Rabbi Michael D. Howald

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein

Bryn Biren, Felicia Otto

Co-Presidents

JUNE 2024

Iyar-Sivan 5784

Erev Shavuot & Confirmation Service

Tuesday, June 11

7:00 pm

Shavuot Festival, Yizkor & Healing Service

Wednesday, June 12

10:30 am

CLICK ON ANY OF THESE IMAGES TO PRINT OR DOWNLOAD FLYERS WHICH CAN ALSO BE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THIS BULLETIN.

SISTERHOOD END-OF-YEAR DINNER

FUNDRAISER AT JIMMMY MAX

BROTHERHOOD BBQ

DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE

ONEG SPONSORSHIP

CERTIFICATES

UJA BREAKFAST

LEGAL ISSUES IN THE HOLOCAUST

TREE OF LIFE

Shabbat Morning

Torah Study at 10:00 a.m. followed by Services at 11:00 a.m.

Meeting ID: 878 5582 6129 

Passcode: 778943

**PLEASE CHECK NEWS & NOTES AND THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRAM E-MAILS FOR STREAMING LINKS FOR FRIDAY NIGHTS AND FOR ANY CHANGES REGARDING STREAMING AND/OR ZOOM LINKS.

MOST FLYERS IN THIS BULLETIN CAN BE PRNTED OR DOWNLOADED BY CLICKING DIRECTLY ON THE FLYER.

AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF

MISHKAN T'FILAH

MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR

AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF

MISHKAN T'FILAH FOR YOUTH

MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR

During the pandemic, when the gyms were closed, I started walking in the mornings to get out of our apartment and get some exercise. One of the pleasures of my early morning walks was listening to podcasts. I discovered that there are podcasts on almost every conceivable subject, from ancient history to current events and from pottery to puppies. There are even a bewildering number of podcasts about Judaism. Some are documentaries about the Jewish past, some are like online magazines about what is happening in the Jewish world and others are about what is happening in Israel. Since May was Jewish-American Heritage month, I spent time this month reviewing and listening to these podcasts with the goal of deciding which are the worthiest of our attention. As May draws to a close and we look forward to the start of summer, here are my recommendations for those of you who enjoy a good podcast, at least now and then.

“Unorthodox” is perhaps the most widely listened to Jewishly-themed podcast. Focusing on the United States and produced by Tablet Magazine, this weekly podcast covers subjects like Jewish food, recently published book on Jewish themes, as well as fashion and music, and entertainment with Jewish artists and/or themes. Since October 7^th, moreover, some of the podcasts have focused on the divisive politics within the North American Jewish community, the protests against Israel at colleges and universities and how October 7^th has affected Israeli society. If you are interested in trying Unorthodox, begin with episode 344, entitled “Hitting the Road,” in which the podcast begins a series about the ‘Jew.S.A.,’ by visiting the Jewish communities in 12 cities across the, you guessed it, the ‘U.S.A.’  Later destinations included Miami, Deadwood, S.D., New Orleans, and the Catskills! I think you will enjoy them and the light-hearted nature of the conversation.

For a more serious broadcast on Jewish themes, consider “For Heaven’s Sake, produced by the Shalom Hartman Institute. This podcast presents debate on vital issues of concern to Jews in North America and Israel. Hosted by Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain, “For Heaven’s Sake focuses on political and social trends in Israel, Israel-Diaspora relations, and the collective consciousness of being Jewish. The podcast comes out approximately every 2-3 weeks and often contains thoughtful and nuanced conversation from a progressive Israeli perspective. If this appeals to you, also follow “Israel Stories,” an English language podcast comparable to “This American Life” except about Israel. Recent podcasts have focused on ‘wartime diaries’ of ordinary Israelis whose lives have been changed because of October 7^th and the war against Hamas.

Finally, for those of you who would like a podcast centering on Jewish texts and traditions, listen to an episode of “Pardes from Jerusalem,” a weekly podcast about the Torah portion offered by a diverse and intellectually challenging Jewish learning community based in Jerusalem. For those who want to consider what it means to be Jewish in 21^st century America, also try “Judaism Unbound,” a weekly podcast about subjects as diverse as Torah, Jewish holidays, living according to the Jewish calendar and the multiplicities of Jewish identities. 

