Chronicle Feb 04 - Temple Israel

TEMPLE ISRAEL
CHRONICLE
“Dor L’Dor — Generation to Generation”
Volume 4, Issue 2 February, 2004 ✡ Tevet/Shevat 5764
February
is Time
to Pay
Tribute to
Sisterhood
TEMPLE ISRAEL:
Staff:
Larry G. Kaplan, Rabbi
Ahron Abraham, Cantor
Gerri Kaplan, Principal
Debra Schonfeld, Administrator
Naomi Meyer, Chronicle Editor
Officers:
David E. Schwager, Esq., President
Richard M. Goldberg, Esq.,
Chairman of the Board
Lisa Klee, School Board Chair
Sisterhood President:
Donna Kornfeld
Men’s Club President:
Dr. Richard Grossman
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Daily Minyan:
Weekday Mornings, 7:15 AM
Sunday Mornings, 8 AM
Afternoons, 5:15 PM
Shabbat Services:
Kabbalat Service, 5:15 PM
Saturday Morning, 9:30 AM
Sisterhood Shabbat, February 7, 2004
OPEN AND CLOSE ARK
Lois Rittenberg & Sandra Herschenfeld
ALIYOT
Kohen: Jean Siegel
Levi: Roz Smulowitz
Rosemary Chromey
Ruth Chariton
Laurie Schwager
Liz Bartolai
TORAH READERS
Jane Feinstein
Ann Smith
Rosemary Chromey
MAFTIR
Nancy Freedman
HAGBEH
Donna Kornfeld
G’LILAH
Gladys Weisberger
Purim Is Coming!
Prayer for Our Country: Ellen Smith
Prayer for Israel: Herta Ghingold
Prayer for Peace: Zelda Salamon
Ashrei: Suzanne Lenahan
OPEN AND CLOSE ARK
Janet Popky & Charlotte Cutler
GUEST SPEAKER
Student from the Jewish
Theological Seminary
Ein Keloheinu: Leah Goldberg
Open Ark for Aleinu: Helene Rosenzweig
Torah Fund pins will be presented by
Suzanne Lenahan, Torah Fund Chair.
A Men's Committee is in charge
of the Kiddush.
Please attend to show appreciation to
Sisterhood for their significant role
in the life of the Temple.
See Detailed Shabbat Schedule Inside
Phone: (570) 824-8927
Fax: (570) 824-0904
Layout Design courtesy of
Bedwick & Jones Printing.
MARCH 6TH & 7TH
Celebrate with us at the special Megillah Reading for the whole family on Saturday evening,
March 6th, with Minchah at 5:15, Pizza Party at 5:45 followed by Havdallah.
Megillah reading at 6:30.
visit our website at: http://www.templewb.com
e-mail us at: office@templewb.com

Rabbi Kaplan Writes...
Dear Friends,
The
beginning of the
year was
particularly cold.
We were spoiled
by a warm
winter, despite
some snow, and
January brought temperatures in the
single digits. I suppose global warming
needed a respite. But the cold weather
brought sadness with it, and it was a
sadness that was shared by many in our
community. Marty Frank, son of Harold
and Marion, passed away in his sleep at
the age of 50. A successful realtor in the
Philadelphia area, Marty was known for
his kindness and mentchlich character.
The Franks joined a very real group
of people who had experienced similar
sadness in our congregation - names
like Smulowitz, Bratkowsky, Sten, Roth,
Zinman, London, Krasno – immediately
come to mind. These are the ranks of
those who were called upon to do what
no parent should ever have to do. And
the Franks were here for the least
amount of time. No one who wasn’t
born here ever gets to be a “sabra” of
Wilkes-Barre. But Harold and Marion,
in town for a mere fifteen years, were
treated like family by the friends they
have made. Theirs are not strange faces
in our chapel for Minyan or in our
sanctuary for Shabbat and festival
services.
But being essentially “newcomers”
to town, they did the unthinkable a
little over a month ago. They moved
from the back of the sanctuary down to
the seats in the front, and said they
could see and hear everything now!
Their friends who still all sit in the back
were shocked, but chalked it up to their
being greenhorns. But Harold and
Marion would never have believed that
they would find themselves sitting in
the front row at Rosenberg’s. Only with
the outpouring of support from our
community have they been able to
survive the tragedy, just as have those
other amazingly strong individuals and
families that have faced similar
tragedies.
