The Bulletin of Congregation Ner Tamid, November 2009

2009 Menschen of the Year November 21, 2009 Mensch of the Year is just around the corner! We are proud to honor not one, but TWO people this year. Marla & Tom Letizia will be honored later this month as our Menschen of the Year for 2009 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Their generosity and continued support within local our community and the Jewish community has earned them this top honor. Tickets for dinner are $249.99 each; tables of 10 are $2,499.99. To purchase tickets to the event please contact the Temple office at 733-6292. Southern Nevada Jewish Book Festival Sisterhood?s Annual Chanukah Bazaar Sunday, November 15 10:00 am - 2:00 pm You?ll find all your holiday shopping needs - Chanukah, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Something for everyone on your gift-giving list! Sunday, November 15 AtCNT 11 am - 2 pm Books for ALL ages! Something for everyone! Special Guest Authors Throughout the Day! 11 am - Michael Wex How to Be a Mentsh (And Not a Schmuck) 1 pm - Bryan Mark Rigg Lives of Hitler's Jewish Soldiers t: pm - Martin Fletcher reaking News Full details on page 5. Co-sponsored byJCCSN, Jewish Federation of Las Vegas and CNT. Great food, prizes and fun for all! Remember the Fund-4-Youth Raffle - Gift cards galore and great prizes. Proceeds from the raffle benefit our Campership Program, which helped send 15 kids to Jewish sleep- away camp last summer. Questions? Contact Debbie Levy at dlevyl 107@mac.com. NOODLE KUGEL CONTEST Attention all Kugel Cooks! Bring your best noodle kugel to the Chanukah Bazaar by 10 am and you could be the next Kugel Queen! All entries must be hot and in a disposable pan. Every kugel donated will be sold during the bazaar so even if you don't enter the contest, please make a kugel!Bruce Matza Temple President We joined Ner Tamid when the congregation had just moved into our gorgeous new facilities. Every time Annie and I came to services we marveled in watching a vivacious and fashionable woman work the crowd as people entered the sanctuary. She greeted everyone, provided a bright smile, a welcoming handshake and made us feel like we just entered the living room of her home. People were enamored with the level of hospitality that was generated by this individual, her high energy, her engaging smile and herabilityto neverwearthesame outfit or pair of shoes on more than one occasion. That was Marla Letizia, the president of our congregation three years ago. Months later I had the opportunity to meet her husband,Tom. During our first conversation, I was amazed by his understated personality, his understanding of the temple, his quiet but deliberate point of view and his political savvy. Most oi all, I kept trying to remember where I had heard his voice. Later that evening w'hile watching TV, I realized that he was the voice for over half the commercials on the local television stations. When I agreed to be the next president of CNT, I asked to meet as many of the past presidents as possible. Harry Sax eagerly set up a meeting with Marla for the three of us to have lunch together. My first official interaction with Marla was to spill a full glass of iced tea into her lap. We were excited when Marla and Tom Letizia agreed to be our Menschen of the Year. They accepted this honor not only forthe recognition it bestows upon them but for their long standing love and dedication to Congregation Ner Tamid. Recently, you received your invitation in the form of the CNTv Guide. The entire event is centered on the television theme because Marla and Tom have been involved in the broadcast industry of Las Vegas for over three decades. They bring a wealth of creativity, resources, and relationships to make this one of our most spectacular Mensch of the Year events. The Four Seasons Hotel will be the location of this year's event. Lisa Skurow and Sandy Stolberg serve as co-chairs of the evening and have assembled a highly talented and committed group of people to serve on this year's Mensch Committee. Every detail has been meticulously planned from the lounge decor, cocktail hour, wonderful dinner, surprise entertainment, live and silent auctions, ad book and the evening's program. The entertainment and auctions will be full of surprises and attractions^ There are fabulous live auction iten^B collected from each of the major networks including tickets to American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres and a host of others. There will be all kinds of fabulous food and unique entertainment including the music of the Harbor Lights Orchestra. Mayor Oscar Goodman and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley