November 2022 / Cheshvan - Kislev 5783

Rabbi's Message

by Rabbi David Komerofsky

Something extraordinary happened 45 years ago this month. On November 20, 1977 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressed the Israeli Knesset, preaching a message of peace. You can watch his speech below. It was an exemplary act of courage for this leader of the most powerful and populous Arab nation to come to Jerusalem and take meaningful steps toward a mutually-acceptable peace that has held to this day. Sadat paid for his bravery with his life, gunned down by assassins not even four years after this historic speech and the peace treaty that followed. Yet his legacy endures.

I share this with you because the work of finding common ground, acceptance, and hope between adversaries is never easy. We do not make peace with our friends, after all, but with our enemies. And the Jewish people face many enemies. We are seeing an alarming increase in antisemitic activity and a normalization of antisemitic rhetoric. We can afford neither to ignore it or to wish it away. We must confront it all and find allies wherever they may be.

Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin could not have been more different yet they were able somehow to look past their prejudices and build a better future for their people. So must we all confront the present dangers of hatred and bigotry head-on and engage in conversation not with the unreasonable and dangerous, but with the open-minded neutral parties on whom our future relies. We cannot address antisemitism by talking about it only with each other.

We have lulled ourselves into comfort and complacency for more than half a century, pretending that the world had learned its lessons about the dangers of antisemitism. Alas, the alarm is now blaring and we are called to address the present with the courage and pragmatism of Sadat. The status quo cannot last forever, and now is the time to ensure that what comes next is better than what we see today. We know from bitter experience how bad it can get.

Take Life by the Hand and Dance

By Chadash director, Julie Zorn

One of my greatest pleasures of being the Chadash director is seeing how dedicated the community is to educating its youth. I’ve very rarely (if ever) been told “no” when asking for funding for a special program to share with the students. There was a trip to see “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and the time when the Sunshine Candle company came to help us make candles for Chanukah. These were not programs I had budgeted for, but somehow, the community still made it happen just to ensure that Chadash students were given an enriching experience.

Each summer, I always anticipate a phone call from one of three ladies. Year after year, Linda Sklar, Mary Donna Rubin and Barb Spera spearhead a donor program for Shaaray Torah and Temple Israel sisterhoods that 100% benefits Chadash, and the phone call usually includes a conversation about “here’s what we’ve got for this year.”

When the phone call came this past summer, I was so excited to learn that this year, the donor program is intended to include Chadash students, and these amazing three women worked hard to bring a professional Israeli dance performer and teacher to our school.

On November 13^th, Israeli dancer and teacher, Stuart Myer, will come to Canton from Cleveland. He will spend time in the morning teaching Chadash students an Israeli dance, and when the donor program begins at 11:00 am that day, the students will perform their newly learned dances for the community with Mr. Myer’s help and direction. 

The tradition of Israeli folk dancing dates back to Israel being established and Jews of the Diaspora needing their own identity as citizens of a new homeland. Chadash, too, is a Diaspora of sorts combining its melting pot of Jewish observances, and it seems only apropos that an event that supports an honors the school should focus on a tradition that brings a community together.

I encourage the community to please attend and to cheer the Chadash students along as they come together to personify this year’s theme to “take life by the hand and dance.” A big Chadash thank you to Linda, Mary Donna and Barb, and another big thank you to the community for all you do to make these opportunities available. Todah Rabah!

Shabbat Services - November 2022

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.

Friday, November 4, 2022

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Family Shabbat Service

Saturday, November 5, 2022

10:00 a.m. - Stollen Moments

Friday November 11, 2022

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Including November Birthday and Anniversary Blessings

Saturday, November 12, 2022

10:00 a.m. - Stollen Moments

Friday, November 18, 2022

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service 

Saturday, November 19, 2022

10:00 a.m. - Stollen Moments

Friday, November 25, 2022

5:30 p.m. – Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. – Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Saturday, November 26, 2022

NO STOLLEN MOMENTS

Sun, Nov 20 | Church of the Western Reserve

Daveed & Nara

From New York City, tenor Daveed Buzaglo (Oberlin, B.M. 2016) and pianist Nara Avetisyan (CIM, M.M. 2017) perform a dramatic duo program not to be missed.

