Mazal Tov | Congregational Meeting | Roses for Shavuot | IDF Major Dan Goldfus | Abayudaya | Daddy & Me | TA Israel Trip Info Session | Book Club | Comedy-Deli Night | Sisterhood Donor Dinner | Softball | Special Adult Ed Course | Mitzvah Day | Summer Camp Opportunity | Maccabbi Games | In the Community | Trivia | QuickLinks

Yet another engagement! Mazal Tov to Howie and Leslie Needleman on the engagement of their son Joel, to Dawn Ellis.
It is noteworthy that Joel was in the same Hebrew School class as Lee Shuer and Josh Rovner, who were listed in the previous issue!

Please join us for our annual Congregational Meeting, Tuesday, May 11, at 7:45 pm, immediately following minyan at 7:30 pm. We strongly urge all members in good standing to attend the meeting, where we will be voting on the 2004-05 budget and the slate of officers for next year. We will also hear reports from the Presidents of the Congregation, Men’s Club, and Sisterhood, and the Rabbi.

Help support the economy of Israel and our adopted victims of terror and decorate your home for the upcoming yom tov. Orders for Shavuot are due by tomorrow, Monday, May 3 (Delivery date: Monday, May 24).

Please email your order, including number of dozen and color preference (peach, yellow, yellow with red tips, mixed, red, or no preference), ASAP to Elana Kling Perkins. You will also need to make out a check to Temple Aliyah for the full amount due ($15/dozen) and get it to the Temple office (sorry, roses cannot be put on your Temple bill).

The Israel Kesher Committee of Temple Aliyah and New England Region Friends of the Israel Defense Forces are very pleased to invite you to a discussion with Major Dan Goldfus. Major Goldfus commanded the force that took over the Karin A ship that was smuggling arms to the Palestinian Authority, thwarting what could have been a very deadly terror attack in Israel. He is currently studying at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Major Goldfus will tell the story of the Karin A capture. He will address the moral dilemmas and survival techniques he and his soldiers face in their day-to-day service in the IDF. You will gain a perspective of current affairs in Israel that you are not likely to hear about on the news or from coverage of political meetings here and abroad. He is a dynamic individual who is dedicated to his work and to the future of Israel.

The meeting will take place at the home of Ronni and Amos Eisenberg, 56 Canavan Circle, Needham, on Wednesday, May 5 at 7:30 pm.

As this meeting was planned on short notice to accommodate Major Goldfus’ schedule, we need to know if you will attend and if you are planning to bring a friend. (If there is a large response, the discussion will be moved to Temple Aliyah—and we will advise you). RSVP by May 3 by phone (781-444-6059—please leave your number in the message) or by email

Please join us as Rabbi Howard Gorin will take us on a journey to Africa to share with us his exciting work with the Abayudaya, the Jews of Uganda. The session, which will explain the inspiring history and practices of this small Jewish community, will begin right after minyan, at 7:45.

This program is re-scheduled from the original planned date last December, which was snowed out.

Our 2nd Daddy and Me Program, for toddlers and their Daddies (mommies and others also welcome) will take place this Sunday, May 9th, at 4:15 pm. Even if you didn’t show up for the first session last month, you ares still welcome to come. Contact Terri, our Family Educator, for more info.

For those interested, Risa and Noah Carp will be hosting a pizza dinner at their house following the program. Please email Risa for details.

The 2004 Temple Aliyah Trip to Israel is becoming a reality! Now is the time to find out more about this incredible and unique experience. An information session will be held on Sunday, May 9th, at 8:00 pm. If you have any questions before the 9th, or if you will be unable to come that evening but are interested in the trip, please email Lesli.

The next (and last) meeting of the Sisterhood Book Club will be Wednesday May 12 at 7:45 pm. We will be discussing A Departure From the Script by Rochelle Hollander Schwab. Please contact Risa Carp or Bess Weiskopf if you have any questions.

