Published Monthly

BHBIRochester.org

Published Monthly

Vol 42/No 5

Adar I/Adar II 5768

March 2008

Editor: Stan Schaffer

Congregation Beth Hamedresh – Beth Israel

B U L L E T I N

March President’s Message

Friends,

Well, as the saying goes, March goes in like a lion, and (in Rochester) goes out like a slightly older lion. As I write, we are in the midst of our icy cold winter and the news from Punxsutawney Phil has not been encouraging. But no matter the snow and cold outside, the atmosphere is always warm and inviting each Shabbat at BHBI, thanks to the ruach of our congregation and the marvels of a programmable thermostat. If you have not been to Shabbat services in a while, please come by to relax and reconnect with old friends and new. A sit down kiddush lunch always follows services.

Our Purim celebration will take place at 7:00 pm Thursday evening, March 20. We are happy to have Rabbi Isaacs with us again this year to read the whole megillah. All kings and queens and other costumed individuals, and everyone else, are welcome! So come to stomp your feet and boo "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." We provide the graggers, you provide the noise. Treats will be served.

One of the many special things about our Congregation is the relatively high proportion of our young people who actively participate in our services. In a recent regular Shabbat morning service, half of our aliyot went to post bar/bat mitzvah teenagers under the age of 16! If you know a post bar/bat mitzvah teenager who would like an aliyah please invite them to come to one of our Shabbat morning services – they do not have to be a BHBI member. We also make aliyot available to us regular "old folk." If you would like an aliyah in honor of a special occasion, or if you would like one just because it has been a while, please contact our gabbai, Leon Metlay, and we will be happy to accommodate you.

See you in shul,

Steve Teitel

BHBI CALENDAR OF EVENTS – March 2008

Saturday	Mar 1	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Blessing of the new month Torah: Vayakhel
Sunday	Mar 2	9:00 AM	Service and Discussion
Friday	Mar 3	8:00 PM	Shabbat Evening Service Light candles at 5:49 PM.
Saturday	Mar 8	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Pekudei
Sunday	Mar 9	9:00 AM	Service and Discussion
Monday	Mar 10	7:30 PM	BHBI Board Meeting
Wednesday	Mar 12	7:30 PM	Small Shul Collaborative Joint Torah Study Session at BHBI
Friday	Mar 14	8:00 PM	Joint Shabbat Evening Services with Congregants from Temple Beth Am at Beth Am Light candles at 6:57 PM.
Saturday	Mar 15	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Vayikrah
Sunday	Mar 16	9:00 AM	Service and Discussion
Thursday	Mar 20	7:00 PM	Purim Megillah Reading
Friday	Mar 21	8:00 PM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 7:06 PM.
Saturday	Mar 22	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Tzav
Sunday	Mar 23	9:00 AM	Service and Discussion
Friday	Mar 28	8:00 AM	Shabbat Evening Services Light candles at 7:14 PM.
Saturday	Mar 29	9:30 AM	Shabbat Morning Services Torah: Shemini
Sunday	Mar 30	9:00 AM	Service and Discussion

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 12th. Come and enjoy interesting conversation and make new friends while gain new insights into Torah! All are welcome.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Psst!

Have you heard the whole megillah yet?

Come to BHBI on Thursday evening, March 20^th and you will!!

THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS

FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY

February 2	The Congregation
February 9	The Congregation
February 16	Nina Klionsky and Leon Metlay in memory of Max Metlay and in honor of the Golden Jubilee of the Bat Mitzvah that Katie Metlay didn't have. Dave Rogachefsky in honor of his mother, Tamar Rogachefsky's birthday.
February 23	Phil and Annette Garver in memory of Nathan Goldberg

TO OUR DONORS -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

GENERAL FUND

Dennis Kessler

TORAH FUND

Ira Cohen

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE UNAFFILIATED?

Tell them about BHBI and let them know that BHBI is Rochester’s friendliest shul! Then 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.

MEMORIAL PLAQUES

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

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. Each time you make a purchase after linking to Amazon.com from our web page, BHBI gets a percentage of the purchase. Buy gifts or something for yourself or your family and support BHBI at the same time!!

