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FROM OUR RABBI:
The newsletter of Beth El Synagogue
Durham’s first synagogue
December 2013 Kislev / Tevet 5774
Reflections on The God Who Hates Lies
by Rabbi David Hartman (z”l)
December 2013 / Tevet 5774
Earlier this year, the Jewish people lost a great sage, Rabbi
and Professor David Hartman ( ל"ז ). When he died, I decided to read
Hartman’s final book, The God Who Hates Lies: Confronting &
Rethinking Jewish Tradition, written with Charlie Buckholtz.
I read this book in part to honor Hartman’s legacy of Jewish
learning, but in part because his last book was different. By the
end of his life, Hartman had already made his contributions to
public discourse – though I finished his book yearning that some-
how time could reverse itself and he could be made Israel’s Chief
Rabbi 30 years ago. The questions that remained were not matters
for an analysis of Maimonides or a work of political philosophy
(he had already written those books); his last book was personal.
How do I justify maintaining a commit-
ment to the Jewish religious tradition in
the places where it demands I violate what I
intuitively feel and know? What place, if any,
does my personal, subjective intuition have in a
halakhic system – not just abstractly, but for
someone who wants to live, day to day, within
that system…This book is an attempt to flesh out
some aspects of what covenantal theology might
look like applied to questions of inner religious
conflict…What does it mean for the individual
who stands committed to that tradition [halakha /
Jewish law], yet at the same time knows what he
or she knows, and cannot manage to be other
than who he or she is? (pg 9)
Hartman grew up in Lakewood Yeshiva, the flagship institu-
tion of Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox learning in America. He left
because of its intellectual insularity. Early in the book he tells the
story of how he was once reading the Hertz Torah commentary (the
very same one we have here at Beth El), when “an older yeshiva
boy came by, took note of the author, grabbed the book out of my
hand, and threw it on the floor. ‘Treyfus!’ he declared, using the
Yiddish word for ‘nonkosher.’” From Lakewood, Hartman went
to study at Yeshiva University with the great Orthodox sage,
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, in whom Hartman realized the
promise of YU’s motto, Torah u-Mada (literally “Torah and
Secular Knowledge). “Renowned for his sophisticated, erudite
integration of halakhic thinking and Western philosophy,” Hartman
writes, “’the Rav’ became my teacher and mentor.”
Hartman’s affection for the yeshiva world in which he was
raised and for Soloveitchik, who nurtured his intellectual curiosity,
makes his departure from their approach later in life that much
more compelling. Hartman explains the crux of his disagreement
with Soloveitchik by reference to a debate that occurred between
Soloveitchik and Rabbi Emmanuel Rackman at the convention of
the (orthodox) Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) in 1975.
The debate was about how and whether orthodoxy should respond
to the problem of the aguna (literally “chained woman”), the
woman whose husband refuses to grant her a Jewish divorce, but
the argument was about something much deeper: whether Jewish
law can change. At the convention, Soloveitchik, Hartman’s
teacher, argued,
Not only the halakhos [laws], but also the
hazakos [assumptions] which the traditional sages
have introduced, are indestructible. For the
hazakos which the Rabbis spoke of rest not
on trenchant psychological patterns, but upon
permanent ontological principles rooted in the
very depth of the human personality – in the
metaphysical human personality – which is as
changeless as the heavens above.
In confronting a world over which we have no control –
whether that world is one in which the Jewish people are persecuted
by enemies who hate us or surrounded by “alien ideas” such as
(Continued on page 4)
Inside this issue:
Committee Contacts…………………………...….....2
Gabbaim Schedule…………………………………....2
Shabbat 25…………………………………….....…...3
Social Action……………………………………...…..5
House Committee News………………………...…..7
Sisterhood……………………………………….…….7
Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative………………………...9
Shabbat Meal Hosts/Sponsors…………….………..10
Meet our Bat Mitzvah …...…….………………..….11
Youth & Talmud Torah News…….………..…...11-13
October Contributions……...……...…....…….......14
Yahrzeit Reminders…………..……............…….…16
Letter from Valhalla………...………......…….........21
December & January Calendars……….…........23-24
Community Connections………………………..….25
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 2
The Beth El Bulletin is the newsletter of Beth El Congregation. We appreciate any feedback and input. Non-members may request to join our mailing list for a $25 yearly contribution to help cover printing & mailing costs. Bulletins are also archived online three months at a time. The online version has some contact information omitted for the privacy of our members.
Rabbi Rabbi Daniel Greyber President Barak Richman First Vice President Rachel Galanter Second Vice President Noah Pickus Interim Exec. Director Ivy Wingate Education & Youth Director Elisabeth Albert Cong. Services Coordinator Rachel Albert Publicity Assistant Krisha Miller Rabbi Emeritus Rabbi Steve Sager Bulletin Advertising Manager Gladys Siegel
YAHRZEITS: To arrange a yahrzeit minyan, please call
the synagogue office (919-682-1238) at least one month in advance. To receive notification of a yahrzeit or to list a yahrzeit in the bulletin, call the synagogue office (682-1238).
DO YOU HAVE AN ITEM FOR THE BETH EL BULLETIN? All items for the bulletin MUST be submitted by e-mail to Krisha Miller at [email protected]. The FINAL DEADLINE for items for the upcoming bulletin is the 1st workday of the preceding month. THANK YOU.
COMMITTEE CONTACTS:
Finance Maxine Stern
Lifelong Learning Sheva Zucker
Membership Andrea Ginsberg
Orthodox Kehillah Sheldon Hayer
Ritual Laura Lieber
Social Action Debbie Goldstein
Va’ad haChinuch Eric Lipp
Community of Caring Rhoda Silver
CHEVRA KADISHA (BURIAL SOCIETY) Contact David Klapper
Gabbai Rotation
Please contact if you'd like to
request an aliyah or help lead services.
Please do not call on Shabbat or other holidays.
12/07 Vayigash Jon Wahl
12/14 Vayehi James Tulsky
12/21 Shemot Roger Perilstein
12/28 Vaera Frank Fischer
1/04 Bo Sally Laliberte
The Gabbaim schedule through June 2014
will be available online by December 1.
www.betheldurham.org/rituallife/gabbirotation.html
Bulletin Deadline
January Bulletin:
Monday, December 2
Please submit items to
Do you have news to share with your
Beth El community?
Graduation? Award received?
Birth of a child or grandchild?
Send notices to [email protected]
and we’ll let everyone know by posting it in the bulletin.
“Like” Beth El Synagogue at www.facebook.com/BethEl.Durham
Join our discussion group at
www.facebook.com/groups/BethElDurham
and, check out Rabbi Greyber’s page: www.facebook.com/pages/
Rabbi-Daniel-Greyber/105866049455568
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FROM OUR PRESIDENT:
On the Pew Study, and On Our Path Ahead
The Jews of America had an eventful October! On
October 1, the Pew Research Center released A Portrait of
Jewish Americans, the most expansive demographic study of
the American Jewish Community in more than a generation.
See http://bit.ly/pew_study . Its main findings: 22% of American
Jews now describe themselves as having no religion, including
32% of young Americans; 62% say being Jewish is mainly a
matter of ancestry and culture, while just 15% say it is mainly
a matter of religion; and formal identification with traditional
Jewish institutions – schools, synagogues, anything – is down
everywhere.
And then, on October 11, the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism—the umbrella organization for the
Conservative Movement—celebrated its Centennial Convention.
The Centennial was described as a “reset button,” in which the
Movement’s leaders pledged to address dwindling numbers,
contracting budgets, and dampened dynamism worldwide. As
best as organizers could, the Centennial aimed to charge attendees
with a renewed sense of hope and mission.
I attended the Centennial, along with Rabbi Greyber and
several other congregants, and the Pew Study’s release just a
week earlier was ironic timing, to say the least. A colleague at
the convention likened the mood at the Centennial to a wedding
in which both the bride and groom just received diagnoses
of terminal illnesses. There was a sense of obligation to be
celebratory and forward looking despite the obvious signs of
death around us. Pride and mission competed with a sense of
urgency and crisis, and cognitive dissonance ultimately prevailed.
There has been much hand wringing in the Jewish
blogosphere, among Jewish thinkers, and especially within the
Conservative Movement as to what the Pew Study means. Is
secularism an inevitable consequence of religious pluralism? Has
the Conservative Movement failed us? Must we find new ways
to convey the appeal of Jewish religious practice?
All big questions. Without engaging fully with those issues,
I do think that, at the very least, we need to rethink our traditional
institutions—synagogues, schools, Federations—and look for
innovative mechanisms to facilitate Jewish engagement and
attract those who might find meaning in our tradition. Accord-
ingly, I’ve secured a grant from Duke’s Kenan Institute (headed
by our own Noah Pickus!) to organize a conference entitled,
“American Jewish Institutions and Organizational Innovation:
Using Theory to Inform Practice, Using Successes to Inform
Practitioners.” The conference will take place on January 23-24
and will feature Jewish leaders who are pioneering some of the
most innovative and successful initiatives in the American Jewish
community. You all are invited to attend, details soon to come.
In the meantime, please plan on attending our panel discussion
on Saturday, Dec. 7 as part of our Shabbat 25 celebration. See
right for details. →
This Conference is designed, chiefly, to address perhaps the
biggest question coming out of the Pew Study: What can we do to
reverse our fortunes? My hope is we can learn from some of our
community’s successes, build upon them, and conceive ways to
articulate our own reset button.
— Barak Richman
Shabbat 25 December 6-7
www.betheldurham.org/rituallife/index.html#s25
Dinner Guests - a chance for interfaith dialogue Friday, December 6*
We will host visitors from the Divan Center in Cary at our
Community Shabbat Dinner. The Divan Center, which was
founded in 2005 by the Turkish-American community of
North Carolina, seeks to promote interfaith understanding
between Muslims and other religious communities. This
event will provide our congregants with a unique opportunity
to engage in genuine interfaith dialogue.
Jewish Pew Study Panel Saturday, December 7 after kiddush lunch (approx. 1pm)
The recent survey of US Jews conducted by the Pew Research
Center shows a growing disconnect from Judaism and Jewish
institutions (see message from our President). Come learn more
about the results of this major new survey and ask questions of
our panel of experts. The panel will include our own Noah
Pickus, director of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke
University, Mark Chaves, professor of the sociology of religion
at Duke and Daniel Greyber, rabbi of Beth El Synagogue. Yonat
Shimron, Beth El member & managing editor for Religion News
Service, will moderate the panel.
Our Shabbat 25 programming gives the community a chance
to connect with Beth El throughout Shabbat. We begin with
Shabbat Shirah - a joyous Friday night service led by Rabbi
Greyber using the melodies of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach
plus a separate service for our youngest members & their
families. Both services begin at 6:00pm and are followed by
a community Shabbat dinner. Our celebration continues on
Saturday with Shabbat morning services, including Jr.
