Or Chadash Newsletter October and  November 2016
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In This Issue
Service Schedule
In Our Community
Yahrzeits
Rabbi's Message
President's Message
Educator's Message
Cantor's Message
Scrip
What You Might Have Missed
JewishLIFE
Registration Quick Links
Shabbat  Service Schedule
Shabbat Window 

November 11: 7:00 PM Shabbat Family Service
November 12: 10:00 AM Shabbat Services and Bat Mitzvah of Emma Sarinick
November 18:  7:30 PM Shabbat Services 
November 25:  Celebrate Shabbat at home with family and friends.
December 2:  6:30 PM Shabbat Family Recipe Dinner, 7:30 PM Shabbat Services
December 9:  7:30PM Shabbat Services 
December 16: 7:00 PM
Shabbat Family Service - Hanukkah
December 23: Celebrate Shabbat at home with family and friends.
December 30: Celebrate Shabbat at home with family and friends.
In Our Community

Mazal Tov to...
Lori Blutfield, who won the 3-year Readington seat on the Hunterdon Central Regional High School Board of Education.
The Dambrot, Freda, Korfin, Margolis, Moscowitz, Schipper and Weiss  families whose children were Consecrated on Simchat Torah.

Thank You to...
Sherrie Mazzocchi and Karen Tovi-Jones for helping with Break-the-Fast.
Andy Korfin for making an in-Ark Torah Stand for our smaller Torah.
Sherrie Mazzocchi for her gift of new quilted table covers which she made for the Bima.
All of our Sukkah builders and de-constructors.

Refuah Sh'leima (Get Well) to...
Susan Blaicher
Barbara Sansevere
Dorothy Saks
Kimberly Beman
Estelle Breines
Ira Breines
Gary Weiss
Victor Sloan

Condolences to ...
Stephen Sinoway, Beth Golden, their children Rachel and Jordan, and their extended family on the loss of Stephen's father Russell Sinoway on October 10th.

 
In order to help us be a more caring community, please share your lifecycle events with  Rabbi Forman
  
Feel free to click on a hyperlink to send a note and let someone know you are thinking about them.
yahrzeit photo
Upcoming Yahrzeits 
May the memories of the following individuals be for a blessing:   

November 11:
Blanche Margaret Erkkila
Mother of Craig Erkkila
Michael Joseph Sansavere, Jr.
Father of Joseph Sansavere
Evelyne Hersch
Mother of Sherrie Mazzocchi
Louis Zalaznick
Father of Bruce Zalaznick
Jerome Marrus
Father of Alan Marrus

November 18:
Helen Musikar
Grandmother of Jessica Hodkinson
Herman Weinstein
Grandfather of Susan Albert
David Topf
Father of Alice Schwade
Gerald Levine
Husband of Judith Levine
Mildred Marrus
Mother of Alan Marrus

November 25: 
(To be read Dec 2)
Rose Leon
Grandmother of Betsy Zalaznick
Bernard Wolf
Stepfather of Leslie Hann
Charles Gelb
Father of Shirl Levy

December 2:
Martin Albert
Grandfather of Steve Albert
Anna Robbin Smith
Mother of Harold Smith
Gertrude Heller
Grandmother of Jim Lewy
Grandmother of David Lewy
Sheila Fisher-Cohen
Cousin of Gary Brodsky
Joseph Kass
Grandfather of Leslie Hann
Edward Kurlansik
Father of Jack Kurlansik
Loris Rosskam
Mother of Nancy Kanter

December 9:
Bessie Kenyon
Grandmother of Susan Albert
Morty Lehrer
Father of Perry Lehrer
Irving Safier
Father of Cindy Lehrer
James Mazzocchi
Father of Nick Mazzocchi
Steven D. Weinstein
Brother of Susan Albert

December 16:
Sylvia Borgman
Mother of Estelle Breines
Harry Breines
Father of Ira Breines
Milton Wolfson
Father of Craig Wolfson
Ken Kimberly
Friend of Sherrie Mazzocchi
Joseph M. Fish
Grandfather of Rabbi Joseph Forman
Esther Fish
Grandmother of Rabbi Joseph Forman
Suzie Cooper Gold
Mother of Andrew Gold

