The Bulletin of Congregation Ner Tamid, January 1998

Copgregatiop Ner Tarpid Tan u n5np The Reform Jewish Synagogue of Las Vegas ...A Special Place to Belong Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Congregation Ner Ttirnb and FRIENDS celebrate Rabbi Akselrod's f Bar Mitzvd)l January io, 1998 Rabbi Sidney Akselrad Rabbi Leonard Thal Worship Services 2 Rabbi?s Message 2 Message from the President 3 Notes from Our Cantorial Soloist 4 School News 4 Adult Education 5 B?nai Mitzvah 6 Auxiliaries & Committees 11 f Attirthdays & Anniversaries 13 ? i^Pributes 14 Yahrzeits 17 Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Rabbi Sanford Akselrad was or?dained from Hebrew Union Col- lege-Jewish Institute of Religon in 1984, from the Cincinnati campus. As a student, he served three different student pulpits in Barstow, California; Reno, Nevada; and Kalamazoo, Michigan. His rabbini?cal thesis focused on the relation?ship of Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg?s theories of moral development as related to Holocaust education. Upon ordination, Rabbi Akselrad became the assistant Rabbi at Temple Israel, an 1100 family Congregation in Columbus, Ohio. A year later he was promoted to associate Rabbi and then served as Rabbi Janet Marder interim senior Rabbi for nearly two years. During his tenure, Rabbi Akselrad served on a variety of community boards including the Heritage House, the tri-state re?gional board of the Anti-Defama?tion League, and the Columbus Board of Rabbis. He was one of the founders of the Columbus Hebrew High and the recipient of the Temple?s prestigious ?Man of the Year Award? for outstanding lead?ership . He was installed as the spiritual leader of Congregation Ner Tamid (Rabbi biographies continued on page 8) ( l ( S p e c ia l rf ) l a e e Q o (B e lo n g , cWbrsfiip Services Conducted by Rabbi Sanford D. Akselrad & Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman January 2 Shabbat Services 7:30pm Oneg sponsored by the Sisterhood January 9 Shabbat Services 7:30 pm Oneg sponsored by Sharon and Brian Siegel in Honor of Babynaming January 10 Rabbi Sanford Akselrad BarMitzvah 10:00 am Kiddush sponsored by Judy Hopson and David Applebaum January 16 Tot Shabbat 6:30pm Rebecca Wikler BatMitzvah 7:30pm Oneg sponsored by the Wikler Family January 17 Foster Kamer BarMitzvah 10:00am Kiddush sponsored by Bonnie and Jeff Green January 23 Junior Congregation - BeitTefillah 7:30pm Congregant of the Year / New Member Shabbat 7:30pm Oneg sponsored by the Sisterhood January 30 2nd Grade Shabbat Dinner 6:15pm Family Shabbat with Junior Choir 7:30pm Oneg Sponsored by 2nd Grade Families January 31 Elliot Cole BarMitzvah 10:00am Kiddush sponsored by the Cole Family CONQREQA TtON N E R TA M ld The greeting of the new year marks for us a second opportunity to mark the passage of time. Months ago, we celebrated the New Year, 5758, at Rosh Hashana Services. Now, again, in January, we have yet another opportunity to celebrate and to take account of our lives. Holidays often are catalysts to such self searching. And so too are special events such as birthdays or anniversaries. As I am sure the entire Congregation is aware, this month marks two very special anniversaries in my life, the first, is the celebration of my tenth year with Congregation NerTamid. The second, is the celebration of my thirteenth year as a Rabbi. Both milestones will be acknowledged on January 10th. We will gather first in the morning at a creative service that I have written reflective of many of the special prayers that have touched my life over the years since my ?first? Bar Mitzvah. I look forward also to many of the special people who have inspired me Jewishly as well?family members- my wife Joni, and children CJ and Sam, my sisters, cousins, aunts, my mother and of course my father- who officiated at my first Bar Mitzvah; Rabbi Lenny Thal-now the Vice President of the U.A.H.C.