Congregation (designed for grades 2-6), followed by a kiddush
lunch. Shabbat 25 represents two important values: Welcoming
and Tradition. By creating many moments throughout Shabbat to
be with the community, we hope to welcome everyone giving as
many people as possible a chance to participate.
We will conclude our December Shabbat 25 celebration
with the study panel on Saturday afternoon. We encourage all
members to attend the Federation’s Campaign Kick-off that
evening, December 7 at 6:30pm honoring two outstanding
Beth El members. More on page 17.
*Reservations for the Community Shabbat Dinner are due
by 3pm, Tuesday, Dec. 3. Cost is $18 per person 13 and older /
$9 per child 7-12 / no charge for children under 7. Family maxi-
mum charge for dinner is $45. Please mail payment to Beth El
Synagogue with the dinner date & CSD noted in the memo line.
Any cancellations made after 12/3 will still need to be paid for in
full. Thank you for your understanding. Beth El is committed to
ensuring that everyone in our community can participate in all
programming, regardless of financial circumstances. If you would
like to help those in financial need attend dinner, please consider
a donation of $18 or more.
2014 Shabbat 25 dates:
Jan. 24-25 with special evening event following
March 7-8 & April 4-5
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 4
See noted page numbers for details on these
December events:
Fri. 12/6-Sat. 12/7 Shabbat 25 - page 3
Sat. 12/7 Monthly Parasha Discussion - page 6
Sat. 12/7 Pew Study Panel Discussion - page 3
Sun. 12/8 Simchat Tot- page 13
Sun. 12/8 Social Action Sunday - page 5
Wed. 12/11 Sisterhood sponsored Speaker’s Night - page 7
Sat. 12/14 Healing Yoga - page 6
Sun. 12/15 Knitting Chevra - page 5
Sun. 12/15 Pancake Palooza - page 11
Fri. 12/20-Sun. 12/22 Beach Shabbaton - page 4 (above)
Sun. 12/22 Artist's Recpt. (Sheila Levine) 2pm - page 6
feminism and egalitarianism - Soloveitchik’s theology
rescues its believers by providing a safe and eternal refuge
from the troubles of history. It “lifts its practitioners beyond
contingency, to a timeless revelatory dimension in which
lived experience” doesn’t matter; the world of the rabbinic
sages gave Jews all that we ever need to survive, as long as it
does not become corrupted. But what Soloveitchik’s approach
offered in stability it lacked in coherence with the intellectual
courage and openness Hartman had encountered years before.
The effect of Soloveitchik’s statements not only closed
the door on the possibility of Orthodoxy solving the aguna
problem in traditional Jewish marriage law (as Rackman’s
proposal would have, and as the Conservative movement
legal body did), it left Hartman with “puzzlement and grave
disappointment. I live with the fond memory of a teacher
unintimidated by any ideas or by any authority…Whatever
its source or motivation, I am in total disagreement with this
perception of Torah” (p152-3).
In leaving his teacher’s ideas behind, Hartman lays out
his own theology, one which I find compelling and inspiring.
It is based upon (as the title of the book declares) a belief in
The God Who Hates Lies. Hartman writes, “Our experience
must not be denied because of the authority of the past…Your
reality has to confirm the validity of the language of the past.
The God who loves permanence wants us to deny what we
experience, while the God who hates lies wants us to give it
credence, to incorporate it into our spiritual and ritual
lives” (p156).
In the last part of the book, Hartman lays out the ways
in which his theology could/would change how rabbinic
authority understands issues surrounding Jewish identity and
conversion, and the religious meaning of the State of Israel.
As a Conservative rabbi reading Hartman’s book, much of
what he wrote felt familiar. The insight that Judaism has a
history, and that history could and should be incorporated into
Jewish legal decisions is a core principle of the Conservative
movement. In fact, much of the vision and halakhic creativity
that Hartman imagines in his last chapter has already been
articulated by the Conservative movement’s law committee in
Israel (to read more, go to http://www.responsafortoday.com).
But Hartman grew up Orthodox and it was within Orthodoxy
and the Jewish state that he would argue for a different
approach to Jewish life. He was a great sage, and left behind
a great legacy for the Jewish people if we have the wisdom to
learn and follow.
--- Rabbi Daniel Greyber
From our Rabbi, continued from cover: Mazel Tov to Lisa, Matt, Ellie, & Noah Zerden
on the birth of their daughter/sister Zoey Bea Zerden October 6, 2013!
Mazel Tov to Neil Berman & Rachel Werner on their wedding
Sunday, November 10, 2013!
The Annual Beach Shabbaton! December 20-22, 2013
(early arrival option available for Thursday night, 12/19/13)
The annual Beach Shabbaton near Emerald Isle, NC
provides a unique community building experience while
we immerse ourselves in Shabbat without the distractions of
our busy day-to-day lives. It is a wonderful way to visit
with new & old friends. There are many opportunities to
daven, learn and socialize. And of course, noshing — lots
of noshing!
Registration is available online - Space is limited, but at
time of press there was still room!
www.betheldurham.org/adulted/shabbaton.html
Reservations are not secure until the deposit is received.
Phone reservations will not be accepted.
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Save the Date!
8th annual Beth El Blood Drive
March 30, 2014
Pasta
Canned soups (low sodium)
Canned vegetables (low sodium)
100% fruit juice (pouches or boxes)
Raisins or other dried fruit
Granola Bars
Pudding Cups
Animal/Graham Crackers
Trail Mix
Peanut butter (plastic jars)
Canned tuna, chicken or salmon
Beans, peas & lentils (cans or dry)
Canned fruits ( in 100% juice)
Rice
Oatmeal or other hot & cold cereals
Macaroni and cheese
Popcorn
Food & Toiletry Drives
Remember: our food & toiletry drives
are year-round!
Almost everyday, people come to Beth El in need of food.
Your donations are much appreciated!
Food needs to be non-perishable and in non-glass containers.
"A double-mitzvah": Link your Harris Teeter VIC card
to our school (5883) and earn money for the Talmud
Torah while helping others. VIC cards need to be re-linked
each school year & can be linked to more than one school.
See online for instructions: http://bit.ly/BETTVIC
Knitting Chevra 10:00am-11:30am in the Freedman Center Lounge
Meets on the second Sunday of each month from October
through April.
We welcome new members of all knitting levels. Our
project for 2013-2014 is knitting hats and scarves for people
currently homeless. These will be distributed through the
Chapel Hill Police Department. Susan Leeb suggested this
project after discovering this need through her participation
in D-CH Jewish Federation’s Mitzvah Day last year.
We are also continuing our year-round clothing drive. We
collect gently used clothing for A Second Bloom, a second
hand clothing store owned and operated by the Family
Violence and Rape Crisis Center (which serves people
throughout the Triangle.) We accept clothing of all sizes for
men, women, babies and teens.
For further information, to get a hat pattern or to
donate clothing contact Hunter Levinsohn at
[email protected], 919.929.6728.
December 15
January 12
February 9
March 9
April 13
Social Action News
On October 6, about 30 or so Beth El members
gathered for a wonderful discussion about possible themes
for a congregational engagement in social action. Attendees
were most interested in the topics of child poverty and
hunger and nutrition, so we'll be focusing our efforts on
those areas in the coming months. Many thanks to Rabbi
Greyber for his introductory remarks, Leslie Winner for
facilitating, and to Ilana Saraf and Hunter Levinsohn for
preparing delicious food for the program.
Our next social action Sunday will be on December
8 from 10:30-12 and will feature a community panel.
Rev. Mel Williams, retired pastor from our neighbor Watts
Baptist Church, will speak about founding End Poverty
Durham and how we can help, and other community leaders
will share information about their work and ways we can
support specific child poverty and hunger/nutrition projects
already happening in Durham and Chapel Hill.
In December, we will be collecting kitchen supplies
for Genesis Home up until Mitzvah Day. We will also
send information soon about an "8th Day of Chanukah"
campaign and food collection at Beth El.
We have a new listserve for people interested in Beth
El's social action work! Join this open forum list to discuss
social action activities & initiatives: http://bit.ly/BE-SA-LS
~~Debbie Goldstein and Jacki Resnick
Social Action Sundays Dec. 8, 2013, Feb. 9, 2014 & April 13, 2014
10:30am-noon
Come together to discuss future projects & activities.
Bagels & coffee provided by Social Action committee.
Please contact Debbie Goldstein
or Jacki Resnick ([email protected])
with any questions.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 6
Healing Yoga Gentle Movement, Meditation, Relaxation
10:00–11:00am in the Freedman Center
Dec. 14 / Jan. 18
Feb. 8 * / April 12* / May 10 / June 7 *Synaplex, start time may differ.
Who Should Come? • Anyone who is looking for healthy ways to relieve the
physical and mental stresses of illness – yours or that of a
family member
• Those who are grieving
• Those with and without yoga experience (mats/props are
available for your use)
Benefits of Healing Yoga: • Helps the recovery process; addresses fatigue, soreness,
stiffness, anxiety, and depression; deals with balance, bone
loss, immunity, and flexibility; brings peace of mind.
Participants should wear comfortable clothing.
After the class, all are welcome to join the Beth El worship
service and /or Kiddush lunch.
With generous support, Beth El has raised the funds to
purchase yoga mats, straps, foam blocks, blankets, bolsters,
and eye bags. These props help participants feel comfortable
as they sit, move, and meditate. Please join us, or if you know
someone who might benefit from healing yoga, consider
coming as a buddy.
For additional information, contact Margie Satinsky, RYT,
919-383-5998 or [email protected]
Lifelong Learning www.betheldurham.org/adulted/courses.html
Wednesday Morning Minyan & Text Study
Services start at 8:00am on most Wednesdays & usually last
about 45 minutes. Afterward, those who can stay gather in
the social hall for coffee, treats, & a weekly study led by
Rabbi Greyber or other members. All are welcome.
Shabbat Mishnah Study
Saturday mornings at 8:45am in the Freedman Center
Feel free to attend at any time! Join Rabbis Sager and
Greyber for coffee and discussions on text from the
Mishnah. People new to Mishnah study are especially
welcome.
Monthly Torah Study
Do you sometimes wish there was more time to discuss
the Parasha/Torah Portion of the Week? Well, there is!
Approximately once a month we are offering Torah
discussions led by various congregants. These are usually
held held prior to the Main Sanctuary Torah reading
(location & timing will differ).
2013-2014 DATES
December 7 (Shabbat 25) with Rabbi Laura Lieber
January 25 (Shabbat 25) with Rabbi Daniel Greyber
February 8 (Synaplex)
March 29
April 12 (Synaplex)
May 3
Beth El Art Gallery
On display through December 4, 2013:
Early 20th Century Photographs of Palestine by Elia Kahvedjian,
Survivor of the Armenian Holocaust.
Collection and Comments of Rabbi Steven Sager.
Our next show begins the following week:
Reproductions of Nature
by Sheila Levine
December 11 — March 11
Sheila has been painting for the last 10 years in both
watercolor and acrylic. She focuses on the beauty of nature,
often using images taken by her photographer husband, Sol.
