We are a welcoming, diverse, Reform, sacred community committed to embracing and implementing the principles of tikkun olam. Through prayer, study, and social interactions we honor and share our Judaic values across all generations. March/April 2019 Vol. 77, No. 2 ” Adar I – Nisan 5779 Shabbat Schedule March/April 2019 Friday, March 1 Candle Lighting 5:15 pm Share-a-Shabbat 6:00 pm Shabbat Family Service 7:00 pm Saturday, March 2 Parashat Vayak’heil Youth Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am with Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’filah followed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study Friday, March 8 Candle Lighting 5:24 pm Share-a-Shabbat 6:00 pm Shabbat Chai Service 7:00 pm An uplifting musical Shabbat service featuring Bashert Saturday, March 9 Parashat P’kudei Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am with Rav Mona using Sim Shalom followed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study Friday, March 15 Candle Lighting 6:32 pm High School Creative and Faculty 7:00 pm Appreciation Shabbat Service Saturday, March 16 Parashat Vayikra Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am with Rav Mona using Sim Shalom followed by Kiddush and Israel Chavurah Friday, March 22 Candle Lighting 6:41 pm Saturday, March 23 Parashat Tzav Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am with Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’filah Bar Mitzvah of Adam Hannula, son of Scott and Andrea Hannula followed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study Friday, March 29 Candle Lighting 6:49 pm Shabbat Evening Service 7:00 pm Grades 6 & 7 participate March birthday blessings will be given Saturday, March 30 Parashat Sh’mini Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am Co-led by Cantor Vera and Rav Mona using Sim Shalom followed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study Friday, April 5 Candle Lighting 6:57 pm Saturday, April 6 Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am with Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’filah followed by Kiddush and Israel Chavurah Dear community, In the thick of a heavy winter, Purim is peeking around the corner. This is our Hebrew calendar’s leap year, with two months of Adar—so by rights we should be in two months of simchah. Our community has suffered several recent losses, and it may feel hard to find the levity and lightness that we associate with Purim. But that’s also Purim’s job: to bring joy and new possibilities to us, by upending norms and every way we might expect to feel. We are commanded to get so giddy (or drunk) with the holiday that we can’t distinguish between “blessed is Mordechai” and “cursed be Haman.” The center of Purim is the megillah, the scroll telling Esther’s story, whose name comes from a word meaning “to roll” but recalls “gilah,” joy. We are commanded to read and to hear the whole megillah as we celebrate. (This year, on the evening of Wednesday, March 20, we’ll hear it in both the chanted Hebrew and a shpiel led by our high schoolers!) A megillah is one of the first projects on which a sofer or soferet, a scribe, embarks. A megillah can be written in any order the sofer/et chooses—and the name of God doesn’t appear in Megillat Esther even once, freeing the sofer/ et of the complex ritual considerations related to writing God’s name. The art of sofrut, scribing and repairing holy text, requires long training and appren- ticeship—certification as an accredited sofer is a lot like s’micha, ordination as clergy. Our community was blessed last month by the visit of Rabbi Sala- zar from Sofer On Site, who came to check and repair our sifrei Torah, our Torah scrolls. We now have two fully checked and kosher scrolls and the infor- mation to decide our priorities in repairing the remaining six. Many thanks to God’s words and our words can move mountains, swell seas, break hearts, and lift souls. Cantor’s Message continued on page 2 Shabbat Schedule continued on page 2 Passover Service Schedule Saturday, April 20 Passover Morning Service, 9:30 am Saturday, April 27 9:30 am (includes Yizkor) Please note that we ask during Passover (Friday, April 19, to Saturday, April 27) that no food or drink be brought into the Temple unless it is Kosher for Passover. For more detailed information on preparing and celebrating Passover in your home, please go to our website www.templeemanu-el.org/holidays.html for the Passover guide. Passover Fundraiser The Board of Directors will be calling all Temple members to make a donation to our annual Passover Fundraiser. Sunday, April 14 • 9:30 am
Transcript
We are a welcoming, diverse, Reform, sacred community
committed to embracing and implementing the principles of
tikkun olam. Through prayer, study, and social interactions
we honor and share our Judaic values across all generations.March/April 2019 Vol. 77, No. 2
” Adar I – Nisan 5779
Shabbat ScheduleMarch/April 2019
Friday, March 1Candle Lighting 5:15 pmShare-a-Shabbat 6:00 pmShabbat Family Service 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 2Parashat Vayak’heilYouth Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’fi lahfollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, March 8Candle Lighting 5:24 pmShare-a-Shabbat 6:00 pmShabbat Chai Service 7:00 pmAn uplifting musical Shabbat service featuring Bashert
Saturday, March 9Parashat P’kudei Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Rav Mona using Sim Shalomfollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, March 15Candle Lighting 6:32 pmHigh School Creative and Faculty 7:00 pmAppreciation Shabbat Service
Saturday, March 16Parashat VayikraShabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Rav Mona using Sim Shalomfollowed by Kiddush and Israel Chavurah
Friday, March 22Candle Lighting 6:41 pm
Saturday, March 23Parashat TzavShabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’fi lahBar Mitzvah of Adam Hannula, son of Scott and Andrea Hannulafollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, March 29Candle Lighting 6:49 pmShabbat Evening Service 7:00 pmGrades 6 & 7 participateMarch birthday blessings will be given
Saturday, March 30Parashat Sh’miniShabbat Morning Service 9:30 amCo-led by Cantor Vera and Rav Mona using Sim Shalomfollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, April 5Candle Lighting 6:57 pm
Saturday, April 6Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Cantor Vera using Mishkan T’fi lahfollowed by Kiddush and Israel Chavurah
Dear community,In the thick of a heavy winter, Purim is peeking around the corner. This is our Hebrew calendar’s leap year, with two months of Adar—so by rights we should be in two months of simchah. Our community has suff ered several recent losses, and it may feel hard to fi nd the levity and lightness that we associate with Purim. But that’s also Purim’s job: to bring joy and new possibilities to us,
by upending norms and every way we might expect to feel. We are commanded to get so giddy (or drunk) with the holiday that we can’t distinguish between “blessed is Mordechai” and “cursed be Haman.” The center of Purim is the megillah, the scroll telling Esther’s story, whose name comes from a word meaning “to roll” but recalls “gilah,” joy. We are commanded to read and to hear the whole megillah as we celebrate. (This year, on the evening of Wednesday, March 20, we’ll hear it in both the chanted Hebrew and a shpiel led by our high schoolers!)A megillah is one of the fi rst projects on which a sofer or soferet, a scribe, embarks. A megillah can be written in any order the sofer/et chooses—and the name of God doesn’t appear in Megillat Esther even once, freeing the sofer/et of the complex ritual considerations related to writing God’s name. The art of sofrut, scribing and repairing holy text, requires long training and appren-ticeship—certifi cation as an accredited sofer is a lot like s’micha, ordination as clergy. Our community was blessed last month by the visit of Rabbi Sala-zar from Sofer On Site, who came to check and repair our sifrei Torah, our Torah scrolls. We now have two fully checked and kosher scrolls and the infor-mation to decide our priorities in repairing the remaining six. Many thanks to
God’s words and our words can
move mountains, swell seas, break
hearts, and lift souls.