You can find these podcasts on your computer or on your phone’s podcast app. You can listen to them when you are walking or driving (while paying close attention to the road, of course!) or just relaxing on your couch! Since so many of you already spend so much time driving to and from the synagogue, why not augment your Jewish education by following one or more of these podcasts? If one podcast does not interest you, just try another until you find one that fits your particular interests. Whatever podcast you find, I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do! 

Bryn Biren

Felicia Otto

It is now June. Having spent 34 years as an elementary school teacher this is the month that has always  signaled the official end of the school year. As much as I looked forward to the freedom of summer vacation, I experienced the same feeling each year as I drove away from the school building on that last day. I felt sadness, an emptiness and a bit of a pit in my stomach. I was not good at endings and I find myself in that same position this year. This time it has nothing to do with teaching.

During the 2022-2023 year the Presidency was shared by Linda Brill, Sandy Mazzucco, Felicia Otto and me. We worked well together. During the past year Felicia and I co-chaired the job and I have to say that we were always in sync. Despite the divide in time of a generation we shared our responsibilities, picked up the slack when one of us needed the extra support , we were always absolutely honest with one another, and I truly believe that we learned from one another. We have different styles of dealing with things, but I believe that we grew to respect each other’s point of view and method of dealing with situations. I consider Felicia and her family to be a part of my family now. Our time together, sharing the Presidency is ending. I have a bit of that feeling of a pit in my stomach. I will miss Felicia.

I have always spoken about making personal connections, working together with other congregants and, in the process, creating a Temple Israel family. When Felicia became a member of our synagogue seven years ago I had no idea what our connection would ultimately be. I have been so lucky.

As we move ahead to the 2024-2025 year I enter another co-Presidency with Russell Kaminsky, who coincidentally joined Temple Israel the very same year. During the past year Felicia and I have worked very closely with him and know what a terrific asset he has already been, and will be in the coming years.

Felicia, Russell and I wish each of you a wonderful summer. Each of us asks each of you to think about joining a committee , giving more time to Temple Israel in the coming year, and very possibly gaining more than you can ever imagine as a result of your efforts.

We wish each of you a healthy and relaxing summer!

Bryn Biren

Co-President

Alex Lenner asked me one day, "why does the Rock of Israel band only play on Simchat Torah?" The only good answer is, let's get the band together again to play for the family service on June 7 and put the simcha (joy) and rock into Shabbat! If you want to play with Alex and the band, let me know and check our schedule below.  

This is the best year to consider joining (or re-joining) the Senior Choir to sing for the High Holy Days. Why? Because Rosh Hashanah is not until October, we have NO choir rehearsals in the summer!!! First rehearsal for the High Holy Days is Tuesday, September 10, 7 p.m.  

Interest is growing for the Argentina adventure with the American Conference of Cantors. Come sing and tango with us in February 2025. Info at this link:  

 https://secure.ayelet.com/ACCArgentina2025.aspx

Thank you for entrusting me to lead Temple Israel in prayer, song and Purimspieling. I look forward to continuing as your cantor next year.  

Chag Shavuot sameach, and have a great summer!

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein 

ROCK OF ISRAEL

Sunday, June 2- 12 noon

Rehearsal

(Band Only)

Friday, June 7- 6:00 pm

Warm-up for 7:00 pm Family Service

SENIOR CHOIR

Sunday, June 2- 4:30 pm

Warm Up for Gala Performance at Gala Venue

Friday, June 7- 3:30 pm

Sing-a-long at The Brielle

(All are Welcome)

Thursday, June 20- 7:00 pm

Rehearsal

Friday, June 21- 7:00 pm

Warm-up for 7:30 pm Board Installation Service

Please join the Cantor, Rabbi and Choir as we share the joy of Shabbat & Music with residents of The Brielle on Friday, June 7th at 3:30 pm.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JUNE 2024

IYAR-SIVAN 5784

For calendar updates please check the Temple website.

