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NEWSLETTER
November 2014
5775 WLSK / IWwX
Saying “Thank You”
Rabbi Moshe Adler
Just as we say on
Passover,
we ought to say
on Thanksgiving,
“Let all who are
hungry come
and eat”
– all, whether
Jew or gentile,
black or white,
straight or gay,
Republican or
Democrat.
Psalm 100 is called “mizmor l’todah, a
psalm for thanksgiving.” This joyous
song urges, “Give [God] thanks! Bless
His name! For HaShem is good; His
steadfast love is eternal; His faithfulness is
for all generations” (Psalms 100: 4-5). It
seems especially fitting for the American
Thanksgiving holiday.
The psalm and the holiday make us think
about the meaning of thanks, which in
turn makes us think about what it means to
recite a b’rachah over the food we eat. Our
Sages (B’rachot 35a-b) teach:
R. Y’hudah said in the name of Sh’muel: If
someone benefits from this world without
a b’rachah, it is as though he were [illicitly]
benefitting from what is sacred to God, for
it is written, “The earth is HaShem’s, and
all that it holds” (Psalms 24:1). R. Levi asks:
It is written, “The earth is HaShem’s, and
all that it holds,” yet it is also written, “The
heavens belong to HaShem, but the earth
He gave over to man” (Psalms 115:16). [How
are these verses to be reconciled?] No
problem! “The earth is HaShem’s” applies
before one recites a b’rachah; “but the earth
He gave over to man” applies after one has
recited a b’rachah.
The Hebrew verb root y.d.h. (from which
the word “todah” comes) means both
“acknowledge” and “thank.” When you
thank someone, you are acknowledging that
the other person has done something of
value for you. To express gratitude is to let
the other person know that you value what
he has done, while to fail to thank him is
to give the impression that what he did for
you was coming to you in any case. When
God Himself is the other Person, and one
fails to acknowledge His gift, one has acted
as though the world and all it contains
were ownerless and therefore free for the
taking. That is not only ingratitude; it is a
misappropriation of what belongs to the
world’s Owner; it is lese majeste – sedition
against the Sovereign. Our Sages are telling
us that all God demands of us for the use of
His world’s bounty is that we acknowledge
His ownership of it. Once we do that, “the
earth He gave over to man.”
The Adam and Eve narrative deals with this
very idea. God tells the first human beings,
“Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and
master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the
birds of the sky, and all the living things
that creep on earth. ...See, I give you every
seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth,
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit;
they shall be yours for food” (Genesis 1:2830). God then instructs them, “Of every
tree of the garden you are free to eat; but as
for the tree of knowledge of good and bad,
you must not eat of it” (Genesis 2:16-17).
(continued on page 8)
Beth El - The Heights Synagogue builds vibrant Jewish community.
We welcome all in participatory, traditional, egalitarian worship and learning.
Rabbi Moshe Adler s Saturday Morning Services at 9:15, 3246 Desota Ave., Cleveland Hts., OH 44118 s (216-320-9667
President’s Perspectives, November 2014
Membership Has Its Benefits
Sherry Ball,
President
Questions? Concerns?
Comments?
Complaints?
Please do not
hesitate to contact
the President
by e-mail
president
@bethelheights.org
or home telephone
(216) 371-8827
Help Us
Stay In Touch!
Please be sure we
have your current
contact information.
Send changes to
info@
bethelheights.org
or call
(216) 320-9667
Keep Up
News!
Join the
BE-THS Lists!
with the
Send an e-mail to
Mick Miller,
mick@mickmill.com,
if you need help with
signing up.
E-Mail Newsletter:
If you’d like to
get the pdf e-mail
version, contact
news@
bethelheights.org
One of the many aspects of being president
of this congregation that I really enjoy is
getting better acquainted with all of our
members and building friendships with so
many of you. I also enjoy getting to meet
new people in the community. Here’s a
story about getting to know someone in
our synagogue.
I was chatting with one of our members recently and I asked her about what
initially brought her to our synagogue.