December 23:
(to be read on January 6)
Gloria Grumbach
Mother of Steve Grumbach
Raoul Rabiner
Father of Betsy Zalaznick

December 30:
(to be read on January 6)
Milton Schwartz
Father of Miriam Blanke
Father of Aaron Schwartz
Sylvia Wasserman
Shelly Weller's Loved One
Esther Senator-Gross
Grandmother of Laura Senator
Anne Lerner
Grandmother of Liz Tracey
Marc Kraditor
Father of Allyse Vanderwalker


High Holy Day Donations
We thank all of our congregants and guests for their generous contributions made in support of Or Chadash during the High Holy Days.

Babysitting Donations
Andy & Michele Korfin
Darren & Yulia Pincus
Amara Willey

High Holiday Appeal Donations
Larry & Beatrice Abrams
Steven & Susan Albrecht
Paul & Deborah Augustus
Mark & Lori Blaire
Jon & Lori Blutfield
Scott & Maryann Breslow
Carl Christensen & Deborah Beer-Christensen
Dan & Jacquelyn Freedman
Steven Garfield
Harvey & Kathryn Gold
John Graybeal & Laura Senator
Edward & Frances Hack
Chris & Leslie Hann
Alan Hecht & Maria Jose De La Hoz
Barbara Hillman
Mark & Jessica Hodkinson
Susan Ingram
Benjamin Jahre
Craig & Sudha Kantor
Jack Kurlansik
John Langer & Annette Ivry
Judith Levine
Robert & Shirl Levy
David & Carolyn Lobenberg
Darren & Elizabeth Loew
Sherrie Mazzocchi
Bernard & Carol Miller
Gary & Susan Parilis
Tony & Barbara Persichetti
Darren & Yulia Pincus
David Rosen
Elliot Rosen
Alec Rubinchik & Falguni Vaidya
Don & Sara Schenker
Rebecca Schindler
David & Emily Schipper
James & Barbara Schlessinger
Victor Sloan & Sandra Gong
Wendy Solomon
Louis & Caryn Speizer
David & Kimberly Turner
Edward Tyler & Renee Trambert
Paul & Allyse Vanderwalker
Ross & Susan Weinick
Amara Willey
Mark & Kristina Witzling
Eric & Naomi Zwerling

Prayerbook Donations
Scott & Maryann Breslow
Dan & Jacquelyn Freedman
Harvey & Kathryn Gold
Edward & Frances Hack
Mark & Jessica Hodkinson
Judith Levine
Darren & Yulia Pincus
Louis & Caryn Speizer
Edward Tyler & Renee Trambert
Paul & Allyse Vanderwalker

Yizkor Book Donations
Larry & Beatrice Abrams
Steve & Susan Albert
Steven & Susan Albrecht
Carl Christensen & Deborah Beer-Christensen
Dan & Jacquelyn Freedman
Harvey & Kathryn Gold
John Graybeal & Laura Senator
Chris & Leslie Hann
Mark & Jessica Hodkinson
Andy & Michele Korfin
John Langer & Annette Ivry
Judith Levine
Robert & Shirl Levy
Sherrie Mazzocchi
Don & Sara Schenker
Rebecca Schindler
Wendy Solomon
Louis & Caryn Speizer
Edward Tyler & Renee Trambert
Paul & Allyse Vanderwalker
Paul & Meredith Weil
Richard Willey & Meridith Sigel-Willey
Eric & Naomi Zwerling

 Donations
Yahrzeit
Judith Levine: In memory of Annette Crystal

General Contribution
Steve & Susan Albert
Jeff & Christine Berg
Judith Levine: In honor of Ian Crystal & Aurelie Sahin Engagement
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick

Building Fund
Jeff & Christine Berg

Education Enrichment Fund
Steven & Susan Albrecht: In memory of Russell Sinoway
Howard & Carol Isaccs: In memory of Russell Sinoway
Nancy Kaminetsky
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick: In memory of George Gundersen
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick: In memory of Millie Albert
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick: In memory of Russell Sinoway

