The Bulletin from Temple Beth Sholom, November 2002

Temple Beth Sholom THE BULLETIN November 2002 Cheshvan-Kislev 5763 Vol. 2, No. 11 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Executive Director Chevra Kadisha 2 Rabbi's Message 3 President's Message B'nai Mitzvah 4 Under the Dome 5 Women's League Men's Club 6 Page 1 Continued Cantor's Message 7 Preschool News Musical Director 8 Religious School Youth Activities 9 Donations Board Biz 10 11 New Member Bios 12 13 Lectures 14 Calendar of Events Schedule of Services 20 Temple Beth Sholom is a Conservative Congregation affiliated with The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. VISION AND CREATIVITY TO BE HONORED NOVEMBER 24 | On November 24 Temple Beth Sholom will honor the creativity and vision of Brad Friedmutter. Every time a person walks into TBS and marvels at the beauty sur-rounding them, the person is honoring Brad Friedmutter. Every time a worshiper loses themselves in the holiness of their sur-roundings, they are honoring Brad Friedmutter. Every time someone drives past this facility and comments on how the synagogue blends with the environment, they are honoring Brad Friedmutter. It is therefore totally appropriate and fitting that those of us who continually benefit from his talents honor him. Mr. Friedmutter has created a unique and breathtaking edifice in which holy events continually take place. His design of our facility is a praise of Ha-Shem. Torah tells us the importance of creating both the Mishkon and the Temple. A dwelling place for the spirit of God was essential to the Israelites, and is essential in the mod-ern world. People need a focus of their devotions, and Brad Friedmutter has created his own miracle in the desert. His sense of spiritual space, his ability to realize his vision and his generosity in re-alizing his vision of both the shul itself and the Warsaw Rememberance Garden Memorial rank his contribution to Jewish life in Las Vegas among the most signifi-cant. If you have ever been in awe of the building in which he will be honored, you should feel a sense of wishing to thank him for making that building possible. This is your chance to do it and to enjoy an evening of delights. Continued on Page 7 Welcome New Members Over 70 new members (families and singles) will be officially welcomed into the TBS synagogue family at Shabbat services on November 8. "New members are the life blood of any synagogue," said Membership Committee chair, Ed Seltzer. "They bring new ideas, new energies and new resources essential to the development of our shul." The evening is an opportunity for the entire TBS family to get together and make new friendships. By welcoming our latest congregants we can help them to know how im-portant they are to us in every way. Gifts baskets will be given to those newcomers who attend the service. They will be honored during the service by Rabbi Goodman Continued on Page 7 2?Executive Director "SPACE AND SPIRIT" Executive Director Robert Mirisch This month we are recognizing a member who has made an out-standing contribution to Temple Beth Sholom and new members who we sincerely hope will, in the future make outstanding contributions to Tem-ple Beth Sholom. Brad Fredmutter is the man whose mind and artistry created the facility which we enjoy every day. Our new members supply the ruach (spirit) which fills the facility with commitment, love, worship, family and friends. We need both to allow TBS to reach its potential. Every member, old and new, has the capacity to bring to TBS something of themselves which adds to the purposes for which we are here. No contri-bution, be it in time worked or resources, is so small as to be meaningless. Every minute and every cent that a person gives to the synagogue is a contribution of devotion to Ju-daism and an insurance policy for its survival. The recently released National Jewish Population Survey 2000-2001 indicated a decline in the total number of Jews in America. According to this information American Jewry now numbers 5.2 million, a Five Percent (5%) decrease from the last survey. The study shows that Jews are not even reproducing enough children to replace themselves. Jewish families have 1.8 children (who gets the other .2% of a child?), when the figure for replacement is 2.1%. And we are aging. Today the median age for American Jews is 41, when in 1990 it was 37. What this means is that we need to do several things. First we need more children; second we need to commit ourselves to the idea that our children will grow up to be committed Jews. That is done by example. The example set by Brad