The Bulletin of Temple Beth Sholom, November 2003

November 2003 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Rabbi's Message 2 Man of the Year 3 President's Message 4 Executive Director's Message 5 Religious School 6 Women's League 8 TBS Speaker Hero of Volunteerism 10 Shaare Zedak 11 Donations 12 Preschool News 14 TBS New Members Chavurah Corner 16 Men's Club Rabbi Goodman 17 Kol Nidre 18 Under the Dome 20 Youth Activities 21 Calendar of Events 27 Schedule of Services 28 Temple Beth Sholom is a Conservative Congregation affiliated with The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Temple Beth Sholom THE BULLETIN Cheshvan-Kislev-5764 Vol. 3, No. 11 TORAH WRITING PROJECT OFFICALLY BEGINS On November 23 Temple Beth Sholom will officially begin its two year Torah Writing Project. The project is named "Torat Hayim." The synagogue will start the project by ceremonially burying a damaged Holocaust Torah in the area adjacent to its Warsaw Ghetto Remembrance Garden. The burial area will be consecrated. Rabbi Felipe Goodman will conduct the service. Immediately following the interment of the damaged Torah, the congregation will start the writing of a new scroll. Rabbi Moshe Druin from Florida, will be the sofer (scribe) who will be responsible for the writing of the Torah, and will be in attendance at the November 23 ceremony. He will work with members of the congregation taking part in the writ-ing project. The project will be the lynchpin of two years of TBS focusing even more intently on the Torah's teachings. Every aspect of the synagogue will, during that pe-riod, have events which relate to the Torah. Men's Club and Women's League will have their members create programs which bring them closer to Torah teachings. The TBS schools will bring their students into the writing process (teaching how Torahs are written) and how Torah is used in their lives as they grow from childhood into adults. Plays, poems, and art work will be among the children's approaches to Torah learning. In addition, the writing project is a fundraiser; the proceeds of which will be used to-ward the retirement of the TBS mortgage. Donors will have the opportunity to comply with the Torah's 613th commandment, "every person must write a Torah at least once in their lifetime." The commandment is considered fulfilled by a person writing even one letter in a new Torah scroll as it is being created. Donations will be scaled from an amount for writing a single letter to the writing of a multitude of combinations (words, parashot, entire books, etc.). These opportunities will be able to continue even wp-/. beyond the targeted date for the completion of Si the writing of the scroll. The project is being chaired by Ron Turshinsky and his committee is comprised of: Jay Gershman, Staci Colombo, Jeff Michelman, Don Barrett, Rabbi Goodman, Cantor Friedman, Lori Snipper and Ron Kirsh. 2?Rabbi's Message Your Purpose for Being is Not About You! By Rabbi Felipe Goodman One of my favorite statements in the Talmud reads: Whoever increases the amount of Tzeda-kah in the world, increases the amount of peace! This beautiful statement doesn't only mean that Tzedakah is one of the most fundamental values in our tradition, it also states that we as individuals have the power to transform the world and the so-ciety in which we live. One of the fundamental dif-ferences between Judaism and other religious faiths is that we are not required but commanded to help make this world a better place through the Mitzvah of Tzedakah. That is to say, we as Jews do not have a choice we simply have to share what we have with those who are less fortunate than we are. As important a commandment as Kashrut, as important a commandment as the ob-servance of Shabbat, Tzedakah is a defining char-acteristic of our conscience as a people. By observing the Mitzvah of Tzedakah not only are we ensuring a better future or a less painful existence for another human being, we are also ensuring the moral survival of our conscience. Simply put, we must help others because that is explicitly set forth by the Torah as one of God's most important commandments. Many of us throughout the years have developed an affinity for different charities, however, being true to the words of the Torah: Tzedek Tsedek Tir-dof, Justice Justice you shall pursue! It is incum-bent upon each one of us to re-evaluate how we allocate our resources. At this time of the year, right after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, right when we begin reading Bereshit (The Book of Genesis) once more from the Torah, at a time when we as a people are occupied with new be-ginnings