The Bulletin of Temple Beth Sholom, October/November 2004

T E M P L E BETH S H O L O M Oct/Nov 2004 Temple Beth Sholom THE BULLETIN TISHREI-CHESHVAN-KISLEV 5765 Vol.4, No. 10 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Temple Beth Sholom Rabbi's Message 2 Cantor's Message 3 President's Message Executive Director's Message 4 Kol Nidre Appeal 5 Early Childhood Center 6 Solomon Schechter School 7 New Members Upcoming Events 8 Under the Dome 9 Religious School 10 WMeonm'se nC'slu bL eague 12 Basketball Tournament Edwin Black 13 Chanukah Bazaar USY 15 Donations 16 Calendar 23 Temple Beth Sholom is a Conservative Congregation affiliated with The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Abbie Friedman Sandy Mallin Mona Silverman Jodi Nelson Springberg Committee* Bonnie Berkowitz Arlene Blut Shelley Carroll Sara Cassell Shirley Chaplin Liz Goodman Anne Lubin Audrey Merkin Randi Matushevitz Jessica Pianko Larry Rodis Marci Seltzer Carol Smolen Harold Sussman *i> formation October 2004 Dear Synagogue Member: We are very excited about our upcoming Ebay Fundraiser. This is a chance for us to raise significant dollars to benefit the many programs at our Temple with minimum pressure on the congregants. We are asking Temple "friends" to donate at least one nearly new designer purse, belt, dress/ballgown, rings, watches or any other accessory or jewelry. In addition we are looking for home accessories. This is a Win/Win situation! You clear your closets of those extra items and get a great tax-deduction. The Temple will do the work to sell the item, the buyer gets a good deal and the Temple raises needed funds. Just think, if we can average $500.00 on 100 items we will have raised $50,000. You may drop off items at the temple, or we will pick up items at your convenience. Please contact Julie in the Temple office at 804-1333, ext. 103 for assistance. Thanking you in advance for your participation in this exciting project, B'Shalom, Abbie/ Scvndy Memo/ JcrdO Abbie Friedman Sandy Mallin Mona Silverman Jodi Springberg Temple Beth Sholom Ebay Auction Chairpersons 2?Rabbi's Message Gathered to His People By Rabbi Felipe Goodman The Torah reading of Hayei Sarah describes the transition from one generation to the next. It begins with Abraham's purchase of land so that he can bury Sarah, continues with the story of how a wife was selected for Isaac, and concludes with the death of Abraham. The style of the Torah is generally simple and straightforward. Yet, when describing the death of our patriarch, we are given a detailed description that goes beyond the fact of Abraham's death: And Abraham expired, dying at a ripe old age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his people (Genesis 25:8). The Torah could simply have said, "Abraham died," perhaps adding the fact that he was old and con-tented when he died. By adding the expression, "he was gathered to his people" the Torah seems to be teaching something more about the end of life than the fact that one ceases breathing. Our tradition teaches us that the soul is immortal, yet every generation has discussed, debated and wondered about what exists beyond the grave. The phrase "he was gathered to his people" offers a very specific perspective. These same words are used to describe the death of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel: "And Aaron shall be gathered to his people" (Numbers 20:24). Moses, too, is told by God: "You will be gathered to your people" (Deuteronomy 32:50). The statement that a person is gathered to his or her people seems to suggest that one who dies is part of an ongoing group that continues through history. Though our experience as an individual may be at an end, our spirit and mind and all that we represent and symbolize become part of a continuing process that extends from us to our posterity to the end of time. Even our patriarch Abraham could not escape death, yet all that Abraham represented was transmitted to and became embodied in the life of others and in a developing tradition. One of the questions that people most frequently ask me is regarding our belief in an afterlife. Many of us grow up thinking that in Judaism there is no afterlife. Jews who say that Judaism does not be-lieve in an afterlife are wrong. What is exciting, however, is not the affirmation that there is something beyond the grave, but that we believe that our souls become part of the continuum of our people that extends from past to future. The process is not unlike the leaves that fall from a tree. Autumn is in full swing. The leaves are beau-tiful shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. The sun is shining brightly, the sky is clear, and a light breeze blows