serve as honorary executive producers of the event and Mayor Goodman will personally conduct the live auction. Please join us for an amazing evening that will be talked about for years. We even have special cocktails named after Marla and Tom and looking back on my first meeting with Marla, I can assure you that iced tea will not be one of the special drinks. To The Clergy, Staff and Wondeifi^^ Congregants of CNT ~ Thank you for your good wishes eating and thoughts for Del?s speedy recovery. We are TRULY BLESSED. Todah Rah ah - Marlene & Del Acosta ' 2009-10 Temple Board \ Rri iro PrpdHpnt hriicpmnt7n(d',nnn\/ntinnsinmnnnnpmpnt.cnm John Sparer................................................... ..........jsparer@ywsarchitects. com Gregg Solomon, VP Administration.................... ...ghsolomon@ghscllc.com Sandy Stolberg............................................. Del Acosta VP Ritual................................................. ................dacosta6@cox.net Steven Strasser............................................. .....................straspower@aol.com Lisa Skurow, Ways & Means..................................... ...........lskurow@yahoo.com Michelle Blank, Sisterhood Co-President. ...........................hmssb@aol.com Marsha Goldberg VP Membership .... decagon 12@aol.com Susie Sernoe, Sisterhood Co-President .... Jacky Rosen, VP Youth & Education....................... .............siegfried7@aol.com Michael Unger, Men's Club President...... ......................pmomike@aol.com Brett Primack, VP Social Action............................... ..........bcvegas@yahoo.com Stephanie Dreiman, NTTY President......... .talkingsgood4dsoul@hotmail.com Barry Lewisohn,Treasurer....................................... .............blewisohn@aol.com Amy Matthews, Corporate Secretary.................... .....................amy@bigT.com Past Presidents Harry Sax Kenneth Schnitzer Trustees Marla Letizia Dr. David Wasserman Jennifer Bruce........................................................... ...................jbtalker@cox.net Scott Stolberg JeffKahn Rick Carter................................................................. .........recarter44@gmail.com Dr. Stewart Blumenfeld Dr. Steve Kollins Jeff Jonas................................................................... .........jeffjonas@earthlink.net Drew Levy Hon. Michael Cherry Illisa Polis................................................................... .............illisa h@yahoo.com Bob Unger Dr. Bernard Farrow Pam Poster................................................................ ....pkposter@interact.ccsd.net Jerry Gordon *EugeneKirshbaum RandiSarno............................................................... ...........randi.sarno@live.com Cal Lewis *David Goldwater DannySocolof......................................................... - ........megaboylv@gmail.com Eileen Kollins *deceased 2 WWW.LVNERTAMID.ORG Rabbi Sanford Akselrad November has always been one i my favorite months. For it is in this month that we celebrate Thanksgiving. While this holiday is not strictly speaking a "Jewish Holiday" it has its roots in the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Our forebears developed this holiday out of the same desire to thank God for a good harvest and abundant rain. At our home we often go around the table and have everyone take a moment to say what they are thankful for. It has become a nice if somewhat awkward tradition. When the kids were little they were often predisposed to say that they were thankful for "mommy and daddy". As they aged maybe it was for "getting good grades". The older folks around the table inevitably gave thanks for "family and good health". While somewhat predictable, I often #ought that these moments of atitude also reflect the progression of our lives. When we are little our security is our parents. Our work is our schooling. Later in life our concerns turn towards family. And at the latter stages our health. And so I had a thought. What if we turned our thoughts backwards for a moment? What if when we were young we focused on our health? What if when we had an opportunity to change our future we did something about it? Changed our diets, exercised more, stopped smoking? And what if when we were older we focused on keeping our minds sharp? Going back to school, reading, studying, learning new things? When I look around at some of the people I admire most, I find that for them age does not mean aging. ^jRabbi, I may be 90 years old, but I ^Pln't feel 90!" For these folks growing older does not mean growing old. It is simply another stage of life. One with its own challenges, to be sure. But also one in which