Beth Israel Congregation’s
May 2017/5777
BULLETIN
+
Rabbi’s Message
General Service Schedule
Friday—7:00pm; Saturday—10:00am
Fiftieth Anniversary of a United Jerusalem
This year, May 24, 2017, will mark the fiftieth
anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem during the
Six Day War (according to the Jewish calendar). For
those of us who remember those difficult days during
May and June of 1967, Egypt had blocked Israel’s
right to navigate through the Red Sea. Syria had
amassed its troops to attack Israel from the Golan
Heights. As usual, the United Nations did absolutely
nothing to protect Israel’s right to exist. Israel pleaded
with King Hussein of Jordan not to enter the war
against Israel so the country would only have to fight a
war on two fronts instead of three. The United States
urged Israel not to engage in a pre-emptive strike and
to wait for some type of diplomatic solution. Israel
and her friends throughout the world understood that
the very survival of the Jewish State was threatened.
Jews throughout the world did their best to contribute
spiritually, economically, and politically so that Israel
might continue.
However, under the late Yitzhak Rabin, of blessed
memory, Israel created a military strategy that would
grant her one of the greatest military victories in
history. Israel destroyed the Egyptian Air Force on the
first day of the Six Day War thereby neutralizing the
threat from Egypt. Although Israel would ultimately
gain control of the entire Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and
the Golan Heights of Syria, the crowning moment of
the Six Day War occurred when the Israeli Army took
control of the Western Wall, the Kotel, as it is called in
Hebrew. Perhaps the defining image of the Six Day
War was the portrait of three young Israeli
paratroopers, Zion Karasenti, Haim Oshri, and Itzik
Yifat, standing in front of the Wall. The great Israeli
photographer, David Rubinger, who took this iconic
photo, passed away recently. However, the three
Israeli soldiers are now in their seventies and they are
still friends – although they argue about politics, like
all Israelis. The Israeli media recently interviewed
these these three distinguished gentlemen on the
fiftieth anniversary of the re-unification of Jerusalem.
April Events
May 3 @ 7pm
Open Meeting
May 20 @10am Book discussion
May 31
Shavuot
Shabbat Candle Lighting Times
May 5- 7:40
May 12- 7:46
May 19- 7:53
May 26- 7:58
May 30- 8:01
May 31- 9:07
The Beth Israel Book Club will meet
on Sunday, May 20 at 10:00am. We
will continue discussing Comparative
Religion.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
BIC Anniversaries
Steve & Laurie Schwalb- May 17
Rabbi’s Message, Continued …
The soldiers admitted they weren’t even certain that they had arrived at the Western Wall in 1967. Under
Jordanian control, there were walls and homes placed in close proximity to the sacred site of Judaism, so the
paratroopers were uncertain of the Wall’s location. When the Israeli soldiers were informed that they had
liberated the Wall, many began to cry. It was only later that the three Israelis realized that their photograph had
become. an international news story.
Much has transpired since Israel re-united Jerusalem in 1967. Jerusalem has grown to become a city of close to
900,000 individuals. It is the largest city in Israel. The city is basically one-third modern Israeli Jews, one-third
traditionally religious Jews, and one-third Palestinian Arab. The Western Wall Plaza now can accommodate
several hundred thousand people on major Jewish holy days. It is said that the Wall is never left alone and
indeed, one can look at the Wall virtually through a website. The popularized custom of leaving notes (“kvitl in
Yiddish)in the cracks of the Wall has created the task of cleaning out the letters to God twice a year. The love of
the Western Wall was uplifted in the beautiful song “HaKotel”. “There are men with hearts of stone. There are
walls with a human heart.”
The archeological park excavated around the Western Wall has exposed layers of history including the glorious
period of The Temple of King Herod. The Jewish Quarter, one of the four historic quarters of the Old City of
Jerusalem, has been restored to its former glory.
Jerusalem has been blessed with two brilliant mayors – the beloved Teddy Kolleck and its current mayor, Nir
Barkat. Both men have transformed Jerusalem into a cosmopolitan, international city despite the political,
religious and economic challenges of governing the city. Mayor Kolleck’s gem is the Israel Museum, which
has become one of the great museums of the world. Jerusalem’s current mayor has contributed the light rail line
about Jerusalem which is utilized by the diverse population of the city. Mayor Barkat is most proud of the
Jerusalem Marathon, which last year, brought some 30,000 runners to the city.
Let us recall the fiftieth anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem. As the Psalmist instructed us, “If I forget
you O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning.” Because Jews have not forgotten Jerusalem, it has
blossomed into a magnificent city. Our rabbis stated, “Ten measures of beauty were given to the world.
Jerusalem received nine of them.” Those who have been to today’s Jerusalem would have to agree with the
rabbinic understanding.
--Rabbi Bienstock
BIC Birthdays:
Ann Hancock- May 6
Barbara White- May 17
David Cohen- May 23
Rabbi White- May 28
Carter Tilghman- May 28
William Harrison Pincus- May 31
Robbie Tarpley Raffish- May 31
Member-to-member
Thank you to Todd Berman for preparing our wonderful Passover Seder. Thank you to Mark
Rudnick, Gabe Berman, Jacob Berman, Shari Miller, Arlene Miller, and Sara Stivelman for all
your help in making that night a success.