To print or download a copy of this calendar, click here.

MAZEL TOV TO:

JUDY LEE, BRIANNA LEVINSKY, AND SARAH SARFATI  on receiving the Avodah Awards at the Congregational meeting;

PHIL STRANIERE being honored at the CSI Hillel Kavod Circle Reception at the JCC; 

 The six couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary: 

BRYN AND RICHARD BIREN, LINDA AND ALAN BRILL,

LIBBY AN IRA GERSHANSKY, KAREN AND JERRY GROSS, LINDA AND LARRY HANIBAL;

NEIL AND LISSA WINCHEL and family on the baby naming of their granddaughter Harper Emilia;

MIA LEDEE, RILEY BRYANT, REBECCA WEISS as they are presented with the Liorit Award from the National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting; 

ALICE DIAMOND an honoree at the Staten Island Museum Gala 2024 on May 10th; 

BRYN & RICHARD BIREN and family as their granddaughter, Hailey Biren, was called to the Torah as Bat Mitzvah;

The WINCHEL FAMILY as BEN WINCHEL receives his DO degree and is now officially a doctor;  

BRIAN LEVINSKY on receiving a plaque for his Excellence in EMS Quality and Safety from the Regional EMS Council of NYC.

GET WELL WISHES TO:

PAMELA ROGOZIN

GREGORY STRANIERE

THINKING OF YOU:

SUE FREEDMAN

BARBARA FRIED

ABIGAIL HART

BARBARA MENNA

RUSSEL KAMINSKY

June 7, 2024

Fred Feigelman

Phil Kantrowitz

Carol Lee Kaminsky

Julia Davis Stewart

Doris Lipp *

Ida Gross *

Reg Freedman

Samuel Gamoran

Stanley Leigh Harrison

Jennifer Straniere

Mildred Gold *

Murray Ganz

Salvatore Menna

Eugenia Gavarlynsh

Jack Berger *

Louis Silverman *

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Manfred Spier

Joseph Likfenneke

Alfred Lustig

Paul Heilbronn

Berta Setzer

June 14, 2024

Sandra Harrison Stone

Edward Hackett

Dorothy Salmirs Kaner

Adele Smook

Ignacio Vinocur

Abraham Weinman

Paul Kutell

Gertrude Claire Gross *

Irving Chazanoff

Helen Otto

Victor Gross *

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Victor Meudom

Kalman Wolhandler

Philip Mechanicus

Oskar Deutsch

Paul Polak

June 21, 2024

Samuel Tatt

Harriet Leimsider

Esther Snyder

Siegfried Katz *

Marcia Klein

Bea Levine

Sanford Duskin

Gertrude Claire Gross *

Evelyn Collins

Phyllis Prosaw

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Gustav Fantl

Welwel Wasersztajn

Wladislaus Jankowski

Ervin Herzog

Chaim Portnoj

June 28, 2024

Aaron Kessler *

Louis Dichter *

Steven Motelson *

Bruce Harper

Oscar Liebowitz *

Brian Robert Motelson *

Jack J. Freedland

Eli Grossman

Victor Gross *

Bernard Samith

Max Feuerstein

Louis Sugarman

Joseph Heiferman

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Adolf Lefkovits

Yehezkeil Bocia

Mariashe Geitel

Jacques Lefel

Pepi Cohen

The Advance Payment Program allows members to pay in advance for Friday night program ads. Members usually deposit $100 (or less in some cases) and when an ad is placed, $5 is deducted. When the balance gets low (usually to about $10) an e-mail is sent reminding the member that they should consider adding money to their account. 

You may, if you wish, pay in advance for Friday night program announcements. For more details contact the Temple office or contact Deanna Feder at  dfeder19@aol.com to set up an account. 

DEDICATE A LEAF ON OUR

TREE OF LIFE

Click on the image below.

