SEPTEMBER 2019 Are You Ready? - Temple Beth Shalom€¦ · Day 2 Service, 10 AM 2 New Parents...
14
S EPTEMBER 2019 Elul 5779–Tishrei 5780 Our 79th year serving the North Boston area Please visit our website: www.tbsma.org email: [email protected] Like us on Facebook I N T HIS I SSUE From the President 2 Shalom School News 3 Temple Calendar 4 Sisterhood News 6 High Holiday News 7 TBS Services Lowdown 8 Remembrances 9 Torah Study 10 Victorian Fair 10 Dues News 10 The Scoop from the SAC 11 L’Dor V’Dor Campaign Update 12 Contributions 12 Parting Shot 14 T HE B ULLETIN RABBI’S MESSAGE Are You Ready? This Rosh Hashanah, we will once again read the difficult story of the binding of Isaac, akedah yiꜩchak. It is the beginning of the year—a time for a clean slate and hope for the future, yet we are immediately brought into a deep and con- fusing place, contemplating the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for God. Why does our tradition insist that we start our year with one of the most traumatic passages in our Torah? This year I am drawn to one reason in particular: Individual readiness. The story opens by saying that God tested Abraham, but was Abraham ready for this ultimate test? Was Abraham really supposed to sacrifice his son to prove his devotion to God? And was God ready to carry out a mortal sentence on Isaac, thereby ending the Jewish people, whom God professed to love? These are heavy questions, and I look forward to discussing them with you on Rosh Hashanah. As we move into the month of Elul—the month of contempla- tion and preparation for the holidays—these questions help us organize our minds. Today, I encourage everyone to ask yourself: Are you ready? Are you ready to reflect honestly on your own trials of the past year? Are you ready to see posi- tivity and friendship where you may not have expected it? Are you ready to (Continued on page 5) September Friday, September 13, 7:30 PM: Erev Shabbat Service Hosting: *Buxton, DiNio, Penn Saturday, September 21, 10 AM: Shabbat Morning Service and Roundtable Hosting: *Rabbi Jessica Lowenthal Sunday, September 29, 7:30 PM: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service Monday, September 30: Rosh Hashanah First Day Service 8:30 AM: Family Service 10:00 AM: Morning Service 1:30 PM: Tashlich Hosting: *Sweet, Emelock, Kukura, Travis (Continued on page 5)
Transcript of SEPTEMBER 2019 Are You Ready? - Temple Beth Shalom€¦ · Day 2 Service, 10 AM 2 New Parents...
SEPTEMBER 2019
Elul 5779–Tishrei 5780
Our 79th year serving the
North Boston area
Please visit our website:
www.tbsma.org
email: [email protected]
Like us on Facebook
IN THIS ISSUE
From the President 2
Shalom School News 3
Temple Calendar 4
Sisterhood News 6
High Holiday News 7
TBS Services
Lowdown 8
Remembrances 9
Torah Study 10
Victorian Fair 10
Dues News 10
The Scoop from the
SAC 11
L’Dor V’Dor
Campaign Update 12
Contributions 12
Parting Shot 14
THE BULLETIN RABBI’S MESSAGE
Are You Ready?
This Rosh Hashanah, we will once again read the difficult story of the binding
of Isaac, akedah yitzchak. It is the beginning of the year—a time for a clean slate
and hope for the future, yet we are immediately brought into a deep and con-
fusing place, contemplating the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for
God. Why does our tradition insist that we start our year with one of the most
traumatic passages in our Torah?
This year I am drawn to one reason in particular: Individual readiness.
The story opens by saying that God tested Abraham, but was Abraham ready
for this ultimate test? Was Abraham really supposed to sacrifice his son to
prove his devotion to God? And was God ready to carry out a mortal sentence
on Isaac, thereby ending the Jewish people, whom God professed to love?
These are heavy questions, and I look forward to discussing them with you on
Rosh Hashanah. As we move into the month of Elul—the month of contempla-
tion and preparation for the holidays—these questions help us organize our
minds.
Today, I encourage everyone to ask yourself: Are you ready? Are you ready to
reflect honestly on your own trials of the past year? Are you ready to see posi-
tivity and friendship where you may not have expected it? Are you ready to
(Continued on page 5)
September
Friday, September 13, 7:30 PM: Erev Shabbat Service
Hosting: *Buxton, DiNitto, Penn
Saturday, September 21, 10 AM: Shabbat Morning Service and Roundtable
Hosting: *Rabbi Jessica Lowenthal
Sunday, September 29, 7:30 PM: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
Monday, September 30: Rosh Hashanah First Day Service
8:30 AM: Family Service
10:00 AM: Morning Service
1:30 PM: Tashlich
Hosting: *Sweet, Emelock, Kukura, Travis
(Continued on page 5)
2 Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin
From the President
The Bulletin of Temple Beth Shalom, Melrose
Anne Starr, Editor; Nancy Sweet and Ellen Collins Krechmer, Proofreaders
The Bulletin is published ten times per year by Temple Beth Shalom, and is provided free of charge to members of the Temple. For information on subscriptions and adver-
tisements, call Ellen Shore at (781) 665-5418. Please submit articles and information by
email to [email protected]. The deadline for each month’s Bulletin is noted in its pre-
ceding issue. Normally, the Bulletin does not publish in July or August.
