Clergy and Leadership
Mishkon Clergy:
Rabbi Gabriel Botnick
Daniel R. Shevitz, Rabbi Emeritus
Executive Board:
Melissa Tarsky, President
Rena Panush, Vice President
Judy Gordon, Treasurer
Cindy Goldstein, Vice President
Michele Prince, Vice President
Dayna Greenspan, Secretary
Board of Directors:
Phil Bell
Jeff Fleck
Michael Kirschbaum
Johanna Schmidt
Rosalind Silver
Carol Felixson
Jeff Gornbein
Itai Klein
Russell Schwartz
Committee Chairs:
Phil Bell, Adult Education
Peter Kunstler, Cemetery Plots
Carol Felixson, Communications
Miriam Barron, Hazak Group
Andy Bender, Kiddush
Johanna Schmidt, Preschool Liaison
Jeff Gornbein, Tephila
Rena Panush, Barbara’s Book Club
Cindy Goldstein, Communications
Marilyn Lewitt, Hazak Group
Shifra Raz, Membership Acquisition and Retention
Rena Panush, Kiddush
Michael Kirschbaum, Religious School Liaison
Stacy Feinberg, Building and Grounds
Senior Staff:
Kelley Courtney, Executive Director
Elisa Coburn, Preschool Director
Mishkon Tephilo
201 Hampton Drive
Venice, CA 90291
Phone: (310) 392-3029
Fax: (310) 392-0420
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.mishkon.org
The Galim
Winter 2016
Todah Rabah to Our Mishkon Donors
Below is a list of those who donated to Mishkon during the last quarter
We thank you for your generosity.
Mishkon Tephilo
Mission Statement
Mishkon Tephilo is a participatory, egalitarian congregation. We
strive to meet the religious, spiritual, educational, and social needs
of a diverse membership within the framework of Conservative
Judaism.
The commitment and participation of all congregants is to be
nurtured, with the understanding that all contribute value to our
community. We value full participation, regardless of gender, race,
sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status. We view
ourselves as partners in God’s Mitzvot of Torah, Avodah, and
Gemilut.
We are bound together by traditional Jewish experience through
the following values: Spirituality: Members engage in prayer and
study experiences that bring them closer to God and to each other.
Community: We are bound together by a Brit Tzibur of providing
celebration, solace and support throughout the Jewish lifecycle.
Torah: We are an educational center for the teaching and study of
Jewish texts, rituals, practices and values. Tzedakah and Tikkun
Olam: We understand our obligations as Jews to care for and
support the Jewish people, the State of Israel, the community in
which we live.
In This Edition
On Fire and Faith by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick .........2
Thankful for Our Community
by Melissa Tarsky ..................................................3
Preschool Thanksgiving.........................................3
Board Goals for the Year
by Dayna Greenspan .............................................4
Mishkon Anglers Club Off to a Great Start
by Phil Bell ............................................................4
Voting at Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool
by Ellen Aiken .…………………………………………………. 5
Bat Mitzvah Spotlight ...........................................6
Mishkon Simchas ..................................................6
Join Us for Our Hanukah Party .............................6
Mishkon Members Attend Simchat Torah at
Woman's Prison ...................................................7
The Rashi Corner by Jeff Fleck ..............................7
Advance Healthcare Directives Program
by Phil Bell ............................................................8
Mishkon Collects Donations by Michele Prince ....9
Alper, Eugene and Bloch, Susan
Alper, Laurie
Anthony, Tyler and Ashley
Apfelberg, Andrew and Rebecca
Barenholtz, Brett and Rachel
Barron, Miriam
Beck, Laura and Loren
Beecher, Mindy and Adam
Bell, Phil and Chana
Bender, Andrew
Beresh, Robyn
Berger, Shelley
Berkovich, Alon and Tali
Bliss, Richard
Blum, Lillian
Bratman, Jordan
Brick, Ilene
Bronstein, Ella
Brookman, Daniel and Linda
Bruce, Mark and Rosin, Cynthia
Buchbinder, Harriet and Stuart
Chasin, Perri
Cummings, James
Daman, Phil and Bliss, Jennifer
Davich, Victor
Davis, Carol V.
