Volume LIII No. 3
Adar 5773
February 2013
Who Says Learning Can’t Be Fun?
By Orna Sheena, Educational Director
At the recent Jewish Educators Assembly Conference I attended, there was one underlying theme:
bringing innovation to Jewish education through inspiring and meaningful experiences that actualize
learning and engage students. This is our ongoing
commitment here at TBT. Change and growth is not
a linear process; it is a collaboration of efforts from
our dedicated staff and you, the parents. Making Hebrew School a priority, taking interest, and reinforcing
learning at home is crucial to your child’s success. At
our Religious School we work hard to provide our students with a wide array of dynamic and fun educational experiences that support learning. We are especially
proud of what has been accomplished during January
and February.
Our Gimel students have been busy learning about
Shabbat. They studied the tefillot and rituals for this
special day and completed making their own Shabbat
kits which included a variety of items such as Kiddush cups, challah covers for the girls, kippot for the
boys, and candlesticks. On February 5th, the students
participated in a classroom Shabbat celebration. The
Gimel teachers, Mrs. Coleman and Mrs. Glotzer, took
the students through a mock Kiddush experience and
then led the children in songs. Our students were excited to take home their beautiful Shabbat kits and are
looking forward to using their items during family
Shabbat dinners. Their next project will be decorating
their Siddur, which will be presented at the Consecration Celebration on March 15.
While the Gimel classes focused on welcoming
Shabbat by making Kiddush, the Daled classes learned
about the Havdalah ceremony which marks the end
of Shabbat. Students discussed the significance of
this tradition and made their own Havdalah candles
and B’samim (spices), which they used at the Family
Havdalah service on January 12th. Another achievement worth mentioning is that both Daled classes successfully completed their reading pod program. Moving forward, students will continue to review reading
rules, improve their reading skills, and enhance their
Hebrew vocabulary.
For Tu B’Shevat, our students learned about different aspects of the holiday, including its customs and
traditions, our responsibility toward our planet and future generations, the importance of trees in our lives,
and our connection to the land of Israel. Information
was given on JNF, the Jewish National Fund, which
plants trees in Israel, and about the amazing work they
do with ecology and water conservation. The children
were given JNF envelopes and asked to encourage
their families to purchase a tree in Israel. Gimel and
Daled classes also participated with a holiday- related
music program. And in the spirit of the holiday, all students sampled the fruits of Israel and enjoyed homemade fruit smoothies made by Mrs. Levin, our special
activity teacher.
Hay and Vav classes have also been busy. Hay students continue to learn about the importance of various prophets in Jewish history, while the Vav classes
explore the weekly Torah portions and review students’ individual Haftorah readings. Students have
been working hard on improving their reading skills
and knowledge of spoken Hebrew. They also began
their unit on Israel. In the coming months they will be
learning about historical events, biblical figures, and
significant locations in Israel through computer-based
research and interactive lessons using our very large
Israel floor map.
As Purim approached, all the students were involved in a variety of activities. Through the use of
technology, each class studied the meaning, history,
importance, and observance of the holiday in a fun and
engaging way. TBT’s “Megillot” were created, masks
were decorated, and delicious hamantashen were
baked on February 11th and 12th. The children were
especially excited to make their own hamantashen and
select filling from all the traditional choices as well as
a new one--chocolate chips!
It is our hope that through such creative learning
activities and frequent reinforcement at home, students
will expand their Jewish education, develop a deep
love and respect for our Jewish heritage, and gain a
strong sense of Jewish pride and identity.
Press from the President
So What’s a “Pop-Up” Museum?
By Renee Kornet
The term “pop-up” was originally coined to describe
retail initiatives that quickly “popped-up” in a temporary location, created some excitement and frenzy at
that location, and then disappeared. There have been
“pop-up stores” that are often outlets for famous vendors to quickly sell off surplus stock. There have also
been “pop-up restaurants” that are one -night stands for
chefs looking for a breakout moment and an opportunity to gain recognition. So now the concept of “PopUp” is coming to Temple Beth Torah, but as a “Pop-Up
Holocaust Museum.” Which leads to the question, “So
What’s a Pop-Up Holocaust Museum?”