-but who 1 came to know as a family friend and later as part of my application process to enter rabbin?ical school; Rabbi Janet Marder, who has been a good friend for a number of years and is now our Regional Rabbi; and Hannah Cohen- my original ?Bar Mitzvah coach?! I can feel the pressure on me now to ?perform? at least as well as I did some years ago at my original Bar Mitzvah when I told everyone that I would be a scientist, not a Rabbi! The celebration will continue with a party in the evening planned by many, many members of our Congregation and chaired by Jerry and Yvonne Gordon. Though there will be opportunity later to express my gratitude to these wonderful people, I can not help but begin now. It is wonderful being a Rabbi. It is even more gratifying feeling appreciated. Jerry, Yvonne, and the countless others who are working on this ?surprise? tribute have truly touched my heart as have all of yc^ who have supported me over ttfl years. The words ?thank you? d^ not seem adequate, but hopefully you know how grateful 1 am to all of you. Yes, major milestones are catalysts to self reflection. As 1 look forward to January 10th, I can not help but look upon the years and wonder how quickly the time has gone. So let us cherish the moments, the precious, precious moments that bring us together and give us a shared sense of history. For this is the time to celebrate and to cherish the time that is before us. H(a6SiStmfor(CJ^ehu[ to announce that Uaxmy and IL/auren will lead two discusions on the GEO POLITICS OF ISRAEL on January 11 and February 221 1998 from 11am until 12:15pm. These discussions are open to tke general puhkc at no charge and will he conducted at Congregation Ner Tamid in Tke Temple Lobby January 1998 Temple Board Members Bob Unger President Drew Levy VP Administration David Mendelson VP Ways & Means Ira Spector VP Membership David Stahl VP Religious Activities Scott Stolberg VP Education Scott Dockswell VP Social Rita Goldstein Treasurer Ruth Urban Secretary Mel Hallerman Trustee Sylvia Beller Trustee Frances Klamian Trustee Jacky Rosen Trustee Jon Sparer Trustee Robin Greenspun Trustee Esther Saltzman Trustee Kenny Epstein Trustee Janis Rounds Sisterhood Jeff Markewich Brotherhood Sol Tolpen Golden Chai Dustin Tiep NTTY Jill Ewan TNT Jerry Gordon Past President Cal Lewis Past President Eileen Kollins Past President Kenneth Schnitzer Past President Dr. David Wasserman Past President Dr. Steve Kollins Past President Michael Cherry Past President Dr. Bernard Farrow Past President Ijf.UGENE KlRSHBAUM* Past President Beo Wilner Advisor iLabbi Sanford Akselrad Ex Officio ?Deceased Congregant of the Year / New Member Welcome On January 23, Rabbi Akselrad and Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman will be joined by our new members as they bestow the honor of Congregant of the Year for 1997 to Allan Nathanson. A photo will be taken that evening of all new members with Allan as an addition to our permanent display. ALL NEW MEMBERS ARE TO BE AT THE TEMPLE BY 6:30PM, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23, FOR THIS PHOTO! you have any questions, please call the Office at 733-6292. ESSAGE FROM OUR TEMPLE PRESIDENT We begin 1998 by honoring our Rabbi. Most of us who have joined Congregation Ner Tamid during the last ten years (which includes about 85% of us) do not remember CNT without Rabbi Akselrad. From my point of view, he has been and con?tinues to be the architect and build?er of what has become one of the leading Congregations in our state and in the Reform Movement. As President of our Congregation, I am often asked why we have grown so fast. I usually begin my response with our slogan ?A spe?cial place to belong? and start to explain how nice our members are, how we have very few personality problems to deal with, and how our members routinely put aside personal demands or privileges for the benefit of the whole congrega?tion. Inevitably, each of these con?versations reaches a discussion about our Rabbi. By the time I am finished, I always conclude with the fact that Rabbi Akselrad is THE reason why we have grown and have been so successful. He sets the standard for creating our ?spe?cial place,? for the lack of person?ality problems, and for the unselfishness of our membership. For