October2008Synagogue Etz Chayim, 7705 Bailey Cove Rd.Huntsville, AL35803Av 5769
We are thrilled to have you as part of our Etz Chayim Family! We look forward to sharing this year with you.
Parshat Nitzavim would like for you to imagine that today is RH. It begins with the words, “You are all standing this day before the Lord, your God - the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every person of Israel”. The Bal Shem Tov says that the word “today”, means this parshah happened on Rosh Hashanah.
The fact that we read Parshat Nitzavim the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah each year is not accidental. The point of this parshah is for us to make sure we are prepared for renewing our covenant with God, prepared to enter into the holiday.
Towards the end of the parshah, Moses says, “behold I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity”. If you read on from there, according to Moses, to chose life and prosperity means to keep God's commandments and to love God, to chose death and adversity means to turn your heart away, to not follow God's laws and to worship other Gods.
This idea of action leading to life or death reminded me of an integral piece of Rosh Hashanah liturgy - Une Taneh Tokef. A summary of it reads:
On New Year's day the decree is inscribed and on the day of atonement it is sealed: who shall live and who shall die, who shall maintain measure of man's days and who shall not attain it, who shall perish by water, who by fire, who shall become poor, and who shall wax rich. But teshuvah, repentance, tefillah, prayer, and tzedakah, charity, avert the severity of the decree.
At first read, this poem says to me that I have a choice, a choice between life and death, a choice between wealth and poverty, where my actions determine what happen. Not only does this remind me of the passage from Nitzavim, but over the years, I have realized that the times I feel most unprepared during davening, is when I hear the works of Une Taneh Tokef.
Also interesting to keep in mind is that according to the parshah, in order to live you need to keep God's commandments and to love God. According to Une taneh tokef, you need teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedakah.
I have come to realize that perhaps the reason why I do not prepare for Rosh Hashanah as much as I would like is because I am not sure that I can buy into the idea of if you do certain things like teshuvah, loving God, or not worshiping idols, that you will be saved from death.
When I hear the words of Une Taneh Tokef, I often think about my friend Marla Benett z"l who was killed in the Hebrew University Bombing in 2002 and become emotional. I have to assume that the emotion is tied into the words of the poem about life being random and that ultimately we have no real choice in what happens. It is also emotional because the words are especially painful to hear when you are not sure that you believe they work, that your action in this world has nothing to do with the outcome.
On one hand, I look at this poem and I think that the author really believed that we could have a hand in our fate. That teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedakah can by their own power transform the world. But that answer is not good enough for me.
I was recently shown a commentary on Une Taneh Tokef by Lawrence Kushner. He says that if you interpret it to mean, "if you're a good boy or girl, God will cancel or temper the terrible decree against you", this is primitive cosmic boogeyman theology. He also says that the Hebrew word for avert, ma’avrin, also means to take someone across a river, to get to the other shore, or to transcend. Bad things are certain to happen to you. At the same time, your actions will alter the experience of how you face life's misfortunes. Teshuvah, tefillah, and tzedakah help carry you through the severe decrees.
I remember that Marla came to visit me in February of 2002, 5 months before her death. Prior to her visit, we had a minor falling out and we spoke about it when we were together. She apologized and I apologized and then we went out to dinner and had a fabulous time. After her death, I always thought that if we did not have that moment to discuss it, even though it was never a huge deal, it would have been much harder knowing that there was this thing between us still out there. Our doing teshuvah on the issue may not have changed her life's outcome, but it certainly effected how I dealt with her death.
I may not ultimately have a choice in whether I live or die, but I can try and live my life in a way that can alter how I experience the decrees.
Perhaps it is the same in Nitzavim as well. Moses gives people the option to walk in God's ways and "live" or to follow other God's and "die". They too are about to laahvir, to cross, the Jordan and it is not going to be easy for them. Perhaps observance and loving God as well, will effect how they experience the outcome of their journey.
L’Shana Tova,
Rabbi Jill Levy
RabbiWeekends:
- Sept 29, 30 & Oct 1, 2008 (Rosh Hashanah
- October 8, 9 & 10, 2008 (Yom Kippur)
- October 31 & November 1 & 2, 2008
- December 12, 13 & 14, 2008
- January 9, 10 & 11, 2009
- February 27, 28 & March 1, 2009
- April 3, 4 & 5, 2009
- May 15, 16 & 15, 2009
I would like to wish everyone a fantastic New Year. I love this time of year. I can remember sitting at Beth Shalom in Memphis every year for what seemed to be an eternity. I would play with my father’s tallis and my mom would give me hard candy so I would stay occupied. For the kid’s service, we would go into the school library and have a service lead by the older kids. We would read books, eat lemon cookies and play outside under 2 trees until it was time to go. I have fond memories of those 2 trees and was heartbroken when Beth Shalom moved east and the land the old building was on was leveled to make way for a bank. I sat across the street in the Kroger parking on the day that the trees were cut down. Those trees represented something so special to my childhood and everytime I think about my Jewish experience growing up in Memphis those trees are always somewhere in my memories.
