December Quarterly Bulletin

Temple House of Israel Bulletin

December 2020 • Kislev-Tevet 5781

Celebrating and sustaining Jewish life in a spiritual and welcoming community in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley

Message from the Congregation

Little Shul on the Prairie

by Ilene Fox

Growing up in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, I just wanted to fit in and therefore did not want anyone to know that I was Jewish. Sitting in the hallway while my classmates were in Bible class was a dead giveaway. I was devastated when someone signed my yearbook, “you dirty Jew” and when one night someone rang our doorbell and threw an axe through our door, I was downright terrified. Another Jewish family had their mailbox chopped down that day. There were many more incidents and I would go to school the next day as if nothing happened.

About ten Jewish families lived in my hometown and together with the Jewish populations of the surrounding towns, there were about thirty families who belonged to my synagogue, Temple House of Israel (THOI); please visit www.thoi.org for more information. Although I did not realize it at the time, I found refuge at THOI, which my husband aptly nicknamed “the little Shul on the prairie” when we attended the 125th anniversary a number of years ago. There I was openly Jewish and celebrated simchas and holidays with a close-knit congregation. (OK, I will admit being forced to go to Sunday School). I loved the Oneg Shabbats with tables overflowing with home-baked goodies and the feast at the annual break-the-fast. But mostly I relished in the camaraderie of people with whom I shared traditions and with whom I could be comfortable and feel safe. Mine was the second Bat Mitzvah held there and I although I did not invite school friends, the THOI congregants were in full attendance.

As an adult, I look forward to visiting THOI when I visit the area every year or so. The old-timers of my childhood are long gone, but their children and newcomers are welcoming and friendly. Once, it happened to be the yartzeit of my grandfather and I was in tears as the rabbi called his name during services. My childhood experiences left me keenly sensitive to anti-Semitism but THOI taught me the value and importance of Jewish community. I now send a yearly donation to THOI so that today’s children will have the opportunity to make the memories that I have.

What memories do you have of synagogues of your childhood?

Yizkor:

Martha and Doug Degen I/M/O Ralph and Mildred Degen, Peggy Klotz, Milton and Pearl Klotz, Joe Bruin, Frances and Jim Bruin

Steve and Elaine Goldfarb I/M/O Leo Goldfarb, Celia Goldfarb, Sarah Jill Goldfarb

Art Goldsmith and Jan Kaufman I/M/O Ada Kaufman, Arthur Kaufman, Gloria Goldsmith, Bernard Goldsmith

Erich Kosowitz I/M/O Eva and Samuel Kosowitz, Anna and Saul Persily, William and Irene Kosowitz, Ray and Samuel Albrecht

Ellen Werther I/M/O Elain Werther, Robert Werther, Sadie Werther, Edward Werther, Ida Klein

Beth and Rich Young I/M/O Manny Gutnick, Beryl Gutnick, David Gutnick, Betty Young

Benn Legum and Penelope Ferguson I/M/O Beatrice Legum, Leonard Legum, Robert and Betty Steinhouser, Ben and Lena Legum, Mini and Henry Steinhouse, Joe Miller, Robert Ferguson III, Anna and Angus Hopkins

For the Food Bank:

Rabbi Nagel

For the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund:

Sherry Lowe

Bonny Strassler

Kyle Forren

Brian and Pam Dettelbach: For Rabbi Nagel's excellent High Holy Days services and inspirational sermons.

For the Building Fund:

Sam Witt

Alan Cohen

Bonny Strassler

Kyle Forren

For the Torah Fund:

Judy and Rena Schwarz for the Torah Fund I/M/O Rafael Brand

For the Cemetery Fund:

Deborah Bishop

For the General Fund:

Michelle and Jim Clark I/M/O Adam Michael Clark

Entrance Fund donation to honor and recognize:

Brian and Pam Dettelbach:

Chazzan Turk, the Nagel family, THOI President Larry Sutker, and Ritual Committee Chair Ruth Chodrow for everything they did to make our virtual High Holy Day services a success - theologically and technologically!

Heidi Lasser's service to the THOI community on the Ritual Committee and High Holy Days Honors Chair.

Ellen Werther's service to the THOI community in editing and publishing the monthly Bulletin.