those of you who have not had a chance to spend some time with Rabbi Akselrad on a personal level, you will find that the more you know him the more you like him. Our Rabbi is a highly professional man who makes everyone feel comfortable. He is supremely con?fident in himself and his place in our community and shuns the type of attention and honor we celebrate this month on the occasion of his tenth year with CNT. Thank you Rabbi Akselrad for all that you have done for our Congregation and our Jewish community. Thank you for making Congregation Ner Tamid your home and our home. We look forward to your 20th, 30th, and 40th anniversaries as well. 1 must also thank the huge group of people who have worked on making the Rabbi?s Bar Mitzvah and 10th Anniversary weekend a huge success. With their help, we are not only going to have a great show of love for our Rabbi, but we are also going to help make one of his wishes come true by raising money to help reduce the sanctu?ary mortgage. Special thanks to Jerry Yvonne Gordon for chair?ing the committee, Yvonne for planning every detail of the dinner and Jerry, as always, for spearhead?ing the fijnd raising effort. 1 have come to the conclusion that Jerry?s sanctuary campaign will never really end. Lastly, at the time of the writing of this article, we do not know if this year?s holiday gift-wrapping has been successful yet. What 1 do know is that our members have volunteered for an incredible num?ber of hours working at the booth. Aydie?s expanded group of team leaders has done a wonderful job of organizing the operation this year. It almost seems like we have got it down to a science. 1 say, ?it seems like? only because 1 am writ?ing this article prior to the mad?ness of the last two weeks before Christmas. Special thanks to Sus?an Schyman and Debbie Hallerman for help in planning and operating the booth this year. You have made it easy enough so far that Aydie is actually considering running it again next year. Mazel Tov to Rabbi Akselrad and Happy New Year to all of you! fBoS c l (Special rf)January 1998 la c e TJo- r)ielom f As you know, we are celebrating Rabbi?s tenth year with our Congregation and his thirteenth year in the Rabbinate. The entire congregation is invited to celebrate and honor our Rabbi at a very special Saturday morning Bar Mitzvah Service. I have chosen some beautiful music to be included in this service and both our Adult and Jr. Choirs will be participating. Throughout this celebration we will be reminiscing about all of the wonderful memories and how much our Rabbi has done for this Congregation, but I want to share with you how much our Rabbi has done for me. I?m often asked if I always dreamed of being a Cantor and I must reply, it never really crossed my mind until I attended my first Shabbat Service at Congregation Ner Tamid. During that Service Rabbi an?nounced that the Temple was looking for someone who may be interested in singing at services. After his announcement 1 approached him at the oneg and told him I was interested and had a strong Hebrew/ prayer background from my Conservative upbringing. I also explained that my father used to help out at Temple Beth Sholom many years ago when they were without a Cantor. Initially, I began singing every other Shabbat, then at B?nai Mitzvah Services, then at Tot Shabbats and finally after two years, at our High Holiday Services. (continued on page 9) chool News GROWTH The growth of our religious school over the almost five years that 1 have been here can be attributed to many things. The congregation?s membership has increased im?mensely which has provided the school with a larger student enrollment. Many parents have expressed that they chose our school due to its reputation, curriculum, programming and some have even said due to the Director. No matter which reason, none of this would have happened without Rabbi Akselrad. I personally decided to join Congregation Ner Tamid because of its Rabbi. I became Director of Education here because 1 felt Rabbi?s priorities were the same as mine. We both desire to offer quality education