1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Ha K esher
The Communication
Newsletter of Congregation Dor Hadash
OCTOBER 2012 - 15 Tishri - 15 Heshvan 5773
In This Issue
A COMMON QUESTION
Rabbis Message
1
Gesher School
3
B’nai Mitzvah Divrei Torah
3–6
Dor Hadash Happenings
7–8
Donations
9
Life Cycle
10-11
Calendar
12
Souplantation Flyer
13
THANKSGIVING DAY
WALK/RUN FOR THE HUNGRY
Please join us again for the Annual 5K Walk
(you can also run if you prefer) on
Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 8:15 am
starting this year at Horton Plaza. This is a
great way to work up an appetite for the
Thanksgiving feast ahead, perform a very
needed mitzvah to the needy in our community,
and have a fun time with other Dor Hadash
friends and relatives. You should be finished by
9:30 am (how long does it take to walk 3.1
miles?).
Please click below to register for Team
Congregation Dor Hadash. Don't forget to mark
your t-shirt size. Then email Ros Goldstein,
goldsiegel@gmailcom to let the committee know
you will be joining us, so we can walk together.
https://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?
event_id=2049341&action=ct
NOVEMEBER 2012
In the course of my rabbinate, I have often been
approached with the following phrase, “Rabbi, I have a
question to ask you…” It is a favorite moment in my
work—the opportunity to discuss, teach, and learn from
a student or congregant. There is, however, a particular
question that has surfaced more than once, spoken
hesitantly and awkwardly. The question is not about
theology or philosophy, Jewish history or prayer—the question is,
“Rabbi, how come you don’t wear a kippah?” So I decided I would
answer it for everyone in these pages—even if you haven’t ever asked me
the question.
I did not come to my decision not to wear any kind of head covering
overnight—when I was in rabbinical school I experimented a great deal,
and not just with the idea of wearing it and when, but the style of it.
First, I wore the Bucharan kippah, which is like a hat—but it was
uncomfortable and too small for my head. Then I started wearing suede
kippot, the ones I picked up at friends’ weddings. Then an Orthodox
colleague remarked that wearing a black suede kippah was in the style of
the modern Orthodox. Interesting, I thought. Then I sought out the
kippah serugah (the knitted kippah). A friend made me a beautiful red one
that I subsequently lost. When I went to Israel I bought several kippot
with intricate designs. They too eventually lost their charm. Then for my
ordination a friend bought me a lovely hand-made kippah made
especially for women, knitted with a cream colored silk cord. I wore it for
a while, but it too now sits in a drawer.
All along I kept thinking it was about the style of the head covering
instead of realizing it had something to do with covering, the kippah,
itself. So I stopped wearing one altogether, and here are some of the
reasons why. First of all it is important to know that mitzvot in general fall
into two categories—those commanded in the Torah, d’oraita, and those
commanded by the rabbis, d’rabbanan. An example of the first category is
the mitzvah to “wear a fringed garment;” an example of the second kind
is the wearing of a head covering. It is not that one category is more
important than the other per se, but those mitzvoth d’oraita (from the Torah)
carry more weight. Although as a Reconstructionist, I value the evolving
change in Jewish tradition and custom, I also consider each level of
“advancement” in rendering my decisions on Jewish religious practice.
So even though the wearing of a head covering is not actually a mitzvah
at all, but rather a custom that has evolved over time, the historic
practices of this custom are important to me even if I make choices that
others do not.
Continued on page 2
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NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
Simcha at Dor Hadash
With great pride and joy we invite you to share a special
moment in our lives when our son Samuel
will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.
Friday, November 2, 2012, 7 pm, refreshments to follow
Saturday, November 3, 2012, 10 am, lunch to follow
Samuel will read from Genesis and 2 Kings.
Betsy and Steven Chessler
Kindly RSVP for lunch to: chesslers@earthlink.net
Please join us for this ‫ שִׂמְחָה‬simcha (joyful occasion).
Rabbi’s Column from page 1
The talmudic and medieval halachic texts that address
the question of kisui rosh, head coverings, do so regarding
men only. The rationale include issues of dressing
modestly, covering one’s head in prayer because of the
nearness of the shechinah (indwelling presence of God)
(BT Kiddushin 29b), and as a sign of piety. There are no
traditional texts regarding women and head coverings
except in a general sense, that women should not come
before the congregation (i.e. come to the Torah for an
aliyah) because of kevod tzibur—loosely translated as
“respect for the congregation,” and one could suggest
that a head covering falls in this category (although no
text is explicit on that question). In addition, as the
practice has evolved, observant women have
traditionally been expected to cover their heads
entirely, not just with a kippah, as a sign of modesty
after they are married.
While I appreciate the custom of covering one’s head
as a sign of respect for the presence of God and as a
symbol of “Jewishness,” I am more inclined to wear only
a tallit during prayer because the custom is instructed to
“the Israelite people” (Num. 15:38), not to men alone.
The instruction is to look upon the fringes and be aware
of our task in the world to pursue holiness and not yield
to our own impulses that at times might lead us astray.