As the Temple’s Fiscal Year comes to a close, please be sure to review you records to ensure that your Annual Commitment is up to date.  As a reminder, the Temple’s Building Fund of $1100 per member is scheduled to be honored during the first four years of membership.  If there were to be a ‘life-cycle event’ prior to that timeframe, it is required that the submission of the Building Fund be completed before that event takes place.

You are welcome to contact me directly at 347-631-9802 or JPerezRabin@gmail.com should you wish to discuss any matter regarding your annual commitment or satisfaction of your family’s Building Fund. 

Again, thank you for your on-going support of Temple Israel.

Jacqueline Rabinowitz 

Financial Secretary

Please consider becoming a member of our

KAVOD SOCIETY.

It helps to make membership available to all our families. Speak to our Financial Secretary to upgrade your membership.

We are quickly approaching the end of the year, and we realize that Sisterhood had a busy and exciting year.  Here are some of the events of the past year.  

In the fall we had The Sisterhood/Brotherhood Joint General Membership Kickoff, and it was a great success.  

Pamela Rogozin made delicious breakfasts for the Sisterhood General Meetings.

Silvia Gornstein and Judy Lee worked hard on our beautiful Community New Year’s Card.  Many members contributed to the card that was illustrated by Jules Lee. 

In October, Temple Israel enjoyed Pizza in the Hut followed by Sippin’ in the Sukkah run by Jodi Siegel and Shariann Ganz.

Every month we gave Tzedakah to a worthy charity, like St. Jude’s and Parkinson’s Foundation.  This year we also contributed to Israeli  organizations.

For each monthly general Sisterhood meeting Shari Stein-Ballow and Pamela Rogozin arranged programs which were fun and educational.

December was a busy month.  Sisterhood held its annual Holiday Fair. This is aways such a nice event with tables of Judaica, Chanukah items, toys, jewelry, and crafts.  

Sisterhood also had its the Annual Chanukah and New Member Dinner in December. There was Shabbat dinner where new and old members enjoyed a special time together. Jodi Siegel coordinated the Chanukah Pajamakah with guests and children dressed in Chanukah pajamas.  Pamela Rogozin and Shariann Ganz coordinated and made most of the delicious food for the Hanukkah New Member Dinner.

In December, Sisterhood members and Friends of Sisterhood attended Sisterhood’s Paid-Up Membership Brunch and enjoyed a delicious meal and comradery. Presently we have 87 members and 11 friends of Sisterhood.  Thank you, Claire Guttsman and Sandy Feuerstein.  

In January WRJ Rabbi Deborah Zecher conducted an enjoyable Jewish Carols Program with us as a fundraiser.  

Our Sampled Sale in March was a great success, coordinated by Jodi Siegel and Jesse Siegel, to support the Annual Jennifer Straniere Memorial Passover Seder. 

March was also the month we did Shalach Manot for Purim.  The gifts were lovely, and we made a nice profit. Thank you, Linda Hanibal, Deanna Feder, and Blanche Ricci.

In April we celebrated a very well planned and enjoyable Passover at the Annual Jennifer Straniere Memorial Community Passover Seder thanks to Jodi Siegel and all who assisted.

Maxine Cohen collected donations for people in need of Passover Food and the total was more  than ever collected before by Sisterhood.

At Sisterhood’s May General Meeting, we gathered into groups and strategized what Sisterhood’s vision is for the new year.  We also considered whether we should admit non-temple members into Sisterhood.   This was an Exploratory Committee Proposal by Fern Barris, Blanche Ricci, and Judy Lee.  We entertained opinions for and against the proposal.

Sue Freedman had planned a Sisterhood Shabbaton for men and women at Temple Israel on Saturday, May 18.   However, due to some complications, we postponed  the event until next year.  Instead, Sisterhood will be holding a Ladies Night out with dairy dishes and gag gifts. 

In June we look forward to some end-of- year events.

The Temple Israel Gala will take place on June 2. We hope you attend and/or place a digital ad for the Gala.  