Advertising rates: 1/6 page: $15/issue, $100/yr.; 1/3 page: $25/issue, $175/yr.; 1/2 page:
$35/issue, $250/yr.
Temple Beth Shalom
21 East Foster Street
Melrose, MA 02176
781-665-4520 • www.tbsma.org
Jessica Lowenthal, Rabbi
508-561-5691 • [email protected]
Beth Purcell, Cantorial Soloist
Officers
President
Sara Serisky: [email protected]
or (781) 665-9667
First Vice President: Serena Brown:
Vice President, Community Affairs
Emily Levine:
Co-Vice Presidents, Education
Allison Leonard:
Liza Weinstein:
Vice President, Religious Affairs
Ron Serisky: [email protected]
Vice President, Finance: OPEN
Recording Secretary
Hilary Finkel-Buxton:
Financial Secretary
Jeffrey Lipman:
Co-Treasurers
Jeanne Penn:
Ellen Shore: [email protected]
Past Presidents
Linda Apple:
Alison Mehlman:
Directors
Aaron Beitman:
Gary Garber: [email protected]
Yael Mazor-Garfinkle:
Ruth Greenholz:
Andrea Lipman: [email protected]
Jim Taber:
Sara Serisky
W elcome back, TBS! I hope everyone had a wonderful sum-
mer! If Facebook doesn’t lie, it looks like most of you
have been enjoying travel, family, and sun, and (I hope)
are now restored and ready for a fabulous TBS year. While we took a
break from services, the various committees and our new rabbi have
been hard at work preparing for the new year.
Rabbi Jessica started work officially on August 1 and has been busy
meeting with members and committees, preparing for the High Holi-
days, and prepping for the school year. Her first task was to plan out ser-
vices for the upcoming year. Our Habonim talks revealed that our mem-
bers wanted more frequent and consistent services, so Rabbi Jessica will
be leading more services of several different types throughout the year.
In addition to our traditional Friday night, Saturday morning, and
school-based services, we have added some early Family Friday night
services and discussion-based services on Saturdays. The Rabbi Search
Committee saw Rabbi Jessica lead a discussion-based service this past
winter; it was warm, engaging, and spiritually uplifting. We are all
thrilled to be able to bring this to our shul. I hope you will all review the
Temple calendar and make time to incorporate the services, both new
and traditional, into your lives.
A Transition Committee, headed by Aaron Beitman, was set up to sup-
port our incoming rabbi and leadership and to facilitate feedback be-
tween the rabbi and the congregation to assess how we are doing. We
aim to have open communication as we move forward during this
change. Change, of course, will elicit both positive and negative re-
sponses. We truly want know, clearly and directly, how folks are react-
ing. The Transition Committee will have formal ways to elicit feedback,
but as always, please reach out if you have any thoughts or concerns!
This summer Emily Levine has taken on the role of Community Affairs
Chair. She has been helping our various communication teams coordi-
nate and streamline to centralize our email system, formalize our com-
munications, and make sure our publicity is consistent and true to our
mission.
(Continued on page 11)
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 3
S halom School is kicking off
with an all-school family
program on Sunday, Septem-
ber 15! Beginning with a Havdalah service,
we will explore what Judaism means within our family and discuss our goals
for the year. Although our teachers and I will lead the activities and discus-
sions, the real learning will happen on your own. In the end, we will hear eve-
ryone’s highlights and discover how we can support each other within our
Shalom School community. After school, we will go to Pine Banks Park for
our annual picnic!
This year, the 7th grade is moving to Sundays. The students will start the year
by learning about the history of anti-Semitism, tracing one woman’s journey
through the Holocaust, as told by her granddaughter, who is a photojournal-
ist. We will end the year talking about why we study these issues and how
they relate to our world today.
Throughout the year, the students will be engaging with our community
members to discover how our congregants are living out their own Jewish
values. If you would like to be part of that conversation, please let me know!
There are two Parents’ Nights Out scheduled during the year. The first on
September 21. This is a chance for parents to get together without their kids,
meet up at a local pub or brewery, and get to know each other. Watch your
inbox for more details soon.
On September 22, Ron Serisky will teach our students how to blow the shofar.
