LESSONS - Congregation Agudas Achim

The Conservative Jewish Congregation Serving San Antonio and Central Texas since 1889 - 121 122 Years strong! 

Join us in honoring: 

SHARI AND RANDY PULMAN 

for their years of selfless dedication 

to our synagogue. 

Purchase ads in our Tribute Book and 

plan to attend our Annual Gala and 

Honors Evening 

VISIONS OF ISRAEL 

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 7:00 P.M. 

Tevet - Adar 5772 

Winter 2011 

Photo courtesy of Allan Smith 

LESSONS 

FROM THE RABBI 

KOL SHIRA 

HEINTZ 

PRESCHOOL 

INDA POSNER 

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL 

BIRTHDAYS 

& ANNIVERSARIES

Rabbi 

rabbi.b@agudas-achim.org 

Cantor 

hazzan.jcl@agudas-achim.org 

Executive Director 

a.glazerman@agudas-achim.org 

President 

President-Elect 

VP Finance & Administration 

VP Fundraising 

VP Membership 

VP Education 

VP Ritual 

Secretary 

Treasurer 

Inda Posner Religious School 

Education Director 

iprs@agudas-achim.org 

Heintz Preschool 

Director 

preschool@agudas-achim.org 

Goldie & Joe Tills Library 

Librarian 

tills.library@agudas-achim.org 

Controller 

m.spigel@agudas-achim.org 

Mashgiah 

kitchen@agudas-achim.org 

Sisterhood President 

sisterhood@agudas-achim.org 

Mens Club President 

IPRS PTO President 

USY / Kadima Advisor 

usy@agudas-achim.org 

Halutzim Advisor 

Editor 

kolenu@agudas-achim.org 

02 

Rabbi Leonardo Bitran 

Hazzan Jeremy Lipton 

Allan H. Glazerman 

Robi Jalnos 

Sharon Charlip 

Marc Ross 

Rhonda Gurinsky 

Craig Berkowitch 

Ed Eastman 

Alice Troy 

Steve Saklad 

Kevin Epstein 

Karen Katims 

Dena Hoenig Valdez 

Lynn Waghalter 

Mia Spigel 

Marinel Robbins 

Judy Halfant 

Mike Kelne 

Daphna Haas 

Pam Rosen 

Meg Grossman 

Amy Levine 

Please support businesses that support 

Agudas Achim.

Cover Story 

16 Agudas Achim Honors Pulmans for Their Years 

of Selfless Dedication 

By Mindi Stern 

Columns 

4 Lesson from the Rabbi 

by Rabbi Leonardo Bitran 

5 Kol Shira 

by Hazzan Jeremy Lipton 

12 Message from the Executive Director 

by Allan H. Glazerman 

13 President’s Remarks 

by Robi Jalnos 

20 Celebrating the Holidays 


16 

Departments 

7 Goldie and Joe Tills Library 

8 Heintz Preschool 

9 Inda Posner Religious School 

In This Issue 

11 Agudas Achim Men’s Club 

14 Veteran’s Day 

15 Annual Gala and Honors Evening 

Tribute Book Ad and Ticket Order Form 

18 Kol Nidre Appeal 

In Every Issue 

6 Chai Lights 

10 Agudas Achim Sisterhood News 

21 Oneg & Kiddush Sponsors 

22 Around the Community 

23 Anniversaries 

24 Birthdays 

26 Yahrzeits 

29 Torah Fund Donations 

30 Tributes 

03

Origins of the Jewish Bible 

You are sitting in shul at a Shabbat 

morning service. The ark opens. You and 

your family rise, kiss the Torah, and your 

child asks you, “Dad, Mom, where does 

the Torah come from?” 

You say, “Well, God gave it to Moses and 

Moses wrote it and passed it on to the 

Jewish people. Generation after generation until today.” Good- 

-I say. Then you go home and wonder about it. Is the “original” 

Torah somewhere? You should know that all “original” copies of 

the individual biblical writings have eluded the excavators and 

us. Books of the Torah were probably written on papyrus made 

from the sliced stem of a plant, nowhere to be found. We are 

usually unaware that there is no “original” manuscript available. 

Most of the writings were done in a script that resembles the 

present writing. It was probably Old Hebrew or Phoenician 

script, which was also shared by Canaanites and Phoenicians. 

After the first exile in 586 BCE, the Aramaic script influenced 

the Hebrew language in the direction of the square script as we 

know it today. 

04 

We coded it. 

We designed it. 

We are also unaware that the oldest parchment scroll of the 

Torah dates from about 900 CE, which is probably more than 

1,300 years later than the likely time of the composition of the 

Torah. It is not too speculative to say that probably much has 

happened to the text in terms of its oral and written forms. 

The “version” we use in our synagogues is the Masoretic 

version. The Masoretes were scholars who, over the centuries, 

attempted to preserve the “best text.” One of these versions 

was produced in Tiberias, Israel in the tenth century CE, and 

from that scroll we have made copies. 

Someone once wrote, “The birth of a text is like the birth of 

a human being. The umbilical cord connects the text with its 

producers and with the time in which it was produced. When 

the cord is severed, its existence has become a fact; the text is 

now going to live its own life . . .” 

B’Shalom, 


We created it.

THE MUSAF MAVENS ARE COMING! 

This has been a watershed year for the 

youth of Congregation Agudas Achim! 

Since my family’s arrival here in San 

Antonio three-and-a-half years ago, we 

have been blessed to see more of our 

students participate more regularly and 

in multiple domains of congregational 

life. Just last month we saw the 

increased presence of our young people as twenty-six of our pre- 

Bar/Bat Mitzvah students enthusiastically lead Torah Service, 

called up as a group for the Maftir aliyah, after which students 

chanted individual sections of the Haftarah and Brachot in the 

first of their two designated “6th Grade Shabbat” services. 

This same group will show off additional, new synagogue skills 

in early May when they chant from the Torah and lead the 

Shabbat Musaf Service for the very first time. Have you also 

noted that in addition to the masterful, regular participation and 

presence of our Bar/Bat Mitzvah students in Shabbat services, 

younger members of our congregation have consistently come 

forward to celebrate this extremely important rite of passage 

with their family and friends? This has resulted in an increased 

presence of our IPRS students in shul on Shabbat mornings, 

which has partially been fueled by the monthly participation of 

Junior Congregation, Tot Shabbat and Shabbat School, an IPRS 

program that previously took place only twice a year, but has 

been reformulated this year to bring Religious School students 

to the synagogue on a monthly basis, not only to study and learn 

about the celebration of Shabbat and holidays, but to become 

full participants in our regular services along with the rest of 

the congregation. In this way we teach and model for our 

students to not only to talk the talk, but to also walk the walk 

of Jewish life and ritual through their participation along with 

community. Shabbat School is yet one more tool to give our 

youth the context and skills to be our congregation’s present 

and future. 

Even with this increased presence of our students, there 

is always more that we can do to enhance their Jewish 

experiences. With this in mind I am initiating a new, exciting 

project this month—a youth choir called The Musaf Mavens. 

This new group, designed for 3rd through 7th grade IPRS 

students, will meet and rehearse every Sunday morning during 

religious school hours in anticipation of their ongoing, monthly 

participation in Shabbat morning services. The group’s eagerly 

anticipated premiere will coincide with Shabbat School on the 

morning of February 12th, as students join me on the bimah 

to assist in the leading and enhancing of our regular Shabbat 

morning services. I know you will want to be there to support 

our students’ first efforts, who will joyously share their 

beautiful voices, boundless energy and unbridled enthusiasm 

for our liturgical traditions. The Musaf Mavens are coming!! 

The Musaf Mavens are here!! 

B’shalom, 

Hazzan Jeremy Lipton 

6:15 p.m. -7:00 p.m. 

05

Jacob Powell will be called to 

the Torah on Saturday, January 

14, in honor of his Bar Mitzvah. 

Jacob is the son of Barbara and 

Jon Powell, and brother of Jeremy 

and Sophie. He is the grandson 

of Dr. Robert Schnitzler and Laura 

Schnitzler of San Antonio, and of 

Ron and Georgeanna Powell or Rochmond, IN. 

Jacob is a 7th grade honor student in the Gifted and Talented 

program at the Krueger School of Applied Technology. Jacob 

represents his school in Math UIL competitions and is a 

member of the KSAT Science Olympiad team. His interests 

include photography, designing cell phone apps, and reading. 

It’s Jacob’s love of reading that lead him to his choice of 

Mitzvah Project. The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program 

provides age-appropriate books to children who would 

otherwise never own their very own book. When Jacob 

learned that RIF lost it’s funding and is now struggling to 

find books for older kids, he decided to focus his attention on 

collecting books for middle-school age children. Members 

of the congregation who would like to donate gently used 

books to this cause can bring them to the synagogue on 

Sunday, January 8th, or send an email to medidite@yahoo. 

com to arrange a pickup from your home. 

Jules Michael Bouhadana will 

celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah 

with family and friends on Saturday, 

March 3, 2012. Jules is the son of 

Alicia Heintz and Michael Bouhadana 

and brother of Isabelle Bouhadana. 

His grandparents are Solange and 

Felix Bouhadana of Miramar, Florida, 

Karen Heintz of San Antonio, and the 

late Irene and Philip Heintz. 

Jules is a 7th grade honor student in the Hobby Middle 

School Gifted and Talented program. Jules plays the cello 

and enjoys basketball and gaming with his friends during his 

free time. For his Bar Mitzvah project, Jules will donate a 

portion of his Bar Mitzvah money to The Heintz Preschool. 

06 

Nancy and Mark Gold are 

delighted to announce the 

engagement of their daughter, 

Jessica Lindsey, to Jonathan 

Thomas Kipnis of Scottsdale, 

AZ. Jonathan is the son of 

Karen and Gary Kipnis of 

Tucson, AZ. 

Jessica is the granddaughter of the late Helen and Aaron 

Block of San Antonio and Lillian and Bernard Gold of 

Houston. Jonathan’s grandparents are Phyllis and Alan 

Slavin and Miriam Mills of Chicago, IL. He is also the 

grandson of the late Marshall Kipnis and Herman Mills. 

Jessica is employed by USAA and Jonathan works with the 

Seidberg Law Offices in Phoenix, AZ. A November 2012 

Mazel Tov to Gail and Melvin Topp 

on the marriage of their son Ira to 

Patty Ellis daughter of Mary and Gregg 

Ellis of Marysville, WA. The wedding 

took place October 30, 2011 at Temple 

B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City among 

immediate family and friends of the 

couple. Rabbi Barry Cohen officiated. 

Ira is the brother of Ashley and grandson of Roselle Simon 

Lebo and the late Paul Simon and Anna and Julius Topp. 

The couple is living in Oklahoma City where Patty is working 

at North Care Health Center as a clinical psychologist and 

Ira is continuing his engineering degree after his 6 years in 

the military.

Local respiratory health researcher awarded huge 

grant by NIH 

By Natalie Gutierrez 

at San Antonio. 

Last month Joel B. Baseman, 

Ph. D., was awarded a fiveyear 

$11.5 million grant from 

a division of the National 

Institutes of Health for his 

research of airway diseases. 

Dr. Baseman is professor and 

chair of Microbiology and 

Immunology at The University 

of Texas Health Science Center 

“The key studies in the respiratory disease survey, propelled 

by philanthropic support and federal funding, will lead to 

innovative treatments of serious acute and chronic pulmonary 

Todah rabbah to all of you who supported 

your library by purchasing books at 

our Scholastic Book Fair, To the Book 

Fair and Beyond! Reading Is Out of 

This World! The Jewish books that 

we obtained from the Los Angeles, CA 

warehouse were FABULOUS!! I do not 

have a list of book fair contest winners as of this writing, but 

will have it for the next report. 

Please come and visit your library! New additions are being 

added to our collection. Make 2012 the year that you’ll check 

us out! We’re open when the Inda Posner Religious School 

is in session: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; Monday and 

Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.; and online 24/7 at 

pathologies,” Dr. Baseman said. To facilitate and expand on 

these studies Dr. Baseman and the University will establish 

an interdisciplinary cooperative research center in airway 

diseases in the Health Science Center’s new South Texas 

Research Facility. 

In addition to his work in respiratory disease science, Dr. 

Baseman and his wife Marjorie are esteemed members of 

San Antonio’s Jewish Community. Congregation Agudas 

Achim, San Antonio’s Conservative Synagogue, takes great 

pride in his exceptional funding achievement researching 

innovative treatments of serious acute and chronic 

pulmonary pathologies in infants, children and adults. 