it is important for us to be able to guaran-tee a new beginning for those that have been bat-tered by life! Please understand that your reason for being is not about you, that God put us in this earth to be his partners, to be God's eyes, ears and hands. During the past six years as a Rabbi in Las Vegas I have been deeply moved by the generosity of many of my congregants, yet a sad true remains: The majority of us fall short of understanding that the purpose of our life is not our well being alone. Last year the membership of our Temple was able to set an example for our entire community as we together helped the State of Israel in one of the most difficult pe-riods of its history. We came together and donated not one but two ambulances through Magen David Adorn, we donated medical supplies, defibrillators and much needed medical supplies to be used in the response to terrorist attacks. Our contribution was so great that it rivaled that of many large congregations in Los Angeles and New York. Why did we do it? BECAUSE WE CARE! The time has come for the Jewish Community of Las Vegas to show that it has what it takes to be a real com-munity. Not one where community policy is dictated by the egocentric and self centered vision of those desper-ately seeking to be able to justify their own survival but by the majority of us, devoted to the timeless values of Judaism and committed to become partners with God. I would like to call your attention to a very important in-stitution in our Community: The Jewish Family Services. If you always wanted to make a difference but didn't know how, this is a cause worth supporting. The Jewish Family Services provides the bare necessities of life to those among us that really have a hard time standing on their own. This is an organization where every dollar you contribute will go to help the needy. Our tradition teaches that the poor of our own city come first and that is exactly what we must occupy ourselves with. Not only do I fully support the efforts of the Jewish Family Services but also believe that each and every single one of us should be an advocate for their cause and support them personally. The building of a commu-nity starts with the strengthening of Justice. It is our be-lief as Jews that the first building block of Justice is Tzedakah, without it the world will collapse. Let us be-gin building right here right now. Ask how you can help. Just as you read this article in the comfort of your home, The Jewish Family Services is trying to feed the hungry, house the homeless, cloth the naked and support the disenfranchised. Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. This is a time to make a difference, a real difference not only in your own life but in the lives of others. Man of the Year 2004?3 HOLD THE DATE: MICHAEL GAUGHAN TO BE HONORED AS MAN OF THE YEAR Temple Beth Sholom is proud to announce Michael Gaughan will be honored as Man of the Year on Sunday, January 11, 2004 at a Gala Dinner in the Temple Ballroom. This honor traditionally is awarded to a person who has in-fluenced the Temple and our community. The Coast Re-sort's Chairman truly fills that bill. Among his most recent efforts, Michael Gaughan has sponsored various events at the Orleans for Temple Beth Sholom and the Jewish Community Center, including two Debbie Friedman concerts, and he has been the host/sponsor of the Las Vegas Celebration of Jewish Films at the Suncoast for the last three years. Coast resorts en-tertainers "Frank and Dean" performed at last year's gala due to his generosity. A Las Vegas resident since 1952, Michael Gaughan is regarded as one of the top 100 leaders who has shaped Nevada over the last decade. His support of cultural, educa-tional and civic work in our community has contributed greatly to the growth and suc-cess of our city. Michael Gaughan currently serves as chairman of Las Vegas Events, and is a board member for Valley Hospital. He also sits on the Foundation Board of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and has taught in the school's College of Hotel Administration. "Over the years, Michael Gaughan has always been there to lend support to our fund raising efforts. He's offered his hotels and staff to benefit Temple Beth Sholom and the Jewish community, and we take great pleasure in honoring him as Man of the Year." said Gala co-chair Mona Silverman. Please mark your calendars as we honor this great friend of Temple Beth Sholom. For information and reservations, call the Temple office at 804.1333. November 2003 4?President's Message 'TIS THE SEASON by JEFFZUCKER The High Holy Days are over for this year. From what