If you have a family shofar, please bring it! This lesson is in preparation for
some students to help blow shofar during the High Holidays.
Rosh Hashanah family services will be at 8:30 AM on September 30. These
services will be geared toward students in grade 3 and under. There will be
activities set up for the littlest ones and lots of singing for everyone. Our older
students will talk about the meaning of Rosh Hashanah and their hopes for
this year. Students in grade 4 and older are encouraged to join the adult ser-
vices, which begin at 10 AM.
I am so excited to start the year and learn with the whole community! If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to email [email protected] and find
a time to come speak with me in person.
Rabbi Jessica
Religious School and Family Education
Director
Rabbi Jessica Lowenthal
Education VPs and Committee Chairs
Allison Leonard
Liza Weinstein
Teaching Staff and
Madrichim
Kindergarten–Grade 1: Maya
Cohen and Ben Lipman
Grade 2: Melissa Andelman
and Sunny Marcus
Grade 3: Mitch Gordon
Grades 4–6: Harriet Wallen,
Eleanor Ark, and Bennett
Serisky
Grade 7: Rabbi Jessica,
Rachael Cerrotti, and Gary
Garber
Grade 8: Micah Royer
Bnai Mitzvah Tutor: Dennis
Fischman
Grade Times
Kindergarten, First, Second:
Sundays, 10 AM–noon
Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth:
Sundays, 10 AM–noon and
Thursdays, 4:00–6:00 PM
Seventh: Sundays, 10 AM–
noon
New Rabbi in the News
Rabbi Jessica is already making waves in the local com-
munity! First, the Melrose Free Press published an article
welcoming her; you can read it here. More recently, she
sent an editorial to the Free Press in response to Presi-
dent Trump’s remarks about Jews and loyalty, which
you can read here.
1 2 3 4
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
5 6 7
8 Torah Study, 10 AM–12 noon
Victorian Fair, 11 AM–4 PM
9
Sisterhood Book Group, 7:30 PM
10
11
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
12
13
Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 PM. Rabbi Jessica's first service!
14
15 Shalom School, 10 AM–12 noon
Shalom School Picnic, 12 noon– 2 PM
16
17
18
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
19
Shalom School, 4–6 PM
20
21 Shabbat Morning Service: Roundtable, 10 AM
Parents’ Night Out
22 23
24
25 New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
Governing Council Meeting, 7 PM
26
Shalom School, 4–6 PM
27
28
29
No school
Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, 7:30 PM
30
September 2019
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
September 22
• Shalom School, 10 AM–
12 noon
• Social Action Committee,
10:30 AM–11:30 AM
• Sisterhood Meeting, 4–6
PM
1
Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Service, 10 AM
2
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
3
Shalom School, 4–6 PM
4 5
6
Shalom School, 10 AM–12 noon
7 8
Kol Nidre Service, 7:30 PM
9 10
No School
11
12
Shabbat Morning Service: Roundtable, 10 AM
13
Sukkah Building, 8:30 AM
Shalom School, 10 AM–12 noon
14
15
16
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
17 18
19
20 21
22 23 New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
Governing Council Meeting, 7 PM
24
Shalom School, 4–6 PM
25
26 Tot Shabbat, 9–9:45 AM
Shabbat Morning Service, 10 AM
27
Shalom School, 10 AM–12 noon
Sukkah Takedown
28
29 30
New Parents Group, 10:30 AM–12 noon
31
No school
October 2019
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
October 9
Yom Kippur
• Family Service, 8:30 AM
• Morning Service, 10 AM
• Yizkor, about 1 PM
• Afternoon Service, 4 PM
• Break-fast Potluck, about 6
PM
October 17
• Shalom School, 4–5:30
PM
• Pizza in the Hut, 5:30
PM
• Erev Sukkot Service,
6:30 PM
September 30
Rosh Hashanah, Day 1
• Family Service, 8:30 AM
• Morning Service, 10 AM
• Taschlich, about 1 PM
October 20
• Social Action Committee,
12 noon–1 PM
• Shalom School and Dinner,
4–6 PM
• Erev Simchat Torah Service, 6:30 PM
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 5
Committee Chairs
Building Use Coordinator
Nancy Kukura:
Bulletin
Anne Starr: [email protected]
Donations
Karen Newman:
Fundraising
Dorothy Travis:
House
Evans Travis:
Mark Rubbins:
Membership
Julie Unger: [email protected]
Memory Wall
Ellen Krechmer:
Oneg Hosting
Jeanne Penn:
Publicity
Laurie Mistretta:
Safety
Jim Taber:
Sisterhood
Susi Ecker:
Gail Trulli: [email protected]
Social Action
Sue Herz:
Supplies
Elena Clouser: [email protected]
Transition
Aaron Beitman:
Torah Study
Tug Yourgrau:
confront the difficulties that lay ahead? Are you ready to be a support for
those in need?
