Dor L'Dor — Generation to Generation - Temple Israel

Rabbi Kaplan Writes...Dear Friends,If youhappen to strollby the TempleIsrael vestrysome Sundaymorning overthe next coupleof months, youmay hear some rather interestingdavening going on. That’s because theSusquehanna Bible Fellowship will bemeeting in our building while theysearch for a more permanent place toworship. They had been meeting Sundaymornings at the Seventh Day Adventistchurch on 2nd Avenue in Kingston(because the Adventists pray on Shabbatas we do), but that building has beensold and the Bible Fellowship neededtemporary space on short notice.I’m happy that our Board of Trusteesvoted overwhelmingly to allow thegroup to use our vestry. On theoccasions that our vestry is in use by ourSisterhood or for another Templefunction, the 30 or 40 members of theBible Fellowship may meet upstairs inour school building.The reactions of our board memberswere varied, as, I assume, are thereactions of our congregation. Therewere those who were concerned onlywith a few issues of logistics (whathappens when the Temple has afunction, how long will they need thespace, do they have their owninsurance), and others that werevehemently opposed to the idea. I’mhappy to note that particularly amongthe latter there was a sincere desire forour congregation to help the churchgroup find a more permanent venue, asquickly as possible, I might add.I grew up in a very Jewish part ofnortheast Philadelphia. Almost all of myfriends were Jewish, there were manysynagogues within walking distance ofmy home, and I never set foot inside achurch. As I look back on thoseformative years, I was mightily ignorantabout the Christian majority thatsurrounded my Jewish enclave. And Idon’t doubt for a minute that myignorance bred a certain amount of fearof the unknown.I’ve grown a lot since those days (nojokes, please). I have preached from thepulpit of churches, I have led PassoverSeders in churches, I have participated inyears of interfaith Thanksgiving servicesin churches. Some of the churches in ourarea are especially beautiful; magnificentis a more appropriate word.In Miami the Conservativecongregation that I led rented space to aProtestant church group every Sundaymorning and we developed a finefriendship between the twocongregations. Each year at Thanksgivingwe joined together for a special serviceand the pastor and I took turnsaddressing the group. I do not recalleven one single word of concern fromany member of my congregation. Andthis church did not use vestry rooms;they used our Sanctuary every Sundaymorning.The fact is that such an arrangementexists all over America in manysynagogues, just as many Jewishcongregations often start off using spacein churches.Needless to say, I was quitesurprised when I began to hear negativecomments from board members aboutour providing space to the SusquehannaBible group. And while many wereultimately willing to lend space in thevestry, almost no one said they’d be justfine with letting the group pray in oursanctuary.I must be quite thick headedbecause I still can’t pinpoint what theproblem is. I actually asked the board ifwhat they feared were “Christiancooties”.I’m honored to serve as the JewishChaplain at our local VA hospital. In thelovely chapel at the hospital, the crosseson the wall rotate to reveal a Jewish staron the other side. The chapel can becon-verted in a matter of minutes fromCatholic worship to Protestant to Jewish.Why is our sanctuary not able to tolerateChristian worship? So far, no one haseven attempted to explain this to me. Ifour feelings tell us that it is not a goodthing to have Christians worship in oursanctuary, then perhaps it’s time for us toconfront our feelings. I know it’s easierjust to confront the rabbi, but this time,for my sake, why not think twice aboutthis issue?I eagerly await your responses. Inthe meantime, I’m glad we are able toaccommodate our friends downstairs.Hebrew School Sofer WorkshopContinued from p.1Rebecca Kurzweil, Diana Smith, RainaConnor and Adria Eckert with PinnyLevitin, Sofer.Rabbi Pinny Levitin showing a feather usedto inscribe the Torah.Henry Messinger and Zach Kransonhelping Pinny mix the special ink forinscribing the Torah.Page 2

