzvah!

Ari Coopersmith & Ezra Coopersmith Sons of Robert Coopersmith & Amy Tishelman

November 3, 2007

BOSTY Shabbat & Dinner (Grades 5 & 6) November 16, 6:00 PM

Join us for this month’s Shabbat Mishpacha, led by our BOSTY students.

Wish List Trying to think of a way to give back to the ARS? How about donating any of the following items to our facility? • Used desktop computer for the Gopen Family Library • Gently used furniture for the new OSTY Lounge:

Couches/Loveseats TV Beanbag chairs DVD player

Rugs

All You Need is Love Shari Churwin Last week I got into the shoes of our stu-dents and had my first day of "school". I am a student in the new Ikkarim program. Ikkarim means “roots” or “principles” and it is a class for parents with younger children that is designed for participants explore basic Jew-ish values and their modern significance in order to discover how these values apply within—and can enrich—our many circles of relationships. Along with several other new moms, I had the blissful opportunity to share a quiet hour and a half of learning. We spent our time exploring Jewish texts looking for personal meaning.

As we began our study we looked at the text of the Shema and the V’ahavta, a text with which I thought I was very familiar. It is a text that is often touted as the motto of the Jewish people and is one of the first things that we teach our students. Our stu-dents learn that mitzvot, commandments, are directives for how to live our lives—”do this,” “don’t do that.” It is from these in-structions that we as Reform Jews choose the mitzvot that make our lives meaningful and complete.

I had never really thought about what the Shema in its en-tirety is actually commanding us to do. The very first line, Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, is a declara-tion of our faith, a reminder of what sets us apart from other, our indestructible belief that there is only One God. Then the text says, V’ahavta, you shall love. . . it is not asking for us to obey or to believe one way or another, but rather to use an emotion, love, as an outward sign of faith, a sign just like putting a mezuzah on your house (which I am sure that you know is also a part of the V’ahavta text). How is it that we can be commanded to love?

Many of the other mitzvot are concrete. Don’t murder. Don’t covet. Honor your parents. It is easy for others to see if we are following these commandments or not. Unlike these, love is an emotion, and so, presumably not something visible or fully under human control. By elevating this seem-ingly spontaneous emotion to the level of a commandment we turn it into something holy—something I will try to re-member the next time one of my children needs my attention at two in the morning.

Toy Drive December 2 - 16, 2007

The Grow Clinic at Boston Medical Center serves malnourished, at risk children. Ohabei Shalom has provided ongoing support to this program for several years.

You can help by:

*bringing unwrapped new toys to the playpens located in the Synagogue office and out-side of the Ansin Religious School office.

Puppets, Checkers, Stuffed Animals, Dolls, Books, Games… Absolutely no guns, GI Joe figures, war games, etc.

*donating a bottle or two of unwrapped Sesame Street Complete Vitamins.

Please do not substitute any other brand.

*writing a check payable to “Ohabei Shalom - Grow Clinic” and send to the Synagogue office at:

1187 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446

A02n

nual

Holid

ay T

oy

Community

Jewish Family and Children’s Service Greater Boston’s

Jewish Food Pantry

Ohabei Shalom’s monthly contribution is:

Tuna and Shampoo We especially need shampoo!

Donations can be brought to the synagogue and placed in the baskets by the Chapel or near the eleva-tor. You can also write a check to the Sisterhood of Ohabei Shalom with “Family Table” in the memo line or volunteer to drive our contributions to the collec-tion center in Waltham just one Sunday a year, 9:30am—11:30am if you are interested in helping, Contact Dottie Berman at (617)277-6610 or Dberman@ohabei.org,

November Funds General Fund Donor Faith P. Hoffman & Family In Honor Of Geraldine Schlenker Michael Weintraub’s & Diane

