Congregation Etz Chaim - P.O. Box 477 – Bentonville, AR 72712
April/May 2008
www.etzchaimnwa.org |
Congregation Etz Chaim - P.O. Box 477 – Bentonville, AR 72712
April/May 2008
www.etzchaimnwa.org |
April/May 2008
Congregation Etz Chaim - P.O. Box 477 – Bentonville, AR 72712
April/May 2008
www.etzchaimnwa.org |
Congregation Etz Chaim - P.O. Box 477 – Bentonville, AR 72712
April/May 2008
www.etzchaimnwa.org |
Note from the President
Dear Friends,
This issue of the BARK would not be complete without thanks and gratitude to Sara Bergman, our Editor for over the past year. The BARK looks terrific and has arrived on time each month. This is all thanks to Sara's volunteer efforts. As Sara leaves her "post”, but luckily not our community, please join me in thanking her. Sara has issued a "help wanted" for a new Editor. I know she will easily train in her replacement. Editing our newsletter is a great project for someone wanting to help out from home. Plus, you can be the first for an advance look at what's happening at your Synagogue.
With spring here, April and May will prove to be busy months full of celebration and Simcha. We will join Alan and Michele Perlman as their daughter, Melissa is called to the Bima as a Bar Mitzvah on April 11-12. Celebration of life cycle events will continue as Olivia Violet, daughter of Yoni and Bart Warfield is blessed in her Simchat Bat, Baby Naming Ceremony, on Fri. May 2.
In between the two life cycle celebrations Passover will arrive. The first Seder is Saturday, April 19. If you are able to perform the mitzvah of welcoming others into your home for the Seder please let me know. With new members in town and usually a few visitors here on business, Etz Chaim always receives some calls requesting a place at a Seder table. Please don't let the thought of planning and cooking for a Seder scare you off! I'm happy to help walk you through the steps - from a simple "beginners" version to "expert" level.
The last day of Religious School before summer break will be on May 18. Many thanks to our group of volunteer teachers and parents who help out each week. Special thanks and great appreciation to Wynnie Hoodis. Wynnie has served as the Religious School Director for the past two years. In that time our school has thrived and grown in many new directions, from the addition of a “Torah Tots” program, to spirit filled song sessions. The smooth flow of Jewish education each week is evident as you walk through the door on a Sunday morning. This is only able to happen with many hours of advanced planning and work throughout the year. Thank you Wynnie!
Robyn Douglass will move from the classroom to serve as our next Religious School Director. Robyn’s passion for education will help guide us in providing a first rate Jewish education for our youth.
B’Shalom, Betsy
Calendar for Congregation Etz Chaim Events
Thurs .April 3 at 11:30 a.m.: Rabbi Jack will be a guest speaker at John Brown University. Please contact Rabbi Jack for more details, 918-749-2270
Fri. April 4 at 6:30 p.m.: Musical Shabbat Celebration led by Andrew Terkel from the ISJL. .
Fri. April 11 at 7:30 p.m.: Shabbat Service. Melissa will participate in the service. An Oneg, in honor of Melissa, will be sponsored by her parents, Michele and Alan
Sat. April 12 at 10:00 a.m.: Melissa will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. Kiddush sponsored by her parents, to follow the service.
Thurs. April 24: Women’s Seder hosted by Ida Fineberg. As at our previous Women's Seders all attending will be asked to contribute in some fashion; cooking, preparation or clean-up. The Seder is only open to Etz Chaim female members .ages 12 and up. Please RSVP to Ida at 479-409-3658 or ida@arkrealestate.com
Fri. May 2 at 6:30.p.m.: Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Jack and Debbye Zanerhaft. Baby Naming ceremony of Olivia Rose Warfield. Oneg is sponsored by the Warfield Family
Fri. June 13 at 6:15 p.m.: Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Jack and Debbye Zanerhaft, followed by a dairy pot luck dinner
Sat. June 14 at 10:00 a.m.: Morning Shabbat Service. Kiddush to follow.
Sunday June 15 at 10:00 a.m.: Etz Chaim Annual Meeting, "Bagel and Business" Recap the year and hear about next year. Vote in new Board Members and thank outgoing members. Your voice is important!
FROM THE RABBI’S DESK…
Seeing is believing. One of the beautiful characteristics of Judaism is the utilization of all our senses as a tool to aid us in comprehending a power greater than us, as well as helping us find the divinity within ourselves. There is for example, the aroma of Havdalah spices, the taste of wine on virtually all sacred occasions, and the listening to the Shofar, but for now, let’s focus on our faith’s reliance on visual cues.
