VOLUME 60 EDITION 4
1 December 2017
12 Heshvan 5778
Congregation Sha’arai Shomayim Founded 1844
Springhill Avenue Temple
The Temple Bulletin
springhillavenuetemple.com
We are coming together as a caring, inclusive community united in a common commitment to Judaism and to furthering our spiritual growth. We desire to do this recognizing that worship of God, study of Torah, caring for the Jewish people and our community, are central to our being as a Reform Jewish congregation. With these principles as our foundation and guided by a historic past, we anticipate our future, one of continual lifelong self-renewal.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Friday, December 1 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service
with the Congregational Choir
Saturday, December 2 9:30 a.m. Shabbat Breakfast – No bacon pancakes,
two eggs over easy w/home fries & avocado
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service
Friday, December 8 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service
Friday, December 15 6:00 p.m. Hanukkah Family Service
with the Congregational Choir
Religious School play -
“Hanukkah – The Miracle of the Candles”
Dinner to follow
Friday, December 22 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service
Friday, December 29 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service
The Temple offices will be closed on
Monday, December 25 and Monday, January 1.
Torah Selection:
Genesis 32:4 – 36:43
Haftarah – Obadiah 1:1 - 21
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FROM THE RABBI
The Mystery of Hanukkah
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T
he mystery of Hanukkah is that the ritual that we associate with the holiday – the kindling of the Hanukkah lights for eight nights – is not mentioned in any of the historical works describing the rededication of the Temple. It is only much later in Talmudic literature written down, perhaps 350 years after the Maccabean rebellion, that we read the legend of the Maccabees entering the Temple and discovering all the jugs of oil for lighting the menorah had been defiled. They re-purified the Temple and then went looking for any purified oil that they could find to light the fire in the Temple. To their dismay they could not find anything and then finally they found one small cruse of oil, which had enough oil to keep the fire burning for one day.
Well, you know the story about the miracle. The flame miraculously burned not for one day but for eight whole days until new pure oil could be brought in from the Galilee and that is why we light eight candles, one at a time, going from the first night through the eighth night. It is certainly one of the ceremonies I remember growing up and I am sure most of us feel the same way.
It is a fascinating holiday in that it is based on real historical events. In fact, interestingly enough, those historical events may not conform to the religious messages that we are trying to convey. That doesn’t bother me at all. Adding to the complexity of our tradition and even introducing a bit of unintentional ambiguity adds nuance and forces us to reflect. In a post-modern world, we know that not everything is as it seems. And yet, it is a wonderful holiday for celebrating for both adults and children.
There is also the custom of eating fried foods in commemoration of the miracle of the oil, which is usually latkes or potato pancakes. In Israel there is sufganiyot and doughnuts, both of which are fried. Additionally, there is also a tradition of eating cheese and other dairy foods, which is based on midrashim of the story of Judith. She made a dairy meal to put the enemy general Holofernes to sleep, at which point, Judith decapitated him saving the city. The story has no actual connection with Hanukkah, but became associated with it during the Middle Ages.
There is also a Russian Hanukkah tradition of pouring brandy over a lump of sugar in a spoon setting it ablaze and then dropping it into a glass of tea. This is called the flaming tea ceremony. We also give Hanukkah gelt, which can be either real coins or chocolate ones. I always prefer the chocolate ones. In Eastern Europe people played card games late into the night on Hanukkah and other gambling games including spinning the dreidel.
As you can see, it is primarily a folk holiday that the sages did their best to make into a religious occasion. This is just another example of how we are not all that different from people 200 or 500 or even 2000 years ago. So, let’s pull out our dreidels and practice spinning them to see if we can get the best of the four letters that spell out the words, a wondrous miracle happened there.
I wish everyone a very, very Happy Hanukkah. May light pervade your life and may your home be filled with health and love.
Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan
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FROM OUR PRESIDENT
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T
he Shabbat Service in honor of Veterans Day was well attended with slightly over fifty members and guests in attendance. Counting the choir, we had over sixty people in our lovely Sanctuary.
Our guest speaker, Mr. Sy Lichtenfeld, was excellent! As a very young man, he was captured by German soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge. He told us a very interesting story of his being a Jewish POW.