Rosen’s 25th Wedding Anniversary

David & Eleanor Oppenheimer

Doris Zich’s 90th Birthday

David Sparr Francis Hester In Appreciation Of Lawrence & Denise Green High Holiday Honors Jay & Joan Meltzer Len Davidson Ernest Sarason Jr. Len Davidson In Memory Of Robert L. Beal Frances Sherman Liebman John & Meg Stevens Frances Sherman Liebman Griffin & Katie James Frances Sherman Liebman Abby Stevens Frances Sherman Liebman Gerald & Toby Penn Sara Melnick Anne C. Wood Frances Sherman Liebman Harold & Sylvia Koritz Frances Sherman Liebman Hanna B. Zeiger Frances Sherman Liebman Lois Nathan Frances Sherman Liebman Lois S. Platt Frances Sherman Liebman Barbara Helfgot-Hyett Lillian Schor Helfgot Martin & Linda Dlugatz Frances Sherman Liebman Larry & Phyllis Liebman Frances Sherman Liebman Isaak & Khaia Shifrin Ruben J. Pisecki, Malka M.

Pisecka, Gitl R. Pisecka, Sahachne R. Pisecki, Leyb-Tlel R. Pisecki, & Rysia J. Shifrina

Fund for Life Long Learning Donor In Honor Of Nathaniel & Nelly Rosenberg

Doris Zich’s 90th Birthday

Frederick & Bonnie Marks Michael Weintraub’s & Diane Rosen’s 25th Wedding Anniversary

Janet Ginns Doris Zich’s 90th Birthday Prayer Book Fund Donor In Memory Of Louis B. Goldman Frances Sherman Liebman Pulpit Flowers Fund Donor In Memory Of Lesley C. Seder Ann Olans Crossman Rafael & Taisiya Kocherovskiy

Brocha Aronov

ARS Fund Donor In Honor Of Robert & Esta Epstein Rabbi Alpert & Cantor Schloss Minyan Fund Donor In Memory Of Ernest A. Weinerman Frances E. Weinerman Harold and Kelly Kalick Ida Kalick Suzanne Gardel Isaac Cohen Manya Korduner Abram Koyfman Gerald & Toby Penn Sara Melnick Rosalie O. Epstein & Beatrice Oxman

William Oxman

Irving & Harriett Caplan Florence Caplan Meryl O. Cohen William Oxman Harold & Kelly Kalick Ida Kalick Carl Ostroff Morris Ostroff Joy Darish Morris Fisher Albert Gersh Annie Gersh Anne Fries Elliot Fries Dorothy Cadiff Joseph Champagne William Price Jane Bander Price Burton Cooperstein Aaron Cooperstein Jon Rotenberg Richard Ross Judi Ross Zuker Richard Ross Ita Wiener Benjamin Persky Harold Koritz Harris Koritz Richard & Vivian Marson Julian Marzynski Roger Landay Mildred Landay Ranna Dallal James Pivnick Anne Caplan Richard Caplan Kae Ellen Engalnder Esther Small Galina Aronis Friedman Alexander Aronis Edith Pollack Jennie White Sam Gelman & Rita Segal Yefim Segal Harold & Kelly Kalick Phillip Kalick Steve Kern Elizabeth Kern Harriet Baker Benjamin Baker Phyllis Sisson Kenneth Sisson Dorothy A. Sterman Samuel G. Myerson Frank F. Marmorek Elise Marmorek Sy Gottlieb David Gottlieb Jay J. Kroopnick Annette H. Rosen Michael & Emiliya Emilfarb Boris Gorokhovsky Myer & Elaine Singer Our Ginesky and Pinkerton

Loved Ones Hilda Lopez Maria Lopez Rimma Kofman Modes Dubinsky

Yizkor Elohim - May God Remember

Those listed below are recorded in our Book of Remembrance, Windows or on Memorial Plaques. An asterisk indicates that the plaque will be illuminated during the week of yahrzeit.

