April 2023 / Nisan - Iyar 5783

Rabbi's Message

by Rabbi David Komerofsky

Soon our people will gather around seder tables to retell the story of our escape from bondage. We will do the rituals and follow the steps of the Passover journey, following ancient customs and creating new ones. Each seder follows the same pattern and is distinctive because of who is around the table, and who is missing.

The seder is a home-based ritual because it belongs to all of us. We do not need to be experts to lead or to participate. Innovation is encouraged because, though the exodus story is ancient, our freedom is celebrated anew each year.

If you are looking for a haggadah or for some supplemental readings to include in your seder, please enjoy the links below:

AJWS (American Jewish World Service) Global Justice Haggadah

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Supplements

Barry Louis Polisar's Passover Haggadah: Telling the Story

A Variety of Downloadable Haggadot

This is the season of renewal and rejoicing, a chance to give thanks for the good weather and the blessings that are ours. We do the rituals to ensure that we never take our freedom and gifts for granted. Chag Pesach Sameach!

 Stepping Into Passover

by Julie Zorn

Spring has finally arrived, and as the daffodils bloom, the buds on the trees grow into a canopy of green. The Chadash students begin to learn how their parsley planted at Tu Bishvat will be used to help us tell the Passover story.

This year, Chadash will be “stepping into Passover” by stepping from station to station where parents and community volunteers will present each of the 15 steps of a Passover seder. From nerot or lighting the candles to maggid or the telling of the story of Moses leading the Exodus out of Egypt, the Chadash students will end with nirtzah or “next year in Jerusalem.” In our “Jerusalem” space, the students will watch the classic Passover favorite animated film, “The Prince of Egypt” as they wait for each of the classrooms to make their way through this hands on Passover experience.

Chadash is no stranger to seeking help from the parents of its students and other volunteers to tell the story of Passover. In past years, a Passover story walk was shared with the school as they walked through scenes of the story unfolding before their eyes portrayed by the students’ parents or other faces they recognized. Their eyes lit up as the children not only heard the story but as they also made connections to the Jewish community outside of our school.

Passover lends itself to experiential education, and this year, our hope is for the students to be immersed through each of the steps with all of their senses. They will hear the stories and the songs and taste the ritual foods from parsley and charoset to bitter herb and a Hillel sandwich. They will be touched by the efforts of their community and see how important this holiday is to the existence of Judaism today.



We hope the efforts of a community coming together to share our traditions and words from the Torah that ultimately led to our freedom, will expressively show the students of Chadash how special the Passover holiday truly is. A big heartfelt todah rabah to our beautiful community for their help, and a big heartfelt Chag Pesach Sameach to all.

Shabbat Services - April 2023

All services are in-person and streaming live via Temple Israel’s YouTube channel.

Watch our website and Temple Tidbits for updates and more information.

Saturday, April 1, 2023

10:00 a.m. - Stollen Moments Torah Study and Shabbat Service

Friday, April 7, 2023

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat (Kosher for Passover)

6:15 p.m. – Family Shabbat Service

Saturday, April 8, 2023

10:00 a.m. - NO Stollen Moments

Friday, April 14, 2023

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Including April Birthday and Anniversary Blessings

Saturday, April 15, 2023

10:00 a.m. – Stollen Moments Torah Study and Shabbat Service

Friday, April 21, 2023

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION GUEST SPEAKERS

Saturday, April 22, 2023

10:00 a.m. – Stollen Moments Torah Study and Shabbat Service

Friday, April 28, 2023

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Saturday, April 29, 2023

10:00 a.m. – Stollen Moments Torah Study and Shabbat Service

Social Action Committee

April 2023



We will be collecting items for GiGi’s Playhouse. This is a center that supports people with Down Syndrome and their families. It provides free life changing therapeutic, educational and career training to both children and adults. It is a non-profit that is solely funded by donations. Some of the needed items are as follows:

• Disposable utensils (forks, spoons)
• Bottled water
• Dish soap
• Paper towels
• Stamps
• Envelopes
• Copy paper (8.5” x 11”)
• 2-pocket folders
• Paper plates
• Gift cards - Mastercard, Visa, Amazon, Target, Staples, Office Max

Amazon Wish List Items:

• Kitchen Food Processor/Blender

• Sensory bubble tube

• Sensory wall panels

• Computer charging cart

• Accessible Door Opener

Brotherhood’s Reverse Raffle

On Saturday April 29 Brotherhood is holding their Reverse Raffle at Temple Israel. We are going back to a pre-Covid format. Drinks start at 6:00, dinner at 7:00 and the raffle begins at 8:00. Tickets are still just $100 for two steak dinners and the raffle. If you would like to buy a ticket and have not yet been contacted, please call Patti at the Temple office or Paul Hervey at 330-704-2935 for more information. Thank you in advance for your generous support

of Brotherhood.