She enjoys traveling with him and painting the scenes,
flora and fauna that they encounter.
Artist’s Reception
2 PM, Sunday, Dec 22.
If you are interested in exhibiting your artwork at Beth El,
please contact Susan Rosefielde ([email protected]).
Professionals, students and hobby artists are welcome.
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SAVE THE DATE
January 25, 2014
Saturday evening from 7 to 10 pm
Celebrate Beth El's
Earl and Gladys Siegel
Endowment.
Savor the past and
help create a sweet future.
It will be an evening
of savory and sweet desserts
in the company of good friends.
Sisterhood Sponsored Events Check out page 9 for an update on our
Kitchen Initiative!
Wednesday, Dec 11th: Speaker’s Night featuring
Leslie Winner Location: Sanctuary / Time: 7-9:00PM
Leslie, one of our Sisterhood members, served in the NC
Senate! Join us for this rare glimpse into our state’s political
world. Leslie Winner will speak about her experiences
being a woman, being Jewish, and being a lawyer in the
State Senate.
Thursday, January 16th: Zumba Class with
Pilar Rocha-Goldberg Location: Social Hall / Time: 7-8:30PM
Pilar will teach us to move with her Zumba groove!
Everyone is welcome to join us for this fun program.
Bring a friend or your favorite cutie pie.
Sunday, March 2nd: Rosh Chodesh Adar
with Elyza Richmon Halev & Rachel Bearman Location: Social Hall / Time: 7:00-9:00PM
Join Elyza and Rachel for a mask making project while we
discuss and learn about Rosh Chodesh and what it means
to us. We’ll be able to use these beautiful creations during
Purim!
Sunday, March 16th: Hamentaschen Pick-up
at the Purim Carnival Location: Freedman Center / Time: 11-1:00PM
This spring fundraiser benefits the Talmud Torah
Religious School. Our delicious kosher parve
Hamentaschen cookies are made in the Beth El kitchen.
We sell out every year, so plan to preorder your
hamentaschen in January.
Thursday, April 3rd: Movie Night (Movie: TBD) Location: Beth El Lobby & Library / Time: 6-9:30PM
After the success of our first movie night we knew we
wanted to repeat this program.
Friday, May 9th: Shabbat Services & Oneg Location: Sanctuary, Social Hall / Time: 7:30PM
Join us for Shabbat. Everyone is welcome.
Sisterhood Gift Shop
Open during office hours,
select special events, & by appointment.
If you are interested in shopping outside of office hours,
helping staff the Gift Shop or with shop related projects,
please contact [email protected].
House Committee News
Last month, Ivy Wingate described the preparatory work
needed for the High Holidays that required many hours
behind the scenes. With the new year, an entire House
Committee has been formed to learn about our facility’s
systems which David Klapper managed single-handedly for
years. David has shared valuable historical and technical
information to help inform our decisions about repairs and
maintenance. Recently we had contractors readdress odor
and moisture problems in the main building, replaced a
broken freezer in the Freedman Center, and "dusted off"
the boiler to start heating both buildings for winter. There
are smaller jobs we manage ourselves too, from replacing
electrical bulbs and switches to cleaning out storage spaces.
Thanks for your support as we roll up our sleeves, at least
figuratively. Our House committee is co-chaired by Laura
Flicker & Hal Sandick with additional members Ron
Grunwald, Sydney Miller, Robert Rosenstein, & Leslie
Tobin.
If you are not receiving Beth El’s weekly e-mail
announcements and would like to,
please contact Rachel Albert at
and ask her to add you to our listserve.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 8
Mishnah Study
A Variety of Engaging Shabbat Morning Services
Children's Programming
Tefillah Hike
Yoga
In-depth Torah discussion with a local scholar
AND MUCH MORE!
Please join us at Beth El to find Jewish experiences that speak to your heart.
By offering many different
prayer & study experiences, Synaplex Shabbat gives
people more ways to connect with Jewish life.
Our community will come together for a D’var Torah by Rabbi Greyber followed by a communal lunch
where all are welcome.
If you're interested in helping with this exciting program contact Rabbi Greyber at [email protected].
The Community of Caring
We are here for YOU!
For anyone in need of a meal due to
illness, surgery, grief or other special circumstances.
For anyone who needs a ride to/from a doctor's appointment,
to the hospital or nursing home
so you can visit a friend or loved one.
For anyone who would like a friendly visitor
to see you at home or in the facility where you live.
And for anyone who would like to be a part of this
wonderful organization by participating in any of the above.
Please call or email Rhoda Silver at:
919-688-0077 / [email protected]
Interested in reading the Haftarah or Torah
during an upcoming Shabbat service?
Congregants who do this regularly/semi-regularly/
every-once-in-awhile are greatly appreciated! Even if
you've never chanted a Haftarah, if it's been a long
time, or you have thought it would be a meaningful
way to commemorate an occasion, you like the sound
of the trope, or you would just like to learn this as a
new skill, please contact Randi Smith -
If you would like to read a Torah portion, please
contact Jeff Derby
Todah Rabbah!
Thank you very much to everyone who made this year’s
Chanukkah Bazaar such a success:
our many volunteers, vendors & shoppers.
Special thanks to Sisterhood, the Va'ad HaHinuch,
The MoB, Men of Oil, & The Watts Street Band!
Photos online at: http://bit.ly/BESHbazaar13
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Sisterhood’s Kitchen Initiative:
Looking back at 2013
The Kitchen Initiative fundraiser is gathering steam again after a bit of a slow summer. Thanks to the
generosity of congregants, we now have collected $3,667. That is almost 37% towards our $10,000 fundraising
goal. Mardi Zeiger was instrumental in garnering over $1,000 in recent months. She recommended that
donations for the High Holiday Community Card and in honor of her and Errol’s 50th wedding anniversary go
to Kitchen Initiative. What a difference those campaigns made. Thank you, Mardi and thank you to the many
congregants who contributed!
Kitchen purchases have continued apace. A major milestone: we are done for the moment buying new
knives. The last shipment included a couple serrated tomato knives for making delicate slices. There are new
sharpening steels, meat serving bowls, color-coded sponges and can openers (for dairy, meat, pareve), appliance timers, large
metal colanders, professional grade stock pots, measuring utensils, baking pans of various sizes, kitchen towels, cleaning
brushes for the coffee carafe, and a grabber tool for reaching high places. Metal utensils are being engraved to indicate dairy,
meat, pareve avoid mistakes in their usage. For non-metal items, look for colored dots: blue for dairy, green for pareve, red for
meat.
In the near future, we will be researching options for shelving, ceramic serving dishes and bowls for dairy meals , and a
sturdier, more attractive hand washing station. Your input about damaged or inadequate utensils and small appliances has been
very helpful. When you have an idea, please share it with any member of the Sisterhood board. Or, write a note on the white
board in the kitchen, near the dairy fridge! As always, your financial support is very much appreciated. You can write a check
to Beth El with “Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative” in the subject line and send it to the office.
Now to close with some especially exciting news. As of this writing (late October), Beth El is actively interviewing
candidates for a part-time Kitchen Manager. We hope to make an announcement regarding this position very soon! Stay
tuned...
Beth El Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative Pledge Form
Stocking and maintaining the kitchen is critical for weekly Kiddushim as well as other religious and social functions held at Beth El. Please help improve the kitchen by making a financial contribution to Sisterhood. The funds we collect will purchase professional quality knives, bowls, utensils, service ware, shelving, signage, minor servicing of equipment, and more.
Please make checks payable to Beth El with “Sisterhood Kitchen Initiative” in the memo section. Thank you.
Yes, I want to support kitchen improvements and can pledge… $54 _______
$72 _______
$90 _______
$180 _______
Other amount $________
___________________ ____________________ Your Name E-mail Telephone Address (if not in Beth El Directory)
I am interested in volunteering in the kitchen to implement improvements.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 10
Shabbat Meal Hosts and Sponsors
December 7 Shabbat 25 Kiddush hosted by:
Stephen & Shula Bernard
Sidney & Alice Levinson
Michele Pas
Barry Poss
Philip & Ellen Singer
Jonathan & Deborah Wahl
December 14 Kiddush hosted by Barak & Laura Richman in
honor of their daughter, Ariella, becoming a Bat Mitzvah
December 21 Kiddush hosted by:
Harold Baranger & Meg Anderson
Michaela Davidai
Samuel & Marsha Horowitz
Lewis & Judith Siegel
Jeremy Thibodaux & Lisa Einhorn
December 28 Kiddush sponsored by:
Joel & Susan Leeb
Lee & Elaine Marcus
Eric & Carol Meyers
Peter & Marilyn Ornstein
January 4 Kiddush hosted by:
Lisa Berley
Susan Gidwitz & Gail Freeman
Larry & Ricki Goldstein
Howard Margolis in memory of his parents
Les & Cheryl Saper
Doug Schiff & Karen Sindelar
January 11 Kiddush hosted by:
Ya'akov & Rachel Ariel
Robin Barth
Shalom Goldman & Laurie Patton
Gerald Postema & Leslie Winner
Michael Spiritos & Sarah
Bob Wechsler & Hope Hartman
January 18 Kiddush hosted by:
Eric Cohen & Sandra Kronick
Allison Coovadia
Debra Evenson
Paul & Anita Farel
Jonathan & Deyanira Prastein
Marshall & Rebecca Rohde
Aaron Rosenstein
Membership Committee in honor of our new members
January 25 Shabbat 25 Kiddush hosted by:
Steve & Sally Brown
Adam & Beth Goldstein
Jeffrey Krolik & Michelle Shrott
Kevin & Ann Leibel
Steve Lerner & Sharon van Horn
James Tulsky & Ilana Saraf
Gary & Abby Zarkin
Beth El Kashrut Reminder
This is a friendly reminder from Ivy that a Beth El staff
person MUST check for appropriate hecshers (kosher
certification) on all food you bring into the building for
meals/events here at the synagogue. Even if you've
brought similar food before & even if you have a kosher
home, your food still must be checked, without exception.
We do this to ensure that our kitchen meets certain
standards of kashrut which allows us all to enjoy the
wonderful food you prepare for our congregation.
See here for a guide: http://bit.ly/BEkashrut
Please coordinate delivery timing with the office. Watch
your e-mail for an announcement soon regarding a new
part-time kitchen manager.
Please note that this reminder is in regards to food for
synagogue functions only. Any food brought for food-
drive donation purposes does not need to be kosher or
checked & should be delivered directly to the appropriate
lobby space.
11
Please join us as our daughter
Ariella Sofi Richman
is called to the Torah
as a Bat Mitzvah
Friday, December 13, 6:00pm
Saturday, December 14, 9:30am
Shabbat Vayechi
Kiddush Luncheon following
Saturday services
Laura & Barak Richman
Meet our Bat Mitzvah
Ariella Sofi Richman
I’m Ariella and I’m 12 ½ years old. If I
could use one word to describe myself it would
be driven. When I set my mind to do something,
it usually gets done. I love horses, dogs, and pretty
much all other mammals. My favorite colors are
turquoise and blue, and I ride horses, play piano,
occasionally baby-sit, sometimes cook, and am
an avid reader. I went to the Lerner School for
eight years, and I am currently at Duke School,
in middle school; 7th grade to be exact. My family
consists of: my mom, Laura, my dad Barak, my
little sister Eden, and little brother Izak. I also
have an adorable new puppy, George. I am
looking forward to seeing my many relatives at
my Bat Mitzvah!
