October 2025 | Tishrei-Cheshvan 5786

MESSAGES

Rabbi's Message

Cheshvan: Finding Holiness in the Quiet

by Rabbi David Komerofsky

The Jewish calendar moves in rhythms of intensity and rest, just like the week of busy-ness that culminates in the quiet of Shabbat. In a few weeks we will have just emerged from the High Holy Days, a season of prayer, introspection, community gatherings, and joyful festivals. Tishrei, the month of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, is a whirlwind of meaning and celebration.

And then comes Cheshvan, sometimes called Mar Cheshvan, “bitter Cheshvan,” because it contains no holidays or special observances. At first glance, the barrenness of Cheshvan can feel disappointing. After all, we live in a culture that celebrates being busy, and we often measure value by productivity. In comparison, Cheshvan seems empty, a month without purpose. But if we shift our perspective, Cheshvan becomes not a “bitter” month, but a gift: a reminder that holiness is found not only in action, but also in quiet, in rest, and in the pause between the notes.

Think of music. A song without rests would be noise, not melody. The silence within the music is what allows us to hear its beauty. The same is true in our spiritual lives. The prayers, rituals, and holidays of Tishrei touch us deeply, but it is in Cheshvan that their meaning can settle into our hearts. Without this time of stillness, we would carry the inspiration of the High Holy Days like water cupped in our hands, overflowing but quickly gone. With Cheshvan, we are invited to let the waters soak in, to nourish us for the seasons ahead.

Cheshvan also reminds us of the wisdom of balance. The Torah describes creation as a series of acts: “God said, let there be light… and it was so.” But it also tells us that on the seventh day God rested. Rest was not an afterthought but an essential part of creation. Just as Shabbat punctuates our weeks, Cheshvan punctuates our year. It gives us a reason and reminder to slow down, to listen more than we speak, to breathe more than we strive.

In our noisy and busy world, this is a radical lesson. We are surrounded by constant notifications (oy do those phones that "ding" with each message annoy me), headlines, and demands for our attention. We hurry from one commitment to the next, often without space to reflect on why we do what we do. Cheshvan calls us to choose differently. To honor the quiet. To notice the simple joys of autumn leaves, cooler nights, and shared meals. To reflect on the promises we made during the High Holy Days and take small, steady steps toward fulfilling them.

Perhaps Cheshvan is not bitter after all. Perhaps it is sweet with the gift of space, space to be, to listen, and to discover God not only in the grandeur of festivals, but in the gentle stillness of ordinary days. Embrace this quiet month, and let it renew you for the year ahead.

SHABBAT

Worship Services - October 2025

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, October 3, 2025

5:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. Kid-dish Shabbat Service

Led by Rabbi David Komerofsky and Suzanne Stieglitz

Saturday, October 4, 2025

10:00 a.m. Stollen Moments Torah Study

Deuteronomy 32:40-52

Friday, October 10, 2025

5:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. Shabbat Service – Shabbat Sukkot

Led by Rabbi David Komerofsky and Suzanne Stieglitz

With monthly birthday and anniversary blessings

Saturday, October 11, 2025

10:00 a.m. Stollen Moments Torah Study

Exodus 34:1-15

Friday, October 17, 2025

5:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. Shabbat Service – Simchat Torah

Led by Rabbi David Komerofsky and Suzanne Stieglitz

Torah Reading (Genesis 3:1-21)

Saturday, October 18, 2025

10:00 a.m. Stollen Moments Torah Study

Genesis 5:25-6:8

Friday, October 24, 2025

5:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. Shabbat Service

Led by Rabbi David Komerofsky and Suzanne Stieglitz

Saturday, October 25, 2025

10:00 a.m. Stollen Moments Torah Study

Genesis 9:18-10:32

Friday, October 31, 2025

5:30 p.m. Oneg Shabbat

6:15 p.m. Shabbat Service

Led by Rabbi David Komerofsky and Suzanne Stieglitz

Bat Mitzvah of Sadie Whitehill

Saturday, November 1, 2025

No Stollen Moments Torah Study

Bat Mitzvah of Sadie Whitehill

Families with Little Kids

If your child needs a break during the service, please step into the library, where the service is being livestreamed. There are Shabbat toys and children’s books, and you can enjoy the Oneg Shabbat snacks while the kids become accustomed to watching the service. Please feel free to return to the large prayer space for motzi and the closing song.

We’re glad to have kids of all ages here for Shabbat, and want to ensure a meaningful and appropriate experience for everyone.

Our first Friday monthly Kid-dish Shabbat is specifically kid-friendly.

BAT MITZVAH

Sadie Whitehill, the daughter of David and Jessica Whitehill, is a seventh-grade student at North Canton Middle School. She was on the NCMS Honor Roll all four quarters as a sixth-grader. Sadie is a member of the NCMS speech and debate team, and was a semifinalist at the 2025 Middle School State Speech and Debate Championships in the Original Oratory category. She has performed in more than 10 musicals, including lead roles in “Shrek Jr.” (Fiona) and “Frozen Jr.” (Anna). Sadie was most recently seen onstage in a Rubber City Theatre-University of Akron production of “Aristocats KIDS” as Abigail Gabble. She has attended Camp Louise, a month-long Jewish girls camp in Cascade, Md., for the past four summers. Sadie is also a member of the Canton City Swim Club and has participated in Girls on the Run.

