The Bulletin of Congregation Ner Tamid, October 1995

Ccpgregatioi? Ner Tarpid TDn -d The Reform Jewish Synagogue of Las Vegas Tishrei - Cheshvan 5756 Sanford D. Akselrad Rabbi Bella Feldman Cantorial Soloist Jacqueline Fleekop Education Director President Gerald Gordon Administrator Monty E. Willey Editor Rebecca Herren 'Wonc/up Sewtceb Officiated by Rabbi Sanford D. Akselrad Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman October 3 Erev Yom Kippur - 7:30 pm October 4 Morning-10:00 AM/Afternoon-3:00 pm Yiskor - 5:00 PM/Closing - 6:00 pm Congregation Ner Tumid Celebrates Gala Weekend October 6 Shabbat Service - 7:30 pm Bat Mitzvah of Stephanie Joseph Oneg sponsored by The Joseph Family October 7 Shabbat Service - 10:00 am Bar Mitzvah of Joshua Cole Kiddush sponsored by The Cole Family October 9 Sukkot Morning Service - 9:00 am October 13 Tot Shabbat (Beit Tefillah) - 6:30 pm Sukkot Family Service - 7:30 pm Oneg sponsored by Sisterhood October 15 Dedication Service - 10:30 am With Rabbi Leonard Thai October 16 Yiskor Service - 9:00 am October 20 Simchat Torah Service - 7:30 pm Consecration w/Jr. Choir Oneg sponsored by Sisterhood "And let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dxvell among them" exodus 25:8 Join Congregation Ner Tamid and our Congregational family for a Gala Dedication beginning Saturday evening, October 14 and continuing Sunday morning, October 15 as we celebrate and consecrate our new Sanctuary and Temple expansion. The community is invited to this 2-day event and RSVP's are needed by October 1 for the dinner at $125 per person. You may call 733-6292. Saturday evening will be a formal dinner and dance beginning with a reception at 6:30 pm and dinner at 7:30 PM with dancing to follow ? (black tie optional). The Dedication Service on Sunday is free to the public. During the evening, we will have an opportunity to express our gratitude to those who have worked so hard on our Sanctuary Campaign. In addition, we will unveil our "Donor Wall" which will serve as a lasting reminder of appreciation to those who have given so generously to our building campaign. Photographs will be taken that evening to be included in our commemorative dedication book. There will be live entertainment by the UNLV Jazz Quartet and GW Sound will provide music for dancing. This special dinner is available to the first 280 respondents and is expected to be a 'sell out'! Sunday morning at 10:30 am, we'll continue the celebration with a special Service of Dedication. Rabbi Akselrad has written a special service in honor of October 21 Shabbat Service - 10:00 am Bar Mitzvah of Steven Schyman Kiddush sponsored by The Schyman Family October 27 Children?s Defense Shabbat - 7:30 pm Oneg sponsored by Sisterhood October 28 Shabbat Service - 10:00 am Bar Mitzvah of Anthony Kessler Kiddush sponsored by See Ner Tamid Dedication, continued on page 3 ^ e & ? cc ^ ^ ..9 10 12 14 15 Special T^iace *7o- ^>elo*ty, Rabbi?s Message................................2 President?s Message..........................3 Notes from our Cantorial Soloist ... .6 B?nai Mitzvah.......................................6 Religious School ................................7 Temple News.................... Yahrzeits............................ Auxiliaries & Committees.. Anniversaries & Birthdays. Tributes..............................Congregation NerTamid October 5756-1995 message from our abbi As I write this column, work is near?ing completion on our new Sanctuary. Only time and a little luck will tell whether or not the Sanctuary is "com?plete" by the time you receive this bulletin at the beginning of October. Daily, the "news flashes" from our contractor change depending on a whole host of circumstances, but the determination and amount of daily activity to get the job "done" is amaz?ing! Even so, as I contemplate the near future, it is hard to believe that after nearly three years of hard work, our new facilities will be finished. Even so, a single phrase comes to my mind, "done ? but not complete." A syna?gogue is a living, breathing organism. It has a life all its own. We build upon the vision of our original founders in order to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. But, building is not just a matter of bricks and mortar. It is a matter of people. Our new Sanctuary and facility will allow us to expand our vision of what we can become as a Congregation and as a caring com?munity. As such, you can look for?ward to expanded meetings and pro?grams. In the next few months we will begin Junior Congregation Services and starting in October, look for our new "Second Sunday" morn?ing adult education programs and Friday night "Tot