Thank you to Andrea Kahn for her Oneg donations.
Jeff and Jamie Albright will be observing the yahrzeit of Jeff's mother Mildred Albright and
Jamie's father Malcolm Pierce on Fri eve May 5. Your attendance is encouraged to guarantee
the presence of a minyan.
Donations:
General Fund
James Hatley
Peter Nason
Yahrzeit of Irving Nason and Dorothea Nason
Mel Snyder
Yizkor Elaine Snyder
Yahrzeits
Elliot Corn
Yahrzeit of Ialine Corn
Barbara Polin
Yahrzeit of Hanna B. Brouse
Harriet & Morton Owrutsky
Yahrzeit of Norman Owrutsky
Steve & Laurie Schwalb
Yahrzeit of Martha Rothberg
Alfred & Janice Spieler
Yahrzeit of Edward Spieler
Jeffrey & Jamie Albright
Yahrzeit of Malcolm David Pierce
Sara Stivelman
Yahrzeit of Sheldon Seidel
In Memory of Michael Ehrlich
Bob & Judy Scherr
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
Ellen & David Cohen
Yahrzeits: May
Abraham Masowitz
Sheldon Seidel
Jesse Goodman
Aaron Schwartz
May 19-20, 2017
Frank Robin
May 19-20, 2017
Allan Mainen
May 19-20, 2017
Julia Schneider
May 19-20, 2017
Solomon Marged
May 19-20, 2017
Sara Feldman
May 19-20, 2017
May 5-6, 2017
May 5-6, 2017
May 5-6, 2017
Malcolm David Pierce
May 5-6, 2017
Benjamin Weiss
May 19-20, 2017
Lloyd Darr
May 5-6, 2017
Abe J. Mandell
May 19-20, 2017
Harry Herring
May 5-6, 2017
JENNY ROTH
May 19-20, 2017
Mariam Rosenberg
May 5-6, 2017
ROSILYN SHILKRET
May 19-20, 2017
Jennie Kravitz
May 5-6, 2017
JAMES HARTMAN
May 26-27, 2017
Frances Silverstein
May 5-6, 2017
BETTY SEGAL HOFFMAN
May 26-27, 2017
David Kerpelman
May 5-6, 2017
MENDEL LEVIN
May 26-27, 2017
Israel Nathan Myers
May 5-6, 2017
Harry Lamberg
May 5-6, 2017
FANNY MARKOWITZ
May 26-27, 2017
Esther G. Levy
May 5-6, 2017
Robert Rosenthal
May 5-6, 2017
MILDRED ALBRIGHT
May 26-27, 2017
William Eisenberg
May 12-13, 2017
MERWIN RUBIN
May 26-27, 2017
Minnie Heilig
May 12-13, 2017
SAMUEL STEIN
May 26-27, 2017
Max Bresner
May 12-13, 2017
IBOLYA KLEIN EISEN
May 26-27, 2017
IRVIN LEONARD KAMANITZ
May 26-27, 2017
EIDITH WEISS
May 26-27, 2017
LEAH BEATUS
May 26-27, 2017
Author Goldstein
May 12-13, 2017
Aaron G. Levy
May 12-13, 2017
Louis Stelzner
May 12-13, 2017
Cornelius Neuman
May 12-13, 2017
LAZZAR BAKER
May 26-27, 2017
Jonas Rappeport
May 12-13, 2017
FANNY BAKER
May 26-27, 2017
Beth Israel Cards
Appropriate for every occasion and affordable, BIC
Cards can be purchased in the Office.
Beth Israel Staff
Rabbi: Arnold Bienstock
Office Manager: Julie Thompsen
Board of Governors
President: Todd Berman
Vice President: Susan Tilghman
Secretary: Arlene Miller
Treasurer: Shari Miller
Youth Education: Sara Stivelman
USY: Ella Davis
Religious: Teri Quigley
Membership: Ella Davis
Ways & Means: Jaimi Hall
House: Joe Beatus
Contact Us
600 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone 410-742-2564 Fax 410-742-2697
www.bethisraelsalisbury.org
General Information: [email protected]
Shabbat Services: Friday, 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The mission of this Congregation shall be to establish and
maintain a Synagogue and such educational,
religious, social and recreational activities as will help
further the cause and objectives of
the Synagogue and Conservative Judaism.
Would you like to honor a loved one?
There are many ways to acknowledge your
loved ones at Beth Israel.
Consider a leaf on our Tree of Life,
displayed in the lobby. This is a wonderful
way to commemorate a special event or to
honor or remember a special person. The
cost of a leaf is $500.
You may also wish to consider purchasing a
Yahrzeit Memorial Plaque for your loved
one. The cost is $360 and will be displayed
in our Sanctuary.
Or maybe you'd like to purchase a chair for
the social hall in the honor/memory of a
loved one. The cost for a chair is $50.
Please contact Julie at the Synagogue
Office and she'll be happy to assist you with
your tribute.
Established 1926
Do you love ONEG?
Who doesn’t? So come celebrate a
simcha, remember a yahrzeit or just
make it a great end to a long week by
hosting one! It’s easy and quick. Call
Julie in the BIC office for details. 410742-2564.