Sadie was born in Bangor, Maine, and lived in Asheville, N.C., before moving to Ohio. She loves to read, travel and attend musicals – especially Broadway shows and any theater production at which she can support her friends in the cast.

In sixth grade, Sadie received a Character Counts grant from the North Canton Rotary for her Snail Mail greeting card initiative, which she started during COVID as a way to lift the spirits of those in need. For her bat mitzvah project, Sadie will continue Snail Mail to raise funds for HIAS, a Jewish American nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees.

CHADASH

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Temple Israel is looking for people to assist with preparation and set-ups for programming at the building.

If you have some time and interest, we'd appreciate your help. Tell us about yourself and we'll assemble our inaugural Nosh Squad.

ADULT EDUCATION

SOCIAL ACTION

Please support Thanksgiving Baskets Canton, a faith-based collaboration of which Temple Israel is a member. This project distributes turkeys and grocery vouchers to approximately 1,000 families in Stark County every year.

Make a gift and learn more at www.thanksgivingbasketscanton.org. 

HIGH HOLY DAYS

Wednesday, Oct. 1 – Yom Kippur

8:00 p.m. Kol Nidre Service

Sermon: “Beneath the Surface: The Unspoken Bonds of Belonging”

​Thursday, Oct. 2 – Yom Kippur

9:00 a.m. Family Service

10:00 a.m. Morning Service

Sermon: “Gifts of the Heart”

1:00 p.m. Discussion Panel

"Choosing Judaism: A Discussion About Jewish Identity"

with Raza Fayyaz, Adir Koppel, and Colleen Moyer

3:00 p.m. Afternoon Service

Sermon: “Bonds Beyond Words”

4:30 p.m. Yizkor (Memorial) Service

Sermon: “Leaning Into Our Mortality”

5:30 p.m. Neilah (Concluding) Service

​Sunday, Oct. 5

2:00 p.m. Building the Sukkah with Habitat for Humanity and Faith Build Partners

Friday, Oct. 10

6:15 p.m. Shabbat Sukkot Service

Friday, Oct. 17

6:15 p.m. Simchat Torah Shabbat Service

See the full schedule at www.templeisraelcanton.org/HHD.

LET US KNOW

Please let us know if you think we have a wrong e-mail for you or if your e-mail has changed recently. It is very important for Temple Israel to keep our records updated. Call Debbie at the Temple Israel office at 330-455-5197 to verify or change your information.

YAHRZEITS

OUR TEMPLE FAMILY

Welcome New Member:

• Sarah Kearns

The Temple's sympathy is extended to the family of:

• Rochelle Adelman, sister of Celia Borack
• Marvin Fenyves, brother of Faith Barnett
• Susan Leitz Cahn, sister of Barbara Rosenstock
• Ronald Wilkof, husband of Ruthanne Wilkof

Mazel Tov to the family of:

• Debbie & Michael Spetich on the marriage of their daughter Melissa Spetich to Michael Sommers. The couple resides in Dublin, Ohio.

CONTRIBUTIONS

Contributions

Temple Israel Endowment

Lockshin-Goldenfeld Religious School Endowment

In Memory of

• Ida Goldenfeld, by Shirley Lockshin & Family

Robert & Shelley Schweitzer Temple Youth Group Endowment

In Memory of

• Rochelle Adelman, by Alberta & Bob Schneider

Bilha Ron Religious School Fund

In Honor of

• Bilha Ron's 95th Birthday, by Harlene Smuckler

Hunger Relief Fund

In Honor of

• Paulette Karelitz's new Granddaughter, Molly, by Harlene Smuckler
• Emsley Taylor's Bat Mitzvah, by Hannah Jolly

In Memory of

• Leah Olden, by Karen Olden
• Rochelle Adelman, by Rita Applebaum & Family
• Robert Shiffman, by Harlene Smuckler
• Susan Leitz, by Marilyn & Paul Feldman
• Ida Mae Pullan, by Harlene Smuckler

Kiddush Fund

In Memory of

• Hilda Manello, by Steve & Bonnie Manello
• Rochelle Adelman, by Diane Friedman
• Fred Goldstein, by Ellie Rapport
• Edith Drebin, by Rabbi John & Cheri Spitzer

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund

In Appreciation of

• Rabbi David Komerofsky, by Mandy Smart, Debbie & Michael Spetich, Celia & Robert Borack, Dr. David & Linda Inwood

Temple Israel Mission & Vision Fund

In Appreciation of

• Rabbi David Komerofsky, by Vivian Rosengard
• High Holy Days at Temple Israel, by Inez Waddell

In Memory of

• Rochelle Adelman, by Kathy & Shelly Arkow, Suzanne Glaser, Marc & Amy Schneider, David Jay
• Ruth Rubenstein, by Debbie & Vito Sinopoli

Temple Israel

432 - 30th Street NW

Canton, OH 44709

Phone: 330-455-5197

Fax: 330-453-0133

The staff’s direct phone numbers are listed below their email addresses

Rabbi David Komerofsky

rabbi@templeisraelcanton.org

330-445-2406

Rabbi Emeritus John H. Spitzer

john.h.spitzer@gmail.com

Debbie Spetich, Temple Office

office@templeisraelcanton.org

330-445-2852

Bobi Berringer, Chadash Coordinator

chadash@templeisraelcanton.org

330-445-2853

Temple President - Barbara Spera

barb420@aol.com