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Rabbi Carl M. Perkins |
Peter Seresky, President Gil Brodsky, Editor |
March 23, 2009, Monday, 27 Adar, 5769 |
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Our condolences go out to Jack and Jennifer Mark and their family on the passing yesterday of Jack’s father Rabbi Zoltan Mark. The funeral was held today in Brooklyn. The family is returning to Needham for shivah, which will be at the Marks’ home at 86 Windsor Road, Needham, on Tuesday through Thursday from 7-9 pm, with minyans at 7:30, and on Saturday night after Shabbat (7:45) until 9 pm.
Hamakom yinacheim otam... May the Divine Presence comfort them, among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Special Family Music Program with Singer Rick Recht — March 29
Don’t miss the first in TA’s Cantor’s Concert Series with top U.S. touring Jewish singer/songwriter and entertainer Rick Recht. Rick’s music inspires both youth and adults to connect with each other and their Jewish heritage. Visit Rick's Web Site or his MySpace page to listen to his music. Rick will perform jointly with kids of various ages, as well as with our adult choir, under the new direction of Cantor Gastón. Tickets available at Temple Aliyah or at Kolbo in Coolidge Corner. Adults $18, kids $9, and family $40. Sponsorships are also available, as noted in yesterday’s President’s letter from Peter Seresky. For info and reservations email cantorsconcert@templealiyah.com.
Please note that during the concert, any musicians who play acoustic instruments (guitar, hand drums, clarinet, fiddle, etc) will be able to jam onstage with Rick. If you are interested, please contact Cantor Gastón.
If you are interested in learning the music for the concert, it is all posted online on Cantor Gastón’s web site.
... and More Music!
April 5 @ 10:30 am: Pesach Theme Concert
New TA Choir will be performing beautiful settings of Pesach, Freedom and Spring, a great way to start the morning!
April 9 @ 9:15 am: Pesach Morning Service
Join us for Pesach Services and some delights of Hallel compositions sung by the new TA Chorus.
April 30 @ 8 pm: A Night of Niggunim & Acoustic Jams
A very special, informal evening with Cantor G. and Yehuda Katz, leader of Israel’s Reva l’Sheva and former Music Director for Reb Shlomo Carlebach.
May 3 @ 4 pm: Project Manna Concert (at Temple Emanuel)
Support your fellow members from the TA Choir in an evening of togetherness and soul/gospel choral music by various choirs around the area (Jewish and Non-Jewish). Cantor Gastón will also be featured as a soloist.
June 18: Cantor Gastón & Regional Cantors Concert
Cantor Gastón, TA Choir, and regional cantors for an evening of fun! Cantor Gastón will be formally installed by his fellow cantors to the region.
Click here for the flier of all these events.
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Tot Shabbat program, this Friday evening March 27
Join Cantor Bogomolni for an evening of songs, stories, and fun for families of preschoolers and toddlers, and stay for a delicious Shabbat family dinner! For more information or to reserve your spot, check the online flier or contact Bess Weiskopf.
Meditation Shabbat
The next Shabbat morning meditation will take place in the Board Room on April 4, from 9:15 to 10:15. The May program will take place on May 9.
Sisterhood Torah Fund Dinner — Friday, April 3 — with Minyan Shirah
Temple Aliyah Sisterhood’s Annual Torah Fund Event will feature Guest Speaker Rabbi Leslie Gordon. Her topic will be “Women of the Exodus: A Midrashic Exploration.” We will begin with Minyah Shirah followed by an Israeli buffet dinner. Rabbi Gordon’s presentation will follow dinner. Children’s meals will be available, and Childcare will be provided. Families are encouraged to attend.
Donations support The Jewish Theological Seminary. Please fill out the RSVP form and send it to the Temple by March 25.
Book Club — April 9
Due to popular demand, the Temple Aliyah Sisterhood book group has added a meeting. All are welcome to
join in the discussion of
The Jew Store by Stella Subermanrom.
Tuesday, April 28, at 7:45 p.m. (right after minyan), in the Temple Library
Kirkus says: The book is by turns charming, funny, and moving, artfully but simply written and invested with a warm glow of family love. An admirable debut by Suberman, vividly told and captivating in its humanity.
Booklist says:
Suberman tells the remarkable story of her family's sojourn as the only Jews in a small Tennessee town during the 1920s with such sparkle it reads like a novel. Her parents, poor Jews from the shtetls of Eastern Europe, first made their way to New York City, then boldly down to Tennessee where they hoped to establish a dry-goods business, the so-called Jew store. Upon arriving in the town Suberman calls Concordia, the young family was instantly taken in by the town's most independent woman, Miss Brookie, who proved to be an essential ally in helping them to launch Bronson's Low-Priced Store and to pass muster with the local chapter of the Klan. Although Suberman's father took to Concordia like the proverbial fish to water, her mother suffered mightily from a debilitating sense of isolation, but both were bighearted people who met anti-Semitism and racism head-on and ultimately did much to improve the life of the town. As Suberman illuminates this little-known facet of southern Jewish American culture, she offers fresh insights into the dynamics of one small town, where community spirit overcame prejudice. An absolute pleasure on all fronts.