She described to me an attraction that she
found hard to define, part of it was nostalgia, but with a strong component that was
even more meaningful. She had attended
synagogue regularly while she was growing up, but her childhood synagogue was
not the same as services here. After she
went away to college she attended services
less frequently and then, as an adult, just
for the High Holy Days. She was and is
a happy person with lots of friends and
close family. She has a rich social life and
is active in many social causes. A few years
ago she didn’t think she had the space or
time in her life for synagogue. Some of
her friends are atheists, and she wondered
if maybe she was also an atheist, but she
never really got past just looking down the
entrance to that path.
I think what led her to our synagogue was a
series of little nudges, quiet little moments
that led her down the path towards Desota
and Berkeley.
The first nudge was on a different corner
a few summers ago when she attended a
block party in her neighborhood and heard
from a neighbor’s friend about the Beth El
–The Heights Synagogue (BE–THS) musicale. She went to the musicale alone and
was pleasantly surprised by both the musical talent and by the warmth of the community that she experienced while hanging
out a bit after the music. Following the
musicale, she was invited to a member’s
home for Shabbat dinner. She then started
coming to Shabbat morning services from
time to time. She used to spend Friday evenings catching up on work and then going
out for dinner with work mates who were
also working late. Sometime she just went
home to catch up on sleep. She continued
to attend services from time to time for the
next six months and began to form new
friendships. On a few occasions she arrived
late, and she missed most of the service but
found some fulfillment in the community
experience during kiddush.
Since she discovered BE–THS and gradually became a part of our community, she has
felt a renewed connection to something she
perceives as a lost piece of her but wasn’t
sure how to name it – something missing
from her life. When we spoke at shul that
day she shared with me that for the past
few months she had been lighting candles
at home often with her family and sometimes with other BE–THS members. Since
she has become a member she has learned
more about our services and has found
them more meaningful. She still doesn’t
come to services every week but when one
or more Shabbatot pass by (without attending) she finds herself missing both the
peace of Shabbat services and the community. We are always here for her when she is
ready to come back. When she is here she
sometimes feels that (continued on page 9)
Beth El – The Heights Synagogue Newsletter, Vol. 17, No. 2, November 2014
© Beth El – The Heights Synagogue
Carol Bruml, Editor – Telephone 216-932-9155, E-mail: news@bethelheights.org General submittal deadline is the 7th of each month.
3246 Desota Ave., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Published 11 times per year.
http://www.bethelheights.org/
For address or mailing list change, call 216-320-9667
2
A Roof Over Our Heads
The campaign for a new roof has been an overwhelming success! As you know,
an anonymous family challenged the community with a matching grant of up to
$10,000. As of erev Sukkot, we had raised $24,788.00 from forty-nine members and
friends, in addition to the $10,000 match! We were able to replace two of the five
roofs on our building. Any surplus will be held for emergency repairs on the other
three roofs, which will need to be repaired and replaced in the future. Thank you to
all who participated in this important effort. ~Ilene Gertman, Development Chair
Bruce and Judie Amsel
Enid and Irving Kushner, in memory
Kenneth Bardach
of Nili Adler Z”L.
Lisa Lefstein Berusch
Alan Lerner and Erica New
Michael and Shelley Bloomfield
Carole and Daniel Litt
Bill and Carol Bruml
Merry Lugasy
Frank and Jeanette Buchwald
Elliot Magalnick
John Budge and
Honey Massey and Bud Stern
Victoria Eskinazi-Budge
Esther and Milton Moss
Janice Carrick
Toby Oshuns
Rachel Chodock
Stephen Pepper and Linda Tobin
Susan David and Bernard Sharfman
David and Judie Perelman
Robin Dubin and Richard Krueck
Shari E. Robins
Joel Falck and Julie Rabin
Juliana Sadock Savino
Saul Genuth
Shlomoh Sherman
Adi and Judith Gerblich
Menachem Shoham
Frances Goldberg
Devorah J. Silverman
Laura Gooch and David Kazdan
Vicki Spalding-Rosales
Stephanie Gordon
Moshe and Rivka Taub, in
Fern Grunberger
honor of Marsha Weisberg.
Barry and Joyce Hoffer, in honor of
Ellen and Harold Ticktin
Nurit Sharon’s remembrance of Nili Leonard A. Tracht
Adler’s (Z”L) birthday.