I have seen and heard, this year's observances were in all respects one of, if not the best, ever. The services were inspir-ing and smoothly run. Our Kol Nidre Appeal exceeded expectations. Kol Nidre and Yiz-kor were not the only services that were well attended. There was even a respectable number of us present in the mid-afternoon of Yom Kippur. Thanks are due to the clergy, staff, and volunteers who conducted the ser-vices and to our many members whose con-tributions and attendance showed a true rec-ognition of the importance of tzedakah and tefillah. I have always found the High Holy Days to be an inspiring time of year. Putting aside the mundane and focusing on the spiritual, if only for a few days, has always been an up-lifting experience. However, nothing is perfect and unfortu-nately the High Holy Days are also the time of year for complaints about seating. One in particular comes up time after time when people are told we expect each Las Vegas household to be a member of TBS if they are to receive tickets. "Why can't I have as many guests as I want?" we are asked. Then comes the piece de resistance, "You mean, you won't let in a Jew who wants to pray?" - a statement which makes up in rhetorical flourish what it lacks in logic. First of all, we must keep in mind what we are not talking about. We are not talking about people who cannot afford dues. Our dues structure recognizes that young people just starting out and seniors are both often not in the best financial circumstances and they both have lower dues than the general mem-bership. Furthermore, dues reductions are available for those who need them. During my four years on the Board of Directors I cannot think of a single instance where a dues reduc-tion was not granted to someone who needed it. (Of course, just not wanting to pay is not need, but that is a subject for a different dis-cussion.) What we are talking about is people who can afford to pay dues, but do not want to. Our highest dues category works out to $100 a month. This is not much*more than a daily latte - and, the latte is not tax deductible. One has to wonder how much someone who can afford dues, but is unwilling to make this rela-tively small payment, really wants to pray. But there is a more important issue. High Holy Day services do not occur in a vacuum. They are held in a building that has to be maintained full time throughout the year. They are administered by a staff and conducted by clergy who work full time throughout the year. All of this costs money. Somebody has to pay. Just not wanting to pay doesn't make these expenses go away. When people say they don't want to pay dues, but still want to attend services, they are really saying that they want someone else to pay their dues. That is not what Judaism teaches us. We are not trying to keep out Jews who want to pray. We are trying to see that everyone pays their fair share and no one takes advan-tage of anyone else. The Board of Directors will continue to implement measures with that purpose. It is the only right and Jewish thing to do. Executive Director's Message?5 THEY'RE OVERRRR! By Robert Mirisch Any good film, concert, stage production or large religious observance requires the be-hind the scenes efforts of many more peo-ple than those who are seen. These past High Holy Day observances are no excep-tion. From my point of view (and hopefully yours) they went off flawlessly. It would not have been possible without the tireless ef-forts of an army of people, both staff and volunteers, who gave selflessly of their time, intelligence, and concern for a spiritu-ally meaning Yom Tov. Last year I avoided mentioning individuals partly because I was afraid of leaving out someone and inadvertently offending them. But the second reason was I was still so new at the job, that, in fact, I didn't know all the names of the people who helped out. The first reason still exists (and always will, I guess). The second reason no longer does. This second go-round at overseeing the HHD observances seemed much more comfortable for me. I was calmer through the process, and I remembered where I messed up last year. The lessons of ex-perience are well learned. So since I know names this year I want to thank people, with the on-going caveat that if I do leave out someone, it is totally unin-tentional, and I beg forgiveness in advance. Everyone who did anything behind the scenes to further the services was magnifi-cent. So was the clergy, but this is about the other folk. So here goes: Julie Fox, Debbie Connelly, Carol Jeffries, Lisa Keenan, Victor Rodriguez, Tim Potts, Tanner Rodriguez, Mort Labovitz, Mimi Katz, Ruth Gold-farb, Sandy Mallin, Audrey Merkin, Joel Goot, Ja-red Shafer, Arnold and Rochelle Schneider, Dick Eskenazi, Ken Cooper, Linda LaPierre, a corps of about 30 greeters, Danielle Friefeld, Ayelet Blit, Wendy Malnak, a corps of teachers and babysit-ters, David and Lauren Frydman, Glen, Chris and Al, from Video Support Group, and the people from Subrosa for the floral decorations. Bravo! A few stories from around the country about this year's HHDs. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah our security guard came up to me and told me that there was a swarm of bees just off the East Patio. I planned to have the exterminator remove them Monday so they wouldn't be a problem for Sukkot. But on Sunday the guard informed me that they had left. Apparently they were bees who only observe one day of Rosh Hashanah. In Texas a cantor forgot to turn off his lapel mike when he took a bathroom break during services. Enough said there. A storm brought down a tree on top of the prized Mercedes of the largest do-nor at a shul on the Eastern Seaboard. His re-sponse was notably "menchy" - "Please let me know the cost of removing the tree so I can reim-burse the shul." Again, thank you all for working, being patient, sensitive, and of good humor. May 5765 be as good (or better, if possible) than 5764. Thanks to: Ken Scholl, Helene Rosen, November 2003 6? Religious School AYELET BUT, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & FAMILY EDUCATION Jewish Education is for Grownups too! Temple Beth Sholom Initiates New Program for Parents and Grandparents of Religious School Students "What an inspiration!" "That was fun!" "I can't wait until the next one!" "The stories about lessons learned from his children were hilarious!" "We are definitely going to try some of the ideas we learned about." A few of the comments from parents and grandparents going to our Religious School Parents Workshops here at Temple Beth Sholom At Temple Beth Sholom, learning is not just for kids! A new age is being ushered in-Rather than 'dropping-your- kids-off-at-Hebrew-School' as is the typical experience, parents and grandparents are now dropping IN WITH their children to participate in adult and family workshops and learning opportunities. Did you know that more than 75 participated in the first of a series of Temple Beth Sholom workshops for parents held in conjunction with Sunday morning religious school? Rabbi Goodman's special, informal, and entertaining workshop "Mommy and Daddy, What Does Yom Tov Mean?" brought laughter, questions, and even some answers to important questions about raising Jewish children. Once a month, religious school parents, grandparents, and anyone who wishes to participate has an oppor-tunity to enjoy bagels, coffee, each other, and explore Jewish holidays and practice, challenges, and tradi-tions through informal conversation. Named by the Education Committee, these Sunday morning "Schmear and Schmooze" workshops were developed just for YOU and to be held in conjunction with religious school. "I don't teach a class. I'm not a lecturer." explains Rabbi Goodman, "I like to have a conversation with peo-ple... so that's what we do. We have conversations about what it means to bring children to religious school to learn, and then how to reinforce what is being learned at home." "Synagogue religious schools across the country struggle with the fiction that parents want us to make their children Jewish. This defeats the point of why we have a synagogue. It's a partnership between the family members, synagogue community, and God. You can't learn it all or well in the confines of four walls. You must experience Judaism. Apply it. Embody it in family life. Judaism doesn't belong in just the synagogue... it belongs in our homes and in our community." Religious School ?7 Rabbi Goodman admits that he has the same experiences as everyone else does in trying to make Judaism come alive in his own home. And participants to the workshop attest to the value of this wisdom shared. Hearing about these real-world experiences, makes the workshop that much more effective and meaningful. The revelation that even a Rabbi struggles in bringing Judaism into his children's every day life was inspirational for attendees. "We need to teach our children to be comfortable with Jewish tradition and the rituals of Judaism by applying practice in our homes. Judaism uniquely and solely practiced in the synagogue trivializes what we are about. When we ask children to come to Shabbat services... what message is being shared with this child if the parents just drop them off? We push our kids to come, to learn. They