I have been at this synagogue only one full month, and yet I have already
seen the incredible spirit this community embodies. Each person I have
met cares deeply about their family, the synagogue, and each other. I feel
incredibly blessed to enter into such a devoted community. So many peo-
ple volunteer to run programs, sit on committees, participate in services.
These are all important functions that keep this synagogue going. But
sometimes we forget that the most important thing we can do is to be
there for one another in times of need.
In advance of the year, I thank you all for your support and hard work,
and I want to make it clear: I am ready. When you are being tested, when
you are unsure about an important decision, when you need someone to
talk to—I am ready. Please seek me out and allow me to support you, just
as you have supported the synagogue and as you will support me.
Chag sameach,
Rabbi Jessica
(RABBI’S MESSAGE, Continued from page 1)
October
Tuesday, October 1, 10:00 AM: Rosh Hashanah Second Day Service
Hosting: *Krechmer
Tuesday, October 8, 7:30 PM: Kol Nidre Service
Wednesday, October 9: Yom Kippur Service
8:30 AM: Family Service
10:00 AM: Morning Service
1:00 PM: Yizkor
4:00 PM (approx.): Afternoon and Concluding Service
6:00 PM (approx.): Break-the-Fast Potluck
Saturday, October 12, 10:00 AM: Shabbat Morning Service and
Roundtable
Hosting: *Levinson, Harak
Thursday, October 17, 6:30 PM: Erev Sukkot Service
Hosting: *Weinstein/Myers, Grzegorzewski, Borodovsky/DeCunha
Sunday, October 20, 6:00 PM: Erev Simchat Torah Service
Hosting: *Vainer, Daiell, Lipman
Saturday, October 26, 10:00 AM: Shabbat Morning Service
Hosting: *Buteau, Mazor-Garfinkle, Chen
*Lead family is in bold.
Questions about onegs? Contact Jeanne Penn at [email protected] or (978) 761-4322.
(SCHEDULE OF SERVICES, continued from page 1)
6 Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin
Book Group Time: Monday, September 9 at 7:30 PM
We won’t be reading a book for September. Instead,
the group will do some planning for the upcoming
months, so please bring ideas for books for the
group to read. If you can’t come to the meeting,
please email your suggestions to Fran.
If you are interested in joining the book group,
please contact Fran Demiany at (781) 246-8940 or
Knitting Group For years, the TBS Knitters created beautiful patch-
work blankets for Temple members who needed ex-
tra healing. Slowly our group numbers dwindled
and the work was falling on too few hands, so we
took a break. As the most recent leader, I am making
a plea for more women to come on board so we can
resume our mitzvot with this project, which has
brought love and comfort to so many. If you are a
knitter or would like to learn, please contact me,
Roberta Gertz, at [email protected]. We had
been meeting once a month on Wednesday nights.
Mah Jongg This group meets on Tuesday afternoons. Don’t
know how to play? We can teach you! For more
information, contact Nancy Kukura at 781-665-1374
Sisterhood Event
ANNUAL SIS TERHOOD
COLLECTIVE MEETING
Sun., Sept. 22 from 4–6 PM
Hello Divas of Temple Beth Shalom!
Please join us for the Annual TBS Sisterhood Col-
lective Meeting. Please bring a nosh and some
fresh ideas to share for future Sisterhood events
and activities, along with $25 cash or check for the
annual dues. We want our Sisterhood events to
reflect the needs and wants of the group, so don't
be shy! Tell us what you want—what you really,
really want! Feel free to bring any interested
friends along as well! If you are not able to attend,
still send us your brilliant ideas.
Don’t forget to RSVP to [email protected]!
We hope you all enjoyed your summer and really
look forward to seeing everyone. We miss you a
bunch!
Susi and Gail
Good company and good food at last year’s
Sisterhood meeting.
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 7
High Holiday News
Parking at Temple Beth Shalom
As always, parking may be challenging during the
first day of Rosh Hashanah (Monday, September 30) and Yom Kippur (Wednesday, October 9) ser-
vices. Although we will remind the city of our spe-
cial need on those dates, if you plan to drive to ser-
vices, please arrive early to find a legal parking space
in the municipal lots on either side of Main Street or
along Main Street and West Foster Street.
Please note that parking is NOT permitted on East
Foster Street. On Leonard Road, parking is permitted
ONLY on the right side, but please be careful not to
block driveways. Also, parking on Leonard Road
near our kitchen-side entrance is prohibited.
The sanctuary will open at 9:45 AM after the Family
Service ends.
