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BHBIRochester.org Published Monthly Vol 44/No 3 Kislev/Tevet 5770 December 2009 Editor: Stan Schaffer |
Congregation
Beth Hamedresh – Beth Israel B U L L E T I N |
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December
President’s Message Friends, Well, November
certainly was a month of ups and downs, or should I say downs and ups? It started with two significant
losses. Dianne Hooker, a member of our Board and our volunteer office manager
succumbed to cancer early in the month. At about the same time, Ingeborg
Vogelstein, mother of Esther Vogelstein, also passed away. Our members helped
assure that their loved ones had shiva minyans and food for the week. Once
again, we showed we care. Later in the month was
a happier event. Rabbi Goldberg gave the second annual Finkelman lecture. He
gave a diachronic and synchronic talk about Jewish music. If you don’t know
what those words mean, you should have come to the talk. There were about
forty people present for the talk including Simon Finkelman’s wife and
daughters, and guests from Beth Am, Beth David, and the Eastman School of
Music. The talk was very well received. Passed on its success, I can
confidently assert that this adult education program will continue. On a more mundane note,
we have recently had repairs to our roof, our front columns and pillars have
been painted (come over and admire how they gleam!) and the electrical
connections have been installed for our access lift. We have a building
permit and the lift has been ordered. About a third of the money for the lift
has been donated or pledged to date. Think about the people who can’t attend
our services because of the steps and please contribute to this worthy cause. Looking ahead, December
contains two joyful events. First comes the Bar Mitzvah of Mark Toker.
Festivities start at our joint Shabbat service at Temple Beth Am on December
5th when Mark will receive his first aliyah, and continue with the
main event at a joint service at our shul on December 12th. Rabbi
Goldberg will be officiating at both services. December 11th
is also the first night of Chanukah. Our Chanukah party, held in conjunction
with Beth Am, will be on Sunday December 13th at 5 PM. There will
be candle lighting, dinner, songs, and games. The reservation form is on page
6 of this bulletin. Please come! I wish you all a Happy
Chanukah. See you in shul. Leon
Metlay |
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SO FAR OUR WHEELCHAIR LIFT
FUND HAS BROUGHT IN ABOUT $4,000!!
SINCE THE COST OF THE LIFT IS
$11,700 WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR
CONTRIBUTION YET?
IF NOT, PLEASE CONSIDER DOING
SO TODAY!
SEE THE PLEDGE FORM ON THE
BOTTOM OF PAGE 2 OF THIS BULLETIN.
BHBI CALENDAR OF EVENTS – DECEMBER 2009
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Friday |
Dec 4 |
7:00 PM |
Shabbat Evening Service at Heather Heights in Pittsford Light candles at 4:17 PM |
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Saturday |
Dec 5 |
10:00 AM |
Joint Shabbat Morning Services with Temple Beth Am at Beth Am with Rabbi Goldberg officiating Torah: Vayishlach |
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Sunday |
Dec 6 |
9:00 AM |
Service, Breakfast and Discussion |
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Wednesday |
Dec 9 |
7:30 PM |
Small Shul Collaborative Torah Study Session at BHBI |
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Friday |
Dec 11 |
8:00 PM |
Joint Shabbat Evening Service with Temple Beth Am at Beth
Am with Rabbi Goldberg officiating Light candles at 4:16 PM |
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Saturday |
Dec 12 |
9:30 AM |
Joint Shabbat Morning Service at BHBI - Bar Mitzvah of Mark Toker Rabbi Goldberg officiating Blessing for the new month. Torah: Vayeishev |
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Sunday |
Dec 13 |
9:00 AM 5:00 PM |
Service, Breakfast and Discussion Combined BHBI - Beth Am Chanukah Party at BHBI |
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Monday |
Dec 14 |
7:30 PM |
Monthly Meeting of the BHBI Board of Trustees |
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Friday |
Dec 18 |
8:00 PM |
Shabbat Evening Service Light candles at 4:18 PM |
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Saturday |
Dec 19 |
9:30 AM |
Shabbat Morning Service Torah:
Miketz |
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Sunday |
Dec 20 |
9:00 AM |
Service, Breakfast and Discussion |
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Friday |
Dec 25 |
8:00 PM |
Shabbat Evening Service Light candles at 4:22 PM |
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Saturday |
Dec 26 |
9:30 AM |
Shabbat Morning Service
Torah: Vayigash |
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Sunday |
Dec 27 |
9:00 AM |
Service, Breakfast and Discussion |
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HELP SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO
IMPROVE ACCESS TO BHBI FOR OUR DISABLED MEMBERS – MAKE A DONATION TODAY
TO HELP US BUY A WHEELCHAIR LIFT! Name(s):
______________________________ Donation Amount: $________ Send this form to BHBI, 1369 East Ave.,
Rochester, NY 14610 along with your special donation for the wheelchair lift
today! |
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FROM THE RABBI’S DESK By RABBI GEOFFREY GOLDBERG
December 2009 – Chanukah 5770 |
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For the past two years
the world’s biggest menorah has been erected on 5th Avenue and 59th
Street, by Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. It is 32 feet high, gold
covered, made out of 4,000 lbs of steel. It will be no surprise if an even
larger one will be erected some time. Strangely, information about the size
of the original (seven, not eight-branch) menorah of the Tabernacle as was
not provided by the Torah (see Exodus 25:31–40), but if the relief of
the menorah of the Second Temple as depicted in the Arch of Titus in Rome is
any indication, it was not particularly large. For it was the message, not
the medium, of the light of the menorah that was of significance Mega-sized menorahs are
but symptomatic of what has been happening to Chanukah in contemporary
America. Every year Chanukah seems to get bigger and bigger, and longer and
longer. In New York City hanukkiot light up the windows of stores, along with all the glitter and
symbols of Christmas, starting after Thanksgiving and lasting until the end
of the twelve days of… well, you know. What ever happened to the Eight Days
of Chanukah? Every year we seem to be outdoing non-Jews at this festive
season. Even with the severe recession dripping the country, one doubts that
much will change. The harsh truth is that Chanukah
is but a minor festival, but one with a powerful message. We pervert its
message when we try to compete with celebrations of our non-Jewish neighbors.