Cantor’s NotesOur services are getting quieter andquieter. I know to many of you that sounds likea good thing, and I certainly agree that properdecorum during services is very important.Unfortunately, the “quiet” I’m noticing isduring the sing-able parts of the service –people are just not participating the way theyused to. Could it be that you are somewhatself-conscious, or are not familiar enough withCantor Ahron Abrahamthe melodies? If the former is the reason, beassured that Rabbi and I appreciate any and all “joyful noises” that aredirected to God. Feel free to sing out, together with the congregation.If you need to learn the melodies, or just require a “refresher course”,please contact me. I would be happy to provide you with a tape orwork with you on an individual basis on anything from the basicmelodies to specific “nuschaot” .We need more of you to attend daily minyan services! I knowyou’ve heard this many times from the Rabbi and me, but our presentneed is the most acute it has been during my tenure here at TempleIsrael. We desperately need you to volunteer, either morning orevening, one day during the week. Along with helping fellow Jews toproperly honor the memory of a departed loved one, minyan canbecome a very positive and fulfilling personal experience. Don’t beintimidated if you’re a “novice davener”. We won’t put you on the spotand make you do anything. We’ve slowed the pace of the service a bitto allow people to follow more easily, and if you require personalassistance, I’m here to help! Evening minyan takes only 15-20minutes, and morning minyan just a few minutes longer. So don’t be astranger – come to Temple and help make our services uplifting andspiritual through your participation.Please call me and let me know which day you are able to attendminyan!Mazal Tov to:• Rosalie Miller on the Bar Mitzvah of her grandson, Zachery Roth.• Evelyn & Murray Popky and Iris and Richard Levy on the birth of agranddaughter, Eliza, to Rabbi Charles & Allison Levy Popky.• Cookie & Sheldon Vale on the birth of a grandson, Adam, born toDr. Steven Vale and Dr. Jennifer Gell.Condolences to:• The family of Richard Dorf on his passing.• Mildred Silberman, Eileen Trompetter, & Fran Kaplan on thepassing of their brother, Marvin Gibelman.• The family of Sylvia Cimmet on her passing.• Estelle Berger on the passing of her sister.• Eunice Luka on the passing of her brother, Maurice Levey.• Larry Keiser on the passing of his mother, Doris Keiser.• Muriel Burnat on the passing of her grandson, Kyle Burnat.SHABBATSCHEDULEMISHPATIMFriday, January 31Candlelighting time ....................5:00 p.m.Saturday, February 1 ...................9:30 a.m.Family Shabbat. Children celebratingFebruary birthdays will receivealiyahs.Zach Greenwald will chant the Haftarah.Community Kiddush at JCC, 12:15 p.m.Confirmation Class .....................4:30 p.m.Minchah .....................................5:15 p.m.✡ ✡ ✡ ✡TERUMAFriday, February 7Candlelighting time..............5:09 p.m.Saturday, February 8 ...................9:30 a.m.David Schwager will chant theHaftarah in honor of his 40thbirthday. The Kiddush will besponsored by the Schwager family.Minchah .....................................5:15 p.m.✡ ✡ ✡ ✡TETZAVEHFriday, February 14Candlelighting time..............5:17 p.m.Saturday, February 15 .................9:30 a.m.Barras Yad Dedication. David Barraswill chant the Haftarah. The Kiddushwill be sponsored by the Barrasfamily.Minchah .....................................5:15 p.m.✡ ✡ ✡ ✡KI TISSAHFriday, February 21Candlelighting time..............5:26 p.m.Saturday, February 22 .................9:30 a.m.Minchah .....................................5:30 p.m.✡ ✡ ✡ ✡VAYAKHELFriday, February 28 ....................................Candlelighting time..............5:00 p.m.Saturday, March 1 .......................9:30 a.m.Bat Mitzvah of Rebecca KurzweilMinchah .....................................5:30 p.m.Page 3

