Rabbi Michael D. Howald

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein

Bryn Biren, Felicia Otto

Co-Presidents

AUGUST 2023

Tammuz-Av 5783

Shabbat Mornings in AUGUST**

Torah Study at 10:00 a.m. followed by Services at 11:00 a.m.

Meeting ID: 816 2485 7827

Passcode: 609375

**PLEASE CHECK NEWS & NOTES AND THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRAM E-MAILS FOR STREAMING LINKS FOR FRIDAY NIGHTS AND FOR ANY CHANGES REGARDING STREAMING AND/OR ZOOM LINKS.

AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF

MISHKAN T'FILAH

MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR

AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF

MISHKAN T'FILAH FOR YOUTH

MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR

This year, the month of Elul begins in the middle of August. The rituals of reflection associated with Elul culminate in the Selichot service, which takes place in the evening after the end of the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana.  My favorite part of the Selichot service is the changing of the Torah mantles from our regular colorful covers to mantles of white embroidered in gold with traditional symbols of faith and renewal (designed and made by our own Anne Young).  As we begin the countdown to the beginning of the year 5784 with the month of Elul, this ritual of transformation, from routine to special, and from variable to solid, can serve as a guide for our own spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days to come.

No one is sure when the custom of changing the Torah covers before Rosh Hashana began. It undoubtedly arose out of the same sensibilities that regarded dressing in white during the Days of Awe as praiseworthy. In the Hebrew Bible, white was seen as a symbol of purity. Our High Holiday prayer books, for instance, often quote the verse from Isaiah that promises that “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” if you but give heed to Adonai your God (Isaiah 1:18). At some point, some scholars say in the early 19^th century, synagogues began not only encouraging members to dress in white during services for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, but to attire their sifrei-Torah in white as well. 

The 5 sifrei-Torah in our ark have a central place in our congregation but, except during the rituals of Selichot, we rarely pause to focus on the “clothes” they wear. We have 5 regular Torah covers, coordinated in design with the pattern on our ark doors. That pattern represents an artistic representation of the Jacob’s encounter with angels and God at Beth El. According to the account in Genesis, Jacob fell asleep at that place, using a rock for a pillow, and dreamt of a ladder (some say a staircase) connecting heaven and earth on which angels were ascending and descending. Four of the Torah covers quote biblical passages from this story while the 5^th, although sharing the same overall color motif as the others, says simply:  L’dor v’dor (“from generation to generation”).

I wasn’t at Temple Israel when the ark doors and Torah covers were installed but the color scheme of the ark doors and regular Torah covers reminds me of the hues and tints of the Israeli desert where Jacob had his dream. The variety of colors also speaks metaphorically to me of the cacophony of daily living, with its insistent demands and diverse pressures which occupy our minds and divide our attention. They are undeniably beautiful.  Yet, with their varied swirl of colors, they also represent, as the story of Jacob at Beth El signifies, a world of flux and movement. This is the daily world we all inhabit and a perfect symbol of our quotidian but busy lives.

The white covers, in contrast, symbolize being outside of ordinary time. If ordinary days challenge our concentration, the Days of Awe call for focus. If the multiple colors of our regular covers represent the multiplicity of our lives, the white Torah covers speak of a time when all Israel will stand before the ark ba’agudat achat, as one spiritual unit. When we take the sifrei-Torah out of the ark on Selichot to bring the white Torah covers to the fore, therefore, we enact a ritual with significance for ourselves as well as our sacred scrolls. 



As Elul begins this month, accordingly, we embark on a journey designed to quiet the chaos in our minds for the High Holy Days to come. This journey reaches a milestone with the changing of the mantles on Leil Selichot, which this year occurs on the evening of September 9th.  By changing from the everyday mantles to the vestments of purity and holiness, our sifrei-Torah lead the way for us, becoming, as our Selichot prayerbook says, “beacons of wisdom and light, reminders of the holiness we seek….” May our reflections during the month of Elul, which will bring us to Erev Rosh Hashana in the middle of September this year, prepare us for the High Holy Days to come and may our “elders,” our Torah scrolls, proud in their yontif clothes, show us the way! 