But I’m going to let you in on a
little secret. There are folks in town
who actually believe that the Temple
Israel family is as cold as January was.
They will tell you of the first time they
walked into our sanctuary only to see
people talking about them and leaving
them to sit all alone, or if they brought
youngsters, being “shushed” or asked to
leave. Hopefully it’s all an
exaggeration, but some of it might be
true. I have certainly seen plenty of
folks sitting by themselves on Shabbat
mornings, and I’m sure that some like it
that way. But others probably wouldn’t
mind a friendly hello and someone to
sit next to.
A story is told about a king who has
a beautiful gem of which he is rightly
proud. One day, it sustained a deep
scratch and he was beside himself with
grief. He sent for artisans from near and
far and no one could repair the
blemish. Finally, an engraver stopped
by the palace to see the jewel. He told
the king that he could not repair it, but
that he could instead make it more
beautiful than it was. The king had no
other choice, so he entrusted his
precious stone with the man. After a
while the artisan returned and showed
the gem to the king who was ecstatic
with joy. For the gem now had a
magnificent flower carved into it, and
the original deep scratch served as its
stem.
Nothing will take away the pain of
the tragic death of a child. But by doing
Mitzvot we keep our loved ones’
memories alive within us and with all
those lives we touch. Our community
surrounded the Franks when they
needed us, and we were there for them.
Perhaps since so many of us have been
deeply scratched, it’s time we tried to
carve a beautiful flower from that stem.
Let’s welcome all visitors with open
arms, and let’s rise from our seat to
offer newcomers a place next to us.
Let’s make sure that no one feels alone
in our beautiful sanctuary. Let’s see to it
that even if it’s freezing outside (or
inside during the summer when the air
conditioning is on too high) everyone
feels warm in our shul.
May God send comfort to all those
who have experienced loss, and may
the memories of their loved ones serve
as a blessing.
Rabbi Kaplan
Two Months of
Sam Greenberg, Rabbi & Bob Luka at the VA
Hospital candlelighting.
Page 2
Rabbi lighting candles at John Heinz
Jane Feinstein presenting the Religious
School partnership report at the
Congregational breakfast.

Cantor’s Notes
Tu B’Shevat (which falls on
February 7 th this year) is a time to
think about the change of seasons,
and start looking forward to Spring.
As I write this article, temperatures
here in Northeastern PA are quite
low, and Spring seems very far
away. But in Israel, tree sap starts to
flow again and almond trees bloom.
Cantor Ahron Abraham
According to the Talmud, Tu
B’Shevat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the
age of trees for tithing. In Leviticus we are taught that fruit
trees may not be harvested during their first 3 years; the 4 th
year’s fruit belongs to God, and after that the produce is for
us. Tu B’Shevat is the point of reckoning for determining a
tree’s age.
Many customs grew up around Tu B’Shevat. In the
villages of Russia and Poland, after heder (Hebrew school),
the children snacked on bags of fruit brought from home
that reminded them of Zion—dates, figs, raisins and bokser,
the dry fruit of the carob tree. In Kurdestan, raisins and other
sweet fruits used to be placed in a ring around trees on Tu
B’Shevat. The people then prayed for an abundant fruit
harvest and for the birth of many children. Greek Jewish
communities still have the tradition of blessing the seeds for
spring planting. Also, children walk from house to house
and are given bags of fruits. There is a custom practiced by
the Chassidim (which originated in Safed) of trying to eat 15
different fruits on this holiday (the “TU” in Tu B’Shevat
stands for the number 15).
We can celebrate this holiday by planting a tree in Israel
(through JNF) or with a Tu B’Shevat seder. Originally limited
to Sephardic Jews, this custom has become popular in many
communities. As part of the seder, participants drink four
cups of wine (or grape juice), eat a variety of fruits and nuts,
and learn the importance of nature in Jewish tradition. Our
Hebrew School students will be participating in a Tu B’
Shevat seder on Sunday, February 8. If you’ve got the winter
blues, stop by for a taste of Spring!
SHABBAT
SCHEDULE
BESHALLACH
Shabbat Shirah
Friday, February 6
Candlelighting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:08 p.m.
Saturday, February 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:30 a.m.
Tu B’Shevat
Minchah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:30 p.m
✡ ✡ ✡ ✡
YITRO
Friday, February 13
Candlelighting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:16 p.m.
