Laurie & Joe Brofsky - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

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notes from the hazzan DAVID B. SISLEN DAILY SERVICES Mornings REGULAR Monday and Thursday 6:50 am Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 7:00 am Saturday 9:30 am Sunday & Legal Holidays 9:00 am Rosh Chodesh 6:45 am Evenings Monday through Thursday, Sunday & Legal Holidays 7:30 pm Fridays 7:00 pm Saturday varies with sunset times Go to www.herjc.org Please check www.herjc.org or see the calendar for Saturday evening service times. Things may slow down during the long, hot summer, but they don’t stop. HERJC is here every day to provide for the ritual, spiritual, and social needs of our congregational family. Over the next few months, it will become crucial to renew your individual commitments to helping us ensure minyanim at daily services. Day and night, we are here for our congregants. We have a responsibility to provide regular services where our community may worship, observe the yartzheits of loved ones, and, unfortunately, say Kaddish when in mourning. As the weather gets warmer and many of our minyan regulars go on vacation, we can’t always guarantee that there will be 10 people here at the right time. As you make your schedules for the summer and next year, please see if you can work in some time to help us make a minyan. Many people make the personal commitment to show up once a week or once a month, on the day with the same date as their birthday, or at some other interval that allows them to make daily worship a part of their personal routine. We are very unique in being able to offer Shacharit, Mincha and Ma’ariv services every day; it breaks my heart when someone shows up in need of our minyan and there aren’t enough people in the room. Beyond these practical considerations, however, prayer is a reward in itself. Starting your day by spending a few minutes in conversation with God gives a wonderful boost to your morning routine. Ending your day in prayer gives you the sense of peace that you need to conclude the workday and leave its stress behind. Try it; it’s addictive. I can hardly believe that July will mark the end of my first year here in New York. Time has just flown by. I am enormously grateful to all the members and friends of our wonderful congregation who have welcomed me and my family so warmly. This past year has been one of the best of my personal and professional life, and I look forward to being a part of this community for many years to come. Please be sure to check out my page on our shul’s website: www.herjc.org. There are now links to various learning and listening resources that will be updated regularly. Stop by from time to time to see what fun and useful things I’ve found to share. And remember: please always feel free to contact me to share a favorite melody, to ask for help in learning an old one, to ask for assistance in mastering any synagogue skills, or to volunteer to take on a Torah reading or Haftarah. I’m here to help anyone and everyone grow in terms of their ability to participate, lead, or appreciate the wonderful things that go on at HERJC, our spiritual home. Raffle prizes are still being accepted for Dinner Dance. Ask your favorite place for a gift certificate. page 4 MAY/JUNE 2011 www.herjc.org HAKOL
DAN GERSTMAN From the President In one of my favorite books called As a Man Thinketh, author James Allen says, “A woman’s/man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.” With this in mind, here at HERJC, we have our own garden called the Mitzvah Garden and it will bring forth! But before it does, there is a lot of cultivation needed and I am most confident that our growing list of volunteers will insure an abundant crop (especially if the weather cooperates). As we till our own East Rockaway soil, we do it to create a community project where children and adults can learn the lesson of creation, get involved personally and share in the joy of growing and ultimately giving. The vegetables (spinach, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, etc.) will be donated as tzedakah to local food banks along with the packaged foods we all give so willingly to those in need. As I wrap up my second of three years as HERJC President, I have learned many valuable lessons. One important one is that while growth of membership numbers is a nice statistic, what really matters is the growth of our community members which gets measured in so many other ways. Recently, I attended a Tot Shabbat where we had over 80 people, which included three generations, enjoying each other’s love at our Friday night service and dinner. Another example was earlier this year when we eclipsed our Patrons Society goal for the second straight year. It was so meaningful to know that a growing number of HERJC families are furthering their connection to our synagogue. When I take a look at our new programs like PJ Library and next year’s Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah class, I realize the positive effect of our dedicated professionals in combination with our member volunteers. And there is a growing sense of anticipation as we head into our Israel Day celebration, Monday evening May 9th, when, along with UJA, we will honor Philip Engel and of course our Annual Dinner Dance where we will honor a most deserving couple, Dr. Joe and Laurie Brofsky. There is so much to look forward to, so just as we will tend to the Mitzvah Garden, I know together we will tend to the ever growing list of events and community work that shapes our character and destiny. My prayer is that together we continue to bloom, allowing HERJC to be the place where we make every person and every day count! Congregational Meeting MONDAY, MAY 23, 8:00 PM, TEMPLE BOARDROOM Agenda: Election of Board of Director Members and Approval of 2010–11 Budget HERJC MISSION STATEMENT Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre–Congregation Etz Chaim (HERJC) is a warm, vibrant, traditionalegalitarian Conservative congregation. Our diverse, forward-thinking community is one in which learning, prayer and social action flourish. Since its founding in 1949, HERJC has been recognized for creating a welcoming environment in which each member—regardless of age, stage of life or background—feels a connection to one another, to the Jewish people, to the United States, to the land and State of Israel, to Judaism and to God. We are committed to continuing to provide innovative, interesting, and thought-provoking programs that: Foster lifelong learning from pre-school through adulthood Celebrate our Jewish heritage Deepen the sense of community among our Congregational family Promote religious involvement of all members, and enhance their spiritual experience Encourage intergenerational cooperation Nurture the State of Israel and our relationship with it Serve the needs of our members, the local community, the United States, and K’lal Yisrael, the Jewish people throughout the world. Pirkei Avot says the world rests on Torah, Avodah, and G’milut Chasadim. So too does our Congregation. HAKOL www.herjc.org MAY/JUNE 2011 page 5
Page 1 and 2: The VOICE of Hewlett-East Rockaway
Page 3: From the Rabbi’s Study RABBI ANDR
Page 7 and 8: please join us Monday May 9 7:30 pm
Page 9 and 10: A new endeavor of HERJC Cares is pa
Page 11 and 12: shavuot services EREV SHAVUOT TUES
Page 13 and 14: events Spring is in the Air! Let Yo
Page 15 and 16: of events 4 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRID
Page 17 and 18: of events 2 THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDA
Page 19 and 20: 12t h AnnuAl nursery school Art exh
Page 21 and 22: A huge and heartfelt thank you to a
Page 23 and 24: personals & donations Personals Maz
Page 25 and 26: join our summer fun Once again, we
Page 27 and 28: July 5 - Tammuz 3 Harold Kaufman Ro
Page 29 and 30: Joseph Brofsky, D.M.D. Pediatric De
Page 31 and 32: HAKOL www.herjc.org MAY/JUNE 2011 p

Laurie & Joe Brofsky - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

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