Davis, Howard and Sternfeld, Janet
Donohue, Marlena Doktorczyk
Elkinson, Kenneth and Edythe
Enzer, Adrienne
Eule, Carole
Feinberg, Stacy and Brylawski, Michael
Felixson, Carol and Jaduszliwer, Bernardo
Feuerstein, Helene
Fineman, Igor
Fins, Paula
Forman, Cindy
Friedman, Judith and Mark
Friedman, Lee and Cande
Geil, Ed and Michelle
Geller, Joseph
Goldstein, Cynthia
Goldstein, Robert and Tong, Olivia
Goldstein, Sara and Raymond
Gordon, Judith
Gornbein, Jeff and Martin, Fredricka
Gourarie, Hadassah
Grebler, Rene
Greenspan, Dayna and Schwartz, Robert
Groschadl, Joseph
Grunstein, Michael and Judith
Haber, Elaine and Darren
Harelik, Richard and Joan
Hershkowitz, David and Helena
Hirt, Randy and Eddy, Bruce
Hochman, Jessica and Michael
Hoehler, Dan and Robin
Horn, Susan Fox
Kadish, Sheldon and Rosenfeld, Mary Ann
Kaye, Ronnie
Kennedy, Michael and Monique
Kirschbaum, Michael and Michelle
Klein, Itai and Erica
Kunstler, Evelyn
Lakin, Marty and Dee
Lewitt, Marilyn
Lieberman, Myron and Arlene
Lightdale, LLC
Linden, Gary and Nannette
Lulla, Victor
Makiri, David
Malamud, Donna
Manning, Roberta
Markowitz, Michael and Goodman, Randi
Mashaal, Joy and Nuss, Matthew
Mathason, Marcia and Bruce
Maurer, Todd and Kaplan, Natasha
Medeiros, Ryan
Meltser, Aleksander
Milstein, Hymie
Mollin, Peggy
Morris, Donald
Naim, Mark and Shorah
Navi, Marco and Elham
Osser, Patricia and Irving
Panush, Rena and Richard
Paradise, Mitch
Paris, David and Cowen, Nancy
Pillar, Russ
Polansky, Ronald and Susan
Pomerantz, Earl and Myra
Portnoy, Caryl
Prince, Michele and Jeffrey
Rachootin, Nadine
Rankin, Bonnie
Rapoport, David and Barbara
Raz, Shifra and Rubinstein, Benny
Rieger, Jane Luna
Rose, Judith
Rosen, Richard
Rosenheck, Molly and Spencer
Ross, Matthew and Page, Frances
Sager, David
Saltzbart, Felicia and Ehrenberg, David
Samuel, Yael and Jacob
Saunders, Brad and Lauren
Schmidt, Johanna and Benjamin
Schrag, Morton and Lorraine
Schreck, Rhona and Ira
Schwartz, David and Effros, Barbara
Schwartz, Lawrence and Maggy
Schwartz, Russell and Goland, Susan
Seder, Elyse
Sharman, Jason and Miriam
Shepnick, Ira and Ninette
Sherman, Cynthia
Shevitz, Daniel
Shirazian, Shabnam Sara
Singer, Ben and Portnoy, Sarah
Slesaranksy, Eduardo
Small, Alan and Floriberta
Smith, Howard J. and Levine, Victoria
Sneh, Louis
Sorter, Thomas and Phyllis
Spiegel, Marylin and Simeon
Stanger, Phil and Roxanne
Steckler, Lisa and Morgan
Stein, Russell
Steinberg, Barry and Ann
Stonehouse, Gail and Stephen
Tarfman, Madelynn
Tarsky, Melissa and Brian
Taylor, Fern Vivian
Tepper, Robert and Anita
Tishman, Roberta
Wechsler, Irene and Chase, Richard
Weisman, Sandy
Weissler, Eric
Wilson, Stephen and Claudia
Wine, Aliza
Wolken, Ann
Zalben, Janet
Zlotolow, Miriam
Todah Rabah to Our Mishkon Donors ..................10
Serving Jewish communities in Venice
and Santa Monica since 1917
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
10
Mishkon Collects Donations for Jewish Family Service
On Fire and Faith by Rabbi Gabriel Botnick
by Michele Prince
Mishkon has joined with Beth Am, B'nai David, IKAR and other groups for Project Hope Part 2. We will be collecting items to
donate to Jewish Family Service, which is a non-profit organization assisting refugees by finding and furnishing homes for them
as they settle in a city.