Now please be advised that Sy’s story was Part One of our Veteran’s Day Observances; Part Two will take place on Sunday, December 3 at 1:00 p.m. in our sanctuary. Our guest speaker for Part Two will be Dr. Sheldon Kushner. The topic of Dr. Kushner’s talk will be “Understanding the Vietnam War Through the Experiences of a Surgeon.” Dr. Kushner now lives in Point Clear, Alabama. Dr. Kushner was portrayed in the biography, “Trauma and Tenacity in Vietnam: A Surgeon’s Story” by Mary Jane Ingui, Ph.D.
Moving on into January of next year, on Saturday, January 13, we will have our Joint Shabbat Service with Temple Beth El of Pensacola. Services start at 11:00 a.m. in our sanctuary. This will also be our Annual Founders Day Shabbat with members of Temple Beth El helping us remember our
January 25, 1844 founding. (It should be noted that Temple Beth El is the oldest synagogue in the State of Florida. And of course, we are the oldest synagogue in the State of Alabama.)
Through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Cal Ennis, we will also have a Scholar-in Residence visit. Our guest speaker is Rabbi Dr. David Frankel. In memory of this parents Ralph and Faye Ennis, Dr. and Mrs. Ennis are funding this wonderful speaker, who is a Professor of Bible.
Our Congregation and Congregation Beth El will enjoy Rabbi Frankel’s lecture entitled, “What Actually Happened in the Garden of Eden.” This lecture will start promptly after lunch. Then at 3:00 p.m., Rabbi Frankel will deliver a second lecture. Not only will this lecture include both congregations, but it will also include the Mobile Christian-Jewish Dialogue. This lecture is entitled, “Does the Hebrew Bible Foretell the Story of Jesus? Jewish-Christian Polemics in the Middle Ages.”
Rabbi Dr. David Frankel, who is a Conservative Rabbi, has been teaching Bible to rabbinical students for nearly 25 years at the Schechter Institutes of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Murmuring Stories of the Priestly School, Brill:2002 and The Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel, Eisenbrauns: 2011.
Mike Pereira, President
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Dr. Sheldon Kushner
Guest Speaker
Sunday, December 3 – 1:00 p.m.
“Understanding the Vietnam War Through the
Experiences of a Surgeon”
as portrayed in the biography,
"Trauma and Tenacity in Vietnam: A Surgeon's Story",
a book which captures the defining period
in the medical life of Captain Sheldon Kushner, MD,
while stationed in Vinh Long, Vietnam, from 1968-69.
The Western Shore Torah Study Group
“From Oil in Lamps to Oil in Latkes”
On Thursday, December 14, at 6:30 p.m., the Western Shore Torah Study Group will host the Third Annual Hanukkah Fest at the Ennis home. Your hosts are Nell and Cal Ennis, 1201 Abbeyville Street, Pascagoula, MS 39581. If attending, please bring a dish. Fresh latkes and blintzes will be served. For more information or if you have any questions, please call Cal at 228-623-0479.
A Mitzvah for Christmas?
Volunteer at the Mobile Infirmary to help staff different areas of the hospital, freeing the non-Jewish workers to spend Christmas Day with their families. Those who would like to volunteer at the Mobile Infirmary for the Christmas holiday, please contact Jack Friedlander.
Family hanukKah Dinner
Friday, December 15
following the 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Service
Lots of food and fun!
Bring your menorah for a group congregation
lighting ceremony, songs, and dinner
The Famous Men’s Club Latkes!
Please make reservations by wednesday, December 13, 2017
Adults - $10, Children (under 10) - $5
Temple Office (251) 478-0415
Eastern Shore Hanukkah Party
6:00 p.m. – Saturday December 16
(Temple members and their family, and those interested in
studying the Jewish faith)
Your hosts are Kim and David Zimmerman
509 Richmond Circle, Fairhope - 251-990-2997
New 2017 Menu
1. Calling for latke makers are needed – proposal is to make the latkes beforehand and heat on site. Those interested, please respond.
2. Calling for chicken makers are needed.
3. Calling for savory vegetables, salad, dessert, or appetizer.
RSVP to Carol Zimmerman ( or 251-591-1113)
Those needing assistance, please include your needs when you RSVP.
Arrangements will be made to help as necessary.
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From Your Temple Men’s Club
By Larry Miller, Men’s Club President
We are getting ready for Hanukkah. There is already a host of folks signed up for kitchen duty with the dynamic duo, the Rose brothers, but we could still use more help in the social hall with waiters, wine pourers, and official latke tasters. Please RSVP to either
Larry Miller or Priscilla Gold-Darby to coordinate.