Friedmutter and our new members in affiliating with TBS is just what the de-mographers have ordered. More Jews, more commit-ted Jews, will reverse the negative trends these sta-tistic present to us. Become active here. Teach your children the importance of a Jewish life by living a Jewish life. Bring your talent, in-tellect, spirit and friendship to TBS. Make new friends of new members. Honor those who honor us. November is a good month to put that into action. CHEVRA KADISHA A Sacred Society There is a unique group in Jewish society. It is called Chevra Kadisha. Ever hear of it? Know what it does? That just goes to show you how unique it is. It has its origins, at least in part, from the Talmudic passage: "Rabbi Simlai lectured: Torah begins and ends with acts of loving kindness... It concludes with an act of loving kindness, as it is written (Deut.): "And He buried him (Moses) in the valley." (Sotah14A). The work of the Chevra Kadisha is most beautiful and full of meaning. Judaism is predicated on the belief in an after-life where men and women will receive their ultimate eternal reward after appearing before Him for their final judgment?their final Yom Kippur. A second accepted belief is that while the soul (neshama) departs from the body upon death, it never-theless remains nearby, fully aware of what transpires to the body and around it. The task of the Chevra Kadisha is to care for the body, with prayers and deep spiritual respect, in its final washing and dressing process (tahara). It matters not whether to deceased has been a practicing Jew, whether he or she was Ortho-dox, Conservative or Reform, with or without affiliation. A Jew deserves a physical burial process echoing the magnifi-cence and splendor of our culture and traditions. We are most fortunate to have at Temple Beth Sholom, in concert with Midbar Kodesh Temple, a dedicated group of men and women unselfishly sharing their spirituality and loving kindness with those who, in time of great need and distress, re-quire their thoughts, words and actions. For additional information call Marlowe Mogill at 341-7512 or Linda White at 254- 0281. Rabbi's Message?3 Living Legacies Rabbi Felipe Goodman "Jacob lived" begins our Sedrah. In reality, the portion describes the death of Jacob. There is another similar Sedrah, "The Life of Sarah." It too speaks of her death, of one's passing. Our society gives us a great deal of anxiety on this sub-ject. The entire realm from wills to estate planning makes us confront this subject squarely. In addition, in re-cent years such arrangements as living wills and durable power of attorney brings the thought of death closer to our consciousness. But even lesser concerns, such as life insurance, IRA's and pensions have us thinking about our final days on earth. We are all overly concerned with our earthly estates. The Torah was also concerned about our spiritual estates. Sarah left a tradition of Shabbat candles and hospitality to the stranger that remains with us to this day. She and Abraham brought many into the belief in one God. She was with us at the very beginning. Jacob was third generation. His family was the nucleus of the people Israel. Before his passing he blessed each of his children and two of his grandchildren with the mantle of future leader-ship Neither the life of Sarah nor of Jacob was a "bed of roses." Each had innumerable problems to overcome. Each suffered and was in need of healing from their encounter. But when the days of Sarah and Jacob were over, it could truly be said that each one had lived. By referring to these portions with the term "life" and "lived" the Rabbis were teaching us a profound concept. Only at the end of our days can it be determined how we conducted ourselves. Judaism teaches that we are all accountable. We have no easy formula to follow. We have to meet all of the challenges, temptations and frustrations of life and try to emerge as a wholesome decent human being. After this lifetime, we are taught, comes the ultimate reward and punishment based on our deeds in this world. We believe that God is merciful and will be understanding of our human frailties. None of us is perfect. But the Torah gives us role models. Each had "rivers to cross" and circumstances to challenge them. At times, they may have faltered, but ultimately overcame their adversities. When the lives of Jacob and Sarah were over, they had really lived. Sarah was childless until old age and berated by Hagar and taken captive in Egypt. Jacob had his problems with Esau, Laban and later years of sorrow for Joseph. Sarah lives on as a mother in Israel. Her name is