Cantor’s Message continued on page 2
Shabbat Schedule continued on page 2
Passover Service ScheduleSaturday, April 20
Passover Morning Service, 9:30 amSaturday, April 27
9:30 am (includes Yizkor)Please note that we ask during Passover (Friday, April 19, to Saturday, April 27) that no food
or drink be brought into the Temple unless it is Kosher for Passover.For more detailed information on preparing and celebrating Passover in your home, please go
to our website www.templeemanu-el.org/holidays.html for the Passover guide.
Passover FundraiserThe Board of Directors will be calling all Temple members to make
a donation to our annual Passover Fundraiser.Sunday, April 14 • 9:30 am
Gerda Kalman, Loren and Michelle Goldstein, Jacque-line Berman, Alma Klinetsky, Sandra Kassin and Andrew Deardorff , Judith Cowan, Larry and Janet Cowan, David and Mattie Paul, Leona Paul, William Primack, Douglass Wiggins and Kaelee Miller, Sonny and Diane Forman, and everyone else whose generous donations helped make this visit possible!Rav Mona and I were also blessed in late January to participate in a daylong workshop on sofrut at Hebrew College taught by soferet Julie Seltzer of New York. Julie passionately and patiently taught us the basics of sofrut. Along with the mechanics of stitching and affi xing scrolls to their atzei chayyim, their poles, Julie walked us through some of the rules of creating letters, words, and STaM texts (Sefer [Torah], T’fi llin*, Mezuzah/Megillah). These rules insist on the power of holy words and the absolute care and attention required of those who commit them to parchment.Sofrut is exacting work. Creating a full sefer Torah takes an experienced scribe a year to complete. Before embarking on scribing or sewing, a sofer/et must make a statement of intention: Behold, I am going to stitch or write for the sake of the holiness of (whatever kind of text the sofer/et is working on).** An already completed text, usually printed, must be the example from which a sofer/et works, and every letter and word must be spoken aloud before they’re written or fi xed. While a sefer Torah and a megillah can be scribed or repaired in any order the sofer/et chooses, every single letter of every single word in the text for a mezuzah or t’fi llin must be written in order—k’sidram. That means if a scribe doesn’t catch a mistake the moment she makes it, but goes on to write even the following letter, the text is pasul—spoiled and unusable. Sofrut gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “choose your words carefully.”Sofrut is an art of positive action. A letter cannot be made kosher by scraping a mistake away; a new shape has to be inked to complete it. The whole process of creating
Cantor’s Message continued from page 1
R’FUAH SH’LEIMAH!! A FULL AND COMPLETE HEALING
Sandy ChannenMAZEL TOV
Scott & Andi Hannula, on the bar mitzvah of their son AdamBarry Hantman, who received the Shofar Award from the National Jewish Committee on Scouting on February 16 at the Duty to God breakfast in Manchester, NH. The National Jewish Committee on Scouting established the Shofar Award to recognize outstanding service by adults in the promotion of Scouting among Jewish youth. Just as the Shofar (Ram’s Horn) calls people to the service of God, so the Shofar Award is a recognition of the individual who has answered the call to serve Jewish youth in Scouting. As a shul, we are grateful that Barry has devotedly promoted Scouting in our synagogue (including co-creating and promoting our annual Scout Shabbat, which we celebrated on February 1); encouraged our youth to join the Boy Scouts of America; supported Scouts in earning Jewish scouting emblems and creating Jewish observance during their Scouting activi-ties and trips; and exemplifi ed menschlichkeit, personal commitment to Jewish ideals and values. We congratulate and thank Barry for his service to Jewish Scouting and to Temple Emanu-El!Michael & Ann Jacobson, in honor of the marriage of their son Morgan to Jenna CannKeith Jaff e, on the birth of his grandson Stephanos Edward Jaff eAlma Klinetsky, on the engagement of her granddaughter Chanalisa Sugar to Mendy Benaroush. Chanalisa is the daughter of Jody SugarBennett Merker, on being honored by Market Basket for his 50 years of service
CONDOLENCESWe regret with sorrow the death of Marilyn Berlin.Sandy Channen, on the death of her brother Arnold FishbeinBrian Helman, on the death of his father, Dr. Max HelmanDebbi Levasseur, on the death of her husband, Paul LevasseurVictoria Stimmel, on the death of her mother, Galina Chirvina
ONEG/KIDDUSH SPONSORSFebruary 1 Barry & Susan Hantman
Community News
Shabbat ScheduleMarch/April 2019 (continued)
Friday, April 12Candle Lighting 7:05 pm
Saturday, April 13Parashat M’tzoraShabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Rav Mona using Sim Shalomfollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, April 19Candle Lighting 7:13 pm
Saturday, April 20Passover Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 amwith Cantor Vera using Sim Shalomfollowed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Friday, April 26Candle Lighting 7:21 pm
Saturday, April 27Passover Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 amCo-led by Cantor Vera and Rav Mona using Sim Shalom (includes Yizkor) followed by Kiddush and Weekly Parashah Study
Cantor’s Message continued on page 4
Active Shooter TrainingSunday, March 10, 12:30 pm
Training will be conducted by the Haverhill Police.