to all who wish to learn. Our Rabbi has supported the changes that I feel have enabled me to bring our religious school to the level which it is today. Rabbi has often taken from his own funds to provide programs and materials to enrich our educa?tion process and I value his impact and suggestions. Rabbi Akselrad has also set an example of stability for our congre?gation and our students. His involvement in Jewish life in our community has set a standard to be matched by all. With his support and guidance I look forward to our school continuing to be not just the biggest Jewish religious school in Nevada, but the best. For ten productive years at Congre?gation Ner Tamid and thirteen years in the rabbinate, Congratulations. On behalf of the staff and students of the M.B. Daiitz Religious School, may you be blessed with many more years of good health so that you may continue to serve our congregation and our people. Toda Rabah JacqueJmefleefyp Director of Education CO N Q R EQ ATIO N N E R TiM /'d tmimitiii i i i i ii i i i i i i i i i i i ............... mm.iA.i 11111 11111111111111111111 f i?11 11ii11 i i i 1111111 111 111111 . ii lit........ i 11111 i 111 11 ii n January 1998 Adult Education Hebrew Marathon Hebrew on One Foot: A Crash Course for Absolute Beginners Would you like to be able to follow along in services? If you have been wanting to learn Hebrew, NOW IS THE TIME! Come join us for a day of study and lunch on Sunday, January 4, 1998 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Instructor: Melissa Roth Fee:$36, lunch included and book rIntroduction to Judaism This course will teach the different holidays and customs of Judaism. It is open to members and non members. Classes will be held on SUNDAVS (NOT MONDAYS AS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED) for eight weeks. The classes will run January 11 to March 1, 1998 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM Instructor: Melissa Roth Fee: $30.00 Members $40.00 Non members Beginning Hebrew If you are interested in learning Hebrew, brushing up on your skills, or just completed the Hebrew Marathon, this class is for you. Classes will be held on Sundays (not Mondays as previously PUBLISHED) Jan 11 - March 1, 1998, following Introduction to Judaism from 4:15 - 5:30 PM Instructor: Melissa Roth Fee: $30.00 Members $40.00 Non members For more information on any of these programs, contact the Temple at 733-6292. NTTYites (Congregation Ner Tamid Temple Youth) had a spectacular and fun filled time during October, November and December. Now we?re back from December break and ready for action in January. In October we traveled to Albu?querque for our regional Social Action weekend. NTTYites got a chance to catch up with old friends and meet new people from El Paso, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Phoenix and Tucson. We helped with communi?ty projects by painting over graffiti, cleaning highways, visiting local hospitals and helping with carnivals and ice cream parties for special needs children. The weekend was a lot of fun. Also, NTTY held a car wash to raise funds for Mitzvah Corps which supports Camp Swift. This camp is a week long event held at the beginning of the summer at Camp Pearlstein in Prescott, AZ and enables underprivileged children to enjoy the outdoors. Youth group members volunteer to be counse?lors during this fantastic experi?ence. Thanks to all of the dedicated members who showed up and especially a big thanks to our treasurer, Kevin Daniels, who coordinated this fundraiser. We were able to raise close to $200.00. Watch for our spring car wash or other fundraisers and come out and help make our donation to Mitzvah Corps successful. Wow, do we get to see different place. Our winter regional event with SWFTY (Southwest Federation of Temple Youth) from December 5- 7 was held in Scottsdale, AZ. This event was as exciting if not more so than the Social Action weekend. Also, our local group gathered for the premier of Scram 2 at the Showcase Theaters on the Strip. We look forward to seeing you at our future events. If you have any