Blanche and Jack Valancy
Sharona Hoffman and
Scott and Beth Wachter
Andy Podgurski
Ieda and Marvin Warshay
Philip Kazdan
Marsha Weisberg
Ari Klein and Ditte Wolin
Bruce and Polly Wilkenfeld
Sue Klein
Mary and Richard Zigmond
Harvey and Karen Kugelman
The main roof is scheduled to be replaced at the end of October; this will fix the
problem that led to the disastrous leak into our libarary last spring. Bill is working
on getting estimates for replacement of the flat roof over the west end of the sanctuary; the replacement of that roof will provide a long-term fix for the problems
that caused the serous leak in the southwest corner of the Sanctuary this summer
(the roof is currently patched, for the umptieth time).
Elsewhere, thanks to a donation for the purpose, we were able to have the landscaper weed and mulch the garden beds, which has greatly improved the exterior
appearance of the property. We also replaced the sign in the brick stand, near the
corner of the property, and trimmed the overgrown plants in front of it, which
improved that area, as well.
~ Bill Bruml, Building Committee
3
Sukkah
Construction
2014
Eran Shiloh
Photo by Ari Klein
Fred Cumberworth
Photo by Bill Bruml
Learners’ Torah Discussions
Open to All
Join us to study and discuss selections from the weekly Torah portion. We consider commentaries, raise questions and share tips for using the Chumash. Each week’s lesson is
self-contained so come as your schedule permits. The sessions are accessible for nonHebrew speakers or readers and open to people at all levels of experience.
We meet in the Community Room, after the Torah is taken out and the portion is
introduced (about 10:20 am to 10:30 am), and rejoin the service in time for the d’var
torah. Questions? Contact Mia Buchwald Gelles: miabgelles@gmail.com or 216-321-6717.
Share your
thoughts:
Deliver a d’var
on an upcoming
Shabbat.
Contact Nina
Sobel, 216258-3104 or
via e-mail at
nrsol1223
@lycos.com
(phone is
preferred),
to learn which
parshas are
available.
If you’re
interested in
doing a D’var but
haven’t
done so before,
contact Nina,
and she will
be happy to
fill you in about
the specifics,
such as
resources,
timing, etc.
Upcoming Learners Torah Discussion Dates (every other week this fall):
November 8 - Parashat Vayera
November 22 - Parashat Toldot
December 6 - Parashat Vayishlach
December 20 - Parashat Miketz
q
Mishnah Study Group
The Mishnah Study Group will convene in the Community Room after Kiddush
on November 8. Alan Lerner will facilitate the discussion on the tractate of Bava
Metziah according to the English translation in the Art Scroll Series. The book can
be purchased from a local Judaica store or online. We will provide a few copies of
the first three pages for those without the book.
Please contact Alan with any questions: ajaylerner@gmail.com or 216-932-5950.
q
Learn with the Rabbi:
Torah as a Living Organic System:
Halachah, Aggadah, and How They Work
Rabbi Moshe Adler is teaching a six-class series on “Torah as a Living Organic System:
Halachah, Aggadah, and How They Work.” The series began on October 25, with a class
on “Written Torah and Oral Torah: Text and Application.” It will continue on November
22, with “Halachah: the ‘How’ of Torah.” Halachah, (literally, “path”) is the process by
which we determine exactly what the Torah is directing us to do or to refrain from doing.
By following Halachah, we travel the Torah’s path through life not just talking the talk,
but actually walking the walk.
Further classes are scheduled on December 13, January 17, February 21, and March 21.
The classes are open to all and are offered free of charge. They meet after Kiddush in
the Sanctuary. See the flyer attached to the October newsletter (downloadable from
www.bethelheights.org) for details of the remaining classes.
4
Calendar, November 2014
5775 WLSK / IWwX
Sunday, October 26, 7:00 – 8:30 pm – The Short Stories by Jewish Authors Reading
and Discussion Group will discuss stories from Grace Paley’s “The Little Disturbances of Man: Stories of women and men at love.”
Saturday, November 1, after services – Lunch and Learn with Beth Wachter and
Judie Amsel, “The Challenges of Growing Older: Issues in Geriatric Caregiving and
Planning for End of Life.” (see attached flyer for details)
Saturday, November 8,
About 10:20 am – Learners’ Torah Discussion Group, Parshat Vayera.