Reprinted, in part, from Mission magazine of The 

University of Texas Health Science Center at San 

Antonio. 

Written by Natalie Gutierrez 

www.agudas-achim.org. We have coffee available for 

adults on Sunday mornings, this month on January 22nd and 

January 29th. 

Happy & Healthy 2012! 

B’ shalom, 

Lynn Waghalter 

Librarian 

Your contributions to the Goldie & Joe Tills Library Fund and 

to the Bob Kboudi Children’s Book Fund help our library to 

grow and stay current. 

07

Program Unites Jewish Community Hand in Hand 

© 2011 Hearst Corporation, reprinted with permission 

By Jenny Halpin, Contributing Writer - Updated 12:22 p.m., Wednesday, November 30, 2011 

Children at Heintz Preschool at Congregation Agudas Achim learn about their Jewish heritage from teachers 

and senior citizens, including grandparents of many students there, in the monthly program “Yad B’ Yad” (“hand 

in hand” in Hebrew). Pictured (from left) are Charlotte Woo-Bloxberg, Baylor and Landry Kerr with grandmother 

Carolyn Glick, Sari Valdez with grandmother Nancy Hoenig, Shai Ben-Amotz with adoptive grandparent for the day 

Mel Eichelbaum, and Lauren Met. 

Photo: Courtesy Photot/SA 

Thanks to a unique local grant, children at Heintz Preschool at 

Congregation Agudas Achim are learning more about their Jewish 

heritage from teachers who are more than half a century older. 

The program is called “Yad B’ Yad,” which means “Hand in Hand” 

in Hebrew. Participants are young Jewish children and Jewish 

senior citizens, many of whom are grandparents. Each month, both 

generations join together to celebrate and take part in a variety of 

Jewish traditions from honoring Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, to 

playing musical instruments, dancing to Israeli songs, and even 

creating art together. 

Four-year-old Gavin Valdez said his favorite part of Yad B’ Yad is 

“eating challah,” a ritual egg bread with his grandmother. During 

the Nov. 18 Yad B’Yad gathering, children and grandparents 

joined together in classrooms to create paper covers that protect 

the challah. Then, at a miniature table, both preschoolers and 

seniors enjoyed the traditional bread along with a Dixie cup full 

of grape juice. 

“After the last event, several grandparents hadn’t even left our 

school parking lot when they called their children to tell them how 

much fun they had with their grandkids at school that day,” says 

Heintz Preschool Early Childhood Director Dena Hoenig Valdez. 

The November event drew more than 30 Jewish seniors from 

across the city. For children whose grandparents live out of town 

or have passed on, stand-in grandparents are provided. According 

to grant Coordinator Risa Weinberger, “It’s beneficial to both. It’s 

an opportunity for them to teach another generation.” 

Jean Karren, a surrogate grandmother to a 4-year-old boy named 

Jack, said sharing her mornings with him and celebrating their faith 

is a “real treat” for her, especially since her two grandchildren are 

older and live in Dallas. After they first met, Jean realized that she 

had attended Jack’s mother’s Bat Mitzvah in Houston decades ago. 

“It’s all about family tradition, sharing a lifestyle,” said Carolyn 

Glick. She and her husband, Howard, haven’t missed an event with 

their two grandchildren, Landry and Baylor. 

Rabbi Leonardo Bitran said the traditional Jewish setting that is 

created at each event, like the Shabbat services, evokes wonderful 

memories for many seniors. “To be connected through tradition is 

08 

emotional for all the generations,” added Bitran. 

Grandmother Susanne Jalnos became teary-eyed as a pianist 

played traditional Jewish music throughout the Shabbat service. 

“It’s so beautiful. I’m so glad they do it. It makes me feel very 

good,” she said. 

The special program wouldn’t be possible without funding from 

San Antonio’s Golden Manner Jewish Senior Services. Valdez 

said over the last 10 years, she’s applied to various organizations 

for a grant that would fund an intergenerational program, but was 

always turned down. 

Daniel Laser, executive director of Golden Manor, said the 

organization is extremely pleased with the program’s success 

so far. “We saw this as a program that would reach some of San 

Antonio’s seniors that we may not have been reaching before, 

in a way that was different from what had been done in recent 

years,” says Laser. 

The Yad B’ Yad program will continue throughout the school year. 

In the coming months, coordinators plan to take the show on the 

road when preschoolers climb aboard a bus and head to a North 

Side nursing home to visit and interact with residents there. 

Valdez said seeing her idea come to fruition has been gratifying. 

“It’s lifting spirits and bringing back those traditions and 

customs from the past that have sort of been lost for three 

different generations.”

Going Bananas! 

On Any Monday or Wednesday… 

IPRS is bustling with activity! Our 3rd -7th Graders are always busy with lively discussion 

and learning; with inspiring teachers guiding them to become active participants in their 

constantly widening circles of Judaism. From studying Tefillot (prayers), to learning about the 

importance of marriage and creating a Jewish home, to strengthening Jewish identity through 

Jewish history, literature and language, our religious school afternoons are filled with energy, 

enrichment and education! 

We always found Maury Jacobs “apeeling” and so do Hannah Reep, Lexi Magram and Lauren 

Weinberg! They all had “bunches” of fun at the USY/Kadima’s Fall Kallah at CYJ. Maury is not 

only a great teacher at IPRS, but he’s also “top banana,” as the Regional Youth Director for 

Southwest Region USY! 

09

Hello Everyone, 

It’s been quite a while since I’ve written an article for the 

Kolenu. I want you to know about the very successful events that 

Sisterhood has had in recent months, starting with our Haven for 

Hope program in October, chaired by Bernice Mazer. We felt we 

did a real mitzvah donating clothing and supplies to the homeless 

shelter, and our visit there was truly eye-opening. Thanks to 

all our Congregational members who helped us with generous 

contributions. In early November, we had our Rummage/Estate 

sale. Jean Schlesinger, Sandra Shaenfield, Chairs, and all our 

many workers made a difficult job a real success. The sale was 

quickly followed by an interesting Book Review with Susan 

Whipple. Thank you, Susan, and I want to give a special thanks to 

Suzan Mendlovitz, who organizes four book reviews for us every 

year. In November, also, we had our fun-filled Games Day, chaired, 

as usual, by Linda Aboloff, with good food and prizes and a lot of 

fun for everyone, men and women. On 11/11/11, we honored our 

veterans and active military with a beautiful Friday night service 

and delicious dinner. Thank you, Deanie Vogel, for organizing this 

wonderful event. I also want to thank YOU, our Congregational 

family, who came to services and dinner that night. Finally, on 

December 4, we had our Gift Shop Open House and Hanukah sale. 

If you had not been in the Gift Shop before this, I know you were 

impressed by all the beautiful items for sale. Judy Kelne spends 

many hours ordering merchandise and making sure the Gift Shop 

runs smoothly. 

10 

CONGREGATION 

AGUDAS ACHIM 

By the time you read this, we will have had our New Year’s Eve 

party. At present, Joan Bernstein and her committee are working 

very hard to make this New Year’s one you will never forget--in a 

good way, I hope. 

Our next event will be Hazzan Lipton’s Book Review on January 

10 at 10:00. He will be discussing The KOL NIDRE. A light 

breakfast will be served. Our Hazzan always gives us an exciting 

and in-depth discussion, and this one will be no exception, I’m 

sure. Finally, in January, SISTERHOOD SHABBAT. Please join 

us on January 20 and 21. We will have dinner Friday night and 

a wonderful Kiddush lunch on Saturday, and, most important, 

meaningful services on both days. 

Well, now I’ve brought you up-to-date on the doings of your 

Sisterhood. As always, we thank you for your support. 

See you in shul, 

B’Shalom, 

Judy Halfant 

Sisterhood President 

((SHWEIKI AD GOES HERE))

CONGREGATION 

AGUDAS ACHIM MEN’S CLUB 

Men’s Club Program Calendar 

Set Through April 

A planning committee of Congregation Agudas Achim’s revitalized 

Men’s Club has set the group’s program calendar for the first four 

months of 2012. 

“These programs attempt to strike a balance between opportunities 

for guys to get together to have a little fun and opportunities to 

do something meaningful for the synagogue,” said Mike Kelne, 

Men’s Club president. 

“We went back to ‘square one’ to address the questions, ‘Why 

should there be a Men’s Club?’ and ‘Why would someone want 

to join?’ To us it’s very simple: Men’s Club exists to benefit the 

synagogue and its individual members, and the reason men should 

join is to have fun and to support the shul. 

“Like Sisterhood, Men’s Club benefits the congregation by providing 

religious school and camp scholarships, and by supporting the 

synagogue financially when special needs arise,” Kelne said. “In 

addition, Men’s Club is uniquely qualified to provide leadership 

and stability within the synagogue through its own programs and 

by supporting other synagogue programs. 

“Our kick-off for the year will be a sports viewing evening on 

Thursday, January 19, at Robi Jalnos’ home. We’ll watch some 

great NBA basketball, and enjoy noshes and fellowship” 

The following programs were also set: 

• January 29 (Sunday) – We’ll teach Tefillin skills to fathers and 

sons as part of World Wide Wrap 

• February 26 (Sunday) – We’ll go to our Palmetto cemetery for 

a general clean-up and tree trimming, followed by a hearty 

lunch 

• March 4 (Sunday) – We’ll assemble Yellow Shoah Candles 

and have a Holocaust education program 

• March 24 (Saturday evening after Shabbat) – We’ll have a 

jazz band program and a wine/scotch/vodka tasting (wives 

will also be invited) 

• April 27 (Friday) – Fiesta Battle of Flowers parade 

• April 28 (Saturday evening) – Fiesta Flambeau parade 

“Programs for the rest of the year will be announced later,” Kelne 

said. “Our goal is to have at least one program every month – 

some months more. We recognize that the same program won’t 

appeal to everyone, so we’ll have a variety – social, educational, 

community service, and synagogue assistance – that we hope 

will attract more people in total. 

“The Planning Committee discussed the subject of dues, and 

agreed that we will only request, not require, dues of $30 this 

year, and that no one will be turned away for not paying dues. 

Words used most often in this discussion were ‘inclusion’, 

‘connection’, ‘involvement’, ‘brotherhood’, and ‘belonging’. You 

don’t get those by erecting barriers. Hopefully, men will see the 

value of the organization and want to support its scholarship 

programs. 

“We also decided to organize ourselves a bit differently. For now, 

we’re only going to have two officers – I’m president and I’ll 

handle communications, and Jeff Siegel will continue to serve as 

treasurer. And instead of a VP-Programming who’s responsible 

for all programs, we’re going to have ‘program owners’ – guys 

who have stepped up (and will step up) to ‘own’ one program 

each and assure its success. This will involve more people in 

program planning and implementation, and make sure we don’t 

over-burden one or two individuals. 

“Our ultimate goal is to return our Men’s Club to its historic 

position of prominence by presenting all men in the congregation 

with a great ‘value proposition’ – that is, that we provide 

opportunities for fun and closer connection to the synagogue that 

are worth their personal participation and support.” 

All men of Congregation Agudas Achim are invited to attend the 

sports program January 19, and are urged to RSVP to Amy Levine 

at the synagogue office, 479-0307, by January 16. Directions to 

Robi’s home will be provided. 

B’Shalom, 

Mike Kelne, Men’s Club President 

11

12 

CONGREGATION 

AGUDAS 

ACHIM 

Your Jewish Home 

As this issue of Kolenu goes to press, 

we are winding down our Kol Nidre 

Appeal, preparing next year’s budget 

for presentation to the board, tending 

to a number of facility issues and 

looking forward to an exciting new year 

of services, as well as educational, 

cultural and recreational programs and 

activities. Kol Nidre, by any account, has 

been a hudge success, and I would like to thank everyone 

for participating in this campaign. We raised over $40,000 

which will be used for Jewish education and for subsidizing 

memberships of those in need of assistance. Our members’ 

generous contributions show that when the synagogue calls 

upon you to support its endeavors you certainly respond. 

Thank you for your generosity. 

January, of course, is a month for making resolutions. 

As I was making my own list, which consisted mainly of 

resolutions to eat less and exercise more, I turned to Antoine 

de Saint Exupery’s “The Little Prince” for further inspiration. 