This is an important ritual to me, one that I resonate
NOVEMEBER 2012
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
with when I hold the tzitzit (fringes) in my hand. There is
no such ritual for me with a kippah, and either I forget
entirely that I have it on, or it becomes uncomfortable,
and the meaning behind wearing it is lost.
There is also a non-traditional rationale for my not
wearing a kippah. To me, the kippah is a universal symbol
of male Judaism. As a woman and a feminist, I am
acutely aware both of how women are different from
men and where we share values and expressions of our
commitment to Judaism and spirituality. For many
women, the wearing of the tallit is the practice that feels
masculine; for me, it is the kippah. This is one of those
things that feels inherently male to me and I have not
been able to shake the feeling. I believe that women’s
spirituality is different from men’s in
certain spheres, and so I also believe that
the outward expression of that
spirituality (in ritual garb) can be different as well.
You may be saying to yourself, ”Well rabbi, that’s all
well and good for you, but you are a congregational
rabbi, you are a role model to our youth—especially the
girls—how can we instill ritual practice if our own rabbi
doesn’t feel compelled by it?” You are right to ask such a
question, and you are right to expect consistency. This is
one of those areas where I struggle with my own
personal spiritual practice and the expectations of my
position. While I do not wear a kippah, I certainly
understand the complexity of not doing so. At CDH
both men and women are encouraged to wear a kippah
though it is not required. Men and women are
encouraged to wear a tallit and kippah during services,
and when our children become bnai mitzvah, they are
expected to wear a kippah and tallit, and I believe these
invitations to be consistent with a Reconstructionist
approach. Reconstructionist Judaism has always
advocated for experimenting with traditional practices
and infusing them with new meaning.
When I see adult Jewish men without a kippah in
services, I admit that my own traditional expectations
are frustrated since I am so accustomed to men wearing
a kippah in a ritual context, even for non-Jews out of
respect when they visit a synagogue. I am comfortable
with my own practice, and I encourage you to examine
this question for yourself. What does ritual garb mean to
you? Does it enhance your religious experience and
help make them feel different from your ordinary
behavior? Why or why not? As always, I am interested
in hearing your thoughts.
- Rabbi Yael Ridberg
PAGE 2
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
FROM THE GESHER
SCHOOL
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Betsy Schneider
November at Gesher School means the High Holy
Days are over, students and teachers are settled into
the school year, Parent Child classes and class-led
Shabbatot have begun, and families are enjoying
Sunday morning Kehillah (community) Gatherings
each week at 9:00 am. which focus on belonging for
students, madrichim and parents.
Mazal Tov to Samuel Chessler and his family on
becoming a Bar Mitzvah on November 2–3, 2012.
The Gesher School teachers are so proud of your
accomplishments!
Everyone is invited!
Highlights at Gesher School in November
include:
✦Sunday,
11/4 at 9:30 Education Committee
Meeting
✦Sunday,
11/4 at 11:00 Rabbi's Cafe 18 Words to
Change Your Life
✦Sunday,
11/4 at 9:30 Rabbi Yael leads Teen Ed
✦Friday,
11/16 at 6:30 Shabbat B'Yachad led by the
Daled Havurah
✦No
Gesher School on Sundays 11/11, 11/18,
11/25
✦No
Tuesday class on 11/20
SAVE THE DATE for a Dor Hadash bus trip
to the Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration
on April 21st. Mark your calendar now!
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
D’var Torah by Becca Jensen
October 5–6, 2012
The Jewish Calendar and Jewish Time
Jews have their own time.
Usually 15 minutes late! The Jewish
calendar serves as a sort of map for
traveling through time. The
calendar, or festival cycle, has its
origin in the Torah and has
continued to develop and change
through the years. Our festivals aren’t random
moments, but important events that come from
many sources, such as nature and its seasons, myths,
religious traditions, folk customs, and historical
events in the life of the people. While I was studying
about the Jewish calendar for my Dvar Torah, I began
to understand why certain holidays were at certain
times of the year and why we have them at all.
The Torah reading tomorrow, specially chosen
for the intermediate Shabbat of Sukkot, highlights the
emerging Jewish calendar. After the division of the
promised land and the succession of Moses were
decided, the Torah set out to establish the religious
calendar. The Israelites’ first duty after settling in
their land was to institute the proper lines of
communion with God through the sacrificial system.
The specific holidays which were mentioned in this
reading were Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shavuot, and Pesach.
The holiday cycle reminds us of nature and its
order and the history of the Jewish people. The
festivals bring us into contact with great human
themes such as food and shelter, birth, growth, and
death, freedom and responsibility, and both the
physical and spiritual worlds. Any one holiday can
mean different things to different people. Holidays in
general provide meaning and continuity to our lives
as we celebrate them each year.
The Jewish calendar presents us with two ideas of
time: historical and cyclical. Historical time is
created by humans and found in clocks and calendars and is set by the sun. Cyclical time is circular
and consists of recurring patterns. It is established by
nature and found in the four seasons. It is set by the
moon with its phases. The Jewish calendar is basically cyclical in its dependence on the moon, but is
adjusted regularly to keep the festivals in the proper
seasons.