each day is an opportunity to try something new, and learn something different. One more thought about giving thanks. It is human nature to be grateful for the things most important in our lives. And it is also human nature to take these things for granted. Our body's health, our family and friends or the very homes we live in. Judaism awakens us each day with a sense of mindfulness. Even the routine blessings of our life are reflected upon in prayer. When we open our eyes in the morning the first thing that we do is thank God that we are still alive. We continue and thank God that our body is working. And finally, when we sit down and eat, we thank God for the food on our tables. Simple things. Yes. But when you talk with people about people that they care about most often what they will reflect back are the times that they spent together doing "simple every day things." So let us all give thanks for the countless blessings in our lives. For the extraordinary gift of the every day. And the challenge of giving thanks in new ways. svaM NOVEMBER SERVICE SCHEDULE Friday. November 6 Shabbat Services 7:30 pm Friday. November 13 Shabbatone Family Service 7:30 pm Friday. November 20 R/S Shabbat Service 7:30 pm Sunday. November 22 Interfaith Thanksgiving Service 6:30 pm Friday. November 27 Shabbat Services 7:30 pm Friday Shabbat Services are led by Rabbi Akselrad and/or Rabbi Adar; our Cantorial Soloist is Philip Goldstein. Services begin at 7:30 pm (unless otherwise noted) and are followed by an Oneg. If you would like to host an Oneg, contact Roberta Unger, 733-6292 ext 202. Saturday Morning Service & Study 9:00 am Adult Ed 10:00 am Shabbat Morning Service 11:15 am Torah Study Saturday morning Adult Ed andTorah Study meet in the Conference Room; Shabbat Service is in the BeitT'fillah. Interfaith Thanksgiving Service November 22 ~ 6:30 pm Join us for an all-faiths celebration of Thanksgiving. ? ^ Those who attend may bring canned food or cash donations to be distributed to JFSA Food Bank, Camp Anytown Youth Leadership Program & Family Promise. The service is co?sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada and Family Promise. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information contact theTemple office at 733-6292. November 2009 3 CVcle of MazelTovTo..... Alan Chenin for passing his state board! He is now a licensed Optician. Alex Solomon who took 1st place in the Las Vegas Silver Dollar Archery shoot for the Youth division. Lori & Steve Fletcher on the birth of TWO grandchildren born October 2 - Daelyn Nicole Freeman, proud parents are Diana & Dan; Austin James Cox, proud parents are Adina & Ron. We Mourn the Passing.... James Fagel, beloved father of Harry, father-in-law of Leilani, grandfather of Sam and Jacob Robert Katz, beloved father of Mark, father-in-law of Lisa, grandfather of Noah and Zachary Arthur Cohen, beloved husband of Arlene, father to Mitchell, father-in- law to Debra, grandfather to Robert and Lanie Time to Schedule 2011 B'nai Mitzvot We will be scheduling Bar/Bat Mitzvot forthecalendaryear2011. The initial letters with all the necessary information will be mailed toward the end of December. If you are planning or expect to have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah in 2011 and have not received your packet by the end of December, please contact Karen Levine at 733- 6292 ext 208. If you have any questions about the process of selecting a date, please feel free to email Rabbi Akselrad at Rabbak@lvnertamid.org. THANKS! Kristallnacht: ?Night of Broken Glass? Monday, November 1 6:30- 8:30 pm Join us for an evening of expression and thoughts from our Gesher students and guest speaker Regina Hirsch, as she shares her story of survival during the Holocaust. Everyone is welcome; RSVP to Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205 or email at Bbowman@lvnertamid.org What is Kristallnacht? On November 9-10, 1938, the Nazis unleashed a wave of pogroms against Germany's Jews. In the space of a few hours, thousands of synagogues, Jewish businesses and homes were destroyed. Kristallnacht was named for the shattered storefront windows that carpeted the streets in the aftermath. SEASON OF MUSIC WORLD AIDS DAY DECEMBER 1 AT 7:00 PM Metropolitan Community Church 1140 Almond Tree Lane Maryland Pkwy. & Sahara (1 blk. north of Sahara) j/* CNT's adult choir and our Cantorial Soloist Philip Goldstein will once again participate in this world-wide service, along with many others from all different faiths and backgrounds. Come show your support for both this health crisis and CNT. For more information, email Philip at pgoldstein@lvnertamid.org. Friday, December 4 at 7:30 pm Musical Shabbat