We encourage everyone to attend this important safety training.
Rabbinic InternChaverim, Greetings to you during this happy month of Adar—fi lled with the joys of celebrating Purim. We come to the synagogue in costume, ready to listen to the story of Queen Esther’s courage. Have you ever noticed that dressing in costume can aff ect how we communicate? Sometimes, when we take on an assumed
persona, hiding our identity, we can feel more comfort-able expressing our true feelings. Becoming someone or something else strips away inhibition and fear of judg-ment. The freedom of expression that comes with Purim is not the same freedom we experience during Passover which falls exactly one month after Purim on the next full moon. Purim allows for a hedonistic freedom beyond rules. Juxta-posed to that, Passover’s freedom is about our ability to choose being in relationship with God and each other that is guided by laws and ethics. During Purim we make noise and drown out the name of the villain who sought our destruction. At Passover we create a quiet environment at our seders that invites thoughtful conversation and open discussion as we fulfi ll the mitzvah of retelling the Exodus from Egypt. Our masks are off and we have to engage with each other as our true selves. In doing so we may fi nd that we do not always agree. Recently in emails and conversation many of you have asked, “How do we engage in respectful conversation with those with whom we disagree?” This is an important and real question for our times. Whether we are discussing the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict, anti-Semitism originating from the right or left, or controversial political debate, the reality is that we will be involved in challenging conversations. We can either choose to avoid diffi cult conversations, or alternatively, we can work on developing a respectful framework for communication. Encounter, a nonpartisan educational organization culti-vating more informed and constructive Jewish leadership on the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict, teaches an approach to communicating that “aims to create a framework in which deeply contentious and charged topics can be explored respectfully by people of diverse ideological viewpoints.” * Encounter’s method enables us to ask the most challeng-ing questions in ways that are respectful, genuine, and open. I have included a list adapted from their guidelines that can be helpful as we begin to explore this topic as a congregation.
Israel ChavurahThe Discussion ContinuesSaturdays at 12 noon March 16 with Rav Mona April 6 with Cantor VeraThe Israel Chavurah meets once a month on Satur-day in lieu of that week’s parashah study. Each session begins with a Kiddush/luncheon follow-ing the Shabbat morning service. Join with other members of the community to help develop a better understanding of the issues concerning Israel and the Middle East.
Engaging in challenging conversations 1. Speak for yourself, not as a representative of a group. Do not ask others to represent, defend, or explain an entire group. Make “I” statements rather than “we” statements. 2. Avoid making broad generalizations and grand pronouncements. Instead, connect what you know and believe to your experiences and sources of information. 3. Express your diff erent viewpoints in a thoughtful manner and without an insulting spirit. Keep in mind your goals of learning and refl ection. When you disagree with others, respectfully express your opinions, but resist the urge to persuade them to “your side.” 4. Listen with resilience, “hanging in” when you hear something that is hard to hear. Take personal time if you fi nd that you are no longer able to listen with a clear mind and an open heart. 5. Share airtime and refrain from interrupting others, except to indicate that you cannot hear a speaker. 6. “Pass” or “pass for now” if you are not ready or willing to respond to a question, no explanation required. As we head into the spring, I look forward to opportunities we can create to ask questions, foster fruitful dialogue, and engage in respectful listening. Purim Sameach!
Rav Mona* Encounter’s approach to communicating in confl ict is inspired by the 2004 Public Conversations Project, from their work with pro-choice and pro-life leaders.
Welcome New MembersDaniel & Kayla Haskin
Thank YouDebbi Levasseur, Andrea Levasseur, and Avi Lopez wish to thank everyone who came and comforted them during the funeral and shiva, who made food and meals, and who donated in memory of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Paul Levasseur.
President’s Message
Executive Committee and Board Meetings
March/AprilExecutive Committee Meetings:Wednesday, March 27, 7:30 pmWednesday, April 17, 7:30 pm
Board Meetings:Wednesday, March 6, 7:30 pmWednesday, April 10, 7:30 pm
or fi xing a text, from spoken intention to speaking the letter/word aloud to creating it, is an affi rmative process. We echo God’s power of performative speech, words that make things happen: the soferet speaks the letter or word before she writes it. I’ve loved calligraphy ever since my fi fth-grade unit on medieval studies, and I was thrilled by the experience of scribing letters in Ashurite (Torah script). The pre-scored parchment scrap I practiced on; the thick dark ink, made of vegetable matter; the sharp quill’s emphatic markings as I tried to copy the alef-bet in front of me cleanly; the diffi culty, and the excitement, got me deeply invested in the letters that I spoke and then laboriously formed. Purim is also a holiday that celebrates the performative power of the written word. The story of how Mordechai saved King Achashverosh, written in the king’s book of records, brings Mordechai to honor and Haman to murder-ously infl amed jealousy. Haman’s decree above the king’s seal, sent out to all the provinces to be read aloud, spells death to every Jew in Shushan. When the king realizes that Mordechai and Esther are Jewish and wants to spare the Jews of his kingdom, he does not (cannot?) break his written word. Instead, he invites Mordechai and Esther to craft the message of self-defense that will save the Jews, and send it out with his signature. Words can end lives; words can save lives. When I learned in seminary from Muslim friends about the traditions surrounding recitation of the Qur’an, I was humbled by the complexity and technical requirements that are demanded of skilled reciters. Qur’an may be read aloud from any printed copy, but the ideal is total “off -book” memorization of the text. The precise placement of each sound made within the mouth and throat (books with anatomical diagrams of the vocal system are standard texts for students), the length of each syllable, and the memorization of the entire Qur’an take the idea of leyn-ing (chanting Torah aloud) to a whole new level. Proper recitation of the Qur’an, for Muslims, truly brings the text to life in the bodies and hearts of those who recite. Learn-ing about sofrut gave me an equally humbling apprecia-tion for how Jewish sacred texts come to life through the bodies and hearts of those who scribe them. We worry about words, we sweat over them, pay for them, long for them, because words make things happen. Both God’s words and our words can move mountains, swell seas, break hearts, and lift souls. Judaism celebrates and harnesses that power: we make words central to our religion, and we build our world out from them. As we approach Purim, and then Pesach, may we embrace the power of intentional words, scribed and spoken, and the actions they beget, to turn our world upside-down–and also to make it right.