Bryn Biren

Felicia Otto

Are you aware that there is a little known Jewish holiday that begins on Tuesday, August 1st and ends on Wednesday, August 2? Tu B’Av is celebrated on the fifteenth of the Hebrew month of Av. It received the name because the Hebrew letters for “Tu” equal the number 15. It is a regular workday in Israel, but musical and dance festivals are also held. Before its modern interpretation, Tu B’Av could be traced back to the grape harvests as a day for matchmaking. It is a day to think of people who are important to you, a day to reflect on how to make them feel appreciated and to make them feel important.

The mention of this minor holiday is just a jumping off point to say that we are on the cusp of a new year at Temple Israel. The month of August is our time to relax, swim, vacation and let our hair down. By the end of the month we start to feel the excitement (and some pressure) of starting the new year. 

Our start of the new season at Temple Israel is one that we want to share with others. We want them to experience the celebration of the Jewish festivals throughout the year. We want them to get the feeling of love that they can receive from the Temple Israel family. This is true both in good times, and in stressful times. We are in an ongoing relationship with our congregants. It is an experience that we want to share.

Our very best publicity and marketing comes from each of you. Reach out to singles, young and “seasoned” adults whose lives would benefit from affiliating with our synagogue. Let young families know that we are ready to educate their children and provide enriching experiences for the entire family. 

I guess what we are saying is that we are ready to spread the love; we are hoping to make Tu B’Av more than a one day holiday. Here at Temple Israel we want to begin a lifetime relationship.

Bryn Biren

Co-President

Looking for ways to escape this summer's heat and poor air quality? The AC will be on and the sanctuary air will be filled with the glorious melodies of the High Holy Days as our senior choir begins rehearsals on Tuesday, August 15. New members are heartily welcomed! Keep Kool with the Gang, as we gather, shmooze, laugh and learn together. Oh, and sing!  

Rehearsals continue on the following Tuesdays: 8/15, 8/22, 8/29, 9/5, 9/12, 9/19, with an additional Sunday rehearsal on 9/10.  

I will be back on the bima for the 7 p.m. Family Service on September 1. Any young people who would like to learn something to sing for that service can come at 6:30 to have some pre-service fun! Begin your Labor Day weekend with the sweet sounds of Shabbat!  

On Monday, September 4 my daughter Miryam will be premiering her new solo dance/theater "Mirele Lernt Zich Yiddish" [Mirele learns Yiddish]. at the Cannonball Festival in Philadelphia. So now you know where I will be on Labor Day!  Find out more and (shameless plug!) support her work at:  https://gofund.me/e46f398b

I've just about reached my limit of exclamation points for this post. Have a peaceful summer and see you all very soon!  

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein 

SUMMER & FALL CHOIR SCHEDULE

Please note:

Senior Choir Rehearsals are moving to Tuesdays!

We start on August 15 and continue

August 15

August 22

August 29

September 5

(Sunday) September 10

September 12

September 19

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AUGUST 2023

TAMMUZ- AV 5783

For calendar updates please check the Temple website.

To print or download a copy of this calendar, click here.

MAZEL TOV TO:

 JANICE GROSS & DR. LARRY FLAUM  on the birth of their grandson, Charles Timothy La Salvia  and congratulations to parents Sheila and Tom La Salvia; 

TERRY & STEVE BAVER on their 50^th wedding anniversary.

CONDOLENCES TO:

SHARI STEIN-BALLOW AND FAMILY on the loss of her mother RUTH STEIN.

GET WELL WISHES TO:

JEFF GANZ recovering from a heart attack;

NINA ROHAN & LINDA BRILL recovering from cataract surgery; 

JUDY LEE recovering from retina surgery; 

GAYLE CHASON recovering from gallbladder surgery

THINKING OF YOU: 

DR. ALICIA BASKIN, JOE GAMORAN,

SILVIA GORNSTEIN.