Memorial Plaque
Sally Lidinsky: In memory of Evelyn Hersch

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
Steven & Susan Albrecht
Stephen Sinoway & Beth Golden: In Gratitude for Services for Russell Sinoway
Victor Sloan & Sandra Gong: In honor of An-Lin's Bat Mitavah

Chesed Caring Fund
Brian & Carol Coriell: In memory of Joseph DeMaria

Board Directed Fund
Jeff & Christine Berg
Harvey & Kathryn Gold
John Graybeal & Laura Senator
Victor Sloan & Sandra Gong
Louis & Caryn Speizer
David & Kimberly Turner
Gary & Debbie Weiss
Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick


Jewish Family Services

Jewish Family Services 

JFS is a non-profit, non-sectarian social service agency whose mission is to preserve and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life based on Jewish values. We provide our services to a diverse socio-economic client population that includes individuals, children, young adults, families and the elderly.


 Click here for information on additional services.  

 

Meals On Wheels 
Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers in our area. Serve your homebound senior neighbors a hot noontime meal. The commitment to drive is only once a month. It will take only an hour or two once a month to get that good feeling of giving. Call our office at (908)284-0735 to offer your time or for more information (and/or check out our website at mowih.org ). Help us, help others. Many thanks.  
Hunterdon Helpline
Hunterdon Helpline has been serving seniors and their caregivers for more than two decades. Its Division of Seniors & Disability Services includes Telephone Reassurance, Friendly Visitor, Cellphones for Emergency Linkage to Seniors (CELS) and CHOICES for Seniors Directory. All these programs and services are free to clients. For the programs to operate, volunteers are a necessity and currently volunteers are sought to serve in these programs.
 
The Friendly Visitor program aims to assist a senior to live comfortably in their own home when it may not be absolutely necessary to transition to a facility. The weekly visits often are the only contact the person has with others in community. Research shows, that a person's mental and physical health improves with socialization. The visits are social in nature. However, volunteers also are the eyes and ears of Helpline and can provide valuable information about the living situation or the mental or physical health of the client so if additional services are needed, Helpline can provide them through its network of collaborative organizations in the area.
 
Seniors are one of the largest growing demographic groups in Hunterdon County, which means the needs are growing as well.
An orientation and training are provided to volunteers before they begin. A one-time, $20 fee required is provided by the volunteer for a background check because the visits take place in the home.
 
Giving back to our community rewards not only the recipient but the giver.  To volunteer, call 908-782-4357.

 Rabbi's Message
RabbiForman
As the High Holy Days and Sukkot fade from recent memory, and the autumn turns from gentle touches to gusty breezes, carrying leaves from tree to earth, carpeting lawns everywhere, I marvel at our tradition's richness of opportunities to help us make sacred the passage of time.

From the joys of celebrating the weekly cycle of Shabbat and the traditions associated with the annual calendar of holidays - filled with sensory stimuli of shofars, lulavs and etrogs, glowing candles and crisp latkes, tasty treats and bitter herbs on bland matzah...(the list goes on and on), to mournful reflections on yahrzeits and at empty seats during holiday meals, there is a transformative power in the rituals of Jewish tradition.  Our history is a sacred dance of elevating the mundane to the holy. 

Many of us have sacred traditions we have created to turn an ordinary event or moment into a special one.  To do that, we need only consider how we might elevate important transitions in our lives. In addition to the many Jewish rites associated with this time of year, there is one personal ritual I cherish for marking the turn of the seasons.  It does not come from the Torah or Talmud.  It is the lighting of the season's first fire in my 200 year-old walk-in fireplace.  For me, it signifies that Time, imperceptibly ticking away from day to day, does indeed move on.  And with the kindling of those first logs, fall has announced its fuller arrival.

There is a wonderful poem, FIRE, by Judy Brown that has been included in Mishkan T'filah, our prayerbook.  Each time I read it I think of lighting fires in my fireplace.  I encourage you to discover your own sacred rituals, perhaps finding words to accompany them. 

