BHBIRochester.org

Published Monthly

Vol 41/No 6

Adar 5767

March 2007

 

Editor: 

Stan Schaffer

Congregation Beth Hamedresh – Beth Israel

B U L L E T I N

 

March Presidentís Message

 

Friends,

 

March is now upon us.  The secular sense of March for me has always been the Ides of March –  by way Shakespeareís play, strongly imbued in me by my 8th grade teacher (thank you Mrs. May).   Itís a powerful and colorful story – full of personal conflict and noble if somewhat misdirected loyalties.

 

Contrast ìJulius Caesarî with the story of Purim.  We have a young Jewish woman who has been taken to the Persian Kingís palace to become his new wife.  Esther makes the best of her situation – perhaps sensing that G-d has some purpose to the fate she has been led to.  Itís clear that Esther and Mordechai are loyal – to their God and to their people – the Jewish people.  Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Octavius are loyal too – to their mutual ambition.  Cassius was insecure – almost paranoid.  Brutus was loyal to the idea of the Roman republic, but lacked the confidence to confront Caesar directly or to persuade his fellow senators to join him in legally deposing the potential tyrant.

 

The burning ambition of Haman is certainly viler than that of any of the characters in the great play.  While the Caesar and Antony sought personal glory and Cassius possibly vengeance, Haman was infected with an early form anti-Semitism.  He created the classic ploy of setting up a scapegoat as a threat and whose destruction would establish his reputation and justify his increased power.

 

The consequences for the protagonists in Shakespeareís play are well known from the work and from history.  The conspirators are hunted down and take their own lives.  Octaviusí ambition collides with Antonyís - leading to Antonyís defeat.  Octavius goes on to become Augustus Caesar and watches as his family is destroyed by internecine ambition and violence.

 

And what of the consequences of Haman, Mordechai and Estherís actions?

 

Haman goes to the gallows with his sons while Mordechai and Esther see the defeat of their enemies and the salvation of their people.  The exile does not end but the Jewish people continue their journey through history under G-dís guiding hand.

 

See you at shul,

 

Harris Honickman

 

 

 

Where can you get great hamentashen absolutely free?

 

Find the answer on the bottom of Page 2

BHBI CALENDAR OF EVENTS – March 2007

 

Friday

Mar. 2

8:00 PM

 

Shabbat Evening Services

     Light candles at 5:42 PM.

Saturday

Mar. 3

9:30 AM

 

7:30 PM

Shabbat Morning Services                              Torah: Tetzaveh

 

Purim Megillah Reading

Sunday

Mar. 4

9:00 AM

 

Purim Morning Service and Megillah Reading

 

Friday

Mar. 9

8:00 PM

Joint Shabbat Evening Services with Congregants from Temple Beth Am at Beth Am

     Light candles at 5:50 PM.

Saturday

Mar. 10

9:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Service                               Torah: Ki Tisa

Sunday

Mar. 11

9:00 AM

Service, Breakfast, Discussion

Monday

Mar. 12

7:30 PM

Board Meeting

Wed.

Mar. 14

7:30 PM

Small Conservative Shul Collaborative Joint Torah Study Session at BHBI

Friday

Mar. 16

8:00 PM

Shabbat Evening Services                              

     Light candles at 6:59 PM.

Saturday

Mar. 17

9:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Service                                Torah: Vayakhel-Pekudei

Blessing for the new month

Sunday

Mar. 18

9:00 AM

Service, Breakfast, Discussion

Friday

Mar. 23

8:00 PM

Shabbat Evening Services

     Light candles at 7:07 PM.

Saturday

Mar. 24

9:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Services                               Torah: Vayikrah

Sunday

Mar. 25

9:00 AM

Service, Breakfast, Discussion

Friday

Mar. 30

8:00 PM

Shabbat Evening Services

     Light candles at 7:15 PM.

Saturday

Mar. 31

9:30 AM

Shabbat Morning Services                               Torah: Tzav

 

 

Purimís here, so join the fun.

Come to BHBI on Saturday evening, March 3rd to hear the ëwhole megillahí.  We promise you palace intrigue, suspense, a beautiful heroine and, of course, a happy ending (and hamentashen).  Come back and continue celebrating this epic story on Sunday morning, March 4th as we do it all over again.