the leaves to the ground. We know that the blossoms of spring will soon come, and that there will be abundant shade during the hot summer months. In our own lives, we are much like the leaf that falls from the branch after a life of blossoming in youth and offering beauty and life-giving breath during the summer of our years. We understand that a leaf is part of a tree, and a tree stands firmly in the soil for centuries. It is being a part of the tree that gives meaning to our lives. We may be likened to a single word that is spoken, but when that word is part of Continued on page 14 Cantor's Messages?3 The Skinny on our Temple Singing Groups By Cantor Daniel Friedman Time and again I have been asked, "What is going on with our choral groups?" "I see the choirs par-ticipating at Temple services, functions and around town, but I don't know much about them," quipped one member of our congregation. "Can we join the singing group? Me and my sister sing all the time. We are good. Mommy says so," came the inquiry from a delightful set of 6 year old twins. "I am so excited to be part of the Makheylah (Adult Choir)," said a senior member of the choir. "This group (Makheylah) fills a void in my life. I love singing. I have always been involved with music groups my whole life and now I can connect to being Jewish again." For the last two years, we have been work-ing diligently to create high quality choral groups open to a multitude of participants ranging in age from 6 to 65. I am very proud to, once again, invite all of you to join us as we grow and work together toward the continuation of two beautiful choral groups dedicated to celebrating our Jewish lives through music. For those of you who are interested, here is some more specific information regarding our two won-derful choral groups. The Temple Beth Sholom Zimriyah is our young adult choir with participants ranging in age from 6 to 16. This choir is open to TBS members only. There is no fee to participate. Just come on out and sing, sing, sing. This choir meets every Sunday (unless on Holiday or vacation break) after TBS Reli-gious School from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm in the Small Social Hall adjacent to the Main Sanctuary. The Zimriyah learns holiday specific material as well as other Jewish and secular music to be a city wide representative of our youth at TBS. The Zimriyah will sing at TBS services and events through-out the year, as well as, participating in concerts and city-wide events sponsored by the Jewish Fed-eration, The City of Las Vegas and other organizations. In the future, as we grow, we may divide this choir into two age groups; Children, age 6-12. Youth age 13-17. There are no auditions for these groups. All youth are welcome. So come on out and sing with us. The Temple Beth Sholom Makheylah is our adult choral group open to members and non-members alike. There is a $100.00 a year administrative fee for non-members. This choral group meets on Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The Makheylah works on advanced Jewish music, holy day specific material and concert pieces. The Makheylah will participate in TBS services, events and concerts, as well, as be a representative of TBS to the greater Las Vegas Jewish and non-Jewish community. The TBS Makheylah is dedicated to the highest quality of performance as possible. To this end, if you are interested, please call me, so we can meet and sing a little together before you come to the rehearsals. If you are at all interested in one of these terrific singing groups or have any questions please feel free to call my office at extension 107. I will be happy to accommodate you in any way possible within my means. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Singing!! Oct/Nov 2004 4?President's Message I Executive Director's Message The Iceberg By Jeff Zucker On a Sunday about two weeks before Rosh Hashanah I was in the Temple and happened to go into the Board Room. Around the conference table sat volunteers and staff filling out the High Holy Day tickets. I don't know exactly why, but watching them brought home to me the enormity of the effort involved in conducting our High Holy Day services. For most of us attending those services means filling out forms, getting tickets and showing up. But underneath that lies the efforts of scores of volunteers and staff. Just think of the tick-ets alone. 