honored by all who bear it. Jacob lives on in the Jewish people. Sarah and Jacob died. Their names and legacies live on. "On Shabbat Morning" A Family Service Led by Rabbi Felipe Goodman, families with Children 6?12 years old are invited to attend a monthly family service in the Chapel at 10:00 a.m. The first Service will be held on November 23rd. (Babysitting will be available for younger children.) _ __ Nov. 2002 4?President's Message/B'nai Mitzvahs A V E R Y IMPORTANT DATE Temple President Jeff Zucker If you have spent much time at the Temple you know that we are blessed with a build-ing which is both beautiful and functional. We can have services in the intimacy of the Steinberg Chapel or open up the social halls and accommodate almost 1,500 people for High Holy Days. The light on the windows and the changes of the day coming through the dome in the Sigesmund Sanctuary are both comforting and inspiring, the perfect environment for prayer. In the best traditions of religious art, our temple combines the old from Oakey and the new, the artistic and the plain, to compliment this holy place. Our temple is home to a myriad of activities serving our congregants, co-religionists and community groups with events both large and small, for young and old, and the building has worked well for all of them. The man who is responsible for all this is Brad Friedmutter. His design of the Temple has been recognized as out-standing both in and outside of Las Vegas. As great as the Temple's design is, it is far from his only support of the com-munity and synagogue. As just one example, Brad is now working on the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial. Anyone who has seen the renderings or the construction work currently going on knows that the Ghetto Memorial will be an inspiring place of contemplation, reflection and memory for the entire Las Vegas Jewish community. Brad has not sought any honor for all that he has done, but he surely deserves it. On November 24 we have the oppor-tunity to show him our gratitude. That is the night of the TBS Gala in his honor. It is important that we as members of Temple Beth Shalom show support for one of our fellow congregants who has given so much to this Temple and the community. However, while that is more than enough reason for attending, it is far from the only one. The Gala is an important fund raiser for the Temple. Without it many of the numerous activities which we take for granted could not happen. The Gala is also fun. The company is great. Some people (for reasons I personally do not understand) also like the chance to get dressed up. The Gala Committee promises another one of its famous silent auctions. Bobbleheads, baubles, bijoux and more will be available for every taste and pocketbook. Everyone likes a twofer, but on November 24 we can get a threefer - a great event, support for numerous Temple activi-ties and, most importantly, the opportunity to show our re-spect and admiration for a man who has earned it. I look forward to seeing you there. November 9, 2002 Nicole Bleecker will be called to the Torah on November 9, 2002 at Tem-ple Beth Sholom. Nicole is the daugh-ter of Mark and Sharin Bleecker and has one brother, Alex. Nicole is in the 8th grade at Sig Rogich Middle School. She attended Temple Beth Sholom Preschool. Nicole loves helping children and is a Teacher's Aide for the Kindergarten Hebrew School at TBS. Nicole's interests are dance, shopping and being with her friends. She currently is on the Desert Shores Hip Hop Competition Dance Team. M u z e i Jau jVice?e <? $xian/ia/ November 30, 2002 Brianna Kirsh is a 7th grader at the Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy. A native Nevadan, Brianna enjoys playing the piano and singing. She currently serves as the President of the I Hebrew Academy's Student Council, and is the starting forward on the school's Girls Basketball Team. After graduating college, Brianna hopes to become an actress, and perform on Broadway. Brianna is a 2nd generation Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth Sholom, as her mother, Barbara, also celebrated this special simcha in the early 1970's. Brianna is excited about this very spe-cial day in her life, and is thrilled that all of her family & friends, from as close as Summerlin, and as far as New York City, Canada, and even Paris, will be joining her at Temple Beth Sholom. Under the Dome?5 Lost and Found? Nobody claimed the goodies from last month. It's not too late for a GameBoy and tallit clip. Meanwhile there must be a woman wandering around out there feeling lost. Not being able to see clearly can be the pits. So howcum nobody's come to claim their glasses??? WOMENS' LEAGUE - HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE-SUNDAY NOV.3. 