On Friday, June 14, Sisterhood and Brotherhood officers will be installed during Sabbath services.  We thank Pamela Carlton, Susan Freedman, Judy Lee, and Anita Zuckerberg for their service as they  step down as Sisterhood Co-presidents, thank Claire Guttsman who will be stepping down as Membershiip VP, and we welcome Jodi Siegel and Shariann Ganz as Sisterhood’s new Co-presidents.  

One of the last events of the year is Sisterhood’s End-of-Year Dinner on Tuesday, June 18.  A flyer was emailed for reservations.  

We want to thank everyone who has helped with Friday night onegs,  and Nina Rohan for helping to coordinate the onegs.

Judy Lee has registered for the virtual WRJ Fried Conference in New Orleans and will be reporting back to us when she returns.  

The relationships that we built by bringing together Jewish women has helped us participate more fully in building bridges, fighting antisemitism, and forming stronger relationships within the Jewish community.  This is a changing world, and we want to participate fully in it.    

We wish you all a pleasant and enjoyable summer with family and friends.

Pamela Carlton, Sue Freedman, Judy Lee, Anita Zuckerberg

Sisterhood Co-Presidents 

LEARN TO CROCHET

July 18, August 1 & 15

RSVP TO SHARI BALLOW

steinball@aol.com

LEARN TO PLAY

July 10, August 7 & 21

RSVP TO BOB & ANITA ZUCKERBERG

zuckie15@aol.com

Brotherhood at Temple Israel continues….Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

As the current Temple year approaches the summer season, we are continuing our efforts to draw on the support and expertise of our current members as well as prospective members.  We will be continuing to provide opportunities for involvement in support of Temple Israel.  

We would like to thank all of the many Congregants who participated in the Yom Ha’Shoah Yellow Candle project to commemorate the Holocaust Memorial.  Since the events of October 7^th in Israel, this project has taken on an additional meaning for all of us. 

We look forward to seeing you on June 14^th at our Installation Service where our new officers for the 2024-2025 Year will be recognized.

Please be reminded that the Summer BBQ has been scheduled for

July 14^th and will include activities for children of TI who will be attending.  Please see the flyer following this article.

Looking ahead to the new Temple year, we will be scheduling a complimentary Breakfast in September to kick off Brotherhood activities going forward.  Please join us and volunteer your assistance as we continue to support the efforts of Temple’s service to the Reform Jewish Community of Staten Island.

We wish you and your families a safe, restful and healthy summer season.

Alan Siegel & Bob Zuckerberg

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!

CHECK BACK WITH US IN THE AUGUST BULLETIN.

Felicia Otto and Brooke Lopez

Religious School Committee Co-Chairs

We are sorry if your name was inadvertently omitted. Please contact the Temple Office to update your membership information.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING AN ONEG, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FLYER BELOW AT LEAST ONE MONTH IN ADVANCE OF THE DATE YOU ARE REQUESTING.

SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO SISTERHOOD VIA THE SISTERHOOD MAILBOX, OR GIVE IT DIRECTLY TO

SISTERHOOD CO-PRESIDENT JUDY LEE.

YOU WILL THEN BE CONTACTED BY A SISTERHOOD REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL HAPPILY ASSIST YOU WITH ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS & DETAILS.

We held a brief meeting this month due to the prior commitments of most of the members of the Committee. 

We discussed the Buddy system that Felicia proposed at the recent Board meeting. This would entail having a school child pair with an adult as a “buddy” during 4 to 6 activity sessions. The membership Committee has previously discussed ways to foster a connection between young families and the long-time members so this will be a way to fulfill that goal.

The Membership Committee will be reaching out to the Congregation in the next few weeks to find 10 long time members who will volunteer to be part of this program. We will schedule a meeting with Felicia in July.



We discussed what we have accomplished during this year and the goals that we would want to set for the coming year. 

We will meet during the summer to plan for the coming year.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandy Mazzucco

Claire Guttsman

Co-Chairs

The mission of the Dr. Ronald Avis Foundation for Temple Israel Reform Congregation is:

…. to provide financial support for young families seeking membership in Temple Israel, and to attract new young families by providing learning opportunities, family programming, and social justice initiatives.