Exupery’s “Little Prince” lived alone on a tiny planet, which 

had three volcanoes, several baobabs (giant weeds?) and 

caterpillars, and a flower - a rose. He believed that his rose 

grew only on his planet and was, therefore, unique in all 

the universe. Because he was attracted to its great beauty 

and uniqueness the prince loved his rose. He built a fence 

around it to protect it from the caterpillars, and he watered it 

faithfully. Since the fence would not protect the rose against 

baobabs, which if neglected would overrun everything on 

the planet, the prince would pull them up at the very first 

moment he could distinguish them from rosebuds. And the 

rose flourished and the prince took great pride in it. 

During his interplanetary travels, the prince became 

understandably perturbed and deeply saddened when, on 

earth, he discovered a rose garden with five thousand roses, 

all beautiful and indistinguishable from his rose. His unique 

and special rose now seemed very common. A fox helped 

the Little Prince to realize that he loved his rose, not for 

its beauty or its singularity, but because he watered it and 

because it was his. 

Caring for something, as the prince had cared for his rose, 

is precisely what makes it unique. The fox, you will recall, 

implored the prince to “tame” him, so that each of them 

would be distinguishable from others of their kind. “If 

you tame me,” said the fox, “it will be as if the sun came 

to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that 

will be different from all the others. Other steps send me 

hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours,will call me, 

like music, out of my burrow.” The prince tamed the fox, and 

understood, by analogy, that because he had cared for his 

rose he had, in effect, tamed it and made it unique. Thus he 

was able to confront the thousands of roses in the garden 

and say to them: “You are beautiful but you are empty.” “To 

be sure,” the prince continued, 

“ . . . an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked 

just like you . . . But in herself alone she is more important 

than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she 

that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under 

the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered 

behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed 

the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to 

become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, 

when she grumbled, or boasted, or even sometimes when 

she said nothing. Because she is my rose.” 

I believe there is an analogue in this story for synagogues. 

Our love for our synagogue, just like the little prince’s love 

for his rose, is defined by our caring for it, protecting it, and 

making it ours. Thus we ought to ask and find answers to 

such questions as: “How do we best water a synagogue?” 

“How do we put her under a glass globe, or shelter 

her behind a screen?” “How do we best make her our 

synagogue, and cause the sun to shine upon her as she calls 

to us like music?” Our individual and collective answers to 

these questions, I would like to suggest, can be the basis of 

our resolutions relating to our synagogue. 

Have a Happy New Year! 

Allan H. Glazerman 

Executive Director 

Scholarships Available 

Students wishing to go on a recognized program to Israel, 

including March of the Living and Birthright, or wishing 

to attend Jewish camps, are encouraged to apply directly 

to the synagogue for partial scholarships. To request an 

application please call Karen Katims at the synagogue and 

request a Scholarship Application Form. Applications must 

be received in the office at least thirty days before your 

chosen Israel or camp program requires a check.

I guess three’s is a charm. Thank you 

for honoring me with a third term as your 

President. I must admit the last two years 

have flown by. 

I would like to start out by thanking all 

the outgoing officers and trustees for all 

their dedication, devotion, and time you 

all gave to your Synagogue. Every one of 

you made a difference and I thoroughly enjoyed working with 

each and every one of you. You will be missed. Let’s just 

referred to this as a hiatus. I’m sure you will be back to help 

out soon. 

To the new officers and trustees I welcome the opportunity to 

continue with the successes we have started and to develop 

our future leaders so I know when my term as President is 

over, the Synagogue will be left in good hands. With fresh 

minds come new ideas and I look forward to working with 

you all. 

Last, but certainly not least (I just saved the best for last) I 

want to thank our incumbent officers and trustees for staying 

on and continuing our goal of being the best conservative 

Shul we can be. Your continued leadership guarantees 

that we will stay the course and provide the services and 

programs our congregants want. You all understand what 

fiscal responsibility means and that is vital to the success of 

our Synagogue. 

I always hear how it’s impossible to provide the goods and 

services of a full service Synagogue and operate in the black. 

This is not an easy task, but I’m happy to say we are well 

on our way to doing just that. Our 2012 budget will be a 

balanced budget. I want to acknowledge our controller Mia 

Spigel for all her hard work putting this budget together. I 

am confident that our executive director will operate our shul 

tightly adhering to this budget. Again, the jury’s out to see 

if we can operate within our means. I look forward to our 

first quarter report to evaluate how we are doing. Last year 

we approved a budget with over a $70,000 deficit. We had 

several setbacks with our physical plant and had to overcome 

a down economy. With all these negatives we were not able 

to overcome this shortfall. In last months Kolenu, Randy 

Pulman summed it up correctly. We are finally on the path 

to fiscal responsibility. None of this would be possible if we 

didn’t have the support of our congregants. Each and every 

one of you helped make a difference and I want to thank 

each of you for your dedication and support. It’s only getting 

better each and every day. 

2012 holds some exciting times ahead. We have many 

programs planned that will be fun and different. We also 

have many things planned ahead for our youth. In December 

our 6th grade class participated with leading our Shabbat 

morning services and collectively in small groups, chanted 

the weekly Haftorah. From my vantage point on the bimah 

I witnessed first-hand the excitement of each and every 

one of them. It was awesome. Another awesome site was 

seeing all their parents and grandparents beaming ear to 

ear as their kids showed off what they have been learning 

all these years. This was a large group and next year we will 

have a B’nai Mitzvah almost every week. 

Other news is the resurgence of the New Men’s Club under 

the leadership of Mike Kelne. This isn’t the Men’s Club of 

the past. Already in the works are programs and planning 

the likes our Synagogue have not seen before. With the 

new focus being on our Synagogue and all its members, the 

new Men’s Club will provide services that have been lacking 

from our Synagogue for a long time. All male members over 

the age of 21 are members of the New Men’s Club. More 

details are to follow on our first program in January. It’s 

guaranteed to be something outside of the box. 

This March we are fortunate to be honoring two very devoted 

members of our congregation. Shari and Randy Pulman are 

not strangers to any one. Their families have been part of 

our Synagogue for a long, long time and we can’t wait to 

show them how much we really appreciate them being part 

of our Synagogue family. Rhonda Gurinsky is already busy 

fine tuning what will certainly be a fabulous evening for all. 

Our own Hazzan Lipton and his troupe will be back for a third 

Cantorial concert. Everyone that has been to one of Hazzan’s 

concerts in the past knows how wonderful an evening it 

will be. More information on our Annual Gala and Honors 

evening will follow and we all look forward to March. 

Well, we’re off to a fast and exciting start. As always I look 

forward to seeing everyone at services and at the many 

programs ahead. 

Happy New Year. 

Robi Jalnos 

President 

13

THIS PAST VETERANS’ DAY, CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM SALUTED 

THEIR MEMBERS FOR THEIR MILITARY SERVICE TO AMERICA. 

Active duty, retired and other military personnel who are members of Congregation Agudas Achim were honored with a special 

Friday night Shabbat service on Veterans’ Day, November 11, 2011. Several Agudas honorees who are either currently active 

duty or retired wore their uniforms, and others their Jewish War Veterans campaign hats. While their names were called by 

Rabbi Leonardo Bitran, each honored member rose to be recognized as their branch of service and rank were announced. After 

all names were mentioned, followed by a rousing chorus of applause, the veterans gathered on the bimah and were blessed. 

As the service concluded, the sanctuary filled with the voice of Hazzan Jeremy Lipton, accompanied by the congregation, 

singing America the Beautiful. 

Honor boards featuring photographs of the veterans were on display in the Congregation Agudas Achim rotunda for viewing 

by congregants. Afterwards, a special Shabbat dinner arranged and sponsored by the Congregation Agudas Achim Sisterhood 

was served to 150 military honorees, their families and guests. More patriotic songs and striking desserts featuring the ionic 

emblems of the United States Armed Forces were enjoyed by all. 

14

This year during our Annual Gala and Honors Evening on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. we will honor Shari and 

Randy Pulman for many years of devoted service to Congregation Agudas Achim and San Antonio’s Jewish community. 

Please join us in honoring this couple and supporting the synagogue by purchasing tickets and/or space in our Tribute Book. 

All ads must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012. 

Please use this form to order tickets and/or purchase an ad to support our honorees or pay tribute to Agudas Achim. Business 

and personal ads are welcome. If you have a photo taken in one of Agudas Achim’s buildings over the years, consider including 

that in your ad. Enclose camera-ready art for ads and/or clearly typed messages with this form. Ads and messages may also 

be sent via email to Amy Levine at a.levine@agudas-achim.org. For further information, please contact the synagogue office 

at 210-479-0307. 

P 

I 

I 

C 

V M A 

15

Shari and Randy Pulman 

Congregation Agudas Achim is delighted to honor Shari and Randy 

Pulman at our congregation’s annual Gala and Honors Evening. 

Together, Shari and Randy perfectly parallel our synagogue’s long 

rich history, vibrant and productive present, and a future secured 

through hard work and commitment. 

Just as Agudas Achim is dedicated to the concept of L’Dor Va-Dor 

(from generation to generation), Shari and Randy, both raised with 

a strong Jewish identity, are setting an example for their children 

of how solid leadership and love of Jewish values makes a lasting 

difference in our community. 

Shari and Randy’s families share the familiar Jewish immigrant 

story. An entrepreneurial characteristic runs deep in both families, 

and Shari and Randy’s strong work ethic can be directly traced 

back to these enterprising relatives. 

Shari’s maternal grandfather immigrated from Romania, met 

her maternal grandmother and then settled in Galveston. Her 

grandfather initially made a living selling produce from a truck to 

the city’s finest restaurants. Her mother, Reesa Rabinowitz, and 

siblings Roz and Bernard, grew up in Galveston. Her paternal 

grandparents settled in Crystal City where they opened a dry 

goods store while raising her dad, Joel, and uncles, Stuart and 

Allen (of blessed memory). 

Shari’s parents, Reesa and Joel Pullen, were introduced by Joel’s 

cousin. Reesa, the young co-ed, and Joel, the sharp attorney, fell 

in love, married and soon became parents to Shari, Forrest, Scott 

(married to Rachel Stern) and Eric (married to Sheri Friedson). Joel 

built a successful law career, and Reesa made her mark in the 

Jewish community through extensive volunteering. Reesa is also 

known for her penchant for cooking and entertaining and is widely 

recognized as the consummate hostess. Both Shari’s parents are 

past Presidents of the Barshop Jewish Community Center. Shari 

remembers growing up in a home always filled with family, friends 

and celebration. 

Randy’s paternal grandparents immigrated to America from Latvia 

at the turn of the 19th century. They first settled in St. Louis after 

an extended stopover in London where they had the first two of 

16 

their six children. The family later settled in San Antonio and 

opened Pulman Furniture Company. Randy’s father, Jake, and his 

brother opened Acme Furniture Company after serving in World 

War II. Although born in St. Louis, Jake grew up in San Antonio 

and graduated from Brackenridge High School. Randy’s maternal 

grandparents settled in Waco where his mother, Minnie, 

graduated from high school and worked in civil service on several 

Air Force bases during World War II. 

It was just after the war that Minnie met and married Jake. Their 

family grew to include son Charles (married to Janine), daughter 

Susan Butler (married to Steve) and youngest child, Randy. Jake 

ran Acme Furniture which was located downtown at the corner 

of Commerce and Navarro. Randy was raised in a home on 

West Gramercy which was three blocks from the old Agudas 

Achim on Donaldson. Over the years, Jake served on many of 

our synagogues’ boards, and Minnie was very active in Agudas 

Achim, Sisterhood and Hadassah. In fact, Jake (like Randy) served 

as Agudas Achim Treasurer. 

Shari Pullen and Randy Pulman have been “Shari and Randy” since 

they met at 12 years old in Hebrew school at Agudas Achim! Both 

their families were (and still are!) members of Agudas Achim. 

Growing up in different parts of San Antonio before Facebook and 

Twitter didn’t stop Shari and Randy from connecting. They got to 

know each other the old fashioned way – by telephone, Hebrew 

School and the all important Bar/Bat Mitzvah seasons of middle 

school. Shari was chosen “Sweetheart” when they were both 

members of BBYO. 

After attending high school apart for the first three years, they 

found a way to be together their senior year. Even at a young 

age, Randy was able to find the loopholes, along with help from 

Jay Sam Levey (of blessed memory) and his debate coach. He 

transferred to Churchill High School his senior year where he and 

Shari shared every class but one. 