10AM-3 PM There will be numerous and outstanding ven-dors, crafts for kids, inexpensive raffles and our JUDAICA SHOP will be overflowing with VJ^^y gifts for Hanukkah and your holiday gift shop-ping. Join in the fun and shop until your done. Can't make it and you are upset? The Judaica Shop will be open ex-tended hours before Hanukkah. Call 804-1333 ext. 3 to check hours. GRAND RAFFLE - ON SALE NOW: I T S NEVADA - ITS LEGAL. It's your opportunity to win $5000, $2500 or $500 for a mere $100 Grand Raffle ticket. Drawing will be on February 9, 2003. One ticket can list several participants. Call Mae Mushkin at 732-1267, Audrey Merkin at 341-8623, Marci Seltzer at 364-9411 or Blanche Meisel at 243-3090 to reserve your winning ticket. HANUKKAH PARTY MEEETING - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 11:30AM-1:30 PM We'll all have a light and delicious lunch, and enjoy Hanuk-kah festivities together with our Women's League friends. Question: What's funnier than a Mexican Rabbi describ-ing a Scottish Egyptologist checking into A t h e Luxor Hotel? Answer: Nothing. Find out . AJSI what the hieroglyphics on the Luxor uniforms really mean. Good for them?Bad for us. Mary Ann King and family are moving on to a new phase in their lives. The Adminis-trative Office will be sad to see her go. Mary Ann's hus-band has been given a HUGE promotion by CBS Television in Los Angeles. As soon as the house goes?they go. As for Kelly, the Veteran's Administration (where she had worked in LA for 13 years) tracked her down at Beth Sholom and lured her away with a promotion to Supervi-sor, a college education and "big bucks." Gee?How can you compete with Uncle Sam and a mega-corporation? MATCHING GIFTS ? I f your company has a matching gifts program, don't forget TBS. Your dues and donations may qualify for a gift from your employer to TBS. You have nothing to lose by asking, and TBS has a lot to gain if you p B ^ ^ x l double your donations through this l ^ ^ g J means. Thanks for thinking Do A Mitzvah ? for yourself and others. Join us at TBS's evening Minyan. By so doing you will find comfort and quiet in the Maariv Service and will be making it pos-sible for those who have to say Kaddish to remember their loved ones. Services are held at 6:30 PM in the Chapel. "Under the Dome" is an ongoing column of general information. Read "Under the Dome" to find out the latest tidbits about people and events at Temple Beth Sholom. Nov. 2002 6?Women's League/Men's Club The Women's League of Temple Beth Sholom EE One has to live in Las Vegas for a while before they can distinguish the seasons as it is presented to us in this de-sert climate. For the Jews here, it is, a bit easier. We know that September-October brings the High Holidays and joyous Succoth and with it all the flurry of new ac-tivities and excitement in our congregational life. For us, we know the Fall Season has begun. Our leadership has been planning, adjusting, creating and organizing a terrific agenda for this season. There truly is something for everyone. We are intergenerational and proud of our relationships. We speak to women as women, discussing and sharing together so many parts of our varied lives. We work for self-growth, greater knowl-edge of our faith, and how to give service to our congre-gation and the community. There are in-depth discus-sions of how to attain even better family life and how to be a creative Jewish woman in a modern society. We care! We make things happen! Our general meetings are held the third Wednesday of each Month, either at 11:30 a.m. with lunch and a pro-gram or at 7 p.m. for dessert and a program. Our pro-grams are mostly interactive, so we all have input and really get to know and appreciate each other. There are also Special Interest Groups that meet in various loca-tions, Book Club meets 1 st Thursday of the month; Zhava (young women's group) meets on the 2nd Thursday; and the Cooking Class meets on the 4th Monday. Each group meets at 7 p.m. Then there are our Special Events: Hanukkah Boutique?Sunday, November 3, 10 am to 3 pm- A gala event for the whole family. The Judaica Shop will have new and exciting Judaica and will be overflow-ing with Hanukkah gift items. We will have a full com-plement of vendors: lunch food, multi-level raffles, and fun to entertain the children. No admission charge. More after 2003 enters the scene but we '11 hold off telling you about those. The Judaica Shop is open with new merchandise