Chanukah and big just don’t go. Chanukah is small and beautiful. It is about
the little oil, enough for one day, which miraculously lasted for eight days.
It is about the power of light and how a small flame can be seen, even in
great darkness, from a great distance, and how a small flame can inspire
great hope and determination. Chanukah’s message
is summed up in the verse from the Prophet Zechariah, which will be read this
year on First Shabbat Chanukah (December 12) lo ve-ḥayyil, ve-lo ve-khoaḥ, ki im be-ruḥi, amar adonay tzeva’ot.”
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of
Hosts.” There is a debate
in the Talmud between Hillel and Shammai about how the Chanukah lights should
be lit. Hillel said that we should light one on the first night, two on the
second, thus increasing by one light every night. Shammai, on the other hand,
said that we should start with eight candles the first night, seven the
second, diminishing by one light every night. It would seem that Shammai was following a
principle that he cherished very dearly, namely, telling the truth. Following
Shammai we might say that the truth is that we live in a world with
ever-diminishing expectations. Some of the dreams we might have had in our
youth become increasingly difficult to materialize. The moment we are born we
begin to die. Each day brings us closer to our last day. Shammai was a harsh
realist, and because of this felt that the light diminishes each successive
day. Hillel, however,
had a deeper perception of what constitutes truth. The deeper truth is that
our lives become ever richer and fuller with the passage of time, and not
increasingly diminished. The light of Chanukah reminds us of the potential
that lies within each moment. The present can be filled with light and that
light can increase no matter where we are in the span of our lives. Like
life, light can pierce any darkness. And just as we kindle increasing numbers
of lights each night of Chanukah, yet the light of none is diminished, when
we help raise the spirit of others, our spirit is in no way lessened. On the
contrary, it is increased. So it became the
custom to follow Hillel’s opinion that we light an additional light each
night to make known the miracle of Chanukah: that is, our light can grow
exceedingly bright beyond any reasonable expectations. Ḥag urim sameaḥ, Rabbi Geoffrey Goldberg |
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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.
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December 5-6 |
Kislev |
December 11-12 |
Kislev- Tevet |
December 18-19 |
Tevet |
December 25-26 |
Tevet |
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Edward M. Hart Rose Alderman* Hyman Ring* Ernst Beutler Ida Taub Ida Bobb |
19 20 20 21 22 24 |
Sarah Hoffman* Hyman Snyder* Michael Miller* Emma Aronow* Karen Cohen Rose Marcus * Denotes name memorialized
on BHBI Memorial Plaque |
25 25 27 28 28 28 |
Morris Kanthor* Morton Fink* Belle Lipsky Abraham Weinstein* Abraham Stolnitz* Barbara Bertman* Sigmund Traub* Meriam Jossem* David Goodman* |
3 4 4 4 5 6 6 7 8 |
Selman Kauffman Lansky* William Silverstein* Maurice Bloom* Manuel Miller* Sadie Aberman* Sol Lazarus* Fannie Osband* Celia Suskind* Dora Rogovin* |
9 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 |
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.
MEALS ON WHEELS SURVEY
The Meals on Wheels
Organization in Rochester is trying to determine the current and future demand
for pre-prepared kosher meals to be sent to seniors in the Jewish
community. In order to assist them
with this task, you will find a short survey about Meals on Wheels in the BHBI
lobby. The next time that you’re
in shul, please take one home, fill it out, and send it back to Meals on
Wheels.
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!!