According to our tradition, a miracle occurred on
the first Shabbat. On Friday afternoon, when the
sun was setting, God sanctified Shabbat by kindling
Shabbat candles. Now this being God's work, the
candlelight was so bright that, even though the sun
had set, the daylight remained in place until the
end of Shabbat. But then, on Saturday evening, it
began to get dark, and Adam became scared. So
God taught Adam how to make fire with two
flintstones and he stopped worrying.
The donations we are collecting will help refugees traveling from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, with the emphasis on Syria,
Burma, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The families are being settled in San Diego. The donations we provide will
help JFS stock the new homes with necessary conveniences to allow people to begin leading a normal life from Day One. A
dozen new refugee families arrive in San Diego each week.
We are asking for donations of new or like-new clothes, school supplies, toiletries, furniture, and kitchen appliances collected
throughout January. A team of volunteers will be renting trucks to deliver the shipment in February.
However, a couple months later, Adam started to
notice something strange: The days were getting
shorter, with less and less sunlight every day. He
figured this surely was a sign that the world was
coming to an inevitable end: All as a punishment for
his wrongdoing. Around the middle of December
(and the middle of Kislev, just before Hanukah
starts), Adam decided there was nothing to do but
sit in mourning for the death of the world. But then Adam's period of mourning was cut short by yet another miracle - the
days began to get longer. Overjoyed by this unexpected turn of events, Adam immediately commenced a new period of
celebration, which included the lighting of fire.
Donations needed for Project Hope Part 2, resettling refugees in San Diego
Living Room Furniture:
Couches
Coffee tables
Household appliances: Rice cookers,
microwaves
Clock
Kitchen Items
Kitchen table
Forks, knifes, spoons
Plates, bowls, cups
Pots and pans
Mixing/serving bowls
Kitchen utensils (spatula, wooden
spoon, serving utensils, etc.)
Can opener
Microwave
Rice cooker
Toaster
Coffee maker
Linens and Other Household Supplies
Hand towels, bath towels
Sets of sheets and blankets for beds
Pillows/pillowcases
Light bulbs
Cleaning Supplies
Dish soap
Bathroom/kitchen cleaner
Sponges, cleaning rags and/or paper
towels
Laundry detergent
Waste baskets
Mops, brooms, buckets
Trash bags
Trash cans
Toiletries
Toilet paper
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
Men’s and women’s razors
Hand soap
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash
Feminine hygiene products
Lotion
Q-tips
Baby Items
Car seats
Strollers
Bottles
Diapers
Baby clothing
Bibs
Clothing for Men, Women, and Children
Socks
Undergarments
Men’s jeans
Business clothing for men and women
Dresses
Blouses
School Supplies
Paper, pens and/or
pencils
Backpacks
Rulers
Notebooks
Children’s books
These two stories can teach us so much about human nature. First, we're easily frightened. The moment things stop feeling
familiar, we tend to panic. Second, we struggle to learn from our past. If a new experience is just a little different from a
previous experience, it can be difficult for us to draw a comparison and to figure out how best to respond. Finally, we can be
a bit dramatic. Even when the power to change our reality is readily in our hands, we often fall into the trap of hopelessness.
And yet these two stories can also teach us about the power of hope and faith. Adam was able to overcome his fear when
facing darkness for the first time because God was there to guide him. The next time Adam was inclined to be afraid, he
found hope not from God being there in person but from the understanding that God was behind a miraculous moment of
salvation. In both stories, Adam was able to move beyond his fear and to find comfort and hope through the gifts of fire,
light, and his faith in God.