and waiting for your patronage. We can now accommodate charge cards. We are open mornings and for special events but please call 804-1333 Ext. 3 to confirm. g) 3~(ap_p\) 3-fanukkafi 9 i a I Temple Beth Sholom Men's Club... IKWUA, G O L D B E R G Katz This month marks our Temple Beth Sholom Men's Club one-year affiliation as a member of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. Even though our Men's Club has been an important part of Beth Sholom for over 50 years, the decision was made to join the FJMC in an effort to expand our focus and to make valuable resources available to the men of Beth Sholom. As a member of the Federation, our group can call upon the support of this international organization to provide a wealth of important information, programs, guest speakers, leader-ship training and guidance. FJMC sponsored programs that we have and will continue to participate in include the annual World Wide Wrap (Sunday, January 26, 2003), the Men's Club Shabbat weekend (March 28 - 29, 2003), our very suc-cessful Yom Hashoah Yellow Candle Program, and leader-ship training classes. But more importantly, our affiliation has given our organiza-tion a shot in the arm to enable us to create a new image and be able to offer a variety of activities and events for our members. Our planned events for the coming year will in-clude important guest speakers, sporting activities, programs that involve our families, and religious participation. We are striving to encourage the younger members of our congregation to get involved and participate in programs that are geared towards their interests and needs. Come forward and let us know your needs. The Beth Sholom Men's Club is an important arm of the Synagogue and will continue to support the Las Vegas Jew-ish Community, the Conservative movement and each man of our congregation. As Co-Presidents, we would like to express our appreciation for the privilege of being able to lead this organization and want to extend a Happy Thanksgiving to the entire congrega-tion. And since we commemorate Hanukkah so early this year, we also want to extend a happy celebration to every-one. Irwin Goldberg and Jerry Katz Brad Friedmutter/ continued?7 Brad Friedmutter.... Continued from Page 1 Dinner, a silent auction and entertainment will be yours when you come to the TBS Gala. An ad journal will attest to the na-tional influence and affection Brad's many friends have for him. By allowing TBS to designate him its Man of the Year, Mr. Friedmutter is again contributing to the vitality and health of our synagogue. His caring will allow for endowments, new pro-gramming, and the maintenance of his gorgeous building. When you honor Brad Friedmutter on November 24 you honor Conservative Judaism in Las Vegas, you honor the vibrancy of Judaism and you honor all of us who benefit from the pres-ence of TBS in Summerlin. If you have not already done so, please make your reservations for the Gala by calling the syna-gogue office and arranging for your purchase of tickets. Please join us in honoring Brad Friedmutter in the "House that Brad Built" Sunday, November 24th. Welcome New Members Continued from Page 1 and Cantor Friedman. The true welcome will be the mixing of old and new congregants. This is an opportunity to make new friends, discover small world connections and to do for others what you might have wished someone had done for you when you were new to the synagogue. Come to services on November 8. Into Action Cantor Daniel Friedman Well, the Days of Awe are behind us. We have exhausted ourselves through prayer, supplication, forgive-ness, building a sukkah and dancing with the Torah. Wow, what a month. Maybe it is time to take some time off from being Jewish and rest up for next High Holy Day season. Much like a professional athlete does when the season is over. Pack up our Jewish "equipment," the kippah and tallis. Put away the honey bowl and sukkah kit. Throw away the s'chach, lulav and etrog. Ease up on all this Jewish stuff. Sit back, relax and get into the daily chores and challenges of our everyday life, besides the Holy Days are over, right? Sounds real good, and most of us will do just that?coast a little until next High Holy Day season. Well, I would like to suggest a simple alternative now that the Holy Days are over and we have celebrated Sukkoth and Simchat Torah. How about, we all try to do one Jewish "thing" more than we did last year. Sounds simple, right? I believe as you seek fulfillment within Judaism so shall you gain fulfillment in your life. What do you have to lose? A couple hours watching re-runs on