1,500 of them had to be filled out by hand with names and seat numbers. Putting them in envelopes alone takes hours and hours. The efforts for each High Holy Days actually start al-most immediately after the end of the previous ones. The High Holy Day and Ritual Committees meet almost immediately to debrief, to figure out what worked and what didn't. Over the next several months they develop policies and procedures which hopefully will build on the successes and solve the prob-lems that came up. Things really get into high gear in mid-summer, when the High Holy Day and membership applications go out. At first they just dribble in, but as we get closer to the holidays it be-comes a torrent and then a flood. Seats must be assigned. The Kol Nidre book and book of memory must be prepared. If that is not enough, just think of what actually hap-pens on the High Holy Days themselves. There are police se-curity, parking attendants, greeters and ushers to help seat us and maintain decorum. There are teachers and other supervi-sors for the youth programs. Ritual committee volunteers scurry to try and make sure everyone gets up to the Bema for their honors. We now have a choir. The High Holy Days are the cantorial equivalent of the Olympics. The Rabbi gives a month of sermons in a week. The number of people helping on the High Holy Days themselves is staggering, but that is only a small part of the picture. None of this just happens. All of it takes preparation - lots and lots of preparation. I wish a good New Year for all of us and hope that the High Holy Days have succeeded in providing the sense of spiri-tual renewal which is in no small part of their purpose. If they have done so in any small part, don't forget all of those whose unseen efforts have made it possible. Answering The Call By Laura Sussman Over the past few weeks, those of you who have email addresses have re-ceived quite a few requests to help volunteer at the Temple. Volunteers were needed to assist with many of the small tasks that make the High Holiday services run smoothly. Thank you to all of you who 'answered the call.' My greatest desire during the Holi-days was to create an environment where every member has a positive experience related to their membership renewal and High Holiday service experience. For the most part, thanks to the hard work of our lay leaders, staff and corps of volunteers, this was ac-complished. Those of you who came to services may not realize all of the small, but significant, details that volunteers assisted with to make your experience a positive one. Volunteers helped label and mail your High Holiday tickets. They set up chairs in the social halls, put the High Holiday Machsorim on the chairs, set the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur handouts on the chairs, labeled the Kol Nidre Pledge forms, helped secure ushers, served as greeters outside and inside the synagogue, sang in the choir or played an instrument during services, helped people with honors be in the right place at the right time, planned for security and parking needs, ran endless copies of information to be distributed and assisted with any other task that was needed. Needless to say, it was a small army of dedicated members who helped to ensure that your experience was first-rate. Temple leadership will be evaluating all aspects of the High Holi-day administration. If you have any suggestions of how we can make this season a better experience for you or the others in the congregation, please give me a call and let me know. One final note, as we begin our New Year I encourage you to get more involved at Temple Beth Sholom. As a volunteer there are many options; serve as a greeter on Shabbat, help as a handyman around the facility, provide extra hugs in the preschool, teach a skill, assist in the office or help plan a program by serving as part of a committee. One of the things that transforms a congregation of members into a community is how involved our congregants are. If you don't have the time to volunteer, think about participating in an occa-sional morning minyan and coming to Shabbat services more often. If you are a frequent attendee, you'll know how wonderful it is to be here. If you only come a few times a year, you are missing out on a very warm, spiritual and uplifting experience. This year, treat your-self to a bit more Temple! Kol Nidre Appeal?5 Thank you to all the Kol Nidre Appeal Donations not included in the Kol Nidre Book 5765 Silver Mizrach Page Mr. and Mrs. Alan Baratz Ms. Barbara Molasky Brass Yad Page Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Bronstein Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Selznick Chai Page Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Monkarsh Mr. & Mrs. Jack Simon Shamash Page Dr. and Mrs. Michael Krelstein Jared E. & Claire A. Shafer Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon Stein Mr. Steven Wolfson and Ms. Jacalyn Glass Mezuzah Page Mr. and Mrs. Alan Cassell Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Donner