Published Monthly

Vol 39/No 9

Iyar/Sivan 5765

June 2005

Editor:

Stan Schaffer

Congregation Beth Hamedresh – Beth Israel

B U L L E T I N

June Presidentís Message

In this, my first note to you, I want to thank you for the honor of being elected president of BHBI. On behalf of the congregation, and myself I want to extend grateful thanks to my predecessor, Stan Schaffer, for his patience and hard work in fulfilling the duties of this office these past two years. I also want to thank all those who have helped so much and put in much time keeping the shul running week to week throughout the year. The weekly kiddushim, the Shabbat and holiday meals, running the office, preparing the bulletin, performing chores, keeping the financial books and helping with services – these are some of the many ways that our dedicated members serve the shul and from which we all benefit.

This is a special congregation. More than any other congregation in this community, it is internally driven. We have a special mixture of intimacy, warmth, and informality. We also have enormous potential. If we have any shortcomings, it is that we have not sufficiently promoted that message out to the community.

Our major challenge is to increase membership. For this the effort must come from us. Query your children, grandchildren, relatives, friends and acquaintances. Tell them about the informality, the opportunity to participate in services at whatever level they wish, the chance for them and their children to learn to daven, lain Torah, chant Haftorah – and how rewarding and fun it is. I believe that we need to grow the congregation and make an increased effort to connect with the Jewish community. I urge all members to discuss this in the months ahead.

Perhaps you have not regularly attended Shabbat services, thinking that it just wasnít for you. Please consider giving it a chance. Contemplating the Siddur weekly can give you a framework on which to insert your own thoughts for the things that are most dear to you – life and its meaning, hopes, fears, joy, the unknown, children and family – and yes, G-d the source of all. A weekly encounter with our ancient prayer book and Torah can temper the cynicism of daily life.

The Small Shul Collaborative Study Sessions continues on Wednesday, June 8 at 7:30. These sessions, which involve free wheeling discussions of the weekly Torah portion, have been educational and very enjoyable for all involved. Please join in.

We mark the end of counting the Omer by celebrating the Festival of Weeks, Shavuot, beginning Sunday evening, June 12^th when we will have a dairy Shavuot dinner at BHBI at 6:30 p.m. followed by services and a study session. Shavuot services continue on Monday and Tuesday mornings June 13^th and 14^th at 9:00 a.m. A Yizkor service will be held that Tuesday. Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah to Israel at Mt. Sinai.

Letís all welcome Steve Teitel and his family to our congregation. Steve has been coming to our services recently and has now decided to join. Steve has also offered to join the Board of Trustees and was elected at our annual meeting.

I will be available to all of our members. Feel free to leave messages for me on the shul answering machine or email me at hhonickman@frontiernet.net. Email is definitely preferable as I am at a computer most of the day, at work and at home. Such is my life. Tell me of your concerns, frustrations and especially of your ideas for the benefit and future of our shul.

See you all at shul.

Harris Honickman

BHBI CALENDAR OF EVENTS – June 2005

Friday	June 3	6:15 PM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 8:26 PM.
Saturday	June 4	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Blessing of the New Month (Sivan) Torah: Bamidbar
Sunday	June 5	9:00 AM	Service, Breakfast, Discussion
Monday	June 6	7:30 PM	Board Meeting
Wednesday	June 8	7:30 PM	Joint Small Conservative Shul Torah Study Session with Congregants from Temple Beth Am and Temple Beth David at BHBI
Friday	June 10	8:00 PM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 8:31 PM.
Saturday	June 11	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Nasso
Sunday	June 12	9:00 AM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM	Service, Breakfast, Discussion Shavuot Dinner Shavuot Evening Services followed by Torah Study Light candles at 8:32 PM.
Monday	June 13	9:00 AM	Shavuot Morning Services – First Day Light candles after 9:46 PM.
Tuesday	June 14	9:00 AM	Joint Shavuot Morning Services – Second Day with Yizkor with congregants from Temple Beth Am at BHBI
Friday	June 17	6:15 PM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 8:34 PM.
Saturday	June 18	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Service Torah: Behaalotchah
Sunday	June 19	9:00 AM	Service, Breakfast, Discussion
Friday	June 24	6:15 PM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 8:35 PM.
Saturday	June 25	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Shelach
Sunday	June 26	9:00 AM	Service, Breakfast, Discussion

Join us for a very special dairy Shavuot dinner at BHBI on

Sunday evening, June 12^th.

Please fill out and return the reservation form on page 5.

YAHRZEITS

At the following Shabbat Services, we will read the names of our late loved ones whose Yahrzeits will occur on that Shabbat or during the following week.

June 3-4

Iyar/

Sivan

June 10-11

Sivan

June 17-18

Sivan

June 24-25

Sivan

Reuben Cohen

Leopold Beechbinder*

Charles Bertman*

Isadore D. Goldberg*

Harry T. Levinson*

Abraham Goldman*

Arnold Kauffman*

Samuel Schwartz*

Nathan Epstein*

Bessie Klein*

Rose Levin*

Esther Gertrude Schriba*

Morris Levine*

Ida Sherman*

Ann Alderman*

Sam Solomon

Max Atkin*

Bessie Eber*

Max Vogelstein

Benjamin Weinrib*

Sarah Osband*

Jessie Stolnitz*

Harry Strauss*

Minnie Strom*

Rose Sallerson*

Janet Riwkin Glaser*

Evelyn Goldman Kauffman*

Louis Maltinsky*

Sadie Stolnitz*

Katherine Weinrib*

Lyons I. Jossem*

Zus Kaminnik

Esther Senzel*

Sarah Rebecca Gerber*

Minnie Marcus*

Nathan Yablin*

Leo Lewin

Fannie Warnick*

* Denotes name memorialized on BHBI Memorial Plaque

We pray that our mourners will be comforted among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and that the memory of the deceased continues to be a blessing to all who knew them.

THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS

FOR THE MONTH OF MAY

May 7 Phil and Annette Garver

May 14 Janet Grable in honor of members with April and May birthdays and anniversaries

May 21 Leon Metlay and Nina Klionsky in honor of Ninaís grandmother, Marion Klionsky

May 28 Phil and Annette Garver

TO OUR DONORS -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

TORAH FUND

From Ira Cohen

Wishing Paul Israel a speedy recovery

Charles and Laura Levinson

GENERAL FUND

Stan and Elaine Schaffer in memory of Ben Ritter

MAZEL TOV

To Jeremy Amon on his upcoming graduation from high school and his acceptance to

Princeton University

TORAH STUDY

Join friends from BHBI, Temple Beth Am and Temple Beth David for an interesting evening of Torah Study at BHBI at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8^th. We will be studying Parshat Nasso.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

On Sunday evening, June 5^th, Dvorah and Myron Kolko, who are longtime supporters of Jewish education in our community, will be honored at Ora Academyís Scholarship Dinner to be held at Congregation Beth Shalom. The couvert is $90 per person. For information and reservations call 271-8711.

The JCC is sponsoring a literary luncheon with 2 authors, Samuel Freedman, the author of Who She Was: My Search for My Motherís Life and Steven V. Roberts, the author of My Fatherís Houses: Memoir of a Friend on Tuesday, June 7^th at 12 noon. The cost is $25 for JCC members and $30 for non-members. For tickets, call the JCC at 461-2000 x235.

Have fun at the zoo as the Jewish Community Federation presents Zoo-fest 2005 on Thursday, June 16^th from 6 to 8:30 p.m. There will be lots of fun activities for the whole family. Kosher dinners are available. Please preregister by June 10^th. Contact Wendy Strauss (wstrauss@jewishrochester.org) or Sarabeth Rogoff (srogoff@jewishrochester.org) at the Federation for information. They can be reached at 461-0490.

Join Hillel Community Day School on Sunday, June 26^th from 1 to 5 p.m. for the Great Kosher Rib Off, a rib-cooking competition and family picnic. Treat yourself to delicious ribs from competing teams, tasty grilled fare and Israeli delights, snacks, desserts, cold drinks as well as a raffle, games and entertainment galore. For more information, contact Kimberly Bunce at 271-6877 or by email at kbunce@hillelschool.org

Synagogue Officers for 2005-06

President – Harris Honickman

First Vice-President – Janet Grable

Second Vice-President – Stan Schaffer

Treasurer – Art Mercer

Financial Secretary – Ira Cohen

Recording Secretary – Leon Metlay

Change in Date of Next Board Meeting

Because of Shavuot, the next BHBI Board meeting will be held on Monday, June 6^th instead of

Monday, June 13^th.

Want to Honor Someone?

Sponsor a BHBI Shabbat kiddush in their honor! Call [the shul office 244-2060] for details.

So far our TOPS Gift Card fundraiser has been quite successful. Remember,

TOPS Gift Cards are now available through BHBI in $50 denominations.

To purchase TOPS Gift Cards, contact Stan Schaffer

at 473-8072 or by e-mail at schaffer@localnet.com

SHAVUOT DINNER RESERVATION FORM

JOIN YOUR FRIENDS AT BHBI FOR A SCRUMPTOUS SHAVUOT DAIRY DINNER COURTESY OF JANET GRABLE AND JUDITH MERCER ON SUNDAY EVENING, JUNE 12^TH

AT 6:30 PM

$10 FOR ADULTS, $7 FOR CHILDREN, $30 FAMILY MAXIMUM

PLEASE SEND IN YOUR RESERVATIONS TO BHBI

BY JUNE 4^TH

Names: ______________________________________

Number of People Attending: _____ Adults, _____ Children

Amount Submitted: $____

Please send your reservation to BHBI, 1369 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14610

OFFICE HOURS: The shul office is checked regularly for mail and messages. The shul phone is 244-2060. For urgent issues, call Harris Honickman at 271-5145 or Stan Schaffer at 473-8072.

WANT TO REMEMBER OR HONOR SOMEONE OR A SPECIAL OCCASION?

Consider sponsoring a kiddush or make a donation to any one of our funds (General Operating, Kiddush, Library, Torah, Rabbi Aaron Solomon Scholarship, Our Youth, Special Events, or the Sam Malina Memorial Fund) please indicate which fund you would like your donation to go to and we will send out an acknowledgement card as you indicate and print an announcement in this bulletin.

BULLETIN CONTENT

What do you enjoy reading in the BHBI Bulletin? Is there something that you would like added (or taken out)? If so, please let Stan Schaffer know. We always appreciate feedback.

WANT TO GET YOUR BULLETIN HOT-OFF-THE-PRESS? Consider having us e-mail it to you! Contact Elaine or Stan Schaffer at: the_schaffers@juno.com

Congregation Beth Hamedresh-Beth Israel

1369 East Avenue

Rochester, NY 14610