May, 2020 Iyar/Sivan 5780 Volume 77, Issue 9
Shofar
Temple Beth El
“Where Judaism Lives”
Friday, May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
6:30 PM—Social Half-Hour 7:00 PM—Shabbat Worship Service via Zoom
Meet
Rabbi Jonathan Klein
2
“Today is 14 days, which is two weeks, of Counting the Omer.” I am literally “counting the days:” Not only of our quarantine, not only of our spiritual journey from Pass-over to Shavuot (see www.rabbijonathanklein.com under “Teachings” to learn more about the tradition of Counting of the Omer; incidentally, Kathleen Chambers and I have discussed a Zoom text study on this for the Sisterhood), but also for me to become your Rabbi.
On May 1st, a Friday, I will begin my first two months of service to you. I am so excited! These next two months, likely entirely in quarantine, will offer me opportunities for conversation, explo-ration, and celebration of Judaism with each and every one of you. I want to get to know you! I am ready to call, text, Zoom, Skype, or whatever else I can do to build my one to one relationship with each and every one of you, whether I have already seen your lovely face on our Zoom Shabbat ser-vices or whether you are an infrequent participant in synagogue life, whether you are in Hagan or in an a senior living community. I am here for you and look forward to helping you discover how Judaism can be meaningful in your life. In the meantime, until the quarantine ends, I hope to establish events on Zoom for congregants, start-ing the week of May 4th:
Wednesday Weekly Torah study: Which is better, Wednesday 10am, 4pm, or 7pm? Let me know which hour you prefer, and possible additional topics besides the weekly Torah portion, by emailing me at [email protected], subject: “Wednesday Torah Study.”
Tuesday 5pm Happy Hour: Nothing religious, just a l’chayim J. Non-Alcoholic options al-ways welcome and encouraged as well.
And of course Shabbat Services: A special Todah Rabbah (thank you) to Irvin Pike, who has valiantly led us through a period of time without the gifts of Rabbi Rosenstein or other rabbinic leadership.
I know how important it will be for me to learn Bakersfield, gain familiarity with its formal and informal landmarks, become acquainted with its leadership (I already know one minister in town), and learn ways to celebrate life beyond Temple Beth El. I would love your help to become acclimated to Bakers-field life. I plan to stay overnight quite frequently and hope to have breakfasts with folks, once “The Count” is complete and we can resume a life of normalcy. Until then, let’s get on one another’s calen-dars! Finally, some of you may know this: “On three things, Al Shlosha D’varim Ha-Olam Omeid, The world stands on three things: Torah, Worship, and Acts of lovingkindness.” I look forward to the opportunity to learn Torah with you and your children, observe Shabbat with you, and support those in need of love and kindness with you, so that together we can ensure a meaningful Jewish world full of vibrancy, and celebration for all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the board and to all those who have been so kind and sup-portive of me along the way! Bivrachah, With Abundant Blessing, Rabbi Jonathan Klein p.s. If you need me, please email me at the address above so I can share my cellphone with you. I am
here for you!
Rabbi Jonathan Klein: Here To Serve Your Jewish Needs
3
Own Your Piece of Real Estate for
Eternity
Temple Beth El maintains its own dedicated
section at Greenlawn Memorial Park on River
Blvd. New plot price is $2,795. Plan ahead
and buy yours today. Contact Barry Goldner
for details and purchasing at (661)301-9000.
Temple Beth El Special Funds Tree of Life, Memorials, Prayer Book Plates,
Rabbi’s Discretionary, Vision Committee,
Caring Committee, Shirley Lipco Social
Justice Fund, Building (Torah Learning
Center), Camperships, Library, Paul Bregor
Music Endowment, Kol Nidre (High Holy
Days).
p.p.s. You may have questions about my work to date, my experiences, my family, my background. To ensure that all your questions are answered, I have scheduled “Question and Answers by Zoom with Rabbi Klein” for the following times:
1. Monday, May 11th 7pm 2. Tuesday, May 12th 10am 3. Wednesday, May 20th 7:30pm 4. Thursday, May 21st 5pm
To ensure a meaningful conversation, I am scheduling up to ten or so people per session; please email me at [email protected] to reserve your spot!