I do my best to provide my children with Jewish experiences. Sometimes with so much going on it takes all of my energy to get the candles out. Tonight I will offer them round raisin bread. Last weekend we had Havdalah on Monte Sano, we roasted marshmallows and sang Eliachu Hanavi, Tomorrow there will be a kids services at 11:00 and then my favorite Taschlich. I am fortunate that this fabulous congregation offers my children the educational experiences they will need to look back on their Jewish childhood positively. Although smaller than Beth Shalom in Memphis, Etz Chayim provides the same warm, friendly, atmosphere where members that are willing to go over and beyond the call of duty. I am grateful that during the Holiday Season when I cannot be in Memphis with my family, I can be with my other family here at Etz Chayim.
La’ Shana Tova
Sandy Pepper, President
Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
9:30 AM Morning Services
1:20 PM Tashlich Services following Musaf Services
Yom Kippur
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
6:30 PM Kol Nidre Services
Thursday, October 9, 2008
9:00 AM Morning Services
11:00 AM Children’s Services (Board Room)
11:30 PM Yizkor
5:00 PM Mincha & N’ilah Services
7:30 PM Break the Fast Dinner
Sukkot
Sunday October 12, 2008
12:00 to 4:00 PM Build Sukkah at Etz Chayim.
5:00 PM Decorate Sukkah at Etz Chayim
Monday, October 13, 2008
7:30 PM Evening Services
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
9:30 AM Morning Services
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
9:30 AM Morning Services
Shemini Atzeret
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
9:30 AM Morning Services
10:30 AM Yizkor
Simchat Torah
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
7:00 PM Evening Hakafot Services & Consecration
“IT IS A TREE OF LIFE TO THEM THAT HOLD FAST TO IT ”
The next Hebrew I Reading Course Sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) - will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008.
Hebrew I Reading will meet weekly on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM-8:30 PM. The class will meet for about 6 sessions at Etz Chayim Synagogue, 7705 Bailey Cove Road SE, Huntsville, AL. This class is for those who wish to learn the Hebrew Alphabet and develop some beginner's level reading skills. You will learn to print Hebrew letters and also get introduced to a limited Hebrew vocabulary.
There will be a nominal $10 charge to cover the cost of extra class materials.
Please call (256-882-2918) or email Bill Goldberg to register.
The Synagogue Cleanup held on Sunday, September 14th, was a huge success. Thanks to all who helped prepare the building for the upcoming holidays: Shirley, Millie, Raven, Holley, Sandra, Natha, Diana, Brenda, Alexis, and Shoshanna.
The New Year Booklet is ready for distribution. This was a huge under talking, and our largest annual fund raiser! A big thank you to the committee of Shirley, Millie, Max, Brenda, Karen, Joe, Harriett, Natha and Dorothy, who worked hard to make this happen!!
On September 15th, 2008, 7:00 pm at the synagogue, the Sisterhood hosted a General Membership Meeting. We played the game Apples to Apples, which was ‘lots of fun. The refreshments were full of fat grams, and we enjoyed every bit of it! Sharron Schuff was the lucky door prize and raffle winner of “both” restaurant gift certificates!
When you get a chance, please thank the Brigadiers (Bill and B.J.) for hosting the Break-the Fast this year.
Mark your calendar for the next Lunch Bunch get-together, October 20th at Macaroni Grille at 11:30. It is located in front of the Madison Square Mall.
And, on Monday, November 17th, a General Membership Meeting will be held at the Synagogue at 7:00 p.m. At this time, a craft project will be taught, and the Gift Shop will be opened for pre-Chanukah purchases.
Lots of fun things are in store this year. Please come out and join us!
In closing, thanks to all who helped with the synagogue clean-up!! Your efforts make a difference!!
L’Shanah Tovah!
Shalom,
SuePaddock
EtzChayimSisterhoodPresident
MEN’SCLUBNextMeetingDate:Tuesday, October28, 2008at the Synagogue.