During our most recent time at Etz Chaim, Debbye and I spent two hours with our B’nai Mitzvah class. It was both significant and rewarding. Forming a personal bond between young members of a congregation and their clergy is no small thing, and we are grateful to be part of this stunning and authentic emergence of Jewishness in NWA.
Among the myriad of “Kodak” moments, was the time we spent learning about and then putting on T’fillin. It is an Aramaic word that shares its root with T’fillah, meaning prayer. T’fillin is a pair of black boxes and straps placed on the forehead and arm respectively. They are worn during weekday Shacharit services. In English, they’re called phylacteries. We traced their origin to the V’ahavta, the seminal prayer (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) that immediately follows the Shema. When each student wrapped the thin, shiny leather strips in their newly learned way, and fidgeted with the dark squares that contained the white parchment of the V’ahavta, you could feel the kids get very connected. The youngsters became engaged in understanding how each of them is an important link in a chain that spans thousands of years. For them, it was literally the ties that bind.
April brings Passover and Melissa Perlman’s Bat Mitzvah. In May our service will include a poignant juxtaposition of Holocaust remembrance and a Hebrew Baby Naming Ceremony. Those next in line who are ready to publicly embrace and
wholeheartedly their ancient traditions, will no doubt be similarly inspired by the sanctity of the celebrations because of what they saw. The Torah recognized, and our students remind us, that when our eyes are open, our hearts and souls, with all our might, will soon follow.
V’shi-nan-tam l’va-ne-cha, v’di-bar-ta bahm. Speak to them, and teach your children diligently.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Jack
NOTES FROM THE CANTOR…
Dearest friends,
Our debut with Mishkan T’filah was a soundful success. We sang joyfully, with spirit and soul. All this from a brand new prayer book. And our next generation took to our siddur in an enlightening way as well.
As part of our time with the B’nai Mitzvah class, I went through the Shabbat morning service with each student, carefully explaining how the liturgy unfolded using Mishkan T’fillah. My goal was to allay any perception of difficulty that might arise form “fear of the unknown”. Instead of being afraid of a “new” text, what the kids experienced became a teaching moment for us all. The similarity of the pattern from previous prayer books immediately stood out. Every student picked up on the idea of how our tradition maintains continuity through its liturgy and prayer services.
I look forward to spending more time with each of the kids and their families, as their Bar or Bat Mitzvah approaches. Until we sing together again –
B’shirah,
Debbye
Of Blessed Memory –
Our sincere condolences to:
Ellen and Stan Kessler on the loss of Ellen’s Sister.
Evie and Lou Adler on the loss of Evie’s Father.
Both in April and May, during services, we will rise as one family and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish.
Yahrzeits for April are: BABE BLAKENSHIP and REGINA ZANERHAFT.
In the month of May: MANNIE ADLER, FRED BIRNS, JACK LASATER, ALAN LITTLE, ISAAC MITRANI, ISIDORE WASSERMAN, LILLIAN WASSERMAN and LEO ZANERHAFT.
Let them rest peacefully under the wings of the Shechina
Our new prayer books have arrived!
We are thrilled to report that the new prayer books, Mishkan T’Filah, have arrived. Our thanks and gratitude to the Schusterman Family Foundation for their generosity as our major book contributors. There are still several opportunities to donate prayer books . For $36 each, prayer books can be donated to; thank or honor a loved one, commemorate a Yhortzeitz, celebrate a birthday or anniversary and the list goes on. A book plate will be inscribed with your message. Your donation is tax deductible.
Please send this information, along with your check ($36 per book) to Etz Chaim P.O. 477 Bentonville, AR 72712
*Donated by:
*Inscription on Book Plate:
*Please send acknowledgement to:
Prayer Book Donations in March:
In celebration of David Hoodis’ Birthday
-By the Rosen Family
Donations:
Many thanks to the following families for their generous donations received in March/April:
In Celebration of David Hoodis’ Birthday
-By the Stacy & Scott Doctor Family Fund of the Houston Jewish Community Foundation
Please consider Etz Chaim in your charitable giving. Donations are tax deductible and can be made to thank or honor a friend or relative, remember loved ones and friends, celebrate a special occasion, support Etz Chaim’s mission and commitment to growing a thriving Jewish Community in NWA or to leave a legacy. Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated and can be made to the following funds:
|
Building Fund |
Simcha Fund |
|
Siddur/Torah Fund |
Memorial Fund |
|
Religious School Fund |
Arts Alive |
|
Adult Education Fund |
Scholarship Fund |
|
Rabbi Discretionary Fund |
|
Please send your donations to: Congregation Etz Chaim P.O. Box 477 Bentonville, AR 72712
L’Dor V’Dor Religious School News
Our school year is beginning to wind down, but not before one last religious school musical Shabbat, Melissa Perlman’s Bat Mitzvah, some Passover fun and a special Yom Hashoah and Yom Hatzmaut program by Rabbi Jack and Debbye.