There are many reasons why we light the Hanukah candles every year. Some say it's to celebrate the re-dedication of the
Temple after the Maccabean revolt. Others say it's to remember the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days, when it should
have lasted for only one. However, I like to think we light candles to remind ourselves that, when facing our darkest
moments, we must embrace our hope and faith even more. God blessed us with the ability to overcome our fears and to
change our reality, so we must never turn our backs on this gift.
Now, for Adam, this ability to change reality came through the gift of fire. But what about us? Well, the Hebrew for fire is
Aish, which is another name for the Torah; the rabbis teach us that the Torah was written as "black fire" (the letters) on
"white fire" (the parchment). Therefore, we have the ability to change reality through the gift of Torah - our spiritual fire.
As we approach the darkness of winter, I want to invite you to embrace the light of Torah and its transformative power. It
might seem overwhelming at first, but know that you need to start with only the smallest act to begin the process of
transformation. For proof, just look at the Hanukah candles. A single candle can brighten even the darkest room. But that
one tiny flame just needs to touch another candle to strengthen its light. And then, before you know it, you're basking in the
warm glow of a completely transformed room. That is the miracle of Hanukah. That is the miracle of faith.
Join Mishkon’s Social Action Committee!
Mishkon is looking for volunteers to begin a Social Action Committee. Contact [email protected] if you are interested.
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
9
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
2
Thankful for Our Community
Advance Healthcare Directives Program Impresses All
by Melissa Tarsky, President
by Phil Bell
mornings, the sounds of the familiar prayers wash over me
and erase some of the stress of the week. I love listening to
the familiar tunes of the Torah reading, and I am looking
forward to, one day, learning how to read Torah myself.
I feel thankful that our Adult Education Committee creates so
many programs that I usually find some that interest me. I’m
thankful that we have holiday programs, Tikkun Olam
programs where my girls can help out and a fabulous
Religious School that includes a class for post-B’Nai Mitzvah
children.
When I read about the rest of the world, I feel very thankful
to live in this country, where I can be Jewish and am free to
practice my religion without fear of reprisal. Although not
everyone is pleased with the outcome of our latest election,
It’s Thanksgiving time, and I’m feeling thankful.
once again we’re having a peaceful transition of power, which
I’m thankful for the lack of seasons and lack of snow. I’m
isn’t something we should take for granted. In some
thankful because no one looks at me funny if I’m wearing a
countries, elections are violent affairs, voting may be
winter coat when it’s 60 degrees. I get to see the ocean nearly
dangerous to those wanting to cast their ballots, and the
every day, and feel as excited about it now as I did when we
outcomes may be disputed with guns and militias. Here, we
first moved into our house 12 years ago.
have peaceful protests, hand wringing and a tremendous
number of articles and memes online. We, as Jews and as
I’m thankful that I live in a good community. I love the
diversity, the walkability and the friendliness of my neighbors. citizens, are free to discuss openly how we feel about the
election.
I love that so many of us worry about our homeless
population and try, in ways both big and small, to help them
Although, when you read this Galim, Thanksgiving will be
out.
over, the turkey will be but a memory (or a few pounds that
need to be lost), and we’ll be preparing for the next holiday.
I’m particularly thankful for my Mishkon community.
However, I will still be feeling thankful. There’s so much for
At the Preschool Shabbat on Friday, I’m inspired by the
energy shown by the little ones as they sing and dance to the which to be thankful that I can’t do it all in one day.
songs. I love their enthusiasm as they answer the question,
Thank you to everyone who contributes to Mishkon. Whether
“What do you like about Shabbat?” Some children list things
it be through labor, donations, or showing up. I am thankful
like the wine, their family, the challah, and others are more
for your being part of our sacred community.
creative. One week, a child was thankful for Spiderman. Other
children are thankful for the universe.
I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.
I’m thankful that I can walk to Mishkon. On Saturday
Preschool Thanksgiving Was a Success!