Saturday, February 14
Morning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:30 a.m.
Bar Mitzvah of Zachary Kranson.
Minchah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:30 p.m.
✡ ✡ ✡ ✡
MISHPATIM
Shabbat Shekalim
Friday, February 20
Candlelighting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:25 p.m.
Saturday, February 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:30 a.m.
Minchah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:45 p.m.
✡ ✡ ✡ ✡
TERUMEH
Friday, February 27
Candlelighting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:33 p.m.
Saturday, February 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:30 a.m.
Minchah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:45 p.m.
Temple Activities
New member Adolf Heisler presenting ideas at
the meeting.
Displaying Certificate of Recognition of our
School of Excellence Award, with Wendy
Light, United Synagogue education consultant.
Jerry Chariton expressing his views on the
location of High Holiday services.
Page 3

School Notes
HAPPY FEBRUARY
BIRTHDAYS TO OUR
STUDENTS
Feb. 1
Feb. 6
Feb. 8
Feb. 10
Feb. 12
Feb. 13
FEBRUARY SCHOOL EVENTS:
Feb .1
Feb. 5
Feb. 8
Feb. 14
Feb. 15
Feb. 20
Feb. 21
Feb. 22
Feb. 28
Feb. 29
Dylan Lefkowitz
Nicole Feigenblatt
Jack Berman
Benjamin Dyller
Daniel Abraham
Jared Sikorsky
Eli Sirota
Zachary Kranson
Feb. 14
Feb. 16
Feb. 21
Feb. 26
Sunday School
2nd grade Siddur Workshop
Ann Smith B’nai Mitzvah Class
Tu B’Shevat Seder
Bar Mitzvah of Zach Kranson
11th & 12th Grade High School, 4 p.m.
No Sunday School
Friday Night Live
Siddur Presentation to 2nd Graders
7th , 8th, & 9th Grade Hebrew High School, 4 p.m.
Havdallah Workshop, 5th Grade
Shabbat School, 10 a.m.
10th Grade, 4p.m.
No Sunday School
HEBREW SCHOOL DAYS
3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26
Sarah Rittenberg
Rebecca Greenwald
Richard Kraus
Jacob Harris
Ali Kornfeld
Sisterhood Notes
SISTERHOOD CALENDARS
The 2004 Sisterhood Calendars have been distributed. If
you ordered one, you should have received it. If you would
like to buy one, there are still some available. Cost is $12 and
you can pick it up at the Temple, or have it mailed to you for
an additional $2.
I can’t thank Ruth Chariton and Phyllis Landau enough for
all the help they gave me. Their time and energy were greatly
appreciated. I also want to thank those who helped make
phone calls (see list of committee members in the calendar)
and helped me deliver the calendars: Ruth Chariton, Charlotte
Cutler, Jane Feinstein, Sandy Herschenfeld, Gladys Weisberger,
and Marie, Naomi & John in the office.
Without the participation of the advertisers we wouldn ‘t
have the success we did. Please patronize them to show our
appreciation.
Helene Rosenzweig
Calendar Chairman
Bar Mitzvah
Zachary Kranson will become
a Bar Mitzvah on February 14 th ,
2004. He is the son of Bridget and
Eric Kranson, and the grandson of
Jerri & Louis Kranson, Thomas &
Marilyn O’Connor, and the late
Jean Kranson.
Zachary is a seventh grade student at Meyers
High School. He is involved with student
government and plays on the seventh grade
basketball team at the JCC. Zachary is involved in
Senate activities, basketball, flag football and
fitness. Other interests include classic Mafia movies
and video games. Zachary also enjoys parsha
stories, especially those told by Rabbi Perlman.
Condolences to:
• Surita Coplan on the passing of her husband,
Joseph.
• Ros Friedman and Julius Coplan on the passing of
their brother, Joseph Coplan.
• Jack Rosenzweig on the passing of his father,
Joseph Rosenzweig.
• Dr. Allen Togut on the passing of his mother.
• Marion and Harold Frank on the passing of their
son, Marty.
Special Thanks
. . . to Dave Ralston,
Doug Klee and Ben Ralston,
our dedicated “food mavens”
who prepared a delicious
breakfast of frittatas and
hash-brown potatoes for
those who attended the
Congregational Meeting on
Sunday, January 11.
Operation Mattathias
Children holding Chanukah gifts to be given to
needy children.