Mr. & Mrs. Albert Friedman Mr. and Mrs. Henry Israel Mr. and Mrs. Marc Jeser Mr. Michael Mack Mr. & Mrs. William Michael Mason Mr. Jeffrey Michelman Hal and D'Vorre Ober Kenneth & Antoinette Scholl Mr. & Mrs. Brian Shuster Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Tobian Menorah Page Dr. and Mrs. Marc Abramow Ms. Ellen Birnbaum Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blau Mr. Andrew Bursten Drs. David Corsun and Cheri Young Mr. & Mrs. Edward Devore Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Glaz Mr. and Mrs. Larry Harter Mr. and Mrs. David Lessnick Mr. and Mrs. Robert Reisman Rio Marble and Tile Sheldon and Barbara Rosenberg Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon Schore Mr. and Mrs. Harry Shuster Mr. Jon and Dr, Carli Snyder Mr. Austin Turshinsky Mr. Fred Victorson From the Heart Mr. and Mrs. Louis Arin Ms. Marilyn Barkan Mr. & Mrs. David Bereskin David Berkovitz Eric & Bonnie Bernstein Mr. and Mrs. Raz Blit Mr. & Mrs. Paul Bodner Matthew Warnick and Allison Boshes Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Boshes Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brenner Mr. Benjamin and Ms, Andrea Brody Mr. Adam Brustein Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Burda Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Cherson Mrs. June Colodny Ms. Jillian Davis Mr. and Mrs. Jack Davis Mrs. Helen Edell Mr. Stanley Farber and Mrs. Lillian Bruski Ms, Bobbee Finkel Mr. and Mrs. Marc Finkel Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fiumara Mrs. Eva Frankel Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Fruchter Mr. Daniel Heller and Ms. Gayle Futernick Mr. and Mrs. Burt Galper Mr. and Mrs. Dale Galsky Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ganton Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell Gold Mr. and Mrs. Leon Goldstein Mrs. Gladys Greene Francine Greenstein Mr. and Mrs. Ofek Hayon Ms. Catherine Herskovic Jessica Jalof Mr. and Mrs. Alan Janowitz Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Katz Mrs. Dorothy Klegerman Mr. Jeffrey and Dr. Shari Klein Mr Daniel Rothschild and Mrs. Susan Klein-Rothschild Dr. and Mrs. Howard Kramer Mrs. Charlotte Kuklin Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Lancz Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Lasky Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Lawson Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Lejbman Anita Lewy Mr. and Mrs. Adi Matushevitz Kurt Mayer Mr. William McReynolds and Ms. Melissa Wender Dr. and Mrs. Gerry Murdock Steve and Judy Nacht Ms. Barbara Neal Ms. Sherrill Nesbit Mr. Neil Ostrow & Mrs. Maxine Trager-Ostrow Mr and Mrs. Michael Passer Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Perla Ms. Ellen Ploesch Mr. Matthew Popkin Sidney & Lillian Price Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Reiner Mr. and Mrs. Phineas Richman Mr. and Mrs. Jurij Rozental Samuel & Charlotte Showel Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Silkes Mrs. Elaine Silverman Ms. Carol Siskind Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Smith Helene Stadler Mr. and Mrs. Alan Stock Dana and Joel Wallace Dr. and Mrs. Paul Weil Mr. and Mrs. Michael Weinberg Mr. Leo Winer THANK YOU Oct/Nov 2004 6?Early Childcare Center Stanley a Sandra Maiiin EEC Kindergarteners studying the 5 senses The Early Childhood Center is off to another busy season of High Holidays! We are eating so many apples, and dipping them into yummy honey. Have you painted with honey? We had many children who loved that sensory ac-tivity in our 2's , 3's, and 4 year old classrooms. Moving through Yom Kippur, it was amazing that the children had NO mistakes to be forgiven by God. We quickly found so things to be forgiven for, and quickly threw them all away for Tashlich with our Hebrew teacher Mrs. Ben Shimon. The holiday of Sukkot quickly approached, and the children love to eat outside in their own Sukkah that they got to decorate. It is always such a treat to make lulav and etrog shakes with the Rabbi and cantor Dan. Our favorite part is when the Rabbi "shakes his lulav". Alex blowing the shofar All of our classrooms used the holidays, and additional NEW curriculum to kick off the year as a learning tool. Have you heard of Apple Annie? You will be hearing all about the won-derful educational tools that our teachers have been trained on and are ready to share with your children. They have loved all the graphing, sorting, counting, dancing, singing, and playing! Our teachers love it too. If you want to see what all the excitement is all about, come and tour our facility. We would love to show you around, or call Jennifer at 804-1333 ext. 2. The children