Notes from the Shul - Temple Israel in Norfolk, VA - Conservative Jewish Synagogue Open To All

(757) 489-4550

WHAT'S IN THE NOTES THIS WEEK?

Service times for Shabbat and during the week

Junior Congregation reminder

Chanukkah Challenge Gameshow

Rick Recht Concert Information

Rabbi Panitz office hours

Mitzvah of the Month for December and January

Temple Israel Scholarship Funds Available

JCC Book Festival Schedule

NEST Information

Chanukah Candle Fundraiser

Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Schedule

Cooking for a Kiddush luncheon

Join our Minyan!

Room Wanted to Rent

Birthdays and Anniversaries for the week

Beth Sholom Village Community Chinese Buffet on December 25th

Request for Shomrim

Wands for Wildlife information

Pet Memorial Board information

Mitzvah of the Year information

NEW Program Committee

Amazon Smile information for Temple Israel

Volunteers needed for the Men's Chevra Kaddisha

Gift Shop information

JNF Tree information

Wine on the Vine

Upcoming Events

Yahrzeits for the week

Service Times

Friday - 5:30pm at Temple Israel

Saturday - Shabbat Services in the sanctuary 9:30am
Chanukkah Challenge Gameshow begins at 11:00am

Sunday - 8:00am at Congregation Beth El, and Sunday evening services are at Temple Israel at 5:45pm.

Monday - Thursday
7:30am at Temple Israel and 5:45pm at Temple Israel (Evening minyan services are at Temple Israel for the month of November. Beginning Monday, December 3rd, evening minyan services will be at Beth El at 5:45pm.)

If you are planning to attend minyan services to say Kaddish for a love one's yahrtzeit, would you be willing to share some memories with us? This is a new addition to our services, which has been warmly received by everyone.

Sermon Titles

Friday - "Judith the Maccabbette"

Saturday - We will have our gameshow "Hollywood Menorahs and Dreidels"

Service Leaders

Torah Reader - Marilyn Suskind-Pearline, in memory of her grandfather, Benjamin Rosett

Haftarah - Rabbi Michael Panitz, in honor of his Bar Mitzvah anniversary

Please join us for a kiddush luncheon on the Evelyn Eisenberg Atrium following services.

Junior Congregation will meet in the Hyman B. Swartz Memorial Library at 10:30am.
At 11:00, the children will go to the sanctuary so they can participate in the gameshow.

Be sure to come for this fun game after services on Saturday, December 1st!
Kids and Adults will have a blast!

Rick Recht

This weekend will be very special! Rick Recht is coming to be with our Tidewater community and the Beit Sefer Shalom children will have the opportunity to hear him on Sunday! Also, if any children would like to sing with him, there is a rehearsal at 12:00 pm at the JCC.

Here is the schedule.

SUNDAY MORNING/ AFTERNOON DEC. 2nd

Event: BSS Sunday School
Where: JCC
When: 10-12pm
Lunch: FREE at Latkepalooza!!

Event: Concert with Rick
Where: JCC
When: 1:30pm concert
Rehearse: 12:00pm- we will be at the JCC and there will be a full rehearsal of singers and instrumentalists at 12:00pm. Then we can eat lunch and at 1:30 is the concert.

Here are the words to one of our favorite Rick Recht songs! One that speaks directly to our hearts, minds, and prayers for a better world.

Shalom Ba'olam People come in different colors
people think in different ways
when we love the difference
in one another
together we can make the world
a better place

Shalom, Shalom Baolam
shalom l'hagshim tikun olam
shalom, shalom baolom
shalom shalom, shalom baolam

When we listen to each other
when when we try to understand
when we respect the thoughts of
everyone we meet
only then can we expect true peace
throughout our land

together we are strong
when we say what we believe
we can make the future
a brighter place for you and me

anashim bitsva'im shonim
anashim choshvim bidrachim shonot
k'she'anachnu ohavim et hahevdalim aytsel ha'achayrim
yachad nuchal laitsor olam tov yotayr Shalom....Shalom Ba'olam!

Rabbi Panitz will have regular office hours on Tuesdays from 9:15am until noon.

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AVAILABLE AT TEMPLE ISRAEL

There are several endowment funds at Temple Israel that are for the benefit of Jewish Education, Jewish Camping, Israel Trips and other Jewish Experiential Programs. Some of these grants are now available for any age, including adults. These funds include the Alfred and Herbert Legum Memorial Fund, the Sanford Lefcoe Scholarship Fund and the Snyder Education Fund. Needs basis is given first priority.
If interested in applying for a grant, please contact the synagogue office.