Shabbat" programs. These new innovations are just the beginning. No longer strapped for space, our Temple can provide a wider variety of programs and activi?ties for every age level. And just as your support has been needed for our building cam?paign, so too is your support needed for the building of our new programs and activities. The High Holydays are a time of reflection in which each one of us is made more keenly aware of our Jewishness. All too often, our religion and our commitment to our faith is resident in our daily lives, but not pronounced. Other concerns often take priority. But this year, I ask you to recognize that the task is not complete. Our building is not yet finished. We must continue to build it with our prayers, our involvement in the Synagogue and our commitment to our faith. These values are never "done" and they are never truly "complete." Perhaps Pirke Avot ex?pressed this sentiment best: "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it altogether." Therefore, let us continue to build together as a community of Jews, who have come to recognize that our Con?gregation is indeed a special place to belong. May the New Year be for you and yours one of vision and understand?ing, one of growth and commitment and may you take part in the great task of building and strengthening our people. Then truly shall this be a New Year to remember. L'shana Tova! Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Annual Havurah Pot Luck Get Together October 8 at 6:30 pm RSVP by calling Rona Mendelson 458-1536 On Sunday, October 8, we will hold our first Campership meeting of 5756 at 12:15 pm in the social hall after religious school. Parents must attend this meet?ing ivith their children in order for the students to participate and receive schol?arships from our program. Last year our Campership Program was such a great success, we were able to help send nine children to Jewish Camps. We have changed a few rules this year to insure a more successful program for everyone. Again, we will be selling the 5756-57 Jewish Day Planner as our major fund-raiser. Thank you for your continuous support of this very important program. If you are interested in Campership and want more information, please come to our meeting on October 8. Campership Chairpersons, Melissa Glovinsky & Janet EvansOctober 5756-1995 Congregation NerTamid Temple Board Members Jerry Gordon President Bob Unger VP Administration Allan Nathanson VP Ways & Means Debra Kaner Corporate Secretary David Stahl VP Ritual Philip Goldstein VP Education Jacky Rosen VP Membership Stephen Joseph VP Social Nadine Cracraft Trustee Lois Doctors Trustee Rita Goldstein Trustee David Gross Trustee Drew Levy Trustee Janis Rounds Trustee Esther Saltzman Trustee Ron Worth Trustee Stacey Yahraus Trustee Maxine Gratz Sisterhood Scott Dockswell Brotherhood Helen Zliser Golden Chai George Lipshaw Golden Chai Lisa Platt NTTY Cal Lewis Past President Eileen Kollins Past President Kenneth Schnitzer Past President Dr. Steve Kollins Past President Dr. David Wasserman Past President Michael Cherry Past President Leo Wilner Advisor Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Ex Officio ESSAGE FROM OUR TEMPLE PRESIDENT Summer, 1995 has passed. The New Year has arrived. I believe this will be a summer which I will remember 10 years from now; not a small feat. Please understand that for me the summer season does not carry any spe?cific significance. Past summers are a blur of vacations and work. However, I do recall 1973 because of the Watergate hearings and the bar exam and 1976 and 1979 because of the births of Sara and Jeffrey. As one hereditarily-denied the ability to recall the most recent of events, I marvel at the ability to recall the most mundane event of 20 years prior. For instance, Yvonne can differentiate each summer by recalling minute details; such as weather, fashions and what we did on a specific weekend. If I asked her about 1977, she would probably state "It was very warm and dry and polyester was finally out of fashion." (For the record, Yvonne never wore polyester.) It's like living with a combination of a daily diary, almanac and Women's Wear Daily. Given my inability to remember events which transpired merely a month ago (which Yvonne attributes in part to my hopeless lack of sentimentality and effort, not genetics), why am I convinced that this will be a summer to remem?ber? Because it was a time when scores of Congregants spent countless hours doing something most of us never contemplated we would be doing and most likely will never do again in our lifetime; building a synagogue. I know that while in two months I will not remember July 4,1995 as being the day we wor?ried about the availability of trusses, I will remember the entire construction ex?perience which began in May and will hopefully conclude this month (except for certain finishing touches, landscaping, furniture, lights and signage which have to await further funding). SANCTUARY FUND GOAL ? 