School NotesSCHOOL SCHEDULE FORFEBRUARY:1st2nd9th13th15th16th21st23rdSynagogue skills class, 6th & 7th gradesConfirmation Class, 4:30Family ShabbatTorah Trope class, 5th gradeYouth Choir & Orchestra, 10 amShabbat Workshop, 4th grade parents & studentsBar/Bat Mitzvah Class with Ann SmithHebrew High School Lunch & LearnNo Sunday SchoolFriday Nite Live, 4th & 5th grades, 7:30 pmCommunity Hebrew High SchoolHebrew School Dates: Feb. 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13,18, 20, 25, 27.HAPPY FEBRUARYBIRTHDAYS TOOUR STUDENTSFeb. 1 – Dylan LefkowitzFeb. 8 – Benjamin Dyller,Jack BermanFeb. 10 – Daniel AbrahamFeb. 12 – Jared SikorskiFeb. 13 – Eli Sirota,Zachary KransonFeb. 14 – Sarah RittenbergFeb. 16 – Nicole Feigenblatt, Rebecca Greenwald,Richard KrausFeb. 21 – Jacob HarrisFeb. 26 – Ali KornfeldCamp RamahDescriptive brochures and applications may beobtained at the Temple office. Financial assistance isavailable. Requests mustbe made in writing tothe Temple by April 1.Our Youth AreConcernedRemember the POW Bracelets in the 60’s? This is asimilar bracelet honoring the life of an Israeli who has losthis/her life in a terrorist act.Billie Nachlis, daughter of Steven and Rhondi Nachlis,is the local source selling these bracelets. She became awareof them this past summer.The bracelets are provided by the Israel EmergencySolidarity fund. The fund is a non-profit grass rootsorganization dedicated to providing financial and emotionalsupport to Israeli victims of terror. The memorial bracelet is away to honor their lives. The metal cuff bracelets areimprinted with the name, age, and date of the death of thevictim. The fund states “It is our hope that people across thecountry will wear the bracelets as a show of solidarity withour brothers and sisters in Israel.”Once you have purchased the bracelet, you areencouraged to write a letter of support to the family of thevictim through the fund’s website, www.walk4israel.com. Todo this, you visit the site’s “Faces of Victims” page and clickon the name of the individual on your bracelet.Billie has received a very strong response to thebracelets. She feels this is a way people of all ages can showtheir support for Israel. She has sold bracelets to individuals,both Jewish and Non-Jewish, as well as to business ownerswho will provide them to their employees.Billie can be reached at her home at 714-2229. She willlet you know when the bracelets can be picked up at TempleIsrael or the JCC. Her goal is to sell over 100. Cost of eachbracelet is $6. Five of those dollars go back to the families ofterror; the other dollar goes to a fund called Magan DavidAdom, which provides ambulances in Israel.Bat MitzvahRebecca Kurzweil will celebrateher Bat Mitzvah on March 1. She isa daughter of Stephen and ZeldaKurzweil, and granddaughter of Mrs.Patricia Wilkinson and Dr. & Mrs.Samuel Kurzweil.Becca is a seventh grade studentat Wyoming Seminary. She is activein sports, especially soccer andbasketball. She loves canoeing, kayaking and rockclimbing. Becca lives with her parents, sister andbrother, three dogs and assorted reptiles.Page 4Thank You...to Sally Connor for bringing us a supply of bud vases, which we will use for floral centerpieces at our dinners....to Charlotte Klavonski for her willingness and efficiency in helping with our mailings....to Mary Beth Lorber for volunteering to help us in many ways in the office.