A Pop-Up Holocaust Museum is a one- day exhibit
of Holocaust photos, artifacts, narratives, speakers, and
films that are arranged for interactive experiences and
display. The idea to bring this concept to Temple Beth
Torah came from Hilari Cohen who had heard about
this being done elsewhere. Hilari, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, had thought that there might be other
children of Holocaust survivors in our congregation who
perhaps had artifacts to share for a special one- day exhibit. So an email went out to find Holocaust survivors
and their children.
At our first meeting, many of our congregants introduced themselves as second generation survivors
and then went into a brief description of their parents’
Holocaust experiences. The stories were spellbinding
and the wonderful thing was that they were all stories
of survival. Clearly, if we were here to tell our parents’
stories, these were the uplifting stories that led to future generations. We are also very fortunate to still have
some survivors in our temple who were willing to share
their own stories. We were all in agreement - our commitment would be to pass on the personal stories of this
time, and the stories of those who survived, to future
generations.
Over the past several months, our group has been
sorting through personal photos, artifacts, paintings, and
letters, only to find that within our temple, we have a
wealth of stories and museum quality pieces to share.
We have been working on finding innovative ways to
tell the stories of our survivor families and put them together for an exhibit. We are fortunate to have the Holocaust Museum in Glen Cove, the Holocaust Memorial
and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, lending us film
materials as well.
The Holocaust Pop-Up Museum Day will be on
Sunday, April 7th to commemorate Yom HaShoah. It
is our hope that the entire congregation will share in this
exhibit and much is being done to make this a very meaningful experience for our Hebrew School children. Our
survivors, whether first or second generation, are committed to passing on personal narratives to future generations.
It is our hope that hearing these stories first-hand and being able to actually touch, hold, and see artifacts from
these times, will be a lasting and memorable experience
for our children as well as for us.
As far as my involvement in all of this, Hilari’s suggestion immediately caught my interest in that both of
my parents were Holocaust survivors. Sadly, after their
deaths, I found many photos and artifacts in closets and
drawers that I now realize are museum quality pieces.
This project has been the impetus for me to organize and
to research information and to fill in on memories that in
some cases were too painful and never discussed.
We hope that you will join us on April 7th and partake
in the films, photos, and exhibits and interact with our survivors. We will have several guest speakers and we will
give you a passport (you’ll understand what we mean by
that if you come) to challenging times. The theme of our
exhibit is that of Survival. These are the stories of people
who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, rebuilt their
lives, and went on to have families who in turn had families and life went on... It’s a very personal story for me
and I will be happy to share it with you and your children.
Please join us for this “Pop-Up” moment at Temple Beth
Torah.
Temple Beth Torah Services
Memorial Plaques - Barbara Mazzei, 334-7979
Dedication of Prayer Book -Barbara Mazzei, 334-7979
Tree of Life -Barbara Mazzei, 334-7979
Catering
Beth Torah Caterers - Mr Aodi Zilkha, 746-0066
Sponsoring Kiddush / Oneg -Barbara Mazzei, 334-7979
For Kippot - Tammy Strobel, 933-6802
[email protected]
Torah Cards
Francine Dorman, 681-6449
Linda Pochtar, 933-0963
Trees for Israel (Jewish National Fund)
Barbara Mazzei, 334-7979
Or JNF 212-678-6800
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Off the Bimah
By Rabbi Michael Katz
A Prayer for a Journey
The next time that I travel, the Sociology Major in me
takes over: The Traveler’s Prayer is an important ritual,
not because it will affect God or the plane, but because
of its affect on me. Flying is a scary thing (To my mind,
there’s NO WAY that that plane with 300 people and all
their luggage is ever going to get off the ground, or through
rough turbulence at 35,000 feet, or will ever land safely
with a dozen other jets taking off and landing at exactly the
same moment. Therefore, at scary or significant moments
in our lives, Religion gives us prayers to say and Rituals to
perform. The words we say are immaterial, and whether
God is even listening is beside the point. The Rituals keep
us busy and they put our minds at ease and help us get
through tough times. Religion helps us deal with ALL the
significant moments in our lives (birth, and adolescence,
marriage, and death) and helps to give meaning to how we
spend our time (through the year, through the week, and
through the day).
As I buckle my seatbelt I always say Tefilat HaDerech, though the reason changes from time to time. I
guess I’d amend the CSN lyrics this way:
“Just a song before I go, To whom it may concern;
traveling twice the speed of sound, it’s easy to get burned.”