November:

Birthdays

4 - Tom Pereles

10 - Jordan Kristoff

12 - Leah Farmer

15 - Carol Shapiro

15 - Jacob Goldenburg

25 - David Young

26 - Asher Brand

Anniversaries

19 - Sarah & Byron

December:

Birthdays

6 - Gregg Goldenburg

12 - Alan Goldenburg

14 - Beth Young

14 - Sam Goldenburg

15 - Sarah Grove- Humphries

22 - Eliana Brown

25 - Jesse Landsberg Ward

28 - Anna Degen

28 - Philip Chodrow

31 - Ben Freedman

31 - James Strassler

January:

Birthdays

6 - Michael Degen

10 - Lea Sutker

12 - Gail Davis

16 - Rich Young

16 - Aleeza Wilkins

29 - Dennis Ward

31 - Doug Degen

The Women's Group at Temple House of Israel has been an integral part of the Jewish community since our first recorded minutes decades ago. We provide opportunities for fun and fellowship, conduct community outreach activities, and hold fundraising events to support temple functions.

The Women's Group wishes everyone a very Happy Chanukah! We are looking forward to future meetings, activities and fund raising.

We have donated to the Rabbi's Chanukah gift Bag program and have sent a $200 donation to the Blue Ridge Food Bank.

November

Burton M. Blair

Viola Pierantozzi Blazer

Jack Brodsky

Fannie S. Cohen

George M. Degen

Betty Rattner Donenfeld

Pauline Drucker

Max Freeman

Louis Goldberg

Esther Ruth Goldberg

Beryl Dorothy Gutnick

Harry Harris

Ada Kaufman

Leah Kirmko

Ida Klein

Gilad Landsberg

Paul Lewis

Marian Lewis

Emerald Liberty

Marilyn Lussen

Abraham David Peretz

Bernice Raskin

Ralph Rosen

Joseph Henry Rosen

Louis Rosenthal

Leopold Schorsch

Ethel S. Shapiro

Louis Shapiro

Fannie Barth Strauss

Fannie Cohen Switzer

Julius Switzer

Sadie Werther

Jacob Pecos Wilhelm

December

Joseph L. Barth

Flora Barth

Louis Belfor

Rafael Brand

David Brownold

Hannah Degen

Anne R. Goldberg

Rose Greenfield

Toby Guberman

Aaron Hyman Harris

Sadie Goldman Jacobson

Albert Fireman Klein

Max Klotz

Milton Stuart Klotz

Clara Litvin

Dr. Stanley Mandeles

Earl Boyd Nicely

Tina Rosenberg

Abraham Rosenthal

Simon Rosenthal

Alma Wise Samuels

Phillip Seltzer

Albert Shultz

Lydia Switzer

Hubert Daniel Thompson

Rhea CohenWalters

Irving Weinberg

Elain W. Werther

January

A. David Biatch

Sophie Cohen

Benn Cohen

Robert Davis

Morris Degen

Marjorie Edelman

Milton Jerome Finkel

Leah Frank

Seymour Isaac

Arthur Kaufman

Joseph Loewner

Sarah Lee Margolis

Pauline Krauss Prince

Pearl Ruttenberg

Sara C. Sachs

Emily Elias Schorsch

Daniel Seligmann

Morton L. Sloane

Fannie Snyder

Morris Snyder

Lamartine Gary Strauss

Augusta H. Switzer Solomon Switzer

Flora Switzer

Roberta Cohn Weber Abraham Weinberg

Johanna Barth Weinberg

Ethel Strauss Weinberg

Our congregation is small--some might say tiny--but we are blessed by an overwhelming amount of talent and resources. There are many ways to help--and to get help--from the congregation. These are just a few ideas and options. Have others? Contact Larry Sutker at [email protected] or another member of the Board of Directors.

Donate to a temple fund of your choice
Show your love and appreciation for a friend with a Flamingo Flock. Contact Debbie Jacobs at [email protected]
Talk to a financial advisor for other means of charitable giving. Larry Sutker notes: Individuals who are 70½ or older may make Qualified Charitable Donations (QCDs) directly from an IRA.
Come to a virtual Torah study
Learn Hebrew with Ruth Chodrow [email protected]
Participate in a committee
Bring an unaffiliated Jew to a virtual service
Come to a virtual service (We need a minyan!)
Come to one of the Rabbi's virtual classes or book club
Matching Money. Several individuals have set aside $25,000 to match contributions to THOI. In other words, every penny donated to the Temple will be matched from this fund.

See upcoming events

Meet the THOI Board

Donate to keep our community thriving

15 N. Market Street • P.O. Box 1412 • Staunton VA 24402