(see page 4 for details)
After Kiddush – Mishnah Study Group will meet in the Community Room.
Saturday, November 15, after services – Lunch and Learn with Ira Robinson,
“How the Zohar Came to Be.” (see page 9 for further details)
Saturday, November 22
About 10:20 am – Learners’ Torah Discussion Group, ParshatToldot. (see page 4 for details)
After Kiddush – Learn with the Rabbi, session 2 of 6: “Halachah: The ‘How’ of
Torah.” (see page 4 for details)
q
Mahzor Dedications
We hope you enjoyed the new Mahzor at High Holy Day services this year. It is not too
late to dedicate one or more, at $36 per dedication. Please send a check to the synagogue
with the dedication clearly printed. A copy of the dedication form is below:
Order form, BE–THS Mahzor Dedication
Checks payable to Beth El –The Heights Synagogue
3246 Desota Avenue, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Name of Donor __________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________________ Phone _____________
Number of Mahzorim @ $36 each _______Total _______________
Inscription:  In honor of
 In memory of
 Other
________________________________________________________
(Please Print!)
5
Thanksgiving
links American
and Jewish
values that
enrich our lives.
This holiday
commemorates
the Pilgrims’
first New World
harvest.
Its inspiration
comes from the
Hebrew Bible
and the festival
of Sukkot.
AJC Thanksgiving
Haggadah
Dinner in
the Sukkah
Miriam & Marvin Palevsky
News from Beth El
TW$DX
Yasher Koah to:
! XWK R$YY
Ø Shani Gelles, who is a National Merit
Commended Scholar.
Ø Isaiah Pressman, who is a semifinalist in
the first round of the 60th annual National
Merit Scholarship Program.
Over 1.4 million students nationally take
the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)
as juniors and the 50,000 semi-finalists
had the highest scores. The semi-finalists
are eligible to apply to become finalists, a
designation that includes scholarship opportunities.
Betty & Meyer Hoffer
Marvin & Ieda Warshay
Robin Dubin
& Richard Krueck
Scott Wachter
& Becky Schur
Yasher Koah to:
! XWK R$YY
Ø Dr. Irving Kushner, who recently received
the Ohio Association of Rheumatology’s
Lifetime Achievement Award. The award,
which is the highest honor given by the
society, was presented in Columbus, on
September 5, for his exemplary work ethic
and performance, as well as his dedication,
leadership, and achievements in the field.
Thanks for Your Contributions to: ! HDWT
Ø David and Karen Bardenstein
Ø Russell Berusch
Ø Bill and Carol Bruml
Ø Bill and Carol Bruml, in honor of Joe
and Mia Buchwald Gelles, and their family.
Ø Bill and Carol Bruml, in honor of Eran
and Didi Shiloh.
Ø Frank and Jeanette Buchwald, in memory of Mary Buchwald Z”L.
Ø Joel Genuth
Ø Gladys Goldstein, in memory of Bessie
Falck Z”L.
Ø Laura Gooch and David Kazdan
Ø Merle Gordon, in honor of her mother,
Stephanie Gordon.
Ø Gabi Hays, in thanks for Karen Kugelman’s good friendship.
6
Gabi Hays, for her diligent newspaper
delivery “boy.”
Ø Gabi Hays, in welcome to Violet Miller.
Ø David and Judy Klein
Ø Gary and Marilyn Magden, in memory
of Joseph Magden Z”L.
Ø Gladys Reydman
Ø Ilana and William Schmitt, in memory
of Nili Adler Z”L.
Ø Annette and Benjamin Segal, in honor of
Leon Gabinet.
Ø Bernice and Morris Shanker
Ø Arnold Stone
Ø Moshe and Rivka Taub
Ø Harold Ticktin, in honor of Ieda and
Marvin Warshay.
Ø Leonard Tracht, in honor Joe and Mia
Buchwald Gelles and their Family.
Ø Leonard Tracht, in honor of Harvey and
Karen Kugelman and their Family.