Rabbi Joseph M. Forman


Fire - by Judy Brown

What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing,
too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames
almost as surely
as a pail of water.
So building fires
requires attention 
to the spaces in between, 
as much as to the wood.
When we are able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on logs,
then we come to see how
it is fuel, and the absence of fuel
together, that make fire possible.
We only need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.
 

  President's Message

Be Kind. It's such a simple comment, yet seemingly so hard for us to execute in a day-to-day way. It's one of the earliest things we are taught. Two-year-olds playing with one another are told by their parents to "be kind" to each other. In Pre-School and Kindergarten, it is a foundational part of the curriculum. Even throughout elementary and middle school, complex curriculum terms such as "Social and Emotional Learning" in some ways boil down to these two simple words. Yet, as an adult, when I walk into my workplace, I am rarely reminded to "be kind." There are no posters on the wall telling me to be kind, and my boss doesn't rate me on kindness when it comes time for my performance review. What happened between elementary school and adult life that kindness is no longer present in our everyday lives?

When I was growing up, our school secretary, Mrs. T., also wrote a column in our weekly local newspaper. She ended her column every week with the words, "Be kind to one another." The phrase has stuck with me. At the time, I read it with gentleness, with sweetness, to keep this mantra present in our lives. Today, I read the words with a more imploring, almost desperate tone. Has the world really changed so much that we don't feel the need to be kind to one another?

When I think about the values that Or Chadash embodies, kindness is one that I treasure greatly. At Or Chadash we believe in being kind to one another. We believe in teaching kindness to our children. We believe in showing kindness to those inside and outside of our community. One of the things that has impressed me the most in my time as a member of Or Chadash are the many ways that members, clergy and staff routinely, actively, and visibly demonstrate kindness. On the Board, aggressive conflict is non-existent, and healthy debate and discussion are accompanied by respect and kindness. 

I believe that kindness is an inherently Jewish value. Teaching kindness, charity and caring are woven into the framework of our beliefs. At Or Chadash, we have chosen to spotlight kindness as a value and a virtue that we strive for. When I walk through the doors of Or Chadash, I am not worried about what people will think about what I am wearing, or that they will judge me or critique me.  I know I will be treated with kindness. The hours I spend in our building and with our community are hours I treasure because of this kindness. In return, I try to raise my game, as well. I strive to treat others with increasing kindness. Being a member of Or Chadash has made me a better person and, yes, a kinder person as well. I hope that you, too, are both a recipient and a giver of kindness at Or Chadash, and I hope that you, too, will "be kind to one another."

Kim Turner
President

  Religious School Director's Message

Betsy NYC.jpg
"Fall is a feast for the physical senses, the perfect opportunity to step out of our thoughts and into the body, connecting with the world around us." - Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of the meditation app Headspace.

Step outside on a fall day.
Notice the quality of the light.
Feel the air against your skin, cooler than it was just a few weeks ago. 
Observe the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Notice the play of the shadows.
Listen to the sounds of rustling leaves.
Inhale the smell of an autumn day.

One of the greatest joys of my role at Or Chadash is that each year I have fun (re)imagining how to (re)introduce the concepts and traditions of the fall holidays to our community. 

Our autumn holidays have their own sensory experiences, and packaging those tastes and sounds into enjoyable and teachable moments challenges me each year to be a bit more creative. This season we literally wiped our slate clean and celebrated Tashlich in a pool of water, we waved our arms to mimic the staccato sounds of the Shofar in singing The Shofar Blast song, we toiled in the fields of the farm with the morning sun shining down on us to celebrate the harvest of Sukkot, and we physically created our own Torah as we celebrated Simchat Torah and the consecration of our newest Religious School students.  

Within just 26 days, we celebrate four holidays, each one filled with its own sensory experiences and with anticipation for the new year.   One of the occupational hazards of Religious Education is that we are always thinking about the next holiday before fully experiencing the current one. 