November 1-10 (20-29 Heshvan) Joseph A. Aaron Philip Antupit Anna Aronson David Aronson Lillian F. Aronson Gail Arvedon Leonard S. Bailey Arnold M. Barron * Benjamin F. Beal * Morris B. Beal * Lena Becker * Matthew Scott Berger Sadie Berger * Abraham H. Bleich * Lillian H. Bleich * Lillian Hochberg Bleich Olivia M. Braverman * Gertrude Brightman * David D. Brooks * David Disman Brooks * Joseph Burack * Levi Cohen * Barbara Comenitz Irene Hambro Dana * Rose DuKaten Roy F. Edwards * Sheldon Faber Barney Fagelman Anna Feldberg Hyman S. Feldman * Ruth Abelson Finch Rosa Fishel Celia Fisher * Laura Gallagher Samuel Glass * Jacob Goldman * Mary G. Goldman * Howard Gordon Samuel Gordon * Frieda Gorfinkle * S. Eunice Gosian Allida Grossman Henry O. Harris Ellen Smith Harting * Sophia Heiderman Hyman Hootstein * Brian M. Hubar

Katherine Kachelnik J. Benn Keizer * Maori Killick * Hannah Sima Kirzon Solomon Kozol Margy Kritzman Benjamin H. Lazarus Fanny S. Lazarus Herbert Leiter Gladys Less Leonard Levine * Nathan N. Levins Mandel Max Lewenberg Harold M. Linsky * Louis L. Lobel * Vivian Lopatin Herbert Malick * Samuel Bennett Mannos Charles H. Milender * Sylvia Miller George Moskowitz Samuel (Cy) Mover Harry Olansky * Celia Palefsky Ida Pearlman Maurice P. Penan * Yitshak Rabin Albert A. Raphael * Sylvia Rideman Lena F. Rosenberg * Abraham Rosenfield * Morris Rothstein * Annie Rubin Theresa Ruff Henry Saphirstein * Solly Scheinberg Janet Scolnick Rachel Scolnick Annie R. Shapiro Cherna Freyda Shapiro * Frank S. Shapiro * Minnie Sharaf * Dorothy Silin Phillip Small Hyman Smith Solomon Smith * William H. Sneirson * Chana Leah Solomon Lillian Solomon *

Julia Spitz Carrie Thalheimer Anna Snider Ullian * Iris Grill Veltin Jennie Vinocoor * Bertha Waldman Harold Widett November 11-17 (1-7 Kislev) Wolf Abrams Recha R. Adler * Eleanor Aronson Kenneth M. Baker * Solomon Belenki Henrietta Benjamin Ida Bernstein Morris Bernstein * Morris Blinderman Hannah Brodsky * Robert Burack * Sophie Burkhardt J. Maynard Cashman Rae F. Cohen Steven M. Coler * Edward M. Dangel * Morris Dulman MIldred Frank Joseph Freidson * Helen Uhr Geller * Arthur Gerome Barnard Ginzberg Anna E. Glass * Harry Gold * Eve A. Goldenberg * Leon M. Goodman Mary Goose * Gussie G. Gorfine Sarah Gosman Ethel Douglas Grace * Beatrice Greenhood Bertha B. Hambro Max Horn Rebecca Horowitz * Harry Indursky * Sarah Josephs Elizabeth G. Kline Bertha Koritz Aaron Kotin Julia Lebach

Gertrude London * Etta Marlin Philip Mode Louis Morningstar * Pauline Pantell Ida Corman Parker * Marion Kopel Pear * George J. Penan * Mollie N. Penan * Morris Penn Sarah Richman * Mollie Risman Albert Rosenberg Ida Rubin Eva Sanger Nathan Sepinuck Avram Simovici Doris L. Starr * Helen Gilbert Stillman Mark Stone Hyman Tishler * Arnold Jacob Utstein * Daisy T. Veiner * Richard Von Bargen Maurie D. Wiseman * Milton J. Zabarsky * Golda Zeiger November 18-24 (8-14 Kislev) Richard Altman Kermit Archer Edmund Aronson Issack Barahai Clara Benson * Louis Benson * Abraham Bernhardt Pauline Bloom Simon Brucker * Nelson Butters * Louis Caplan Pauline Cohen Katie Comenitz Solomon Croan Bertha Dublin Olga Falkson * Sonia Forman Edith S. Freedman * Morey Freedman *

Eva Loeb, mother of Robert Loeb Harold M. Shoher, father of Jessica Shoher

Shepard Spunt, brother-in-law of Palma Spunt

Gopen Family Library Donor In Memory Of Marcia E. Levine Rabbi Albert Goldstein Piano Fund Donor In Memory Of Dr. Robert A. Olins and Irma W. Olins