Honors, Readings, and Aliyahs
If you would like an aliyah during the High Holy
Day period, please contact Ron Serisky at 781-665-
9667 or [email protected]. Ron will try to accom-
modate all who would like to be called to the bimah.
You do not need to know Hebrew to participate. Please
recognize, however, that opportunities for honors
may be more available during afternoon services or
on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
Family Services
Join us for family High Holiday services for children
under 9 years old and their caregivers at 8:30 AM on
Monday, September 30—Rosh Hashanah—and
Wednesday, October 9, for Yom Kippur. We will
have activities for individuals, tell stories, sing lots of
songs, and learn about the meaning of the holidays.
All are welcome; there is no fee for entry. If you have
any questions, please contact Rabbi Jessica Low-
enthal at [email protected].
Babysitting During the Services
Are you a parent of young children who wants to
attend the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ser-
vices? Babysitting will be available onsite upstairs
at the Temple from 9:30 AM–12:30 PM on Monday,
September 30, and Wednesday, October 9. The cost
is $20 for one child, or $30 for two or more, which
will pay for the babysitters, supplies, and snacks or
lunch. The babysitters are all CORI checked. Please
contact Allison Leonard at [email protected]
with questions or to sign up.
Rosh Hashanah, Day 2
The second day of Rosh Hashanah can be a quieter,
more contemplative day than the first. An equally
compelling reason to attend is to enjoy our heimish
and bountiful oneg following services. We not only
offer food, but an opportunity for new members to
get to know our community, for veteran members to
converse with old friends, and for all to enthusiasti-
cally wish one another a healthy and happy New
Year. We encourage all to come, and if you are able
to help set up, clean up, or contribute food, please
contact Ellen Krechmer at [email protected].
Break-the-Fast
Join us for a potluck dairy breaking-of-the-fast im-
mediately following the Yom Kippur concluding service at the Temple on Wednesday, October 9. Details to come. We’ll need volunteers to set up,
serve, and clean up, so please contact Ellen Shore at
[email protected] if you’d like to pitch in.
Yizkor Remembrances
We have a tradition of reading our loved ones’
names aloud during the memorial service on Yom
Kippur. If you want your family and friends’ names
to be included, please print the names clearly, with
pronunciation guides if necessary, and mail them to:
Ellen Krechmer, 110 East Emerson St., Melrose
02176. It is customary to include a tzedakah contribu-
tion to TBS honoring their memory. The names of
those who have been memorialized with a perma-
nent plaque on our Memory Wall are automatically
listed for Yizkor and need not be submitted.
8 Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin
TBS Service
Lowdown You asked for it; you've got it! Our Habonim talks
revealed that our members wanted more frequent
and consistent services, so each month, we will
have three regular Shabbat services: one Friday
night and two Shabbat mornings. After each ser-
vice we will have an oneg, so we can schmooze
and get to know each other. Below are short de-
scriptions of each service.
Friday night Shabbat: Friday night begins Shab-
bat, the day of rest and joy, which means it is the
perfect time to sing! Our services start at 7:30 un-
less otherwise noted, and will often have a theme,
such as MLK, 1990s, or Pride. We will learn some
new melodies along with our traditional prayer
tunes during the year. We can’t wait to bring in
Shabbat with you!
Shabbat Service: Roundtable: The second Satur-
day of the month, we will gather at TBS for an
abridged Shabbat morning service with a longer
discussion embedded in it. We will warm our
souls with song and prayer, and then feed our
minds by exploring the week’s Torah portion.
Everyone is encouraged to participate—no prereq-
uisite knowledge required! Together we will dis-
cover the messages and values that we need to
hear today.
Tot Shabbat: This songful morning, geared to-
wards kids 5 and under, will be from 9–9:45 AM
on the fourth Saturday morning of the month. We
will have kid-friendly instruments so everyone can
join in. Dancing is encouraged! There will also be
activities and stories to round out the morning.
Traditional Shabbat morning: The fourth Satur-
day of the month, we will have a traditional
Shabbat service, beginning with morning prayers,
leading into a full Torah service and sermon from
the rabbi. If you are interested in reading Torah
or Haftarah, please contact Rabbi Jessica at
Ralph Greenberg,
a Quiet Political Macher Ralph Greenberg, a longtime Temple member,
was honored on his 90th birthday in a ceremony
attended by his family
and friends, including
State Representative
Paul Brodeur. Ralph
was the former presi-
dent of his family’s
business, the Universal
Badge Company of
Boston and Lawrence,
which supplied cam-
paign materials, in-
cluding buttons, rib-
bons, sashes, and la-
bels, for candidates
both locally and nationwide. Some of those
buttons and campaign materials have become
treasured artifacts of the past, and are found in
political collections at organizations such as the
Smithsonian Institution and presidential libraries.