Wine-Tasting PartyLesa Gelb , Chair, and Gary & Susan Brand, co-chairs, of the Membership Committee, areplanning what promises to be a highlight of the winter season. On Saturday evening, February 1,the Congregation is invited to a wine-tasting party, to try an assortment of fine kosher wines.The party will be held at the home of Gary & Susan Brand, 161 James St., Kingston, at 7 p.m.A variety of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and a dessert buffet will serve to clean the palatesof imbibers.Michael Harris, Ira Grossman, Cantor Abraham and Gary Brand have “pre-sampled” winesbrought in specially, and decided which to offer at the party. Many varieties of Kosher wines have becomehighly regarded by people who know fine wines.Others who have helped to plan this event are Rosemary Chromey, Jean Siegel, Suzanne Lenahan, Lesley Baltimore,Dana Kornfeld, Tammy Engel and Allison Friedman.We are hoping the congregation will come out to support the work of this committee. Please call the office forreservations. Cost of the event is $10 per person, $18 for couples.Focus On Our EndowmentsAs was promised in the last Chronicle, we will be highlighting, in alphabetical order, each of our endowments over thenext several months to update the congregation on their purpose and activity.Temple Israel is grateful to those families who have assured the quality of Jewish life for generations to come byendowing basic programs of service, which have spiritual, cultural, interfaith, philanthropic, and educational purposes.The Shirley & Arthur Abelson Endowment was established to provide assistance for families suffering financial hardshipin the maintenance of their Temple affiliation and/or in the education of their child(ren) at the Temple Religious School Thisyear, the endowment enabled five students in our Hebrew School to further their Jewish education.The Eugene P. Abenmoha & Rebecca & Robert Aben Endowment was established to provide for the publication of theTemple Israel Chronicle and for the printing and publishing needs of the congregation, assuring that the Temple’scommunication material will correspond with the high quality and dignity of our congregational activities. This year, theendowment provided assistance in publication of the Temple Israel Chronicle.The Altman-Garber Israel Affairs Endowment was established to disseminate knowledge of the high ideals of Zionismand to foster community relationships of understanding with the Jewish State and its people. Although there was no activityfrom this endowment in the past year, we look forward to its active participation in the future.✡ February Yahrzeits ✡Week of February 1 – February 8: Louis Amerman,Elizabeth Bergman, Sidney Bergsmann, Monroe Block,Augusta Brand, Milton Brown, Abe B. Cohen, Harry Cohen,Ralph Connor, Maurice Dann, Lillian Felder, BeverlyFiegelman, Rachel Fiegelman, Gerald Fierman, Tillie Fogel,Jacob Fortinsky, Lena Gibelman, Israel Goldberg, HarryGoldstein, Gertrude Golubock, Louis Greenwald, ArthurHerschenfeld, Louis Holtzman, Edith Iscovitz, BennetKaplan, Fannie Karnofsky, Edward Klein, William Kline,Isadore Landau, Henry Lang, Hana Leitman, Peretz Leitman,Benjamin Levin, Ida Levin, Bessie Robbins, Harry Robin,Mrs. Helen Rosenberg, Joseph Rosenn, Fannie Rubel, ErichSchwager, Resi Schwager, Ruth Senior, Rose Shelman, MarySiegel, Rebecca Silverman, Martin Stark, Myer Teitelbaum,Isaiah Troy, Cecilia Unterberger, Sarah Vilensky, Mary Zager.Week of February 9 – February 15: Aleck Abrahamson, JoelCohen, Max Cooper, Philip Cutler, Lila Farber, SamuelGauz, Phillip Gelb, Marian Goldner, Sara Goldstein, HildaM. Hertz, Arnold Hirshowitz, Jonathan Keiser, SamuelKurlansky, Max Lehrman, Jay Leventhal, Adele Levine, BenLibenson, Sarah Morris, Doris Newman, Goldie Pollock,Blanche Popky, Edith Rome, Isadore Rome, J. M. Ross, Mr.Shufler, ,Alan Shuman, Samuel Siegel, Anne Sussman,Emma Webber, Lena Weiss, Charles Zigun.Week of February 16 – February 22: Louis Bachman,Harold Coblentz, Celia Cohen, Herman Eisen, MiltonFriedman, Samuel Goldman, Philip Gorgold, Jesse Hyman,Henry Ibsen, Jack Lesavoy, Raymond Levey, Jacob Loefflad,Rose Meyer, Gertrude Monsky, Abraham Rabitz, BernardThalenfeld.Week of February 23 – February 28: Esther F. Adelson,Murray Bratkowsky, Ruth Breslaw, Fannie Ehrenreich, AbeFierman, Saul Guter, Charlotte Jackier, Max Krotick, AnnaLevey, Harry Lieberman, Bertha Meyer, Nat Meyer, HarryNachlis, Seymour Osband, Isadore Reichlin, RoseRittenberg, Martin Rosenthal, Joseph Schiffman, JosephTeitelbaum, Sol Trompetter, Bertha Weisberger, Helen Weiss.Page 5