Ø Leonard Tracht, in honor of Beth and
Scott Wachter and their Family.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter, in honor of
Eran Shiloh.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter, in honor of
Alan Lerner and Erica New’s new grandson,
Grant Bennet Tausz.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter, in honor of the
Bat Mitzvah of Grace Bloom.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter, in honor of the
marriage of Ruth Link Gelles and Daniel
Kovari.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter
Ø Anonymous, as the Board Leadership
Performance Award.
Ø Anonymous
Ø
Thanks for High Holy Day Ticket
Contributions to:
! HDWT
Ø Bonnie Diamond and Daniel Price
Ø Adele Eisner
Ø Judith Feinberg
Ø Michael, Rebecca, and Wendy Lazarus
Gary and Marilyn Magden
Eric Mazelis
Ø Elena and Ron Myers
Ø David and Judie Perelman
Ø Edith and Philip Piccus
Ø Judi Cohen-Schonfeld and Roy Schonfeld
Ø Arnold Stone
Ø
Ø
Thanks for High Holy Days Mahzor
Contributions to:
! HDWT
Ø Sherry Ball and Marty Gelfand
Ø Joe and Mia Buchwald Gelles
Ø Janice Carrick
Ø Laura Gooch and David Kazdan
Ø Philip Kazdan
Ø Alan Lerner and Erica New
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter
Thanks for High Holy Days Mahzor
Dedications to:
! HDWT
Ø Bruce and Judie Amsel, in honor of Bill
and Carol Bruml, who introduced them to
BE-THS.
Ø Bruce and Judie Amsel, in honor of the
Buchwald Gelles family, who exemplify the
ruach of BE–THS.
Ø Sherry Ball and Scott Wachter, in honor
of Brian Aronson.
Ø Mariya Baron and Family, in memory of
Yevgenia Baron Probst Z”L.
Ø Joe and Mia Buchwald Gelles, in memory of Nili Adler Z”L.
Ø Joe and Mia Buchwald Gelles, in memory of Yevgenia Baron Probst Z”L.
Ø Adrienne and Philip Goldberg, and
Howard Goldberg, in memory of Annette,
David, Hyman, Marvin, Meyer, and William
Goldberg Z”L, from all of their loving children and grandchildren.
Ø Stephanie Gordon and Family, in
memory of Chester Gordon Z”L.
Ø Claire and Matthew Lee, in honor of
Abby, Jeff, Rafi, and Ezra Halpern.
Ø Carole and Daniel Litt, in memory of
Reva Litt Z”L.
Ø Carole and Daniel Litt, in memory of
Harry Litt Z”L.
Ø Leonard Tracht, in memory of Dora
Tracht and Joseph Tracht Z”L.
Ø Beth and Scott Wachter, in honor of
Fred and Joyce Tavill.
Thanks for Kiddush Sponsorship to:
! HDWT
Blanche and Jack Valancy, who sponsored deluxe snacks during Simhat Torah
services (Friday, October 17), in honor
of Blanche Valancy, our Kallat Torah,
and Carol Bruml, our Kallat B’reshit.
Ø
Thanks for September Simcha
Kiddush Sponsorship!
! HDWT
Ø Mick Miller and Jamie Saunt, in
honor of Julian Saunt’s birthday.
Thanks for Help with Sukkah
Construction and Decoration!
Ø Bill Bruml
Ø Ari Klein
Ø Marvin Palevsky
Ø Adam Probst
Ø Eran Shiloh
Ø Juliana Sadock Savino
Ø Juliana’s son, Fred Cumberworth
Thanks to our October Newsletter
Mailing Helpers!
! HDWT
Ø Brian Aronson Ø Bud Stern
Ø Carol Bruml
Ø Blanche Valancy
Ø Sondra Jacobs Ø Beth Wachter
Ø Honey Massey Ø Scott Wachter
Thanks for Help with the Dinner
in the Sukkah!
! HDWT
Ø Marvin Palevsky
Ø Mia Buchwald Gelles
Ø Ari Klein
Ø Honey Massey
Ø Eran Shiloh
Ø Bud Stern
Ø Cheryl Stone
Thanks to our Newsletter’s two
Faithful Proofreaders!