August 5, 2023

Victor G. Bloom

John Garand Rowan *

Shirley Ann Hirsh *

Sylvia Marcus

Jacob Price *

Shimonov Mashiach

Yetta Weiss *

Lenore Herrmann

Jimmy Smith

Stella Blumin *

Jean Baruch *

Stanley Schuster

Augusta Straniere *

And we remember from the Holocaust: 

Hans Volz

Ismar Margoliner

Yakov Hampel

Armand Ducoront

Sarolta Schulz

 ___________________

August 12, 2023

Marion Cohen

Emanuel Trachman *

Lila Avis *

Celia Holtz *

Isadore Marks Dumont

Alter Pisetzner

Claire Eisen *

Rose Jaeger *

Irwin Magnus

Harriet Taylor

And we remember from the Holocaust: 

Hinda Stein

Georg Israel

Mina Melzer

Josef Dorflaufer

Esther-Shulamis Okrent

August 19, 2023

Lewis Dickar *

David Sostek"

Louis Friedburg

Cynthia Roiter

Gertrude Sappin *

Bella Bronzaft

Celia Holtz *

Fannie Feldhamer *

Solomon Jacob Gross *

Mina Dashman Katz *

Renee Nadel

And we remember from the Holocaust: 

Gaston Houynox

Julius Guggenheim

Siegfried Katzenstein

Klara Hirsch

Stanislawa Wojciechowska

__________________ 

August 26, 2023

Audrey Lasher *

Max Baskin

Royal Slamow *

Sidney Wolchok

Louis Henken

Joseph Silberberg

Bertram Bleiman

Emil Checchi

John David Muhlfelder *

Norman Sorkin

Eva Benjamin *

And we remember from the Holocaust: 

Jakob Seidel

Stanislaw Kosmala

Josef Borowich

Dovid Ofman

Jerzy Goszcz

5784 MEMORY BOOK

FOR

YOM KIPPUR YIZKOR SERVICE

September 25, 2023

The Ritual committee mailed out invitations in July to participate in the Yom Kippur Memory Book, where families can inscribe the names of departed loved ones. The book is published and distributed at the Yom Kippur Yizkor service.

If you did not receive the invitation, or misplaced it:

• If you did not participate last year, CLICK HERE to print the invitation shown below and mail it to Temple with your check. Please mark your envelope "attention: Memory Book." 
• If you did participate, please call the office to have a copy of last year's page e-mailed to you by the committee. Please provide your family name and e-mail, and allow a few days for a committee member to get back to you. 

Click on Flyer above to download or print.

The Advance Payment Program allows members to pay in advance for Friday night program ads. Members usually deposit $100 (or less in some cases) and when an ad is placed, $5 is deducted. When the balance gets low (usually to about $10) an e-mail is sent reminding the member that they should consider adding money to their account. 

You may, if you wish, pay in advance for Friday night program announcements. For more details contact the Temple office or contact Deanna Feder at dfeder19@aol.com to set up an account. 

MOST FLYERS CAN BE DOWNLOADED FOR PRINTING BY CLICKING DIRECTLY ON THE FLYER.

Hello Fellow Congregants,

This month you will be receiving your annual commitment membership paperwork in the mail. We appreciate your timely response as August and September are busy months with the High Holidays upcoming.

Please be sure to review your records to ensure that your Annual Commitment is up to date.  Also, please be reminded that the Temple’s Building Fund of $1100 per member is scheduled to be honored during the first four years of membership. If there were to be a ‘life-cycle event’ prior to that timeframe, it is required that the submission of the Building Fund be completed before that event takes place.

You are welcome to contact me directly at 347-631-9802 should you wish to discuss any matter regarding your annual commitment or satisfaction of your family’s Building Fund. 

Thank you for this opportunity and for your on-going support of Temple Israel.

Jacqueline Rabinowitz 

Financial Secretary

Please consider becoming a member of our

KAVOD SOCIETY.

It helps to make membership available to all our families. Speak to our Financial Secretary to upgrade your membership.

Sisterhood hopes that you and your family are enjoying the summer and staying as cool as possible.  

We had some very enjoyable and profitable activities last year, and we hope to provide many more events that are successful and enjoyable this coming year.  

