Rabbi Jerry Ram Cutler 

Rabbi's Message 

Death in Toulouse

A despicable low-life mercilessly killed 3 children and a rabbi in the city of Toulouse in southwestern France.  With a video camera strapped to his neck, he filmed himself chasing 7 year-old Miriam Monsonego through the school courtyard and shot her three times in the head. He then turned his sights on Rabbi Jonathan Sandler and his two little boys, 3 year-old Gavriel and 5 year-old Arieh.

He probably taped his heinous and cowardly act so that people of hate might emulate his act and kill other Jewish children. How happy this worthless piece of garbage would have been if he could have read of the deaths of more Jewish children.  But, he was shot to death by the gendarmes. And now, he is a certified martyr in the equally sick minds of his admirers.

So, will the yeshiva close its doors and no longer educate its children? Will there no longer be a place for the Jews of Toulouse to pray?  The answer is a resounding NO.  Jewish children will still be taught lessons of charity and kindness and their parents will still pray for peace and the fulfillment of Tikun Olam.

That, my friends, has been the resolve of the Jewish people from time immemorial. We have been tormented, slaughtered, spat upon and murdered and yet, we hold firm and rely on each other to reach the next generation with strength and the never-ending desire to help humanity.

This has been our thrust through the many years, it has been an integral fabric of our lives.

No people are as ethnocentric as the Jewish people.  No people have suffered as much as the Jewish people. We have weathered Crusades, Holocausts, war and lately, missiles, thousands of missiles fired from Gaza into the land of Israel raining upon defenseless men, women and children.

Jews throughout the world mourn for the rabbi and the four children as we have whenever cowardly terrorists maliciously kill our elders and, especially, our young innocent children. 

The question I ask is "Why do I only see you on the High Holidays when you listen to me express my outrage and castigate the United Nations and other ineffectual service organizations that fail to support the Jewish people?

"Why aren't we packed at Friday Night Shabbat services in a show of solidarity with our brothers and sisters when we discuss the shockingly evil attacks on our people?"

Why don't we just have Rosh Hashana and Yom kippur services and do away with the rest of the year?  Apparently, no one seems to care. There are a few of us who do, however, not nearly enough. I am disheartened and grossly disappointed.  Passover is upon us.  It is a holiday dedicated to the freedom and unity of a group of determined people who traveled the desert for 40 years under the most trying of conditions. And, we survived because of the promise of salvation to future Jewish generations. We are letting them down.

Think about what I said and have a gloriously Happy Passover.  Our next Shabbat service will be May 4. I hope and pray that I will see a packed sanctuary. As Theodore Herzl said, "If you will it, it will become a reality." I'm willing it, dear people, I'm willing it!

Rabbi Jerry

We still have some CD's left. Don't procrastinate. Order yours today.

Cantor Kathy has most generously donated her CD "An Island in Time" featuring Contemporary Music for the Eve of Shabbat to Creative Arts Temple.    

The price is $18 and we receive 100% of the profits. We all come out winners!

For orders, please call our office at 310 470-3888 or email us at info@creativeartstemple.org

We want you to be part of us whatever it takes! Please join now and you can pay the balance off in manageable payments.  We need you to be part of us!   

Take a look at all that we're doing this coming year. Think about joining us and receiving a "members price" on all events. 

Download the form and send it to the CAT office.  

Passover is fast approaching. Make your reservations NOW!

Official group dates: Check In, Friday April 6, 2012 Check Out, Monday April 9, 2018. Pre and Post dates available

All prices are per per room, per night.  All taxes, gratuities, and internet are included!

 Number        Deluxe Garden        Deluxe Ocean          Deluxe Ocean

 of Adults              View                      View                        Front 

Large and comfortable rooms will  be reserved for our group.  

And leisure time will be well spent at one of the many poolsides, the ocean

visiting the spa, meeting with our group or taking a trip into town

April Birthdays 

             LISTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

             
      Don't apologize. Don't believe the hype..