Continued on page 4
NOVEMEBER 2012
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VOLUME 29, NO. 3
Continued from page 3
Our calendar celebrates agricultural events which occur every year with nature’s cycle and also commemorates
great historical events such as the Exodus from Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. Together history and
cycles in the calendar help us mark the passage of our own time as well as experience the timelessness of great Jewish
themes and ideas, such as liberation and redemption.
Since I was little, Pesach has always been a memorable celebration in my family. We usually get together with
cousins, aunts, and uncles in the Los Angeles area, rotating who will host the seder. My grandma loved Pesach, and she
put together her own Hagaddah, which had some typos in it, and one of the things we do as a result of those typos, is
“kipping” our vegetables twice instead of “dipping” our vegetables twice. I also remember one time with cousins in
Florida, where the power went out just as we were talking about the plague of darkness. And usually, when we go to
open the door for Elijah, some latecomer shows up at the door, just at that moment.
The Torah also teaches us about another kind of time, which is sacred time. We sanctify time by putting aside our
daily occupations and designating Shabbat and certain holidays as sacred. Judaism is unique in its designation of “time”
as sacred or holy. On Shabbat, as well as on the major Jewish holidays, we set aside time to stop dealing with the
demands of the physical world, and allow ourselves to focus on holiness and spirituality.
I understand sacred time as special time set aside from things you usually do, like go to school or work. I like
having more time to spend with friends with whom I don’t have classes, and I like not having to get up so early and
rush out of the house. On Shabbat we usually light candles and say the blessings over the candles and wine, which
makes dinner just a little more special. The description of sacred time for the Israelites is an element of the Torah
reading for this Shabbat.
This week’s Torah readings, Exodus 33, verse 12, to Exodus 34, verse 26, and Numbers 29, verses 17 through 22,
speak about Moses’ dialogue with God during the time he was up on Mount Sinai. The text
outlines the establishment of the Jewish calendar, in addition to God’s renewal of the
covenant with the Jewish people and the giving of the ten commandments.
As I said earlier, the holidays mentioned in these portions are Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach,
and Shavuot. These are all major holidays, but only Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot are designated
as pilgrimage holidays. These three holidays celebrate both agricultural cycles and historical
events in the history of the Jewish people. In biblical times, they were set aside for people to
travel to the ancient Temple in Jerusalem and bring offerings to be sacrificed. Only men
were required or allowed to bring sacrifices, as women did not have the same status as men did. As you can see here
today, women’s status has changed a lot.
Sukkot commemorates the wandering of the Jews in the desert for forty years. It also celebrates the late harvest in
autumn, during which time the Jews lived in sukkot, or booths near the fields. You will see our sukkah outside the
synagogue today, and we have also put one up on our patio at home. The custom during the holiday is to “dwell” in
the sukkah, a symbol of the fragility of the world and our dependence on it.
Pesach celebrates the Exodus from Egypt, the deliverance from slavery into freedom. It also marks the beginning of
the new planting season in the spring.
In biblical days, Shavuot was an agricultural celebration of the late spring harvest. Today it also commemorates the
giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
In biblical days, these holidays were opportunities for renewing commitment to the covenant with God,
strengthening the Jews’ identity as a nation, and strengthening the Jews’ connection to Jerusalem and the temple. For
all of these reasons, these holidays were community building experiences.Today I think holidays serve the same
purpose, as we spend time with friends at the synagogue and our families and as we celebrate and build memories
together. On Jewish holidays, I most enjoy spending time with my family, eating special foods, and singing special
songs. These celebrations are truly sacred time, and they mean so much to me.
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NOVEMEBER 2012
Continued on page 5
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VOLUME 29, NO. 3
Continued from page 4
Becoming Bat Mitzvah has made me more aware of the Jewish calendar and sacred observances, as I attended many
Shabbat services with my classmates and came to many holiday celebrations at Dor Hadash with my family. Now that I
am counted in our community as an adult, these holidays mean that I can participate more fully in all of the rituals
involved, and that someday I will be responsible for planning and helping coordinate some of these celebrations too, for
my community and my family. Holiday celebrations add beauty and a sense of community and continuity to my life as I
celebrate them every year.
I now understand the need for sacred time to be about time specially dedicated for a certain purpose, which can be
celebration, mourning, study, or rest. Sacred time also gives us a framework in which to celebrate our heritage and
appreciate the blessings we have in life.
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D’var Torah by Ezra Bisom Rapp
October 12–13, 2012
Parashat Bereshit
Parsahat Bereishit, the portion from the Torah that we read this Shabbat, is the first portion in the
entire Torah. It contains the mythic creation story of how the world came to be. Yes, the same
story that we’ve all heard some time or another. But, after reading the portion many times, I
realize that the story is a lot different from the picture-book version that was first read to me in
the Gan-Gannon preschool class here at Dor Hadash.