in the Early Childhood Center are busy meeting their new teachers, classrooms, and making lots of friends. The halls may have a fresh coat of paint, but the familiar voice of children sings, playing, and laughing is what our pre-school is all about. Solomon Schechter Day School Solomon Schechter Day School ?7 Solomon Schechter Day School On September 7, 2004 the doors opened for the first time into the Solomon Schechter Day School. The first First grade class proudly and anxiously filed into their new classroom, found their new desks and unpacked their new pencils, crayons, and other supplies. Like any other school year, the first day of the year began with morning prayers, getting to know each other, learning the routines of the class-room and digging into the work at hand. The students told and wrote about summer memories, drew self portraits and wrote about themselves. They discovered the book and reading area of the classroom and the literacy area, where we will read and talk about books. In the math area they played "Can you Guess the Number" math game, and reviewed math skills. Their math homework was to search for numbers around the house. They looked for thermometers and calendars in their homes and discovered through the Everyday Math Program that math is everywhere and is indeed part of their everyday life. They explored the world though the study of the globe and the continents, and explained the fall equinox with a globe a flashlight. At times the classroom reverberated with the sounds of the shofar. The first graders practiced the art of blowing the shofar to herald in the high holiday of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. They tasted apples and honey and as they made their own grape juice, they smelled the delicious sweet smell of the bubbling sugar, water, and raisins. They discussed what actions they were sorry for and what they would change in the new year. They wrote New Year's Wishes to their parents, and wrote about these wishes and changes in their journals. They toured the synagogue and touched the Torah. They saw the magnificent stained glass windows in the sanctuary and made their own stained glass out of tissue paper. Yes, this year began as any other school year, with the students and the teach-ers doing all the things that they do every fall. However, this year is different, this is the beginning of a very special time in the life of the synagogue, this is the beginning of a school which integrates Judaic/Hebrew and Secular studies, where the student become a community of Jewish learners as they progress into elementary school. This is the beginning of the Solomon Schechter Day School. Judaic/Hebrew teacher- Orly Hayon Secular Studies teacher- Kathe Brener Back By Popular Demand For the younger crowd Y j l Shabbat and Me Friday Mornings; 8:45-9:45 AM Children birth through 3 years with a special adult Friday Night Kids The 2nd Friday of each Month 6:30 PM -7:15 PM $10/child/class for TBS members, $14 for others Enrollment is limited. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to join other families with young families for these fun, stimulating and educational classes which incorporate music, movement, art, and Judaics. For more information, contact the TBS Early Childhood Department at 804-1333 ext. 112. Join the rabbi and can-tor in the Steinberg Chapel for a special Shabbat service for families with preschool age children. Oct/Nov 2004 8?New Members/ Upcoming Events Welcome to our new members! On behalf of our membership committee and the entire congregation, we are pleased to welcome all of our new and returning members. Every member is important to the success of our congregation and we hope each of you finds your personal "niche" in our temple family. In the next few months, you will receive a call from the membership committee to see how you are doing, if you have any questions or any needs. There are many ways to get involved in temple life, from attending services to serving on or chairing a commit-tee; from attending classes to attending fundraisers. Whatever your interests, we can find a way to make you feel "at home" at TBS. Getting involved in some way is the best way to get the most out of your membership. We are planning a new member Shabbat in the near future, as well as quarterly dinners for the entire congrega-tion. We look forward to seeing you and hope you find enjoyment and a spiritual connection with your new TBS family. Melanie Greenberg and Ronnie Schwartz Membership Committee Co-Chairs JCC Jewish Bookfair Events at TBS November 17 - 7:00 pm Dayvid Figler, Guest Lecturer Enjoy an evening with a hometown Jewish humorist. The Poet/lawyer/NPR Commentator shares his