television? Maybe, somet-thing might change in your life, and the things close to your heart that you prayed about during the High Holy Day season might come to fruition. But, I guarantee you, without lifting up your prayers through your actions nothing will change. A wise man once told me, "Nothing changes if nothing changes," a simple yet profound statement. If you never came to Temple during the year, how about coming to one Shabbat every couple months? How about attending one of the 5 events associated with the Sha'arei Binah Series, or attend the Rabbi's Lunch and Learn on Monday afternoon, or attending Minyan on Sunday morning or one time during the week? Perhaps this New Year you can guide your children to participate in Kadima or USY or the terrific choral pro-gram we are developing, Zimriya or Makelah? Maybe, your family can get together and share a Shabbat meal on Friday night and you could light the Kabbalat Shabbat candles a couple times? Perhaps you want to learn to read Torah or complete a Hafto-rah on Shabbat? Maybe, you would like to learn how to lay t'fillin or simply become more proficient in reading Hebrew? Perhaps you would like to join a Chavurah or get involved with the Women's League or Men's Club? Another wise man once said, "The proof is in the pudding." Maybe, just maybe, by giving and extending yourself just a little bit more, you will achieve something more than you did last year. Maybe, just maybe, by sharing yourself with our growing Temple community, or spending "Jewish Time" with your family and friends doing something Jewish you might actually receive more in your life than you ever imagined. I believe, now is the time to put all of prayers and hopes and dreams into action. Now is the time for us to keep our Jewish "equipment" out and work on strengthening our Jewish skills. Perhaps, next High Holy Day season, we can feel a little stronger standing before God. We are here to share with you, to grow with you, and to learn with you. Come on by and say, "Shalom." Just a thought. F R I f D M U T H R m a r t o t t h e j ? o r Nov. 2002 8?Preschool News I Musical Director The Early Childhood Department i/uelle FriefeLd Temple Beth Sholom's Early Childhood Center survived the holidays! We enjoyed eating in our Sukkah and mak-ing lulav and etrog shakes with our rabbi and cantor. We began our Reading curriculum and the Land of the Letter People. Our children can be seen hugging Ms. N and making Noodle necklaces, and making plenty of noise! (This wasn't too difficult for us ) Did you know Mrs. A sneezes...AAA chooo, and Mr. B is full of buttons? Our chil-dren are enjoying their specialty classes too. They are cooking, dancing, singing, making science experiments, and learning two foreign languages. There is so much fun and learning here at Temple Beth Sholom! Our parents and teachers even sat in our learn-ing workshops. Do you know how your child grows? Bev Bos shared her expertise of how to facilitate creativity and imagination in our children. Bev came to TBS for two informative workshops for our preschool families. She spoke about brain research and ways to enhance the growth in the young child's life. We were so fortunate to be able to provide such a critically acclaimed presenter and educator in the field of early childhood. Thank you to Sandy and Stan Mallin for their commitment in providing the 'best' for our teachers and preschool families. We have many other programs, meetings, and functions coming up on our calen-dar. Come and get involved so you can make a difference in a child's life! We have our after school programs starting in October. We are offering tap, ballet, computer class, karate, and a mid-afternoon 2/3's round up class. If you are inter-ested in getting your child enrolled, please call us at 804-1333. We are currently enrolling for two new classes at our preschool. We are starting a new 2's class in January for those little ones turning 2 and waiting to come to TBS. We are also accepting deposits for our Kindergarten class for 2003-2004 school year?we already have a waiting list! We've been busy in the preschool wing. We're engaged in learning, exploring, and having a real sense of love for who we are and what we do all day. We are always preparing for the events that are arriving in November and December. Look for plans for our Thanksgiving feast and our Winter Performance! We appreciate all the help, support, and donations that come our way. "It takes a village to raise the children!" A Noto from Tf.J. The Zimriya choir is up and running! We've had a successful first couple of rehearsals, and it's only going to get