miss Sunday football games or dance recitals. If we can't tell them why, how can we expect them to learn anything?" It's important for parents to have the knowledge, tools, and support they need to reinforce what is being learned in religious school. In order to do achieve this, Temple Beth Sholom has continued to expand it's formal and informal adult and family education opportunities. Our Introduction to Hebrew and Introduction to Judaism classes are bursting at their seams this year. The turnout for workshops has been surprisingly successful. Parents are volun-teering and participating more and more in religious school activities. There's a realization that it takes each and every one of us, our time, and talents to build a community of learners and a Jewish future for our children. And as Rabbi Goodman says, "Most importantly, we can't do it alone. Most parents spend an hour in the after-noon helping their children with homework. How many hours does everyone spend watching television? Going to sporting competitions? By creating programs like this, we hope to help people with the answer to the question "How many Jewish moments do they have a day with their children?" Don't miss the next scheduled workshops, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 26: Special topic: Halloween; Sunday, November 16: Special topic: Thanksgiving; and Sunday, December 14: Special topic: The December Dilemma- Chanukah vs. Christmas. The program is open to parents, grandparents and anybody else who wants to join us. Just RSVP so that there's food for all by calling Carol in office at 804-1333. November 2003 8- Women's League / / / WOMEN'S LEAGUE y ^ / / / of > f TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM Volu*\?e&rLbm/ - a>Jewish/Value' The spirit of the volunteer work in which we are engaged is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition. We learn of the half shekel that each Israelite donated to the building of the Mishkan - the Tabernacle, the resting place of the Sh 'khinah - throughout the Jews ' wandering in the desert. We also know that the Israelites gave of their hearts and of their hands to the develop-ment of this structure - each one voluntarily, a n 'div Hbo, a donation from the heart - in any way that the individual could give. This model is very much the one we follow in Women 's League. In our unique way, as Jewish women, we value the importance of offering our services, special talents, care and time to ensure that our programs are successful and that we are reaching our extended family of Jewish women and families. In the year 5764, may we gain wisdom, understanding and commitment to Jewish values and ideals as we work to-gether in Women 's League of Temple Beth Sholom. We are most grateful to the Women 's League Volunteers who give their time and effort. We invite you to attend the Chanukah Bazaar on November23. For more information on other Women 's League projects and activities, please call Florence Frost, 735-0414 or Mimi Katz, 233-3785. We would like to extend a hardy Maze! Tov to Cantor Daniel Friedman and Kevyn Wynn on their upcoming marriage. Sholom, Florence Chanukah Bazaar The Women's League of Temple Beth Sholom will offer the largest selection of fine Judaica and gifts available in the Valley during their annual Chanukah Bazaar to be held Sunday, November 23, 2003, from 10 am to 4pm. "Everything from jewelry and accessories to toys and Judaica will be available to make Chanukah shopping easy," said Bazaar chair Jackie Turshinsky. "We've got a wonderful group of suppliers this year, and gifts will be available in every price range for men, women and children." In addition to shopping for great gifts, the Chanukah Bazaar will feature gift wrap-ping, craft booths, food, beverages, and raffles. The Jewish Community Center will be holding their Book Fair at Temple Beth Sholom at the same time. 'What a wonderful opportunity to pick up Chanukah books for the kids," added co-chair Audrey Merkin. Tell family and friends, and join us for the Annual Chanukah Bazaar Sunday, November 23rd. TBS Book Club?9 Hi everyone, Last month's book club meeting was cancelled. It appears everyone was so busy with the High Holidays that many did not get a chance to read the book! Susan Sanders will be taking over the emails starting in November. We hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the New Year and we look forward to discussing November's book... TBS Book co-chairs... Tami J. Miller, Teri Thienhaus & Sheryl Honig November 13th 2003 O Jerusalem by: Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre This best-seller brings the founding of