January 12 starts the Scholar-In-Residence weekend. We will also be hosting our sister congregation, Temple Beth-El from Pensacola on Saturday, January 13th, and are arranging a “Kosher” Seafood & Chicken Gumbo lunch. If you want to learn how to make gumbo? roux? and all that Louisiana stuff? come and help on Friday, January 12. RSVP to Larry Miller and get on the soul food train.
Scholar-in-Residence, 2018
Dr. David Frankel
January 10-14, 2018
For 2018, the Adult Education Committee is delighted to present four days with the Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi David Frankel. Since 1992, Dr. Frankel has served as a senior lecturer in Bible at the Schechter Institutes of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. He did his PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the direction of Professor Moshe Weinfeld. His publications include: The Murmuring Stories of the Priestly School and The Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel. From 1991 to 1996, Rabbi Frankel was the rabbi of Congregation Shevet Achim in Gilo, Jerusalem.
Itinerary for Rabbi Frankel
Wednesday, January 10, 2018, 5:30 pm, Temple library: “Who really wrote the Torah?”
Friday, January 12, 2018, 6:00 pm, after Shabbat services: “When God fought the Monster of the Sea- Mythological Traditions and Their Transformation in the Bible and Midrash.”
Saturday, January 13, 2018, 11:00 am, Anniversary Service and Shabbaton with Temple Beth-El, Pensacola, Florida: “What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden.”
Saturday, January 13, 2018, 3:00 pm, Christian-Jewish Dialogue: “Does the Hebrew Bible Foretell the Story of Jesus? Jewish-Christian Polemics in the Middle Ages.”
December Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy Birthday To ...
1 Jon Fusco 15 Wendy Rich Albright
2 Meagan Leah Furman 15 Carolyn Shulman
3 G.B. Kahn 20 Frances “Frankie” Bloom
4 Emily Fink 22 Anna Swan Gardberg
4 Patricia Silverman 24 Gail Chadwick
6 Pam Friedlander 24 Steve Prager
8 Judy Aronson 26 Harold Fink
9 Mimi Johnson 27 Yaffa Brown
10 Maria Seiken 27 Frances Mutchnick
11 Michael Ennis 28 Cindy Bloom
12 Sydnie Trusty Shuford 28 Renee Stein
12 Leighton Silverstein 29 Sue Brown
12 Michael Sternberg 30 Sam Borak
13 Cassie Fishbein 30 Karen Singh
13 Eric Lansky 30 Anne Zelnicker
13 Jeffrey Rosenbaum 31 Sharon Vega
Happy Anniversary To …
1 Jinks & Marc Loeb
6 Penny & Joe Adamo
14 Edith & Irwin Misrok
18 Alicia & Mike Pereira
23 Rose & Phillip Brunson
24 Nancy & Roy Hoffman
26 Bobette & Lowell Friedman
January Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy Birthday To ... Happy Anniversary
3 Claris Feibelman 17 LeNae Denson 29 Susan & Terry Passman
4 Ann Miller 18 Joshua Hochhauser 30 Dana & David Furman
6 Diane Garden-Monheit 18 Terry Passman
6 Alice Handmacher 20 William Baron
6 Mimi Holberg 21 Lowell Friedman
7 Jane Allen 21 Ryan Fusco
7 Phillip Feibelman 22 Stephanie Dittman
8 Jeff Conrad 22 Sam Lansky
9 Ellen Carter 24 Barbara Cherniak
9 Lynne Switzkey 25 Hugh Borak
10 Will Kinsella 25 Debra Fetterman
10 Bill Susman 25 Deanne Schjott
11 Alan Franco 26 Jonathan Hirsch
11 Harvey Gandler 27 Marjorie Altmayer
13 Vicki Silverman-Lugar 28 Andrew Brown
14 Judy Dittman 29 Daniel Kinsella
14 Madison Friduss 30 Joshua Mutchnick
CONTRIBUTIONS
In honor of Eileen Susman’s birthday – Jill Gottlieb, Barry Silverman
In honor of Nate Ginsberg’s birthday – Patricia & Howard Silverman
A speedy recovery for G.B. Kahn – Iris & Albert Klein
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund – Linda & Ed Blassingame
In memory of Vera and Arthur Heinrich – Nicole & Fabien Eyal