L’shalom, Cantor Vera* T’fi llin are black boxes containing the text of the Sh’ma, bound to the upper arm and forehead by leather straps during morning prayers except on Shabbat or holidays.** Harei ani etfor (tofer/toferet)/echtov (kotev/kotevet) l’sheim k’dushat sefer/megillah/m’zuzah/t’fi llin.
Cantor’s Message continued from page 2
As I am watching the (hopefully) last of the snow fall this winter, I want to update you with the many programs the Temple is off ering over the next two months.March 1 Family Shabbat ServiceMarch 2 Youth Shabbat Morning
ServiceMarch 3 Zumba, Book Group,
Taste of Judaism March 8 Share-a-Shabbat Dinner followed by Chai
March 10 Adult Ed: “How Do You Haggadah?”, Active Shooter Training
March 15 High School Creative and Faculty Appreciation Shabbat Service
March 17 Hamantaschen Baking, Taste of JudaismMarch 20 Potluck Dinner followed by the Purim ServiceMarch 24 Purim Carnival, Taste of JudaismMarch 31 Chesed Program: Death and TaxesApril 6 Ellen Allard ConcertApril 12 Shabbat Evening ServiceApril 14 Passover FundraiserApril 28 Book GroupI’m proud of the wide variety of events we are off ering, but we can’t do it without your help. On April 14, we will be holding our annual Passover fundraiser. Roughly ten years ago, the Board of Directors decided that the best way to reach our congregants was with an annual phone call fund-raiser. Please give generously to allow us to continue bring-ing high-quality programming to the Temple!We always have room for your point of view. The Board of Directors is open to all members in good standing. If you have an interest in becoming a member of the Board, please reach out to either Nancy or me. In closing, I would like to thank all of the committee chairs for their hard work. Your time and eff ort instill a sense of community in all of us.
Loren H. Goldstein, President
Save the Date!
Temple Emanu-El Picnic
Camp Tel Noar(Route 121 in Hampstead, NH)
Sunday, June 9, 2019 12:00 noon–4:00 pm
Do you enjoy at nice sunny day at the lake? Do you enjoy a nice kosher hot dog and a burger? Would you like to play yard games, Frisbee, or soft-ball? If you said yes to any of
the previous questions, add June 9, 2019, the date of Temple Emanu-El’s annual picnic, to your calendars. If you are interested in being part of the committee—helping to grab tables, setting up food and drinks, purchasing supplies, and organizing games, please contact Jenn Lampron at:
[email protected] Temple picnic never disappoints when it comes to fun with friends and family! Join us June 9!
Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 5, 2019 to Nancy (978.373.3861)
Y Election of Offi cers YY Committee Reports Given Y
This is your chance to learn what is happening at the Temple and to off er your
comments as to what we did correctly and what we need to improve.
A light breakfast will be served.
Join Cantor Vera and Koleinu on Sunday, May 5, at 4:00 pm, for a benefi t concert for those aff ected by
the Merrimack Valley gas disaster.
Seats at the Seder?Seder Space Together—pairing members in search with seders that can welcome them!Welcoming guests to the
seder table is a commandment of the holiday—each person should hear the story and feel as if they themselves went forth from Egypt, and each guest could be Eliyahu HaNavi, Elijah the Prophet, who brings freedom to all! Welcom-ing other members of our shul community is an especially rich opportunity to experience the holiday together, learn from one another, and enjoy diff erent family customs. For Pesach this year, our Temple will make sure that everyone who wants, has a seder in which they can participate.Contact Nancy: [email protected] • if you are looking for a seder to attend (including which night(s) you would like to be at a seder and any dietary restrictions you have). • if you have space at your seder (including which night(s) you’ll be hosting, the time the seder will start, and how many new guests you have space for).
“How do you Haggadah?” Stir up your Seder with Cantor Vera & Rav Mona!
Sunday, March 10, 10 am–12 pmHow did a few verses in the book of Sh’mot (Exodus) turn into those looooong seder meals? What at our seders is commanded, and what are options for jazzing them up? Join us for a Pesach workshop to learn why we have some of the customs we do, and how and why it’s OK to shake up your seder! We’ll learn about the history and development of the seder and then share and explore ideas for making our seders fun, meaningful, and inter-active.Coff ee and a charoset tasting are provided to help us start getting Pesach on our lips as well as on our minds!If you have a favorite Pesach recipe, please email it by Thursday, March 7, to [email protected] Printed copies will be distributed at the workshop.
Adult Education
Religious School PTOMarch/April Calendar
March 1 6:00 pm Share-a-Shabbat 7:00 pm Family Shabbat (formerly Tot Shabbat) March 2 9:30 am Youth Shabbat ServiceMarch 3 9:00 am Religious School March 4 6:00 pm High School March 6 4:00 pm Religious School March 8 6:00 pm Share-a-Shabbat Dinner 7:00 pm Shabbat Service with musical guests
Bashert March 10 9:00 am Religious School 12:30 pm Active Shooter TrainingMarch 11 6:00 pm High SchoolMarch 13 4:00 pm Religious SchoolMarch 15 7:00 pm High School Creative and Faculty Appreciation ServiceMarch 17 9:00 am Religious School, Godplay with Rav Mona (grades PreK–7), Hamantaschen Baking 12:15 pm Faculty MeetingMarch 18 6:00 pm High School March 20 No Religious School 6:00 pm Purim Potluck Dinner 7:00 pm Purim ServiceMarch 23 9:30 am Shabbat Morning Service,
Adam Hannula Bar MitzvahMarch 24 9:00 am Religious School 10:30 am Purim CarnivalMarch 25 6:00 pm High School March 27 4:00 pm Religious SchoolMarch 31 9:00 am Religious SchoolApril 1 6:00 pm High School April 3 4:00 pm Religious School 6:15 pm Religious School Committee MeetingApril 6 7:00 pm Ellen Allard ConcertApril 7 9:00 am Religious School, Ellen AllardApril 8 6:00 pm High SchoolApril 10 4:00 pm Religious School 4:30 pm Model SederApril 14 No Religious SchoolApril 15 No High SchoolApril 17 No Religious SchoolApril 21 No Religious SchoolApril 22 6:00 pm High SchoolApril 24 4:00 pm Religious SchoolApril 28 9:00 am Religious School, Torah Together 10:00 am JCAM Field TripApril 29 6:00 pm High School
SAVE THE DATE
Shomrei Adamah FestivalCaretakers of the Earth: Building a North Shore Jewish Commitment to Environmental Justice
Sunday March 313:00-5:30 PMTemple B’nai Abraham200 E Lothrop St,Beverly, MA
Join Cantor Vera on Sunday, March 31, at 3:00 pm for the Shomrei Adamah Fesitval at Temple B’nai Abraham, Beverly, MA, where she will be teaching a session called “Serving Justice at our Seder Tables.”