questions, you can contact Dustin Tiep, NTTY President at 451-3027 or Aaron or Eden, NTTY advisors at 657-6295. UNlock The Secrets oFKAbbAlAh AFter 7800 years if conceaIment, jEwish MysTicisM is MAkirvq a STUNNINq EMERGENCE INTO tNe MO<JeRN WORld. On JANUARY 14 ANd 28 AT 7:OOpM, Las VEqAS will Iiave a spEciAl oppoRTUNrry to de part of This EMERGENCE wiTh TWO EXCmNq FREE iNTROOUCTORy Iectures ON KAbbAUh OPEN TO ThE COMMUNITY AT CONqREqATiON NER TAMid. XAbbAUh is ThE ANCiENT SpiRiTUAl wisdoM of JudAisM ThAT dATES bAck TO AbRAhAM ThE PATRiARCh. KAbbAUh is ThE COSMiC kEV ThAT UNlocks ThE SECRET codss of ThE BibU, ThE ORiqiNAl SEEd or All MySTiCAl ANd SciENTific TEAChiNqs IlNOWN TO huMANkiNd. RAbbi AvraIiam KeIman of tIie Los ANqsUs bRANch of ThE KAbbAUh LEARNiNq Centre is offsRiNq new STudENTS an oppoRTUNrry to ExploRE ANd Iearn AbouT ThE ANciENT JudAic wisdoM of KAbbAUh. The KAboAUh 1 BAsic Course bEqiNNiNq FEbRUARy 11 at 7:00pM, STudENTS will EMbARk on an ENliqhTENiNq jouRNEy ThRouqk hisTORy, dATiNq bAck to ThE Biq BANq ORiqiNs of our Uni'verse, Thnouqh ThE Middls AqES, ANd up TO OUR PRESENT dAy. ThE cUsS is offEREd TO TEMpU MEMbERS fOR $127.00 ANd NONMEMbERS $170.00. FOR MORE iNfoRMATioN, plEASE contact ElishEVA KeIman at 710/677*7404, ext. 171. cfl S fu m ial January 1998 r()la r e &0- (Belong, Kfazel Tov to our January tf?nAf Mltzv&h Stu&ents My name is SanFor<J "SANdy" AksElRAd. I was boRN OcTobER 6, 195] iN OAklANd CaUFornIa. I ATTENd Cunn JunIor Hiqh iN PaLo AIto. My iNTERESTS ARE pliOTOqRAphy, SciENCE-FicTION, MAqic, TENNis, ANd TllE TempIe YouTh Croups. I am VERy ExciTEd AbouT My Bar MiTZVAh on JANUARy 10. I hopE you can aU joiN me ANd My FAMily to sFiare This spEciAl dAy. Hi, My name is Foster Kamer, ANd I'm tIurteen yEARs old. I'm a seventIi qRAdE STudENT at HydE PARk MiddU School. I ENjoy pUyiNq volUybAll, hANqiNq out wiTh My FRiENds, coiNq to con?certs, ANd lisTENiNq TO Music. I am VERy liAppy ThAT This spEciAl MOMENT hAS FiNAlly ARRivEd, ANd ThAT All My FAMily ANd pRiENds will bs AbU TO see iT. My name is EIUot CoIe. I am iN tIie sevens qRAdE at Grant SAwyER MiddU School. I ENjoy skiiNq, buildiNq ThiNqs, TARqET shooTiNq, wATchiNq T.V., ANd doiNq ouTdooR stuFF. I am aImost an EAqU Scout ANd woRkiNq on My Bar MUzvAh, which will bE hsld on JANUARy 51, 1 998. I would AppREciATE iT iF you could joiN me For This occAsioN. Hi, My NAME is REbECCA WiklER, buT My pRiENds caII ME BeCCA. I AM A SEVENTh qRAdER AT CREENSpUN JuN- ioR Hiqh School. I hAVE TWO oldER bROThERS NAMEd Josh & Jon & a sweet UttIe sisTER NAMEd LeaI<. I Also hAVE TWO doqs NAMEd BubbU ANd SEdoNA. I am VERy ExciTEd AbouT bEiNq wiTh aU My FAMily at My Bat MiTZVAh. I am VERy pRoud oF MysElF For how hARd I hAVE bEEN WORkiNq to prepare MysslF For This qREAT EVENT iN My UFe. January 1998 Congregation Ner Tamid is Proud to Salute Our 1997 Congregant of tf?e Year Allan Natbanson and Barney & Mary Ales Allen & Eileen Anes Richard & Dolores Bale George Barnett Viola Blazer Anthony & Heidi Bock Milton & Deborah Brown Rand & Lexy Capp David & Marilyn Conen Elisa Cooper Matthew & Nina Cooper Michael & Beverly Daitch Jerry & Jere Davis Mark & Jill Drucker Matthew & Jessica Dushoff Louis & Lisa D'Asunta Danny & Lauren Eisenberg Jerry & Sharlene Engel Ike & Michelle Epstein Alvin & Esther Esbin Martin & Toby Esbin Bernard & Arlene Farrow Raffaele Ferri Robert & Suriva Fischer Victor & Lana Fuchs Jon Galane 2731 Emerson Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89m Welocme our New Members of 1997 Marc & Eileen Garber Anita Getzler Mark & Wendy Gillies Gary & Sherri Gilman Vance & Denise Glanz Bernard & Frieda Glicker Gloria Golberg & Richard Fenster Alan & Paula Gold Mark & Cathy Goldberg Jeffrey Goldman Jonathan & Debbie Goldner Ivan & Mona Goldsmith Leonard & Fleta Goldstein Michael & Denise Gorelick Jeffrey & Bonnie Green Wendy & Carl Green Brian & Myra Greenspun Frank & Vicki Hardaway Dee Harrison Robert & Cynthia Hartman Bruce & Vicki Herman Joel & Cheryl Hoffman Jeffrey & Bonnie Jacob Ginger Jaeger Jacqueline Jaeger Abraham & Victoria King Robin Klein Scott & Aimee Knox Lorry Kristal