Playworks Mitzvah Project
Eliana Davis (who will become a Bat Mitzvah in
February) is collecting donations for Playworks as part
of her Bat Mitzvah project. Playworks is an innovative
program that aims to create a safe and healthy playing
environment for children. It provides recreation equipment
and trained "coaches” to help children play and resolve
conflicts during recess. Playworks is a national organization
that serves 14 schools in Durham. See www.playworks.org
for more information!
Eliana is collecting lightly used and new playground
equipment. Playworks would appreciate donations of balls
for different sports (soccer, basketball, kickball) as well as
cones, hula hoops, jump ropes, tennis rackets, and more!
PANCAKE PALOOZA
Fre
nch t
oast
S
cram
ble
d e
ggs
Cas
sero
les
Fruit Pastrie
s Coffe
e T
ea J
uice &
More
Bring your friends, your families,
and your appetites.
http://tinyurl.com/pancakepalooza
Reservations can be made at:
Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Options
Sunday, December 15
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM @ Beth El
Adults: $10 with advance reservations ($15 @ door)
Kids 4 to 12: $5 / Kids under 3: FREE
100% of Proceeds go to Beth El’s
Talmud Torah Youth Education Program
Questions? – Call 919-824-0239
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 12
Now that December is upon us and we have a few months of the school year under our belt, this is a great time to think about how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go this school year. What are our goals for Jewish Education? What are our goals as parents? What are our goals as students? What are the teachers’ goals? Are they all the same? Where do they differ? And what can we do to work together to achieve our laundry list of goals? I think (hope) we can all agree that we have a shared goal to learn something—anything!—about Judaism. Personally, one of my major goals for the students is for them to have a positive experience in Talmud Torah. We want them to develop friendships with other students, to create bonds with the teachers, to feel safe and comfortable in the physical space around them, to be engaged in the material, and have a desire to continue learning in the future. This last item on the list is one of the most important, yet it is often overlooked. We regularly become consumed with learning as much as we possibly can in a short period of time (say, during the 8 or 9 years of Talmud Torah from Pre K to 7th grade). But as I stress to our pre-B’nai Mitzvah students, this is just the first part of the educational journey. You don’t need to learn everything now. You have a lifetime full of opportunities to continue learning. You could spend an entire lifetime studying one parasha of the Torah (and there are people who do!) The greatest thing one of my students can say to me is “I really liked learning Hebrew when I was younger. I didn't learn as much as I would have liked, so I’m going to take a Hebrew class in college this semester.” Or “I had fun as a student in Talmud Torah—now that I’m in high school, I want to come back as a Madrich(a)/Teacher’s Assistant. We have made some great strides in setting new goals this year and I’m pleased to say that we’ve accomplished many of them. Our enrollment is up, we have new learning and social opportunities for our post B’nai Mitzvah students (including Bogrim, Kadima and USY, Shabbat dinners at the Rabbi’s home and our Madrichim program), energetic, creative teachers coming up with engaging ways to implement our curriculum, thriving youth groups with a great new youth advisor—just to name a few. I’m eager to see what goals we can set for our school during second semester and excited to watch everyone set and accomplish their personal Jewish education goals.
Elisabeth Albert, Education and Youth Director
FROM OUR EDUCATION & YOUTH DIRECTOR
Talmud Torah
Kitah Aleph gets up close
and personal with the torah!
December IN TALMUD TORAH
1 NO TT 4 TT (2-6) 6 Kitah Zayin meets/Shabbat 25 Family service 7 JC/B’nai Mitzvah Peer Tutoring 8 TT (PreK-7)/Chadar Ochel 11 TT (2-6) 13 Kitah Zayin meets 14 B’nai Mitzvah Peer Tutoring 15 TT (PreK-7)/Fundraising Brunch (Pancake Palooza!) 18-31 NO TT—Winter Break
DECEMBER ‘13
S M T W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
13
Email our awesome youth advisor, Julie Halpert with any questions about upcoming events, program ideas or if you are interested in volunteering: [email protected]
December IN YOUTH & FAMILY PROGRAMMING
6 Shabbat 25 Family service
7 JC
8 Simchat Tot
USY/Kadima
13 Teen Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Greyber’s
15 Pancake Palooza!
DECEMBER ‘13
S M T W Th F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
USY & Kadima (9th-12th grade) (6th-8th grade)
Digital photo scavenger hunt at southpoint mall
Sunday, December 8th
Teen
Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Greyber's home
Friday December 13th
(formally listed as "Older Teen Shabbat Dinner," - now open to all Beth El 9th-12th graders)
RSVPs are required. More info coming soon.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 14
Capital Maintenance Fund Geoffrey and Caitlin Pitt
Cemetery Fund Ruth Greenberg in memory of her beloved husband,
Bernard G. Greenberg Lane Golden in memory of his mother, Bertha K.
Bergman
Chevra Kadisha Arthur and Judith Marks in appreciation of the
holiday services Arthur and Judy Marks in memory of beloved
parents, Beulah and Harold Goldstein
Earl and Gladys Siegel Endowment Fund Anonymous in honor of Artie Axelbank Gladys Siegel in honor of Lisa and Matt Zerden's
baby daughter Gladys Siegel in memory of Cecile Lipton Gladys Siegel in memory of Eda Bloch Yetta and Murray Brandt in memory of Cecile Lipton
Education and Youth Director's Discretionary Fund Fay Klein in honor of the High Holidays
Eric Pas Jewish Camp Scholarship Fund Arthur and Judy Marks in honor of Susan
Rosefielde's special birthday
General Fund *Bob and Merle Schwartz in memory of Ed
Halperin's sister *Bob and Merle Schwartz in memory of Sharon
Lunk's brother Nancy and Eric Bresler in honor of High Holiday
services Stephanie Sieburth in honor of the High Holidays Stephen Solomon in appreciation of Itzik Lebovich
and staff for their efforts on Russell Springer's Bar Mitzvah
Jeanette Kimmel in memory of her father, Benjamin Cone, on the anniversary of his yarzheit
Ruth and Fred Porter in honor of May Segal Carol and Jimmie Haynes for the recovery of Sam
Becker, grandson of Barrie and Jean Hurwitz
Carol and Jimmie Haynes in honor of the birth of Zak Meyers Davino, grandson of Eric and Carol Meyers
Sheva Zucker and Sandy Kessler in honor of Mardi and Errol Zeiger's 50th Anniversary
Sol and Sheila Levine in honor of Yuval Lebovich's Bar Mitzvah
Francine Lerner in honor of the Carson-DeWitt family on the occasion of Zosia's Bat Mitzvah
Bob and Laura Gutman in honor of David Klapper Howard and Marion Diamond in memory of Herbert
Lehman and Susan Diamond
Landscape Fund Arthur and Judith Marks in honor of JoAnn Rubin's
speedy and complete recovery
Mitzvah Fund Arthur and Judy Marks in honor of Errol and Mardi
Zeiger
Orthodox Kehillah Nancy and Eric Bresler in honor of High Holiday
services Leslie Rudd in honor of the High Holidays Shai Brosh donated to the Orthodox Kehillah in
memory of his grandfather, Jacob Janai Francine Lerner in honor of the Hacohen Family
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Lynne Grossman in honor of Mardi and Errol
Zeiger's 50th Wedding Anniversary Viana Romero Stuart and Ann Kaplan in memory of Lisa Heather
Kaplan
October Contributions
Beth El Congregation gratefully acknowledges all contributions. Please send donations & dedications to Sandy Berman, our corresponding secretary, at the Beth El address. Donations may be made via check, cash, stock transfer, or Paypal. A full list of funds, donation forms & the direct Paypal link are available on our website’s development page & through the office. When making a donation to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, please write a separate check payable directly to that fund.
*Sincere apologies for omitting these dedications
from the October Bulletin.
15
“Tzedaka is equal in importance to all other commandments combined” — Talmud
I am pleased to make a contribution to Beth El Synagogue
My name phone Address City/State/Zip In Memory of In Honor of
Please send acknowledgement to: Name Address City/State/Zip
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Speedy Recovery Happy Birthday Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Best Wishes Happy Anniversary Other
Mail To: Sandy Berman, Corresponding Secretary 1004 Watts Street Durham NC 27701
Please apply my contribution to: _____ Capital Maintenance Fund _____ Cemetery Fund _____ Chevra Kadisha (burial society) _____ Education & Youth Director's Discretionary Fund _____ Sam & Jeannette Fink Programming Fund
_____ General Fund _____ Gilbert Katz Scholarship Fund _____ Landscape Fund _____ Sandra Lazarus Youth Activity Fund _____ Library Fund _____ LifeLong Learning Fund _____ Mitzvah Fund
_____ Orthodox Kehillah _____ Eric Pas Jewish Camp Scholarship Fund _____ Elaine Perilstein Memorial Fund _____ Prayer Book Fund _____ Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund (please write a
separate check for this fund) _____ Earl and Gladys Siegel Endowment Fund _____ Synagogue Art Fund
Capital Maintenance Fund
The Capital Maintenance Fund (formally the Building Fund)
is intended to pay for major repairs to our Beth El buildings:
the new carpeting and painting in the Freedman Center as
well as the new roof. This year we also paid for repairs in the
preschool classrooms and Rabbi Greyber’s office.
In the past, new members were assessed but that practice
was discontinued in 2011, in part because we never raised
sufficient funds. Last year we used the small dues increase
to raise money for our building needs, but we still have a
long way to go.
The Strategic Plan identified a number of items at Beth El
that need repair or refurbishing and these will be paid for
out of the Capital Maintenance Fund. We need your help
to build this fund to a point that it can afford to fix and
maintain our physical plant. Please consider making a
contribution to this fund.
You can celebrate a simcha, honor a loved one, or send “get well” wishes by contributing to Beth El.
You may donate via our secure PayPal link or by check using the printable form online or below.
www.betheldurham.org/development
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Todah Rabah! Thank You!
Beth El Funds
During the coming year, we are running a series of articles highlighting various Beth El funds, many written by those
who helped start them or who remember the honorees. As you read these articles please consider directing donations
to these worthy causes to honor those who you’ve loved, but not forgotten. Let’s make sure that through the
programs supported by our special funds, Beth El remains a “heart of many rooms.”