! HDWT
Ø Karen Kugelman
Ø Blanche Valancy
7
Dinner
Outdoors
in the Sukkah
Sukkot
Dinner
Indoors
(Saying “Thank You,” ctd. from page 1)
The identity of the forbidden fruit is
irrelevant. Not the fruit itself, but what
it represented, was what mattered. By
declaring one tree off limits, God was
staking out His personal domain, as it
were. He was telling the human beings
that they were not the earth’s sovereigns
but its stewards, and that violating the
boundary between the human and the
divine would be tantamount to usurping
God’s sovereignty. When man plays God,
he invariably botches the role, to his own
detriment and that of the world.
For a Jew, every day is thanksgiving, a
celebration of life and of God’s loving
care. The first thing one does on waking
up is to say, “I am thankful to You, O
Sovereign who lives eternally, for returning
my soul to me in mercy. Great is Your
faithfulness!” One goes on to thank God
throughout the day for the gifts of life and
nourishment and beauty.
Let your Thanksgiving dinner start with
ha-motzi and end with birkat ha-mazon.
It’s as American as pumpkin pie.
q
Yahrzeits, November 2014
Dinner photos by
Miriam Palevsky
Heshvan ~ IWwX
Dotty Dannhauser
8 Heshvan
Rashe Sobel
8 Heshvan 5716
Joseph Weiss
8 Heshvan 5747
Barney Krasny
10 Heshvan 5705
Harry L. Miller
10 Heshvan 5728
Blanche Carr
10 Heshvan
Herbert Goldstone 10 Heshvan 5766
Rose Goldstone
10 Heshvan 5749
William Schenkelman 10 Heshvan 5724
Sarah Dolin
12 Heshvan
Rose Rogul Gelles
12 Heshvan
Samuel Protus
12 Heshvan 5757
Yoav Borshtein
13 Heshvan 5772
Isadore Gertman
14 Heshvan
Norman Koff
14 Heshvan 5718
Mildred Morton
14 Heshvan 5730
Sadie Bernstein
14 Heshvan
Sam Bernstein
15 Heshvan
Pearl Maeroff
16 Heshvan 5731
Elsie Narmon
16 Heshvan 5729
Yehuda Leib Schultz-Shalit
16 Heshvan 5734
Tobias Seidman
16 Heshvan 5715
William Sonnenstein 16 Heshvan
Herman Collin
18 Heshvan 5723
Louis Freumker
18 Heshvan 5733
Anna Kessler
18 Heshvan
Fay Landau
19 Heshvan
8
David Nadle
20 Heshvan 5755
Jack Stern
20 Heshvan 5773
Doris Glaser
21 Heshvan 5734
Morris Samet
21 Heshvan 5731
Gertrude Sobelman 21 Heshvan 5715
Hyman Cohen
22 Heshvan 5734
Claire Kammen
22 Heshvan 5736
Philip Noll
23 Heshvan 5738
Morris Cohen
24 Heshvan 5684
Philip Reiss
24 Heshvan
Ann Groger
25 Heshvan
Anita Fertman Pereversky
27 Heshvan 5717
Harry Eisman
28 Heshvan 5703
Mindy Marfisi
28 Heshvan 5767
Beatrice Goodman 29 Heshvan 5716
Sarah Widzer
29 Heshvan 5731
Lena Berman
30 Heshvan 5708
Deborah Lindenbaum 30 Heshvan 5712
Kislev ~ WLSK
Jennie Gordon
1 Kislev
Patti Freed
2 Kislev 5774
Alexander Goldman 4 Kislev 5721
Michael J. Margolis
4 Kislev 5726
Anna Ginsberg
8 Kislev 5726
Anna Gutentag
8 Kislev 5726
Borris Maeroff
8 Kislev 5705
Morris Rapport
8 Kislev 5735
How the Zohar Came to Be
Renowned Canadian Jewish scholar, Ira Robinson, will address the topic, “How the Zohar
Came to Be,” at a Lunch and Learn on Saturday, November 15.
Kabbala (Jewish mysticism) is one of the most significant ways of understanding Judaism that developed in medieval times. It started out as the expression of a closed circle of
scholars and transformed itself in the sixteenth century to become a popular movement.