Before Crosby, Stills, and
Nash go on a plane ride, they sing
a song; before I take off, I say
Tefilat Ha-Derech- A Prayer for a
Journey. I have it written on a card
that I keep in my wallet. Just after
I buckle myself in, I pull it out and
quietly recite the Hebrew prayer:
“May it be Your will, O God…
to bring us in peace to our destination…
Protect us from enemies and calamities…
Bless all that we do…
Praised are You, who listens to our prayers.”
The plane pulls away from the gate, and as I put away
the card, I always ask myself: Why am I doing this?
Do I really believe that my saying (or not saying) this
prayer will somehow influence the outcome of my trip?
That because I said this prayer, God is more likely to stop
the terrorist from getting on board, or prevent the hydraulic
system from malfunctioning, or shoo-away the flock of
geese headed for the engine? That without my prayer,
the plane that was fated to go down will indeed crash,
but because of my prayer, God will give it all a second
thought and maybe decide to save us? Can one person’s
prayer really stop a catastrophe? (And if I’m on an El AL
flight with a hundred Hasidim all saying this prayer, are
our chances of survival increased a hundred-fold?) I don’t
believe in a God who only saves people if they ask him
to, and I don’t believe that prayer can somehow trump the
laws of physics.
So on my next flight, I decide: This time I’m not
saying Tefilat Ha-Derech! But as the plane speeds down
the runway, I feel uncomfortably anxious and nervous so
I quickly whip out the card and pray. Why take chances?
Why tempt fate? What’s it going to hurt if I say a few words
of prayer? Isn’t it prudent to cover all my bases, just in case?
Better safe, than sorry… And then it dawns on me that
what I’ve just done is not Religion, it’s Superstition! “Step
on a crack, break your mother’s back.” That’s ridiculous.
Yet why do so many people who hear that child’s rhyme go
out of their way to not step on the cracks in the sidewalk?
I have five College and Graduate degrees, and yet when
my team is in a crucial playoff game, I wear my lucky hat
and sit in my special seat, convinced that my team’s fate
depends on these silly things.
“Just a prayer before I go, addressed to God on High;
Traveling twice the speed of sound- it doesn’t matter why.”
“Questions and Reflections”
From: TALKING TO GOD
by Rabbi Naomi Levy
A Prayer for the Body
Thank you, God, for the body you have given
me. Most of the time I take my health for granted.
I forget how fortunate I am to live without pain or
disability; How blessed I am to be able to see, hear,
walk and eat. I forget that this body of mine, with
all its imperfections, is a gift from You.
When I am critical of my appearance, remind
me, God, that I am created in your holy image. If I
become jealous of someone else’s appearance, teach
me to treasure my unique form.
Help me, God, to take care of my body. Teach
me to refrain from any action that will bring harm to
me. If I fall prey to a self-destructive habit, fill me
with the strength to conquer my cravings.
Lead me to use my body wisely, God. Guide
my every limb, to perform acts of compassion and
kindness.
I thank You, God, for creating me as I am.
Amen.
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“Lots” of Fun at Purim
By Meryll Feinstein
On Saturday night, February 23rd, TBT’s
sanctuary was brimming with kids, parents, friends
and relatives eager to participate in Purim festivities.
The array of unique and creative Purim costumes was
an added attraction as the fun evening was about to
ensue.
Purim was ushered in with Cantor Fliegelman
leading us joyfully in Purim song. The words “Shushu-shushan” and “Oh, today we’ll merry merry
be” rang out in cheerful unison as the first set of
Megillah readers made their way to the bimah. Once
the Megillah reading began, Rabbi Katz held up his
notorious “red sponged hand” to hold off congregants
eager to engage in noise warfare when the name
“Haman” would be read from the Megillah.
Between chapters of the Megillah, Rabbi Katz
displayed those funny “head shots” of our Purim
heroes, reading cute poems and sharing fascinating
facts about them. Did we know that Esther’s beauty
was reflected in her “greenish skin tone”? That she was
able to conceal her Jewish identity and clandestinely
keep kosher as King Ahaseurus’ wife? Did we also
know that the Book of Esther was not chosen to be
part of the Bible because it is the only book that does
not contain any mention of God?