PLEASE READ AND NOTE THE UPDATED INFORMATION!

As in the past, we will be helping First Lutheran Church in Ghent with their week of NEST.
Our day is December 6th.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered - we could still use one more person for registration and for the second overnight shift.
And thank you to everyone who has volunteered to bring food - we now have all the food covered!

December 6 - 5:30pm - 8:00pm - Meal coordinators and cooks -
Jeanette Juren
Lori Alperin
Noah Alperin
Judy Rohn
Reuven Rohn
December 6 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm - Registration -
Thelma Oser
William Fink
December 6 - 6:00pm - 9:30pm - Evening helpers -
Eitan Mor
Jonathan Longman
Linda Longman
Michael Cole
December 6 - December 7 - 9:30pm - 1:00am - First overnight shift
Hal Juren
Phil Walzer
Eitan Mor
December 7 - 1:00am - 5:00am - Second overnight shift -
William Fink
Rabbi Ellen Jaffe-Gill
Lawrence Fleder
December 7 - 5:00am - 7:00am - Early morning/breakfast shift -
William Fink
Mark Solberg
Rabbi Panitz
Marcia Brodie
Jemma Brodie

Call the office today to buy a candle!

Temple Israel's Festival of Jewish Art

Just a reminder - if you would like to come in and cook something special for a Shabbat kiddush luncheon, just let the office know. We will be happy to check your food in and show you around the kitchen. Maybe you have a special dish that you would like to share with the congregation - you're more than welcome to come in and prepare it during office hours. And the congregation certainly would like to try it!

Our morning minyan could use your help!

A number of our regulars are unable to attend due to illness, and some mornings we are not able to make 10 people. It's particularly important on Mondays and Thursdays when we read Torah, but there are people every day who need to say kaddish. Please look at your schedule and pick one morning a week to come to our 7:30am minyan - it's only 30 - 60 minutes and you will be doing a mitzvah by allowing people the opportunity to say kaddish for a loved one.

We had someone contact the office looking for a room to rent. If you have a room available to rent, or know of someone who does, please contact the office and we will pass on the contact information to her. Thank you.

DECEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 7

DECEMBER 1

Abraham Kalfus

DECEMBER 3

Angela Mayes

DECEMBER 4

Wendy Auerbach
Jo Rosenblum
Matthew White

DECEMBER 5

Calvin Alperin

DECEMBER 6

Al Eisenpress

DECEMBER 7

Michel Ashe

DECEMBER 4

Bernie and Lois Cohen

DECEMBER 5

William and Jeri Jo Halprin

DECEMBER 7

Gideon and Edna Riess

Switch Day at Beth Sholom Village
Wonderful Memories

Change is here!

For over thirty years, Beth Sholom Village has engaged family members and the community as they came to volunteer on December 25. The activity was called “Switch Day”.

The idea was born when staff – everyone from food servers to nurses requested the day off to spend time with their family on Christmas day. The Jewish community came together and volunteered and switched places with many staff. The volunteers did everything! They cooked and served food and escorted residents from their room to the dining rooms. They worked in the laundry room and helped clean. They lead Bingo. There was lots of socializing and the making of new friends. It worked out well for everyone! Jewish people had the day off and wanted to give back. The staff was able to take an important family holiday off.

Fast forward to today and times have changed. New health care guidelines dictate that only trained staff members may assist residents with certain activities. The health department will not allow volunteers in the kitchen to cook. The list goes on! Our staff enjoys working the long shift with time and a half for a holiday.

So, here we are in 2018 and we again are coming together as a community only this time with a different twist. We are inviting our family members, friends and former volunteers to come and enjoy a kosher Chinese Buffet and socialize.

If you would like to be a shomer, please give the office a call so we can add you to the list. Shomrim sit with a deceased after they have been shrouded and before the funeral so that they are never alone. If you would like more information, please give the office a call at 489-4550.

LADIES, PLEASE DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR OLD MASCARA - BRING IT TO OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN CLEAN THE BRUSHES AND PASS IT ALONG TO THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR WHO WILL USE THEM TO CLEAN THE BABY ANIMALS SHE GETS. SHE CAN ALSO USE PUPPY PIDDLE PADS AND 75 WATT INFRARED LIGHT BULBS.

WE WILL COLLECT THESE ITEMS ALL YEAR, SO PLEASE DROP THEM OFF AT THE OFFICE.

The next time you're at the synagogue, be sure to look at our Pet Memorial Board.
It's located on the stair wall as you go up to Brody Auditorium.
It's a wonderful way to remember your beloved pet.