Page 4

Karnofskys Present
Gift Annuity
As a symbol of their continued devotion to Temple and
community, Jay and Jane Karnofsky have set up a gift
annuity for the benefit of Temple Israel and the community
through the Jewish Federation’s Charitable Gift Annuity
Program.
The Karnofsky family has had an historical link with the
Temple for many generations.
Jane’s and Jay’s paternal grandfathers both came from
the same village in Lithuania. Jay and Jane are 4 th
generation residents of this area.
Jane’s grandfather, Leonard Tintner, was the first
president of Temple Israel. Jane was the first child to be
named in the Temple.
Their parents and grandparents were charter members
of the Temple, and Jane and Jay attended Temple Israel
religious school. Jay was Bar Mitzvah and Jane was
confirmed in the Temple, as were their three children.
During Rabbi Barras’ early years, Jay served on the
School Board and Board of Trustees. Jane has been a
Sisterhood member since their marriage.
We express our deep gratitude to Jay and Jane Karnofsky
for their constant commitment in support of the Temple in
the Jewish tradition of tzedekah.
The Charitable Gift Annuity has been described as a
good retirement planning vehicle for individuals younger
than 65 as well, to supplement existing retirement assets.
The donor is paid a fixed amount of income on a regular
basis, beginning at age 65. The gift itself is in large part taxdeductible
and is also removed from the donor’s estate for
estate tax purposes.
Focus on Our
Endowments
Temple Israel is grateful to those families who have
assured the quality of Jewish life for generations to come by
endowing basic programs of service, which have spiritual,
cultural, interfaith, philanthropic, and educational
purposes.
THE TESS & AARON WEISS ENDOWMENT was
established to provide annually for the visit of a
distinguished community personage to Israel for the
purpose of bridge-building relationships in the general
community. Last year the endowment provided assistance
in a mission to Israel to educate Roman Catholic Christians
about the challenges faced by Israel and the Jewish
people.
THE JACOB & ROSABELLE ZIMMERMAN MEMORIAL
ENDOWMENT was established to assist Temple to
introduce such technological advances as will enhance its
ability to better serve its membership. We are extremely
grateful to the Zimmerman family for this gift which was
used to provide the office staff with their first computers.
✡February Yahrzeits✡
Week of February 1 – February 8: Arthur Abelson,
Hilda Bergsmann, Sidney J. Berk, Abe Bravman,Doris
Brown, Hyman Chvotzkin, Joseph M. Cohen, Sonya
Elkin, Zoltan Engel, Esther Falkowitz, Alex Garber,
Isadore Ginsberg, Lena Goodman, Dan Gross, Lena
Grossman, Joseph Hacker, Maurice Herman, Fannie
Hoder, Jacob Hurwitz, Dorothy Hyman, Paul Kafrissen,
James Koff, Alex Kranson, Minnie Lang, Peter Lang,
Maurice Levey, Herman Linshes, Morris Malett, Karl
Mardo, Lester Nathan, Herman Parris ,Rieva Pearson,
Samuel Popky, Jeanette Serling, Mildred Stoll, Max
Tischler, Freda Trompetter, Frank Wolfe, Pearl Wruble,
Dr. Sidney Zinman.
Week of February 9 – February 15: Ida Bachman,
Edward Berk, Fred Berman, Paul Birnbaum, Anna
Boxman, Dorothy Cohen, Jacob Coplan, Rachel Crystal,
Sara Cutler, Belle Eisen, Abe Feltz, Fannie Frank, Ida
Frank, Jack Frier, Haskell Ginsburgh, Morris Gold, Sol
Goldstein, Tillie Gray, Bessie Greenbaum, Rose
Grossman, Jeanette Hirshowitz, Gytelle Hopkins, Ethel
Judd, Joseph Kaufman, Doris Keiser, Betti Klein, Philip
Klein, Hannah L. Kline, Haskell Lazere, Thelma Levin,
Joseph McCoy, Gilbert Park, Paul Rappaport, Herbert
Rittenberg, Sidney Rome, Herbert Rosenfeld, Milton
Rosenfeld, Rae Roth, Agnes Scholnick, Sarah Shaffer,
Robert Shuman, Herman Slomowitz, Lenore Smulowitz,
Lillian Walter, Meyer Zager.