So Ralph played a relatively unnoticed but im-
portant role in political campaigns for over seven
decades, and we are proud to claim him as a val-
ued TBS member! Happy birthday, Ralph!
New Parents Group
Our new parents group meets every Wednesday
from 10:30 AM–12 noon at the Temple. This pro-
gram, sponsored by Jewish Family and Children
Services, is an opportunity for new parents to
meet, socialize with other parents, discuss topics
relevant to their lives, and create a support net-
work. Please tell any new parents you know about
this group. Free and open to the public. If you
have questions, please contact Rachel Davenport
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 9
Remember Your Loved One on Our Memory Wall Honor the memory of your loved ones by inscribing
their names on the Memory Wall in our sanctuary.
For more information about this meaningful and
lasting tribute, please contact Ellen Krechmer at
Yahrzeit Observance (Light the candle the night before)
September 3 Gertrude R. Miller
3 Shirley Schindler
5 Howard Appledorf
15 Irene Gati
18 Alan Arnold Hoyland
18 Nathan Purpel
26 Maurice E. Aronson
30 Pearl Silverman
Contributions Do you have a special event coming up? Someone
you want to thank? Someone you want to honor?
The entire congregation and many others in the
community receive and read the Temple Bulletin.
Can you think of a better way to show you care?
A donation of any amount remembering a loved
one or congratulating family, friends, or neighbors
results in a timely mention in the Bulletin. Just send a
note and your donation to:
NEW ADDRESS
Karen Newman
29 Rudolf St.
Malden, MA 02148
Prayer book donations are $40 and include a book
plate bearing your name and the name of your
honoree in one of our prayer books.
If you have any questions, please email Karen at
Memorial In memory of Gordon Simons from the Brown
family
In loving memory of Nathan Purpel from Amy Pur-
pel
Simchas In honor of Tobin Clouser's Bar Mitzvah from the
Brown family
Two prayer books in honor of Ralph Greenberg’s
90th birthday from Barbara Greenberg and family
General A donation from the Rotary Club
Remember Your Loved One on Our Memory Wall Honor the memory of your loved ones by inscribing
their names on the Memory Wall in our sanctuary.
For more information about this meaningful and
lasting tribute, please contact Ellen Krechmer at
Yahrzeit Observance (Light the candle the night before)
September 3 Gertrude R. Miller
3 Shirley Schindler
5 Howard Appledorf
15 Irene Gati
18 Alan Arnold Hoyland
18 Nathan Purpel
26 Maurice E. Aronson
30 Pearl Silverman
Contributions Do you have a special event coming up? Someone
you want to thank? Someone you want to honor?
The entire congregation and many others in the
community receive and read the Temple Bulletin.
Can you think of a better way to show you care?
A donation of any amount remembering a loved
one or congratulating family, friends, or neighbors
results in a timely mention in the Bulletin. Just send
a note and your donation to:
NEW ADDRESS
Karen Newman
29 Rudolf St.
Malden, MA 02148
Prayer book donations are $40 and include a book
plate bearing your name and the name of your
honoree in one of our prayer books.
If you have any questions, please email Karen at
Memorial In memory of Gordon Simons from the Brown
family
In loving memory of Nathan Purpel from Amy
Purpel
Simchas In honor of Tobin Clouser's Bar Mitzvah from the
Brown family
Two prayer books in honor of Ralph Greenberg’s
90th birthday from Barbara Greenberg and family
General A donation from the Rotary Club
Making a High Holiday donation?
You can now do it online! Click here
to use a debit card, credit card, or
PayPal.
10 Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin
Torah Study Group The Temple Beth Shalom Torah Study Group, the
Torah Bagel Scholars (TBS), meets year-round to
discuss and debate the Bible. Our next meeting
will be Sunday, September 8 from 10 AM–12 noon
at TBS. This will be our only September meeting.
We will continue reading in the Book of Jeremiah
about the prelude to the Babylonian exile.
We read from the The Jewish Study Bible, the Jewish
Publication Society’s Tanakh Translation—a clear,
straightforward version with excellent footnotes
and maps. You need not own a copy.
All newcomers are welcome; please come and test
the waters. No knowledge of Hebrew or prepara-
tion required. We read aloud, discuss the stories
from literary and historical points of view, and try
to understand better who, when, and why the text
was written. We have a great, open discussion.
If you’d like to attend for the first time, contact
Tug Yourgrau at [email protected] or 617-797-
9674.
Help Make the High Holidays at Our Temple Special
Please donate flowers for the bimah
Roseanne Phillips donates her time to create the
beautiful flower arrangements for the High Holi-
days, but we need someone to donate money to
provide the flowers. Will you be that person?
Please contact Ron Serisky at [email protected]
if you’re interested.