They attended the University of Texas at Austin together. After 

receiving their undergraduate degrees, they separated for the 

first time. Shari attended Southern Methodist University School 

of Law in Dallas, while Randy continued his education in Austin 

at the University of Texas School of Law. Before they graduated 

with their Juris Doctor degrees, they became engaged. During 

law school, they spent countless weekends traveling between 

the two universities to spend time with each other. 

Married at Agudas Achim by Rabbi Louis Schechter (of blessed 

memory), they quickly moved to Houston where they initially 

worked for separate law firms. In short order, they were juggling 

their hectic work schedules while raising their growing family. 

Shari eventually joined Randy’s firm where they both were 

made partners. The opportunity to live once again close to their 

families and friends presented itself, and in 1994 they packed up 

their children, Jason age six, Hailey sixteen months old and Josh 

three days old, and returned to San Antonio. Moving back proved 

to be a great decision both personally and professionally as their

practice, Pulman, Cappuccio, Pullen & Benson, is now a thriving 

law firm of 17 attorneys. 

Shari and Randy wasted little time once they settled in; their priority 

was giving back to Agudas Achim and the Jewish community 

where they have been lending their leadership and fundraising 

expertise for nearly eighteen years. They donate their time, talents 

and money to a myriad of our community’s organizations. 

Randy’s impressive contributions include serving as a board 

member in various capacities at Agudas Achim consistently 

since 1995! Randy has served on our Endowment Committee, as 

Treasurer, and just recently completed his term as VP of Finance 

and Administration, during which he oversaw the successful 

reorganization of our synagogue’s accounting department. 

Randy’s affiliation with the Jewish community includes serving as 

a board member with Camp Young Judaea, Chairman of Golden 

Manor Foundation, Israel Bonds Co-Chair and AIPAC Event Co- 

Chair (with Shari). 

Shari’s involvement with our community is extensive. She served 

as Vice President at the Barshop JCC and chaired many events for 

many years before becoming its President. She was also the JCC 

Maccabi Delegation Head for the 2005 Maccabi Games and one 

of the Housing Chairs for the 2009 Maccabi Games. She is very 

proud that her brother, Eric, is the current Chairman of the JCC. If 

anyone is keeping score, that adds up to four Pullens serving as 

JCC President - quite a family legacy! 

While serving on the Board of the Jewish Federation of San 

Antonio for many years, Shari co-chaired Super Sunday and chaired 

a women’s division of the Annual Campaign. Our community 

recognized her dedication and hard work by awarding her the 

Federation’s Sylvia F. and Harry Sugarman Young Leadership 

Award in 1998. 

Shari has been involved with the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg 

Campus from the ground up. She served on the original Policy 

Committee which created the Campus’ current governance, cochaired 

a Campus Capital Campaign Division that raised funds 

from the “40 and Under” age group and chaired the dedication 

ceremony for the Campus in 1999. After many years on the 

Campus Board, Shari became President of the Campus in 2006 

and continues her involvement to this day. 

Shari continues to serve as Vice President of Golden Manor Jewish 

Senior Services as she has done for many years. Shari was one 

of the creators of the “Manor Munchkin” program – a monthly 

multi-generational, interactive program that was so successful it 

received statewide recognition. She also enjoys sharing the joys 

of Hanukkah with the secular community by serving as co-chair of 

the International Latke Society with Bill Sinkin, which sponsors 

an annual inter-faith luncheon. Shari also currently serves on the 

board of the Patient Institute, and chairs their annual gala. 

By Mindi Stern 

As busy as they are, they still make time for some of their favorite 

things. They love to entertain, but it’s traveling abroad with their 

family and friends that really lets them unplug and enjoy each 

other. Their passports have been stamped in Italy, Monaco, 

France, Russia, Spain and Israel to name a few. They enjoy 

experiencing cultures from around the world with their children 

and teaching them to be “worldly.” They are sharing a great gift 

they are fortunate enough to provide. Yet, they’re both Texans at 

heart and are always ready to jump in the car and head down to 

the coast! 

Their children have matured into smart, savvy young adults under 

their guidance. Jason is now working in document management 

in San Antonio after earning an Administrative Assistant 

Certification through Austin Community College. Hailey is 

pursuing an education at the Elliot School of International Affairs 

at George Washington University in Washington D.C. Her interest 

in politics and current affairs could lead her straight to a job in 

the White House, and since she lives only four blocks away, she 

wouldn’t have to drive! Josh, a junior at St. Mary’s Hall, is a chip 

off the old block. He shares his parents’ passion for debate and 

politics and his dad’s for finance. He plans to attend college in 

the northeast as soon as the ink dries on his high school diploma! 

Shari and Randy are so pleased that Agudas Achim is 

acknowledging their contributions, but insist we’ve got it all 

wrong! They feel this is the perfect time to let us know what 

Agudas Achim means to THEM! Their deep feelings of gratitude 

to our synagogue leave them with a profound bond to our clergy 

and congregation; specifically, Rabbi Bitran and Silvana’s Bat and 

Bar Mitzvah preparation for Hailey and Josh, held here and in 

Israel. Shari and Randy also share a connection with Hazzan and 

Kay Lipton since both families presently have a child attending 

university in Washington D.C. 

Sharing life cycle events with the parents of their childhood 

friends, and maintaining life-long friendships, while enjoying 

the comfort, familiarity and tradition that Agudas Achim offers 

are why they remain active members. Shari and Randy are so 

excited their children are now old enough to understand how 

special Agudas Achim is. Shari shares a recent conversation she 

had with Hailey which sums up their family’s feelings about our 

synagogue. After Hailey attended High Holiday services for the 

first time in Washington D.C. last year, Shari asked Hailey how 

the services were. Hailey replied, “They were okay, but it just 

wasn’t like being at Agudas!” 

Yasher koach, Shari and Randy. You are truly a blessing to our 

synagogue and the Jewish community. Your lifetime commitment 

and generous spirit is an inspiration to us all. We hope by 

honoring you, it becomes apparent your affection and devotion is 

sincerely reciprocated. 

17

We gratefully acknowledge all those who participated in this year’s Kol Nidre Appeal. By supporting Congregation Agudas 

Achim, you ensure that we will continue to meet the Jewish educational needs of our sacred community and provide 

membership assistance for those in need of our help. We thank you for your support and encourage your active participation 

in our many programs. 

Rochelle Adelstein 

Charlotte Sue & Richard Alterman 

Frances Anderson 

Barbara & Ronnie Argo 

Barbara & Burton Arnow 

Luise & Morris Bankler 

Sheri & Brad Barenblat 

Elise Barenblat 

Helene Barenberg-Gunn 

Jim Barshop 

Cookie & Lou Belinsky 

Barb Bikoof & Craig Berkowitch 

Joan & Stuart Bernstein 

David Bikoff 

Amy Birnbaum 

Beverly & Mike Birnbaum 

Silvana & Rabbi Leonardo Bitran 

Magi & Jonathan Blucher 

Kim & Adam Boyar 

Phyllis Brooks 

Ana Caddess 

Guillana Castellano 

Sharon & Walt Charlip 

Kitty Chatelain 

Andrea & Irving Cohen 

Gloria & James Cohen 

Tammy & Jerome Cohen 

Micheline & Sam Cohen 

Sylvia Cohen 

Phyliss & Steve Cole 

Madeline & Charles Cytrin 

Carolyn Devin 

Ellen Dubick 

Marilyn Dubrin 

Ingrid & Ed Eastman 

Jean & Arnold Eisenstot 

Carolyn & Clay Epstein 

Lisa & Kevin Epstein 

Morris Eskenazi 

Barri & Kirby Fogel 

Bertie & Selig Frank 

Tevia & Joel Friedman 

Lucille Friedman 

18 

Kol NidreAppeal 

Joan Fries 

Sandy & Felix Frydberg 

Sal Garcia 

Sara Garcia 

Leslye & Glenn Geller 

Araceli & Robert Ginns 

Allan Glazerman 

Carolyn & Howard Glick 

Pam & Sid Gold 

Sonja Goldberg 

Lucy & Gene Goldman 

Aaron Goldstein 

Maria & Francisco Gonzalez 

Fonda & Gary Gossen 

Pearl Gossen 

Chery & Lee Greenberg 

Miriam & Morton Greenberg 

Lynn & Adrian Gresores 

Fanya & Klimenty Grinshpan 

Georgiana & Sheldon Gross 

Meg & Tim Grossman 

Rhonda & Charlie Gurinsky 

Sara Lee Gurinsky 

Judy & Eddie Halfant 

Sara & Barry Harris 

Miriam Harris 

Kim & David Hauser 

Karen Heintz 

Karen & Tom Hoffman 

Helen Isgur 

Esther Jacobs 

Marvin Jalnos 

Eileen & Robi Jalnos 

Susanne Jalnos 

George Johnson 

Jeanie & Butch Karren 

Karen Katims 

Leanore & Mike Kavy 

Anita & David Kboudi 

Judy & Mike Kelne 

Carol & Joel Klein 

Keith Klein 

Sandra & Fred Kline 

Sandi & Bob Kolitz 

Gladys Koranek 

Margarita & Iosif Korostyshevsky 

Hilary Kouhana 

Ilene & Steve Kramer 

Alexandra & Edward Kuperman 

Caryn & Phillip Landes 

Rachel & Jordan Lauterstein 

Frances Lehrman 

Marilyn & Cal Lemmon 

Marguerite Lerer 

Sheldon Levine 

Kay & Hazzan Jeremy Lipton 

Robin Thorner & John LoCurto 

Ruth & Lois Lown 

Barbara & Roger Lyons 

Anne & Robert Marcovich 

Bertha & Hy Marcus 

Jodi & Greg Marion 

Shari & Stuart Markowitz 

Denes Marton 

Tina Klein & Ande Mass 

Esther & Gerry Mata 

Bernice Mazer 

Elizabeth & Ervin Mendlovitz 

Suzan & Max Mendlovitz 

Leslie & Mike Met 

Joyce & Carrol Meyer 

Rhonda & Gregg Michel 

Julie & Ira Miller 

Jane Mincho 

Jason Mittman 

Gert Myers 

Nora & Howie Nestel 

Kathy & Ron Noble 

Margie & Sam O’Krent 

Pat Kalmans & Michael Ozer 

Goldie Panzer 

Davora & Mike Peck 

Janice & Mark Penner 

Michele & Derek Perry 

Elizabeth Glazier & Michael Piesman 

Merle Polunsky

Ruth Posner 

Barbara & Jon Powell 

Marge & Dave Present 

Shari & Randy Pulman 

Sammi & Eduardo Raez 

Linda & Evan Ratner 

Jody Reddy 

Glenda & David Regenbaum 

David Reitblatt 

Clara & Harold Reich 

Dawn & Sam Ribak 

Marinel & Mike Robbins 

Beck Roosth 

Pam & Joel Rosen 

Joanne & Paul Rosenbaum 

Susan & Andrew Rosengard 

Bari & Arthur Rosenthal 

Rosalyn Rosin 

Rose Rosin 

Hana Ross 

Lauren & Marc Ross 

Peggy & Peter Ross 

Anne & Joel Roth 

Rachel Rustin 

Joel Rutstein 

Amy & Stephen Saklad 

Joyce & Irving Saltzman 

Sally Scharff 

Sandi & Marc Schnall 

Babs Schnitzer 

Laura Schnitzler 

Charles Schwartz 

Leonard Schwartz 

Perla & Irwin Scott 

Clarice Seeman 

Sandra & Bernard Shaenfield 

Ida Rose & Edwin Shapiro 

Bonnie & Gal Shweiki 

Phyllis & Philip Siegel 

Judy Sobre 

Kim & Dan Solomon 

Mindy & Barry Spigel 

Mia & Chad Spigel 

Bobi Stern 

Mary Stewart 

Faye & Leo Swidler 

Rachel & Randy Tawil 

Julie & Craig Teplitz 

Alice & Richard Thorner 

Marilyn & James Tolleson 

Cristina & Bruce Topletz 

Doris & Jimmy Toubin 

Sherie & Anatole Trakhtenbroit 

Alice & John Troy 

Shirley Tuczin 

Iris Usnik 

Marcia & Mel Waldgeir 

Sandi & Fred Wartell 

Marcia & Bernard Weiner 

Amy Sugarman & Dan Weingart 

Sandra & Mel Weingart 

Emma & Eli Weingerz 

Dorothy Jo & Robert Weiss 

Joan Westgor 

Bonnie Wiedermann 

Marcel Wiedermann 

Sylvia Wilk 

Rose Williams 

Gaye & Mike Winakur 

Carole & Abe Wilson 

Anne & Morris Wise 

Helaine & Ken Wolf 

Bertye Wolfson 

Joanne & Don Zaike 

Barbie Scharf-Zeldes & 

Adam Zeldes 

Esta & Stan Zucker 

19

The usual focus of my Holidays with Hazzan Lipton monthly 

column has been to share interesting and/or unique facts 

and practices related to holidays throughout our Jewish 

liturgical calendar. The challenge in some months is that 

there are too many holidays from which to choose, as 

happened in October, a month that coincided with the end 

of our High Holiday season, including the observance of 

Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hoshanah Rabbah, Sh’mini Atzeret 

and Simchat Torah. But our quandary this month is the 

fact that there are NO Jewish holidays that coincide with 

the secular month of January, 2012. As Jews living in an 

overwhelmingly non-Jewish world, especially here in Texas, 

we are constantly exposed to secular holidays and practices, 

which we typically view through a Jewish lens. A seemingly 

innocuous example of this occurred this past week with the 

marking of the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012—New 

Year’s Day is the first U.S. Legal Holiday of the year. How do 

we, as Jews, relate to New Year’s Day? After all, we have 

our own New Year’s Day. In fact, according to the Mishna 

we celebrate four distinct New Years each and every year: 

the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah) is designated as the 

New Year for the seasons; the fifteenth day of Shevat (Tu 

B’Shevat) is known as the New Year for trees; the first day of 

Nissan, perhaps because of the sense of renewal that comes 

with the arrival of spring, bears the biblical distinction as the 

first month of the year, and is also known as the New Year 

for the reign of Jewish kings; and finally, the lesser-known, 

first day of Elul, which is designated as the New Year for the 

tithing of cattle. 