When I was in preschool, we learned the story of how the earth was created, how in seven
days God created day and night, the earth, skies, and the seas, the plants and trees, the sun,
moon, and stars, water creatures and birds, and finally mammals, land creatures, and Adam and
Eve. My memories of that story focus on how perfect the Garden of Eden was, and how I
couldn’t imagine what the snake looked like before it was forced to slither on its belly as punishment for feeding Eve
the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
There is also so much more to this story than what I remember from the picture-book version. By reading the text
from beginning to end, I found that creation began out of nothing and then there was great diversity. I learned that
Eve’s “disobedience” to God by eating the fruit opened the doors of chaos and led to the expulsion out of Eden and
eventually to the first murder of Abel by Cain. These elements may obviously be too challenging for the average sixyear-old to handle.
Looking at the portion led me to wonder why God wanted to restrict Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of
knowledge of good and evil. It really didn’t make sense to me because I was raised to think that the more knowledge
you have, the better. So why is the access to the knowledge to determine right from wrong being denied? There are
many explanations to this question. First, I thought that it might have been just a literary device used by the authors of
the Torah to advance the plot. However, that is unlikely because these stories usually have a moral to them. In other
words, these stories are supposed to be teaching us something. Then I thought that it might have been God wanting to
test human beings to see if they can follow an order; in this case, not eating the fruit from the tree. Then, because they
disobeyed, they commit the “first sin” and then are punished by being sent out of the garden. But that doesn’t make
sense because God’s order not to eat the fruit is so enticing that they were bound to break it. It seems clear that the
temptation to eat from the tree of knowledge was so great that Adam and Eve could not obey God’s command. Why
did God set them up like that?
Continued on page 6
NOVEMEBER 2012
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VOLUME 29, NO. 3
Continued from page 5
At the beginning of the summer, when I first told my brother Skylar what my D’var Torah was going to be about, he told
me about a group of people, the Gnostics, who actually believed that the serpent was the protagonist in the story. It was
the snake who introduced Adam and Eve to free will and the authority to do what they desired. They didn’t view the
serpent as a tricky mischievous evil-doer, but rather as a liberator who brought Adam and Eve to awareness by convincing
them to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If they did not eat the fruit, they would not acquire knowledge
and be able to fend for themselves. The Gnostics believe that this act of eating the fruit was the development of moral
sense in humans, and the rise of humanity as beings that possess free will and are able make decisions on their own.
By eating from the tree of knowledge, Eve taught us about desire and the need to understand the world. But when do
we know when acquiring knowledge and questioning authority will lead to a positive end? And how do we know when to
obey? In my opinion, if you have certain yuck feelings in your gut, you should think twice before listening to an order. You
can also ask people you trust if you are in doubt.
People you trust can also help you understand a Torah portion! I struggled to understand the meaning of this portion,
and I think I took the story too literally. I had to get beyond the picture-book idea of creation. So, I talked to people I
trust. I communicated with my brother Skylar, my mom, Rabbi Yael Ridberg, and my teacher, Holly Baumann. Holly
gave me a key to understanding the story in a way I am comfortable with, and Rabbi Yael helped me think about applying
it to my life.
Holly helped me understand that the “Adam and Eve Creation Story” may be a metaphor about growing up. As
infants, all our needs are met by our parents, just as God took care of everything for Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden. As we grow up, we start wanting to make our own decisions, and we occasionally break our parents’ rules. Eve
decided that she wanted the knowledge of good and evil, so she broke God’s only rule. In breaking the rule and acquiring
the knowledge, Adam and Eve became adults. They had to leave the Garden, but they were prepared to do so, just as
children are when they leave their parents’ homes to go to college.
This Torah portion is important to me in many ways. First of all, thinking over this dilemma about the fruit from the
tree of knowledge has got me thinking about knowledge, how and when we acquire it, and what our responsibility is when
we have it. When God found out that Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they blamed it on the
serpent, and did not understand that disobeying God and blaming someone else was wrong.
In a similar way, as Rabbi Yael helped me understand, before becoming a Bar Mitzvah, I
wouldn’t always take responsibility for my actions. I would often rely on others to remind me
of things that needed to get done, such as writing thank you notes and get well cards. Now
that I have become a Bar Mitzvah, I realize that I need to take responsibility for these tasks and
do them without being asked. For example, when a friend from band was recently
hospitalized, I got together with friends and put together “get well videos” to lift her spirits.
My parents didn’t tell me to do this; I did it on my own. Realizing my own responsibilities is
also a part of transforming from a child to a member of the adult community. When Adam and Eve left the garden, they
were definitely aware, like never before, of what they needed to do as humans. They became adults.
Second, this Torah portion taught me that a story that seems simple on the outside can have a deep meaning. Before
working on this D’var Torah, I had a simplistic understanding of the story. For me, it was all about being punished for
disobeying a rule. But there is so much more to the story. The story of the expulsion from Eden is about growing up,
taking responsibility, and becoming an adult member of the community. That makes it a perfect portion to study for
someone who is becoming a Bar Mitzvah.
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NOVEMEBER 2012
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NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
ATTENTION SHOPPERS!
Keep shopping through Dor Hadash’s
website! You’ve raised over $200 for Dor
Hadash.
Please share these links with your friends; ask them to
shop through our web site.