IMS: Deliveries are made bi-weekly to Food Pantry and First Stop. Remember these important projects. The need is great and your support is much appreciated. Please keep in mind these projects, especially when you have an Oneg.
SimchaMemorialPlaques: $50.00$75.00respectively.PleasecallJoeSacksforfurtherdetails.883-1889.
Thanks...... have a great day, everyday...... Joe
The congregation thanks goes out to the workers who cleaned up and beautified the synagogue grounds for the Holidays and who built the new swing set donated by the Bulgatz family. Our thanks to Cliff and Adam Liles, Sam Sainker, Jeff Lapidus, Scott Hancock, Bill Goldberg, Howard Polin, Fred Kolchin, Bob & Ian Birdeshaw, Dennis Bulgatz, Charlie Fisher, Shoshanna Rosenthal and Alexis Birdeshaw.
In addition the Ladies did a super job of cleaning up and straightening up the synagogue. Thanks to Millie Rosenthal, Shirley Roberts, Brenda Liles, Raven Livingston, Holly Kent, Diana Polin, Eidele Sainker, Alexis Birdeshaw (she gets two gold stars), Lucy Fischer, Natha Hancock, and Sandra Wiederecht. What an outstanding group of workers. And if you look in the ark and the silver items are gleaming, its thanks to Diana Polin.
Don't forget, Larisa, Phil & Sarah will be bringing the raw material to the synagogue build and decorate the Sukkah on Sunday, October 12. The schedule is as follows:
- 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Build magnificent Sukkah
- 11:00 - 12:00 Noon: Kids & adults decorate the magnificent edifice Sukkah
- 12:15 PM: Eat free pizza in the Taj Maha of all Sukkahs
So be there, bring the kids, and be a sukkahnik this year.
BuildingFund
From: Millie & Max Rosenthal
To: Lynne Edmondson - Get well soon and get that hand working again.
To: Robyn Kirby - Glad you are feeling better, continued geed health.
From: Harriet & Joe Sacks
In Loving Memory of Betty Kravitz, Joe's sister.
In Loving Memory of Jack Kirsch, Harriet's cousin.
From: Diana & Howard Polin
In Loving Memory of William C. Polin, Howard's nephew.
General Fund
From: Pam Thompson
OutdoorLightingFund
InMemoryofGertrudeandPerrySchleinbytheirdaughters,NathaHancockandRobinSlomkaandtheirfamilies.
Randy Sacks Memorial Fund
From: B.J. & Bill Brigadier
SisterhoodFund
From: Raven Livingston
Irv Sainker Memorial Fund
From: B.J. & Bill Brigadier
Machzor Fund
From: Sandy & Marvin Kalachman
From: Raven Livingston
From: Millie & Max Rosenthal
From: Brenda & Cliff Liles
From: Harriet & Joe Sacks
From: Natha & Scott Hancock
From Miry & Richard Trudeau
Mark and Tatjana Copeland
Children: Lucas, Jacob and Matisse
514 Mill Road
Madison, Al 35758
phone: 772-6989
email:
Laura King
1589 Old Railroad Bed Road
Harvest, AL 35749-9785
phone: 721-3361
cell: 658-5779
email:
Please add these new members to your Etz Chayim Year Book for 5769.
RememberthefoodpantryonyourOneg. FirstStopneedspersonalhygieneitems.Bringafewcansoffoodwhenpossible.
Besuretovisitourwebsiteforthelatestnews…
TUUT
OnlineDonationsareNowPossible
MakeadonationtheEtzChayim
WebsiteusingPaypal. Lookfor
at
WHATSAMILLIGRAM??Fora$5.00permessagedonationMillieRosenthalwillsendahandwrittenmessagefromyoutoacknowledgeaSimchaorloss.ThesedonationswillalsoappearintheShofar.Helpyoursynagogue,sendaMilligram.Callore-mailMillie.
MILLIGRAM
To:Pam Thompson and Joe Savage to recognize Joe's induction in the Alabama A&M Athletic Hall of Fame.