2.2 million See President's Message, continued on page 6 NERTAMID DEDICATION HELP US MEET OUR GOAL! continued from page 1 major event of our Congregation. Bella Feldman will be joined by both our Adult and Junior Choirs with music selected from some of Judaism's finest com?posers. During services we will have the formal consecration of our Sanctuary, Beit Tefillah, Ark, Ner Tamid and Menorot. This event is opened to the entire community in what is anticipated to be an event of historical importance in the life of the Jewish community in Las Vegas. "We expect this to be the largest Temple event in Congregation Ner Tamid's 23 year history and the largest event within the last 32 years of the Jezvish community," says Kenny and Linda Schnitzer, chairs of the Honorary Dinner Committee. During services, our Congregation will proudly host Rabbi Leonard Thai, Director of the Pacific Southwest Council for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the UHAC's incoming Vice President. Rabbi Thai will bring special greetings from the UHAC. In addition, Rabbi Sidney Akselrad, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Am of Los Altos Hills and father of our own Rabbi Sanford Akselrad will offer a special benediction to conclude our most memorable service. The expansion and completion of our new facilities have been a combina?tion of several years of planning, sacrifice and campaigning to make it the most See Dedication, continued on page 18 Congregation NerTamid October 5756-1995 Adult Education Classes Continue For 5756 A diverse selection of Adult Educa?tion classes and lectures are being of?fered over the next year in an effort to meet the needs of many people as possible. The Adult Ed Committee has joined with the Social Action Comm?ittee to provide a program to those who remain at Temple on Yom Kippur between the morning and af?ternoon services. Eileen Kollins will lead a discussion on Jewish Ethics. The Second Sunday Programs will be held the second Sunday of each month beginning October 8 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am for the conve?nience of parents who have children attending religious school. Our first program will be Tracing Your Trails taught by Schelly Dardashti, Vice President of the Jewish Genealogy Tot, Tot, Tot Tot Shokbcfr Our first Tot Shabbat Program of the new year will be held in our new Bet Tefillah dedicated in honor of Fred & Rose Fleekop on Friday evening, October 13 at 6:30 pm. Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman will officiate. The first theme is "Shabbat." There will be a brief tod?dler service followed by a walk around the Bet Tefillah and of course, arts and crafts. Parents and toddlers who have participated in years past know of the rewards this experience gives. Children of ages 2 to 5 are welcome. A once a year donation per family is $10 to help subsidize this program. We hope you will join Rabbi, Bella and Tot Shabbat chairperson Harper Klamian for our first Tot Shabbat and help make your child's first step into Judaism one of joy, fun and knowledge. To RSVP and receive information on upcoming dates, contact Judy at the Temple, 733-6292. Society here in Las Vegas. This course will give participants a look at their own Jewish heritage and will have the opportunity to send away for in?formation about their ancestors. The classes are free to the entire community. Future classes include Social Action, Religion in Public Schools, Tolerance, Jewish Mysticism and the Holocaust. Instructors are Dr. Edward Goldman from the Clark County School District, Jacque Matthews of the National Conference and Vern Matson, a professor of Holocaust Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and Eileen Kollins will also teach. Mujahib Ramadam, Imam of a local Islamic Mosque, will be a guest speaker during the Tolerance pro?gram. Other programs being planned for 1996, include another Scholar-in- Residence set for January, sponsored by Gary and Joan Zimmerman. Jackie Fleekop will teach a four part series on 40 Things You Can Do To Save The Tewish People in March using the book of the same name written by last year's Scholar-in-Residence Joel Laurie Grishaver. Eileen Kollins will also teach a course on Tough Choices which include social action issues. Final dates have not yet been set, but more information will follow in