To make the evening even more enjoyable and
spirited, Rabbi Katz had distributed a Purim puzzle to
each person. Answers to the puzzle’s questions were
found in the Book of Esther. After each chapter of
the Megillah was completed, the Rabbi confirmed the
answers for that chapter. Each letter of each word’s
answer also had a corresponding number which
ultimately led to a “Break the Code” puzzle. The
solution to the puzzle was: Don’t gulp soda out of the
can; Purim into a glass!
The evening ended with hamantashen for dessert
and the distribution of Shalach Manot Purim bags,
thanks to the coordination by, and hard work of Rocey
Lester and Marissa Lorintz and their committee.
Yasher Koach, Rocey and Marissa!
Rabbi Katz always succeeds in making the
holiday a creative and joyous experience. Year after
year, Cantor Fliegelman works tirelessly, teaching
his students to recite from the Megillah with great
ease. We are so grateful to you, Rabbi and Cantor, for
all that you do!
Yasher Koach to all of our Megillah readers:
Jesse Ames, Justin Ames, Rachel Appelbaum,
Jonah Bernstein, Samara Bernstein, Evan Birns,
Jared Bloch, Tyler Bloch, Samara Chafitz, Max
Chodes, Aaron Chumsky, Jessica Chumsky,
Hannah Feibus, Sophie Ferro, Alyssa Fishman,
Gabrielle Garten, Jared Garten, Tyler Glovin,
Sam Hochman, Erica Levy, Jared Levy, Ari
Lewis, Courtney Lewis, Kyle Margolis, Matthew
Masheb, Carlie Orenstein, Madeline Orenstein,
Adam Pesner, Jacki Sands, Adam Schorr, Ilana
Shapiro, Michael Silberg, Tara Silberg, Lindsay
Silverman, Samantha Silverman, Josh Weinstein,
and Oren Weissman.
Y
Temple Beth Torah Times
A Publication of Temple Beth Torah
243 Cantiague Rock Road, Jericho Gardens
Westbury, New York 11590
Telephone 516-334-7979
Fax 516-334-3469
www.templebethtorahli.org
[email protected]
Affiliated with the United Synagogue
of Conservative Judaism
Rabbi................................... Michael Katz
Cantor................................. Kalman J. Fliegelman
President............................. Renee Kornet
Edicational Director.......... Orna Sheena
Temple Beth Torah Times
Editor Emeritus.................. Raymond M. Schleicher
Editors.................................. Jane Berliner
.............................................. Meryll Feinstein
Vice President Publicity..... Jane Berliner
Columnists.......................... Stanley Greenberg
.............................................. Marilyn Reich
.............................................. Allison Rothstein
Sunshine Editor.................. Carol Fliegelman
Website Editor.................... Richard Rothstein
Advertising Manager......... Marty Sass
Fax (516) 822-4988
Back By Popular Demand
We’re proud to announce
TBT’S SECOND ANNUAL KOSHER
BARBEQUE CHAMPIONSHIP
AND FOOD FESTIVAL
Save the date: June 9th
Printed by MinuteMan Press of Plainview
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Family Fun Day
By Meryll Feinstein
What do a butterfly, Sponge Bob, baseball players,
and fairies have in common? Answer: they were all
enthusiastic participants at our Purim Family Fun Day
on Sunday, February 24th. (In case you were wondering,
they weren’t really real!)
what was the perfect ending to such a delightful morning?
It was munching on fortune cookies with special Purim
messages!
The committee members responsible for making
this event such a success were: Robert Shapiro, Lori
Penchuk, Michael Glickman, Karen Orenstein, Linda
Baskind, and Jeffrey Gross. Thanks also to Educational
Director Orna Sheena, Elissa Shapiro, Bob Lusthaus,
Barbara and Rose, Flores, and of course Rabbi Katz and
Cantor Fliegelman for leading us and making Purim a
meaningful and enjoyable holiday!
After the Megillah reading, our beautifully decorated
Social Hall overflowed with energetic costumed kids,
parents, raffle prizes, and of course, hamantashen! Gushing
grandparents hovered lovingly over grandchildren, helping
them with their Bingo boards as Robert Shapiro, our very
own “Unforgettable DJ”, did the calling. Lucky winners
burst from their seats, erupting with, “B-I-N-G-O”!
