2011.03MFM

Number 619 March 2011/Adar I-II, 5771

Scholar-in-Residence Alan Morinis—story, page 5

Purim There’s a saying in our tradition: ge’ulat hashem

beheref ayin — “redemption comes in the blink of

an eye.” It’s a way of recognizing that things have

a way of turning quickly, and that we should

never count ourselves out. Another idiom that

expresses the idea (or at least relates to it) might

be, “It’s always darkest just before the dawn.”

I mention that saying because I think the

sentiment is at the heart of the Purim story. The

Book of Esther, a tremendous work of literature, a

farce-romp called by one noted rabbi “the very

first Purimshpiel,” describes a descent into

persecution, risk, and danger...and then, “in the

blink of an eye” (or a few blinks, at most), it all

turns around. “Groaning was turned to joy, and

mourning became a holiday” (Esther 9:22). Each

year, as winter loosens it’s grip and the light

returns (how nice that we get Purim after daylight

savings arrives this year!), we joyfully celebrate.

I also mention the saying because I feel like Purim

came early to the Jews of El Paso this year (yes,

I’m being a little bit facetious — it’s my Purim

column, after all!). It sure looked dark for the

Jewish children of the El Paso Independent

School District, being called in on Shabbat to

make up a school day. We called, we wrote, we

Facebooked, we tweeted. And then, “salvation

came in an instant.” Victory was ours! The EPISD

trustees, and the leader, Dr. Garcia, granted our

petition and request (Esther 5:7), not giving us

half the kingdom, but giving us back our Sabbath!

And we rejoiced.

Like most victories that come in the blink of an

eye, there’s more to the story than the eye can see.

The Jews were saved in Shushan due to the

highly-placed Queen Esther, and some very lucky

circumstances (brought about with great comedic

effect). We were “saved” from the decree of a

Sabbath in school because of the power of broad-

based advocacy and organizing. We owe a debt

of gratitude to our friends in Border Interfaith

who stood with us, helping the Trustees and the

Administration see that this wasn’t just an issue

for the Jews, but also for their neighbors. It was

the widely-held concern of many stakeholders,

both Jew and Gentile, that led EPISD to seek out

and find a solution that’s less obvious, but

ultimately fairer, more efficient, and better for the

district’s bottom line.

I, for one, will be thinking about “our little

Purim” when I raise a glass to toast Mordecai and

Esther, shake my grogger at Haman’s name, and

proclaim the ancient story on Saturday, March 19

at 6:15 pm, in the Krupp Chapel. As usual, our

Purim celebration will include l’chaim for the

grownups, a Hamañata for the kids to smash,

prizes for costumes, and a creative retelling of the

story (this year, it’s the “Thrillah Megillah,” with

music by Michael Jackson!). We’ll do it again,

minus the booze, on Sunday, March 20, at

9:30 am.

Good Purim!

Rabbi Bach

Page 2 March 2011/Adar I-II, 5771 Messages from the Mountain

Worship Schedule March-April

March 4-5 Parashat Pekudei Friday, March 4

Candlelighting, 5:48 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm

Saturday, March 5 Torah Study, 9:30 am

Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Havdalah, 7:19 pm

March 11-12

Parashat Vayikra Friday, March 11


Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm



March 18-19 Parashat Tzav

Friday, March 18 Candlelighting, 6:58 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm




March 25-26 Parashat Shmini Friday, March 25





April 1-2

Parashat Tazria Friday, April 1



Saturday, April 2 Torah Study, 9:30 am


April 8-9

Parashat Metzora Friday, April 8


Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm

Saturday, April 9 Torah Study, 9:30 am



March Birthdays

March Anniversaries March 3

Dan & Leba Hirsch

March 4

Lowell & Shirley Nussbaum

March 6

Rick & Randi Cabrera

March 9

Ben Loeb & Quyen Nguyen

March 14

John & Bita Mobbs

March 15

Mark & Tara Schrier

March 16

Larry Lesser & Laurie Davis

March 18

Gary & Lisa Nadler

March 19

Bryan & Joani Schonberg

March 20

Jerry & Haidi Appel

March 21

Bill & Marcia Dahlberg

March 24

Adam & Dana Frank*

March 25

Sid & Fay Kligman

Richard & Marilyn Rotwein

March 29

David & Tita Kaplan *Special 5 or 10 year Birthday or Anniversary

March 1

Ross Dahman

Lauryn Rosen

Kacy Spivack

March 2

Helaine Bach

Bruce Gordon

Sarah Heins*

Tess Mansfield

March 3

Jaiden Kimmelman*

Susan Krupp

March 4

Esther Bach

March 5

Ellyce Kimmelman

March 6

Ethan Blumenfeld*

Britt Chapman

Jeff Katz

Irene Zimmerman

March 7

Harrell Rice

Steve Riter

March 8

Randee Mansfield

Sam Pittle-Briseno

Scott Poehlmann

March 9

Judy Bargman

Nina Baskind

Julian Borschow

Ben Loeb*

Josh Shecter*

March 10

Rachelle Nedow

Gary Weiser*

March 11

Joyce Davidoff

Lydia Duran

Ethan Eylon

March 12

Lyla Bass

Burton Cohen

Chad Fruithandler*

Lenny Heller

Pat Marcus

Evee Marcus

Chip Ponsford*

Noel Rosenbaum

Gene Tucker*

March 13

Ethan Katz

March 14

Abe Goldberg

Rachel Horn*

Jim Levy

Jane Snow

March 15

Logan Berry

Simon Bir*

Ernest Eisenberg

March 16

Mark Heins

March 17

Michelle Blumenfeld

Monica Escobar

Bill Freundlich

Tony Mullen

Ben Taber

March 18

Jonathon Gopin

Jim Parker

March 19

Tom Dula

March 20

Dora Goldstein

Barry Mann

March 21

Brandon Gulbas

Teddy Krapin

March 22

William Bass

March 23

Jim McCarthy

Stan Nankin

March 24

Bert Blackburn

Marty Colton

Cathy Glen-Puschett

Michele Nadler

Jon Purvin*

March 26

Alan Ames

March 27

Mindy Marcus

March 28

Soheil Nazarian

Joyce Post

Tibor Schaechner

March 30

Holli Berry

Bonnie Colton

Tony Furman

Fifi Heller-Kaim*

David Mansfield

March 31

Janet Keeton

Louise Rice

Cody Taylor*


Mazel Tov! Congratulations…

Hamakom Y’nachem—May God Bring Comfort...

…to Erline Gordon and David Schecter and their families on the death of their father,

Irving Schecter.

...to Arthur Leeser on the death of his cousin, Fran Zimet.

…to Scott and Mylena Walker on the birth of their daughter, Ainsley Lynn

Walker; grandfather is Ross Walker, and great grandparents are Bobby and

Shirley Goldfarb.

…to Dr. Lauren Eisenberg, Chief Resident in Urology at Detroit Receiving Hos-

pital on winning the national Outstanding Resident of the Year award and being

recognized as one of the top four D.O. residents in all areas of medicine nation-

wide. Parents are Cliff and Martha Eisenberg and grandfather is Jack Eisenberg.

At Temple Mount Sinai’s Annual Congregational Meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, the

following names will be placed in nomination by the nominating committee:

Two positions on the Executive Committee are two-year terms. They are, President, Shari

Schwartz, and President-Elect, Tommy Goldfarb. Nominated to one-year terms as Vice-

Presidents are Greta Duran, Lori Gaman, Jack Heydemann, and David Leffman. David

Novick is nominated to serve a one-year term as Board Secretary.

The following Temple members will be nominated to serve a two-year term as Board Trustees:

Bill Carvajal, Cindy Graff Cohen, Arthur Leeser, Josh Meyer, Debby Robalin, and Danielle

Scher. They will join Rick Amstater, Susie Goldman, Hal Marcus, Susan May, Mark Schrier,

and Jane Snow, currently in the midst of their two-year terms as Trustees.

Respectfully submitted,

Marcia Dahlberg, Chairman, Nominating Committee

Marian Daross, Joyce Davidoff, David Kern, Keith Myers, Phil Rothstein, and Shari

Schwartz, Members

Debby Robalin, Alternate

Nominating Committee Report


Scholar-in-Residence Alan Morinis

April 1-3, 2011

Temple Mount Sinai is fortunate to welcome a

distinguished author and scholar to El Paso April

1-3. Alan Morinis has done perhaps more than

any other person to introduce the traditional

Jewish path of Mussar (“soul-work”) to a wide and

diverse audience.