up?coming Bulletins. For updated information on Adult Education classes and other Temple events, call the CNT Hotline at 263-5960. s--------------~------------------------------------------------------------------- X "Quite 'Zoom" ? shhh?, Babies sleeping! One of the new features of our Sanctuary will be the addition of a "quiet room." This room, located in the rear of the Sanctuary, will allow those with infants to see and listen to the service without disturbing others. Please note, parents must be with their children at all times. This is not intended to be used for baby-sitting which is located outside of the main Sanctuary. Parents, as this is a new concept for our Congregation, please let us know how we can make this new room comfortable for you. V______________ _______J Welcome, Welcome, Welcome A special mazel tov and l'shana tova to these new family members who joined us in August at a very special place to belong ? Congregation Ner Tamid. ? Stewart & Sharna Blumenfeld and their daughter Debora ? Gregory & Abby Corpodian and their children Cory and Shaina ? John & Susan Donaldson and their children Ryan and Rachel ? Leon & Norma Friedman and their children Jodi and Brad ? Vic & Loretta Hollander and their children Jessica and Eric ? David & Judy Lugo and their children Dania and Kelsey ? Victor & Andrea Miera and their children Max and Casey ? David & Marla Ostrovsky and their children Julian and Lorenza ? Robert & Mindy Polasky and their children Mitchell and Steven ? Marc & Jane Schorr and their children Seth and Courtney ? M. Segel and his son Erik Membership Committee, Ronae FinkOctober 5756-1995 Congregation NerTamid $ The Day$ of Awe ? The Ten Days of Repentance ? The New Beginning "...Ye shall afflict your souls and do no manner of work... for on that day shall atonement be made for you; to cleanse you...' LEVITICUS 16:29-31 Yom Kippur (pronounced yum-kip-per) the most solemn day of the Jewish year, culminates the ten day penitential season and provides families with a final chance to reflect together on the year gone past before participating in a fresh future. Yom Kippur, a time unto itself, serves an important purpose within the total context of the Jewish year. On this day, Judaism provides the opportunity to attempt restitu?tion as a community, prayers are in the plural as the con?gregation prays for absolution for sins committed "know?ingly and unknowingly." It is truly a fast between feasts; between Rosh Hashanah and the festival of Sukkot; but when the Day of Atonement is the one and only time that a person relates to his own heritage, then the beauty of multi-dimensional Judaism is lost. What purpose is a fast without a feast to follow? Join us for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement High Holyday services, Tuesday evening, October 3 at 7:30 pm and Wednesday morning, October 4 beginning at 10:00 AM. Feast of Booths ? Feast of Tabernacles ? Feast of the Ingathering The joyous and magnificent festival of Sukkot means sev?eral days of delightful preparation, construction, decora?tion and celebration of the sukkah. Sukkot provides us with the opportunity to re-enact our ties with pre-Israelite ancients of thousands of years ago, as well as to participate in the continuation of Judaism. Centuries before Abraham, there were fall harvest fes?tivals in the ancient world where people gathered to thank their deities for the food they would eat during the coming months. As our Israelite ancestors became a separate peo?ple, they gave thanks for their crops to Yahweh and cele?brated with the harvest festival Sukkot. Long after the fes?tivals' origination, a more historical reason relating to the Exodus from Egypt became attached to Sukkot and is sim?ply that we dwell in booths to remember our ancestors' forty years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus. Join Rabbi Sandford Akselrad and Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman for Sukkot morning service on Monday, October 9 at 9:00 am and Friday evening, October 13 at 7:30 PM for our Sukkot family service. Rabbi and Bella will lead a special service filled with many of your favorite Sukkot melodies. Following both Sukkot services, Rabbi will lead the Congregation into the sukkah, donated and built by our Temple's Brotherhood, to explain the meaning of the lulav and the etrog. Day of Rejoicing In The Torah ? Simdhat Torah ? The "Ninth Day" of Snkkot Although Simchat Torah is actually a holiday separate from Sukkot, we usually think of it as the ninth day of the Sukkot festival. Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the year's cycle of Torah readings from the last chapters of Deuteronomy, the fifth of the Five Books of Moses. Sometime after the twelfth century the tradition of begin?ning the cycle of readings anew as added to Simchat Torah and therefore, the first section of the book of Genesis is also read. The process of continuity ? of ending and rebeginning ? is symbolized by the seven hakafot of congregants. The Simchat Torah procession originated in the sixteenth cen?tury as a way of enabling children to feel closer to the Torah. In recent years, Rabbi Akselrad, spiritual leader at Congregation Ner Tamid, has delighted the Congregation by unrolling the Torah. As many of you who attend Simchat Torah services, the entire Torah cannot be unrolled for lack of space. Join Rabbi Akselrad, Cantorial Soloist Bella Feldman, our Junior Choir and our Consecrants on Friday evening, October 20 at 7:30 pm as we unroll the en?tire Torah during this very special service as we bless our new Consecrants in our newly built Sanctuary. We will open up the folding doors that lead into the social hall for this momentous occasion. For those of you who have never seen the Torah up close or have not seen a Torah fully un?rolled, this will truly be an event to remember.Congregation NerTamid CuiitOnul Soloist This month will be a very busy one between the High Holydays and our Dedication Service. Our Adult Choir has been working diligently all sum?mer preparing for both of these occa?sions. We have over 20 members in our choir this year and they sound wonderful! The Junior Choir will also be lending their voices to the Dedication Ceremony whereas you will see their beautiful new robes we were able to purchase with the income made from the Kol B'Seder concert last March. Another big thank you to Dr. Steve Kollins for hosting that concert and for all of you who came! Look for the Junior Choir again on October 20 for the Simchat Torah and Consecration Service. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year! Bella PRESIDENT?S MESSAGE continued from page 3 During this month we will be honoring each of you for your contri?bution to the project. In addition, we will be singling out individual Congregants for special recognition. Those of you who did not have the opportunity to spend those countless hours will hopefully participate in these events, especially during the weekend of October 14 and 15. This may just be a once-in-a-lifetime expe?rience and it would be a shame to miss it. Happy Nezv Year, Jerry Gordon October 5756-1995 Oefo&en ^ Students Hi, my name is Stephanie Lyn Joseph. I am 13 years old and I am in the 8th grade at Brinley Middle School where I am on the Year Book Committee, the Dance Drill and the Cheer Leading Team. At Ner Tamid, I am the Vice President of TNT and have assisted with baby-sitting on Friday nights. This fall, I am excited about assisting Melissa Glovinsky with Junior ser?vices for the High Holydays. My Bat Mitzvah is a very special event in my life which I have been working to?wards for many years and hope to see you at services on Friday evening, October 6. Bar Mitzvah October 21 Steven Schyman Hi, my name is Steven Schyman. I'm in the 8th grade at Greenspun Junior High School. My hobbies are slot car racing and swimming. I am looking forward to becoming a Bar Mitzvah on October 21 and sharing this very special occasion with my family and friends. I will be continuing my Jewish education at Hebrew High. Shalom! My name is Joshua Cole. I am in the 7th grade at Grant Sawyer Middle School. I enjoy swimming, scouting and playing with my friends. I am looking forward to my Bar Mitzvah on October 7 and sharing this special occasion with my friends and family. Bar Mitzvah October 28 Anthony Kessler Shalom! My name is Anthony Kessler. I am 12 years old and I am in the 7th grade at Thurman White Middle School. I am very excited to be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah. I realize many kids are much less fortunate than I and don't get this opportunity. I feel very lucky! I have worked long and hard and I can't wait till the big day! Come join me and my family for this joyous occasion on October 28. &sHana tovafi to affour (B?nai Mitzvan Stucfents past anffuture!October 5756-1995 Congregation NerTamid MEET THE TEACHERS OF THE M.B. DALITZ RELIGIOUS SCHOOL The school year has begun and we're all facing many exciting challenges. The first for you and I happened in August ? what to wear the first day of school, papers to be filled out and pro?gram fees to pay. Register and start get?ting up early on Sunday mornings for religious school. New work, new friends, new challenges. New teachers who will help us offer your children a high quality and diversified religious