Janice P. Olins

Nancy J. Olins Janice P. Olins Andrew M. Olins Janice P. Olins Estate of Janice P. Olins In Honor Of Michael Weintraub and Diane Rosen

Cantor Schloss

Cantor’s Discretionary Fund

Donor In Honor Of Mrs. Shirley Spero Cantor Schloss Berman-Sumberg Family Fund

Cantor Schloss

R.K. Shelley Schwartz

Cantor Schloss

Shellee Robbins & Donald Steinbrecher

Cantor Schloss

George & Evie Bazer Cantor Schloss Judith L. Palefsky Cantor Schloss Cantorial Search Committee

Cantor Schloss

Diane Rosen For The Honor Of Chanting Torah On Yom Kippur

Funds, continued

November 18-24 (8-14 Kislev), cont. Selma Lazarus Gold Jennie Goose * Abraham Green * Irving Greenbaum Anna Grodberg Alan Jay Grossman * David Halperin Charles Hootstein Lawrence Kahn Joseph A. Kline Sylvia S. Levine Annie Lewenberg Michael Lipof * Ida Margolis Mary Miller Esther Morse Abraham Myerson * Jean Platt Louis Pokroisky * Shirley R. Porte * Bertha Raphael Rachel Raphael Esther R. Rothstein * Jacob David Seidler * Annie Sher Leo Shlanger Harry Stein Fannie M. Strout * Gertrude Haft Tanger * Shirley B. Utstein * Dora Weiner * Florence Weiner Frank Wilson * Francis S. Wyner Elizabeth Wyzanski Aaron Ziegler * November 25-30 (15-21 Kislev) Royal Franklin Beal * Minna K. Berkowitz * Benjamin Bernstein Fannie Bernstein * Stanton L. Black Fannie L. Burack * Abraham Nathan Caplan Edwin Claff * Hilda R. Cohen * Norman S. Coler *

Elaine Garnick Lillian Gold John H. Goldberg * Emma Goldinger Annie T. Goldman * Frank Green * Jean Jacob Gross Nathan Hydeman Dr. Henry Kaplan Esther Gittel Katz Fannie Katz Mortimer Katz Bernard Lebow * Dorothy Franklin Levin Israel Levin Ina Gordon Long * Joseph Tudor Maleson Rebecca Mannos Marcus Masse Benjamin Myers * Rebecca Myers Bess Needleman Bernard Nelson Linda Penn Harry Rabinowitz Suzanna Rado Pauline G. Rifkin * Shirley Rock Harry Rosenfield * Nellie Perle Rosnosky * Samuel Schertzer Anna Schoenfeld Tillie Schwartz Samuel Sedar * Daniel Seidler * Judd Seldin George I. Shapiro * David Israel Sharaf * Annie Sher Emily R. Shoolman * Henry Shulman * Bernard Siff Dorothy Beckanstin Smith Juliette A. Sobell * Abraham Stepansky Golden Wasser * Nehemiah H. Whitman * Isidore Zeiger Stella Zelinkoff Hannah Zimmer

Yahrzeits, continued

Are you missing

something?

Following High Holyday services we have found:

7 full-size tallitot 1 tallit katan 2 tallit bags; 1 of which has a matching

kippah. Please see Marilyn in the office to identify

Thanks to our greeters! Ben Adler Stan Keizer Robert Pierson Hilda Lopez Be a greeter! Call Stan Keizer to help out...

THE EVER PRESENT PRESENCE, selected writings of Rabbi Albert S. Goldstein Many of our retired and/or out-of-state mem-bers were unavailable to attend our book fair or to check the temple bulletin board regarding the book, THE EVER PRESENT PRESENCE, se-lected writings (articles, sermons, essays) of Rabbi Albert S. Goldstein. Temple Ohabei Shalom is noted therein. The book has received high acclaim from outside and inside American Reform Rabbinic circles. A must read, the book presents ". a rare op-portunity to encounter God in the world through the work and soul of a devoted servant, Rabbi Albert S. Goldstein." Local temple members can obtain the book from the Brookline Israel Book Store on Har-vard St or at the Brookline and Newton Librar-ies. Out-of-state members and others can ob-tain a copy from: KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 930 Newark Ave Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 963-9524 E-mail: orders@ktav.com www ktav.com ISBN: 088125-942-X

Come Visit the

Polly Epstein Gift Shop

(Located in the Gallery downstairs) Come Here First!