For most of us, it is Rosh Hashanah alone, the first day of 

Tishrei, that has retained its common distinction as New 

Year’s Day for several reasons: 1) the actual counting of our 

years (now 5772) advances with the first of Tishrei, so it is 

considered the beginning of the civil and legal year in Jewish 

tradition; 2) a sense of spiritual renewal is expressed through 

our sincere teshuvah and urgent reconciliation with others 

expressed most powerfully within the Un’tane Tokef prayer, 

where our liturgical tradition suggests that our fate for the 

entire year is determined on Rosh Hashanah and sealed 

on Yom Kippur, a mere ten days later; 3) Rabbinic tradition 

tells us that the creation of the world occurred on the first 

of Tishrei; and 4) Rosh Hashanah is also known as Yom 

Teruah (the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar), and so it not 

only marks an historical, spiritual and legal anniversary, but 

utilizes the distinct, primal call of the ancient ram’s horn to 

touch our souls in a unique and emotional way. 

20 

Holidays with the Hazzan 

The New Year Through Jewish-Colored Glasses 


It is curious that the secular New Year’s Day has another 

component to it that is extremely familiar to us as Jews— 

the celebration begins the night before the day on New 

Year’s Eve. As Jews, this is normal operating procedure, 

because we follow the biblical tradition expressed in the 

Book of Genesis, which teaches that “there was evening 

and there was morning” on each of the days of creation. For 

us, a new day begins and ends in the transition between 

day and night, as the sun sets and the stars appear. On 

Shabbat, for example, we welcome the day of rest by 

gathering together in the evening just before sunset, and 

ritually welcoming the Sabbath through proscribed rituals 

(for example, the lighting of the Shabbat candles, the 

blessing of the wine during Kiddush, and the sharing of a 

communal, ritualized meal). At the end of Shabbat, when 

we recite Havdalah, we conclude through similar communal 

rituals in conjunction with a blessing over wine to mark the 

separation of time: the lighting of a multi-wicked candle, the 

inhaling of the aroma of spices and the communal gathering 

of those we know and love as we prepare to begin anew in 

the coming week. 

On New Year’s Eve you may have witnessed a secular 

practice that is analogous to a regularly-practiced and 

familiar Jewish ritual and not even thought twice about it. 

The singing of the song Auld Lang Syne, a custom dating 

back to the early eighteenth century (predominantly, but not 

exclusively heard in English speaking countries) is used to 

mark the departure of the old year and the welcoming of the 

new year at the stroke of midnight. The formalized ritual 

associated with this song has been described by numerous 

writers: “It is common practice that everyone joins hands 

with the person next to them to form a great circle around 

the dance floor. At the beginning of the last verse, everyone 

crosses their arms across their breast, so that the right hand 

reaches out to the neighbor on the left and vice versa. When 

the tune ends, everyone rushes to the middle, while still 

holding hands. When the circle is re-established, everyone 

turns under the arms to end up facing outwards with hands 

still joined.” My Jewish experience instantly connects this 

ritualized communal gathering with the commonly practiced 

choreography of Havdalah. How many times have you 

participated in a circle of family, friends and community 

members as you bid a fond farewell to Shabbat? You have 

stood together in the flickering light of the Havdalah candle, 

with your arms intertwined, singing together, swaying back 

and forth, as you have looked forward to the possibilities

of new beginnings in the week ahead. You enthusiastically 

wished those around you a “Shavuah Tov” (a “Good Week”), 

and then looked hopefully to a satisfying future. Doesn’t 

this sound familiar to you? How often do we see the world 

through our Jewish colored glasses? Shanah Tovah… 

Happy New Year!! 

Would you like to provide an Oneg Shabbat or Kiddush K’tan (lite Kiddush) for your synagogue family? 

This is your opportunity to celebrate a Simcha, honor someone special, or recognize a loved one. Friday night Oneg 

Shabbat is $75 and Shabbat morning Kiddush K’tan is $400. Donations to the Oneg Shabbat and Kiddush Fund are 

always gratefully accepted. 

21

JFS Grateful to Temple Beth-El and 

Golden Manor Jewish Senior Services 

Jewish Family Service (JFS) has maintained and expanded 

its Senior Case Management Services through the generous 

support both of the Kimmelman Charitable Fund of Temple 

Beth-El and Golden Manor Jewish Senior Services (GMJSS). 

Because of this assistance, JFS has been able to respond to 

the rapidly growing number of seniors who need and deserve 

community support. These seniors often face economic 

hardship, disability, or enormous stress related to mobilityimpairment, 

home maintenance, transportation needs, 

medical emergencies, isolation, and mental illness. Even the 

most self -sufficient seniors may suddenly need JFS services. 

A stroke, a fall, the loss of a spouse, or even the sudden 

loss of investment income can transform an autonomous 

senior into one who needs a hand. The dedicated JFS case 

managers assist seniors and their family members whenever 

they need care and coordinate services wherever the clients 

may be living. Because case managers retain a connection 

with the senior as they move from setting to setting, there 

are fewer errors in medical care, transitions are easier when 

clients change their places of residence, and the senior has 

Churchill Debaters Rank Second in the Nation 

Year after year, elite schools like The Greenhill School, Pace 

Academy, College Prep, St. Mark’s School and Bronx High 

School of Science dominate the national policy debate circuit in 

the constant pursuit of a Tournament of Champions (known as 

the TOC) championship, the most sought after prize in all of high 

school debate. The 2011-2012 school year has been no different. 

Three months into the debate season, the lists of top debaters 

are growing crowded with the usual suspects. However, even as 

these and other perennial national powers continue their usual 

winning, ways a pair of debaters from Churchill High School has 

started to make quite a name for themselves as they too, aim to 

lay claim to the end of season championship. 

Churchill seniors (and, by the way, also members of Congregation 

Agudas Achim) Max Birnbaum and Adam Lipton have been 

debate partners since the first tournament of their freshmen year 

of high school. While they have experienced a lot of successes 

over their debate careers, nothing compares to what they have 

accomplished this fall. Since early September, Birnbaum and 

Lipton have been ranked among the top 10 debate teams in 

the nation and, as of November 3, were tied for second. With a 

third of the season already gone, they are proving themselves 

much more than just an afterthought when it comes to true 

championship contenders. 

High school debate is a high stakes activity involving students 

22 

a stable relationship to rely on at a time when she may be 

lonely and frightened. A good example was Mrs. Kogan, 

an 84-year old diabetic woman with a very fast-moving 

case of Alzheimer’s disease. She was middle class, did not 

qualify for poverty-based programs, but came to JFS with 

multiple needs. JFS worked diligently with this client and 

her family for 18 months through the steps of selling her 

home and moving to an Adult Independent Living complex 

and, within a year, into a Memory Care Facility. From there 

she went to a hospital for orthopedic surgery and then to a 

rehabilitation facility. JFS also partnered with her family, 

providing consultation, supportive counseling, information 

and referral. Mrs. Kogan’s situation was not unique, but the 

case management that JFS provided was unlike the usual 

patchwork of casework that is offered by each facility that 

serves seniors. In the past year JFS has provided direct 

case management services to more than 1000 seniors, their 

caregivers and their families. The demand for these services 

is increasing; JFS has enrolled 226 new clients since July 

1, 2011. Temple Beth-El, GMJSS and the entire Jewish 

community have provided the financial means for JFS to 

offer quality, compassionate care to a precious commodity, 

our seniors. 

and schools who spend thousands of dollars to maintain their 

competitiveness. A number of private schools in the country 

spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to fly their 

students to tournaments all over the country. The TOC, founded 

in 1972 and a prominent subject in the 2007 HBO documentary 

Resolved, is their ultimate goal. 

Fewer than 80 teams are invited to the TOC each year, with 

invitations extended only to those teams who perform the 

best at the most competitive of national circuit tournaments. 

Birnbaum and Lipton, who have faced teams from California, 

Alabama, Washington D.C. and a number of other locations 

this year, have already earned their invitation to the 2012 

edition of the tournament with outstanding performances at 

tournaments held at The Greenhill School, Grapevine High 

School and Houston Memorial High School. 

Birnbaum and Lipton will next debate on the national circuit 

during the weekend of January 27 when they travel to Atlanta, 

Georgia to compete in The Barkley Forum Tournament at Emory 

University, one of the most prestigious and oldest invitational 

debate tournaments in the nation. Two weeks later they travel 

to the California Invitational Tournament at U.C. Berkeley, 

another TOC qualifier, where they will also compete in the U.C. 

Berkeley Round Robin, an honor extended to only twelve teams 

in the entire nation! 