funny anecdotes on growing up Jewish. November 18 - 9:00 am Arlene Krieger, author Freedom Twice Lost Join Arlene Krieger for a morning of Bagels and Books. Discover the incredible story of Roberto Miranda, the only person set free in Nevada from death row. November 18 - 7:00 pm Israeli Night Shop the largest, up-to-date selection of Hebrew books and music in Las Vegas while schmoozing with old and new friends. November 21 - 10:00 am - 3:00pm Temple Beth Sholom Chanukah Bazaar One Stop Chanukah Shopping. Books make great gifts, but don't stop there. The Chanukah Bazaar provides a multi-tude of great gift ideas and decorations November 21 A Busy Day At TBS The Torah Writing Project Continues Celebrate the reading of the Book of Gene-sis (Sefer Bereshit). A special day for all congregants, but especially children and their pets. Children who bring in a pet to re-ceive a special blessing will have a chance to write a letter in the Torah for $18 with Sofer, Rabbi Moshe Druin . Rabbi Druin will be available, by appointment for anyone who wishes to make a contribution to the Torah Writing Project, Torat Hayim, all day Sunday and Monday. Watch for details! Women's League Hanukkah Bazaar Lots of great gifts, food and fun! JCC Jewish Bookfair The largest selection of Jewish books and music in Nevada! Under the dome?9 Bereavement Group MAZAL TOY The Bereavement group continues to meet weekly on Tuesdays at 10:00 am-ll:30 am. We have peo-ple joining the group weekly, of all age groups who are new at handling their losses as well as people who experienced loss several years ago and are in-terested in being with others who can share their feelings. As the holidays approach, particularly Thanksgiving, New years etc. it is very important to have a support group. Coffee and Refreshments are served at the meeting and if you have any questions please call Rita Tell....255-0043. MAZAL TOY Justin Robert Horowitz, son of Melissa has Eliot Horowitz, will be called to the Torah on October 30, 2004. Justin attends 8th grade at The Meadows School. He is in all advanced courses and attends the high school for advanced math. Justin has been playing baseball since age 4 and continues to play for a traveling baseball team. His favorite pastimes in-clude attending Padre Baseball games and playing in Cooperstown, NY. His family is extremely proud of him and hope that he has many more milestones in his lifetime. Mazal Tov "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. Alexa Daniela Hayon, daughter of Lory and Ofek Hayon, will be called to the Torah Octo-ber 9, 2004. Alexa is in the 8th grade at Bob Miller Middle School. She is in advanced place-ment classes and Honors Algebra. This is Alexa's second year playing flute and she has earned a seat in the schools Symphonic Band. She has completed her first season of swim team and enjoys playing soccer. Her favorite past times include attending Wranglers Hockey games and Dodger Baseball. Her family in the US and Is-rael are proud of her accomplishments and of be-coming a Bat Mitzvah. Sarah Shayna Willick, daughter of Marshal and Marlene Willick, was Bat Mitz-vahed on October 23. Sarah, an outstanding 8 th grade student, enjoys a multitude of the arts, including acting, dance, and pi-ano. She plans to continue her liberal arts education, and later pursue a graduate degree in law. Oct/Nov 2004 10? Religious School Religious school Dear Members, Wonderful things are happening in the Religious School and I would like to share some with you. This time I will focus on our incredible new middle school I high school programs. Starting a couple of weeks ago, our Midrasha Alef (8th grade) and Midrasha Bet (9th?12th grades) took off. The Midrasha program is open for our members as well as for the greater Las Vegas community and the response is great. Our 8th graders meet on Thursday nights 6:30-8:30 p.m. and they are focusing on their Jewish identity, "Our Jewish Journey, Facing History and Ourselves: Choosing to Participate." We begin our 8th Grade Midrasha Jewish journey with an in-depth study of our identity, how society defines who we are, and what is community in the context of Jewish tradition and thought. The class explores concepts relating to Jewish identity, our never-ending journey, Israel and the Holocaust, how we treat the other/the stranger, confor-mity and obedience, justice, legacies, Mitzvot and our responsibility to choose to participate in positive ways in the lives of those around us. Every week's class begins with a short D'var Torah and study of the Torah Parashah of the week. The students are always amazed (as is their teacher) with the incredibly profound relevance of the lessons we derive through this meaningful