Special Guests "Soulaviv" Hear their music at www.soulaviv.com 2nd Annual Shabbatone Concert Sunday, December 13 3:00 pm-5:00 pm Tickets will be $10 each and on sale soon! Watch for more information.Southern Nevada Jewish Book Festival Special Guest Authors MichaelWex Sunday, November 15 11:00 am Author of "How to Be a Mentsh (and Not a Shmuck): Secrets of the Good Life, from the Most Unpopular People on Earth. Michael Wex, author of the bestselling Born to Kvetch and Just Say Nu, is also a novelist, professor, translator, lecturer, and performer (of stand-up and one person shows). A majorfigure I the Yiddish revival, Wex has been hailed as "a Yiddish national treasure." Referencing pop culture and Jewish tradition with equal ease, Wex explores the strategies developed by an oppressed people to pursue happiness with their diginit-and sense of humor- intact. Brian Mark Rigg 1:00 pm Author of "Lives of Hitler's Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich". Bryan Mark Rigg is the author of Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, which won the William E. Colby Award for Military History, was featured on NBC-TV's Dateline, and has been translated into eleven languages. He is also the author of Rescued from the Reich: How One of Hitler's Soldiers Saved the Lubavitcher Rebbe. A former U.S. Marine Corps officer and volunteer in the Israeli Army, Rigg was a professor at American University from 2000-2006. He is the founder and President of Rigg Wealth Management. Martin Fletcher 7:00 pm Author of "Breaking News", Martin Fletcher has covered every event of consequence in the Middle East and Africa for the last thirty years. He has received four Emmys, an Overseas Press Club award, and the DuPont award. He is currently the NBC News Bureau Chief in Tel Aviv, and he covers the israel-Palestinian conflict in Gaza. During three decades covering wars, revolutions, and natural disasters, NBC News Tel Aviv Bureau Chief Martin Fletcher worked his way from news agency cameraman to top network correspondent, facing down his own fears while facing up to mass killers, warlords, and murderers. These extraordinary, real-life adventure stories, told with humor and elegance, describes Fletcher's growth from clueless adventurer to grizzled veteran of the world's trouble spots. New Members in September: Harvey Katz & Zara Richman, Jerry Seeler & Cheryl Cohen, Melissa & Gordon Gradney, Angie Hernandez, Dawn & Christopher Hinojos, Roberta & Howard Levine, Ira Newman, Carole & Alan Zeichick, Lisa & Brian Bienstock, Vicky & Cliff Gorov, Nancy & Stephan Cohen, Jennifer & William Lerner, Lenin & Matt Cullen, Sharon Lazar, Carrie & Chris Sheerin, Sandy & Steven Shorenstein, Hayley & Steven Brown, Rebeckah & Harold Mintz, Irene & William Starr, Bobbie & Leonard Gang, Amy & Scott Coffee, Wendy & Michael Dreitzer, Jennifer & Ray Wood, Seidy & Mark White, Rebecca Nathanson, Laura & Allan Sebotnick, Nickolas Kane VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are looking for adult volunteers to work in the library on Friday nights before services and on Sundays when there is religious school. If you're interested, please contact Emily Perlman at 897- 1999 or email her at emilysperlman@aol.com. King David Memorial Gardens An Opportunity to Pay Homage to Our Loved Ones The King David Memorial Garden is a special place where the names of loved ones may be permanently etched to remember and honor their lives. The Garden provides a calm and serene venue to acknowledge and reflect on how they touched our lives. The Garden is open 1/2 hour prior to services on Friday nights to provide an opportunity to those who wish to lay a stone at the name of their loved ne or just sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the Gardens. If you are interested in remembering "omeone in the Garden, contact Nancy Weinberger, Executive Director, at 733-6292 ext 201. Individual Memorial Space - $500 each Rows of Remembrance (includes 6 names) - $12,500 each row November 2009 5 Hebrew Level One Mondays, Nov 16 - Dec 14 6:00 - 7:00 pm Cost: $18/CNT Members $26/non-CNT Members Level One is designed to teach you the basics - letter recognition and even sounding out words! Class fee does not include cost of the book. Facilitated by Pam Poster. Pre-registration required. Contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205. Hebrew Level Two Mondays, Oct 12 - Dec 14 7:00 - 8:00 pm Cost: $26/CNT Members $36/non-CNT Members Level Two takes your Hebrew skills to the next level. Adults will begin reading prayers & blessings. Class fee does not include cost of the book. Facilitated by Pam Poster. Pre?registration required. Contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205. Conversational