Week of February 16 – February 22:. Susan
Anderson, Max Antokolitz, David Bergsmann, Ida
Berson, Milton Brown, Rose Davidowitz, Ruth Esrov,
Rachel Fiegelman, Howard Frank, Charles Friedman,
Harry Gelb, Jacob Goldwein, Arthur Herschenfeld, Louis
Holtzman, Jacob Hyman, Bennet Kaplan, Fran Kaplan,
William Kline, Henry Lang, James L. Lustig, Harry
Mersay, Eva Miller, Charles Nachlis, Irene Novzen, I. M.
Pearlman, Bessie Robbins, Mrs. Helen Rosenberg, Erich
Schwager, Philip Simon, Jill Tischler, Charles Togut,
Cecilia Unterberger, Marcus Weisberger.
Week of February 23 – February 29: Louis
Amerman, Elizabeth Bergman, Sidney Bergsmann,
Monroe Block, Sophie Blum, Augusta Brand, Abe B.
Cohen, Harry Cohen, Joel Cohen, Ralph Connor,
Maurice Dann, Eva Domowitz, Lillian Felder, Beverly
Fiegelman, Gerald Fierman, Tillie Fogel, Jacob
Fortinsky, Jean Friedman, Lena Gibelman, Israel
Goldberg, Harry Goldstein, Gertrude Golubock, Louis
Greenwald, Arnold Hirshowitz, Edith Iscovitz, Fannie
Karnofsky, Edward Klein, Belle Kluger, Isadore Landau,
Hana Leitman, Peretz Leitman, Benjamin Levin, Ida
Levin, Sarah Morris, Lillian Oppenheimer, Blanche
Popky, Ruth Prashker, Fannie Rashewsky, Harry Robin,
Robert Rosenbaum, Joseph Rosenn, Fannie Rubel, Resi
Schwager, Ruth Senior, Rose Shelman, Mary Siegel,
Rebecca Silverman, Ralph Sirota, Irvin B. Siswein,
Martin Stark, Myer Teitelbaum, Isaiah Troy, Sarah
Vilensky, Mary Zager, Charles Zigun.
Page 5

Diamond Level ($10,000)
Essy & Bill Davidowitz
Isobel & Marvin Slomowitz
Platinum Level ($7,500)
Max Bartikowsky
Gold Level ($5,000)
Anonymous
Matthew & Susan Berger
Jane & Peter Feinstein
Shirley & Bob Fortinsky
Pauly & Sid Friedman
Lisa & Loren Grossman
Sue & Allan Kluger
Toby & Michael Krawitz
Debbie & Bruce Lefkowitz
Lois & Michael Rittenberg
Silver Level ($2,500)
Anonymous (2)
Madge & Burt Benovitz
Sally & Frank Berman
Sally & Larry Cohen
Karen Cooper
Ivan Davidowitz
Nina Slomowitz Davidowitz
Sherry & Jeff Davidowitz
The Next Generation
We thank and gratefully acknowledge the following families who have made
commitments to our new Membership Levels
Steven Davidowitz
Randi Ehrich
Judy & Gil Fleischman
Allison & Rob Friedman
Anne Glauber
Richard Goldberg & Rosemary Chromey
June & Harold Golubock
Debbie & Ira Grossman
Tammie & Michael Harris
Rabbi Larry & Gerri Kaplan
Lynn & Larry Keiser and family
Judith & Harvey Klein
Dana & Ross Kornfeld
Ellen & Rick Kornfeld
Iris & Steve Libenson
Jan & Jeff Picker
Helene & Jack Rosenzweig
Harold, Sallyanne & Scott Rosenn
Dr. Norman & Roxanne Schulman
Laurie & David Schwager
Karen & Steve Schwarz
Marsha & Rick Silberman
Ann & Marvin Smith
Ellen & David Smith
Shelly & Bill Smulowitz
Sandy & Mel Warshal
Susan Yelen & Al Frank
Bronze Level ($1,500)
Anonymous
Sally & Steve Alinikoff
Phyllis & Irving Berger
Karen & Rick Blum
Lynn & Leonard Gonchar
Manny Gordon
Phyllis & Leon Greenwald
Chester & Harold Hymen
Celia Krasno
Marsha & Larry Lebenson
Sandie Lefkowitz
Ina & Sheldon Lubin
Joan & Marty Meyer
Kim & Richard Michelstein
Joan Rittenberg
Sally & Irwin Sagenkahn
Joseph J. & Janice W. Savitz
Jill & Jack Savitz
Debbie Schonfeld
Jill Schwartz
Myra & Stanley Smulyan
Lois & Gregg Spath
Gladys & Dan Weisberger
Barbara & Ernie Weisberger
Joel Zitofsky & Ronne Kurlancheek
Selma Zneimer
Sisterhood
Interfaith Tea
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
1:30 p.m. at Temple B’nai B’rith
Theme:
Caring for Those Who Serve
In the Armed Forces
If you are able to bake for the Tea,
please call Sandy Herschenfeld, Chair, 288-3732.