The PTO Mishkan T’fi lah prayer book name plate fund-raiser ends on April 30. Contact [email protected] to participate.These personalized name plates—to be affi xed to the inside cover of the Mishkan T’fi lah prayer book—can honor or memorialize someone special. Name plates are available for $18 each and will benefi t the Adeline B. Watnick Religious School Children’s Fund, which supports student enrichment.March will kick off a Religious School Jewish author/Jewish book read-a-thon. The goal of this read-a-thon is to support students’ love of reading. The read-a-thon will run from Sunday, March 3, to Sunday, March 31, and we hope for 100% participation. Details and a reading chart will be distributed in class, but just to get you excited know that everyone is eligible to win a Barnes and Noble gift card.
Lisa Desberg, Chair
How to Receive Help in Your Time of Need
If you are in need of help, please call one of the following
Lotsa Helping Hands Coordinators:
Cantor Vera Broekhuysen 978.373.3861Sharyn Russell 978.372.5777Fred Feldman 603.580.5779
Scout Shabbat Scouts from across Massachusetts and New Hampshire gathered at Temple Emanu-El on Febru-ary 1 to celebrate Scout Shabbat. Scout Shabbat off ered an opportunity for Scouts to show their duty to God, an integral part of the Scout Oath/Promise, and allowed worshipers to honor Scouts and Scout leaders in the community for their achievements and service. In addition, Scouts who had earned their religious awards were recognized, and all who attended received a special patch to commemorate the occasion. This was all done as part of the standard Jewish Friday Night Service.
Yours in Scouting, Barry Hantman
It is a tribute to the human condition that we have the capacity to hold two opposing feelings at the same time and recognize both as reality. As I write this, we, as a community, are engulfed in the sadness of fi ve deaths within a very short span of time. At the same time, we are plan-ning hamantaschen baking for the fun celebration of Purim, anticipating an inspiring musical program, over-seeing the repair of Torah scrolls, and off ering numer-ous educational programs geared to enhance our knowl-edge of Jewish rituals. We are all being “fed” in so many diff erent ways. I am also impressed with the outpouring of a sense of community; all of this activity has neces-sitated people to step up to the plate. Shiva visits, shiva minyanim services, cooking/baking for all of the Shabbat lunches and programs—the list of ways that members pitch in seems endless. The Chesed Committee has been busier than usual, as we delivered bereavement educational folders and pack-ages containing some of the makings of a fi rst Shabbat after a death (a challah, a bottle of wine, candles, and a prayer sheet). Chesed Committee members have been available to help by being at the family home to set up a meal in anticipation of the family’s return from the funeral, or to just be a presence in an empty home. This has been one of our primary missions since our beginning ten years ago—to support families around the time of a death. But it is not just Chesed’s mission; it is the mission of us all, as part of a Jewish community, to support each other, even if you don’t know the deceased. Grieving families appreciate and need the presence of a minyan. At the same time, hamantaschen baking and delivery to those who are homebound, as well as to college students and military members, is also an appreciated gift. If you are interested in participating on the committee or in just one of our functions, please get in touch with me. All are welcome, no matter your age. We only require your enthusiasm and commitment.
Sharyn Russell, Chair
ChesedNoah Aronson & His BandSunday, March 17, 4:00 pmTemple Emanuel Newton (Ward Street): Benefi t concert for the Beyond Bond and Legal Defense Fund in Newton.
Highly acclaimed Jewish composer and performer Noah Aronson and his band will perform. The bond fund helps our immigrant neighbors in ICE detention obtain and pay bond so they can reunite with their families. The concert is presented by the Immigration Justice Group at Temple Beth Elohim-Wellesley, with support from area congrega-tions working for immigrant justice. For more information and to purchase tickets, please email Michael Gilman at [email protected]
Ellen Allard in Concert: Building Community Through Music
The volunteers who cooked for Mitch's Place were Judy Kroner and Amy Sherr
Cooking for Mitch’s Place is a wonderful mitzvah that you and your family can do together. Serving at Community Meals, sponsored by Temple Emanu-El, is a wonderful way to give back to your community. Please consider participating in one of these mitzvahs and contact me if you are interested.
9:30–11:30 amAs we consider what’s most important to us when
lives conclude, we reckon with our own mortality, what we want to pass on to our loved ones, and the Jewish customs and community institutions that are here to support us. Join Cantor Vera and Rav Mona for a Jewish perspective on end-of-life issues. We’ll talk about prayers and actions Jews make at the end of life, funeral customs, and Jewish mourning practices. We’ll also talk about the importance of having those hard conversa-tions with our loved ones about our own desires and needs at the end of life, and practice how to get the conversation started. This session is cosponsored by the Chesed Committee and will continue the discussion our community began in December on Being Mortal (Atul Gawande) with Mary Crowley of Care Dimensions.