But the fun wasn’t over yet! With no shortage of young
volunteers to choose from, Magician Steve Rodman
mesmerized and captivated the crowd with optical
illusions and magic tricks, producing a bird out of paper,
and teaching everyone how to get a handkerchief out of
a…real egg?! You could almost see their wheels turning
as they tried to figure out each trick. As if raffles and all
that engaging activity were not enough for one Sunday
morning, the Family Fun Day committee, headed by Vice
President of Education, David Damon, had provided
giveaways for all the kids as the event came to a close. And
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The Next Step...
Temple Beth Torah is pleased to showcase our newest bar/
bat mitzvah students at their proudest moments. We feature
them in order to gain their insights as to the meaning of
this momentous and significant Jewish event in their lives.
Each student was asked the following questions:
- What activities are you involved in and what
accomplishments are you proudest of?
- What does becoming a bar/bat mitzvah mean to you?
- What mitzvah project did you undertake for your
bar/bat mitzvah?
MADELINE ORENSTEIN (January 19th)
I am on the Middle school cross
country and volleyball teams. I also
play JAA soccer and just made a
travel softball team called the Long
Island Thunderbolts. I am proud to
be a BRAVE (Bully Reduction AntiViolence Education) ambassador,
selected by my guidance counselor at
school.
Becoming a bat mitzvah means
that now I count in a minyan. I will continue with my
Jewish education with the Rabbi’s class and I will continue
to blow shofar in the family services on the High Holidays.
I will also read from the Megillah on Purim.
As a mitzvah project, I collected arts and crafts
supplies for the Friedberg JCC Nursery school in Oceanside
for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
EMILY ROSEN (February 2nd)
I play basketball with the
Jericho travel team. I also dance
hip-hop at a dance studio. I am
proud that last year, my friends and I
sold cupcakes to benefit the charity,
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation,
which helps kids with cancer.
Now that I am a bat mitzvah,
I have more responsibilities as a
Jew. Becoming a bat mitzvah is
an accomplishment I worked hard
to achieve over many years. Going through the process
makes you more mature and teaches you what it means to
be Jewish.
We donated money to the Crohn’s & Colitis
Foundation as a mitzvah project, which was very personal
because my Dad has Crohn’s disease. First, I raised money
by educating friends, family and others through social
media and emails about the disease and even exceeded my
goal! After that, we donated a portion of my bat mitzvah
gifts to the charity as well.
-6-
From Your
Purim Fairies...
Our Goal is Simple –
But Ambitious
By Marissa Lorintz and Rocey Lester
For us, aside from the Rabbi’s creative
presentation during the Megillah reading which we
look forward to every year, Purim just wouldn’t be
Purim without the help of our congregants. Thank
you Randy and Flora Freeman for your ongoing
support of our Mishloach Manot bags by your
generous donation of sweet, juicy, fresh apples
and oranges. We’d also like to thank everyone
who helped stuff bags - Libby Friedman, Audrey
Kaufman, Lisa and Sara Lester, as well as thank
everyone who helped distribute bags Saturday night
after the reading of the Megillah - Alisa Chafitz,
Audrey Kaufman, Lisa and Sara Lester and Joe
Lorintz. Thank you, Barbara Mazzei, for your
savvy coordinating, and thank you, Flores, for all
your prepping and dismantling.
Just an additional word of acknowledgement to
Laura Gentile at Love & Quiches for donating the
yummy brownies.
MERCAZ
MEMBERSHIP aids not only
Masorti congregations in Israel but also those
in other parts of the world. Just like North
America, where we have USCJ, Masorti
communities in South America have come
together into a continental-wide association
known as “MASORTI AMLAT” while those in
Europe have founded “MASORTI EUROPE.”
These associations are working across country
lines (and in the latter, linguistic differences) to
build a strong Conservative/Masorti Movement
around the world.
YOU can join MERCAZ by using your
congregation’s MERCAZ check-off membership
mechanism.
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Jewish Life On Campus - Tulane University
By Laura Horowitz
When I first started the “college process”, I
wasn’t expecting to end up in New Orleans at Tulane
University. However, after many months of pro and
con lists, acceptances and rejections and thinking
about nothing else, I decided Tulane was the school
for me. One might not think a school in the Deep
South would have a large Jewish population—they
would be wrong.