Looking for Judaica items? You can now shop at
judaism.com. Ten percent of everything you spend will
be donated to Dor Hadash.
Dor Hadash is now a “cause” on iGive.com. When
you join iGive.com and install the iGive button, you will
automatically earn $5 for Dor Hadash (you must leave
the button on your browser for 90 days). Every time you
shop, you earn $$$ for Dor Hadash.
Please go to our website at http://dorhadash.org.
Click on the navigation link on the left—Support Dor
Hadash—to be taken to our Support Dor Hadash page.
You will find links for amazon.com, endless.com,
judaism.com, iGive.com.
DOROTENU WALL
Honor your ancestors by having their photo placed
on our Dorotenu Wall in the lobby of our synagogue. Just
fill out the form in the pocket on the left side of the
wall. Submit the completed form, a check for $36.00 for
each photo, your photo—any size, any color. Remember
to include your photo's story on the form. Bring your
photo(s) to the synagogue office or email Char Katz or
leave a message for her at the office (858.268.3674) and
we will see that your photo is processed and placed on
the Wall. Members enjoy seeing their ancestors honored
in this way each and every time they come to Dor
Hadash.
The Oneg Committee needs your participation.
Please contact the office if you would like to sponsor
or help in some way.
ONE BOOK, ONE CONGREGATION
Dor Hadash's "One Book, One
Congregation" has selected Rebecca
Goldstein's novel 36 Arguments for the
Existence of God: A Work of Fiction as
our next book. We will discuss the
book together on Sunday, November
11th at 1:00. It is available on
amazon.com, which you can access
from our web site at www.dorhadash.org. (Whenever
you purchase from Amazon, please consider linking
from our web site—we earn a commission!) From the author of The Mind-Body Problem: a witty
and intoxicating novel of ideas that plunges into the great
debate between faith and reason.
At the center is Cass Seltzer, a professor of psychology whose
book, The Varieties of Religious Illusion, has become a
surprise best seller. Dubbed “the atheist with a soul,” he wins
over the stunning Lucinda Mandelbaum—“the goddess of
game theory.” But he is haunted by reminders of two people
who ignited his passion to understand religion: his teacher
Jonas Elijah Klapper, a renowned literary scholar with a
suspicious obsession with messianism, and an angelic six-yearold mathematical genius, heir to the leadership of an exotic
Hasidic sect.
Hilarious, heartbreaking, and intellectually captivating, 36
Arguments explores the rapture and torments of religious
experience in all its variety.
Whether you read the book or not, please feel
welcome to join the group and hear the discussion on
November 11th at 1:00 P.M.
MAH JONGG MAVENS
We play on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, except when holidays pose a conflict, as they do in
November. We'll play on Thursday, November 8, at 7 pm, but not on November 22, because of Thanksgiving. Regulars
and drop-ins, experts and novices are equally welcome! Contact Leah Ollman to be added to the Mah Jongg email list
to be notified of schedule changes or cancellations. Contact Leah Ollman to be added to the email list for notification
of game cancellations or changes.
NOVEMEBER 2012
PAGE 7
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
RITUALLY SPEAKING
• If you are interested in leading services during the year, please contact Susan Levine.
• Shabbat Service times: On the first, second, and fourth (and fifth) Fridays, services will begin at 7:00 p.m. The 3rd Friday
—Shabbat b’Yachad—begins at 6:30 p.m.
• Next potluck will be at this year’s Hanukkah Celebration. More info to come.
• Get involved—become a member of the Ritual Committee.
• Members: Susan Levine, Chair; Holly Gail Baumann; Marcia Berneger; Shari Ciancio; John Ciancio; Mort Tuchin;
Teri Wilner; Yael Ridberg, Rabbi; Betsy Schneider, Ed. Director.
• You missed a joyful Shabbat service with Shir Hadash at the end of October. You might be surprised at how lovely Shabbat
services are when they are lay led. Give one a try. Next lay led service is the Friday after Thanksgiving with special guest
co-leader Adam King.
FROM YOUR LIPS
‫תודה רבה‬
One of the privileges of being an adult Jew is being called up
(aliyah) to Torah. And in the old days, when you were given this
honor, it was also your honor to read the aliyah yourself ! Our
ancestors figured out pretty early that not everyone could read
from the scroll, so instead of offering the honor only to those
who could, they invented the job of a Torah reader to read for
the honorees.
If you are an adult Jew, you are invited to learn how to chant
from the Torah scroll. Classes will begin in January, and will
meet on the same Sunday mornings that Gesher School is in
session. Classes will be from the end of the Gesher kehillah
gathering (9:20) until 10:00.
Prerequisite: at least a passing familiarity with the Hebrew
alef-bet (no, you don’t have to be proficient in reading Hebrew,
although it would probably help).
Please let us know your interest as soon as possible! Contact
Holly at chayagittl@aol.com
Todah Rabah - Thank You
NOVEMEBER 2012
Lee Goldberg and Mike Moder for
replacing the lights and ballasts in the
sanctuary and restoring the missing
thermostat to accessibility.
Bob Siegel and Peter Bonovich
for building the sukkah.
Gesher students for decorating the sukkah.