Norman & Helene Laefer Howard & Nancy Layfer Jack & Bernice Lazar Pamela Lellouche Lewis & Michayel Lerman Paul Levine & Elaine Gross Michael & Michele Levy Karen Greene-Lewis Deborah Margolis Gil & Lydia Martinez Peter & Erica Mcllroy Patricia Messinqer Michael & Carol Milano Ira & Adrienne Miller Neil & Beth Miller Karvne Morns John & Laura Neff Sylvia Oreskes Snawna Parker Evelyn Pillischer Brett & Christina Primack Tara & Ismael Rivera Ccpgregatiop Ner Tan?id Tan ?U n^'np A Special Place to Belong Michael & Cynthia Rose David & Shelly Rounds Kelly Sant E.A. & Florrie Sasner Harry Sax Harriet Schaefer Rod & Shari Scheele Robert & Alison Schuit Alvin & Beverly Serota Ronald Serota David & Juliann Shapin Getsi Sheahan Trevor & Frances Sheldon Douqlas Stadt Ira Sternberg Harold & Deanne Stralser Michael & Melody Tashman Ross & Candace Tonkens Brad & Hillary Torchin Katherine Waechter Murray Weidenfeld Alan & Linda Weinstein Harvey & Yvonne Weiss Loren Wender Denise E. Wolson O Event ce 733-8553 otlme 283-5980 PLANNING SET FOR 1999 BAR/BAT MITZVAH S REDUCED DUES PLAN AVAILABLE Wc Arc bc5iv?r?iri5 to sell cbv<1e B MUzvaIi for tVie cAlcrtbAr vjCAr 1999. If \\o\i Arc plArmiv?5 or expect to VtAve a BAr/BAt MUzvaIi for \\our cViilb iv? 1999 Artb Viave not recevieb a pAcket from tVie office bvj jAnuArvj o, 1998, pIcasc caII tVie bbi?s SecretArvp 1<Aren CVinc At 733-6292. 4&La For every $100.00 purchase of gift certificates, $2.50 will be applied toward your dues. Our Scrip Program offers a larger and broader variety of gift certificates. We have available the four major grocery stores in town, The Galleria Mall and by special order, major restaurants and clothing stores as well. These are ideal for dining out, back to school purchases and much more. We will order them twice a month and have them available in the office. Any questions, please call Monty at 733-6292. No Credit cards please. January 1998 ( / (S pecial fpinee. ?7io (Belong, Rabbi Sanford Akselrad (continued) in 1988 and is active in every phase of Temple life and activities, and in the greater Jewish community and the secular community, as well. He is a past board member of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, having served as a chairman of its Community Relations Council, and is also on the board of the Las Vegas Chapter of The National Confer?ence, serving for two years as chairman of its Interfaith Council. He is a co-founder of Las Vegas? Community Yom Hashoah Services-, and he serves on the board of the Governor?s Advisory Council on Education relating to the Holocaust. Nationally, Rabbi Akselrad serves on the Central Conference of American Rabbis Commission on Outreach. Since his installation, Rabbi Akselrad has twice received recognition for outstanding leader?ship from the Council on Jewish Federations. A gifted writer, several of Rabbi Akselrad?s sermons have been published in national journals, and he has also contributed articles on Judaism and Israeli politics to Jewish and secular newspapers in Colum?bus and Las Vegas. He and his wife, Joni, have been married since 1982 and have two wonderful children, CJ, age 11 and Samuel, age 8. Rabbi Sidney Akselrad Rabbi Sidney Akselrad is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Am, Los Altos Hills California. Rabbi Akselrad?s years were devoted to Jewish education, civil rights and service to our people. He was the first West Coast Rabbi invited to the German government and our State Department to undertake a study mission of Germany. His articles were syndicated nationally by the Scripps-Howard Newspapers. In the 1960?s he participated with Martin Luther King in a Mission to Mississippi. He represented the Jewish Community in discussions with the then Attorney General, Robert Kennedy, and Civil Rights Chief, Burke Marshall. He had the honor of introducing Martin Luther King to a rally of 11,000 in San Francisco. He has served as President of the Western Association of Reform Rabbis and the Northern California Board of Rabbis. He has been honored by Stanford Hospital and the Senior Coordinating Council of Palo Alto / Stanford for a lifetime of achievement. He and Marge have been married some 44 years. They have 4 children, Audrey, Deena, Sanford David and Lisa and 6 grandchildren. Rabbi Leonard Thal We are also proud to welcome Rabbi Leonard Thai to our Congre?gation. Rabbi Thai has known Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and his family for nearly thirty years. As Associate Dean of the rabbinical school of Hebrew Union College-JIR in Los Angeles, Rabbi Thai was one of Rabbi Akselrad?s advisors and mentors. As the Regional Rabbi for the Pacific Southwest Council from 1982-95, Rabbi Thai was able to renew his friendship once again with Rabbi Akselrad and has visited our Congregation several times over the years. Currently Rabbi Thai is the Vice President of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. In that capacity Rabbi Thai travels widely throughout the world fur?thering the cause of Reform Judaism. He is also a writer and a recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the Rabbi Roland B. Gittlesohn Prize in Social Action and the Rabbi Erwin Herman Award. Rabbi Janet Marder Rabbi Janet Marder, a Los Angeles native, graduated from the Univer^^ sity of California at Santa Cruz anc^P was ordained in 1979 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Insti?tute of Religion in New York. Following ordination, she pursued graduate studies in the Department of Comparative Literature at UCLA, specializing in Modern Hebrew and Yiddish. In 1983, she became the first ordained Rabbi of Beth Chayim Chadashim, a Los Angeles syna?gogue with special outreach to lesbian and gay Jews. During her five years with that congregation, she founded NECHAMA, a Federa?tion-funded program of AIDS education for Jewish communities. Since 1988, Rabbi Marder has served the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, first as Assistant and then as Associate Director of the Pacific Southwest Council. In 1996, she became Regional Director of the UAHC, providing leadership and guidance to 73 Reform synagogues ii^^. Southern California, Arizona, NevB? Mexico, Nevada and Texas. Rabbi Marder?s articles on Jewish education, sexual misconduct in the synagogue, patrilineal descent, Bar/ Bat Mitzvah, women rabbis and the ordination of homosexuals have appeared in Reform Judaism maga?zine, the Reconstructionist, Sh?ma and several anthologies. She recently completed a year of service as President of the Pacific Associa?tion of Reform Rabbis, the first woman and the first non-congrega- tional rabbi to be elected to that office. She is married to a colleague, Rabbi Sheldon Marder of the Hebrew Union College. Together they share the joys of raising two daughters: Betsy, age 13, and Rachel, age 10.CONGREGATION NER TAMID AlSTERHOOD PRESENTS GAIL ALLEN BREAST CANCER SURUIVOR A Breast Cancer Survivor Says: ?her Chemotherapy treatment was so strong, even the hair in her wig fell out!" Having a sense of humor helped Gail Allen deal with her battle against Stage 3 Breast Cancer that was detected six years ago. Allen, President and State coordina?tor of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Nevada, and host of the weekly radio show, ?Lifelines,? on KDWN Radio, will be speaking at Congre?gation Ner Tamid on Wednesday, January 21, at 7:30 PM. Gail will be discussing her experi?ences with Breast Cancer, her lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., and the latest information kncerning treatments available, "search, and an update on the fight against a disease that will strike one out of every eight women in the U.S. Along with Gail, we will hear from Danniel Dreitzer from the American Cancer Society and Kathy Von Wagener from Southern Nevada Cancer Research. The evening program will include a candid discussion on how women can be pro-active in the early detection of Breast Cancer, myths and misconceptions about Breast Cancer, who is at risk and prevention trials. A question and answer session will follow. There will be door prizes, refresh?ments and fun activities. The public is invited and there is no charge for this event. m