better! With the assistance of Cantor Friedman, we have been able to work on vocal techniques, warm ups, and fun Jewish music! Mark your calendars, though, because there have been a few changes: The Makilah choir (ages 12-16) will not be meeting until further notice. Please note that the rehearsals will be starting after the first of the year, so get some rest and be ready to sing! The Zimriya choir (ages 6-11) will now be meeting from 12:15pm until 1:00pm. Please be here at 12:00pm if your child is at religious school to bring them over to the chapel. There will be a small snack available in between religious school and choir right outside rehearsal. You are more than welcome to come in, relax and watch your child sing with the other choir members. There will be no rehearsal on November 17 due to the Family Chanukah Treasure Hunt! All choir members have been given special permission to be absent from rehearsal to participate in this extravaganza. I would like to thank all of the parents that have offered their assistance. Don't worry?I'm sure I will take you up on it real soon! If anybody has any question, please don't hesitate to call either me at 804-1333 ext. 127 or Cantor Daniel Friedman at ext 107. Religious School/Youth Activities?9 Our Family Education Programs: Moving Ahead Full Force Ayelet Blit, Director of Education camaraderie, and the pride this environment produces. The families of our Temple are the building blocks of our community. Sharing religious, spiritual, educational and fun experiences with our families is the future of our congregation. Whether your whole family participates, or you are there to support a member of your family, or a fellow congregant, it has the same great importance to the creation of our communal family. I deeply believe that our Temple's continuity depends on each and every family member. Thus, we put together many activities that provide experiences so that everyone will participate and enjoy. Friday Night Kids and On Shabbat Morning family services. Reli-gious School Hanukkah Shabbat, Hanukkah Treasure Hunt, Fam-ily Hanukah Party, Mommy & Me, Shabbat & Me, Pre-School Thanksgiving feast, and Pre-School Hanukkah winter perform-ance, are some of our activities that families can enjoy together. Please incorporate the attached calendar into your family's sched-ule. Furthermore, we strongly encourage all Temple members to participate in these activities even if you don't have children. Come and benefit from the wonderful energy, the strong sense of Friday night kids: On Shabbat Morning: Mommy & Me: Shabbat & Me: Hanukah Treasure Hunt: Pre-School Thanksgiving Feast:: Hanukkah Family Party: Rel. School Hanukkah Shabbat: Pre-School Hanukkah Winter Performance: Friday, 6:30 - 7:30pm? November 8, December 13, January 10, February 21, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13 Saturday, 10:00- 11:00am? November 23, December 21, January 4, February 8, March 8, April 5, May 10 Monday, 8:45 - 9:45am Friday, 8:45-9:30am Sunday, November 17, 9:30am Wednesday, November 27,11:00am Thursday, December 5, 6:15pm Friday, December 6, 7:15pm Thursday, December 12, 6:30pm YOUTH ACTIVITIES David Frydman, Director To me, one of the most important things about being Jewish is having a strong Jewish identity. I learned what it means to be Jewish when I was in USY some years back. Sometimes the only connection with Judaism a teen might get is through a Jewish youth group. I hope that we get more kids coming to our events who realize that it is very important to keep our Jewish identities strong. Temple Beth Sholom's youth programs are off to a great start. USY (grades 7-12) had their first event during the holiday of Sukkot. We had about 30 kids show up for this event. Thanks for all that attended. We celebrated the end of Yom Tov with the havdalla service. Lauren Frydman (youth advisor) started off a cou-ple of activities so that the teens got to know each other. Then we barbecued and ate hamburgers and hotdogs in the Sukkah. We ended the night with watching the movie "Oceans 11" (the new version). I'm still trying to find out the Jewish significance in that movie. We have many exciting events coming in the future. In the end of Oc-tober, we will be having a scary movie marathon, Torah study. In November, USY will be going to the Boy Scout challenge course in the Spring Mountains. They will be hiking, climbing, and rappelling off of a tower (only if they want to). The qualified trainer has asked for only 15 kids, so RSVP as early as you can for this event. The other youth program we have is Kadima (grades 4-6). We also had our first