Dylan Pearcy 

Winston Churchill High School Director of Debate

January 1 

Sheryd and David Jackson 

Michele and Derek Perry 

January 2 

Teresa and Jack Mynier 

January 5 

Lainey and Michael Berkus 

January 10 

Rosanne and Bob Atlas 

Sheri and Brad Barenblat 

Cynthia and Bobby Jorrie 

January 13 

Phyliss and Steve Cole 

January 17 

Jessica and Jon Bernstein 

Mary Jo and Leonard 

Friedson 

Marinel and Mike Robbins 

January 18 

Bonnie and Gal Shweiki 

January 19 

Anne and Joel Roth 

January 21 

Suzan and Max Mendlovitz 

January 22 

Tammy and Jerome Cohen 

January 24 

Gaby and Alex Scharlack 

January 25 

Dara and Eric Holwitt 

Rachel Rosenberg-Peden 

and Ron Peden 

January 26 

Judy and Eddie Halfant 

Amy Sugarman and Dan 

Weingart 

January 27 

Lois and Arthur Solomon 

January 28 

Burlene and Bruce 

Baumann 

January 30 

Betsy and Jeff Cowan 

February 4 

Susie and Dan Lepow 

February 5 

Lauren and Robert Stanley 

February 11 

Louise and Michael Beldon 

Joanne and Paul 

Rosenbaum 

February 12 

Bertha and Hy Marcus 

February 14 

Kay and Allan Nussbaum 

Sammi and Eduardo Raez 

Sandy and Bernard 

Shaenfield 

February 18 

Sharon and Edward 

Rosenthal 

February 19 

Karee and Loren Jones 

Ora and Ryan Schwope 

February 22 

Eileen and Adam Bowman 

Matilde and William 

Gresores 

February 26 

Sara and Barry Harris 

Reesa and Joel Pullen 

Molly and Michael Sowry 

March 2 

Jackie and Moses Saba 

March 4 

Esther and Harold Vexler 

March 7 

Sheila and David Altman 

March 10 

Daphna and Daniel Haas 

March 11 

Maria and Francisco 

Gonzalez 

March 12 

Betty and Roger Adler 

Sunny and Bob Blumenthal 

March 13 

Barbie Scharf-Zeldes and 

Adam Zeldes 

March 14 

Carolyn and Bryan 

McKinley 

March 16 

Micheline and Sam Cohen 

Emma and Eli Weingerz 

March 18 

Evelyn and Berthold Goldman 

March 19 

Leanore and Mike Kavy 

Dorothy Jo and Bob Weiss 

March 20 

Rosario and Josue Martinez 

Linda and Evan Ratner 

March 22 

Bonnie and Garland Scott 

March 24 

Mindi Alterman and 

Glenn Halff 

Susan and Charlie Whipple 

March 26 

Shifra and Barry Birnbaum 

Jamie and Nick Kohn 

Rosario and Isidoro Korngold 

Marta and Harold Zuflacht 

March 29 

Cookie and Lou Belinsky 

23

January 1 

Barb Bikoff 

Reed Hauser 

Esther Vexler 

Berniece Weiner 

January 2 

Bernard Weiner 

January 3 

Moises Farji 

Jacob Shweiki 

Benjamin Zucker 

January 4 

Aaron Goldstein 

Carolyn McKinley 

January 5 

Mark Reitblatt 

Max Reitblatt 

January 6 

Sheryd Jackson 

Randy Tawil 

January 8 

Daniel Barshop 

Shari Pulman 

January 9 

Sheri Barenblat 

Beverly Birnbaum 

Helen Pollack 

January 10 

Bryan Mendlovitz 

Sarah Topletz 

Morris Wise 

January 11 

Mark Berger 

Rose Rosin 

January 12 

Pavlova Gonzalez 

Stacy Greenberg 

Melissa Gunn 

January 13 

Helene Barenberg-Gunn 

Bob Blumenthal 

Shane Epstein 

Joan Fries 

Felix Frydberg 

24 

Nick Kohn 


Caleb Martinez 

Leigh Ohlstein 

Edward Rosenthal 

Garland Scott 

Alice Troy 

January 14 

Linda Aboloff 

Lauren Barshop 


Elliot Foote 

Abigail Pullen 

Sam Schwartz 

January 15 

Diane Fisher 

Georgiana Gross 

Elizabeth Mandlovitz 

January 16 

Zachary Ozer 

Jason Siegel 

January 17 

Stephanie Stern 

January 18 

Angela Behn 

Ariella Chauca 

Reesa Pullen 

Morris Toback 

January 19 

Maurice Federbusch 

Elaina Komerofsky 

Gabriel Komerofsky 

Sarita Saltzman 

Philip Siegel 

January 20 

Evelyn Crisp 

Rachel Kutler 

Goldie Panzer 

Emma Reep 

Esta Zucker 

January 21 

Gloria Cohn 

Mack Goldberg 

Brandon Gossen 

Elizabeth Shaenfield 

Bennett Stahl 

John Troy 

January 23 

Jane Bankler 

Madison Cohen 

Jocelyn Epstein 

January 24 

Ari Friedman 

Michael Goldberg 

Sheri Pullen 

January 25 

David Feigenbaum 

Miriam Harris 

Susanne Jalnos 

Tammy Mata 

David Reitblatt 

Garry Stillman 

Emma Weingerz 

January 26 

Zee Fisher 

Syd Harris 

Brandon Jalnos 

Nailya Maryanchik 

January 27 

Howard Garb 

Madeline Tawil 

January 28 

Frances Anderson 

Jane Mincho 

January 29 

Sonja Goldberg 

Gary Gossen 

Sam Gresores 

Heather Kerr 

Devan Lauterstein 

Mike Met 

Mel Waldgeir 

January 30 

Benjamin Mann 

Perla Scott 

January 31 

Rick Fein 

Marc Magram 

Yoshua Weingerz 

February 1 

Harry Abelow 

Shirley Kboudi 

Helen Kerman 

February 2 

Allison Alterman Halff 

Ron Isgur 

Sarah Lunenfeld 

Kat Solomon-Medeiros 

February 4 

Cynthia Jorrie 

Molly Rosenblatt 

Linda Wilk 

February 5 

Karen Hoffman 

Stanley Waghalter 

Kathy Weaver 

February 6 

Rochelle Adelstein 

Elliot Sacks 

February 7 

Eli Friedman 

Rachel Kaufman 

Sharon Kaufman 

Don Zaike 

February 8 

Sandra Kline 

February 9 

Rosanne Atlas 

Klimenty Grinshpan 

John Jonasz 

Rueben Litofsky 

Laura Schnitzler 

February 10 

Abigail Diamond 

Linda Ratner 

Suzanne Wyker 

February 11 

Rachel Bernstein 

February 12 

Alison Meyer 

February 13 

Gloria Cohen 

Berthold Goldman 

Michael Linn 

Sofia Nestel

February 14 

Isidoro Korngold 

Stephanie Kutler 

Margaret Pena 

February 15 

David Fox 

Leanna Garb 

Adam Jonasz 

Michele Perry 

Barbara Powell 

February 16 

Nikki Boyar 

Rhonda Michel 

Joshua Troy 

February 17 

Shelley Baillargeon 

Steven Bankler 

Mitzi Efron 

Stephanie Goldberg 

Cal Lemmon 

Elise Rosen 

Blanche Rubin 

Stanley Zucker 

February 18 

Baylor Kerr 

Bruce Stern 

Doris Toubin 

February 19 

Marissa Barnhardt 

Elizabeth Glazier 

Joyce Leighton 

Daniel Mitzelman 

February 20 

Stuart Bernstein 

Marty Halfant 

Tom Hoffman 

Madeline Miller 

Marilyn Sintes 

Arthur Solomon 

February 21 

Mark Penner 

Rachel Usnik 

Daniela Weingerz 

February 22 

Chery Greenberg 

Bonnie Wiedermann 

February 23 

Leonard Friedson 

Angela Kagan 

Sarah Pearsall 

February 24 

Burton Arnow 

Rachel Friedman 

Samuel Grossman 

Barry Harris 

February 25 

Marilyn Cweren 

Pat Linn 

Joe Sasson 

February 26 

Nathan Kaufman 

Mitchell Pullen 

Mike Robbins 

Kathy Sasson 

Debby Zucker 

February 27 

Sonya Blumenthal 

Matthew Peck 

February 28 

Myrna Alwais 

Greg Meyer 

March 1 

Mindi Alterman 

Benjamin de Leon 

Jordan Goldberg 

Joe Olney 

March 2 

Joshua Behn 

Selig Frank 

Edward Kuperman 

Esther Mata 

Jake Ribak 

Jenn Rosenblatt 

Giselle Saba 

March 3 

Hayden Eichelbaum 

Mikayla Landes 

Daniel Solomon 

March 4 

Barry Spigel 

Mindy Spigel 

March 5 

Ian Heritch 

Mary Stewart 

March 6 

Jennifer Miller 

Hervey Rudd 

Amanda Sintes-Yallen 

Leo Swidler 

March 7 

Pat Kalmans 

Lois Solomon 

March 8 

Zoe Barocas 

Betsy Cowen 

Ilan Haas 

March 9 

Spencer Bowman 

Hannah Eichelbaum 

Alexander Koplin 

March 10 

Josh Foster 


Mallory Spigel 

March 11 

Jules Bouhadana 

March 12 

Paul Rosenbaum 

March 13 

Sam Cohen 

Gerry Mata 

Ruth Posner 

March 14 

Sam Ross 

Jason Serchay 

Morgan Stanley 

March 15 

Jacob Gresores 

Milford Jacobs 

Marci Peck 

Rudi Schweitzer 

March 16 

Lynn Gresores 

Jean Karren 

Josh Saltzman 

Jean Schlesinger 

March 17 

Jonathan Blucher 

Beverly Geller 

Ethan Haas 

Sheryl Jalnos 

Jacob Lauterstein 

Lauren Met 

March 18 

Phil Simon 

March 19 

Ian Smith 

Gavin Valdez 

March 20 

Daniel Haas 

Robert Marcovich 

Josue Martinez 

March 21 

Robin Laycock 

Lily Marcovich 

March 22 

Isaac Cohen 

March 23 

Louis Belinsky 

Tyler Piesman 

Amy Saklad 

March 24 

Natalie Barath 

Miriam Bernstein 

Carly Diamond 

Sandy Frydberg 

Jordan Lauterstein 

Beck Roosth 

Libby Wiedermann 

March 25 

Lori Solomon 

Aidan Sowry 

Zach Stern 

March 26 

Phyllis Brooks 

Clara Reich 

Ana Weingerz 

March 27 

John Mitchell 

Hailey Pulman 

March 28 

Flora Garb 

Sara Garcia 

Charles Weiner 

Michael Weiner 

March 29 

Tammy Cohen 

Joseph Friedberg 

Ray Kanter 

Harold Karren 

March 30 

Maxine Cohen 

Kayla Krantman 

Loree Miller 

Emma Schafer 

Gaye Winakur 

March 31 

Jonathan Thompson 

25

January 1 

Nettie Lipner Berman 

Morris Ginsburg 

Eleanor Kolitz 

January 2 

Rose Cohn 

Mark Kolitz 

Morris Pines 

Minnie Segall 

January 3 

Evelyn Kanter 

Ralph Robbins 

January 4 

Tillye Hahn Adler 

Jesse Holwitt 

Morton Lasky 

Sam Seidenberg 

January 5 

Sarah Levi Behar 

Theresa Silver 

January 6 

Frances Krantman 

Dennis Marion 

Irving Abraham Rutstein 

January 7 

Jacob Kazdoy 

Morton Leof 

Julius Wartell 

January 8 

Arnold Alper 

Samuel Buchalter 

George Dubrow 

Harry Greenberg 

Otto Haar 

Harry Kalmans 

January 9 

Morris Beldon 

Israel Dodic 

Sylvan Gurinsky 

Rachel Wilk 

January 10 

Paul Atlas 

Bernice Dym 

26 

Gladys Greenberg 

Sam Skolnick 

Netty Weschler 

January 11 

Mary Glazier 

Charles Gossen 

Victor Krull 

Morris Wiedermann 

January 12 

Ida Arnow 

Larry Feigenbaum 

Saul Friedman 

Sylvia Lippman Kahn 

David Katims 

Mark Levine 

Leah Schuman 

January 13 

Gay Golmon 

Rae Lionell 

January 14 

Simon Weschler 

Melvin Oakes 

George Stern 

January 15 

Isadore Miller 

Judith Jamigson Saklad 

Goldie Shapiro 

Reva Tobias 

Camilo Villanueva 

Mary Wiedermann 

January 16 

Rose Isgur 

Tillie Rubin Korn 

Lupe Mata 

Fannie Nadler 

Nehama Sachnowitz 

Yadya Shulman 

Jacob Weizman 

January 17 

Edna Alper 

Roger Sacks 

Vivian Shaenfield 

January 18 

Emanuel Harkavy 

Bernice Jacobs 

Rose Leah Jacobs 

January 19 

Elizabeth Abner Bikoff 

Bella S. Jacobson 

January 20 

Rose Esstman 

January 21 

Nathan Cytrin 

Isidor Fonarow 

Morris Halpin 

Jacob Harris 

Myron Hauser 

Charles Schaffer 

January 22 

Vera Fein 

Bernice White 

January 23 

Jack Domnitz 

Elsa Lampert 

Bertha Lusky 

Hortense Marcus 

Anton Sachnowitz 

Simon Wiedermann 

January 24 

Joseph Baseman 

January 25 

Erna Epstein 

Ruth Levinson 

Ann Lunenfeld 

Ernest Simon 

January 26 

Janice Garlitz 

Selma Banks Golden 

Roberta Greenberg 

Mary Ghetzler Harris 

Beatrice Gans Kline 

Ethel Polunsky 

Chaim Shapiro 

January 27 

Louis Caner 

Irwin Michael Danziger 

Isadore Herschman 

Arthur Kaiser 

Sheldon H. Vexler 

January 28 

Max Bier 

Bessie Buchalter 

Lillian Shapiro 

January 29 

Beatrice Aaron 

Freda Dzialoszynski 

Gustav Kahn 

Israel Maze 

January 30 

Pearl Abraham 

Israel Davis 