Alan is an anthropologist, filmmaker, writer, and

student of spiritual traditions. He is an active

interpreter of the teachings and practices of the

Mussar tradition and regularly gives lectures and

workshops. Born and raised in a culturally Jewish

but non-observant home, he studied anthropology

at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. His

doctoral thesis was published by Oxford

University Press as Pilgrimage in the Hindu

Tradition.

Alan has written books and produced feature films,

television dramas and documentaries and has

taught at several universities. Although he took a

deep journey into Hindu and Buddhist thought

and practice, for the past decade the nearly-lost

Jewish spiritual discipline of Mussar has been his

passion, a journey recorded in the book Climbing

Jacob’s Ladder (Broadway 2002). His guide to

Mussar practice, entitled Everyday Holiness: The

Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar, was published in

May 2007, and a follow-up work designed for

journaling and practice, Every Day, Holy Day, was

published in August 2010. He lives in Vancouver,

BC, with his wife of over 30 years, Bev Spring.

Alan will speak at Temple Mount Sinai on Friday

evening, Saturday morning and afternoon, and

Sunday morning. A Saturday evening program

will be held as well (time and location TBD). The

topics of his talks are as follows:

• at our Kabbalat Shabbat Service (6:15 pm,

Friday, April 1), Alan will speak on "What is

Mussar, and Why Should I Care?"

• at a Shabbat Dinner (following the Kabbalat

Shabbat Service), his topic will be, "Climbing

Jacob's Ladder: My Path to Mussar."

• at Torah Study on Saturday morning at 9:30,

Alan will teach: “Torah through a Mussar Lens

on the Parashah.”

• at a Kiddush Luncheon following our Shabbat

Morning Service, the topic will be,

"Discovering your personal spiritual

curriculum: Paths of the Righteous: A Mussar

Text."

• on Sunday morning at 10 am, Alan’s topic will

be "Every Day, Holy Day: How to Practice

Mussar."

All of Alan’s talks

are free and open to

the public. There is a

nominal cost

associated with the

Friday night dinner -

$10/adults (over 13),

$6/children (ages 5-

12), free (ages 4 &

under) which

precedes the

“Climbing Jacob’s

Ladder” talk. Each

talk stands on its

own, but the whole

is most definitely

greater than the sum of its parts, so plan on

attending several sessions, or all of them!

Questions? Call Temple Mount Sinai (532-5959)

and speak with Rabbi Bach.


Improv Workshop

On Monday, February 21, a new Improv Workshop began at Temple.

Every Monday night from 7 to 9 pm, the group will meet in Zielonka

Hall.

The main goals of this group are to have fun, to build our skills of

listening, teamwork, imagination and spontaneity, to learn to be in the

moment, and to gain confidence with movement. Through improv

games, movement-based exercises, and scene work, they will build

toward creating—for themselves—longer improvised theatrical

experiences that will be powerful, funny, honest, and compelling. It is

not necessary to be a clever or funny person to join this group—it is

really about learning to trust others.

David Novick is leading the group. He brings a lot of experience from

attending many workshops, performing with ComedySportz in

Portland, Oregon, and leading team-building improv workshops here

in El Paso.

No experience is necessary to join! The group will be open to all

Temple members over Bar/Bat Mitzvah age. If you’re interested (or

just want to ask questions), please contact David at [email protected].

Lunch and Learn — Tuesday, March 8

Our Lunch and Learn session this month will be on Tuesday

March 8 at 11:45 am in Zielonka Hall. The topic will be “Getting

ready for Mr. Morinis: a little bit of Mussar.” For more

information about Mr. Morinis’ visit to El Paso, see page 5.