             There is no ILLEGAL occupation, nor are there any ILLEGAL Jewish settlements.  So, don't believe the Arab propaganda. The Jewish state is in the right - so you can't be wrong.  More than that, speak up, speak out, support Israel.

             In addition to what's going on with Iran, (1)  there is unprecedented pressure on Israel not to build in it's eternal capital.

(2) there is cutting of critical military aid to joint U.S.-Israel missile defense program (3) pressure to adapt a U.S. policy that Israel accept 1948 armistice lines as a basis for a final settlement. (4) and finally, U.S. policy of failing to hold Palestinian leaders accountable for their refusal to keep THEIR peace-process commitments.

             Get involved, read, write, do it , now!

Arnold Charitan

Past President

Unfortunately, do to the high costs of printing and postage, we are only able to send out cards with a minimum donation of $18.00. We will be happy to post your tribute in Temple Talk no matter what you are able to donate.

Click on this link to order.

Ralph & Cynthia Bovitz in memory of Martin Yasser

Eunice Brown in memory of Max Brown

Sid Caesar in memory of Florence Caesar

Norm & Joanie Crosby in memory of Peg Foley

Milton De Lugg in memory of Anne De Lugg

Darcie Denkert in memory of Allen Susman

Scott & Linda DeVore in memory of Shirley DeVore

Marvin & Bettye Donsker in memory of Gussie Reder

Alice Eisenberg in memory of Hyman Levine

Marilyn Epstein In memory of Joseph & Edith Epstein and Bessie Lipson

Faye Frankel in memory of Milton Frankel

Martin Gilmore in memory of Lenore Gilmore

Jerry & Julie Gold in memory of Jon Wyse

Lorain Goldberg in memory of Esther Chotiner

Karel Guefen in memory of Ted Guefen

Godfrey & Barbara Mayer Harris in memory of Alfred Harris

Gladys Jaffe in memory of Sylvia Rosenberg and Morton Jaffe

Norman Kantor in memory of Hyman Kantor

Arthur Kassel in memory of Tichi Wilkerson Kassel

Rhea Kimmel in memory of Susan Lynne Pincus

Stuart & Cipora Kricun in memory of Irene Kricun

Jacqueline Maleck in memory of Charlotte Maleck

Marc Maretsky in memory of Paul Shatz

Malcolm & Barbara Marmorstein in memory of Rose & Bernard Kates

June Miller in memory of Nicholas Goldman

Milton Moses in memory of Abraham Moses

Pat Peller in memory of Roslyn Schlessinger

Ruth Veprin in memory of Billy Veprin & Anna Veprin

Arlene Sidaris in memory of Andy Sidaris

David & Brenda Ross in memory of Lewis Frielich

Allan Rotman in memory of Mollie Fox

Lea Sverdloff in memory of Eli Sverdloff 

Roy & Sophia Wallenstein in memory of Nina Rogers

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

At first glance, "Salmon Fishing In The Yemen" sounds like a documentary produced by that country's Department of Fish and Game.  It's not. Instead, it is a very pleasant film starring Ewan McGregor (Fred Jones), Kristin Scott Thomas (Patricia Maxwell) and Emily Blunt (Harriet) who, if you're a guy, will fall for hook, line and sinker.

The movie is based on a 2006 novel, "Salmon Fishing In the Yemen" by Paul Torday, and is a low-key comedy about a Yemeni Sheikh who believes that publicizing his hobby will help promote "peace and spiritual reflection in a land ravaged by conflict."

I went to the screening hesitantly because I ventured fishing only once in my life and the only thing I caught was a cold.

To my surprise, the screenplay isn't only casting a rod into the ocean waiting for an unsuspecting, hungry fish to chomp on to the hook, but it is an enjoyable screenplay acted with the proper amount of restraint (after all, how much acting motivation can you pour into a movie about salmon?) by its three stars.