 

THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS

FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY

February 3          Janet Grable in honor of members of the Congregation with December, January and February birthdays and anniversaries

February 10        Nina Klionsky and Leon Metlay in honor of Katharine Metlayís birthday

February 17        Jill Clark in memory of her father, Stanley Clark, and by the Congregation to bid Paul and Rose Israel a fond farewell

February 24        Katharine Metlay in memory of her husband, Max Metlay

                          

TO OUR DONORS -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

 

TORAH FUND

Ira Cohen

Wishing Lynn Goldberg a speedy recovery

Charles and Laura Levinson

Wishing Janet Grableís mother, Gloria Taxon,

a speedy recovery

Esther Vogelstein

GENERAL FUND

Thanking the Congregation for the thoughtful gesture

Paul and Rose Israel

Wishing Janet Grableís mother, Gloria Taxon,

a speedy recovery

Leslie Toker and Jeff Nidetz

 

 

AMAZON.COM

The next time that you want to buy something from Amazon.com, go to the BHBI web page at www.BHBIRochester.org and click on the Amazon.com link.  BHBI gets a percentage of the purchase price each time you link to Amazon.com from our web page.  Buy at Amazon.com and support BHBI at the same time!!

 

MEMORIAL PLAQUES

Several memorial plaques have recently been added to our memorial boards.  You can also memorialize a friend or loved one by purchasing a BHBI memorial plaque.  For more information, contact Stan Schaffer at 473-8072 or stanschaffer@frontiernet.net

 

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE UNAFFILIATED?

 

Tell them about BHBI and invite them to attend our services – they will be sure to get a wonderful welcome.  We would also be happy to add them to our bulletin distribution list and send them information about BHBI.  Give their contact information to Harris Honickman, Stan Schaffer or Leon Metlay who will put them on the mailing list.

 

 

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 stanschaffer@frontiernet.net

 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

 

Nazareth College Arts Center and the Rochester Childrenís Theatre present the Rochester Childrenís Theatreís production of ëAnd Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frankí on Sunday, March 4th at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, March 6th at 7 p.m. at the Nazareth College Arts Center, 4245 East Avenue in conjunction with a photo exhibition by world-renowned photographer Michal Ronnen Safdie titled ëRwanda: After - Darfur: Nowí.  For reservations, call the Nazareth College Box Office at 389-2170.  In attendance will be Anne Frankís childhood friend and neighbor, Eva Schloss, whose mother married Anneís father after the war.  She will be answering audience questions after each performance.

 

Rochester Teens in grades 8 – 12 get to rub elbows with acclaimed comedian, Aaron Freeman, on Saturday evening, March 10th from 8 – 10 p.m. at the JCC when he performs at an evening of Jewish humor.  The event is free of charge and is only open to teens.  It is sponsored by the Jewish Community Federationís JERNY Program for Jewish Youth with generous support from the Molly S. and Louis B. Wolk Foundation.  Please RSVP to Josh Boress at 461-0490 or jboress@jewishrochester.org

 

The Rochester Coalition of Jewish Womenís Organizations presents ëIsrael: New Challenges for the Next Generationí with speaker, Shari Eshet, director of the National Council of Jewish Womenís Israel operations, on Sunday, March 11th from 7 to 9 p.m. at the JCC.  The program is free and will be followed by Israeli treats, Israeli music and a photo exhibition titled ëRecent Images from Israelí by Rochesterís Marcia Birkin.  Please RSVP to Abbey Rasnick at 461-0490 or arasnick@jewishrochester.org

 

On Wednesday evening, March 21st, the Jewish Community Federation is sponsoring an Israel update led by analyst Mike Cohen, at Temple Bírith Kodesh beginning at 7 p.m.  The event is free and open to the community.