Israel in 1948 to vivid life. Full of rich human detail, it depicts the tumultuous birth, moment by moment. December 11th 2003 Movie: The Frisco Kid (1979) Starring: Gene Wilder, Harrison Ford Director: Robert Aldrich In this warm-hearted comic adventure Gene Wilder takes his most unusual role, a naive 19th-century rabbi sent from his native Poland to the fledgling Jewish community in San Francisco. The trusting soul is easy prey for the con men and criminals who prey on the immigrants arriving in the Philadelphia port and the rabbi, beaten but unbowed, continues his trek West solo: broke, under equipped, and hopelessly lost. Harrison Ford, fresh from Star Wars, is the roguish outlaw who adopts the determined traveler and the two become unlikely friends as they make their way through one scrape after another. Wilder makes a sincere and sympathetic hero, his faith and courage seeing him through one crisis after another, and Ford makes an endearing scamp of a bank robber. The duo traverses the gorgeous American countryside and end up in Gold Rush era San Francisco. see you 2nd Thursday evenings of the month @ 7pm ... Contacts Sheryl Honig, .^^flHHBfefe ny21v@hotmail.com, 255-1801 November 2003 10?TBS Speaker/Hero of Volunteerism TBS MEMBER TO SPEAK OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANT On Saturday, November 15, at Shabbat services, Temple Beth Sholom will hear from Ermiene Mallinger, a TBS member, as part of a Jewish community, city-wide observance of National Donor Sabbath. Five years ago Mrs. Mallinger received a kidney, which was transplanted from her son. She had lost both her kidneys due to cancer and had been living by virtue of the dialysis machines for two and a half years. During that period she was sick every day. "My family could see me dying every day," said Mrs. Mallinger. "I was a walking dead woman." Her son proved to be as perfect a match as was possible. "I began my recovery in the recovery room," said Mrs. Mallinger, "as soon as I regained consciousness I felt euphoric. My new kidney had begun working immediately in the operating room. I knew I was going to live." Her son has made a full recovery from his surgery and is coming to Las Vegas from Portland, Oregon, to join his mother for the National Donor Sabbath activities here. In the five years since her surgery, Mrs. Mallinger, a cooking teacher, has seen the birth of two grandchildren and heard her granddaughter say to her, "Grandma, teach me how to cook." "I want everyone to be aware of the miracle that providing organs and tissue for transplant is. Lives can be saved by people be-coming donors. 83,000 people are waiting for organs to become available, and 6,000 a year die while waiting. Give the gift of life," she pleads. KRONBERGS HERO OF VOLUNTEERISM. Henry and Lillian Kronberg are the first couple to be named as TBS Heroes of Volun-teerism. There are not enough appropriate words to describe this couple. But here are a few: dignified, handsome, graceful, humble, generous, loving. Anyone who knows either Henry or Lil can add a few more to that list. They have been TBS members since they first arrived in Las Vegas in 1962. At first the couple's main involvement was from Lil who was a tireless worker for Women's League. She has been on the WL Board for 40 years. Despite being invited numer-ous times to accept an office on the Board, Lil declined. The only title she accepted (informally) was that of "Raffle Lady." Lil said that she was so involved in running the fundraising raffles for Women's League that when people saw her coming, she would immediately have to reassure them that she wasn't hitting them up for raffle tickets (unless, of course, she WAS). Over the years, Henry and Lil won those raffles three times (including winning a Jaguar when the car was going for $6,000). Each time they donated their winnings back to the shul. When Henry retired from work, it then became his turn to immerse himself in TBS affairs. It was his good friend, Irwin Goldberg, who brought to Henry's attention the plans to build the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Gar-den. Irwin knew Henry's history and knew that Henry would feel compelled to turn concept into reality. Through their combined tireless efforts and their generosity these men led the TBS Men's Club and the shul in creating the outstanding, award winning memorial which now graces the TBS property. Henry addressed the congregation about his Holocaust experience during High Holy Days services one year ago. By the time he completed his moving comments there was hardly a dry eye in the place and the completion of the funding of the Garden