One of the ways this happened is the emergence of the Zohar as the primary kabbalistic
text. Among followers of Kabbalistic teachings, the Zohar is a holy book. Yet from the
time it became widely known it has been the subject of controversy in terms of its origins,
whether it should be printed, and whether ordinary Jews should study it. This talk will
examine the history of the Zohar and provide approaches to understanding these issues.
Ira Robinson is Chair in Quebec and Canadian Jewish Studies in the Department of
Religion and Director of the Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies, Concordia University,
Montreal, Quebec. He received his B.A. at Johns Hopkins University, his B.H.L. at Baltimore Hebrew College, his M.A. at Columbia University and his Ph.D. in Near Eastern
Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. Dr. Robinson will present a number of
courses and lectures at Siegal College while he is in town. For further information, refer to:
<http://www.siegallifelonglearning.org/visiting-scholar-ira-robinson.html>
The luncheon and talk are free to all, but we request that non-members call Joel Genuth
at 617-943-2076 to make lunch reservations. Lunch will start about 12:15 pm, after the
conclusion of Shabbat morning services; the talk will follow.
q
(Membership Has Its Benefits, ctd. from p.2)
connection during services, but sometimes
it is downstairs in the social hall or even at
home after lighting candles. And sometimes
that connection stays with her through the
week.
Since she has become a member, our unnamed member found a time for peace
and spiritual reflection with herself and
with others, sometimes in the space of this
building but also in other settings. She gave
herself a gift of membership that has filled a
gap in her life.
Each of our members has a unique experience that led them to our community and
has a different connection that keeps them
here. Some of you are not members but
you may decide to join us for an event or
you may find yourself attending Shabbat
services from time to time, and we will
be here to welcome you for services or to
welcome you as a member.
But in order for us to be here for you we
need to hear from you. We are small and
our operating budget depends equally upon
both membership dues and contributions.
We thank you for all your past years of
membership and contributions and this
year we continue to depend on your contribution and your membership dues.
Finally, when you make a contribution we
ask that you consider not only what your
contribution can do for us, but also what a
membership can do for you.
9
As we express
our gratitude,
we must never
forget that
the highest
appreciation is
not
to utter words,
but to live
by them.
John F. Kennedy
Beth Wachter and Judie Amsel
will present a Lunch and Learn on
The Challenges of Growing Older
Saturday, November 1, after Services
On reflection, most people interested in accepting an offer of
living longer would probably stipulate they wanted to be sure
they had a decent quality of life – to be fit, healthy, strong
and in possession of their faculties – but given that…why not?
However, life does not always work that way. Beth and Judie will
address some of the challenges of aging, the ways we can deal
with them, available resources, and decisions that need to be
made – made ahead of the time when we cannot make them.
Beth will address challenges of aging, including the issues of
cognitive decline and dementia; safety concerns and the risk of
falls; caregiver issues and resources; the importance of social
engagement and mental stimulation; the need for physical
activity and exercise; and the necessity of good nutrition. Judie plans a brief discussion about medical decision-making
issues, how to plan ahead while you are still able to make the
decisions about the care you would like to receive if you had a
severe accident or developed a debilitating condition, so that your
care givers can carry out those wishes if and when you are no
longer able to make decisions yourself.
Free. Non-members, please contact Joel Genuth at 617-943-2076 for reservations.
Cartoons reprinted with permission of Chris Johnston, eurekastreet.com.au.
3246 Desota Avenue, Cleveland Hts., OH 44118
216-320-9667 ~ info@bethelheights.org ~ www.bethelheights.org
We welcome all in participatory, traditional, egalitarian worship and learning.
How the Zohar
Came to Be
Lunch and Learn, Saturday, November 15, after services
Dr. Ira Robinson, Chair in Quebec and
Canadian Jewish Studies in the Department
of Religion and Director of the Institute for
Canadian Jewish Studies, Concordia University,
Montreal, Quebec, will examine the history of
the Zohar, a primary Kabbalistic text, and
some of the controversies surounding it.
Free. Non-members, please contact Joel Genuth at 617-943-2076 for reservations.
BETH EL
The Heights Synagogue
3246 Desota Avenue, Cleveland Hts., OH 44118
216-320-9667 ~ info@bethelheights.org ~ www.bethelheights.org
We welcome all in participatory, traditional, egalitarian worship and learning.