We have a new

MITZVAH OF THE YEAR

The Salvation Army needs the community's help for their new 'Diaper Pantry'

The Salvation Army is creating a "diaper pantry" to help families with young children. Diapers are one of the most expensive items families need to purchase, so we are helping them fill their "diaper pantry" by collecting here at Temple Israel. So, the next time you're at the store, pick up a package of diapers and drop it at the synagogue office. You will be helping struggling families who are just trying to make ends meet.

As always, thank you for your generosity and kindness.

AmazonSmile and Temple Israel

What is AmazonSmile? - an easy way for you to support Temple Israel every time you shop, at no cost to you! When you log on to https://smile.amazon.com you will find the exact same low prices, selection, and convenience of shopping at Amazon.com - with the bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to Temple Israel.

Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile? YES!! You use the same account. Your shopping cart, wish lists, wedding registry and other account settings will all be the same.

How do I select Temple Israel as my charity of choice on AmazonSmile? On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you will need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon remembers your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at AmazonSmile will result in a donation. If you use this link, it will take you directly to Temple Israel so you won't have to search through all the charitable organizations.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/54-0563380

How much of my purchase does Amazon donate? The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping and handling, gift wrapping fees, taxes or service charges. While this may sound small, with over 300 families receiving this email, the amount could really add up!

Finally, How do I shop at AmazonSmile? Simply to go smile.amazon.com from your web browser or mobile device. It's that simple! Make sure to bookmark the link so it's even easier for you to return to the website and begin shopping.

The Men's Chevra Kaddisha is looking for volunteers.

Participating on the Chevra Kaddisha is the highest form of a mitzvah you can perform. You are the last contact the deceased has before the funeral and you are the one who ensures they have a proper Jewish burial. It is one of the most rewarding acts you will ever do. If you are interested, or have questions, please contact Larry Stein.

THE TEMPLE ISRAEL GIFT SHOP

We've just received a new shipment of some beautiful items for the Temple Israel gift shop. Do you need a gift for someone, or maybe just a treat for yourself? Come check out what your Temple Israel gift shop has to offer.

And we still have some great items in our L'Dor v'Dor Section.

We accept donations for our L'Dor v'Dor section of the gift shop all year long. Please consider any of the following items:

Menorahs
Dreidels
Torah Pointers
Seder and Matzah Plates
Tzedakah Boxes
Shabbat Candlesticks
Kiddush Cups
Challah Plates
Graggers for Purim
Jewish-themed Children's Books

If your item(s) has a special history or meaning attached to it, please write down the information and turn it into the office with your "treasure". We would love to be able to share its story!

All items donated are tax deductible.

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE

For $18.00, you can plant a tree in Israel
IN HONOR of a family member, friend, group or event
OR
IN MEMORY of a family member or friend

Make your check payable to Temple Israel with a note that it is for the JNF Tree Center and who/what it is IN HONOR of or IN MEMORY of. If you go to their website, www.jnf.org/jnf-tree-planting-center, you can select a certificate/tree location. If you would like a specific certificate or location, let us know when you send in your check. We will send JNF everyone's requests.

For something completely different, you can plant a grapevine for someone, just as you would plant a tree.

Plant a vine in Israel.

Do good today!

Wine on the Vine (WOTV) is an exciting new way to:

Give to truly remarkable charities in Israel
Assist the rebirth of Israel’s ancient winemaking tradition
Organically and physically connect to the Land of Israel
Support Israel’s cultural outreach to the world

All contributions are tax-deductible for US tax-payers.

For more information, go to www.wineonthevine.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, December 1st
Shabbat Services in the sanctuary 9:30am
We will have a Chanukah Game Show Challenge for kids and adults alike

There will also be Junior Congregation that day in the library 10:30am

Thursday, December 6th
Docents from the Chrysler Museum coming to see our artifacts exhibit on the atrium, led by Shirley Confino-Rehder and Mark Solberg 1:00pm

Saturday, December 8th
Shabbat Services in the sanctuary 9:30am
Our Scholar-in-Residence weekend begins with Dr. Michael Duffy
(see the information above)

Monday, December 10th
Torah at the Beach at the home of Burke and Vivian Margulies 7:30pm
Chanukah will be the discussion at this session.

Tuesday, December 11th
Board Meeting 7:30pm

Saturday, December 15th
Birthday and Anniversary Shabbat in the sanctuary 9:30am
Junior Congregation in the Hyman B. Swartz Memorial Library 10:30am

These are the yahrzeits for the coming week. Please read through them. If you see someone you recognize, come to minyan. As a community, it is our honor to remember.