Oscar Hoenig 

Will Israel Rauch 

Joseph Slapper 

January 31 

Doris “Dottie” Fry 

Jacob Halfant 

Sheila Hans 

February 1 

Abe L. Argo 

Aaron Block 

Abraham Blucher 

Minnie Davis 

February 2 

William Emmanuel 

Alterman 

Nathan Aaron Lerer 

Jake Zaike 

February 3 

Sam Friedman 

Fannie Golden 

Clara Schwartz Goldman 

Samuel Grossman 

Lillie Hessel 

Helen Frances Katzman 

Leonard Lehrman 

Morris Rogal 

February 4 

Howard Anderson 

Rebecca Barath 

Martin Epstein

Dorothy Greenberg 

Anna Silberman 

February 5 

Isadore Braunstein 

Harry Ginsburg 

Sally Cohen Lasky 

Ben Lyons 

Herman Nitishin 

February 6 

Maxwell John Bikoff 

Aaron Klemnes 

Fred Reisberg 

February 7 

Renee Halpern 

Mary Leavitt 

Reuben Lubel 

Barney Polunsky 

Golda Shteynberg 

February 8 

Lisa Friedman 

Abraham Kadish 

Jane Lauterstein 

Samuel Simcha Lerer 

Leon Sachnowitz 

Leo Stelzer 

February 9 

Nathan Alterman 

Simon Haar 

Rebecca Kelne 

February 10 

Bart Arden Goldberg 

Channah Goldberg 

Charles Goldberg 

Charles Buddy Kulick 

February 11 

Hugo Scharlack 

February 12 

Lea Weingart 

February 13 

Meyer Cohen 

Bella Karotkin 

A.J. “Bob” Kboudi 

Benicio Marquez 

Rose Riesenberg 

Elizabeth Winakur 

February 14 

Lawrence Abramowitz 

Adolph Carl Spitzer 

Julius Wolfson 

February 15 

Rose Frank 

Hilda Heritch 

David Aaron Lown 

Sarah Topp 

Robert Schumaker 

February 16 

Ellen Efron 

Harry Kamen 

Josephine Levine 

Benjamin Rubin 

February 17 

Simon Arch 

Eli Belinsky 

Mary Forbes 

February 18 

Frieda Rosenberg Goldberg 

Alex Halff 

Bessie Halpin 

Max Kopelowitz 

Rebecca Levis 

February 19 

William Segaloff 

Morris Shapiro 

February 20 

Andar Jonasz 

Ronnie Linn 

Serene Schmidt 

February 21 

Stella Eskenazi 

Arthur Stiles 

David Weiner 

Bernard Wolf 

Marjorie Wormser 

February 22 

Clara Blucher 

Toby Nadler Gossen 

Keefe Greenberg 

Lillian Nitishin 

Milton Ozer 

Barney Sadovsky 

February 23 

Milton Eichelbaum 

Arthur Aaron Neuman 

Samuel Wernick 

Leonard Winakur 

February 24 

Ann Birnbaum 

Irwin Hill 

Max Simon 

February 25 

Eva Eisenstot 

Abe Gans 

Norman Seeman 

Morton Spigel 

February 26 

Marilyn Atlas 

Melvin Bloom 

Nat Freedman 

Ben Friedman 

Carol Horwitz 

Jennie Tudzin 

February 27 

Belle Maley 

Fannye Smith 

Gert Zeplain 

February 28 

Cissie Arch 

Anna Bernstein 

Freda Fleschman 

Mildred Hirsch 

Anna Ozer 

Judith Rachel Stillman 

February 29 

Harry Eisenstein 

Frances E. Klein 

Andrew Medeiros 

March 1 

Esther Freedman 

Linda Eisenberg Pullen 

Rebecca Rosenthal 

George Wiedermann 

March 2 

Lanny Cooper 

Stanley Joseph 

Jennie Kazdoy 

Evalin Novak 

Lillian Roth 

Joe Solomon 

March 3 

Monroe Albert 

Mollie Brisgel 

Jack David Jacobs 

March 4 

Moriz Adler 

Meyer Gilgus 

Jeannette Karren 

Bernard G. Leverant 

Shirley Schwartz 

March 5 

Howard Baskin 

William Dunn 

Bertha Franklin 

Alan “Teddy” Hirshfield 

Morris Isaac 

Max E. Katz 

David Leverant 

Solomon Malis 

Wolford Sadovsky 

J. Jay Saklad 

Sara Sasson 

Rose Steinbrecher 

Ida Tabackman 

March 6 

Samuel Aaron 

David Dym 

Eva Jarrell 

Rose Lubel 

Frances Rubinstein 

Beatrice Rivka Stillman 

March 7 

Simon Dinitz 

Marvin Kessler 

Jack Lunenfeld 

Rosa Rochman 

Sylvia Siegel 

Anne Spero 

March 8 

Edward Basara 

Yolanda Edelman 

Minnie Glick 

Ida Gossen 

Henry Louis Smith 

Julius Topp 

March 9 

Victor Morris Ades 

Helen Block 

Lester “Buzzy” Freedman 

Aaron Lipton 

Lyubov Kotlyar 

Charles Patrick 

Dorris Faye Sonkin 

Ruth F. Spector 

Ruth Waldgeir 

Josephine Waldgeir-Levy 

March 10 

Anne Baskin 

Ben F. Friedman 

Fred Kreiskoff 

Isaac Ledor 

Ben Pinsky 

Minnie Pulman 

Machla Minia Snyder 

March 11 

Samuel Aboloff 

Benjamin Barath 

Helena Drezner 

27

Morris Isgur 

Bessie Bier Kimel 

Norma Kutler 

Rose Pinsky 

Jane Rodebaugh 

Estelle Shaenfield 

March 12 

Hesse Glick 

Morris Steinman 

March 13 

Ann Beldon 

Eugene Bloch 

Aaron Hessel 

March 14 

Annette “Ruth” Davis 

Miriam Kalmans 

Jacob Mackler 

Luis Rochman 

March 15 

Weldon Jacobs 

Albert Shaenfield 

Paul Simon 

Abraham Steinbrecher 

March 16 

Mary Beilin 

Hannah Ruth Frank 

Clarice Golden 

Max Kelfer 

28 

Joshua Panzer 

Aaron Rubin 

Bernie Smith 

Anna Topp 

March 17 

Carol Feldman 

Mary Scharlack 

Sidney Rosen 

March 18 

Ruth Leopold Barnett 

Sarah Cohen 

Charlotte Friedberg 

Lisa Kaletzel 

Ruth Klein 

Frieda Spillman Litofsky 

Anna Shapiro 

March 19 

Philip Dubrin 

Morris Marcus 

March 20 

Fannie Glazer Argo 

Fred J. Fluckers 

Hannah Kramer 

Bill Miller 

Jack Siegel 

Helen Stern 

March 21 

Esther Mazur Mazer 

Jenny Lea Schwartz 

March 22 

Julian Amols 

Sam Goldberg 

Malvin Gould 

Minnie Gross 

Lyda Lande 

Claude Morin 

Charles Panzer 

Myrtle Schwartz 

Celia Stom 

Julius Solomon 

March 23 

Joseph Rubin Beeber 

Harry Beilin 

Annie Birnbaum 

Pearl Loraine Litofsky 

Luis Mostkoff 

Joseph Panzer 

March 24 

Charles Cweren 

Charlotte “Shirley” Dal 

Jerome Kerman 

Maurice Bernard Polunsky 

March 25 

Flora Fleischmann 

Oscar Kelfer 

Sidney Kline 

Isidore Lasky 

Larry Mazer 

March 26 

Sarah Heintz 

Lisa Schwartz 

March 27 

Ida Albert 

Jerry Kanter 

Freda Kavy 

Nancy Rosenfeld 

March 28 

Yetta S. Beeber 

Margaret Jonasz 

Morris Weiner 

March 29 

Mildred H. Dinitz 

Bernard Dubrin 

Gertrude Jacobs 

Irving Kay Kadish 

Jacob Present 

Sophie Jacobson Segall 

March 30 

Harvey Goldring 

Milcah Riedel 

March 31 

Minnie Sarah Feldman 

Shmil Shteynberg 

Alphonse M. Wormser 

FYI - Donations made to the synagogue will be acknowledged as follows: 

$10.00 

Donation listed in bulletin and acknowledgement mailed 

to the recipient only. 

$18.00 

Donation listed in bulletin and acknowledgement mailed 

to the recipient and donor. 

ONE honoree’s name per donation 

Torah Fund Donation Information 

Donations received after the publication deadline will be 

published in the following Kolenu 

Sisterhood Torah Fund donations can be made by sending checks to Helen Isgur, 2900 Hunters Horn, San Antonio, 

Texas 78230. By Phone: Please contact Jean Eisenstot at 210-614-4617. Please call Sunday through Friday before 

8:00 p.m. Your donation, sent either way, is always appreciated. Todah Rabbah for your continued support.

Sharon and Harry Abelow 

Barbara and Burt Arnow 

Sunny and Bob Blumenthal 

Mitzi and Jack Efron 

Carolyn and Howard Glick 

Hilary and Neal Kavy 

Anita and David Kboudi 

Esther Alterman 

Charles Atkin 

Solis Berman 

Ethel and Max Borowsky 

Sam Briskman 

Joseph Chasan 

Norman Fink 

Irving and Elaine Lachman Frank 

Cynthia and Sam Glasser 

Dr. Eugene Gold 

Phyllis Gordon 

Phil Heintz 

would like to thank the following for their donations for the pulpit flowers and/or the food basket. 

Elaine and Ed Lauterstein 

Barbara Loeffel 

Debra and Gary Loeffel 

Joyce and Carrol Meyer 

Helen Pollack 

Merle Polunsky 

Rivka Schechter 

Rose Jacobson 

Rosa Lee Katz 

Eva Kavy 

Elsa Lampert 

Rivka and Isaac Ledor 

Itta Lenowitz 

Stizzi and Israel Lewin 

Gertrude Mendel 

Sam Polunsky 

Nat Posner 

Thelma Preissman 

Minnie Pulman 

Lynn Schnitzer 


Cristina and Bruce Topletz 

Deanie and Arnold Vogel 

Marcia and Bernard Weiner 

Sandy and Mel Weingart 

Joanne and Don Zaike 

When observing a Yahrzeit, Simcha, or special occasion, please consider a donation to Sisterhood for Bimah baskets or 

flowers. For more information, call Helen Kerman at 210-492-3802. 

Speedy Recovery to 

Harry Abelow by Barbara and 

Ronnie Argo 

Phyllis Bonfield by Sandy and 

Fred Kline 

Hinda Greenberg by Joanne 

and Don Zaike 

Sophie Handler by Bernice 

Mazer 

Mickey Harris by Natalie and 

Irwin Barath 

Louise Michelson by Gaby and 

Alex Scharlack 

Marvin Miller by Charlene 

Petlin 

Lillian Sadovsky by Helen Isgur 

Rivka Schechter by Helen Isgur 

Linda Wolfe by Bernice Mazer 

In Honor of 

Babrara and Ronnie Argo, on 

their anniversary, by Sandy and 

Mel Weingart 

Jack Efron, on his birthday, by 

Helen Isgur 

Mitzi and Jack Efron, on their 

anniversary, by Helen Isgur, 


Morris Eskenazi, on his 

birthday, by Joanne and Don 

Zaike 

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Proler by 

Sylvia Wilk 

Marinel Robbins, on her 

birthday, by Marguerite Lerer 

Michael Robbins, being 

honored by Jewish Family 

Service, by Sandy and Fred Kline 

Babs Schnitzer, on her birthday, 

by Suzan and Mex Mendlovitz, 


Marvin Stein, on his 80th 

birthday, by Sylvia Wilk 

Nan Udell, on her new home, by 


Joanne Zaike, on her birthday, 

by Suzan and Max Mendlovitz 

Joanne and Don Zaike, on 

their anniversary, by Helen Isgur 

In Loving Memory of 

A.W. Eisenstot, beloved brother, 

Odessa Ring 

Max Rosenman 

Shirley Rosofsky 

Leon Sachnowitz 

Berdie Scharlack Schwartz 

Leah Shapiro 

Esther and Israel Silber 

Greta Stat 

Joseph Steinfeld 

William Udinski 

Ruth Wilk 

by Jean and Arnold Eisenstot 

Minnie Ginsburg, beloved 

grandmother, by Jean and Arnold 

Eisenstot 

Steven Gossen by Barbara and 

Ronnie Argo, Jean and Arnold 

Eisenstot, Meredith and Cary 

Fox, Tevia and Joel Friedman, 

Judy and Eddie Halfant, Ann 

and David Kanter, Marilyn 

and Jerry Karren, Leah Maze, 

Bernice Mazer, Suzan and Max 

Mendlovitz, Charlene Petlin, 

Gaby and Alex Scharlack, Fannie 

Rae Shapiro, Joanne and Don 

Zaike, Esta and Stan Zucker 

Roslyn Horowitz by Bernice 

Mazer 

Henrietta Meltzer by Meredith 

and Cary Fox 

29

Rabbi’s 

Discretionary Fund 

Thank You for 

A Generous Donation by, 

Luise and Morris Bankler, 

The Intercontinental 

Companies 

In Appreciation of 

Rabbi Bitran, thank 

you for your help and 

generosity, by the Sheldon 

Family 

In Honor of 

The Blessings for my 

80th birthday by David 

Present 


Melvin Frank, beloved 

brother, on his yahrzeit, by 


Sol Frank, on his yahrzeit, 

by Leanore and Mike Kavy 

Beatrice Glick, beloved 

mother, grandmother, and 

great-grandmother, on her 

yahrzeit, by Carolyn and 

Howard Glick and Family 

Steven Gossen by 

Carolyn Mazer Devin, 

Carolyn and Howard Glick 

and Family, Leanore and 

Mike Kavy, Mr. and Mrs. 