Time & Location

Nov 20, 4:00 PM

Church of the Western Reserve

30500 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44124, USA

About the Event

CWR Concert Series 22/23 Season

Alexandre Marr | Artistic Director

The Caring Community invites you to help with our

North Lawn Cemetery Clean-Up

Sunday, November 6 - 10:00 a.m.

CLICK TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Jewish Family Services Mitzvah Project

All of the families benefiting from this project live in our community. Please help them have a wonderful Hanukkah this year. You can pick a driedel in the lobby of Beit Ha’am with a special gift requests from November 10th through December 5^th.

·       Pick a driedel (Nov 10-Dec 4)

·       Purchase a gift(s)

·       Return gift(s) with dreidel attached in an unwrapped bag.

·       Please include gift receipts for all items.

·       Return gift(s) to Beit Ha’am December 5, 2022

Checks or cash maybe given in lieu of shopping for a gift. Please make checks payable to JFS Mitzvah Project. Send to 432 30^th St NW., Canton OH 44709 by December 5^th.

Volunteers are needed to help with gift wrapping. Please contact Leanne Lehn at (330) 445-2850 or llehn@jewishcanton.org

**Please make sure to attach dreidel and gift receipts to the gift(s) you purchased when you bring to Beit Ha’am**

Thank you for supporting this program.

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 treasurer@templeisraelcanton.org or president@templeisraelcanton.org

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

• Miracle Whip
• Hellman's
• Shampoo
• Liquid Dish Soap-Med size
• Laundry Detergent HE- Med Jug
• Men and Women's Body Wash

Please feel free to drop off food at the office!

Save the Date! 2022 Donor

L’Dor VaDor

Take Life By the Hand, and Dance

featuring Chadash students and Mr. Stuart Meyer

We hope you will join Shaaray Torah and Temple Israel Sisterhood on Sunday, November 13 for Donor 2022. Doors open at 11 am and the program starts at 11:15am.

The Temple's Sympathy is extended to the families of

• Harold Mostov
• Shirley Shorr
• Donald Friedman
• Lenore Love
• Carleton Kelch

Mazel Tov to:

• Dr. Michael (Terry) Barat and Therese Barat on the marriage of their son. Owen Barat and Jessica Brashear were married on October 8, 2022 in Hudson.
• Natan Sherwin and Batya Sherwin on becoming b'nai mitzvah.

Temple Israel Endowments

Narens Family Endowment

In Memory of

• Donald Friedman, by Jo-Anne & Ed Buxbaum

J. Edward and Janet S. Diamond Senior Enhancement

In Memory of

• Donald Friedman, by Ed & Janet Diamond

Temple Israel Restricted Funds

Mazon Fund - A Jewish Response to Hunger

In Memory of

• Donald Friedman, by Robert & Susan Narens, Paul & Marilyn Feldman, Ron & Adele Gelb, Matt & Eileen Saltarelli, Karen Olden, Jay & Marcia Berke, Steve & Ellen Miller
• Barbara & Aaron Saltzman, by Ron & Adele Gelb
• Lenore Love, by Bernice Friedman, Lingxia & David Friedman, Francine & Irv Korman

In Honor of

• Batya Sherwin's Bat Mitzvah, by Hannah Jolly
• Natan Sherwin's Bar Mitzvah, by Hannah Jolly

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund

In Memory of

• Sylvia "Sue" Robbins, by Herbert Winograd M.D.

In Honor of

• The High Holidays, by Sue Shafer
• Batya Sherwin's Bat Mitzvah, by Elizabeth, Rachel & Isabel Slesnick
• Natan Sherwin's Bar Mitzvah, by Elizabeth, Rachel & Isabel Slesnick

In Appreciation of

• Rabbi Komerofsky, by Karen Olden, Alan Mostov

Music Fund

In Memory of

• Myra G. Kahn, by Dori Smith

Rabbi Spitzer Endowment for Social Justice & Action

In Honor of

• Silhouette Project, by Vito & Debbie Sinopoli, Homer Nye & Rebecca Mong, Richard & Susan Ross
• Rabbi Spitzer, by Karen Olden