High School Creative Service&
Faculty Appreciation ShabbatYou are cordially invited to attend our High School Creative Service on
Friday evening, March 15, at 7:00 pm.Our teenagers will lead the service and their own creative writings
will be interspersed throughout.This is also Faculty Appreciation Shabbat. Please come and show your support for the hardworking
faculty who create those enriching and exciting experiences that enhance your children’s Jewish education.
Highlights from the MLK Jr. Service
A special yashar kokh’khem, congratulations and deep appreciation, to all who made our Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbat such an inspiring and joyful service: • The clergy and community leaders who co-offi ciated: Fr. John Delaney, Fr. Vart Gyozalyan, Head of Bradford
Christian Academy Victoria Kennedy, Fr. Michael Shirley, and of course Rav Mona • Rev. Kenneth Young, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Music Minister Joe DeVoe, and Calvary’s Sanctuary
Choir • BCA’s choir, director Gina McKeown, Director of Performing Arts Matt Perusse, and principal Loren Stevens • Our own Temple Emanu-El Makheila (and friends!): Teresa Brugman, Penny Faigen, Rachel Hanson, Jay
Harris, Sandra Kassin-Deardorff , Ben Lang, Phil Platcow, Yael Seligman, Tirzah Shalek, and Sue Shwom; David Fisher, who both played guitar and recorded the concert
We were truly blessed by your contributions and by the evening of celebration and refl ection—may we take the Rev. Dr. King’s example forward into our own pursuit of social justice as a community, and may we fi nd even more ways to collaborate throughout the year with our friends and neighbors on such projects.
Cantor Vera
Last free class held on
Sunday, March 3, 10:30 amMichelle Goldstein,
certifi ed Zumba instructor
Calling all Hamantaschen Bakers!
Would you like to perform a mitzvah? Can you spare a few hours on
Sunday, March 17 • 9:00 amto help make and bake hamantaschen?
If you do not see your name on the list of Birthday Simchas, then we do not have your date in the system. Call or email the offi ce to update our records: 978.373.3861 or [email protected]
BooknotesThe 2018–19 Author Series concluded in January as bestselling novelist Jenna Blum joined us to discuss her most recent book, The Lost Family. Jenna’s presenta-tion was both humorous and inspirational, and I’m happy to share that Jenna will be joining us via web chat on Sunday, March 3, at 10:00 am, as the book group meets to talk about her fi rst novel, Those Who Save Us, which tells the story of a young woman of German descent as she tries to learn about her mother’s life during World War II. Please join us for what’s sure to be a wonder-ful morning! In order to help us plan, please let Nancy (978.373.3861 or [email protected]) know if you will be attending.Recent acquisitions in HaSifriyah include:
Antisemitism: Here and Now, by Deborah LipstadtThe Cloister, by James CarrollOne Night Markovich, by Ayelet Gundar-GoshenPennies for Heaven, by Daniel Judson
We look forward to seeing you in HaSifriyah!Paula Breger, Librarian
Temple Emanu-El
BOOK CLUBSunday, March 3, 2019
10:00 am discussing Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
Please call the Temple offi ce at
978.373.3861 to RSVP
however drop-ins are always welcome!
Membership Directory We receive many calls from congregants asking for other members’ contact information. Privacy laws preclude us from disclosing this information with-out consent. The Board of Directors would like to create a membership directory, and your approval to disseminate your personal information is need-ed.Please email [email protected] with your approval to add your name, phone number, and email address to the membership directory. Only those who agree to be included will be listed.The membership directory will be emailed to those included when complete.Thank you.
Nancy LaFleur &The Board of Directors
Doug Wiggins Jr. and Kaelee Miller for their dona-tions toward having the Torahs checked profession-allySonny and Diane Forman for their donations toward having the Torahs checked professionallyLeona Paul for her donation to have the Torahs checked professionally, in loving memory of her beloved husband, Baynard Paul
Todah Rabah (Thank You)!
TEST YOUR GENERAL TRIVIA KNOWLEDGE! AND
Learn about the spirit that can only be made in Mexico
SIP A LITTLE, MAKE SOME GUESSES, LAUGH A LOT!
APPETIZERS & DESSERTS FABULOUS PRIZES ~ RAFFLES ~ CASH BAR
FOR FURTHER INFO CALL:
(978) 688-0466
COME ALONE OR BRING A FRIEND -
MAKE A TEAM WITH A
TABLE OF TEN!
TO REGISTER VISIT
WWW.MVJF.ORG
$30 PER PERSON
OLD TOWN HALL 20 Main Street (rte. 28) ANDOVER, MA
Introduction to Jewish GenealogyMonday, March 18, 6:30–8:00 pm
Haverhill Public Library, 99 Main St., Haverhill, MALearn how to fi nd your ancestors and tell their stories. Discover the latest methods and resources to research your family history. Led by Jessie Klein, co-president of the Jewish Genea-logical Society of Greater Boston.Registration Required at: https://tinyurl.com/yc3ymomd
ISABELLE R. & BURTON J. ALTER FUNDBetsy Kehoe, in loving memory of her mother, Isabelle R. Alter,