Regular Hours: Sun 9:00 a.m.- Noon

Tues3:00 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. Also by Appointment

Gift Certificates Available! **All Profits Benefit TOS Programing**

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT NO. 3465

BOSTON, MA.

November Shabbat Celebrations & Events

Dai

ly W

orsh

ip

Monday—Thursday 8:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. Saturday 6:00 p.m. Sundays & Holidays 9:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.

Ohabei Shalom is the area’s only Reform synagogue providing daily prayer for those in need of solace or a quiet moment of introspection. Each Daily Worship leader commits to one 20-minute weekly service. To become a leader, please call the synagogue office

November Candle Lighting Times

2 - 4:17 P.M. 9 - 4:11 P.M.

16 - 4:04 p.m. 23 - 3:59 p.m.

Thomas M. Alpert Rabbi Randall Schloss Cantor Emily Gopen Lipof Rabbi Emerita Leonard Davidson President Shari A. Churwin Education Director Kate Mikesh Director of Informal Education Amanda Singer Education Programs Coordinator Dottie Berman Social Action Coordinator Karen Landman Executive Assistant to the Clergy Alan Shepro Office Manager / Bookkeeper Marilyn Klickstein Receptionist Kim Singer B’nei Mitzvah Educator David Sparr Music Director

Tidings is a monthly publication of Temple Ohabei Shalom 1187 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446

(617)277-6610 www.ohabei.org

Thurs 1 9:30 am Ikkarim 7:00 pm Synagogue Community Committee Meeting 7:30 pm Me'ah Fri 2 8:00 pm Shabbat Rishon, Installation of Cantor Schloss Sat 3 9:00 am Torah Study with Rabbi Alpert 10:30 am Shabbat Service, B’nei Mitzvah of Ari and Ezra Coopersmith Sun 4 9:15 am ARS: K-7 9:30 am Adult Hebrew 10:00 am Sisterhood Crafts Fair Mon 5 6:00 pm ARS: High School 7:00 pm School Committee Meeting Tues 6 3:30 pm ARS: Grades 3-7 Thu 8 9:30 am Ikkarim 8:00 pm “Priaying With Lior” —Jewish Film Festival Fri 9 6:00 pm Erev Shabbat Services Sat 10 9:00 am Torah Study with Rabbi Alpert 10:30 am Shabbat worship, Chapel Sun 11 ARS: No School, Veteran’s Day Mon 12 Office closed—Veterans Day No ARS High School Tues 13 3:30 pm ARS: Grades 3-7

Thu 15 9:30 am Ikkarim Fri 16 6:00 pm Shabbat Mishpacha—BOSTY service Sat 17 9:00 am Torah Study with Rabbi Alpert 10:30 am Shabbat worship, Bat Mitzvah, Isabel Fine Sun 18 9:15 am ARS: Grades K-7 9:15 am Mitzvah Mall 9:30 am Adult Hebrew Mon 19 6:00 pm ARS: High School 6:30 pm Monday Night Learning Tues 20 3:30 pm ARS: Grades 3-7 Thu 22 Thanksgiving—Temple Office closed Fri 23 6:00 pm Erev Shabbat Service Sat 24 9:00 am Torah Study with Rabbi Alpert Sun 25 ARS—No School 9:30 am Adult Hebrew Class I Mon 26 6:00 pm ARS: High School 6:30 Monday Night Learning Tues 27 3:30 pm ARS: Grades 3-7 6:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting Thurs 29 9:30 am Ikkarim Friday 30 6:00 pm Erev Shabbat services Sat Dec 19:00 am Torah Study 10:30 Shabbat service, Bat Mitzvah, Charlotte Edelstein Bar/Bat Mitzvah Havurah , 6th grade families