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Rabbi Carl M. Perkins |
Peter Seresky, President Gil Brodsky, Editor |
March 30, 2009, Monday, 6 Nissan, 5769 |
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Our condolences go out to Sandra and Jack Alpert on the passing in Florida late last week of Sandra’s sister, Anita Berman. The funeral and shiva observance were held in New York.
Hamakom yinacheim otam... May the Divine Presence comfort them, among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Yasher Koach
Jewish Family & Children’s Service Bet Tzedek program would like to extend sincere gratitude and appreciation for the volunteer efforts of Temple Aliyah member Donald Lassman. Bet Tzedek, a legal services and legal referral program, promotes the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) by providing access to free civil legal services to hundreds of low-income individuals throughout Greater Boston. Don, an attorney in Needham, provided pro bono legal services to successfully represent a JF&CS client in her bankruptcy matter. To find out more about Bet Tzedek, please visit the website at www.jfcsboston.org.
Sisterhood Torah Fund Dinner — this 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 immediately.
Blessing of the Sun — April 8 (only once every 28 years!)
Please join us on the morning of Wednesday, April 8, for minyan, siyyum hab’chorim (see below), special breakfast, and a real treat, a once-every-28-year ceremony blessing the Sun. Rabbi Perkins has sent out a recent email inviting everyone in the community to this special program.
We apologize that the link to the New York Times
article in Rabbi Perkins’s email did not work. Here is the correct link to read that article.
Music! Music! 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 12 @ 9:30 am: Regional Daled Class Zimriyah
(See article below)
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 z”l.
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
Join 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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Meditation Shabbat this Shabbat
The next Shabbat morning meditation will take place in the Board Room this coming Shabbat, April 4, from 9:15 to 10:15. The May program will take place on May 9.
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 Suberman.
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.
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. We will also be celebrating Birkat HaHamah, blessing of the Sun, a ceremony that occurs only once every 28 years, that morning (see Rabbi Perkins’ recent letter about this).
Send all my leaven to you: 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.
If you missed the deadline to order your Passover wine through our Sisterhood, you might want to stop by Newtonville Wine and Spirits (next to Shaw’s over the turnpike) on Wednesday, April 1st, from 5pm - 8pm, for their Annual pre-Passover Kosher Wine Tasting event. There is a 10% discount on 2 to 6 bottles of wine. ...15% on 7 bottles or more. The store is owned by Bob Shire, one of our Temple Aliyah neighbors. He will deliver to your home in Needham free of charge.
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? Nextbook has this irreverent animation. 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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Zimriyah — Sunday, April 12
Come and hear our Daled students when they perform at the Annual Regional Zimriyah (song festival) here at Temple Aliyah on Sunday, April 12, 2009 from 9:30-10:30 am. They will be joined by parents and students from four other Conservative congregations in the area, with each student group singing different songs on the theme of Peace.
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
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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Laymen’s Institute
The New England Region of the FJMC's The 63rd Annual Laymen's Institute will be held at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires from June 11 - 14, 2009 (the weekend before Father's Day).
Laymen's Institute is of a wonderful mix of relaxation, sports, eating, learning, prayer, spirited singing and camaraderie. The schedule is centered on our two Scholars in Residence, each of whom will deliver multiple presentations.
This year, we are pleased to be taught by two wonderful scolars: Rabbi Mayer E Rabinowitz, associate professor of Talmud at The Jewish Theological Seminary, on The Internet and Jewish Law, the Kaddish (Ancient ritual and the Modern Jew), and
Getting along with people different than you; and Rabbi Daniel Liben, spiritual leader of Temple Israel of Natick, on Conservative Keruv and on Hasidic Texts on Prayer and Spirituality (Can the insights of Hassidic teaching speak to the prayer lives of Conservative Jews?).
Other activities include our famed “Minyan in the Grove,” a learner’s minyan, softball, a tennis competition, swimming, boating, bike rides and our Hearing Men’s Voices programs, where men have the opportunity to talk about many key personal issues facing us today.
The weekend begins on Thursday afternoon and ends Sunday morning before noon. Men may arrive and leave to their own schedules, though we discourage traveling on Shabbat. Camp Ramah is in Palmer, MA, just a 75 minute drive west from Boston. Carpools are available.
For more information, you can watch a short video highlighting the Laymen’s Institute experience, check out the album of pictures from last year, or contact Stephen Baum.
Ikkarim survey
Parents of young children, what have you done for yourself lately? Most parents find that their days are full of taking their children to enrichment classes and opportunities, but what are you doing for your own enrichment?
Temple Aliyah is looking to hold an Ikkarim Class 2009-2010 and would love for you to be part of this wonderful opportunity. Join us for an inspirational journey through ancient texts and modern themes as we search for our ikkarim, which in classical Hebrew refers to both our “roots” and “principles”. We will explore basic Jewish values and their modern significance by bringing our own contemporary concerns to our text-study. We will discover how these values apply within—and can enrich—our many circles of relationships: with our children, spouses and friends; with our fellow citizens and community; with our people; and even with ourselves and with God.
Babysitting is included for daytime classes, allowing parents to take advantage of this enrichment opportunity. There are 19 sessions throughout the year for the highly subsidized rate of $250. This class is designed for parents of children newborn to age seven. Ikkarim is a joint program of Hebrew College and Combined Jewish Philanthropies. This program is open to anyone in the community, Temple membership is not required. If you are a parent of a young child (and haven’t already done Ikkarim) then do something for yourself. If you know parents of young children, encourage them to explore being a part of this experience.
Please take the survey to let us know if you are interested (or pass it on to someone who might be).
In the Community
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.
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.
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