Death & Dying Workshops

May 21, 2023 – 10:00 a.m. at Beit Ha’am

Jewish Theology and Practice with Rabbis David Komerofsky & John Spitzer

May 28, 2023 – 10:00 a.m. at Arnold Funeral Home on Market Ave.

Practicalities of the Jewish Funeral & Burial

June 4, 2023 – 10:00 a.m. at Beit Ha’am

Planning & Preparation

Register at www.templeisraelcanton.org/workshop/

TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2023 at 11:30 am

“OUT TO LUNCH BUNCH” – ALL ARE WELCOME!

THE DRAGONFLY TEA ROOM

215 Market St. W.

Canal Fulton, Ohio 44614

Join us for good food with great friends and time to stop at the chocolate factory after lunch.

The cost for van transportation is $12. Van riders will meet at Beit Ha’am at 10:50. Otherwise, meet us directly at the restaurant at 11:30 am.

Kindly RSVP to Debbie by Tuesday, April 11 at (330) 445-2412 or via email at [email protected]

MEN’S CLUB BREAKFAST AT BEIT HA’AM

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2023 at 9:30 am

GUESTS ARE WELCOME!

•  GUEST SPEAKER: RABBI DAVID KOMEROFSKY

•  TOPIC: ISRAEL AT 75 - WHEN THE DREAM BECOMES REAL

•  COST $5 – eggs, bagels & cream cheese, fruit, cookies, orange juice, and coffee

Kindly RSVP to Debbie by Monday, April 24 @ noon at

(330) 445-2412 or via email at [email protected]

ENDOWMENT FUNDS

Temple Israel has a variety of endowment funds that support our mission and vision. CLICK to see the full listing.



If you are interested in contributing to an existing endowment, simply CLICK here.

To establish a new endowment, contact [email protected] or [email protected]

Jewish Family Services list has changed and they are in need of the following:

• Toilet Paper
• Paper Towels
• Table Napkins
• Facial Tissue

Please feel free to drop off food at the office!

Welcome New Temple Members:

• Bobi, Christopher, Kherington, Elliott and Brit Berringer

Mazel Tov to:

• Margaret & Ernie Brubaker on the birth of their daughter Ada Elizabeth Brubaker

Condolences to:

• The family of Theodore Low of Providence, Rhode Island. He was the brother of Brenda Mann.

Temple Israel Endowments

Robert & Shelley Schweitzer Temple Youth Group Endowment

In Honor of

• Shelley Schweitzer, by Michael & Janice London, Shirley Lockshin & Family, Diane & Bill Blocker, Joyce & Jerry Ortman

Lockshin-Goldenfeld Religious School Endowment

In Memory of

• Inez Perone, by Shirley Lockshin & Family
• Sheila Lockshin, by Shirley Lockshin & Family

Rabbi John H. Spitzer Endowment for Social Justice

In Honor of

• Silhouette Project, by Robert & Abigail Noland, The Tyburski Family

Temple Israel Restricted Funds

Kiddush Fund

In Memory of

• Alison Bloch, by The Bloch Family (Sponsored Oneg)
• Pauline Adelman, by Celia & Bob Borack (Sponsored Oneg)
• Irving Manello, by Steve & Bonnie Manello
• Marty Feldstein, by Steve & Bonnie Manello
• Harold Greenberg, by Steve & Bonnie Manello

Fine Arts

In Memory of

• Edward M. Rothschild, by Dori Smith
• Alice R. Green, by Dori Smith



Mazon Fund - A Jewish Response to Hunger

In Honor of

• The birth of Margaret & Ernie Brubaker's daughter, Ada Elizabeth, by Eileen & Matt Saltarelli

In Memory of

• Melvin Fogel, by Jerry & Joyce Ortman
• Harry Smuckler, by Harlene Smuckler

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund

In Honor of

• Lynda Herbert's Retirement, by Eileen & Irv Dinn
• Temple Israel's participation in 2023 Faith Build, by Michael Abrams
• Rabbi David Komerofsky, by Thomas Mino

In Memory of

• Melvin Fogel, by Eileen & Irv Dinn, Shirley Lockshin & Family
• Howard Nielsen, by Steve & Denise Nielsen

Habitat For Humanity Donations

• Davina Schweitzer
• Rabbi John and Cheri Spitzer
• Eileen & Matt Saltarelli
• Mark & Cathy Atleson
• Denise & Steve Nielsen
• Shelley & Rob Schweitzer