4
President Schechter’s Perspectives
Dear Chevrei, I’ve been asked, “When are we going to be back to normal?” My answer to this question is, we will have to get used to the new normal. We will wait and see what the future will be. Yasher Koach to Irvin Pike for setting up the Friday Night Virtual Services through Zoom and the Seder for Pesach! He was either in the Temple in front of the Ark or at his home. Continuity is important during these hard times when we can’t personally meet. Yasher Koach to all the Congregants that have participated in the services. It was wonderful to see so many Congregants. We had forty-nine (49) at one of the services! We invited a special guest, Rabbi Jonathan Klein from Los Angeles. He is one of our prospective Rabbis the Rabbi Search Committee has interviewed. Speaking about our Rabbi Search Committee, Andy Abrams submitted a proposal to the Board to hire Rabbi Klein as a full time Rabbi for Temple Beth El. After much discussion, it was decided that we are offering Rabbi Klein an Interim position for the months of May and June. During these months, the Rabbi will conduct the virtual services until such time as we will be able to meet in person. In this position he will also have all the rights and responsibilities as a full time Rabbi. He will make efforts to contact the Congregation to meet with them prior to our Congregational Meeting. Please take those opportunities to meet with Rabbi Klein. Our Congregational Meeting is scheduled to be held Sunday, June 14th at 1:00 pm. At this meeting we will be able to confirm the new Board, approve a budget and approve the Rabbi. We are hoping to have a meeting in the Temple but we will set up a virtual meeting through Zoom if needed. Absentee Ballots will be sent out to all Congregants so instead of appearing in person or virtually, your voice can be heard with the Ballots. Instructions to follow. Prior to Adison Gartenlaub’s Bat Mitzvah, she taught us this poem that we sang as the Torah was making its way around the Temple. I thought I would share it now:
Don’t walk in front of me I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me I may not lead.
Just walk beside me And be my friend.
And together we will walk In the ways of HaShem.
"More than the Jewish people have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jewish people!” Thank you again to all the Congregants of Temple Beth El for all you do to keep Us thriving with excellence! Temple Beth El where Judaism lives! Shalom, Ilene Schechter
5
1 Tom Feher
3 Haya Klein
4 Miriam Beam
4 Max Mahan
5 Les Rogers
5 Betty Siegel
8 Edith Rudnick
10 Barry Goldner
15 Glenn Singer
18 Patricia Bell
19 Alrich Aggenbach 14th
19 Philip Brandon
19 Jacob Escobedo
19 Liz Sherwyn
20 Ellyn Widelock
16 Christopher Jacobson &
Jasmin LoBasso-Spencer 5th
25 Lyle & Marianne Gartenlaub 28th
30 Steven & Gail Magnus 44th
Returning
Soon
Mondays
11:30 A.M.