************************************************************

Welcome to June!

As we wrote in May, we hope all of you will enjoy your summer and after the last class, we hope you will find a time to meet up with each other. It is also a good time to reach out to Felicia and Bryn about what committees you might be interested in working on next year. And if you have  thoughts for programs, museums, and experiences you would like your children to experience next year, let us know your ideas. 

We hope many of you will attend our Temple Installation at the service on June 21st. And a reminder: Sarah and Bryan Sarfati are being honored by the UJA at the JCC on Sunday, June 23rd. We hope many of you attend that too!

We encourage all of you to help us welcome new families to be members at our temple. If you know anyone who might be interested, let them know about the Avis Foundation and feel free to reach out to us so we can meet up with them.

Enjoy the summer!

Sincerely,

Bryn Biren and Terry Baver

MsBunny7@aol.com

terryqbaver@gmail.com

The story of the Dr. Ronald Avis Foundation for Temple Israel

Dr. Avis originally provided our wonderful Foundation to cover a portion of the membership cost for the first 6 years for young families with young children. Our congregation had been diminishing and he was looking for a way to help us all begin to grow. After meeting with Bryn and Terry a few times, more money was added so the families would also have the opportunities to experience programs for their children. Many wonderful events have been set up for the young families including museum visits, Chanukah cookie designs, a Challah class, a program at the Staten Island Holocaust Center, and many other experiences. The foundation has also helped cover the cost of the religious school teachers.

But then!!!! Covid happened!!!!!!

So the decision was made to use a portion of the foundation money to help all the temple members. The Avis Foundation began to create the zoom classes for the adults in our congregation. These classes are continuing and the foundation covers the costs of them all. The Avis Foundation also covered the cost of the 75th anniversary event. And the foundation is now working with Judy Pessah and the Adult Education Committee to help cover the cost of all the events and classes for the adults in the congregation. 

So: Our entire congregation has benefitted from the generosity of the Foundation. Thank you RON!!!!

We hope you have had a good year of learning!

Our book discussions—

“Madam, The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age”, by Debbie Applegate

“The Matzo Ball”, by Rachel Rubenstein Goldblatt

“Don’t Forget to Write” by Sara Goodman

Many thanks to Scott Kalmikoff, Nilaja Troy, and Rabbi Howald for their enlightening programs.

Scott Kalmikoff presented—“Halachah, Orthodox Judaism’s Approach”, “ Conversations about Reform and Orthodox Judaism” “Exploring the Pittsburgh Platform”, “The History of Israel, Zionism and the Conflict”

Nilaja Troy presented—Lectures on the Relationship between Christianity and Judaism-“The Birth of Christianity”, “Schism and Persecution”, “Where Are We Now?”

Rabbi Howald presented—“Our People’s Prayerbook”, and “The World to Come, a View of the Afterlife”

A Zoom presentation by Oscar Israelowitz—“Trail of Philadelphia”—the Jewish history of that city.

We are looking into a program on Sephardim and their expulsion from Spain, and a trip to the George St Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ, to view the production “Gilda and Gene”.

To have more learning experiences,  go to these sites—Jewish Telegraphic Agency and My Jewish Learning.com.

Thanks so much to Bryn Biren and Terry Baver, on behalf of the Avis Foundation, for sharing in our planning this year.

The Adult Learning Committee is expanding!  Please let me know if you wish to join us.  the more people, the more thoughts and ideas.

Judith Pessah

Adult Learning Committee Chairperson

The FUNdrasing committee would like to thank everyone who participated and donated to our FUNdraiser on May 4, line dancing.  We did very well.



Please join us at our next FUNdraiser, Tuesday June 25, 2024, from noon to 11pm at Jimmy Max, dine in only.  Jimmy Max will donate 50% of the food portion of your bill to Temple Israel.

Please see the flyer for Jimmy Max attached.

Rhonda Trontz-Allen, Karen Frey-Gamoran, Lissa Winchel

Co-Chairs

JEWISH HERITAGE NIGHT

THRUSDAY, MAY 30th