study and their relevance to our sylla-bus and the topic at hand. Students use readings and resources from relevant Torah study and Jewish texts, "Facing History and Our-selves" materials, and current events to revision who they are and the choices they make through their Jewish lens. It is an exciting way to impart Jewish values. Highlights include: ? Exploring Jewish identity and history; ? Learning about our four connections to Israel: the physical land, the emotional ideal, our intellectual ancestral history, and our spiritual cen-ter; ? Examining the Shoah in the context of choices made by individuals, victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers; ? We are history. Applying Jewish values to our choices to participate in the lives of others. Our 9th-12th graders meet on Monday nights 6:30-8:30p.m. Our main goal of this program is to encourage our young adults to be a full participants in Jewish life all through their high school years into adulthood. In the classes, students explore a wide variety of topics with Cindy Fox ...as well as with a range of amazing teachers including Rabbi Goodman, Cantor Friedman, Ayelet Blit, and Adam Peiken. Using hands-on, experiential programming infused with Jewish texts and current events, high school students drive their own classroom experi-ence to wrestle with who they are and how our rich traditions and thought inform daily living and decision making. Highlights include: Who: Leadership. Students explore Jewish leaders past and present, not just to learn the biographical details of our greatest minds, but to think about and develop their own leadership skills. How do students see themselves as current and potential leaders within their environ-ments? How can they use their identified gifts and talents to make a difference? Students have an opportunity to learn, create and share their newly acquired skills in our community. What, Where, When: Students examine our rich textual, historical, ritual and holiday traditions through maturing eyes. They are encouraged to challenge our sources and find contemporary meanings in integrating those teachings into their own lives. The amazing relevance of To-rah, the magic and wonder of Trop, the "behind the scenes" psychology and emotionality of spirituality and prayer, the profound meaning of Mitzvot, and much more. Why: Our high schoolers investigate Jewish theology, the spectrum of Jewish ideas and beliefs about God and the timeless questions ex-plored in every age as humankind struggles to explain our world and understand the unknowable. Our Midrasha program involves special workshops; using assorted media and resources, arts, theater, and music; mentoring; texts; and Tikkun Olam activities. We challenge our high school students to continue to grow and learn and share their own knowledge and skills with the community. In the next issue, I will tell you all about the incredible Midrasha / ADL special workshop "Combating Hate and Anti-Semitism." Religious School ?11 Another wonderful addition to our community programming is Kehillat Ha'Noar ? Shabbat Services for youth, 5th-12th grade. Services are on first and third Shabbat of every month, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. These Saturday morning Shabbat services are primarily for, of, and by our Religious School, Midrasha, and USY students. Held in the Steinberg Chapel, these alternative services provide an opportunity for our youth to explore prayer, practice fluency, and enable them to create a meaningful service for themselves and for younger students. The unbeliev-able response and participation we experienced in the two services we had were heart-warming and extremely rewarding. B'Vracha Ayelet Message to Midrasha Students: contact Ayelet Blit or Cindy Fox if you're interested in reading Torah or co-leading a service or even just a prayer that you find meaningful! Letters from our students and parents: Dear Ayelet, Hello, our names are Beth, Nitsan, and Justin! We are highly involved in the Midrasha program here at Temple Beth Sholom as well as USY. We enjoy relating our life styles with others in the past and interpreting the Torah in our own way. Each week brings up a new topic with a new issue to discuss. No one is left our and with each attention-grabbing statement made everyone pulls in their own wisdom and that makes the class what it is. Its awesome knowing that with each hour of each week that we involve ourselves with Midrasha we walk out with new found knowledge in a new subject. This past week we were all in the ADL awareness workshop that took place here last Wednesday. Each of us is used to living in world with out having to hide who you are or what we believe, lea