Family Table
April 5 will present an opportunity for a good deed, as we have been asked to provide 10 families to pack and deliver Passover Food to needy families by Family Table from the Waltham facility. This activity is great for children to join with parents in completing an act of tzedakah. Please contact Murray Davidson.
Haftarah Readers Wanted
Opportunities for haftarah that are coming up for Shabbat and Pesach: April 4 and 18 (Shabbat); Days 2 and 7 of Pesach (April 10 and 15); and May 16, 23 and 30 (Shabbat). If you’re interested, contact Seth Stadfeld.
Pesach
Passover this year begins on the evening of Wednesday, April 8 and continues through Thursday, April 16, with the sedarim held Wednesday and Thursday evenings, April 8 and 9. Services begin at 9:00am on the 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 8th days of Passover. Yizkor will be recited on the 8th day, April 16.
Passover Hosts Needed: Wellesley College Hillel and Babson College Hillel are seeking area families to host students for the seder on the 2nd night of Passover. There are a number of students who, because of distance and college obligations, are unable to share the seder with their own families. This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relations between students and the local community and synagogues. If you can host one or perhaps two students on the 2nd night of Passover, April 9th, please contact Kathe Lewis at klewis@wellesley.edu for more information, or leave a phone message at Wellesley Hillel at 781-283-2687. Please contact Hillel as soon as possible so they can begin the process of matching host families with students.
Sponsoring A Seder In Israel: At Pesach, we rejoice in our families and our freedom and no stranger is left hungry or forgotten. We invite you to do a mitzvah this Pesach for our sister congregation in Kiryat Bialik … help insure that their holiday celebrations will be as joyous as our own by contributing towards Pesach seders. Please download and complete the online form and return it to the Temple by April 1. (There is no deadline for an ongoing program for sponsoring Shabbat dinners, and contributions are welcome at any time.)
Holiday Packages For College Students: Our Sisterhood is also sending out its annual Passover packages to college students. Delight the college student(s) in your life with a package from home by sending your student’s name, school address, college and expected year of graduation to Jacqueline Furman ASAP! This year, however, we find we need to ask for donations of $12 to cover expenses. Please mail your checks directly to our chairperson, Jacquelyn Furman, at 56 Lynn Road, Needham, 02494.
Rosh Chodesh Meeting, April 13: Our Temple Rosh Chodesh group continues to meet and recently shared a Tu b’Shevat seder together. At our April meeting, which falls during Passover, we will explore various texts on the topic of giving tzedakah in difficult economic times. New participants are always welcome. If you are interested in participating in our Rosh Chodesh group, please contact Lynn Dennis.
Mechirat Hametz: This year, hametz may be sold on Sunday mornings following 9:00 minyan on March 29th and April 5th or by returning the online hametz sale form to the synagogue office by 9:30am on Wednesday, April 8th.
Pre Passover Programs — April 5: In preparation for Passover, our Religious School will hold a morning of learning and activities open to all religious school and day school students. An added treat for children and adults will be the Pre-Passover Musical Performance at 10:30 am, as our new TA Choir performs beautiful songs of Pesach, Freedom, and Spring.
Siyyum Ha B’chorim — April 8: Generally, the first born of our people fast on the morning before Pesach to commemorate their being spared the fate of the first-born Egyptians. First-borns may eat, however, if they are participating in a Seudat Mitzvah, the festive repast that accompanies the performance of certain mitzvot. One such mitzvah is Talmud Torah (study). Thus, when the study of a significant portion of material is completed, it is customary for all present to celebrate with a meal. All first-borns who participate in the ceremony may eat. This is known as the Siyyum Ha B'chorim. The Siyyum Ha B’chorim will take place this year on Wednesday, April 8th, at 7:00am.
Hametz Collection: We are once again collecting unopened hametz (non-Passover food) which will be donated to Needham Community Council’s Food Pantry. Special for Passover: canned and unopened non-perishable items of any kind may be deposited in the religious school lobby until April 5th. Please adhere to this date, as all contributions must be removed from the synagogue on April 6th.
The Passover wine sale is going on now. The Temple Aliyah Sisterhood is once again offering a wide selection of Passover wines to order from the convenience of your home. You can download the order form for the most popular choices, fill it out, and return it to the Temple with your check, or you can even check out the entire selection list as an Excel file. Just fill in the number of bottles of each choice, and the form will calculate your total cost! Save the Excel file and email it to Karen Kaimo or Jan Feinstein (their addresses are on the form), or print it out and send it in with your check, and you’re all set! The deadline for ordering is March 25, so please act quickly!