Beth El Talmud Torah- 5883
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 16
Yahrzeit Reminders
Kislev December 29 Michael Kline 2
Tevet December 1 Carolyn Flicker 4 1 Irving Levine 4 1 Eva Markman 4 1 Nathan Rosenstein 4 1 Meyer Zucker 4 2 Alfred Feiler 5 2 Max Meyer 5 2 Eli Nachamson 5 3 Philip J Goldberg 6 3 Sabrina Morris 6 5 Ruth Halberstadt 8 5 Samuel Levy 8 5 Sarah Meyer 8 6 Arthur Gutman 9 7 Jeffrey W. Fried 10 8 Sarah Miriam Evans 11 8 Miriam Levinson Kwatcher 11 8 Jacob Levtow 11 8 N. Nachamson 11 8 Norman Schultz 11 8 Robert Spilo 11 8 Morris Weinstein 11 9 Monice Arnold 12 9 Elias Gadlli 12 9 Beulah Goldstein 12 9 Avigdor Victor Koren 12
10 Norman Bartelmay 13 10 Morris Nachamson 13 10 Bessie Satlof 13 10 Gilltle Sawilowsky Schwartz 13 11 Louis Meyer 14 12 Daniel Berley 15 12 Fannie Cramer 15 13 Edward Alpern 16 13 Rosalyn Koffler Brown 16 13 David Carson 16 13 Rabbi Josiah Derby 16 13 Louis Fridovich 16 13 Bernard Gingold 16 13 J. Everett Levinsohn 16 14 Irving Alexander 17 14 Aaron Rosenblatt 17 15 Patricia Silver 18 16 David Convissor 19 16 Marion Dronsky 19 17 Nathaniel Barnett 20 17 Benjamin Culp 20 17 Max Gerald Levy 20 17 Vivian Weinstein 20 21 Arnold Grier 24 21 Moshe Shweky 24 22 Herman Bernard 25 22 Maurice Dworski 25 22 Sam Markman 25 24 Jerry Becker 27 24 Mary Hart 27 24 Alfred Korkin 27 24 Rose Leibel 27 26 Arlene Ammerman 29 26 Esther Mandel 29
Tevet January 29 Edwin Price 1 29 Sara Abosch 1
Sh'vat January 2 Miriam Zucker 3 2 Sam Margolis 3 2 Yehuda Ohayon 3 3 Sandra Lazarus 4 4 Barbara Lipp 5 4 Barry Margolin 5 4 Evelyn Weber 5 4 Hanah Landau 5 4 Louis Sher 5 6 Arthur Holstein 7 7 Ellen Egger 8 7 Gershon Gitman 8 8 Esther Margolese 9 8 Frances Lynn 9 9 Bartow Culp 10
10 Alan Grossinger 11 10 Alexander Ostroff 11 10 Ernie Bronstein 11 10 Esser Yehuda Ben Esser Yehuda 11 10 Eva Baden Slifkin 11 10 Gertrude Brown 11 11 Allen Hess 12 11 Rae Korkin 12 12 Esther Lebovich 13 12 Gerard Rohde 13 12 Leon Kahn 13 12 Norman Friedman 13 13 Alice Tepper 14 13 Howard Kramer 14 13 Jim Wells, Sr. 14 14 Anita Weinblatt Halberstadt 15 14 Hannah Mulowitz 15 14 Rabbi Nathan Levinson 15 14 Teresa Koplowitz 15 14 Walter Schlesinger 15 15 Ada Lou Carson 16 15 Ben Ornoff 16 15 Carol Stollwerk 16 15 Elaine Perilstein 16 15 Jeanette Prastein 16 15 Louis Leibson 16 16 Arnold Korn 17 16 Mary Zeitune 17
Barukh Dayan Ha-emet “Blessed is the Judge of Truth”
Beth El congregation extends condolences to
Carla Fenson on the death of her father, Morley Fenson
Robin Cohen on the death of her mother, Lucille Livingston
May the Ever Present One comfort them among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
Sh'vat January 17 Albert Heyman 18 17 Sue Speier 18 18 Bessie Serody 19 18 Carl Bernard Erdberg 19 18 Yetta Seidman 19 19 Ruth Goldberg 20 20 Celia Margolis 21 20 Julius Saffron 21 20 Nathan Schreiber 21 21 Anna Fisher 22 21 Bernie Kessler 22 21 Dora Levine 22 21 Rabbi Samuel Perlman 22 22 Bert Weaver 23 22 Max A. Peck 23 22 Paul Gidwitz 23 22 Sidney Markman 23 23 Hannah Libman 24 23 Louis Saper 24 23 Michael Margolis 24 23 Morris Sher 24 24 Bob Roberman 25 24 Claire Krohn 25 24 Muriel Modell 25 24 Samuel John Sontag 25 24 Shmuel Lebovich 25 25 Marie Whitehurst Wells 26 26 Alex Rubin 27 26 Neil August 27 26 Robert A. Robbins 27 26 Sophie Abrams 27 27 Barbara Mildred Kraft 28 27 Joanne Sachs Skibell 28 27 Milton Mills 28 27 Sondra Stang 28 28 Henry Levine 29 28 Marcia Goldstein 29 28 Ruth Watnick Sherr 29 29 Abraham Stadiem 30 29 Dave Margolis 30 29 Florence Telen 30 29 Michael Jay Gladstein 30 29 Sadie Rosalie Shimm 30 30 Armand A. Zaleon 31 30 Benjamin Eli Grossman 31 30 Edith Abelkop 31
Traditionally, we light a memorial candle on the evening before the
anniversary of a loved one's death.
17
Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation Events
Campaign Kick-off Saturday evening, December 7th
Honoring Beth El members
Eric Meyers & Perri Shalom-Liberty
The Keynote Speaker, Daniel Gilbert is a
Harvard psychologist, Guggenheim Fellow
and a best selling author. Register online at
www.shalomdch.org — $65 per person - free baby sitting.
Mitzvah Day
Wednesday, December 25th
Register by Dec. 1 for a free shirt:
http://levinjcc.org/about-mitzvah-day
Beth El is collecting kitchen supplies for Genesis Home.
Collection basket is in the Beth El lobby.
Visit www.shalomdch.org
for updates on these & more!
Sicha, Hebrew for "conversation," is an organization that
promotes the vital ongoing dialogue between classical Jewish texts
and modern life. Essays engaging modern and classical texts in
conversations can be found on our website:
www.sichaconversation.org.
B’almah. Our next B’almah gathering will take place on
December 5 at 7:30pm at the Levin JCC (December 12 at
7:30pm at Beth Meyer, Raleigh). The topic will be Mourning
Has Broken: Bringing mourning to a close. More information
can be found at: http://bit.ly/balmah12-13 .
Beyond Belief. Join Rabbi Sager and Sicha for the next in a
series of conversations this fall that explore Jewish identity.
On Sunday, December 15 at the Levin JCC at 3:30, the
theme of our conversation will be “Questionable Miracles and
Dependable Stories.” More information can be found here:
http://bit.ly/BB12-15-13 .
SAVE THE DATE for Sicha’s second annual Hevra Kaddisha
Afternoon of Learning on Sunday, February 16 at the Levin
JCC. The theme will be “The Death of Moses and the Godly
Act of Bearing Loss,” honoring the day Moses died. All Hevra
Kaddisha/Burial Society members are invited to celebrate their
work at the season of Moses' death. Watch for more information
on our website: http://www.sichaconversation.org.
The Duke Center for Jewish Studies &
Duke Human Rights Center presents:
The Jewish Tradition & Human Rights, a lecture series
These lectures occur on the dates listed at 5:30pm in Westbrook
Building Room 0016 (Duke West Campus)
Monday, December 2, 2013: Evyatar Marienberg of UNC Chapel
Hill, “The Rabbis and Human Rights: The Ancient Period”
Monday, February 3, 2014: Kalman Bland of Duke University,
“Medieval Jewish Perspectives on Human Rights”
Monday, April 7, 2014: Zachary J. Braiterman of Syracuse Univer-
sity, “What’s Human? Who’s Right: Moses Mendelssohn and the
Jewish Enlightenment”
Contact Duke Center for Jewish Studies
for more information: 919-660-3504
Triangle Seminar For Jewish Studies Fall Semester 2013: Provocative Jewish Interest Topics
Final fall session:
Monday, December 9, “Prospects for Peace in the Middle East”
Gerhard Weinberg, Ph.D., Prof. Emeritus, UNC.
Peace will take a long time to come to Iraq. This lecture explores
that issue.
National Humanities Center in RTP
7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Series Fee: $20.00 per person, full time students $5.00
Contact: Ronni Marblestone 848-3752
For updates see: www.shalomraleigh.org/calendar or
www.shalomdch.org/calendar
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 18
Duke Center for Jewish Studies offers free lectures open to the public.
Event information & and updates can be found at:
http://jewishstudies.duke.edu
UNC-CH Carolina Center for Jewish Studies offers free lectures open to the public.
For additional information & event updates:
jewishstudies.unc.edu.
Lerner School Events
Open to all!
Schmooze ‘n Play ~ a Jewish Play Group for families of
preschoolers and kindergarteners! Schmooze with other parents
while your children play on Lerner School’s beautiful playground!
10:30am – 11:30am at the Lerner School in Durham. RSVP at
[email protected]. December 8
Shabbat Together ~ Celebrate Shabbat with songs, movement
and homemade challah at the Lerner School! For parents and their
children, ages 18 months – 4 years old. 9am in the library. Free!
RSVP at [email protected].
December 13, 20
Open House ~ See what happens when Jewish values and culture
meet educational excellence! Join us for a Lerner School Open
House for preschool and elementary school families. For more
information, visit www.lernerschool.org. To reserve your space,
email [email protected] or call (919) 286-5517.
Dec. 5-6, 8:30am – 9:30am
Jewish Story Time ~ Celebrate Jewish holidays with hands-on
fun! Join us for stories, crafts and a light snack on the dates listed
below at 10:30am (note various locations.) Sponsored by the
Lerner School. Free! RSVP at [email protected].
Jan. 15 – Tu B’Shevat, Durham Library, Shannon Road Branch
Triangle Jewish Chorale
Down Home: The Cantata
In April & May of 2013, the Triangle Jewish Chorale presented
three performances of a newly composed piece, “Down Home:
The Cantata”, exploring the Jewish immigrant experience in North
Carolina. There is a link to "Down Home - The Cantata" on the
main Jewish Sparks webpage - www.jewishsparks.net - at the top
center of the page.
Jewish Sparks is a public access television program which is
broadcast in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. This program
presents videos of major Jewish educational and artistic events
together with interviews and recordings of Jewish scholars and
important Jewish leaders. Our goal is to promote a better under-
standing of key Jewish concepts and issues within both the Jewish
and non-Jewish communities.
The Jewish Sparks 30 minute weekly broadcast schedule
is listed in the table below:
Week of November 25 Jeanne Fischer “An Afternoon of Yiddish Art Songs - Part 2”
(CH, DR)
Jeanne Fischer “An Afternoon of Yiddish Art Song- Part 1” (RTN)
The latest program schedule is on the Jewish Sparks Website:
www.jewishsparks.net.
Jewish Sparks maintains a large archive of program material.