Sisterhood’s first General Meeting will be September 10 for a Sisterhood Brotherhood Kick off. We strive to keep in mind Jewish values, and we want you to be part of a Jewish community that cares for one another. We hope to see you all there!

A beautiful and specially designed Community New Year’s Card has been designed by JD, a talented artist and Judy Lee’s child. The names of all participating congregants will be printed inside the card.  Be part of the Temple Israel family by wishing each other a warm and sweet New Year. Contact Silvia Gornstein (silviagornstein@hotmail.com).  See the flyer with  link below.

Sisterhood had been researching a cleaning service to deep clean the kitchen and we will be deciding soon which areas to prioritize. 

In addition, we have hired Angelica to replace Susan Cheek who has moved. Angelica will clean up after Friday night onegs, and she will begin Friday, September 1.  

Pamela Rogozin has arranged for Mah Jong at the Temple for Sisterhood members.  The sessions began in July (twice a month) and will continue in August.  In the fall, Mah Jong will be held once a month. 

This is the time to join or renew your membership in Temple Israel’s Sisterhood, which provides you with the opportunity to put your talents and gifts to use for many worthwhile causes.  Your membership enriches your life as well as that of the entire congregation.  And of course, you don’t want to miss our lovely paid-up membership brunch on December 3.  Contact Claire Guttsman (speechrose1@msn.com) or Sandy Feuerstein (bartenda23@aol.com). 

We would like to express our sincerest appreciation to all those who provided home-baked and store-bought goods for Friday night onegs in July.  Due to your efforts, last month’s onegs went very smoothly.  Thank you, Silvia Gornstein, Sam Gornstein, Barbara Fried, Sandy Mazzucco, Robin Hertzberg (fruit and milk), Blanche Ricci, Jane Adler, Nina Rohan, Anna Wu, Claire Guttsman, and Maxine Cohen. We hope we did not forget anyone. Please contact Terry Baver (terrygbaver@gmail.com) or Judy Lee (aninformedsource@aol.com) to sign up for August.

Blanche Ricci and Deanna Feder did a super job of taking orders for the sweet honeycombs and distributing them. Thank you!



For now, enjoy a pleasant and healthy summer with friends and family!

Pamela Carlton, Sue Freedman, Judy Lee, Anita Zuckerberg

Sisterhood Co-Presidents 

Brotherhood at Temple Israel continues….

We hope that your Summer is going well and you are enjoying yourselves with family and friends.  When we get together again, let’s share some of the special experiences that we had and places that were visited.  

Looking ahead, we just want to remind you that all the activities in which we engage are designed to support the efforts of Temple Israel’s congregants, adults and children alike.  Please be sure to mark your calendars for our joint kick-off breakfast meeting with Sisterhood on Sunday, September 10^th.  Following this event, we will participate in the annual cleaning of the stream in preparation for the Tashlich service that follows the Rosh Hashanah morning service.  Later in the month we will be meeting on Tuesday afternoon/evening, September 26^th, to assist in the construction of our Sukkah in preparation for our Sukkot service and activities.  Other future activities include our ice cream Oneg in honor of Simchat Torah, a Chanukah party for our school children, and a Purim carnival.

We would also like to arrange a Brotherhood dinner during the last week of August; date to be determined and emailed to you so you can indicate your participation.

We wish you a continued safe and healthy Summer.  Please feel free to contact us with your ideas for activities that would be of interest to our members.  Please stay well.

Alan Siegel and Bob Zuckerberg



Please check back with us next month for updates.

Sandy Mazzucco

Claire Guttsman

Join the Building Bridges Coalition of Staten Island and Rabbi Howald on Sunday, August 27^th from 2:30-5:30pm, for an interfaith walk involving three houses of faith.

We will meet at Temple Israel at 2;30 pm. From there, we will walk to Our Lady of Good Counsel just down Forest Avenue. Finally, the walk will culminate at the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center at 307 Victory Blvd, just a few blocks from Our Lady of Good Counsel.