on her yahrzeit
BRODY FAMILY FUNDPearl Shyavitz, in loving memory her grandmother Sophie
Brody on her yahrzeit
CANTOR MUSIC FUNDGerda Kalman, in honor of Cantor Vera, on her outstanding job
teaching trope class
MAURICE & FLORENCE CASTEN FUNDBarbara Casten, in loving memory her mother, Anne Sohcot,
on her yahrzeit
CLERGY DISCRETIONARY FUNDBeverly Sidel, in loving memory of her mother-in-law, Florence
Sidel, on her yahrzeit
BILL & NELLIE COHEN FUNDBarbara Rozman, in loving memory of her father, William
Cohen, on his yahrzeit
DAVID & LENA FISHBEIN FUNDSandra Channen, in loving memory of her mother, Lena
Fishbein, on her yahrzeitLoren & Michelle Goldstein, wishing Sandy Channen a speedy
recovery and in loving memory of Arnold Fishbein, brother of member Sandy Channen
Ethel Goralnick, in loving memory of Arnold Fishbein, brother of member Sandy Channen
Michael & Amy Sherr, in loving memory of Arnold Fishbein, brother of member Sandy Channen
MAX & CLAIRE GREENSTEIN FUNDJoyce Cohen, in loving memory of her grandfather Morris
Greenstein on his yahrzeit
HARRY & EVA HIRSHBERG FUNDElaine Hirshberg, in loving memory of her brother Alvan
Hirshberg on his yahrzeit
JEWISH CONTINUITY FUNDMerrill Mezikofsky, in loving memory of his mother, Ruth
Mezikofsky, on her yahrzeitMichael & Amy Sherr, in loving memory of Ricky Hershon, in
honor of Michael & Ann Jacobson on the marriage of their son Morgan to Jenna Cann, and in loving memory of Dr. Max Helman, father of member Brian Helman
Carole Taut, in loving memory of Alla FedusEthel Goralnick, in loving memory of Marilyn BerlinDr. Victor & Elinore Pinansky, in loving memory of Marilyn
BerlinKaren, Ilana, and Hannah Jacobs, in loving memory of Dr. Max
Helman, father of member Brian Helman
AIDA & ARNOLD KATZ FUNDDavid Katz, in loving memory of his father, Arnold Katz, on his
yahrzeit
ALMA & GEORGE KLINETSKY FAMILY FUNDAlma Klinetsky, in loving memory of her mother, Anna
B. Silverman, on her yahrzeit; in honor of Gerry & Pearl Shyavitz on the bar mitzvah of their grandson Bradley Kutchukian and on the b’not mitzvah of their granddaughters Londynn and Aurora Ostroff ; wishing Barbara Berg a happy and healthy New Year; in loving memory of her aunt Sarah (Shirley) Burstein on her yahrzeit; in loving memory of her uncle Nathan Burstein on his yahrzeit; and in honor of Dotty Tye on her 100th birthday
Elaine & Geoff rey Gross, wishing Barbara Berg a speedy and complete recovery
LITVACK HALPERN FAMILY FUNDRenée Halpern Graham, in loving memory of her uncle
Leonard Litvack on his yahrzeit
MANDELL FAMILY FUNDIn honor of Stuart Mandell on his special birthday: Meryl Mandell & Stephen Smulski David & Elly Mandy Robinson Bonnie & Herb Shuer Mel & Adele Ash Jenn, Derik, Jocelyne, and Jacqueline Lampron Janet Kopel Loren & Michelle Goldstein
BEN & MOLLIE MERSHON FUNDHerbert & Irma Mershon, in loving memory of his father, Ben
Mershon, on his yahrzeit and in loving memory of her brother Jerome (Joe) Lefkoff on his yahrzeit
EUNICE & KEVIN MILLER CONTINUITY FUNDEunice & Kevin Miller, in loving memory of her mother, Beatrice
Miller, on her yahrzeit and in loving memory of his father, Jonah Miller, on his yahrzeit
JENNIE & PHILIP MYSEL MINYAN FUNDRoberta Speranzo, in loving memory of her father, Philip
Mysel, on his yahrzeit
ABRAHAM & ESTHER ROSEN FUNDShirley Holber, in loving memory of her sister Gertrude Shapiro
on her yahrzeit and in loving memory of Leila BrusmanLynne Buchhalter, and in loving memory of her mother and
father, Gertrude & Norman Shapiro, on their yahrzeit
KENNETH SALK MEMORIAL FUNDThelma Salk & family, in loving memory of her husband,
Kenneth Salk, on his yahrzeit
MOSES SHYAVITZ FUNDPearl Shyavitz, in loving memory of her grandfather Nathan
Gerber on his yahrzeit and in loving memory of her sister Faith Edelstein on her yahrzeit
TORAH FUNDCarole Taut, in loving memory of Dale Ryan and in loving
memory of Cynthia Jackson
Donations“He who donates much to charity becomes the richer because of it...” Zohar, iii,110b
ADELINE B. WATNICK RELIGIOUS SCHOOL CHILDREN’S FUNDIn loving memory of Paul Levasseur: Mitch &Trudy Zakin & family Kim & Michael Callan & family Cheryl Hill Norton & Karen Newborn Janet Kopel Karen, Ilana, and Hannah Jacobs Patricia Herman Ellen Sternquist Tammy Kallman Nancy & Mike LaFleur Jackie Berman Jenn, Derik, Jocelyne, and Jacqueline Lampron Robert & Barbara Berman Robin & Buddy Zaremba & family
ISADORE & ROSE WISE FUNDWilliam Wise, in loving memory of his mother, Arlene Wise, on
his yahrzeit
YAHRZEIT FUNDMyer Goldberg, in loving memory of her father, Samuel
Goldberg, on his yahrzeitDorothy Baker, in loving memory of her father-in-law, Maxwell
Baker, on his yahrzeitBarry Hantman, in loving memory of his father, Leonard
Hantman, on his yahrzeitIrwin Rosenston, in loving memory of his mother and father,
Diane & Morris Rosenston, on their yahrzeitMary Haverback, in loving memory of her sister-in-law Rose
Haverback on her yahrzeitLinda Karelis, in loving memory of her father and mother,
Melvin & Roslyn Sherman, on their yahrzeitRoberta Glazer, in loving memory of her father, Hyman J.