 

The Tillie Rose Education Institute is sponsoring a program titled ëDomestic Violence – What Can We Do to Stop Ití at the JCC on Wednesday, March 28th.  The eveningís activities begin with a dinner at 6 p.m. followed by presentations by psychologist Carol Goodman Kaufman, who wrote the book ëSins of Omissioní about the Jewish communityís negligence in responding to the problem of abuse, Rabbi Rebecca Gutterman of Temple Bírith Kodesh, and Paula Sheinberg of Alternatives for Battered Women.  The program begins at 7:30 p.m.  The cost for the eveningís activities including dinner is $14.  Please RSVP to Hela Lipitz at 461-2259.

 

Scholarships Available

 

The Jewish Community Federation is pleased to announce the availability of need-based and incentive scholarships for Jewish young people, between ages 13 and 21, participating in accredited Israel programs.

 

In addition to Israel trips, funds may be applied to other upcoming Jewish travel experiences, Jewish high school programs, and college courses with Jewish content.  Spring distributions will be made for programs to take place this coming summer or next year.

The deadline for applications is March 21, 2007.

For a full description of the scholarship guidelines, contact Jan Katz, Jewish Education Services Director at 461-0490 or at jkatz@jewishrochester.org

 

 

Summer Opportunities at Brandeis University

Brandeis University offers a host of summer opportunities for talented teens through its BIMA program from July 2 – July 30.  The BIMA experience brings teens together to cultivate a vibrant, pluralistic environment brimming with artistic discovery and Jewish experiences.  Brandeis also offers the Genesis program which combines small group interdisciplinary discussions led by highly qualified instructors in topics including world religions and Jewish values; humanity and the environment; Judaism and justice; Israel: inside and out; exploring identity through theatre arts; and investigating journalism, Judaism and ethics.  For more information, go to www.brandeis.edu

 

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.

 

Mar. 2-3

Adar

Mar. 9-10

Adar

Mar. 16-17

Adar- Nisan

Mar. 23-24

Nisan

Charles Saul Gordon*

Rose Riwkin*

Charles Ambush*

Gussie Gillenson Bernstein*

Irvin Boyer*

Stanley Muszynski*

Haskall Isaac Smith*

Abraham Alderman*

Celia Engel*

Max Levy

Edna Astrachan*

Sam Malina*

Anna Steinmetz*

 

13

13

15

 

15

15

15

15

16

16

17

19

19

19

Louis Rickler*

Carl Astrachan*

Harry Aronow*

Leila Markus*

Herman Sarachan*

Percy Cohen*

Ida Sallerson Levine*

Barnet Stern*

20

21

21

21

21

22

25

26

Harris Priceman*

Rebecca Cohen*

Eva Friedman*

Karoline Hess*

Sarah Shulsky*

Sadie Rose

Mollie Wolk*

Sam Wolk*

Lena Levi*

Lester Miller*

Benjamin Braz*

Dr. Charles Cohen*

Eli Gerber*

Bessie Friedman Reicher

Esther Rosenthal

Morris Sherman*

Jacob Shiffman

David Gross*

27

28

28

28

28

29

29

29

  1

  1

  2

  2

  3

 

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

Gertrude Kleinstein*

Rachel Weinstein*

Flora Priceman*

Esther Bertman*

Seymour Ouzer*

Sadie Leitman

Morris Lipman*

Harry  Veeder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Denotes name memorialized on BHBI Memorial Plaque

  5

  5

  7

  8

10

11

11

11

Mar. 30-31

Nisan

Stanley Solomon

Helen Neiman Goldman*

Harry Toker

Leo Beechbinder*

Sol Levin*

Rose Jossem*

Minnette Taylor

Eliahu Louis Cohen*

Harry H. Levinson

13

 

14

14

15

15

16

16

18

18

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.

 

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, March 14th.

 

Please Support Our Advertisers

    


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.  You can also e-mail us at BHBI@frontiernet.net

 

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.

 

DID YOU MISPLACE YOUR BULLETIN?

Donít worry.  BHBI Bulletins going back several months can now be found on our web page: www.BHBIRochester.org

 

WANT TO GET YOUR BULLETIN HOT-OFF-THE-PRESS?  Consider having us e-mail it to you!  Contact Stan Schaffer at:  stanschaffer@frontiernet.net  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congregation Beth Hamedresh-Beth Israel

1369 East Avenue

Rochester, NY  14610