Sisterhood NotesThe first community Kiddush will be held at the JewishCommunity Center on February 1 at 12:15 P.M. This will bea wonderful opportunity for members of Ohav Zedek,Temple Israel, Temple B’nai Brith and the JCC to meet andsocialize after Shabbat services.The planning committee includes Joan Kleiman,president of Ohav Zedek Sisterhood, Geri Gitlin, presidentof Temple B’nai B’rith Sisterhood, Lois Rittenberg, presidentof our own Sisterhood, and Barbara Sugarman, Adult andCultural Director of the JCC.This will surely demonstrate that we are a cohesiveJewish community. Please join us for services that day andthen on to the J.C.C. for a very special kiddush.February’s Sisterhood event will be the annual InterfaithTea, chaired by Rev. Barbara Saxe, to be held this year onTuesday, the 18th, at 1:15 at the United Methodist Church,443 Bennett Street, in Luzerne. The theme, "Living inPeace," will be addressed by Phyllis Pelatier, spiritual leaderof St. John’s Church in Nanticoke. Temple Israelchairperson, Sandy Herschenfeld, who has been ourcoordinator for the tea for many years, is pleased toannounce that Rabbi Fred Davidow, of Temple B’nai B’rith,Geri Gitlin, their Sisterhood president, and Charlotte Cutler,immediate past president of our Sisterhood, will participatein the program. Join us that day. The cakes and cookiesare always delicious.On Sunday, March 2, we will host the Eastern PABranch members of Women’s League of ConservativeJudaism. They will present a full day of programming. Thetheme of the day is Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World), andfocuses on how Sisterhoods can help the community withtzedekah. The program will include hands-on activities,speakers and lunch at our Temple. The day’s activities beginat 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Chairs are Gerri Kaplan,Rosemary Chromey and Donna Kornfeld.Planning Committee for Sisterhood Branch Day, Sunday, March2; Front, Gerri Kaplan, Rosemary Chromey, Donna Kornfeld; rear:Lynn Collester, Women’s League Programming; Charlotte Cutler,Past President; Mary Beth Lorber, new Sisterhood member;Suzanne Lenahan; Lois Rittenberg, our President; Susan Sultanik,President of Eastern Branch of Women’s League.In case you have not yetpicked up your Sisterhoodcalendar, they are now availableat the Temple office.JCC/TEMPLE FILM SERIESThe next film in the series, “Crimes and Misdemeanors”, starring Alan Alda, WoodyAllen & Mia Farrow, will be shown on Sunday, February 16, at 7 p.m. at the JCC.Synopsis of the film: Cliff Stern (Woody Allen) is an idealistic filmmaker...untilhe’s offered a lucrative job shooting a flattering profile of a pompous TV producer(Alan Alda). Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau) is the pillar of his community...until helearns that his ex-mistress (Anjelica Huston) plans to expose his financial andextramarital misdeeds. As Cliff chooses between integrity and selling out, and Judahdecides between the counsel of his rabbi (Sam Waterston) and the murderous adviceof his mobster brother (Jerry Ohrbach), each man must examine his own morality, andmake an irrevocable decision that will change everyone’s lives forever.Refreshments will be served. Admission is $1.00. A congregate dinner willprecede the movie at 6 p.m. at the JCC. The dinner is subsidized by the Area Agencyon Aging for Luzerne/Wyoming Counties. Suggested donation is $1.25 – must be overage 60; $4.00 donation under age 60. Call Barbara Sugarman at the JCC, 824-4646 and let her know that you will beattending.Save the date of March 30 for the next film in the series.Page 6