PLEASE VISIT OR CALL OUR ELDERLY MEMBERS!

Many of our elderly members are no longer able to come to shul and would love to hear from their BHBI friends. Please call or visit them. Among them are Ben and Muriel Hobel who can be reached at 385-3971. They’d love to hear from you!

CHANGES TO THE MISHEBERACH LIST

We are currently updating the list of those whose names are called out when we say a misheberach for people who are ill during our Torah service each Shabbat. We will be starting from scratch with a new list at the end of March, so if you know someone who is ill and who would appreciate getting a misheberach, please contact Leon Metlay at metlionsky@frontiernet.net, send the names in to BHBI, or leave a message on the shul answering machine at 244-2060 by March 20th.

EVENTS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

Finding Faith Without Fanaticism

Join an important panel discussion featuring Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, author of You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right and Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, Bishop Matthew Clark of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, and Dr. Mohammad Shafiq, Director of the Islamic Center of Rochester, on the topic of Rabbi Hirschfield’s book, Wednesday, March 5^th at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El. The event is free and open to the community.

Find Out About Opportunities for Jewish College Students

JERNY (Jewish Education Rochester Network Youth) is sponsoring a program for teens and their parents on opportunities for Jewish college students on Thursday, March 6^th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the JCC. All aspects of the college experience for Jewish students, as well as issues like financial aid and the admissions process will be addressed. RSVP to Josh Boress at jboress@jewishrochester.org

Purim Palooza

Come to the JCC’s annual Purim family event on Sunday, March 9^th from 1 to 4 p.m. Events include a ‘Royal Game Room’ with interactive Wii Carnival Station, a bounce house and carnival games, arts and crafts activities, face painting, Larry the Balloon Guy and a costume parade at 3:30. There will be a tzedakah project to make Shalach Manot packages for Jewish adults with disabilities. The event is free and open to the community.

Lecture by Professor Stephen Berk

Professor Stephen Berk returns to Rochester to give another riveting lecture as part of the Israel Speakers’ Forum lecture series in honor of Israel @ 60 on Sunday March 9^th at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El. Professor Berk is an expert on Israel, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and the Middle East. He is the Henry and Sally Schaeffer Chair of Holocaust and Jewish Studies at Union College. The event is free and open to the community.

Shalom Rochester

The Jewish Community Federation invites all newcomers to the Rochester Jewish community to come for a complementary supper at the JCC on Sunday, March 23^rd at 5:30 p.m. RSVP to Wendy Strauss at wstrauss@jewishrochester.org or 461-0490 x236.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Help Out at Large Community Events

The Jewish Community Federation is collecting the names of individuals interested in volunteering at large community events. Volunteers will act as greeters, help set up, work with kids and will have lots of fun doing it. For more information, contact Wendy Strauss at wstrauss@jewishrochester.org or 461-0490 x236.

The Rochester Jewish Coalition for Literacy

Pick one of ten city schools and work one-on-one with a student in grades K-3 who needs help with literacy skills. For more information, contact Isobel Goldman at igoldman@jewishrochester.org or 461-0490 x235.

GET WELL SOON

To Ben Hobel, who recently got out of the hospital and who is currently getting rehabilitation.

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.

Feb 29 – Mar 1

Adar I

March 7 - 8

Adar II

March 14 - 15

Adar II

March 21 - 22

Adar II

Ida Sallerson Levine*

Barnet Stern*

Harris Priceman*

Rebecca Cohen*

Eva Friedman*

Karoline Hess*

Sarah Shulsky*

Sadie Rose

Mary Weinrib*

Emma Sarachan*

* Denotes name memorialized on BHBI Memorial Plaque

Anna Schiff*

Shanie Rachel Robinson*

Irving Gold

Charles Saul Gordon*

Charles Ambush*

Celia Engel*

Max Levy

Carl Astrachan*

March 28 - 29

Adar II

Mollie Wolk*

Sam Wolk*

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.

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

Please Support Our Advertisers

OFFICE: The shul office is checked regularly for mail and messages. The shul phone is 244-2060. For urgent issues, call Steve Teitel at 473-5741 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?

Don’t 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