From: Steve and Lynne Edmondson
OctoberCalendar2008Date / Time / Event / Place
10/1 / 9:30 AM / Rosh Hashanah / EC
10/8 / 6:30 PM / Kol Nidre / EC
10/0 / 9:00 AM / Yom Kippur / EC
10/12 / 10 AM / SukkahBuilding / EC
10/12 / 5 PM / Decorate Sukkah / EC
10/13 / 7:30 PM / Erev Sukkot / EC
10/14 / 9:30 AM / Sukkot / EC
10/15 / 9:30 AM / Sukkot / EC
10/20 / 11:30 AM / Sisterhood Lunch / Macaroni Grille
10/21 / 9:30 AM / Shemini Atzaret / EC
10/21 / 7:00 PM / Simchat Torah / EC
UnlessotherwisenotedShabbatServicesareFridaynight7:30pm,Saturday9:30am
CELEBRATING LIFE AS OUR LOVED ONES PASSON…
YARTZEITOct-1 / Tishrei 2 / Daniel Flank*
Oct-4 / Tishrei 5 / Louis B. Lepp*
Oct-5 / Tishrei 6 / Sylvia Zarovsky
Oct-6 / Tishrei 7 / Sam Natt*
Oct-7 / Tishrei 8 / Jerome Gaftman
Oct 8 / Tishrei 9 / Rosa Schindler
Oct 9 / Tishrei 10 / Shirley Irene Jacobs*
Oct 10 / Tishrei 11 / Murray Rosenthal*
Oct 13 / Tishrei 14 / Terry Lee Green*
Oct 19 / Tishrei 20 / Randy Sacks*
Oct 19 / Tishrei 20 / Alex Greenbaum
Oct 19 / Tishrei 20 / Mariam Wertheim*
Oct 25 / Tishrei 26 / Bella Flank*
Oct 26 / Tishrei 27 / Louis Klazmer
Oct 28 / Tishrei 29 / Leo Krell
Oct 28 / Tishrei 29 / Rose Natt*
ANNIVERSARIES
Oct 9 / Susan and Larry Levitt
Oct 24 / Carolyn and Bob Palermo
Oct 25 / Seena and Larry Weinberger
Oct 27 / Millie and Max Rosenthal
ShabbatOnegsCandleLighting
Fri,Oct. 3 / LightCandles:6:09PM
Oneg:
Shabbat,Oct4 / ShabbatEnds:7:03PM
Parshah:Vayelech
Fri,Oct 10 / LightCandles: 5:59PM
Oneg:
Shabbat,Oct 11 / ShabbatEnds:6:54PM
Parshah:Ha’Azinu
Fri,Oct17 / LightCandles:5:51PM
Oneg:
Shabbat,Oct18 / ShabbatEnds:6:45PM
Sukkot
Fri,Oct24 / LightCandles:5:42PM
Oneg:
Shabbat, Oct 25 / Shabbat Ends: 6:37:PM
Parshah: Bereishit
Fri, Oct 31 / Light Candles: 5:35 PM
Oneg:
Shabbat, Nov 1 / Shabbat Ends: 6:31 PM
Parshah: Noach
TU
TU
BIRTHDAYSOct 2 / David Wiederecht
Oct 3 / Zev Roberts
Oct 3 / Marc Zelickson
Oct 6 / Jakim Thompson
Oct 9 / Ryan Burdeshaw
Oct 10 / Sheri Bulgatz
Oct 11 / Eidele Sainker
Oct 12 / Martin Bandas
Oct 13 / Max Rosenthal
Oct 14 / David Rosenthal
Oct 15 / Rose Opengart
Oct 16 / Jonah Roberts
Oct 20 / Marvin Kalachman
Oct 21 / Ethan Hall
Oct 21 / Frederick Kolchin
Oct 23 / Paulette Goldstein
Oct 23 / Marla Polin
Oct 27 / Carolyn Palermo
ETZCHAYIMBOARDMEMBERS
President /Sandy Pepper
Vice-President /JeffYalowitz
Treasurer /MichalHall
RecordingSecretary /Sam Sainker
CorrespondingSecretary / Holly KentTrustees / BrendaLiles
LarryWeinberger
LarisaThomason
SamKleiner
Dennis Bulgatz
MensClubRep / JoeSacks
SisterhoodRep / MilleRosenthal
- The Airport Road Publix has received a once a year quantity of Kosher Meat & Prepared foods The list of items includes: Whole Empire Turkeys, Steak & Beef, Frozen prepared items- Chopped Liver spread, TV Dinners, Roast Beef, Stuffed Cabbage, Egg Rolls, & more.
- We are updating our records. Please email the following information to Lisa Kleiner at :
- Birthday Dates
- Anniversary Dates
- Yahrtzeit Dates
- Dennis Bulgatz has volunteered to maintain email address changes in our web based database system. Please email Dennis with any of your Email address changes at:
- Let us know if you currently do not get an email version of the Shofar and would like to receive it.
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