The Moders, Schermans, Jensens,
Flormans, Hanesses, and Chandlers (and
other anonymous helpers) for the setting up,
cleaning up and providing refreshments at
Simchat Torah.
Susan Levine for the
Simchat Torah candy bars.
PAGE 8
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
DONATIONS
Congregation Dor Hadash gratefully acknowledges
your generous donations. Dor Hadash has many
opportunities for you to put your money where your
heart is. These funds supplement items in the annual
budget. Donating is easy. Mail us a check made out to
Congregation Dor Hadash and tell us what fund to apply
it to. Or you can call the office during business hours
with your credit card (Visa or Master Card).
Bikkur Holim: For support of people in crisis.
Children’s Education Fund: For support of Gesher
School.
Endowment Fund: Financial investment for the future
of Dor Hadash.
General Fund: For miscellaneous items approved by
the Board.
Gesher School Supplemental Fund (Lily
Goldstein Memorial Educator Fund): To provide
additional funds to support Gesher School expenditures
not covered by the budget.
Library Fund: For purchasing books and DVDs and to
promote Jewish knowledge and reading.
Mishkan Fund: For capital improvements to the
synagogue.
Madrihim Fund: To support the teen team assisting
the Gesher School.
Music Fund: To benefit the musical enrichment of Dor
Hadash.
Prayer Book Fund: To repair and replace siddurim
(prayer books).
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund: For expenditures the
Rabbi deems necessary and appropriate.
Scholar-In-Residence Fund: To cover the costs
associated with hosting a scholar-in-residence each year.
Scholarship Funds: Gesher School scholarships for
those in need (Vicki Seltzer Memorial Education Fund
and Joshua Adam Flores-Wolfert Fund)
Tikkun Olam Fund: To support social justice activities
approved and recommended by the Tikkun Olam
Committee.
Torah/Ritual Fund: For maintenance of and
accessories for the Torah scrolls and ritual objects.
Todah rabah for your generous donations:
Library
Carol Naiman Waldman in memory of Daniel Rotto
Nussbaum Family in honor of the wedding of Jamie
Meronoff and Lillian Bartlett
Rabbi Discretionary
Nussbaum Family in memory of Philip Nussbaum,
William Nussbaum and Pat Richardson
Nussbaum Family in memory of Sydell Templin and
Daniel Rotto
Galinson Family Foundation of the Jewish Community
Foundation from the discretionary fund of Laura
Galinson and Jane Fantel
Teri Wilner in memory of Julius Wilner’s yahrzeit
Cyrene Aksman in memory of Sydell Templin
Muriel Sobelman-Jencks in memory of Bertha Mehler
Sobelman, Irving "Chaim" Sobelman and Clinton
Edward Jencks—mother, father and husband of Muriel
Sobelman-Jencks
Bikkur Holim
Marlene Zagon and Mort Tuchin in memory of
Emanuel Zagon and Emanuel Tuchin
Child Ed
Ethel Slayen in memory of her mother, Esther Frank’s
yahrzeit
Jacques Templin in memory of Sydell Templin
Ivy Stein in memory of Fred Stein
NOVEMEBER 2012
Jewish Family Service
HandUp Youth Food Pantry
Led by the Hand Up Teen Leadership
Program, the Hand Up Youth Food
Pantry doesn’t believe in handouts.
Instead, it focuses on helping people
get back on their feet.
Food is distributed once a week at 10 locations
throughout San Diego County and at Camp Pendleton.
Please continue to bring non-perishable canned and
packaged food to Dor Hadash and put it in the Food
Bank basket in the lobby for delivery to the Hand Up
Youth Food Pantry.