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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 |
TO OUR DONORS -- THANK YOU FOR
YOUR GENEROSITY!
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THE RABBI GOLDBERG FUND
We have recently started
a Rabbi Goldberg Fund to enable us to engage Rabbi Goldberg to lead additional
services at BHBI during the year in addition to the previously scheduled 16
joint services that he will be leading for BHBI and Temple Beth Am. Whenever the funds in the Rabbi
Goldberg Fund reach a predetermined level, we will schedule an additional
service with Rabbi Goldberg. To
contribute to the Rabbi Goldberg Fund, please send a check in to BHBI with a
notation that the contribution should be used for the Rabbi Goldberg Fund.
NEWS FLASH: MATCHING GIFTS FOR
CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE RABBI GOLDBERG FUND
THROUGH 12/31/09
An anonymous donor will
match any contributions up to a total of $500 made to the Rabbi Goldberg Fund
from December 1, 2009 until December 31, 2009. Make your contribution to the Rabbi Goldberg Fund today and
see your money go twice as far! Remember
that whenever we get contributions of $400 to the fund we can arrange to have
Rabbi Goldberg officiate at another service.
TORAH STUDY
Join
congregants from Temple Beth Am, Temple Beth David and BHBI for our monthly
Small Conservative Shul Collaborative Torah Study session at BHBI on Wednesday
evening, December 9th at 7:30 p.m. The discussion is always lively and engaging!
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.
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
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THANK YOU TO OUR KIDDUSH SPONSORS
FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
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November 14 |
Sherwood
Snyder in memory of his mother, Harriet Snyder, and Katie Metlay in memory of
her mother, Fanny Titof |
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November 21 |
Steve and Ruth
Teitel in memory of Steve’s mother, Eleanor Teitel |
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November 28 |
Leon Metlay
and Nina Klionsky in honor of Leon’s birthday and the birthdays of their
nieces Katharine and Robyn |
JOIN US FOR THE JOINT BHBI –
BETH AM
CHANUKAH PARTY AT BHBI ON
DECEMBER 13TH
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The
party starts at 5:00 P.M. with candle lighting at 5:30 P.M. We’ll
be having latkes and blintzes, games and songs. Cost
$8 for adults and children age 13 and over; $4 for kids under 13 Family
max = $20 Reservations
required by Wednesday, December 9th |
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Make
your reservation now and don’t forget your menorahs! Name(s):
________________________________________ Number
Attending: _______ adults; _______ children Amount
enclosed: $______ Send
your reservation to BHBI, 1369 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14610 |
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The Jewish Community Federation
will be conducting a population study of the Greater Rochester Jewish community
early in 2010. It will be the
first time that the community will be surveyed in a decade. The plan is to survey every member of
our community including those who are unaffiliated. The study welcomes everyone to contribute their opinions and
input. To further encourage
participation, everyone who completes the survey will be entered into special prize
drawings. The study, sponsored by
the Federation with substantial financial support from Jewish Senior Life, will include several in-depth questions for those
helping to make planning decisions for aging parents, as well as those planning
for their own retirement needs. Additional questions will explore the needs of
interfaith families, singles, teens, and other key sub-populations. And then
there’s the issue of our numbers: How has the size of our community changed
since our community’s last demographic study in 1999?
The study will be conducted via the Internet, although volunteers will be available at sites in the Jewish community to assist anyone not comfortable with completing their survey online. There will also be a telephone-based option. The community will be notified by mail and email, and through flyers and advertisements, once the survey goes live.
Volunteers are needed to assist members of the community who want to complete the survey but need help with the computer data input. The Federation needs volunteers who are willing to interview survey respondents over the phone and input their responses using a home computer; and volunteers with laptops who are willing to meet with respondents at pre-arranged times and input their responses face to face. If you can volunteer during a 6-8 week period in January – February 2010, please contact Susan Gagnon at the Jewish Community Federation, 461-0490, ext. 242 or sgagnon@jewishrochester.org.
SUPER SUNDAY
Sunday, December 6th is
the Jewish Community Federation’s Super Sunday. Please be generous when the Super Sunday volunteer calls to
ask for your pledge!!
Do
You Know Anyone Who is Unaffiliated and Interested in Joining a Congregation?
Let them know about BHBI’s special free
3 month trial membership (available to prospective first-time new members
only). Have them contact BHBI at
244-2060 or BHBI@frontiernet.net and
we will be happy to give them information about BHBI and this great offer!!
OFFICE: The synagogue office is checked
regularly for mail and messages.
The synagogue 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 making a donation to any one of our funds (General Operating, Kiddush, Library, Torah, Rabbi Aaron Solomon Scholarship, Our Youth, Special Events, Rabbi Goldberg Fund 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. A standard sponsored kiddush at BHBI costs just $40 while a larger enhanced kiddush is just $50.
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