Thank you to all who
celebrated Thanksgiving with
Susan Sims Bodenstein
Preschool!
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
What is an Advance Healthcare Directive? What is a POLST?
Why are these documents important?
Rabbi Dan and Rabbi Botnick presented the Jewish
perspective on AHCDs and POLST. They both urged the
These questions and many others were answered by some audience to complete the two documents sooner than later
wonderful and knowledgeable speakers at the first Adult
because no one knows when a life-threatening incident
Education Sunday Series program of the year. Coordinated might occur. The rabbis also mentioned how important the
by Shelley Berger, the healthcare panel was moderated by documents are for clarifying patients’ end-of-life wishes for
Michele Prince and included Jeannette Meyer, Brett
their physician and family.
Barenholtz, Rabbi Dan, and Rabbi Botnick. The event was
well-attended and included a delicious breakfast.
Brett Berenholtz presented the legal issues involved with
an AHCD and POLST, including the selection of a person to
Jeanette Meyer, clinical nurse specialist for palliative care
carry out the end-of-life wishes of the patient and the need
at UCLA, used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate the
to notarize and then file the AHCD in a safe place.
important end-of-life issues that can and should be
addressed by individuals and their families in the Advance MIchele and Shelley coordinated the Q and A at the end of
Healthcare Directive well before the need arises. Meyer
the program. They also provided AHCD forms to the
also emphasized the need for a Physicians Orders for Life- audience.
Sustaining Treatment between patients and their physician
The next Adult Education Sunday Series program will be
to determine the specific medical treatment to be
implemented when people are critically ill near the end of related to Martin Luther King Jr. and take place on Sunday,
January l5.
their life.
Upcoming Weekend Event: 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Theme: “Stand Against Injustice”
Rabbi Botnick will give the invocation before a speech at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 16, by Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffrey,
the superintendent and president of Santa Monica College. The event is at the SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda
Auditorium, 525 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica.
3
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
8
Board Goals for This Year by Dayna Greenspan
Mishkon Members Attend Simchat Torah
at Women's Prison
Donna Malamud, Chana Bell, and Phil Bell danced with the
Torah and sang with the women prisoners at California
Institution for Women, in Chino on Sunday, October 30. The
Jewish Women's program there is called B'not Or – Women
of Light. Rabbi Moshe Halfon leads the program.
Seventy-five volunteers, many from Jewish temples all over
L.A., help provide a comprehensive and exciting program for
the Jewish women inmates.
The women also prepared and distributed a book of essays
and poems about Simchat Torah, which they read at the
celebration. The writing demonstrated the skill of the
women and the impact of B'not Or program. Volunteers got
to talk with the women during a catered lunch.
Mishkon’s goals for 2016-17 / 5777 are:
Donna is involved with the Women's Shabbat and Ethics
program. Phil and Chana help out with the Jewish holiday
activities. Phil plays guitar and sings with a group of
musicians who volunteer. Chana reads her poetry.
MISHKON BOARD:
Develop Board of Directors training tools and education.
Please contact Phil Bell at [email protected] or Donna
Malamud at [email protected] if you would like to
know more about B'not Or and/or participate as a volunteer
at CIW.
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
Integrate Mishkon into the larger Venice / Santa Monica community.
NEW PROGRAMMING:
Develop new programming to appeal to our diverse membership.
We are excited to have a clear direction for the coming year. Let us know if you are
interested in participating in any of these initiatives!
The Rashi Corner by Jeff Fleck
Toward the end of the 11th Century,
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (known by the
acronym Rashi) wrote a commentary
on the Torah that was to become the
preeminent guide to the Bible for Jews
throughout the world until modern
times. Modern readers who come to
his commentary for the first time,
however, are often perplexed, puzzled,
and exasperated by Rashi's comments.
These readers are just as often
charmed, enlightened, and even
inspired. Whatever the case, Rashi's
commentary offers a unique portal to
the traditional sources of Jewish
attitudes and ideas about the world
and about ourselves.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION:
Improve Mishkon’s brand. Create an integrated marketing and
communication plan.