DUES NEWS YOU CAN USE Jeff Lipman has mailed invoices to everyone for
2019–2020. You can send a check or pay online at
http://tbsma.org/join/. If you have not received a
bill or you want to make a payment arrangement
or request a financial hardship reduction in your
fee, please contact Jeff at [email protected] or
781-608-2992.
And please remember to update your membership
information if you have moved recently, changed
your email address, or canceled that landline and
changed to a cell phone. Jeff is updating the master
membership list and would like your current
contact information. Please send it to him at the
email address above. You should include your
children’s names and birthdays if they are in the
Shalom School, as well as the year you joined the
Temple if you know it.
Tot Shabbat Our first Tot Shabbat of the year will be on Satur-
day, October 26. Geared towards kids 5 and under,
this songful morning will be from 9–9:45 AM on
the fourth Saturday morning of the month. We
will have kid-friendly instruments so everyone can
join in. Dancing is encouraged! There will also be
activities and stories to round out the morning.
Volunteer for TBS at Melrose’s
Victorian Fair
W ith your help, TBS will participate in Mel-
rose’s annual Victorian Fair on Sunday,
September 8 from 11 AM to 4 PM. Please volunteer
to sit at our booth for an hour or so of schmoozing
with other members and offering information
about our Temple and our Shalom School to those
walking up and down Main Street that day. This
is one of our best opportunities to gain visibility
and goodwill in the Melrose community, so we
appreciate your help.
We are looking for volunteers for 45-minute slots
between 10 AM and 4:30 PM (including clean-up).
Interested in volunteering? Please contact Anna
Borodovsky at [email protected]. We hope
to see you there!
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 11
Community Havdalah and hamantaschen
The Scoop from the SAC
Temporary Host Homes Needed
TBS’s Social Action Committee and the Refugee
Immigration Ministry (RIM) seek host homes for a
client seeking asylum and her four children for a
period of time that works for you. The children—
ages 6, 9, 13 and 18—are all attending the Melrose
public schools. The mother is attending English
and GED classes to help prepare for employment
in a few months, when she will be allowed to
work. Rent and payment toward utilities in host
homes is negotiable, and the north-of-Boston clus-
ter of organizations will provide social and emo-
tional support. Thus far two TBS homes have
hosted this particular family. Please call Annie
Athyal, case manager at RIM, at 781-322-1011, if
you are open to hosting this amazing family.
Join the SAC
Do you wonder whether you might find new ways
to help leave the world a better place than you
found it? Please join us in planning the year’s so-
cial justice activities on Sunday, September 22,
from 10:30–11:30 AM at TBS. Questions? Contact
Sue Herz at 781-307-6007.
Jim Taber and the House and Safety Committees
have continued to work on improving the safety of
both our building and our procedures. Improve-
ments to our lighting and doors have been com-
pleted. Jim will hold a door greeter training for the
board this fall, which later will expand to others
who wish to be involved. Feel free to reach out to
Jim if you would like to be involved or if you have
any questions about this issue.
Julie Unger also took on leading the Membership
Committee, which is looking at our systems for
engaging both new and current members. We
hope to add to our membership this year, and
plans are underway to improve our onboarding
of new members, including offering gatherings
and services specifically geared toward them. Feel
free to reach out to Julie if you’d like to help.
I was very busy getting the board ready for a
Board Workshop run by the URJ! This was our
first direct assist from the URJ since officially re-
joining. Their workshop leader was quite attentive
and thorough in preparing for this workshop: talk-
ing with board members, the rabbi, and myself
and completing a survey assessment of our board
and how it works. I have had many fruitful con-
versations with the leader and am already learning
how we can improve the way we govern.
This is a super-exciting time at TBS, and we have
incredible momentum and energy moving us in a
positive direction. I look forward to sharing all of
this and growing more with you over the next
year. Our first service is September 13. See you
there!
Sara Serisky, President
(PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, Continued from page 2)
The General Council seen here after its first URJ Board Work-
shop on Sunday, August 25.
Like us on Facebook to receive insights, articles,
videos, and upcoming events.
12 Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin
L’Dor V’Dor Campaign Update
In April, we announced the launch of the L’Dor
V’Dor Campaign to raise $250,000 so TBS can burn
its mortgage and pass forward a legacy that is debt-
free and financially secure.
The committee reached out to the entire membership
during the summer to see if we can attain our first
goal of paying off the mortgage by the fall, and over
half of the membership has responded! To date, we
have received $76,452 in pledges, and $52,000 has
been deposited. We are so close! We hope to have
100% support from our membership at whatever
level you can afford. If you have not yet made your
pledge or have not received any information, please
send a note to [email protected] or visit our web-
site.