I would like to thank our dedicated volunteer teaching staff for the many hours and smiles that they put into making this year terrific. When you see the following people please thank them for their hard work; Carolyne Wendel, Carol Stuckey, Robyn Douglass, Rachel Stuckey, Chris and Steve Crowell and Lauren Levine.
I have truly enjoyed being the Religious School Director for the past two years. I am proud of what we have at Congregation Etz Chaim. Educating our children is part of the foundation of our synagogue to build upon. I feel that all of our congregants, whether they have children in our program or not, should feel a sense of pride in our weekly school.
L’Shalom,
Wynnie Hoodis
B’nai Mitzvah Class Notes –
by Chris & Steve Crowell
We’ve been busy this semester getting ready for our 1st Bat Mitzvah – Melissa Perlman. Congratulations to you Melissa! You’ve worked hard and have earned the right to sleep late on Sundays for a little while. We hope that you’ll come back to help out all of your classmates from time to time.
Recently, Rabbi Jack visited the class to teach the kids how to wrap Tefillin. This was a treat for us since most of the class hadn’t been exposed to this ritual before. As each of them wrapped the Tefillin, you could see a change come over them. Some became more serious, some looked more ‘grown up’ and some just shone with G-d’s light!
As we wind down the year, we’ll continue with Torah and studying our prayers in our new prayer books. We welcome any and all congregants who would like to sit in and learn with us. It’s pretty easy to learn the prayers and there’s an added benefit - wouldn’t it be cool to stun Jack & Debbye with coordinated LOUD singing just once?! Join us if you can...
Mazel Tov to Tom Douglass! Tom received the Jane B. Mendel Tikkun Olam, “Building a Better World” award at the annual Jewish Federation dinner on Feburay 2 in Little Rock.Many thanks to Tom for h service to Etz Chaim!
Save the Date!
The Israeli Scout Caravan will be visiting Bentonville on Monday, August 4. Details will follow on the website and listserve. Please call Mark Levine at 636-3633
if you are interestd in hosting a Scout for one night.
HELP US WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Please contact our Membership Chairs, Ellen and Stan Kessler, at 273-1105 if you know of Jewish friends, neighbors or colleagues who may be interested in membership. It's our goal to warmly welcome and involve all Jews in our area.
Purim Celebration!
Fun was had by all at Etz Chaim on Friday, March 21 as we celebrated Purim and Shabbat. Thanks to Carolyne Wendel for serving as our event chair. We thank our guest Rabbi Batsheva Appel of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) for traveling from Jackson, Miss to lead services.
The celebration would not have been complete without Hamentashen! Cindy Flynn and Bob Regnier helped our Religious School kids bake. More baking was done in Debra Ruben’s kitchen as the Sisterhood met to bake, nosh and visit.
Celebrate Israel !
Israel's 60th Anniversary will be celebrated at Etz
Chaim on Sunday, May 4, with a story, songs and a
potluck lunch. Beginning at 11:15am.
All congregants are invited to join Rabbi Jack and
Debbye at 11:15 as they tell stories and sing songs
with our religious school children. The potluck lunch
will begin at Noon.
Congregants are asked to bring their favoriate Israeli
food item to share. Please bring an item according to
the first letter of your last name:
A-M-a side dish or main course(examples: hummus,
tabouli, vegetable tray, falafel, pita bread, etc.)
N-Z-a dessert or fruit
*Religious school will provide drinks and paper goods.
If no Israeli food item comes to mind then just bring
something yummy to share.
Any questions...contact Wynnie Hoodis, Religious
School Director, at 271-7147 or wynniehoot@yahoo.com
With great pleasure
we invite you to
share our happiness as
our dear daughter
Melissa Samantha
is called to the Torah
as a Bat Mitzvah
Saturday the twelfth of April Ten o’clock in the morning
A Kiddush in Melissa’s honor will follow services
Alan and Michele Perlman