For Info Contact:
Ilene Schechter @ (661) 332-1212
6
March 2020 Yahrzeits
5/01 Shabbat Worship Service
Ruben Kay, father of Selwyn Kay 5/01
Samuel Schacter, father of Sharon Miller 5/01-Iyar 7
Neil Martin Cohen, cousin of Nancy Brennan 5/02
Leola Lee Gross, remembered by TBE 5/02
Ozias Leib Gross, remembered by TBE 5/02
Alia Linder, remembered by TBE 5/02
Rachel Linder, remembered by TBE 5/02
Jacob Ben Robbins, remembered by TBE 5/03
Charles Schwartz, grandfather of Diane Andrews 5/03
Viola Curley, mother of Ronda Valdez z”l 5/04
Emerick Kessler, father of Martin Kessler 5/04-Iyar 10
Vince Sisti, friend of Mike Miller 5/04
Gussie Simrin, mother of Stan Simrin z”l; grandmother of Susie Simrin 5/05
Leonard H. Smith, father of Robert Smith 5/05-Iyar 11
Anastacio Gonzalez, father of Rose Broida; grandfather of Michael Broida 5/06
Bertha Popel, mother of Sonia Simrin; grandmother of Susie Simrin & Marty Weinberg 5/06
Barbara Arnold, mother of Kathleen Arnold-Chambers 5/07
Kathleen Harriman, mother of Lenore Harriman 5/07
Renee Adosa Rosenstein, mother of Neil Rosenstein; grandmother of Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein
5/07-Iyar 13
5/08 Family Pot Luck Shabbat
Edna Dulcer, grandmother of Janet Newbrough 5/09
Hilda Kirschner, remembered by Irvin Pike & Pamela Elisheva 5/10
Kathryn Davis, remembered by Pearl Davis 5/11
Irving Diamond, brother of Jess Diamond z”l 5/11
Alice Feldman, mother of Michael Feldman 5/11-Iyar 17
Abraham D. Klein, remembered by TBE 5/11
James W. Prince, father of Tim Prince 5/11
Irving Schwartz, brother of Brenda Neal 5/11-Iyar 11
Bertha Klein, mother of Ralph Klein 5/12-Iyar 18
Sophie Schwartz, mother of Brenda Neal 5/12-Iyar 18
Marilyn Singer Matty, mother of Glenn Singer 5/12
William Davis, father of Carla Epstein 5/13
Melvin Goldy, father of Lynne Joseph 5/12
Elaine Goodman, mother of Marsha Greenstein 5/13
7
5/15 Chardonnay Shabbat Service
Susan Widelock, aunt of Marc Widelock; great-aunt of Jenna Odlin 5/15
Morris Birnbaum, grandfather of Milton Younger z”l; great-grandfather of Susan Cohn 5/16
Jack Bloch, husband of Gretchen Bloch 5/17
Lois Fertig, friend of Pamela Eslisheva 5/17
Helen Frances Schacter, mother of Sharon Miller 5/17-Iyar 23
Irwin Weinberg, father of Michael Weinberg 5/17
Esther Bokal, mother of Judith Potter 5/18
Arthur Edelhart, father of Courtenay Edelhart 5/18
Stan Popel, brother of Sonia Simrin z”l; father of Marty Weinberg; grandfather of Adam Rodriquez; uncle of Susie Simrin
5/20
Eleanor Strauss, aunt of Judy Strauss 5/21-Iyar 27
5/22 Shabbat Worship Service
Max Azgour, husband of Rosemarie Azgour z”l 5/22
Mark Horn, friend of Shyanne Southern 5/22
David J. L. Luck, M.D., brother of Merriem Palitz 5/23
Irving Jenkins, father of Terry Skinner 5/24
Roberta Shaw, mother of Karen Briefer-Gose 5/24
Darlene Birks, sister of Alexander Potter z”l 5/25
Elynor Rudnick Falk, sister of Marcus z”l, Milton z”l & Phil Rudnick & Miriam Stull; aunt of Daniel & Joshua Rudnick & Libbie Mahan
5/25
Jean Bishop, mother of Linda Hakimi 5/26
Isaac Kent Cohn, grandfather of Susan Cohn 5/26
Orrin Nystrom, remembered by TBE 5/26
Violet Peterson, mother of Ann Peterson-Saslaw 5/26
Harice Seeds, mother of David Neumeister 5/26
Samuel Neff, step-father of Alexander Potter z”l 5/27
Natalie June Dyer, grandmother of Connie Wellman z”l 5/28
Michael Joseph McGraw, father of Colleen Soltis-McGraw 5/28
Sonia Vayner, sisgter of Etel Lewis 5/28
5/29 Shabbat Worship Service
Sarah Kohn, grandmother of Muriel Vekas z”l & Arline Pike z”l; great-grandmother of Irvin Pike
5/29
Louis Blumer, father of Vivian Gonzales 5/30
Samuel Farber, father of Michael Farber 5/30
Jenny Feinstein, grandmother of Irene Christenson 5/30
Wilmur Gross, father of Hillary Neumeister 5/30
Jay Weiss, brother-in-law of Neil & Lynne Rosenstein; uncle of Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein 5/30
Francis Wheeler, aunt of Andy Andrews 5/40
Theodore Berman, friend of Neil & Lynne Rosenstein 5/31
8
Contributions (1/17-2/18)
Kol Nidre
Richard & Liora Malicdem
Memorials/Yahrzeit
Brent Eastep Ronald & Laura Lauria In memory of Diane Carrete, Alvin Polland & Ethel Gintzler Les & Diane Rogers
In memory of Anne & Louis Caplan Peggie & Colleen Soltis-McGraw In memory of Bruce Pagni, Sharon Madson, Kenneth Carraway,
Christy Trunec, Mark Burgess, Bradley Dillon; Edwarad Dyer
RS Donation
Timothy Fromm
Jewish tradition prescribes that a
meal be provided for the family
following the burial of a family
member. To that end the Caring
Committee of Temple Beth El is
prepared to provide a Meal of
Condolence for temple families who
experience the loss of a loved one.