With great appreciation, the L’Dor V'Dor Campaign
Committee would like to acknowledge contributions
from the following members, family, and friends:
Anonymous; Edith & Tim Ackerman; the Beitman
family; Bob & Marcia Binder; Karen & Richard Bon-
di; Ilana & Jonathan Bortinger; Elise & David Brown;
Serena & Adam Brown; Hilary, Max, & Sam Buxton;
Linda Apple & Tom Champoux; Julia & Jason Chen;
Jim & Nancy Culver; Susan Herz & Fran Demiany;
Robert Dolan; Ainsley Donaldson; Paula & Glen
Emelock; Bob Eskin & Joan Shea; Kenneth & June
Feldman; Shirley Fine; Marc & Deborah Fuller; Yael
Mazor & Jeff Garfinkle; Karl & Sandra Geller; Mark
& Margie Greenberg; Jamie & Robert Goudreau; Eli-
sheva & Joshua Grzegorzewski; Dorothy Hoyland;
Jody & David Jordan; Deborah Kivel; Linda & Larry
Korneich; Wendy Korneich; Ellen & Dan Krechmer;
Philip & Nancy Kukura; Allison & Troy Leonard;
Emily & Jason Levine; Jeff & Andrea Lipman; Ellen
Shore & Marvin Mendelssohn; Judi & Carlos Neu;
Karen, Stephen, & Zachary Newman/Nedell; Amy &
Aaron Noyes; David & Jeanne Penn; Amy Purpel;
Dorothy Rocklin; Michael & Rosanne Rodman; Tay-
lor & Mark Rubbins; Karen Rumelt; Denise Sardina;
Rob Gati & Trudy Seidman; Sara & Ron Serisky;
Gordon & Shellie Simons; Karen Smolens; James
Taber; Evans & Dorothy Travis; Julie Unger & Matt
Wallace; Liza Weinstein; and Carol Zazula.
Please support this campaign by pledging whatever
amount you can afford.
To learn more about the campaign, visit our website
at tbsma.org or speak with anyone on the committee.
You can access the online form here. Please contact
[email protected] with questions or to pledge
your support.
Campaign Committee
Julia Chen • Paula Emelock • Rob Gati • Mark
Greenberg • Elisheva Grzegorzewski • Dorothy
Hoyland • Karen Rumelt • Sara Serisky • Ellen
Shore • Dorothy Travis • Evans Travis
Temple Beth Shalom Bulletin 13
Dear Friends,
In the New Year, if you or any of your friends need
real estate assistance—whether buying or selling a
property, seeking a market value for your home, or
just exploring your options in today’s market—
please call me.
I have been helping people with real estate needs in
Melrose and surrounding communities for over 25
years, and my services are professional, knowledge-
able, and fully confidential.
Call me for real estate service. If you do, or if you
refer a customer who buys or sells a property
through me, I will donate 10% of my commission in
your honor to Temple Beth Shalom.
Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year to
you and yours. L’Shanah Tova!
Phil Kukura
Website: http://www.melrosema.com
781-665-2222 (office) • 781-665-1374 (home)
339-222-0171 (cell)
O n e g ( a n d o t h e r )
S u p p l i e s
When you were last in the Temple, did you notice
that we were running low on something? There is
a supply list posted in the kitchen; you can fill it
out to let us know when we need everyday items
from toilet paper to flatware. For more info, con-
tact Elena Clouser at [email protected].
Temple Beth Shalom
21 East Foster Street
Melrose, MA 02176
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
Nothing says “High Holidays” at TBS like the Im-
proved Choice Seating v.3.0. As is the tradition, TBS
does not charge for tickets. In addition to our award-
winning General Kibbitzing, General Kvetching, and
Kibbitzing- and Kvetching-free zones from previous
years, the new seating sections
include:
• New Kvetching sections for
The Chosen, Tariffs, and Im-
migration, in addition to an
Everything Else catch-all for
you-know-who. These are ex-
pected to be popular, and
overflow will be on the con-
crete benches in front of the
Temple.
• New TBS-related Kibbitzing/
Kvetching sections for Dues,
Onegs, and of course, Kibbitzing about the New
Rabbi. (It’s too soon for any kvetching.)
Expected topics to be kvetched in the Sports section
include the Red Sox wild card disappointment, and
up-to-the-moment indictments and PED suspensions
for the Pats. Note: The Services Are
Too Short, More Hebrew, and
Less Singing sections will contin-
ue to be in the front classroom,
where live streaming of services
will be, TBS drone permitting. As
many of these sections will be
popular, to avoid disappoint-
ment, PS suggests you come to
services with this column with
your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice cir-
cled and avoid the passive/
aggressive ushers.
PARTING SHOT: Seating for Everyone at High Holiday Services