NEW MEMBERS:
Foster a plan to incorporate new members into the Mishkon community.
Mishkon has cemetery plots in our section of Eden Cemetery available to members at a
discounted price. Call the office at 310-392-3092 for more information.
In the Torah portion Vayetse, we read
of Jacob's journey from his parents'
home in Beersheba to the home of his
uncle, Laban, in Haran. At sundown,
Jacob "took some stones from the
place and placed them at his head and
lay down." (Gen 28:11). A few lines
later, we are told, "Jacob arose in the
early morning and took the stone that
he had placed at his head." (Gen 28:18)
Our Board of Directors held a retreat in mid-September, moderated by Rabbi Cheryl Peretz
from American Jewish University. We spent a day studying text, learning more about our
individual backgrounds, discussing the direction of the synagogue, and developing goals for
the upcoming year.
Mishkon Anglers Club Off to a Great
Start by Phil Bell
One, blessed be He, made them into
one stone.
The Mishkon Anglers Club is off to a great
start. Ben Schmidt, David Ehrenberg, and I
had our inaugural MAC trip on Veterans Day,
Friday, November 11 aboard the New Del
Mar ½-day boat from Marina Del Rey
Sportfishing. The weather was warm and
picture-perfect.
Obviously, this is not a literal
interpretation of the text but rather an
example of that imaginative, often
playful but always meaningful,
approach to the text that both the
Rabbis and Rashi called midrash
aggadah. So what might that meaning
be? Is there an attitude, idea, or value
embodied in this flight of fancy?
So how did many stones turn into one
stone overnight? Were they magical
stones? Was it a miracle? Is there a
At “Chug Rashi” (The Rashi Club), these
rational explanation? Perhaps it was
are the kinds of questions that set the
only a typographical (i.e., scribal) error. agenda for our lively discussions after
kiddush on the second Shabbat of each
Drawing on the work of the Rabbis of
month. No special knowledge of
earller times, Rashi provides this:
Hebrew is required, and everyone is
Jacob placed the stones in the form of a welcome. The next “Chug Rashi” is
conduit around his head because he
scheduled for January 14, 2017.
feared for vermin. The stones started
quarreling with one another. One said,
“Let the righteous man lay his head on
me,” and another one said, “Let him lay
his head on me.” Immediately, the Holy
7
We left the dock at 7:30 a.m. David and Ben
had very little experience deep-sea fishing,
so on the way out to the fishing grounds, I
mentored them on the basics. When we
arrived at the first stop, Ben and David
illustrated how well they understood the
basics by catching some beautiful rock fish.
The fishing was outstanding the rest of the
morning. At the end of the trip, all three of
us had a nice bag of filleted rock fish for
Shabbat dinner. We returned to the dock at
12:30 in the afternoon.
trip to all Mishkon members who would like
to participate in these angling adventures.
Please e-mail Fisherman Phil at
[email protected] if you would like to
participate.
We update our website
calendar daily, and you can always
check it for the latest events. No need
to wait for the weekly newsletter or to
call the office!
RSVPing to events is now easy! Just
find the calendar date on our website, and click the red RSVP tab. You
can even pay online!
You can donate to funds and pay for
membership and events online. Just
log on to our Website, and click the
donate tab on the upper right. Simply
scroll down to choose a fund, and we
will take it from there!
We offer lovely and thoughtful Mishkon tribute cards that we will mail or
email for you to people you want to
honor. You can choose what the card
should say, and we will do the rest!
You can even order and pay online!
You can return your pushke/tzedakah
box to Mishkon any time of the year
when you fill it. We will empty it for
you and return it to you to be refilled.
And you will have made a wonderful
contribution to your synagogue!
You can honor the memory of a loved
one by purchasing a memorial
plaque. The beautiful, engraved
tablet will be displayed on the back
wall of the sanctuary. You can call the
office for an order form, or simply
download it from our website sliding
banner.