PAGE 9
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
November 2012 YAHRZEITS
Sadie Silverman Florman
11/1
Heshvan 16
Dijana & Steven Florman
Steven's grandmother
Leah Greenberg
11/1
Heshvan 16
Alex Green & Genell Greenberg
Genell's mother
Allan Rotto
11/1
Heshvan 16
Gary Rotto
Gary's uncle
Helene Rotto
Helene's brother-in-law
David Schneider
11/1
Heshvan 16
Barry Schneider
Barry's father
Marlyn Gillman
11/5
Heshvan 20
Mindy & Parrish Nnambi
Mindy's mother
Miriam Biderman
11/6
Heshvan 21
Lee & Julian Lichter
Lee's mother
Barney Lichter
11/6
Heshvan 21
Lee & Julian Lichter
Julian's father
Sylvia Sobo
11/7
Heshvan 22
David & Naomi Sobo
David's mother
Howard J. Levine
11/9
Heshvan 24
Susan Levine & Rick King
Susan's father
Lisa Beth Ruthberg
Arbitman
11/10
Heshvan 25
Zella Ruthberg Silverstein & Edward Silverstein
Zella's daughter
Irving Wertlieb
11/10
David Wertlieb
David's father
Malerie Gray
11/11
Heshvan 26
Ellen Margolis & Lawrence Cahn
Ellen's cousin
Joseph Litwins
11/11
Heshvan 26
Jessica Attiyeh
Jessica's uncle
Mildred Kalmus
11/13
Heshvan 28
Ilene Durst
Ilene's aunt, Charlotte's great aunt
Sally Rotto Cohen
11/14
Heshvan 29
Helene Rotto
Daniel's aunt
Alec Goldberg
11/14
Heshvan 29
Marsha Goldberg
Marsha's husband
Marion Hershenhorn
11/15
Kislev 1
David Phillips & Sharon Billings
Sharon's mother
Eva J. Salber
11/15
Kislev 1
David Phillips & Sharon Billings
David's mother
Fred Stein
11/15
Kislev 1
Ivy Stein
Ivy's father
Arnice Goldstone Girrard 11/16
Kislev 2
Char Katz & Barbara Ann Rose
Barbara's friend
Sally Mausner
11/17
Kislev 3
Meryl Zwanger
Meryl's great-grandmother
Irving Chaim Sobelman
11/17
Kislev 3
Muriel Sobelman-Jencks
Muriel's father
Bertha Mehler Sobelman
11/18
Kislev 4
Muriel Sobelman-Jencks
Muriel's mother
Frank Wolf
11/20
Kislev 6
Carolyn Weber-Harris
Carolyn's grandfather
Mary Maescher
11/21
Kislev 7
Marlene Bellamy & Don Maescher
Don's mother
Emanuel Tuchin
11/21
Kislev 7
Marlene Zagon & Mort Tuchin
Mort's father
Kathy Morgan
11/25
Karen & Steven Youel
Steven's mother
Alex Karchmer
11/26
Alexis & Scott Pearce
Alexis' grandfather
Shirley Wertlieb
11/26
David Wertlieb
David's stepmother
Kislev 12
continued page 11
NOVEMEBER 2012
PAGE 10
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
VOLUME 29, NO. 3
Yahrzeits continued from page 10
Dora Hyman
11/28
Kislev 14
Alexis & Scott Pearce
Alexis' grandmother
Clinton Edward Jencks
11/28
Kislev 14
Muriel Sobelman-Jencks
Muriel's husband
Sarah Mann
11/28
Kislev 14
Judy Hante & Steve Forney
Judy's grandmother
Naomi Jensen
Naomi's grandmother
Gizella Braun
11/29
Kislev 15
Giza Braun
Giza's mother
Harry T. Phillips
11/29
Kislev 15
David Phillips & Sharon Billings
David's father
Louis Hershenhorn
11/30
Kislev 16
David Phillips & Sharon Billings
Sharon's father
✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Jonathan Ingber
11/1
Ingrid Greenberg & Shannon Matteson
11/2
4th
Char Katz
11/2
Rebecca Bierman & Patric Lester
11/9
11th
Jack Reingold
11/2
Adam Ladd & Ayala Ben-Tall
11/9
9th
Joshua Ruberg
11/5
Jay Silverman & Anita Raj
11/21
15th
Hayden Goldman
11/6
9th
Winston Christian & Andrea Wagman Christian
11/27
29th
Jacob Kaplan
11/7
12th
Alexis & Scott Pearce
11/28
8th
Rosa Brooks-Kamper
11/8
7th
Barry Schneider
11/8
Terry Hall Keister
11/11
Muriel Sobelman-Jencks
11/11
Richard Warburton
11/17
Carol Frausto
11/19
Scott Pearce
11/19
Charles Bisom-Rapp
11/20
Peter Bonavich
11/21
Eli Schneider
11/24
Rachel Case
11/25
Tamar Booth
11/30
Barbara Ann Rose
11/30
NOVEMEBER 2012
MI SHEBEIRAH
4th
Linda Abrams
Arny Bernstein
Ervin Biderman
Barbara Booth
Tamar B ooth
Barbara Carr
Anita Cota
Sarah Fenner (Sara bat Chana)
Hana bat Shayna
Shimon Harel
Dean Karp
Raisa Hannah Karp
Terry Keister
Rick King
Rabbi Sheryl Lewart
Barbara Rose
Jill Schwartz
James Sitek
If you would like your
name removed from the
Mi Shebeirah list, e-mail
Rabbi Yael.
PAGE 11
SEPTEMBER
2011-• 16
2 ELUL
5771 - 2 TISHRI
5772
- 5773
NOVEMBER
2012
HESHVAN
- 16 KISLEV
VOLUME 28,
NO.
1 3
VOLUME
29,
NO.
NOVEMBER 2012
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
1
Friday
Saturday
2
7:00 PM Kabbalat
Shabbat with Rabbi
and Bar Mitzvah of
Samuel Chessler
3
9:00 AM Torah
Study with Rabbi
10:00 Shabbat Service
and Bar Mitzvah of
Samuel Chessler
4
9:00 Gesher School
11:00 Rabbi Cafe
5
Office Closed
6
4:00 PM Bar/Bat
Class
7
8
7:00 PM Mah Jongg
9
7:00 PM Kabbalat
Shabbat with Rabbi
10
10:00 AM Torah
Study with Rabbi
11
No Gesher School
1:00 PM One Book,
One Congregation
12
Office Closed
Veteran’s Day
Observed
13
4:00 PM Bar/Bat
14
15
16
6:30 PM Shabbat
B’Yachad with Rabbi
17
18
No Gesher School
19
Office Closed
20
21
22
Office Closed
THANKSGIVING
23
Office Closed
24
7:00 PM Kabbalat
Shabbat - lay led
25
No Gesher School
NOVEMEBER 2012
26
Office Closed
28
27
4:00 PM Bar/Bat
7:30 PM Board
Meeting
29
30
7:00 PM Kabbalat
Shabbat - lay led
PAGE 12
NOVEMEBER 2012
PAGE 13
Join us for our first food event of the year!