Barras “Yad” DedicationThe Barras Family Torah has been a part of the Congregation sinceRabbi Abraham D. Barras became Spiritual Leader of the Temple in 1952.When Shelley and David Barras’s son, Jeremy, took his first pulpit asAssistant Rabbi at Temple Beth El, Charlotte, NC, last June, the family presented that Torah to hiscongregation to stay with him. To keep the spirit of that Torah within our Congregational family, theBarrases have generously donated a Yad to serve as a reminder of the Barras Torah.The Yad will be dedicated at our services on February 15th. Dr. David Barras will chant the Haftorah.The Barras family will sponsor the congregational Kiddush.From Our President. . .As westarted the newyear amid snowand more snow,we left Temple’s80thAnniversaryyear behind us.David E. Schwager, Esq. But despite theweatherconditions, Temple continued to buzzwith activity.We express our appreciation toLeah Materna, Suzanne Lenahan, andMary Beth and Emma Lorber for theirassistance with the hugely successfulChanukah Dinner, sponsored by theHebrew School and Sisterhood. Theevent was greatly enhanced by theinaugural performance of the HebrewSchool Youth Orchestra under thedirection of Cantor Abraham.Ellen Smith ended her formaltenure as our accounting/bookkeepingconsultant. She will now dedicate herenergies to the upcoming Bat Mitzvahof her daughter, Diana, and to otherenjoyable tasks with husband DavidSmith and the rest of the family. Icannot adequately express theappreciation of Temple Israel forEllen’s services during 2002. Templewill surely show the positive financialeffects of her good works for years tocome.With the assistance and guidanceof Personnel Committee chairRosemary Chromey and co-chairRandi Ehrich, Temple AdministratorDebbie Schonfeld hired Karen Elmoreas our new bookkeeper and JohnPugh as our new weekendmaintenance man. I wish them boththe best of luck in their new positionsand know that they will becomevalued members of the Temple Israelteam in no time. The PersonnelCommittee also continues its work onan employee handbook.Plans are underway for a YomHa’atzma’ut concert by Cantor DavidPropis, the “father” of Friday NightLive, on May 7, 2003, beingspearheaded by Cantor Abraham.More details to follow.Newly appointed HouseCommittee members Joel Zitofskyand Lynn and Larry Keiser toured theTemple kitchen and vestry. Joel willbe providing a proposed plan for thebeautification and improvement ofthese important areas of Temple,assisted by new committee memberJack Rosenzweig, House Committeechairs Murray Popky and Ruth Sten,and our architect, and new housecommittee member, Carl Handman.The plan is part of the Templebeautification effort chaired by Janand Jeff Picker, which will belaunched soon.An enthusiastic and well-attendedBook Club meeting was held at thehome of Paula Chaiken and Joe Krausto discuss “Bee Season” by MylaGoldberg.Our Hebrew School studentsattended a Tu B’shevat seder atTemple B’nai B’rith under thewatchful eye of principal GerriKaplan.Temple celebrated the BarMitzvah of Max Saidman (Mazel tovon a great job!). We look forward tothe Bat Mitzvah of Rebecca Kurzweilon March 1.An Investment Committeemeeting led by Susan Yelen and FredLevy focused on the past performanceand reporting of our money manager,TCW.At this writing, many of us plan toattend a kosher wine tastingreception on February 1st at thehome of Membership Committee cochairs, Susan and Gary Brand. Theevent will feature some of the finekosher wines that are available andwere selected by several Temple wineconnoisseurs.Please join my family and me aswe celebrate my 40th birthday onFebruary 8th at Shabbat services.DAILY MINYAN NEEDS YOU! Inorder to continue to have a dailymorning and afternoon minyanavailable for mourners and thoseobserving a yahrzeit, we need you toattend one or more of our serviceseach week. Weekday minyan timesare normally 7:15 am and 5:15 pm.We hope to see you there!See you at Temple,Davidschwager@epix.netIf you haven’t already done so,please send your E-mail address tooffice@templewb.com so that we cankeep you apprised of all Templehappenings.Page 7