How can one evening be both so funny and so delicious? Save the date for a delicious deli dinner and comedy night. So far we have at least two award-winning comics, both of whom have gigged on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Invitations have been mailed for Sisterhood Donor Dinner, May 19, 2004.  Please come for a wonderful evening of shmoozing and learning.  Our speaker will be Dr. Alice D. Domar, who is currently the Director of the Mind/Body Center for Women’s Health at Boston IVF (and formerly at Beth/Israel Deaconess Medical Center), as well as a staff psychologist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  In addition, Dr. Domar is Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School.  She is the author of several books and articles on the topic of mind/body medicine and women’s health issues.  She has appeared often on national television news programs and presents lectures and conducts workshops throughout the United States and internationally.  Dr. Domar will speak to us about “The Application of Mind/Body Medicine to Women's Health Issues.”  She is a dynamic and entertaining speaker who addresses issues of women’s health relating to all ages and stages of life.  So give yourself the gift of an evening of self-nurturance by attending her riveting presentation!  Send in your RSVP without delay.

Donor Dinner will also offer the opportunity, for those who are interested, to donate gifts or gift cards to the Mayyim Hayyim Mikva in Newton, which will be opening next month.

For further information, please contact Penny Gordon.

Every Sunday from now until Labor Day, join the Men’s Club for a “pickup” game at Claxton field, from 9:30 to about 11:30. Everyone plays! So bring your glove and practice your swing. Any questions call (781-449-5133) or email Larry Cohen.

Temple Aliyah is honored to be hosting a series of three lectures in cooperation with Hebrew College by Professor Reuven Kimelman, entitled “Four Questions About the Prayerbook.” This series will meet on Tuesdays May 18, June 1, and June 8, from 7:45 - 9:15 pm. The cost is $75 for the series. For more information, check the Hebrew College web site.

Save the date for this year’s Mitzvah Day. The entire Temple community will join for a wide variety of social action projects. If you are interested in participating or helping to plan or organize the day, please contact Peter Krupp.

In addition, on the same day, the Men’s Club will hold its annual Blood Drive, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please email Bob Rosemark or call 617-964-5525 to schedule an appointment.

The ADL is sponsoring Camp IF, an interfaith camp for youth leadership development from August 23-29, 2004 The program is designed to help participants develop skills in advancing collaborative interfaith initiatives. Participants must be entering their sophomore or junior year of high school. Applications are due by April 30. If you know a bright, creative, humane young man or woman who might want to attend this interesting (and inexpensive) program, please be in touch with Rabbi Perkins as soon as possible.

A reminder that the Maccabbi Games are coming to Boston this August. If you can help in any way, including being a host family, please contact our liaison Pam Glass. For more information, please visit the Maccabbiah web site.

Sunday, May 9th at 4 pm: New England Friends of the IDF & Zionist House are pleased to present “Jerusalem Day,” with special guest speaker Dr. Dore Gold, former Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations and author of Hatred’s Kingdom. At Temple Emeth
194 Grove Street, Chestnut Hill. Also featuring the musical ensemble of the IDF performing songs of Jerusalem. For questions, email newengland@israelsoldiers.org.

On Sunday, May 9th from 10 am to 5 pm, Shop Israel will be hosted at JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School, 57 Stanley Avenue in Watertown. The event is co-sponsored with CJP. Select from Judaica, Jewelry, Ceramics, Fine Art, Ethiopian Crafts, Children’s Clothing and Toys, Textiles, T-shirts, Sculpture, Silks, Books, CDs, Posters, Talitot. 100% of sales go to the artisans.
Admission is $5 (under 13 free). For more information, contact Arnee R. Winshall.

It’s been a long time since our last question. Congratulations to Neil Sacks, the only eligible entrant who correctly answered that Cantor Gelman’s first appearance on our bimah was during the holiday of Hanukkah. (Some of you were thrown off by the clue referring to a “recent celebration”—that celebration was not the very recent holiday of Purim but rather was the celebration a year ago in honor of Cantor Gelman’s thirtieth anniversary, which took place during Hanukkah.) Neil wins a gift certificate to our Judaica Shop.

We’ll give you a new question in the next email.