The Sheikh, played admirably by Amr Waked, hopes to make his dream of a desert filled with water, salmon and fishermen a reality.  Fred Jones, Britain's leading expert on fishy endeavors, hopes to scale back the Sheikhs aspirations with a dose of reality. He believes the project to be dead in the water.  However, the Prime Minister's press secretary, Patricia Maxwell, sees this as a good will opportunity for both countries.  With a heavy heart and the threat of losing his job, Jones agrees to go to Yemen convinced that the scheme will never work.  Harriet (Ms. Blunt), the Arab chief's representative, has another angle and casts her bait to reel in the reluctant Jones.

FRIDAY,  

May 4, 2012   

8:00 PM 

at
Westwood Hills Congregational Church

1989 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90025 

The Church is 2 blocks south of Santa Monica Blvd. (Westwood Blvd. and La Grange). Enter the parking lot on Westwood Blvd. The church is on the corner of La Grange. Free on street parking after 7:00 P.M. 

*********************

Candle Lighting Times Fridays:  

April 6           7:00 pm

Upcoming Events

(All services to be held at Westwood Hills Congregational Church unless otherwise noted)

NO SERVICE IN APRIL  

DUE TO PASSOVER HOLIDAY

FRI., April 6 & 7

First and Second Night Passover Seders 

Sat., April 21  

April Love Dance

for Lovers and Love Seekers 

Venue to be announced  

Versatile entertainer (Cantor) Kathy Robbins will appear with her band for a fun night of music and dance 

Fri., May 4 - 8:00 PM  

Shabbat Service

We will be celebrating Mother's Day by honoring our "Mother of the Year."    

Fri., June 1  - 8:00 PM 

Shabbat Service  

Westwood Hills Congregational Church

A special "father" will be honored on Father's Day. (Rabbi Cutler is not in the running) 

Sun., June 10 -

From Bima to Broadway

an Evening of Jewish Music

Venue to be announced.

Cantor Kathy Robbins, Rena Stolber and a few other musical friends will entertain with songs written by Jewish composers.  

Sends Get Well Wishes and a Speedy Recovery to

Ralph's Community 

Contribution

President -Lou Milkowski

Vice President - Arne Charitan
Secretary- Julie Gold
Treasurer- Jerry Gold
Board-
Deborah Barnhart

Chad & Melissa Lasdon  

Malcolm & Barbara Marmorstein
Gloria Milkowski  

Marty & Barri Smith

Irv & Mallory Sobel
Executive Director: Jeff Cutler
Director Emeritus: Lois Bennett  

Immediate Past President- Larry Crestol
Past presidents:
Arnold Charitan
Steve Ellman
Stuart Kricun

Joann Roth Oseary
Norman G. Brooks*
Irving Dersh*
Max Guefen*
deceased *

Lifetime Members
Lois Bennett
Joni Berry
Fern Field Brooks
Ross & Fern Bloom
Mitchell & Rochelle Blumenfeld
Ted Blumenfeld
Dorothy Frieband
Artie Butler
Jack & Roxanne Carter
Arnold & Gladys Charitan
Larry & Alexis Crestol
Sidney & Harriet Crestol
Jennifer Crestol
Steven Crestol
Norm & Joanie Crosby
Carol Jean Delmar 

Allan & Harriet Diamond
Karel Guefen
Charlotte Heller
Eugene & Marsha Heller 

Arthur & Gwen Hiller

Steven Kaplan
Arthur Kassel
Rhea Kimmel
Les & Laura Landau  

Joseph & Shirley Leibowitz
Stephen Maitland-Lewis 

Dr. Steve Matlin
Art Metrano
Joann & Yossi Oseary

Nolan & Patrice Porter

Harvey & Hope Schechter
Sharon Shaw  

Ruth Veprin
Barbara Weinger
Michael & Lynn Zaifert