Gerd Miller 

Marsha Henry by 

Danielle and David Weiner 

and Family 

Steve Henry by Denielle 

and David Weiner and 

Family 

Celia Kalish, beloved 

sister, on her yahrzeit, by 


Patricia Rayl, beloved 

mother, on her yahrzeit, 

by Babara and Michael 

Friedberg 

30 

Cantor’s 

Discretionary Fund 

Thank You for 

A Generous Donation by 

Luise and Morris Bankler 


Hazzan Lipton, for all his 

work with me, by David 

Present 

In Honor of 

My 80th birthday by 

David Present 



Rachelle and Sterling 

Neuman 

Alexander Youth 

Fund 

In Honor of 

Alexandra Elovic, Happy 

Hanukkah, by Joanie and 

Steve Pechenik 

Ariella Elovic, Happy 



Elisha Elovic, Happy 



Jordan Loev, Happy 



Marisa Loev, Happy 



Jonah Pechenik, Happy 




Arnold Alper, beloved 

father, by Pam and Sid 

Gold 

Enda Alper, beloved 

mother, by Pam and Sid 

Gold 

Milton Gold, beloved 

father, by Pam and Sid 

Gold 

Alwais School Fund 

Elaine and Irving 

Frank Educational 

Enrichment Fund 

Bertie and Selig 

Frank Heritage and 

Endowment Fund 

To send students and 

teachers to Israel to learn 

about their heritage. 


Melvin Frank, on his 

yahrzeit, by Bertie and 

Selig Frank 


by Bertie and Selig Frank 

Celia Kalish, on her 

yahrzeit, by Bertie and 

Selig Frank 

General Fund 

Thank You for 

A Generous Donation by, 

Luise and Morris Bankler, 

Karen Young 


Brad Barenblat, thank 

you for repairing the Torah, 

by Silvana and Rabbi 

Leonardo Bitran and Family 

Our Family’s Aliyot, by 

Marge and David Present 

In Honor of 

Sharon Charlip, on her 

upcoming presidency, by 

Luise and Morris Bankler 

Mitzi and Jack Efron, 

Mazel Tov on your 

very special wedding 

anniversary, by Charlotte 

Sue and Richard Alterman 

Adam Kelne, on his 

wonderful find, by Silvana 

and Rabbi Leonardo Bitran 

and Family 

Amy Sugarman and Dan 

Weingart by Mr. and Mrs. 

A. Baker Duncan 

Sandy and Mel Weingart 

by Mr. and Mrs. A. Baker 

Duncan 

Maureen and Andrew 

Weissman, Mazel Tov 

on the birth of Moshe, 



Stevie Weissman, 

Mazel Tov on the birth 

of grandson, Moshe, 




Philip Barshop by Jim 

Barshop 

Melvin Frank, on his 

yahrzeit, by Dorothy Frank 


by Dorothy Frank 


Silvana and Rabbi 

Leonardo Bitran and 

Family, Dorothy Frank, 

Esther and Gerry Mata, 

Martha McKay and Family, 

Sandi and Marc Schnall, 

Sheila Weiner 

Helen Jacobs, on her 

yahrzeit, by Emi and 

Marvin Jacobs 

Eva Olian by Jean and 

Ron Schlesinger 

Israel Shulman, beloved 

father, on his yahrzeit, by 

Yadviga Shulman 

Gladys and Minnie 

Greenberg Kitchen 

Fund to Replenish 

the Ross Family 

Kitchen 


Steven Gossen by Joan 

and Stuart Bernstein 

Henrietta Meltzer by 

Joan and Stuart Bernstein 


Fund 


Steven Gossen by Karen 

Heintz, Babs Schnitzer 

Irene Heintz, beloved 

mother, by Alicia Heintz 

Phil Heintz, beloved 

father, by Alicia Heintz 

Phil Heintz, beloved 

husband, on his yahrzeit, 

by Karen Heintz 

Ben Lionell, beloved 

father, on his yahrzeit, by 

Karen Heintz 

Ruth Rutstein 

Posner and Nathan 

Posner Religious 

School Fund 

Jack and Kitty 

Kadish Minyan 

Breakfast Fund 


Betty Maize, beloved 

mother, on her yahrzeit, by 

Marcia and David Segal

Bernard and Sylvia 

Kanter Fund 


Steven Gossen by Nancy 

and Jay Kanter 

Bob Kboudi 

Children’s Book Fund 


Steven Gossen by Leigh 

and Andy Wilk 

I’Dor Va-Dor 


Anna and Samuel 

Meadows 

Scholarship Fund 

Memorial Gardens 

Fund 


Steven Gossen by Linda 

and Marvin Aboloff, 

Clarice Seeman and Family 

Mina Kelfer, beloved 

mother, on her yahrzeit, by 

Marsha and Van Adams 

Holly Meyer by Joyce 

and Carrol Meyer 

Sam Polunsky by Merle 

Polunsky, Molly and 

Michael Sowry 

Ruth Skolnick by Joyce 


Rose Statman by Joyce 


Minyan Fund 

In Honor of 

Mitzi and Jack Efron, 

Mazel Tov on a milestone 

anniversary, by Suzan and 

Max Mendlovitz 

Joel Roth, thanks for all 

your help, by Judy Halfant 


Steven Gossen by Gloria 

and Jerry Cohn and Family, 

Helen, Carole and Nathan 

Kerman, Marilyn and Cal 

Lemmon, Sheldon Levine, 

Marion and Sid Shaenfield 

Gertrude Myers 

Family Endowment 

Fund 

Oneg and Kiddush 

Fund 

In Honor of 

Harold Karren, for his 

great help in planting the 

new memorial tree, by 

Nina Marcovich 


Steven Gossen by Esther 

Jacobs, Jean and Harold 

Karren 

Holly Meyer by Ruth and 

Morris Toback 

Palmetto Street 

Historical Cemetery 

Restoration Fund 


Irving Dubrin, on his 

yahrzeit, by Marilyn Dubrin 

Ruth and Felix 

Reif Building and 

Security Fund 

Speedy Recovery to 

Howard Alwais by 

Lucille Friedman 

Bob Harris by Marvin 

Jalnos 

Mazel Tov to 

Mazal and Marvin 

Moszkowicz, on Ari’s 

marriage, by Lala, Emily 

and Eleanor Gossen 

In Honor of 

Sherri and Steve Ross, 

Mazel Tov on Amanda’s 

engagement to Joe 

Lundblade of Dallas, by 

Lala, Emily and Eleanor 

Gossen 


Ethel Goldsmith, on 

her yahrzeit, by Marion 

Goldsmith 


Charlotte Sue and Richard 

Alterman, Wayne Choate, 

Eddie and Freddye Duchin, 

Suzanne and Randy 

Dym, Dale and Harry 

Eastman, Hortense Lyman 

Fein, Bertie and Selig 

Frank, Lucille Friedman, 

Carolyn and Howard 

Glick and Family, Sonja 

Goldberg, Monica, Lauren 

and Shelby Goldfaden, 

Marion Goldsmith, Susan 

and Rob Goldstein and 

Family, Goode, Casseb, 

Jones, Riklin, Choate & 

Watson, PC, William F. 

Goodman, Beryl Penner 

Greenberg, Miriam and 

Morton Greenberg, Rhonda 

and Charlie Gurinsky 

and Family, Sara Lee 

Gurinsky and Family, 

The Intercontinental 

Companies, Rhonda 

and Carl Jalnos, Marvin 

Jalnos, Elieen and Robi 

Jalnos, Susanne Jalnos, 

Janice and Bobby Jucker, 

Shirley Kanter, Leslie 

and Sid Karmia, Karen, 

Jason and Jenna Katims, 

Hilary and Neal Kavy, 

Anita and David Kboudi, 

Helen, Carole and Nathan 

Kerman, Joanie and Steve 

Pechenik, Anni Rado and 

Family, Jody and Paul 

Reddy, Clara and Soupy 

Reich, Bari and Arthur 

Rosenthal, Hana Ross, 

Laura Schnitzler, Marian 

and Ian Smith, Sheila and 

Jack Stein, Judy and Robb 

Steinberg, Sherie and 

Anatole Trakhtenbroit and 

Family, Danielle and David 

Weiner and Family, Martin 

and Michael Weiss, Sylvia 

Wilk, Rose Williams 

Celia Levis, on her 

yahrzeit, by Marion 

Goldsmith 

Ross Family Kitchen 

Improvement Fund 

In Honor of 

Hana Ross, on being 

honored by Hadassah as 

“Ima” of Israel, by Shirley 

Kboudi, Suzan and Max 

Mendlovitz 


Steven Gossen by Hana 

Ross 

Ruth Rutstein 

Posner and Barbara 

and Erica Rutstein 

Camp Fund 


Nat Posner, on his 

yahrzeit, by Ruth Posner 

Rabbi Louis 

Schechter Scholar- 

In-Residence Fund 


Rabbi Louis Schechter, 

beloved husband, on 

his yahrzeit, by Rivka 

Schechter 

Max And Serene 

Lowy Schmidt 

Scholarship Fund 

Synagogue 

Beautification Fund 

Synagogue 


Goldie And Joe Tills 

Library Fund 

In Honor of 

Stanley Spigel, on his 

66th birthday, by Ronni and 

Jason Chozick, Barbara 

Spigel 



Barbara and Stanley Spigel 

Shirley Rosofsky, on her 

yahrzeit, by Alice and John 

Troy 

Goldie Tills, beloved 

mother, on what would 

have been her 89th 

birthday, by Barbara Spigel 

Torah Restoration 

And Repair Fund 


David Richard Ginns by 

Robert Jay Ginns 

Tot Shabbat Fund 


Steven Gossen by Sheila 

Wilk Cooper 

Usy Fund 

Vexler Flower Fund 

Weingart Youth 

Camp And Travel 

Fund 

Youth Opportunities 

Fund 

31

Congregation Agudas Achim 

16550 Huebner Road 

San Antonio, TX 78248 

Address Service Requested 

32 

CandlE lighting timES 

For San antonio 

January 6 5:32 p.m. 




February 3 5:55 p.m. 












March 2 6:16 p.m. 

March 9 6:21 p.m. 

March 16 7:25 p.m. 

March 23 7:29 p.m. 

March 30 7:33 p.m. 

Shabbat Ending timES 

For San antonio 

March 3 7:17 p.m. 

March 10 7:21 p.m. 

March 17 8:26 p.m. 

March 24 8:30 p.m. 

March 31 8:34 p.m. 

Daily Minyan 

Shabbat Evening 

Shabbat Morning 

NON-PROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE PAID 

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 

PERMIT NO. 57 

POSTMASTER PLEASE RUSH 

DATED MATERIAL 

7:30 a.m. Monday - Friday Vexler Chapel 

9:00 a.m. Sunday Vexler Chapel 

Evenings by contacting office 

6:15 p.m. Vexler Chapel 

9:00 a.m. Alterman Salkind Louis 

Sanctuary or Vexler Chapel 

Yahrzeits are read at EACH service. 

Babysitting provided for birth through 2nd grade at all Shabbat Morning services. 

Synagogue Contact Information 

Administration Office 

210-479-0307 

Administration Office Fax 

210-479-0295 


210-479-0429 

Inda Posner Religious School 

210-479-2689 

Rabbi Bitran’s Private Line 

210-479-0283 

info@agudas-achim.org 

www.agudas-achim.org

LESSONS - Congregation Agudas Achim

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