Hebrew Mondays, Oct 12 - Dec 7 7:30 - 8:30 pm Cost: $26/CNT Members $36/non-CNT Members Conversational Hebrew will take you beyond Levels 1 & 2. Guided class discussions and directed conversations will incorporate vocabulary, grammer, and basic topics such as body parts, greetings, colors and more. Emphasis will be placed on the skills of listening and speaking in order to practice everyday Hebrew speech. The ability to read Hebrew is a pre-requisite for this class. Class fee does not include cost of book. Facilitated by Lauren Eisenberg. Pre-registration required. Contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205. Jewish Prayer: History of The Prayer Book Thursday, November 5 7:30-8:30 pm Facilitated by Rabbi Adar. Enrich your worship experience by learning more about the book we (and Jews all over the world) use to pray. Find out what parts are old, what are new, what came from the Bible or other mystical documents and some parts we just don't know! This class is free and open to everyone. RSVP appreciated to Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205 or email Bbowman@lvnertamid.org. The Mitzvot - The Commandments and Their Rationale Thursdays, Oct 15 - Dec 17 6:00 - 7:00 A This class will explore the Mitzvc^^ commandments from the beginning of theTorah text. You will learn where and what the Mitzvot are and discuss their rationale. Hebrew and priorTorah study not required. This program is free and open to all. Please bring a non- perishable food item, weekly, to be donated to JFSA. Text by Abraham Chill; facilitated by Mel Kenwood. Jewish Home 101 Thursday, November 5 6:30-7:30 pm Join Rabbi Adar for a discussion of the things that make your home a Jewish home. Have you ever wondered what makes a home a Jewish home? Is there such a thing as "too Jewish"? This is a class for those who aren't sure how to answer those questions: beginners welcome! Together you'll look at many of the objects and practices that you might choose for your own Jewish home. This class is free and open to everyone. RSVP appreciated to Emily Perlman at 897-1999 or email at emilysperlman@aol.com. December Dilemma Sunday, November 8 9:15 am -10:45 am For interfaith families who need a little help dealing with celebrating Christmas and Chanukah, and everything that goes with it. This class is free and open to all. Facilitated by Rabbi Adar. CNT Book Club First Thursdays - December 3 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Each month we will meet and discuss the current book. Free & open to all. Facilitated by Sheila Oakley. For more information, contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205 or email her at Bbowman@lvnertamid.org. Genesis with Rabbi Akselrad: Myths, Meaning & Midrash In the book of Genesis Tuesday, November 17 at Noon Study the Book of Genesis with Rabbi Akselrad; bring your lunch &yourTorah commentary as you study myths, meanings & Midrash in the book of Genesis. A year long exploration of the major themes; creation, the origin of the Jewish people, the evolution of our concept of God, and core value^f social justice for all mankind are sJB? of the themes to be covered over the course of this class. Bring your own Torah commentary or the Temple will provide. RSVP appreciated to Beth Bowman at Bbowman@lvnertamid.org or 733-6292 Ext 205. The Great Religions November 23 7:00 pm The topic is "Five Great Religions". Each class will begin with a video portion based on the subject, followed by a group discussion with a question/ answer series. Facilitated by Esbin & Fred Peters.This program is^^- and open to everyone. For more information, please contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205. 6 WWW.LVNERTAMID.ORG 55+ Seniors Social Group Game Day Wednesday, November 11 Lunch begins at Noon Tunch, good company, and games (including ping pong)! What could be more fun. Bring yourown lunch and your favorite table or card game; we'll have drinks and dessert. Afterwards we'll have Yiddish and an open discussion group. RSVP to Joyce Herlands at jherlands@lvnertamid.org or call her at 733-6292 ext 253. Lehiyot Shayach Special Needs Support Group Thursday, January 28 At 6:00 pm "Educating Every Child According to His Ways" - Proverbs 22:6. Lehiyot Shayach means "to belong". Beginning this fall, we welcome a new support group, committed to families with special needs children by providing ^Rhem with a place to share their ^Pxperiences & thoughts, so that they may help each other through the challenges & joys of raising children with special needs. Guest speakers from CCSD, special needs advocates & many other services will be presented. Facilitated