The Gift Shop has special merchandise for Pesach … and all at 20% off! Seder plates, matzah plates, matzah covers, afikoman bags and more, either on hand or purchased through our special order catalog! The Gift Shop is open most Sundays leading up to Passover, or by appointment with our Gift Shop coordinator, Nancy Magier. Come and shop!
Cantor Gastón has a new CD of Passover songs. You can check out the samples online, and you can purchase it either online or at the Gift Shop.
And of course, what would Pesach be without some good yuntiff schtick? You-Tube has, among others, 20 things you can do with matzah, the Jib-Jab Matzah hip-hop, and the Barry Sisters Seder medley.
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Mitzvah Day — Sunday, May 17
Please join Temple Aliyah members of all ages on Sunday May 17th, 2009, with kickoff at 9 am. We will have many social action projects to choose from. Here is a sample…
- Go bowling with residents of a local group home
- Make dolls to be given to hospitalized children
- Prepare meals for residents of Ronald McDonald House
- Serve dinner at a food shelter
- Sing songs to residents of a local nursing home
There will be a number of projects suitable for families and temple members of all ages. Sign-up information will be mailed to all Temple members. Remember to sign-up early because many of the projects will have limited space availability (there will be sign up forms the morning of the 4th). Also, we still have opportunities for people who may be interested in leading a Mitzvah Day Project.
Questions or interested in being a Mitzvah Day Team Leader? Please email Don Lassman.
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TA Annual Family Retreat — May 22-24
Great events in the spring — mark your calendars now!
Looking for some quality time with your family in a beautiful spot? Want to spend time with long-time Temple Aliyah friends and/or make new connections? Then save Memorial Day weekend (Friday May 22-Sunday May 24) for the annual Temple Aliyah retreat at Camp Yavneh in New Hampshire. The weekend will include opportunities for singing, praying, learning, boating, tennis, softball, conversation, supervised babysitting for younger kids, plenty of leisure time for adults and kids, and much more. More details and a sign-up form with housing choices are posted on the web site. Please note the April 1 deadline for the lottery for the staff housing.
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In the Community
David Horovitz, Editor-in-Chief of the Jerusalem Post, will speak on “Inside Israel: Life Under Fire: A Conversation with One of Israel's Leading Journalists” on Monday, March 30th at 7:30 pm, at Congregation Mishkan Tefila, 300 Hammond Pond Parkway, Chestnut Hill. Refreshments to follow, dietary laws observed. There is no fee, but RSVP is required. Please RSVP to AIPAC at 617-399-2562 or email nereg@aipac.org by March 23.
David Horovitz was previously editor and publisher of the award-winning news magazine The Jerusalem Report, and has written from Israel for newspapers around the world, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Irish Times and The (London) Independent. He is a frequent interviewee on CNN the BBC, NPR and other TV and radio stations.
Needham Community Theatre proudly presents Arsenic and Old Lace, on Saturday, April 4 at 8 pm and Sunday, April 5 at 2 pm at Newman Elementary School, Needham, MA. Mortimer Brewster has his hands full juggling two sweet yet poisonous aunts, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt and a curious fiancée. Throw in a visit from a murderous brother and his sidekick, Dr. Einstein, and the result is this irresistible farcical black comedy. A beloved theater classic! TA members include Seth Stadfeld in the cast and Joe Silverman as co-producer. Tickets are $20, Seniors only $15 each! For more information or to order tickets visit the NCT web site or call 781-444-4740.
Boston Uncommon Presents Gathersing: Saturday evening, March 28, 2009, at 7:00 pm, at The Rivers School , 333 Winter Street, Weston. Experience a spectacular evening of a cappella music featuring Boston Uncommon (female sextet including Temple Aliyah’s own Judy Pike and Anne Glanz) and four other top regional groups. Admission is $10 at the door. No advance ticket sales.
Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson’s World of Jewtopia makes its Boston Area Debut at the Jewish Theatre of New England at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton, on April 11 – 12, 2009. “Outrageously Funny!” – Los Angeles Times. “Unstoppable!” –The New York Times. “Fogel and Wolfson deserve to take center stage!” –Variety. “Irresistible – it’s comedic chicken soup!” –Time Out New York. After record-breaking off-Broadway, Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida, and Toronto runs, Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson, the creators and stars of Jewtopia, finally make their Boston area debut with World of Jewtopia. The hilarious and irreverent duo performs at the Jewish Theatre of New England for 3 performances, Saturday, April 11 at 8pm and Sunday, April 12 at 1pm and 5pm. Tickets are $30 - $22 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 617-965-5226 or online.
Rashi Preschool Passover Program: The Rashi School invites preschoolers (ages 3-5) and their parents to get ready for Passover at the next Curious Minds program, on Wednesday, April 1, 1:30 pm at the Rashi, 15 Walnut Park, Newton (park in Jackson Road lot). Rashi song leader Jon Nelson will lead songs and games about Passover. A craft project and healthy snack will be included. Admission is free, but preregistration is required. To register, contact Anne Puchkoff at 617-969-4444 x 226 or apuchkoff@rashi.org.
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