Kiddush donations are always
appreciated: Sponsor a kiddush,
contribute to the monthly simcha
kiddush or buy freshly caught fish
from Phil Bell, the proceeds of which
he donates to pay for kidushim. These
lunches are great opportunities to
gather after services and get to know
more Mishkonians.
We will continue to have once-a-month
fishing trips from Marina del Rey. We will
decide on a date in December and open the
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
4
Voting at Susan Sims Bodenstein Preschool by Ellen Aiken
Bat Mitzvah: Kidist Rose Itkoff Diamond
January 7, 2017
Rosie is a vivacious, passionate friend, sister, daughter and grandchild. She attends
Crossroads Middle School, where she is an honors student and track-and-field team
member. She will be the Raven in the school play “Animal Farm.” Rosie is known far
and wide as the life of the party: hilarious, a dancing machine and a loyal friend. She
was born in Ethiopia and came to the U.S. when she was 7 months old. She will be fresh
off the slopes of Montana when she reads her Torah portion. She lives with her brother, Leo, mother, Sandy, father, Jonathan, and dog, Posey.
Rosie and her family look forward to celebrating with you!
The 2016 Election!
Creating Our Ballots!
Get Involved. Spread the Word.
Mishkon Simchas
Congratulations on the wedding of Aliza Wine and Jonathan Marcus.
Married on August 21, 2016
Congratulations on the wedding of Zack and Jaclyn Steinberg. Married
November 20. Zack is the son of Ann and Barry Steinberg.
Congratulations on the conversion of Molly Karcher
Voting Day! Let’s All Sign In.
In the Voting Booth.
No Peeking and No Selfies!
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding of Shiri Steinberg to
Yoni Sassoon. Shiri is the daughter of Ann and Barry Steinberg.
Awaiting the Results.
Everybody Stay Civil.
Looking for a venue for your next event? We have a beautiful sanctuary, social hall, chapel, and full-service kosher kitchens
for rent. Check our website for capacity and rates, or call the office at 310-392-3029 for more information.
The buzz of our 2016 presidential election found its way to our preschool! The children had a lot of questions and a lot to
say! We, the teachers, listened, remaining objective and never sharing our political views. Some of the comments were …
Join Us for Our Hanukah Party
“I like Hillary Clinton. She’s nice.”
“Donald Trump is naughty. He doesn't like people from other countries and doesn't like children.”
“It would be good to have a girl for president!”
“I’m rooting for Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump makes jokes about girls, and it makes girls sad.”
“I like Donald Trump.”
“Donald Trump is too scary. He wants to put people in jail and lock it. What if he puts the teachers in jail?”
“Actually, I don’t like Donald Trump. He only likes white men and doesn't like babies.”
“Hillary Clinton is nice. She likes kids. She doesn't make jokes about girls or anyone … And she is smart.”
“I think Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are allergic to each other.”
DON'T MISS IT...MISHKON'S HANUKAH DINNER AND
PARTY!
Monday, December 26, 2016 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Crafts! Candle Lighting! Singing! Dancing!
Catered Brisket! Mishkon-Made Latkes! Fresh Roasted Vegetables!
Sufganiyot! Maccabee Punch!
Music featuring the Klezmer sound!
5-5:30 p.m. - Crafts for Children
5:30-6 p.m. - Candle Lighting on Main Street steps, blessings and
singing
6 p.m. - Dinner in social hall, dancing and partying
We took the opportunity to teach the children a bit about how you become president, what the president does, and all
about the White House. We read some wonderful books. (Thank you, Markowitz family!) So You Want to Be President,
Duck for President, Our Flag and If I Were President. The children decided that they wanted to have their own election! So
we created our own ballots, decorated a voting booth, and made American flags. On Tuesday, November 8, we voted, and
each child got a “I VOTED” sticker! We then tallied up the results. In the classroom, Clinton beat Trump by 11-4. This was a
wonderful learning experience for our children, who will one day be our leaders.
Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
Bring your family Menorah (with candles!) for the group lighting
FOR ALL AGES – General public and friends welcome!
$12 per Adult, $5 per Child (12 and younger)
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Galim Hanukah Edition 2016
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