by Ann Roque. For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205 or Bbowman@lvnertamid.org. Kislev Rosh Chodesh November 17 6:45 pm Join Laura Grau and Sisterhood in welcoming the new month. We will begin in the Beit T'fillah where we will discuss what kippot really are, where the custom came from and why there are so many different kinds. Then we'll move into the social hall where Bessie Levy will show you how to make your own kippah! ^Refreshments will be served... Please ^^ISVP by Nov 13th to Laura Grau at jlksgrau@cox.net. CNT SINGLES CORNER Game Works Night Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 pm Join us for a night of games on the strip at GameWorks, 3785 Las Vegas Blvd. South, next to the MGM. It's the perfect place for sharing fun times with friends - great food, interactive games & attractions. Cost is $16 for CNT, JCC & Temple Sinai Members; $21 for Non-Members. Price includes appetizers, 2 beers/wine (upgrade to well drinks for $2 more), and 30 minutes of game time. RSVP by November 2 to Becca Phillips at rphillips@lvnertamid.org or 733-6292 ext 213. You can also reserve your spot and pay online at www.lvnertamid.org; click on Online Payments. Or mail your check, payable to CNT, to the Temple office Attn: Beca Phillips/Singles. Open to all singles 21-45. Co-sponsored with the JCC and Temple Sinai. B-l-N-G-0 at the Red Rock Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 pm Come join us as we play BINGO as a group at the Red Rock Casino, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. The game starts promptly at 7:00 pm. Please arrive at 6:30 pm to buy your BINGO cards (cash only). Minimum buy-in is $5. We will have tables reserved and a separate non-smoking area. Open to all singles. Please RSVP to Becca Phillips at rphillips@lvnertamid.org or 733- 6292 ext 213 by November 9 to ensure you have a seat. Co-sponsored with the JCC and Temple Sinai. Dining-Out Night Wednesday, November 18 at 7:00 pm We're meeting at Create Gourmet Burgers & Frozen Custard, 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas. Mingle with other Jewish singles and enjoy a great meal. This event is open to all singles 21-40. Your only cost is for what you eat. RSVP to Becca at rphillips@lvnertamid.org or 733-6292 ext 213 by No?vember 16. This event is co-sponsored by JCC and Temple Sinai. Movie Night at Town Square Tuesday, November 23 We're meeting at Rave Motion Pictures in Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Movie and time will be announced one week prior to event. After the movie, we're going to Yogurtland, the new yogurt buffet, located near the theater. RSVP by November 20 to Becca at rphillips@lvnertamid.org or call her at 733-6292 ext 213. Only those who RSVP will be contacted with movie and time information. This event is co-sponsored by JCC and Temple Sinai. Singles events are co-sponsored with the JCC of Southern Nevada and Temple Sinai. For more information on these events or to be added to their email list, please contact Becca Phillips at Rphillips@lvnertamid.org. November 2009 7 McCaw Elementary Community Partnership Are you interested in getting involved in our new community partnership with McCaw Elementary school here in Henderson? WANTED- - Volunteers to help in class rooms - Gently used clothes for kids Grades K-5 - New backpacks, school supplies for the students Please join us in our efforts. If you're interested in helping, contact Beth Bowman at 733-6292 ext 205. CNT Youth Groups IBN (Itty Bitty NTTY) - Becca Phillips, Advisor; llene Scharf, Co-Advisor - IBN is our youth group for those in grades 3-5. The next event is Pizza/Movie in Teen Lounge on November 8. For information, contact Becca at Rphillip5@lvnertamid.org. TNT - The goal of TNT is to involve young people, grades 6-8, in social experiences, in order to strengthen their relationships with each other, their CNT family and with the lewish community. The next event is King Putt Golf on November 8. For more information, contact Beth Falk at bfalk@lvnertamid.org. NTTY - Jolie Brislin, Advisor - This is CNT's high school youth group, for grades 9-12. Our goal is to involve the youth with their peers on a local and regional basis by providing interesting programs that range from social, to religious, to social action. For more information, contact Jolie at joliebrislin@yahoo.com. Information on all of our youth groups can be found on our web site www.lvnertamid.org. The Youth Shofar Choir did an amazing job! Thanks to all the kids who participated. We are looking forward to next year! Thank you to Bruce Matza for bringing the program to our Religious School. Special thanks to Rick Carter and Candace Barr for their generosity and help getting the shofars for the children. 