Gretsky, on his yahrzeitElaine Lenotte, in loving memory of her mother, Fay Isaacson,
on her yahrzeitJoel Kobey, in loving memory of his mother, Ruth Kobey
Liederman, on her yahrzeitFred Feldman, in loving memory of his brother Irving Feldman
on his yahrzeit and in loving memory of his father, Mendel Feldman, on his yahrzeit
Jerold Zelinsky, in loving memory of his father, Allen Joseph Zelinsky, on his yahrzeit
Mr. & Mrs. Martin B. Epstein, in loving memory of his mother, Elsie Epstein, on her yahrzeit
Ann Jacobson, in loving memory of her father, Arthur Levy, on his yahrzeit
Warren Branzburg, in loving memory of his mother, Beverly Branzburg, on her yahrzeit
Brian Gordon, in loving memory of his father, David Gordon, on his yahrzeit and in loving memory of his grandfather Rueben Hall on his yahrzeit
Daniel Gordon, in loving memory of his father, Lowell M. Gordon, on his yahrzeit
Harold Edelstein, in loving memory of his wife, Faith Edelstein, on her yahrzeit
Margery Phillips, in loving memory of her husband, Herbert Phillips, on his yahrzeit
Amy Flynn, Ann Glagovsky, and David Glagovsky, in loving memory of their father and mother, Maurice & Bernice T. Glagovsky, on their yahrzeit
Linda Levine, in loving memory of her father, Louis Mencis, on his yahrzeit
Michael Kule, in loving memory of his father, Jack Kule, on his yahrzeit
June Goldberg Kann, in loving memory of her mother, Sara Goldberg, on her yahrzeit
Joel Hervitz, in loving memory of his uncle Norman Gerson on his yahrzeit, in loving memory of his grandfather Charles Gerson on his yahrzeit, and in loving memory of his aunt Bessie Gerson on her yahrzeit
Neal Gordon, in loving memory of his father, Lowell M. Gordon, on his yahrzeit
Marilyn Winer, in loving memory of her mother, Freida Miller Solomon, on her yahrzeit
Thelma Grant Caparell, in loving memory of her father-in-law, Paul Herman, on his yahrzeit
Patricia Herman, in loving memory of her father-in-law, Paul Herman, on his yahrzeit
Nancy Goldberg Hus, in loving memory of her mother, Sara Goldberg, on her yahrzeit
Adele Ash, in loving memory of her mother, Shirley Leavitt Bauling, on her yahrzeit
Richard Rosengard, in loving memory of his mother, Esther B. Rosengard, on her yahrzeit
Ronald Weiss, in loving memory of his aunt Beatrice B. Alper on her yahrzeit
Sandi & Stephen Lundquist, in loving memory of her grandmother Anna Baker on her yahrzeit
Frances Tartacower, in loving memory of Dr. Max Helman, father of member Brian Helman
Richard Gorevitz, in loving memory of his father, Arnold Gorevitz, on his yahrzeit
Barbara Cohen, in loving memory of her husband, Nelson Cohen, on his yahrzeit
Arthur Gordon, in loving memory of his father, Lowell M. Gordon, on his yahrzeit
Howard Hantman, in loving memory of his father, Leonard Hantman, on his yahrzeit
Sylvia Kupferman, in loving memory of her grandmother Fannie Snyder on her yahrzeit
Madeline Blake, in loving memory of her father, Alan Blake, on her yahrzeit
Rhonda Spencer, in loving memory of her grandfather Morris Edelstein on his yahrzeit
Gary Beden, in loving memory of his grandfather Morris Edelstein on his yahrzeit
Alice Merkrebs, in loving memory of her mother, Lucy Merkrebs, on her yahrzeit
Dorothy Baker, in loving memory of her mother-in-law, Anna Baker, on her yahrzeit
Nancy Cohen, in loving memory of her father, Nelson Cohen, on his yahrzeit
Mila Matveyuk, in loving memory of her mother, Katherine Levitsky, on her yahrzeit
Martin Glick, in loving memory of his mother, Dora Glick, on her yahrzeit
Michael Siegal, in loving memory of his father, Louis L. Siegel, on his yahrzeit
Remembering Those at Yahrzeit
March 1 & 225th of Adar IIda Traister AdlerRuth AlperinAbraham AlpertRose BarrEsther BermanAbram Jack BlumsackMorris Burakoff Gertrude CastenAnne CohenHannah Davidoff Anna FinburyBarney FisherJulia GarbelnickBessie GersonHarry GossulHyman J. GretskyRuth GrossRueben HallSarah HershmanBetty KrulfeldAnnie KurlandSeth LampertHerman LaskeyShirley Leavitt BaulingLeon LewisCelia LiftmanLillian M. MaistroskyElaine MandellLeona MarcusArthur MillerReah NeimanMelvin Samuel OrnsteenLena Podwarsky
Esther A. RomeEsther B. RosengardBetty RussellJacob ShinbergRay ShliveckDeborah Shuff erSamuel SilverwatchRebeccah TraisterMax TriedmanNathan TumanA. Raymond Tye
Temple CommitteesAdult Ed Karen NewbornBudget Judd NathanChesed Sharyn RussellCommunications Paula BregerDues Kevin MillerFundraising In Need of ChairHaSifriyah (Library) Paula BregerHouse Eva ValentineInvestment Judd NathanMembership Outreach Jennifer LampronPTO Lisa DesbergReligious Practices Fred FeldmanReligious School Andi HannulaRenovations Kevin MillerSecurity In Need of ChairSocial Scott HanulaSocial Action David BelskyTrusts/Wills/Bequests Larry CowanWindows to the Future Larry CowanYouth Laura Flieder Rona Gofstein
Temple Emanu-ElHaverhill, MATemple Emanu-El is a dynamic Reform congregation with a traditional, yet crea-tive orientation serving a community of diverse needs and backgrounds. Since 1937, members of the Jewish community of Greater Haverhill and southern New Hampshire have joined together to express our Jewish identities through worship, education, social action, friendship, and socializing. As a congregation, we foster a deep commitment to a Jewish way of life and to the future of our community.
From the celebration of new life to the reci-tation of Kaddish, Temple Emanu-El is your spiritual family for honoring life cycle events as well as the Jewish holy days. Cantor Vera Broekhuysen, Rabbinic Intern Mona Strick, our members, and our staff assist in
the preparation and celebration of b’nei mitzvah, confi rmation, weddings, b’rit milah, and baby namings, and provide support in times of need. During the year, you will enjoy participating in our ritual services, including weekly Shabbat services, as well as annual observances of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, Purim, and other events which honor and celebrate the history of our people. We also have special community interfaith services commemorating Yom HaShoah and the life of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. that bring us together to strengthen our ties with the community outside our Temple.
the preparation and celebration of b’nei mitzvah, confi rmation, weddings, b’rit milah, and baby namings, and provide support the preparation and celebration of b’nei mitzvah, confi rmation, weddings, b’rit milah, and baby namings, and provide support