education. ? Abbey Levy: has taught kinder?garten and 1st grade in past years and this year has assumed the position of Kindergarten teacher for 5755-5756. ? Reli Mizrachi: taught 4th grade and will be teaching 1st grade this year. Reli is creative and will have all our 1st graders speaking and enjoying Hebrew. ? Atm Akiva: will continue teaching 2nd grade. Ann is a person who enjoys teaching and is serious about educat?ing our young. ? Ron Fleekop: is now a certified teacher through the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). He is excited to be teaching 2nd grade with Ann. Ron spent most of his summer in Poland, Israel and at CAJE. ? Sophia Blumberg: has been a teacher in Las Vegas and is now a counselor at the Las Vegas Academy. She will teach 3rd grade and an additional to our staff. ? Ronald Weingard: has been promoted to 4th grade where he will create an environment of serious study. ? Toni Fraziti: will share the 4th grade with Mr. Weingard and will also teach dance. ? Michael Lamont: who teaches middle school during the week, will be teaching 5th grade this year with his team teacher Joel Fleekop. ? Joel Fleekop: along with his brother Ron, traveled to Poland and Israel this summer. He was also certified at CAJE. Joel helped teach 6th grade last year and won the approval of the harshest critics ? his students. He will teach 5th grade this year. ? Sandee Fleekop: who was missing for half of last year's schedule has been found. Sandee attended the University of Tel Aviv and is now attending UNLV. She teaches 6th grade at our religious school and offers her students a broadened perspective on the value of a good Jewish ed?ucation. ? Melissa Glovitisky: will be teaching Hebrew and the Holocaust to our 7th grade students. Melissa who subs for Clark County has developed her skill even farther then we were aware of at Ner Tamid. She will also teach Art during our exploration program. ? Aloti Ventura: will teach later in the school year. He is an experienced tutor and we feel he will add to our staff. ? Rita Malkin and Frances Klamian: will teach a unique cooking class ? Lameece Isaaq: will teach an exciting new program in drama. We have many returning teachers of excellent quality. We except the challenge of teaching your children and we chal?lenge you to give us the same support you give the teach?ers in secular schools. Congregation Ner Tamid has stepped up to reach the stars with our new facilities and the M.B. Dalitz Religious School will continue to reach forCongregation Ner Tamid 5756-1995 HIGH HOLYDAY HUNGER PROJECT For the sixth consecutive year, Ner Tamid will participate along with hundreds of other Reform syna?gogues in an international High Holyday Hunger Project. Initiated six years ago by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, the program brings the Jewish community together during our most sacred holidays, to fight against hunger. Last year Ner Tamid succeeded in collecting over 2,000 pounds of food which was donated to the Weekend Emergency Assistance Plan and Jewish Family Services as part of a national effort to collect over 1 million pounds. This year, espe?cially in light of cuts in government aid to the poor, we hope the response will be even stronger and that each one of you will participate in this most important effort. As in previous years, bags were distributed on Erev Rosh Hashanah. We are asking that people return the bags, filled with non-perishable canned goods by October 13th. Also needed are toiletries and medium and large disposable diapers. Help us make this year's fast a feast for those people whose daily fast is neither symbolic nor voluntary. October 5756-1995 Eileen Kollins Attends ? Rabbinic Aide Program This past July, Eileen Kollins had a unique opportunity ? she visited Kutz Camp in Warwick, New York and attended the UAHC Rabbinic Aide Training Program. Sharing the camp facility with 150 teenagers, including our own Danny Gross and Billy Tiep. Eileen's group of 17 spent two weeks in intense and isolated study; meeting the teenagers only for meals and camp-wide Sabbath services. They attended this training for either of two purposes: to serve small con?gregations where there is no Rabbi or to assist in congregations too large for the Rabbi(s) to do it all. Her group of nine men and eight women were from con?gregations that ranged from 40 families with no rabbi to 2500 families and three Rabbis. Their age ranged from 34 to 64 and were from all over the United States including one from Canada. Their religious backgrounds included Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Secular and Jews by Choice. Represented were an at?torney, a