If you miss a live broadcast, or do not have Cable, you can watch
the programs on the internet site (www.jewishsparks.net.) The
website also provides an excellent source of educational material,
which includes early lectures from the Carolina Center for Jewish
Studies.
Additional information is available from the website,
or email the Jewish Sparks producer, Sheldon Becker, at either
Chapel
Hill (CH) Tues. 9:00PM
Peoples
Channel
Time Warner Cable
Channel 8
Durham
(DR) Tues. 7:30PM
Durham
Comm. Media
Time Warner Cable
Channel 18
Raleigh
(RTN)
Wed. 7:00PM
& Thurs.
8:00 PM
RTN Cable Channel 10
Included in the Jewish Sparks archives:
19
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New Business Startups
Entrepreneurs, Executives,
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Contact Michael for an Initial Consultation.
Very Reasonable Rates!
Toll Free 1.855.385.3272
(1-855-DUKE-CPA)
Raleigh Cary JCC Brown Bag Speaker Lunch
Wednesday, December 18
Barbara Freedman "Raleigh's Jewish History" Did you know that a Jewish presence has been in Raleigh for
150 years? That a Raleigh Jew was excused from fighting in the
Confederate army because he was too short? Using newspaper
archives, city directories, cemetery, and census information, life-
long historian Barbara Freedman, has fleshed out the story of Jews
in Raleigh from our early days here. On Wednesday, December 18
she will take us on a journey through our history in Raleigh and
our contributions to Raleigh. Come at noon with a non-meat lunch.
Dessert and drinks will be provided. This event is free for RC-JCC
members and $3 for the general community.
RSVP by Mon. Dec. 16 to [email protected]
or 919-676-6170 X 212.
Time: 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM
Location: Raleigh Cary JCC 12804 Norwood Rd. Raleigh 27613
Contact: [email protected] or (919) 676-6170 x 212.
N.C. Museum of Art
Judaic Art Gallery
Be sure to plan a visit to the Museum to tour
the Judaic art collection, which features
beautifully crafted ceremonial art such as this
Standing Hanukkah Lamp by Ze’ev Raban
of Jerusalem’s Bezalel Workshop. Visit
ncartmuseum.org for more details on the
Museum and Judaic collection. The Museum is
open Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is free
(aside from special ticketed exhibitions).
Hours are as follows: Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-5pm;
Friday, 10am-9pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm.
THE MAGNOLIA KLEZMER BAND! Dance, shake, or listen. All shows are free.
The Magnolia-Watts St. Band plays Klezmer Plus
(from Bukovina to Broadway) at Carol Woods,
Weaver Dairy Rd., Chapel Hill,
on Monday, December 23, 7:30pm.
www.magnoliaklezmerband.com
The Triangle Jewish Chorale
The Triangle Jewish Chorale presents "The Adaptable
Psalm" , a concert on Sunday, December 15, at 3:00 pm at the
Levin Jewish Community Center (1937 West Cornwallis Road,
Durham, NC 27705).
The psalms from the Hebrew Bible, commonly attributed
to King David, have proven themselves to be infinitely adaptable
over the millennia since their composition. Various cultures and
eras have set their stamp on this poetic song form, revealing the
timeless significance of texts that express so eloquently the
basic human emotions of rejoicing, lamentation, and praise.
Our December concert, "The Adaptable Psalm," will include
settings of psalm texts ranging from Salamone Rossi Hebreo
in 17th century Italy and Louis Lewandowski in 19th century
Germany to a 1970 reggae setting by the Melodians in Jamaica.
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 20
Landscape Design & Installation • Landscape Lighting
Water Features • Sprinkler Systems • Sodding
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Drainage & Ditches • Snow Removal
COMMERCIAL and RESIDENTIAL Agricultural Engineering Since 1983
Providing services to Durham, Wake & Orange Counties
Wide variety of plants, bushes, trees, perennials and fruit trees
Retail and wholesale Landscape supplies and natural stone
For professional service you can trust, call Philip Nazo, owner.
Mobile: 919-524-8878 • Office: 919-309-2620
Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm • Sat. 8am-4pm • Sun.10am-4pm
www.NazoLandscaping.com
Nazo Landscaping, Inc.
Join Ramah Darom
for fun and inspiring programs
and retreats year-round for all ages!
Visit www.ramahdarom.org/programs
for registration & more information on these
& other programs year-round.
Winter Break Family Camp
December 27-January 1
Enjoy relaxation, recreation and an array of classes while children
participate in fun and engaging camp activities. What could be
better than s'mores under the stars with your kids?
Passover Vacation April 13-23, 2014
During this all-inclusive Passover Vacation guests enjoy the
rare opportunity to spend time learning and exploring Jewish
life, culture, texts and history with a diverse mix of distinguished
scholars, leaders and thinkers. And you won’t believe it’s Passover
when you taste our food! Our Communal Seders are led by
engaging, scholarly rabbinical leaders. Throughout the week
your family can choose from hundreds of programs, trips,
activities and lectures.
Jewish Meditation at the Levin JCC
1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. 10:45am-12:00pm
No charge & no experience needed to attend. Always open to new
participants. Sometimes a participant leads a guided meditation;
other times it is a silent practice. Levin JCC, 1937 W. Cornwallis
Road, Durham. Phone: 919-354-4936, [email protected]
Foundations of Jewish Family Living
with Master teacher Rabbi Jennifer Solomon
What are the Jewish Values you want your child to know?
Foundations of Jewish Family Living is a new learning
opportunity for parents that provides a thought-provoking
encounter with the core values of Judaism. At a time in a
family’s life when a child experiences their own Jewish
education, this rich learning experience provides you with the
learning, the language and the confidence to be a teacher to your
own children and support Jewish learning at home.
Second 10-week session is being held on Wednesday
mornings at the Lerner School, 8:15-9:45am. Registration is still
being accepted for Session two entitled Day to Day Values
Teaching Values through Jewish Family Living begins on
January 8 and concludes on March 12, 2014.
Tuition for each session is $150 plus a $36 materials fee
which covers both sessions. www.ShalomRaleigh.org/Melton
919-676-6170 x223
21
philosophy, or art history, indeed almost any of the humanities or
most of the social sciences, makes no sense to these students. They
are interested in "job ready degrees" and overwhelmingly are taking
accounting, business, computer science, and degrees which lead to
the health professions along with, of course, Judaic studies.
I recently experienced a practical problem raised by the spend
-at-least-a-year-in-Israel-after-high-school phenomena. We have
set up a combined BS/MD program between the Touro College
undergraduate divisions and the School of Medicine at New York
Medical College. Quickly, two problems arose. The documents for
the new program required students to have completed a four-year
undergraduate degree. The phrase "four-year" rankled the Orthodox
Jewish undergraduate deans since many of their students return to
the US with college credits from their time in Israel and complete
their BS degrees in 2 1/2 to 3 years in residence at the US. The
second problem concerned the phrase "apply for admission when
completing high school". Would this phrase, the Orthodox Jewish
undergraduate deans wondered, inhibit students from applying
while their were studying in Israel? Both problems were quickly
solved by word smithing the documents.
A far more serious matter concerns the nature of the curricu-
lum for American students in Israel and their life experiences. If
students spend almost all of their time on Jewish students, to the
detriment of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, they are
not going to meet the prerequisites for admission to medical school
and be prepared to succeed on the Medical College Admissions
Test (MCAT) and in their basic science medical school courses.
If student spend almost all of their time in a relatively cloistered
Orthodox Jewish world in Israel and the U.S., they are not going
to have the diversity of life experience necessary to succeed in
patient care in the U.S.
I have developed a litany of stories and examples to demon-
strate the problem. "I have never met a patient with a gunshot
wound to the abdomen," I have told some audiences, "whose major
concern was how much time the treating doctor has spent studying
the Babylonian Talmud." (The power of the analytic framework
necessary to Talmud study, however, has distinct advantages for
developing critical thinking skills.) I also have had students at their
medical school interviews who have declined to shake the hands of
interviewers of the opposite gender, laughed at what they perceive
to be the absurdity of ethical problems they would encounter in
treating patients, and one young lady who, when asked how she
would handle a distraught patient who did not speak English, said
she would send the patient away because there was nothing she
could do for her - it never seemed to occur to her that she might
request a translator. The plural of anecdote, however, is not data
and I understand that these stories should not be interpreted as an
indictment of the spend-a-year-in-Israel process.
Sharon and I spent part of the day at Touro Jerusalem,
chatted with the dean, and toured the facilities. The dean took
exception to my concern about students have "real life experiences
that would make them better clinicians" and told me that the
yeshivas all required community service as part of their curricula.
(I had to wonder, however, if that community service was also
imbedded in the Orthodox world.)
Next month I will tell you about our unusual experience at
the theater in Tel Aviv.
Until then,
Regards from Valhalla,
Edward Halperin
Letter from Valhalla
On the Road Again, Israel and Africa - IV
In my columns, over the last few months, I have been
describing our recent trip to Israel. The day after I gave my
presentation about proton therapy to the Israeli Ministry of Health,
Sharon and I figured out how to take the express bus from Tel
Aviv to Jerusalem. We went to visit the Touro College campus in
Jerusalem. Since New York Medical College is part of the Touro
system, it seemed like the neighborly thing to do. The "campus" of
Touro in Jerusalem consists of part of an unimpressive building in
a difficult-to-find neighborhood. After wandering around the
office complex for a few minutes Sharon and I eventually found
the offices. Adding to the ambience was the fact that the College
offices are near what must be one of the few pieces of agricultural
land left in the city so you got the smell of manure wafting through
the windows.
Those of you living in central North Carolina may not be
aware of a powerful trend in Jewish education in metropolitan
areas. I have become acutely aware of it now that I am living and
working in the New York area and working at Touro. It has become
close to standard operating procedure for Orthodox Jewish high
school graduates, particularly those graduating from either Jewish
days schools or residential schools, not to go directly to college.
Rather, they are sent to Israel for a minimum of a year and,
often, more. They live and go to school at programs in which the
curriculum is almost entirely Jewish studies and in an Orthodox
environment. Indeed, I have discovered that some competitive
college recruiting goes on in Israel in which representatives of
Touro v. Yeshiva vie to persuade these young people that, upon
return to the U.S., they should continue their college studies at
Yeshiva or Stern Colleges v. the undergraduate divisions of Touro
v. secular universities.
While the main population of these students are recent Ameri-
can high school graduates who spend one to three years living in
Israel before they return for college in the U.S., there are a fair
number of recently married young American women with husbands
spending time as students at Israeli yeshivot. Eventually, either the
American living in Israel or their Mom and Dad back in the U.S.
decide that it's time to rack up some American college credits so
that when the student returns to the U.S. they will have something
to show for it in terms of U.S. college courses. (I have seen this
from the other end. When you mention a "four year college degree"
to a fair number of Orthodox Jewish college students in the U.S.,
they are nonplussed. Many of them return to the U.S. with sopho-
more level standing and graduate after 2 1/2 to 3 years of enroll-
ment in the U.S. school. A four year college experience, going to
college football or basketball games, experiencing fraternities and
sororities, and tossing a frisbee on the college green are not part of
their vocabulary.)