Please bring an item suitable for sending
to someone in the service.
Camp Ramah
It’s time to think
about summer camp
for your student.
Camp Ramah is a
wonderful place to
make new friends,
master new skills,
learn about yourself and your Judaism, sing, dance,
create, perform, laugh and much more. Camp Ramah
opens a window to tradition -- some ancient and
some created anew -- bringing Judaism to life.
Ramah reaches some 6,500 Jewish campers ages
eight to sixteen each summer and more than seventyfive
percent of these campers subsequently become
Ramah counselors reflecting the utility of the Ramah
community in developing a Jewish identity.
Financial assistance is available from the Temple.
Written requests must be received by March 26th.
Page 6

From Our President. . .
As part of
“The Next
Generation”
campaign to
insure the
future of our
Temple in the
face of our
decreasing
David E. Schwager, Esq. local Jewish
population, we
list program participants quarterly in
the Chronicle. The first quarterly
listing of 60 participating families was
in the December issue. The second
such quarterly listing is on page 6. It
is wonderful that 15 additional
families have joined the campaign
since the first quarterly publication.
Each quarter, we hope that you will
be able to continue to see the
progress that we make to increase
participation in this effort. Through
the continuing pace of new
commitments and the generosity
shown by our members, Temple is
making great strides in facing our
financial challenges. Of equal
significance is the number of
members on reduced dues
arrangements who have answered the
call to do their part and voluntarily
agreed to pay higher amounts of dues
this year. May we all follow in the
footsteps of all of these exemplary
Temple members. It matters not the
dollar amount of your commitment as
long as your support is at the greatest
level that you can afford.
I wish to clarify an issue relating
to “TNG” that has been brought to my
attention. TNG is not a “capital
campaign”. A capital campaign is
one that seeks to raise additional
capital to increase the value of
Temple’s assets, like our recent
Restoration Campaign or an effort to
secure additional Temple
endowments.
Instead, TNG is raising additional
annual commitments of funds from
our members on a going-forward
basis. I am pleased to report that we
have raised approximately
$100,000.00 in new annual funding
for the Temple – that’s an extra
$100,000.00 over and above the total
dues, tuition payments, high holiday
ticket purchases and high holiday and
fair share pledges that these donors
made last year. Rest assured, TNG
participants are not getting anything
for nothing. Their commitments are
extremely generous and critical to the
future of Temple Israel.
We specifically chose not to
embark on a “capital” campaign.
Based upon the advice of our
Investment Committee co-chairs,
Susan Yelen and Fred Levy, we are
striving to reach a spending policy for
all Temple funds of a mere 4% (down
from more than 10% in recent years).
At such a rate of spending, in order to
help solve Temple’s financial issues,
such a capital campaign would have
had to raise approximately $4 million
in contributions from our
membership. We felt that this was not
a realistic goal, and instead, opted for
the current TNG format.
While it may seem, on the
surface, that Temple is “throwing in”
free high holiday tickets, religious
school tuition, and high holiday
pledges, that is really not the right
way to look at it. Because no one is
participating in TNG at a level below
their current degree of financial
support for Temple, TNG is essentially
“pre-selling” to its participants high
holiday tickets and “pre-soliciting”
high holiday pledges as part of their
gifts. So, in effect, whereas last year,
dues and tuition collections, high
holiday ticket sales, and pledge
solicitations raised x dollars, this year,
with only 75 families participating to
date, TNG has raised x+$100,000.00.
A tremendous achievement for our
Temple!
We had a wonderful turnout of 20
parents at our recent open school
board meeting, followed several days
later by 60 congregants attending our
congregational breakfast meeting.