Congregation Ner Tamid is located at 2761 Emerson Avenue (between Flamingo and Desert Inn, just East of stern Avenue). For more infor- 'ation and to reserve your seat, please call Debbie at 263-7968. January 1998 Golden * Choi Golden Chai is the seniors' organization of Congregation Ner Tamid. We are a social group whose purpose is to provide a meeting place where Jewish seniors can become friends and feel a tie to the Jewish Community of Las Vegas. Our meetings are held on the first and third Thursday of everv month. Beginning at 11:00 A.M. there is a bagel brunch for $2.00. At 12:15 P.M. we hold a short business meeting followed by a program. Generally our programs consist of an entertainer or a speaker. We take pride in providing our members with the kind of programs they enjoy. After we adjourn, about 1:00 or 1:15 P.M., we have card games for those who wish to participate. We are happy to help organize games. There is a nominal membership fee, and paid-up members are entitled to attend a special luncheon at no charge. Also, we try to plan additional events such as day trips. Golden Chai welcomes all Jewish seniors to join us and find new friends and interesting activities. (Notes from our Cantorial Soloist - continued from page 5) Rabbi encouraged me to study with a voice teacher to prepare for High Holiday Services. (I still study with the same wonderful teacher.) After the High Holidays, Rabbi began formulating an actual full-time position for me and convincing me to quit my job and take the position of Cantorial Soloist. I was enjoying my work at the Temple so much, I accepted the position in 1991. Over the years Rabbi has contin?ued to support and help me to learn and do more. He encouraged me to begin formal studies to become a Cantor and gave me the name of his music teacher from the Hebrew Union College. I have been studying with Cantor William Sharlin for several years now and am nearing completion of my Cantorial studies. Eventually 1 will take intensive written and oral tests from the Cantor?s Association and formally become a Cantor. I cannot thank Rabbi Akselrad enough for his guidance and friendship over the past ten years. I truly feel that this is my calling in life and I am so grateful that our Rabbi led me in this direction. We are all very fortunate to have a leader who is so creative and dedicated. Mazel Tov Rabbi! B?shalom, <BeGa Please Note: Watch this bulletin for information about the upcoming Jewish Music Season Sabbath. q)o you have ajamify member or friend wfio is hospitalized? Rabbi Akselrad would like to help you and your family by visiting Temple members and friends of our congregation who have been hospitalized. Since there is no notification from the hospitals, please contact Karen at the Temple office at 733-6292 when a family member or friend is hospitalized. c l S p e c ia l o p ia t e fjo fieto n cj CNT sponsor a number of havurot. In case you don?t know, a havurah (from the Hebrew root chaver ?friend) is a smaller group within the Temple family that gets together regularly - usually once a month and occasionally more often-to enjoy one another?s company. Some havurot focus on a theme such as Judaica, dining, or theater, for example. Most, however, vary their activities, working together on a Temple activity one month, going out for dinner the next, nolding some home-based activity the next month, and going to a show the next. Each havurah is free to determine its own course and its own membership. Generally, a havurah comprises twelve to twenty people, possibly all couples, but we also have mixed couples and singles havurot. Some havurot have a membership whose age range is fairly wide, others more narrow. Active havurah members almost always report their havurah experience is one of the most satisfying aspects of belonging to our Temple and many a close friendship has begun as a havurah acquaintance. All members of the Temple are invited to join a havurah. Occasionally, an existing havurah has a current opening and you can be put in touch with that havurah?s liaison person to discuss the havurah?s interests and curr