This "get some U.S. college credits while you're in Israel" is
Touro College Jerusalem's market. The "library" is a dozen shelves
in an oversize room, there are a couple of classrooms, the "faculty"
are entirely adjuncts being paid the equivalent of US $1900 per
course, and the students are taking largely business, computer,
biology, and psychology courses. (In the US, the going rate for
adjuncts is $3500-$7000 per course. Engineering and mathematics
courses command the higher salaries. Interestingly, in Israel there
are so many English-speaking academics looking for work that it is
very easy to fill adjunct teaching jobs at low salaries.) I have
learned, in my year in the Orthodox community of New York, that
the idea of majoring in topics like English literature, anthropology,
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 22
Please patronize our sponsors and let them know you saw their ads here.
If you are interested in placing an ad in the Beth El Bulletin,
please call Gladys Siegel at 919-942-5369.
▪ Resident of Chapel Hill/Durham since 1973
▪ Graduate Realtors Institute
▪ Member of Beth El Congregation
▪ Member of the Chapel Hill Kehillah
▪ Life Member of Hadassah
▪ NC Hillel Board of Directors
▪ Board of Directors Durham/Chapel Hill Federation
Ellen Singer “In Tune With Your Real Estate Needs”
Over 32 years
as a full-time
real estate broker
serving the Triangle Area,
including Chapel Hill,
Carrboro, Durham,
Orange and Chatham County
Duke Rudnick Lecture March 3, 2014 (note new date), location & time TBD
The Rudnick lecture series is proud to present Jeremy
Ben-Ami, founder and president of J Street. Ben-Ami brings deep
experience in American politics and government and a passionate
commitment to the state of Israel. Ben-Ami's family connection
to Israel goes back 130 years to the first aliyah when his great-
grandparents were among the first settlers in Petah Tikva. His
grandparents were one of the founding families of Tel Aviv,
and his father was an activist and leader in the Irgun, working for
Israel's independence and on the rescue of European Jews before
and during World War II.
Ben-Ami's political resume includes serving in the
mid-1990s as the Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor in the White
House to President Bill Clinton and working on seven Presidential
and numerous state and local campaigns. He was one of 50
"People of the Decade" selected by Ha'aretz, the influential Israeli
daily newspaper, and the Jerusalem Post included him in its list of
the 50 Most Influential Jews in the world. Ben-Ami holds a law
degree from New York University.
Crop Hunger Walk
Chapel Hill/Carrboro: March 23, 2014
Durham: April 6, 2014
Save these dates to join Team Beth El in the annual Crop
Hunger Walks. These events raise money to combat hunger
both locally and throughout the world.
23
cal
Su
n
Mo
n
Tu
e
We
d
Th
u
Fri
Sa
t
1/2
8th
of K
islev, 5
774
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
Chan
uk
ah: 5
Can
dles
2/2
9th
of K
islev, 5
774
Chan
uk
ah: 6
Can
dles
3/3
0th
of K
islev, 5
774
Rosh
Ch
od
esh T
evet
Chan
uk
ah: 7
Can
dles
4/1
st of T
evet, 5
774
Rosh
Ch
od
esh T
evet
Chan
uk
ah: 8
Can
dles
5/2
nd
of T
evet, 5
774
Chan
uk
ah: 8
th D
ay
6/3
rd o
f Tev
et, 57
74
Shab
ba
t 25
6:0
0pm
Shab
ba
t Shira
h:
Erev S
habb
at S
ervices &
Co
mm
unity S
hab
ba
t Din
ner
4:4
3pm
7/4
th o
f Tev
et, 5774
Parash
at Vay
igash
-S
habb
at 2
5/Jr. C
ong.
-9:3
0a
m M
on
thly T
ora
h D
iscussio
n
-1:0
0a
m P
ew
Pan
el Discu
ssion
5:4
3pm
Ha
vdala
h
8/5
th o
f Tev
et, 5774
-9:4
5a
m S
imch
at T
ot
-10
:30a
m S
ocia
l Actio
n S
un
. -1
0:3
0a
m H
afta
rah
Tro
pe
Cla
ss
-Kad
ima
/ US
Y
9/6
th o
f Tev
et, 5774
10/7
th o
f Tev
et, 577
4
11/8
th o
f Tev
et, 577
4
-7:0
0p
m S
isterhoo
d
Spea
ker’s Nig
ht w
ith L
eslie
Win
ner
-7:3
0 B
oa
rd M
eeting
12/9
th o
f Tev
et, 577
4
Mo
rnin
g M
inya
n -A
riella
Rich
man
Bat M
itzvah
13/1
0th
of T
evet, 5
774
Asara B
'Tev
et
Ariella
Rich
man
Bat M
itzvah
6
:00
pm
services in th
e main
sanctu
ary
-Teen
Sha
bba
t din
ner
(Greyb
er ho
me)
4:4
4pm
14/1
1th
of T
evet, 5
774
Parash
at Vay
echi
Ariella
Rich
man
Bat M
itzvah
-1
0:0
0a
m H
ealin
g Y
oga
5:4
4pm
Ha
vdala
h
15/1
2th
of T
evet, 5
774
-Bo
grim
-10
:00a
m K
nittin
g C
hevra
-T
T fu
nd
raisin
g b
run
ch
16/1
3th
of T
evet, 5
774
1
7/1
4th
of T
evet, 5
774
1
8/1
5th
of T
evet, 5
774
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
19/1
6th
of T
evet, 5
774
Bea
ch S
ha
bba
ton
Ea
rly
Arriva
l
20/1
7th
of T
evet, 5
774
Bea
ch S
ha
bba
ton
4
:46pm
21/1
8th
of T
evet, 5
774
Parash
at Sh
emot
Bea
ch S
ha
bba
ton
5:4
7pm
Ha
vdala
h
22/1
9th
of T
evet, 5
774
-Bea
ch S
ha
bba
ton
-No
Ta
lmud
Tora
h
-2:0
0p
m A
rtist’s Recep
tion
for S
heila
Levin
e
23/2
0th
of T
evet, 5
774
2
4/2
1st o
f Tev
et, 577
4
25/2
2n
d o
f Tev
et, 57
74
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
26/2
3rd
of T
evet, 5
77
4
27/2
4th
of T
evet, 5
774
4:5
0pm
28/2
5th
of T
evet, 5
774
Parash
at Vaera
5:5
1pm
Ha
vdala
h
29/2
6th
of T
evet, 5
774
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
30/2
7th
of T
evet, 5
774
3
1/2
8th
of T
evet, 5
774
Decem
ber
20
13
Listed
Ha
vda
lah
Tim
es are 4
2 m
inu
tes after su
nset
Beth
El ev
ent c
ale
nd
ar o
nlin
e:
ww
w.b
etheld
urh
am
.org
/calend
ar/ind
ex.h
tml
Beth
El m
em
bers c
oo
k a
nd
serve lu
nch
at the IF
C sh
elter in C
hap
el Hill
the F
irst W
ed
nesd
ay
of ev
ery m
on
th. C
ontact G
ladys S
iegel to
help
. B
eth
El m
em
bers c
oo
k a
nd
serve d
inn
er at th
e IFC
shelter in
Ch
apel H
ill
the sec
on
d T
uesd
ay
of ev
ery m
on
th. C
on
tact Mey
er Lib
erman
to h
elp.
Beth
El m
em
bers se
rve T
un
a C
asser
ole
Din
ner at th
e Du
rham
Com
mu
nity
Kitch
en
the fo
urth
Su
nd
ay
of each
mon
th. C
on
tact Erica G
ringle to
help
prep
are and
/or serv
e.
Offic
e H
ou
rs: M
on. th
rough T
hurs.: 9
:00 a.m
. to 5
:00
p.m
.
Fri.: 9
:00
a.m. to
1:0
0 p
.m.
Talm
ud
To
rah
: S
un.: 9
:30a.m
.-12
:30p
.m. p
reK
-7th
grad
es
Wed
.: 4:1
5p.m
.-6:0
0p
.m. 2
nd
-6th
grad
es
Sat.: 9
:00a.m
.-9:4
5a.m
. & select F
ri. 5:0
0-7
:00p.m
. 7th
grad
e M
ishn
ah
Stu
dy
: Sat. 8
:45 a.m
.
BE
TH
EL
SC
HE
DU
LE
OF
SE
RV
ICE
S
Frid
ay n
igh
t services:
Held
on
ly in
conju
nctio
n w
ith o
ther p
rogram
min
g o
r special ev
ents.
Talm
ud
Torah
7th
grad
e meets 5
:00
p.m
.-6:0
0 p
.m. w
hen
services are h
eld.
Satu
rday
morn
ing serv
ices: S
ervices in
the O
rthod
ox K
ehilla
h b
egin
at 9:0
0 a.m
.
Serv
ices in th
e main
sanctu
ary b
egin
at 9:3
0 a.m
. W
eekd
ay m
inyan
im in
the m
ain san
ctuary
:
Wed
nesd
ays 8
:00
a.m. fo
llow
ed b
y tex
t stud
y (7
:45
a.m.-R
osh
Ch
od
esh)
Su
nd
ays 9
:30
a.m.
——
——
——
——
Office C
losed
——
–—
——
——
—–-–
- Office C
losed
—–-–
December 2013 / Beth El Bulletin 24
Cal.
Jan
uary
2
01
4
Lis
ted
Ha
vda
lah
Tim
es a
re 4
2 m
inu
tes
aft
er s
un
set
Bet
h E
l ev
ent
cale
nd
ar
on
lin
e:
ww
w.b
ethel
durh
am
.org
/cal
end
ar/i
nd
ex.h
tml
Su
n
Mo
n
Tu
e
We
d
Th
u
Fri
S
at
1
/29th
of
Tev
et,
577
4
Off
ice
Clo
sed
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
2/1
st o
f S
h'v
at, 57
74
Rosh
Ch
od
esh
Sh
'vat
3/2
nd
of
Sh
'vat
, 5
774
4:5
5pm
4/3
rd o
f S
h'v
at, 57
74
Par
ashat
Bo
5:5
6pm
Ha
vdala
h
5/4
th o
f S
h'v
at, 5
774
No T
alm
ud
To
rah
6/5
th o
f S
h'v
at, 5
774
7/6
th o
f S
h'v
at, 5
774
8/7
th o
f S
h'v
at, 5
774
9/8
th o
f S
h'v
at, 5
774
10/9
th o
f S
h'v
at, 577
4
5
:02pm
11/1
0th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Par
ashat
Bes
hal
ach
-Ch
ild
ren
’s S
ervi
ces
(JC
,JrJ
r,T
S)
6:0
2pm
Ha
vdala
h
-Kad
ima
Lo
ck-i
n
12/1
1th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
-Kad
ima
Lo
ck-i
n
-Bo
gri
m
-10
:00a
m K
nit
ting
Ch
evra
-Pre
-kadim
a
13/1
2th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
1
4/1
3th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
1
5/1
4th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
-4/5
gra
de
Tu b
’Shva
t se
der
-7
:30
Boa
rd M
eeti
ng
16/1
5th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Tu
B’S
h’v
at
Sis
terh
ood
spo
nso
red
Zu
mba
eve
nt
17/1
6th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
5:0
8pm
18/1
7th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Par
ashat
Yit
ro
-Ho
no
ring
ou
r N
ew M
emb
ers
-1
0:0
0a
m H
eali
ng Y
oga
-Ha
vdala
h i
n P
aja
ma
s (e
arl
y ch
ild
hoo
d f
am
ily
even
t)
6:0
9pm
Ha
vdala
h
19/1
8th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
-Da
y o
f Ser
vice
-Con
gre
gati
onal
mee
ting
/w
ork
shop
wit
h t
he
Buil
din
gs
& G
rou
nd
s T
ask
forc
e
20/1
9th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Off
ice
Clo
sed
(ML
K, Jr
. D
ay)
21/2
0th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
2
2/2
1st
of
Sh
'vat
, 577
4
23/2
2n
d o
f S
h'v
at, 57
74
2
4/2
3rd
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Shab
ba
t 25
6:0
0pm
Shab
ba
t Shir
ah
: E
rev
Sh
abb
at
Ser
vice
s &
Co
mm
unit
y S
hab
ba
t D
inner
5
:15pm
25/2
4th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
Par
ashat
Mis
hp
atim
-Sha
bba
t 25
/Jr.