Eat in with your Havurah or Take-Home
Join us for our first food event of the year!
Eat in with your Havurah or Take-Home
AT THIS SOUPLANTATION LOCATION:
HOUSEHOLD GUIDELINES: 1. For the safety of our guests, no horseplay, running or climbing at any time, please. 2. Please
accompany small children when visiting food bars. 3. It is very much appreciated when a supervisory person is present at a
table of children.
HOUSEHOLD GUIDELINES: 1. For the safety of our guests, no horseplay, running or climbing at any time, please. 2. Please
accompany small children when visiting food bars. 3. It is very much appreciated when a supervisory person is present at a
table of children.
For directions visit Souplantation.com
Kearny Mesa
7095 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111-1002
*1. All participants must purchase a beverage with their meal in order to receive credit towards the organization. 2. Under
no circumstances are flyers to be handed out in the restaurant, parking lot or vicinity. Failure to comply will result in a
voided contract. 3. Coupons or discounts will not be honored in conjunction with any approved Fun-Raisers. 4. Must present
this flyer at time of purchase. 5. Your receipt will be kept and stapled to this form in order to add up the event’s sales.
TIME:
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
DATE:
*1. All participants must purchase a beverage with their meal in order to receive credit towards the organization. 2. Under
no circumstances are flyers to be handed out in the restaurant, parking lot or vicinity. Failure to comply will result in a
voided contract. 3. Coupons or discounts will not be honored in conjunction with any approved Fun-Raisers. 4. Must present
this flyer at time of purchase. 5. Your receipt will be kept and stapled to this form in order to add up the event’s sales.
For directions visit Souplantation.com
Kearny Mesa
7095 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111-1002
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
TIME:
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
AT THIS SOUPLANTATION LOCATION:
DATE:
Souplantation will donate 15% of sales generated by your organization. Purchase a meal
and a beverage* and enjoy a great meal and help a great organization!
Gesher School Famililes and CDH Congregants
Gesher School Famililes and CDH Congregants
Souplantation will donate 15 % of sales generated by your organization. Purchase a meal
and a beverage* and enjoy a great meal and help a great organization!
JOIN US FOR A FUN-RAISER
AT SOUPLANTATION
AND RAISE MONEY FOR
JOIN US FOR A FUN-RAISER
AT SOUPLANTATION
AND RAISE MONEY FOR
NOVEMBER 2012 - 16 HESHVAN - 16 KISLEV - 5773
Editor: Susan Levine
Officers:
Gary Rotto, President
Dave Wertlieb, 1st Vice President
Cynthia Sistek-Chandler, 2nd Vice President
Marilyn Scheininger, Treasurer
Judy Hante, Secretary
Trustees:
Marcia Berneger
Sarah Bonavich (student)
Steve Florman, Past President
Lee Goldberg
Phillip Haness
Susanne Scherman
Rabbi Yael Ridberg
Education Director Betsy Schneider
Administrator Mark Newman
The mission of Dor Hadash is to create a caring Jewish community
in accordance with the values of Reconstructionism and
to inspire exploration of Jewish spirituality. Ha Kesher is published monthly except there is a combined July/August issue. Although the newsletter is
supported through membership dues, contributions towards its publication are appreciated. All
submissions are accepted at the discretion of the Officers and Board of Trustees of Congregation Dor
Hadash, and the editor. Due to space limitations, submissions may be used in future issues and are
subject to editing. Submissions for consideration should be factual and concise. Contact names and
addresses as well as the author’s name and address should be included. Submissions in electronic form
are preferred. Email submissions to hakesher1@dorhadash.org
Deadline: All submissions including advertisements, reports, and updates should be dropped off,
emailed, or faxed by the 5th of the month for publication in the following month’s newsletter.
Advertising rates per month: $18/business card; $36/quarter page; $54/half page; $72/full page
All events are held at our facility on Ronson Court unless otherwise stated. Please contact the office to
verify individual activities and events. Shabbat service times are at 7:00 p.m. on the first, second, fourth
and fifth Friday; 6:30 p.m. on the third Friday.
4858 Ronson Court Suite A • San Diego, CA 92111 • (858) 268-3674 • (858) 268-3633 fax
http://dorhadash.org
Facebook: http://tiny.cc/cdh-facebook
Congregation Dor Hadash
4858 Ronson Court #A
San Diego, CA 92111
Ha Kesher
Newsletter of Congregation Dor Hadash
published by the Board of Trustees
Affiliated with the
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
VOLUME 29, NO. 3