Both meetings focused on the
proposed merger of our religious
school program with that of Temple
B’nai B’rith. Very good questions and
suggestions were made at both
meetings, but overall the response to
this partnership concept was
overwhelmingly positive. At the same
time, Temple B’nai B’rith also held a
meeting of its congregation where this
issue was also well received. I hope to
have more to report to you on this
subject in my next column.
At the congregational
meeting, there was also a very
interesting discussion of the work of
First Vice President Jane Feinstein and
her high holiday relocation
committee. The committee has
proposed that Temple move its high
holiday services back to Temple Israel
this year to increase spirituality and,
potentially, to save up to $11,300.00
in expenses related to holding services
at the Kirby Center.
One congregant who
recounted the post-flood end to the
longstanding use of divided services
with the move to Irem Temple and,
more recently, to the Kirby Center,
said that our congregation has been
“spoiled” by 30 years of having the
luxury of more seats than we can fill.
As a result, parents could save seats
for late arriving children without
inconveniencing fellow congregants.
In light of the financial
challenges that Temple has faced and
has worked hard to eliminate through
TNG and in light of our assurances to
TNG participants through the
solicitation process that we would
look at cost reductions and not only
increased contributions to solve our
problems, holding high holiday
services at Temple could save as
much as $11,300.00 annually.
If, in fact, there are some of
you out there who are “spoiled”, I ask
you to consider giving up some of that
for the greater good of our Temple,
not only financially, but spiritually as
well. How wonderful it would be for
us to have a packed house in our
newly restored building instead of half
filling the orchestra section of the
Kirby Center. Think of it as TNG –
Part 2.
See you at Temple,
David
president@templewb.com
Page 7

Temple Israel
236 S. River St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18702
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Permit No. 105
February 2004
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Board of Trustees
Sisterhood Shabbat
1 2 Meeting, 3 4 5 6 7
7:30 p.m.
School Board
Zachary
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Meeting, 7 p.m.
Kranson’s
Bar Mitzvah
Friday Night
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Live, 7:30 p.m.
Siddur
Presentation to
2 nd Grade
Interfaith Tea,
Executive Board
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
1:30 p.m.,
Meeting
Temple B’nai
B’rith
7:30 p.m.
Chevra Kadisha
Breakfast at JCC
9:30 a.m.
29
Temple Israel Funds
The following is a listing of Temple Israel funds to which donors may contribute for memorials, simchas, recoveries,
etc. Minimum contribution is $5.00 unless otherwise noted.
BUILDING FUND
BIBLE FUND ($10)
CHAI CONTRIBUTIONS ($18)
SALLY & RALPH CONNOR
HIDDUR MITZVAH FUND
JOSEPH N. COPLAN PRAYER BOOK FUND
CHARLOTTE & JOE CUTLER FUND
ETZ CHAIM BIBLE ($118)
FRIEDMAN INTERFAITH ENDOWMENT
ROBERT FRIEDMAN LITURGICAL MUSIC FUND
HAPPY DAY FUND
ENID HERSHEY KIDDUSH CUP FUND
HIGH HOLIDAY PRAYER BOOK FUND
LAWRENCE HOLLANDER B'NAI MITZVAH
PRAYER BOOK FUND
FEED THE HOMELESS FUND
DORIS & SIDNEY KEISER KERUV FUND
ESTHER & NATHAN KLEIN
PASSOVER ENDOWMENT
THE HANNAH & WILLIAM S. KLINE
LIBRARY FUND
LANDAU PAVILION FUND
LEVY CHAPEL FUND
BEN LIBENSON MEMORIAL ART FUND
FRANK & HILDA LUBIN
FEED THE HOMELESS FUND
LYONS EDUCATION FUND
MINNIE MORRELL MUSIC FUND
MINYAN FUND
BARBARA NEWSBAUM MILLER
PRAYER BOOK FUND
SAM NELSON CARE PACKAGE FUND
DORIS & JEROME NEWMAN
EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FUND
PRAYER BOOK FUND
RABINOWITZ TALLIT FUND
SAIDMAN-GREENWALD TORAH FUND
($18 minimum)
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
SANCTUARY FUND ($25)
SHAFFER SHABBAT KIDDUSH FUND
SHAFFER SUKKAH ENDOWMENT
SIDDUR HADASH ($20)
SILBERMAN MEZUZZAH FUND
MIRIAM K. SIMS ENDOWMENT
USY/KADIMA FUND