Co
ng
. -M
on
thly
To
rah
Dis
cuss
ion
6:1
7pm
Ha
vdala
h
-Eve
nin
g E
vent
26/2
5th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
-Bo
gri
m
-9:4
5a
m S
imch
at
To
t -A
lep
h B
et
27/2
6th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
2
8/2
7th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
2
9/2
8th
of
Sh
'vat
, 57
74
3
0/2
9th
of
Sh
'vat
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74
3
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74
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Off
ice H
ou
rs:
Mon.
thro
ugh T
hurs
.: 9
:00 a
.m.
to 5
:00
p.m
.
F
ri.:
9:0
0 a
.m.
to 1
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.m.
Talm
ud
To
rah
: S
un.:
9:3
0a.
m.-
12
:30p.m
. p
reK
-7th
gra
des
Tue.
, 5:0
0p.m
.-6
:00p.m
. O
pti
onal
Heb
rew
for
gra
des
3-6
Wed
.: 4
:15p.m
.-6
:00p.m
. 2
nd
-6th
gra
des
Sat
.: 9
:00a.
m.-
9:4
5a.
m.
& s
elec
t F
ri.
5:0
0-7
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. 7th
gra
de
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ish
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tud
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Sat.
8:4
5 a
.m.
BE
TH
EL
SC
HE
DU
LE
OF
SE
RV
ICE
S
Fri
day
nig
ht
serv
ices
:
Hel
d o
nly
in
conju
nct
ion
wit
h o
ther
pro
gra
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ing o
r sp
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l ev
ents
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ora
h 7
th g
rad
e m
eets
5:0
0 p
.m.-
6:0
0 p
.m.
wh
en s
ervic
es a
re h
eld
. S
atu
rday
morn
ing s
ervic
es:
S
ervic
es i
n t
he
Ort
hod
ox K
ehil
lah
beg
in a
t 9
:00
a.m
.
S
ervic
es i
n t
he
mai
n s
anct
uar
y b
egin
at
9:3
0 a
.m.
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kd
ay m
inyan
im i
n t
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n s
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uar
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edn
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ays
8:0
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.m.
foll
ow
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y t
ext
stud
y (
7:4
5 a
.m.-
Rosh
Ch
od
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)
S
und
ays
9:3
0 a
.m.
Beth
El
mem
bers
coo
k a
nd
ser
ve l
un
ch
at
the
IFC
sh
elte
r in
Ch
apel
Hil
l
the
Fir
st W
ed
nesd
ay
of
ever
y m
on
th. C
onta
ct G
lad
ys
Sie
gel
to h
elp
. B
eth
El
mem
bers
coo
k a
nd
ser
ve d
inn
er a
t th
e IF
C s
hel
ter
in C
hap
el H
ill
the
seco
nd
Tu
esd
ay
of
ever
y m
on
th. C
on
tact
Mey
er L
iber
man
to h
elp
. B
eth
El
mem
bers
serve T
un
a C
ass
erole
Din
ner
at t
he
Du
rham
Com
mu
nit
y K
itch
en
the
fou
rth
Su
nd
ay
of
each
mon
th. C
on
tact
Eri
ca G
rin
gle
to h
elp
pre
par
e an
d/o
r se
rve.
25
C o m m u n i t y C o n n e c t i o n s
Tzedakah in Bloom
Tzedakah in Bloom is a project started by the
Jewish Family Service to raise money for local
community members in need and food banks.
JFS offers 13 different silk flower arrangements
for use at your simcha.
(on the bimah, at a reception or as a centerpiece).
New arrangements are added periodically.
Each arrangement rents for $150.00.
Please call the Federation office at
919-489-5335 if you have questions about the project.
Photos of the arrangements
as well as a reservation form is online at:
www.shalomdch.org/blooms.htm.
To reserve an arrangement,
contact Sandy Fangmeier, Project Coordinator:
919-489-0433 or [email protected]
JFS Gift Card Program: JFS seeks gift cards to shops, movies, restaurants, shows, hair salons. Your gift will be apreciated by those in need. To make a donation or for more information, contact Jenny Schwartz at 919-354-4923 or [email protected]
JFS volunteers needed:
Shabbat Outreach volunteers are needed to lead a short Shabbat service on Fridays for Jewish residents of an assisted living facility in Chapel Hill.
Friendly Visitors are needed for isolated older adults living in the community. Not appropriate for volunteers who want to visit someone with their child. Friendly visitors will spend time with the person as friends do- talking, exploring common interests, or going for a walk. Minimum time commitment: 2-4 hours per month. For more information on these volunteer opportunities, please contact JFS Social Worker Jenny Schwartz at 919-354-4923 or [email protected]
Volunteer as a Guardian ad Litem: Help change the lives of Durham's abused and neglected children. For more information or to volunteer, contact Stephanie Kelly at 564-7289 or [email protected]. Sandy Kessler can also give you information on what it is like to be a Guardian ad Litem.
Help our Jewish Elderly: Jewish Family Services provides a program and lunch for seniors in our community (Chaverim). This is a wonderful opportunity for our elderly seniors to get together on a regular basis, spending time together chatting over a good lunch. We are looking for small groups of friends, such as a family or two, a Hebrew school class or a B’nei Mitzvah student to consider preparing or sponsoring ($100 donation) a lunch in honor or memory of someone or just for the fun of it, for between 15 - 20 seniors. This is an easy and wonderfully rewarding mitzvah opportunity. For more information please contact Michele Pas at [email protected] or 919-493-3175.
We need Beth El volunteers at the Chapel Hill Community Kitchen to cook lunch on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30-12:30. Anyone able to help please contact Gladys Siegel ([email protected])
Servers & Tuna Casseroles Needed for Durham Community Café Dinner the fourth Sunday of each month! Several casseroles are needed for the Community Café dinner that is served on the fourth Sunday of each month. For your convenience, the recipe is printed below. Please deliver the casseroles to Judea Reform before the fourth Sunday of each month during their regular office hours. If you are unable to deliver the casserole, please contact Erica Gringle to make alternate arrangements. This mitzvah is an easy one in which to involve children. Besides making casseroles, Beth El's commitment is to provide servers for the community meal on the fourth Sunday of each month (5:30 PM - 7:00 PM). If you are interested in participating in this community service project, please contact Erica Rapport Gringle. Pre-teens through adult can serve so this too is great mitzvah to do with your older kids.
TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE (use a very large rectangular or oval disposable tin) Please note changes for pasta & vegetables —2 lbs. of rotini (other pastas get mushy after being frozen, thawed and baked) —about 42 ounces of water packed tuna, drained —7 cans of cream of mushroom soup (about 70 ounces and low sodium, if possible) —8 carrots and 8 stalks of celery, diced —Boil the noodles in a large pot of water until al dente or almost done. Drain and place in casserole. —Add all other ingredients and mix well. —No need to cook. Just cover tightly with lots of foil and transport it to the Judea Reform freezer.
Duke Hospice Volunteers Needed: If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a hospice volunteer for Duke Hospice, please contact Carolyn Colsher at 919-620-3859, ext. 235 or [email protected]. For more information on programs visit www.dhch.duhs.duke.edu.
Jewish Family Services at the Levin JCC 1937 Cornwallis Road, Durham
919-354-4936 [email protected] www.levinjcc.org
Contact Jenny Schwartz
at 919-354-4923 or [email protected]
for information on these & other JFS programs.
Visti the JCC website for dates & details
on these ongoing events & more:
JFS Mitzvah Corps Bubbes and Zaydes
Job & Networking Group Caregiver Support Group
Chronic Connections Memory Café
Chaverim JFS Clinical Connections
Women’s & Men’s Groups BRIDGES Sensational Sundays
BETH EL SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Friday evening services:
Services are held on Friday evenings only in conjunction with other programming or special occasions. See monthly calendars for noted dates and times.
Saturday morning services: Services in the Orthodox Kehillah begin at 9:00 a.m.
Services in the Main Sanctuary begin at 9:30 a.m. Weekday minyanim in the Main Sanctuary: (watch your e-mail for information on winter suspension) Sunday mornings at 9:30am
Wednesday mornings at 8:00am
*Please let the office know in advance if you need to say Kaddish, even if a minyan has already been scheduled.
OFFICE HOURS: Monday through Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Fridays: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Office (voice) 919-682-1238 (fax) 919-682-7898 Rabbi Daniel Greyber, Rabbi 919-682-2491 [email protected] Ivy Wingate, Interim Executive Director 919-682-1238 ext. 110 [email protected] Elisabeth Albert, Education & Youth Director 919-682-1238 ext. 170 [email protected] Rachel Albert, Congregational Services Coordinator 919-682-1238 ext. 100 [email protected] Krisha Miller, Publicity Assistant 919-416-1397 [email protected] Rabbi Steve Sager, Rabbi Emeritus 919-682-1238 ext. 195 [email protected] Bulletin Advertising Sales Manager 919-942-5369 [email protected]
If the office phone is in use or no one is in the office, please leave a message on the voice mail. Your call will be returned in a timely manner.
BETH EL WEBSITE: www.betheldurham.org
Barak Richman President Rachel Galanter 1st Vice-President Noah Pickus 2nd Vice-President
Roy Schonberg Financial Secretary
The deadline to submit items for the Beth El Bulletin is the first workday of the preceding month.
The deadline for the January issue is December 2; for the February issue, January 2.
Send bulletin items and calendar dates via e-mail to [email protected].
Beth El Synagogue
1004 Watts Street
Durham, NC 27701
Dated Material