Please consider making a donation
in memory of your loved one to the
Caring Committee so that we may
continue to provide this Mitzvah to
others!
Thank you
In honor or in memory… the perfect remembrance…
Bookplates in our prayer books are available for only $18 each. To order,
send your check payable to Temple Beth El and include the wording of your
choice and the manner in which you want your name to appear. On the en-
velope, please write “attn.: bookplates”.
Questions? Call the TBE office:
(661) 322-7607
5/29 Shabbat Worship Service (cont’d)
Dorothy Bokal, step-mother of Judith Potter 5/31
Michael Krute, cousin of Jackie Rudnick z”l 5/31
Sadye Axler Soren, grandmother of Sharon Miller 6/02-Sivan 10
Rose Gousman, cousin of Mary Speare 6/02
Marco Rosa, brother of Indian Schenkman 6/02
Edith Borisoff, aunt of Michael Greenberg 6/03
Tova Dershowitz, grandmother of Eytan Wallact 6/03
Rigel Locke, remembered by Irvin Pike 6/04
9
May, 2020 Iyar/Sivan 5780
1 6:30 PM
Social Time 7:00 PM Shabbat Worship via Zoom
2
3 9:30 AM Religious School
via Zoom
4 5 6 7 8 6:30 PM
Social Time 7:00 PM Shabbat Worship via Zoom
9
10 9:30 AM Religious School
via Zoom
11
12 7:00 PM Board
Meeting
13 14 15 6:30 PM
Social Time 7:00 PM Shabbat Worship via Zoom
16
17 9:30 AM Religious School
via Zoom
18 19 20 21 22 6:30 PM
Social Time 7:00 PM Shabbat Worship via Zoom
23
24 9:30 AM Religious School
via Zoom
25 26 27 28 29 6:30 PM
Social Time 7:00 PM Shabbat Worship via Zoom
30
31 9:30 AM Religious School
via Zoom
Temple Beth El
Provides a sanctuary for your sacred prayers, a social hall for special celebrations, a library to study our
heritage, a school to teach our eternal values and ways to remember ones who are no longer with us.
One of the traditional ways we honor those who helped shape our lives is by placing a made-to-order
bronze Memorial Plaque which will be added to the walls of the Temple foyer.
For more info, contact Andy Abrams at :
(661) 589-3778 or email him at [email protected]
10
11
E-mail your Shofar submission to the Temple at [email protected]
Deadline for the April Shofar is March 15, 2020
Our monthly Shofar is published by:
TEMPLE BETH EL 2906 Loma Linda Drive Bakersfield, CA 93305 Tel: (661) 322-7607 Fax: (661) 322-7807 Website: www.templebethelbakersfield.org
President Ilene Schechter Vice President Joshua Rudnick Parliamentarian Elliott Magnus Corresponding Secretary Tim Fromm Recording Secretary Esther Brandon Financial Secretary Irvin Pike Treasurer Andy Abrams Administrator Lorrie Larribas