8 WWW.LVNERTAMID.ORG Lonnie Kritzler ECE Director WOW! Whata month it has been...Rosh Hashanah,Yom Kippur, and two Tot Shabbats this past October. We have been busy! Not only have we been learning about and celebrating the Jewish holidays, we held our first annual Family Open House where our preschoolers had the opportunity to show off their classrooms, school work, and friends and teachers to their parents, grandparents, and siblings. The best part of all was that they got to come to school on a Tuesday night! The Early Childhood Education Committee has been quite busy. Believe me, this is not a committee that plans only class parties and bake sales! For our participation in Mitzvah Day, they contacted the Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten special needs teacher from McCaw Elementary School, Congregation Ner Tamid's community partnership school, and found that they are in need of educational toys. Our preschool families purchased a number of wonderful items for this class. This mitzvah gets even better, though. Not only were the toys given to them, a play date at a nearby park was set up between our families and the families of the McCaw students. The committee is also planning our first "Meet the Parents" night. Our preschool parents are invited to a Saturday evening of socializing and getting to know each other. The importance of creating a tight-knit community is of utmost importance, and we are well on our way. My heartfelt thanks goes out to the wonderful parents on this committee and to Julie Barto-Fisher, our incredible chairperson! As you can see, every aspect of our early childhood education center allows the opportunity to kvell. If you would like more information about our program, call or e-mail me at 632-2250 or lkritzler@lvnertamid.org. The Preschool classes Hacl Fan MgKing WmdsocKs for the SuKKah and Flags for Simchat Torah! The Pre-k Class Made Their Own kippot Oat of Paper! Friday, December 4 6:00 pm (note earlier time) For children ages 2-5 and their parents. Children will begin in the preschool classrooms where they will have something different to do in each room. Then they'll move into the Beit T'fillah for their service. Afterwards they'll enjoy a special Chanukah snack! Siblings are welcome. Note: Parents must attend with children. Program is led by Lonnie Kritzler, Director of Early Childhood Education, Rabbi Akselrad, Ellen Cropp and Sherri Swezey. Sponsored by CNT Sisterhood. Stay & Play Group 10:00 -11:00 am Session Two- Tuesdays/Sept 1 - Dec 15 $150-16 Weeks Similar to a Mommy & Me, this is a great introduction for children 18-28 months old. Children learn to play both cooperatively and independently, all with a parent or caregiver at their side. Each week has all the elements of a traditional preschool day: art, music, movement & dramatic play, Jewish holidays and culture and more! This is a great way to transition your child into our 2-year old preschool program. Class size is limited so sign up now! To register, contact the preschool office at 632-2250 or email Lbailey@lvnertamid.org. Menorah Lighting At The District Watch For More Details! November 2009 9 LIVE On The Web! Friday night services are now available for viewing on our website. Just go to www.lvnertamid.org, scroll down and click on the Rabbi. Now you can share your Temple home with friends and family abroad. It's also a great opportunity for shut-ins to feel connected. Check us out on the web! wjw UNrTED Jewish Community mw Jewish Federation of Las Vegas Join us for a Chanukah family dinner in the social hall. Adult CNTMembers: $20 Adult Non-Members: $25 Children 5-12: $15 A 4 & Under: FREE RSVP by December 5 to Roberta Unger at 733-6292 ext 202. Special Award Presentation To Mr. Sheldon and Dr. Miriam Adelson For their lifelong commitment to the Jewish people and community as W?U AS THEIR DEDICATION TO ls.RAf.1, WORLD JEWRY AND TzEDAKAH Keynote AddrE~. The Honorable Natan Sharansky Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and Former Member of Israel's Knesset Complimentary Dessert Reception Following Program This program is free of charge and open to the entire community Admission by advanced registration and ticket only RSVP November 13 to 732-0556 or www.jewishlasvegas.com UNLV Hillel Dinner at CNT Friday, November 13 5:45 pm - 7:00 pm CNT is hosting the students from UNLV Hillel to dinner followed by the Shabbatone Musical Shabbat Service. Our goal is to reach out to students enrolled at UNLV and inspire a connection. College students that are CNT members are also invited to join us for dinner & services. RSVP for dinner to Beth Bowman at 733-62