This year I am taking a deep breath and  inhaling our fall season a bit more slowly and deliberately -- absorbing all of the holidays' tastes, sounds, light, and textures.  Join me as we celebrate this new season and year of 5777, one day at a time. 

Betsy Zalaznick
Educator
 
  Cantor's Message

Kathy Gohr
There are 108 stiches on a baseball. It had been 108 years since the Cubs had won the World Series. Those who know me know that I am, have been, and always will be a Cubs fan. It was passed on to me by my mother z"l, and I can hear her now singing "Go Cubs Go," from her spot in eternity. In reading the reviews of the past few days, I have noticed the plethora of references to the number 108 mentioned in the media, seeking to reinforce the notion that this was the year that we were destined to win. In addition to the fore mentioned reference, here are just a few more:
  • The Cubs won game seven and the World Series in 10 innings with 8 runs. (108)
  • Javier Baez hit the 108th pitch for a home run during Game 1 of the NLDS.
  • The distance to both right and left field foul poles at Wrigley field is 108 meters.
  • The World Series Trophy is made of silver. Silver's atomic weight is 108.
  • Back to the Future II features the Cubs winning the World Series. The movie is 108 minutes long.
I started wondering if there might be a Jewish connection as well, for you see, we Jews have been playing with numbers for thousands of years. It is a science called gematria, where the numerical value of the Hebrew letters in a word were added up and compared with words with the same value in search of a connection. So, I went on a search of Hebrew words with a gematrical value of 108.
Here are a few that I found:
  • אזק - azik - to grasp or to hold (the championship)
  • חננ - chanun - to favor (the Cubs)
  • חסם - chasam- to stop,  block, prevent, restrain (The Indians)
  • מסח - musach- a keeping back or warding off (the opponenet)
So, I guess there might be some evidence of Rabbinic endorsement in the significance of the number 108 and the Cubs winning the World Series. Is it a little far-fetched? Maybe so. Is there any real significance to this postulation? Maybe so. As for me? I'm just content to bask in the glory and see what next year will bring. Go Cubs go...

Bless-sings,
Cantor Kathy

B'ruchim HaBa'im:  Or Chadash Welcomes Our New Members
We Welcome Our New Members:

Ed & Fran Hack join us from Annandale, NJ, and Deerfield Beach, FL.

Jonathan & Alana Dambrot join us from Long Valley with their children Elle, Brooke, and Ava.

Steven & Tricia Margolis join us from Union Township with their children Bryce and Zachary.

David & Emily Schipper join us from Lebanon with their son Holden.


We Welcome Our 'Religious School Only' Families:

Chad Weiss & Alison Poerner join us from Three Bridges with their son Jacob.

Bat Mitzvah - An-lin Sloan
An-lin Sloan became a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, September 17th.  
She   is the daughter of Victor Sloan and Sandra Gong and you n g er sister of  Mei-lin Sloan.  

She is an 8th grader at JP Case Middle Sch ool in Raritan Township. She enjoys cross country, playing viola, K-pop,  hanging out with her friends and eating carbohydrates. She is a 2nd degree b lack belt in tae kwon do.

An-lin's Torah portion, Ki Teitzei ("when you go out") is part of a speech to Moses to the people as they are about to enter the land of Israel.  Ki Teitzei cont ains 72  commandments, ranging from the treatment of defiant children to fair weights and measures.   For her mitzvah project, An-lin (working with the OneSky Foundation) raised almost $33,000 for a youth services program for the older children in her orphanage, the Dapu Social Welfare Institute.  

Bat Mitzvah - Cassondra Stoter
Cassondra Stoter became a Bat Mitzvah on September 24. She is the daughter of Cindy and Ken Stoter and younger sister of Sydney Stoter. She is currently an eighth grader at Califon School. 

Cassondra enjoys music and participates in the school choir and plays the flute in the school band. She also loves art class.  Her Torah portion, Nitzavim, focuses on loyalty and specifically, discusses the covenant G-d made with those present and also with future generations.