Tulane’s Jewish population was last recorded
at 32 percent, the ninth highest percentage in the
country among private universities. Tulane certainly
recognizes this, and Jews are very well represented by
the administration. For starters, there isn’t class on
Yom Kippur. Admittedly, many students who aren’t
Jewish (and some who are), use this as an excuse
to stay out late the night before and have a good
time. However, a large number of students, myself
included, have been able to go to services provided
by either of the two Jewish student organizations on
campus, Hillel and Chabad. In addition to several
High Holiday services that are offered, Hillel and
Chabad both offer weekly Shabbat services as well.
Hillel is typically more associated and popular
with reform Jews, whereas Chabad is more popular
with Orthodox Jews. As a Conservative Jew, I feel
comfortable at either one, but prefer Hillel.
To break the Yom Kippur fast, I went with several
friends to Hillel for some bagels and lox. This was
not my first meal at Hillel, and I plan on having many
more. If I could describe the Tulane undergraduate
student body’s perception of Tulane’s Jewish student
organizations, in one word it would be, without a
doubt, food. Free Shabbat Dinner at Hillel or Chabad
on Friday nights is a common event to be attended
by hoards of students of any religious background,
and “Shabbat Dinner” is probably synonymous with
Hillel and Chabad for many students.
As far as social life is concerned, there does not
need to be a religious separation if one doesn’t want
one. As a student at Jericho High School, a vast
majority of my friends were Jewish. At Tulane, it is
the opposite. However, most non-Jewish students
are willing to embrace the Jewish culture wholeheartedly. When many of my Jewish friends and
I prepared an apples and honey feast in our hall to
celebrate Rosh Hashanah, everyone was quick to get
in on the fun. This is not to say that there isn’t a
bit of anti-Semitism on campus. Some people are
made noticeably uncomfortable by the large Jewish
presence that they are not accustomed to. It has been
my experience that most non-Jews here at Tulane
aren’t used to being the religious minority and they
will make comments that would be described as less
than kind in response. Phrases like, “I’m a Jew with
my money” and “JAP” (Jewish American Princess)
are frequently used by students who aren’t Jewish.
I have even had friends say, “I wish less Jews went
here”. It is my impression that any problem that
students have here with the Jewish population is not
a fundamental issue with the religion itself, but rather
a response to the “rich, spoiled, and entitled” stigma
that has been perpetuated.
Despite a comment directed towards Jewish
students every now and then, I believe Tulane is an
extremely Jewish-friendly school and would highly
recommend it to any high school student who is
passionate about maintaining their heritage and culture
in college, all the while branching out and learning
new things about other religions and cultures. Jewish
life at Tulane is active, fun, and extremely tasty.
-8-
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-9-
The Greenberg
Purim Solution!
By Stanley Greenberg
Arabs fighting Jews!
Jews fighting Arabs!
Mazel Tov to Meryl and Dan Fischer on the birth of
their grandson, Andrew Ross, born to their children,
Kimberly and Jared…and to Regina and Andrew
Weinstock on the birth of their granddaughter, Ava
Dylan, born to their children, Alyssa and Daniel
Kovacs.
How long has this animosity been going on?
These two groups have been at each other’s throats
for what seems like an eternity. In our world, it has
manifested itself in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Recently, constant rocket fire from Gaza into Israel
prompted Israel to respond with heavy aerial and
naval bombardments. With its incompetent and
slanted approach, the UN has tried to “solve the
problem”. Or are they part of the problem?
So I’ve decided – I have a PURIM solution.
We all know how charitable, protective, and
benevolent Jews act toward their own brethren and
to people all around the world. Jewish hospitals
and other hospitals are filled with plaques and
pictures honoring Jews for their magnanimous
donations. Jews love and desire to take care of
people. In Israel, hospitals treat Arab and Jew alike
– as human beings, without any discrimination.
The “Greenberg PURIM Solution” is based
directly on the idea that Jews like to take care of
distressed people. Under this “ideal Purim plan”,
Arabs would ease up and say: “Okay, we appreciate
your kindness and selflessness and we are going
to allow you to take complete care of us and our
families. We promise to abide by your rules and we
will no longer be aggressive in our actions toward
you.” This is an important part of the agreement!