was assured. Henry continues to work for the Garden endowment fund to secure the maintenance of that facility and to fund the education program, including the docent program, so that future generations of Las Vegans (and tourists) will know of the spirit of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. For role models, one can do no better then Henry and Lillian Kronberg; honest to goodness Heroes of Volun-teerism. Shaare Zedek?11 HEALTH ISSUES FOCUS OF TBS WEEKEND From November 14 though November 17 important health issues will be the center of interest at Temple Beth Sholom. Two concurrent events are taking place on those days: first, a three day program jointly sponsored by TBS and Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and second, National Donor Sabbath, a nationwide pro-gram promoting saving lives through organ and tissue donation. The TBS-Shaare Zedek programs will combine the presence of Emunah Hasin as our scholar-in-residence with the International Women's Health Forum. On Friday evening, November 14, at Shabbat services, Ms. Hasin will brief the congregation on current events in Israel and will discuss the challenges faced today by all Israelis. Ms. Hasin is a Registered Nurse at Shaare Zedek. She received her Masters in Public Administration from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, with a concentration in Health Services. She is the mother of two young men, both of whom have served in the Israel Defense Forces, and is a three time cancer survivor. Since she came to Shaare Zedek in 1982 she has served as General Surgery Head Nurse, Director of In-Service Edu-cation, and has been the Director of External Affairs since 1998. On Sunday morning at 11:00 A.M., she will ad-dress a community-wide program here at TBS which will be chaired by TBS Board Member Priscilla Schwartz- Hodes. She will speak from the perspective of an Israeli immigrant, a mother, a policewoman and an Emer-gency Room Nurse. On Monday, November 17, from 10 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. the International Women's Health Forum will take place at TBS. Four local doctors and Ms. Hasin will discuss issues relating to women's concerns about Cancer, Heart Disease, Plastic Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Hormone Therapy. The session has been organized by Dr. Leon Steinberg. On Saturday, November 15, TBS will focus on the critical shortage of available organs and tissue for purposes of transplantation. TBS is participating in a city-wide Jewish community effort during National Donor Sabbath. Over 20 local synagogues and secular organizations will be calling attention to the fact that over 83,000 people are currently waiting for life-saving organs for transplanta-tion. Over 6,000 of those people die each year while on the waiting list. Ermiene Mallinger, a TBS member, will speak to the congregation about how a kidney transplant saved her life (see separate article on Page 15 of this Bulle-tin). Rabbi Goodman will discuss the Conservative Movement's view that the donating of an organ to save an-other's life is a "Mitzvah," a requirement of Judaism (called by many the "614th mitzvah"). It is not now merely halachicly acceptable to donate organs, but for Conservative Jews, it is a requirement. Other organizations participating in the Organ Donor events are: Nevada Donor Network, Hadassah of South-ern Nevada, Jewish Family Services Agency, ORT, Congregation Ner Tamid, Temple Bet Knesset Bamidbar, Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada, Midbar Kodesh Temple, Young Israel Aish HaTorah, the Jewish Genealogical Society, Las Vegas Jewish Federation, Temple Beth Am, and others. On Sunday, November 16, from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M., at the West Charleston Library Auditorium, there will be a public program on Organ Dona-tion Awareness with a Jewish perspective. For additional information call either Robert Mirisch at the Temple Office or Anne Sagel at the Nevada Donor Network, 796-9600. November 2003 12?Tributes, dedications, & from the heart EDUCATION FUND Diane & Stanley Goldfarb Debbie Lederer In honor of: Daniella Cassell Sayde Vienne Pianko Barbara Beckenstein RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND Peretz Hasanu Carol & Wilfred Kolko Hilde & Eric Mayer David, Alie & Magen Staretz Stacey & Ronen Tregerman In honor of: Rabbi's nomination to the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly Sally & Dick Eskenazi The Sanders Family An Aliyah Ella & Ludwig Bauer Estelle & Ed Devore Thank You Ida Groman Elaine Jacobs Keslie A. Mack Elvira & Jeffrey Michelman Ellen Scully Happ