physician, several teachers, a realtor and retired people. Each attendant received 18 texts to assist them in their "bunkwork" and at their home congregations. They were taught by different Rabbis and lay leaders each day and the curriculum included theology, liturgy, life cycle functions, the holydays, music, homiletics and much more. They held services each day, tak?ing turns leading prayers, reading from the Torah and delivering sermons. Class discussions were often lively and occasionally more informative than official lectures. At the end of the session, the UAHC President, Mel Merians, spoke to the group. He challenged them to be educated lay leaders, to teach Judaism, to as?sist in their home congregations and to foster a love of Judaism and Jewish learning. As each attendant packed their t-shirts and tallitot, they each knew their quest for Jewish study had just begun. Eileen Kollins is a librarian at Cimarron-Memorial High School and on oc?casion guest officiates Sabbath services when Rabbi Akselrad is absent from our Temple. This year Eileen will co-teach the conversion class with Rabbi. She will teach Hebrew every other class. After attending the Rabbinic Aide Program, we hope to see some of the adult education classes taught by Eileen. With her knowledge of Judaism and Hebrew, she would surely be an asset. ATLANTA ?95 ? THE BIENNIAL Join 4,000 Jews in prayer, discussion and song as they meet in Atlanta for the 63rd UAHC Biennial Convention and Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) 40th Assembly in late November. The biennial is the event that brings together the largest gathering of Reform Jews to debate resolutions that will determine the future of North America's largest Jewish movement and it's impact on the world. Always an exciting convention, this year's biennial delegates will choose a new name for the Union, consider a revision to the UAHC's mission statement and honor Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, who is retiring in 1996 after serving as president of the UAHC since 1973. In addition to the business and celebration, delegates attend workshops on state-of-the-art innovations in syna?gogue life, see and hear prominent world figures and study with distinguished scholars. Whether the topic is ed?ucation, youth, social action or worship, delegates will be challenged to think in new ways and to bring back to their congregations ideas to help transform their synagogues into dynamic centers of Jewish living in North America. Experience a defining moment in your life as a Reform Jewish leader. For more information, contact Jerry Gordon, Temple Board President or Maxine Gratz, Sisterhood President at 733-6292.October 5756-1995 Congregation Ner Tamid ? | High Holyday Prayer Books Gates of Repentance, the High Holy- day Prayer Books, are on sale now in the Temple office for the price of $21.40 (tax included). Temple mem?bers are encouraged to purchase these prayer books. Stop by the Temple of?fice or order your prayer book by call?ing 733-6292. Interpretive Services Interpretive service for the deaf and hearing impaired will be offered on Erev Yom Kippur, Tuesday, October 3 at 7:30 PM. Build CNT's Sukkah Thursday, October 5 at 4:00 pm at Congregation Ner Tamid, Scott Dockswell is inviting anyone inter?ested to come out and help build the sukkah. With enough people, the task should only take about 2 hours. Once the sukkah is built, the children from M.B. Dalitz Religious School will dec?orate it on Sunday, October 8. For more details, call Scott, 897-7888. Torah Discussion Group Join Rabbi Akselrad and the Torah Study Discussion Group to study the Torah Commentary beginning on Tuesday, October 10. This informal discussion is held every other Tues?day from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. The October 10 class will resume with Genesis 37:1 which begins the story of Joseph. Tot Shabbat Friday evening, October 13 at 6:30 PM will be our first Tot Shabbat Program of the new year. The program's theme is "Shabbat" and will be held in the new Beit Tefillah. Dedication Ceremony October 14 and 15 is Congregation Ner Tamid's Gala Dedication and Celebration in honor of our new Sanctuary and facilities. You won't want to miss the biggest celebration event of the year. October 14 begin?ning at 6:30 pm will be a formal black tie optional dinner dance. October 15 is the Sunday festivities and consecra?tion of the new Sanctuary beginning at 10:30 am. R.S.V.P.'s are necessary for Saturday evening's dinner dance by calling 733-6292. Dedication Souvenir Book To commemorate the dedication of our new sanctuary and facilities, CNT is creating a Dedication Commemor?ati