Jews will continue to help Palestinians establish
businesses and companies, as well as agricultural
and medical technology and water management.
They will secure housing for their wards and allow
Muslims to continue to practice their faith in peace.
Thus, the Jews can continue to help their
neighbors, and Palestinians can conduct their lives
in peace. A perfect Purim solution for both sides!
(Although a few minor points will still have to be
worked out!)
And they will all live happily ever after!
Our Condolences to Alisa Chafitz on the passing of
her father, Lawrence Nessman…to Arnie Steinberg
and children Stacey, Jonathan, and Jordan on the
passing of our beloved member, Diane Steinberg…to
Victor Klein on the passing of his mother, Marian…
to Muriel Garb and her daughter Alicia on the
passing of our beloved former temple President,
Daniel Garb…to Suzanne Auerbach and Norman
Toline on the passing of their father, Eugene Toline…
to Ronnie Zolin on the passing of her mother, May
Millman…to Laura Polen on the passing of her
mother, Mildred.
Mazel Tov to Karen and Seth Orenstein on the
bat mitzvah of their daughter, Madeline…and to
Nancy and Adam Rosen on the bat mitzvah of their
daughter, Emily.
Get Well to Carol Fliegelman, Mark Wachtel and
Carolyn Newman.
Mazel Tov to Arlene and Kenny Gould on the
engagement of their son Michael to Cassie Deutsch…
and to Rita and Sami Sheena on the engagement
of their son Benjamin to Darci Doherty, and the
engagement of their daughter Rachel to Eric Zeiger.
The Family of Diane Steinberg z”l would like to
take this opportunity to thank our loving TBT
family for all your love and support during this
most difficult time of our lives. For the 37 years I’ve
been a member, I always knew what a wonderful
temple we were. The outpouring of love and well
wishes was even more than I ever expected!! From
the bottom of our hearts we thank you.
Love,
Arnie Steinberg, Stacey, Jonathan, Jordan, Parker
and Reid
-10-
Best wishes to the
members
of
Temple Beth Torah
Sabina Ali, Manager
301 North Broadway
Jericho, NY
516-681-4000
Convenient Neighborhood Branches in Nassau,
Queens, Suffolk, Brooklyn, and Westchester
1-800-ASTORIA
www.astoriafederal.com
Member FDIC
-11-
TBT Bleeds for a
Good Cause
Planning for Your Future:
By Harvey Schaffler
April 7th - Holocaust Pop-Up Exhibit
April 14th - Sam Abrahams’ Lecture Series
May 4th - Sisterhood Shabbat
May 19th - Hatzilu Walk-a-thon
June 2nd - Israeli Day Parade in NYC
TBT hosted its own Super Bowl pre-game event
in the form of its annual winter blood drive. Scores
of congregants came out to donate 72 pints of blood.
If you weren’t able to join us, call New York Blood
Center at 1-800-033-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.
org to donate blood at your convenience. Use the
TBT Group Number 11088. The summer blood drive
is scheduled for Thursday, August 8th.
Learning Never Stops!
Come join us on Wednesday nights at
7:30 PM for our Adult Education Classes
led by Rabbi Katz
Topic: The Observant Life-The
Wisdom of Conservative Judaism for
Contemporary Jews
By Martin S. Cohen, Senior Editor &
Rabbi Michael Katz, Associate Editor
Richie Marks brings multi-tasking to a new levell as
he completes his registration form before donating
blood.
Arnie Steinberg proves that it is never too late to make
your first blood donation.
-12-
Passover is Coming…
Fun Games to Enhance Your Seder
Pharaoh’s Telephone: (Younger Children) You’ll need a simple plastic toy telephone that doesn’t make noise,
or any object that you can pretend is a phone, and lots of blocks on the floor next to the Seder table. At any
time during the Seder, you make a pretend ringing noise. There is a hushed silence and you pick up the phone.
It is Pharaoh on the other end. According to your improvised one-sided conversation, it becomes clear that all
children under 8 have to get down from the table and start building a pyramid. You can get one or two of the
older children to be the task masters and shout out orders to work faster, etc. Children love doing this. If you
have several children at the Seder, you can do a competition to see who can build the tallest tower/pyramid.