Each stop will include a short presentation about the history and significance of each place of worship. Please join local faith leaders and their congregations in this meaningful show of solidarity and peace.

This month we sadly said goodbye to a long-time member of our congregation Ruth Stein.  She is mourned by a congregation who remembers her as a vital active member who was one of the more creative women, knitting blankets for hospital patients, helping to feed the needy, working hard, and taking care of her children as a single mother.  She leaves behind at Temple Israel, her daughter Shari Stein-Ballow, Son-in-Law Larry Ballow, her Granddaughters Fanya and Jillian and her Great-Grandson Jordan.  May the family of Ruth Stein find comfort among the mourners in Zion and Jerusalem and may her memory be a blessing.

Pamela L. Rogozin

Caring Community Chair

The mission of the Dr. Ronald Avis Foundation for Temple Israel Reform Congregation is:

…. to provide financial support for young families seeking membership in Temple Israel, and to attract new young families by providing learning opportunities, family programming, and social justice initiatives.

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

We are looking forward to the beginning  of our Religious school which is going to begin Sunday, September 10th. And also looking forward to our religious holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper. In the September EShalom we will begin to send information for the year’s events for our families and children. If you have any interests or ideas, please reach out to us.

A reminder: we are having a “get together” for the moms on August 15th. We will reach out as the time gets closer and let you know where we will be. 

Please consider joining Sisterhood/Brotherhood. It is very meaningful that temple members are sisterhood/brotherhood members!!

We hope you all continue to find ways to volunteer for our community. We are hoping you all consider joining a temple committee. Keep your eyes open as things come up where volunteers are needed. And also, if you have your own ideas about things you would like the children to be involved with, join the School committee! 

Continue to enjoy the summer! Reach out to Bryn or Terry with any questions!

Sincerely,

Bryn Biren and Terry Baver

Looking forward to a New Year—

Book discussions will be held the third Thursday of October, December. February, April, and June.

We will begin in October with “Madam, The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age”. By Debby Applegate.

This story of a rather “infamous” lady will be an eye opener.

Let us know if you have any book suggestions for the following months.

The programs that follow will be happily presented as a joint effort between the Adult Learning Committee and the Avis Foundation—

Alina Shteynberg will present “Cooking for the Holidays”Wednesdays, September 13 and 20, 7:30 PM, on ZOOM

Mark Meyer will continue his fascinating view of Art. Tuesdays, October, 10, 17, 24, 31, 7:30 PM, on ZOOM.

Quynh Nguyen will speak on “Nutrition and Aging”Tuesday, November 7, 7:30, on ZOOM.

Nilaja Troy, our office manager, will share some of what she has been studying, in a 3 part discussion of “Comparative Religion” Tuesday, December 19, “The Birth of Christianity “ Tuesday, January 2, “ Schism and Persecution” Tuesday, January 9, “Where Are We Now?” All at 7:30. (A decision will be made if the programs will be on Zoom and/or in person.)

Dr. Sherrie Baver, Ph.D. will talk about Jewish “Pirates of the

Caribbean”

Tuesday, January 30, 7:30, on Zoom.

A program on Jewish Diversity is under consideration. Do you want to learn about the variety of ritual in different branches of Judaism? Would those of you in our congregation whose Jewishness did not begin in America, like to talk to us? Would you like to hear about Judaism in parts of the world where you would not think it would exist? We are working on these ideas. Please share your thoughts with us.

Judith Pessah

Adult Learning Committee Chairperson

Please join the FUNdraising Committee for our Second Annual Games Extravaganza on Saturday October 28, 2023.

Doors open at 7:15pm, first game at 7:45pm.

Join us for a fun filled night, laughter guaranteed.

Enjoy some tasty snacks. Bring your own bottle (BYOB).

$20 per person prepaid (preferred)

$25 at the door.

Please see flyer below.

Questions Contact

Lissa: 917-846-5454

Rhonda: rhondata61@yahoo.com

Karen: Kefreygamoran@aol.com

Rhonda Trontz-Allen, Karen Frey-Gamoran, Lissa Winchel

Co-Chairs