For her Mitzvah project, Cassondra volunteers at an Assisted Living Community in Belvidere, New Jersey.  At The Chelsea at Brookfield, she assists residents with Bingo, serves snack and facilitates activities such as sing along and exercise. Cassondra enjoyed celebrating her special day with family and friends!

Scrip
It's coming up now --another new year
I'm thinking of Fall; it's finally near

I'm thinking of apples and honey for dip
And, yes, inevitably, I am thinking about scrip

Well, really what I'm doing is thinking about you
and how great ordering scrip is something you do
 
To earn OC money, participation is key
(so is dealing with multiple emails from me!)

For all of your orders this past year (12 times!) 
You deserve thanks --spelled out in rhymed lines!

Thank you. Working together is no small feat. 
Wishing you and your family a New Year that's sweet!

~ Christine Berg

What You Might Have Missed
Religious School Opening Day




Sisterhood Annual Summer BBQ




High Holy Days




New Stained Glass Window


Sukkah Build


America's Grow-A-Row




Simchat Torah and Consecration




Brooklyn NYC







OCTY Thanks You
The Or Chadash Temple Youth Group (OCTY) would like to sincerely thank all who contributed to this year's annual Food Drive.  As a congregation, we were able to contribute an estimated 1,000 pounds of food, household, and personal supplies to the Flemington Area Food Pantry! 

Jewish LIFE: Learning Is For Everyone 
Jewish Life
 



Jewish LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone),  our community wide adult education program, has an exciting new season of programs and special events planned for the coming year.  A great lineup of special events are scheduled in addition to a wide variety of classes  and films offered at our participating synagogues.  The complete 2013-2014 Jewish LIFE brochure will be available on line at www.ssbjcc.org.  Printed copies will be available at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC in Bridgewater.
 
Below is a rundown of special events coming up this Fall.  
  • The Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning begins a new season of Jewish LIFE on November 1.  The Core Class and Graduate Class are both open to all - no prerequisites required.  Classes are held at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC, Bridgewater.  Register by calling Rhonda Lillianthal at 973-530-3519.

    The Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Jewish Film Series presents The Farewell Party, a compassionate dark comedy about friendship and knowing when to say goodbye.  Recipient of Best Film at Israeli Academy Awards. Screening date is Saturday, November 12, 7pm. Wine & Cheese will be served.  Suggested donation $5/person. Register by calling 908-722-0674.
     
    The Irma Horowitz Film Series -- featuring short Israeli films from the Ma'aleh School of Television and the Arts in Jerusalem -- is scheduled for Thursday, November 17, 7pm at the Birnbaum JCC, Bridgewater.  Films to be screened include A Little Bit Different (an ultra-Orthodox woman considers a new match after calling off an engagement), Full of Life (a 12 year old's experience at a weight-loss summer camp) and Without Sugar (a 13 year old is embarrassed by his blind father).  Fee includes falafel dinner:  $12/person in advance or $15/person event day. Call 908-725-6994 x201 to register.
     
    Jewish LIFE is honored to welcome Rabbi Joseph Telushkin back to our community,Sunday, November 20, 12 Noon at the Flemington Jewish Community Center. Rabbi Telushkin will discuss Being a Good Person in a Morally Complicated World: On Forgiveness, Self-Esteem, and Why it's so Hard to Change.  Rabbi Telushkin is a rabbi, scholar and the best-selling author of 18 books.  He was ordained at Yeshiva University in New York, and pursued graduate studies in Jewish history at Columbia University.   Fee:  $18/person.  Register by calling 908-806-7736.
     
    Looking ahead to early December...
     
    Bridging the Gap, Rabbi Marisa James, Sunday, December 4 at Congregation Kehilat Shalom, Belle Meade. 
     
    Life Begins at 60, Dr. Frieda Birnbaum, Thursday, December 15, 12:30pm, Birnbaum JCC, Bridgewater.

     
Please refer to the Jewish LIFE brochure for program fees and additional information.  To register for programs hosted at the JCC, please call 908-725-6994 x201.  To register for programs at other locations, please contact the hosting synagogue or agency.