Who or What Am I? (Any Age) In advance of Seder night write out on separate pieces of paper the names
of characters or objects associated with Seder night. For example: Pharoah, Elijah the Prophet, The Wise Son,
Maror, Charoset, Matzah, Chametz, Frog, Wild Beast, etc. During the Seder choose a volunteer. Tie a scarf
around his forehead and stick a name on the scarf so that everyone can see it but him. Now he has to ask questions about himself, to which everyone answers Yes/No until he figures out whom or what he is. If he guesses
in five or less questions, he gets a prize. (Compiled from aish.com)
Passover 2013…First Seder Night, March 25th
-13-
Chance
By Marilyn Reich
I’ve just re-read a book that I have read many
times. Each reading leaves me with more questions
unanswered. I believe that it could be made into a
great serial TV program or movie. I will share the plot
with you. The main character is a rich and powerful
man. He was married but we don’t know how long
they were together. He is very domineering. He asks
his wife to dance before his friends and demonstrate
her beauty. She refuses to obey him. He orders her out
of their home. She is never heard from again…
After awhile, he desires another woman. This
time he is very particular as to the type of woman he
wants. He insists that she be the most beautiful woman
in his area. (At the time this story takes place, there
are no computers to search for the perfect woman.)
So he makes a feast and asks for beautiful women
to be invited. Finally, he chooses a gorgeous one. He
doesn’t do a background check. He knows nothing
about her family or friends. She agrees to be with
him.
She has no contact with her family except with an
uncle. It’s not clear how the uncle gets to speak with
her, (because she lives within a gated community
surrounded by security), but as the story unfolds we
learn that the uncle hears a man describe a plan to kill
the rich, powerful man and all the Jews in the town.
He quickly sends a message to his niece urging her to
tell her husband of the plan. She eventually confesses
to him that she is a Jew and would also be killed. She
reveals the name of the enemy. The plot boomerangs
and the enemy ends up being hanged. What would
have been a month of sorrow has been turned to
gladness, and from mourning to a holiday.
I won’t reveal any more of the story except to tell
you why it intrigues me. It is because I question: do
things in life happen by accident, being in the right
place at the right time? Are we predetermined to
be in charge of destiny? Like in the story, was the
beautiful woman chosen so that she could eventually
save her people? Or could it be that life is a collection
of miracles? If there are miracles, shouldn’t God
enter into the story? Yet in this book God is never
mentioned.
I believe the true meaning of the story is up to us
to decide. There are many twists and turns that need
to be revealed. Thoughts, plans, and decisions are
hidden. “Hidden” could be a good title for the book.
The story reminds us to enjoy our days and to share
our good fortune with others. To eat and drink and be
merry, for today we have been saved.
If you want to read this book you need to reserve
a year in advance. It may take a year before you get
a chance to read it again. The title of the book is the
Book of Esther or the Story of Purim. Until next year,
enjoy giving gifts, charity, and eating good food. But
be careful of the drinking.
Sisterhood Happenings
Movie Showing: Portrait of Wally”
March 10th
7 - 9 PM
Game Night
April 23rd
7:30 PM
Israel Folk Dancing Fesitval in NYC
March 17th
Tickets Required
Sisterhood Shabbat
May 4th
9:45 AM
Sisterhood Passover Wine Sale
Ends March 25th
For any questions please contact;
Linda Guber
Randie Mishan
-14-
-15-
The Omer
Counting the Days from Passover to Shavuot
The counting of the Omer forms a connection between Passover and Shavuot in a number of ways.
The Omer (“sheaf ”) was a harvest-offering brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover
(Leviticus 23:9-14). There is a further command that, from the day when the Omer was brought,
seven weeks were to be counted, and on the 50th day a festival was to be celebrated (Leviticus 23:
15-21). This festival was later called Shavuot, “the Feast of Weeks” (because it falls on the day after
the seven weeks have been counted).
In Midrash, the 49 days of Omer are considered to be 49 steps leading to personal improvement.
This self-improvement makes the individual worthy of receiving the Torah (granted to Jewish
people collectively and individually on the first day of Shavuot).
Among the many interpretations given to counting the Omer is that Shavuot celebrates the giving
of the Torah while Passover celebrates the Exodus from Egypt. The free man, as he reminds himself of the bondage in Egypt, counts each day towards the even greater freedom enjoyed by those
who live by the Torah.
March 27th…the Count Begins!!!
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