Growing in Body, Heart, and Spirit

Each week, we offer opportunities for growth in body, mind and heart. Not so much “classes” as “opportunities for practice,” our yoga, meditation, and text study are at the core of our adult learning and growth. There’s great benefit from attending regularly, but drop-ins are always welcome! • Meditation, Tuesdays at 6 pm. We continue to have a good turnout for our weekly

meditation “sits”. These sessions take place every Tuesday evening at 6 pm in

Krupp Chapel. Rabbi Bach is joined by co-facilitators Mary McIntyre and Nancy

Schwartz. All three have some experience meditating. They share a commitment to

a regular meditation practice, and recognize that a group environment provides sup-

port for that practice. Please consider joining us as we sit, focus and reflect. For

more information, call Mary at 915-490-7359.

• Yoga Practice, Wednesdays at 11:30 am. Take a much needed break in your day for

one hour of yoga on Wednesdays at 11:30 am. Inspired by the teachings of Anusara

yoga, Susan Jaffee will lead you through a life-affirming, heart-oriented practice.

This hour yoga session is suitable for yoga students of all levels. Please wear com-

fortable clothing and bring your own mat and yoga props (belt, block and yoga

blankets). There will be no Yoga on Wednesday, March 9.

• The Weekly Portion as a Vehicle for Spiritual Growth, Saturdays at 9:30 am. Every

Saturday at 9:30 am, a diverse and lively group of participants gathers to study the

weekly Torah portion through the lens of Hasidic spirituality. Rabbi Bach typically

brings a text from one of the classics of Hasidic Torah commentary, in Hebrew and

in translation, which serves as the starting point for our conversation. We conclude

in time for the 10:30 am Shabbat morning service. Bagels and coffee are provided,

and all are welcome.

Adult Hebrew, Wednesdays at 6 pm

Adult Hebrew — 6 pm, Wednesdays. The Adult Hebrew class continues to meet in the

Zork Library at Temple on Wednesday evenings from 6 pm to 7 pm. The students are

progressing nicely with their reading and understanding of Hebrew and the weekly

Torah portions. If you are interested in learning with us, please join us on Wednesday

evenings. If you have any questions, feel free to call Ed Solomon at 525-4616.


Save the Date for This Year's Fabulous Federation Campaign Kickoff!

The event will be held on Tuesday, March 8, at 7 pm at 150 Sunset (formerly Nash Gar-

dens). Our featured speaker will be Michael Brooks, Director, University of Michigan

Hillel. In the course of the evening we will honor Julian Borschow on his eighty-eighth

birthday, and for his 50-plus years of service to our Federation. Mazel Tov, Julian!

Watch your mail and the Voice for Details.

Federation Kickoff —

Honoring Julian Borschow

Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center will be hosting its 12th annual Celebrity

Waiter Spaghetti Dinner, catered by Capetto’s, on Thursday, April 7 at 6 pm in the

Parish Hall at St. Pius X Catholic Church. This fundraising dinner is crucial to help Las

Americas continue with its mission and it is usually tons of fun too.

More than 300 people are expected to spend the evening being served by a roster of

local celebrities. This year, tickets are $40 ($400 for a table of 10) and each ticket

includes a $5 raffle ticket for an iPad. More raffle tickets are also available for sale.

Rabbi Bach has tickets for sale, and will be happy to be your server that evening!

Las Americas depends entirely on private grants, donations and fundraising events to

sustain itself. With these funds, we offer legal services to the most vulnerable among

deserving immigrants, including abandoned children, battered women and refugees.

Every time we win an asylum case, every time we obtain a green card for a victim of

domestic violence or reunite a child with her parents, we owe it to our supporters in the

community.

Las Americas Spaghetti Dinner

Congregation Mount Sinai Cemetery

Just a reminder, our Cemetery hours are Sunday through Friday 8:00 am to

3:00 pm and closed on Saturday.


Southwest Jewish Arts Festival Temple Beth El of Las Cruces is looking for artists for a juried art show, the Southwest

Jewish Arts Festival, to be held on Sunday, June 12, 2011 from 3 to 7 pm at Temple Beth

El. The show is open to Jewish artists from New Mexico and the El Paso area. The

mediums are painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, fiber arts and jewelry. Entry

forms are located at the Temple website, www.tbelc.org . You can also call the Temple at

575-524-3380. Submissions are free and must be postmarked no later than Friday, April 16 ,

2011. Submissions can be mailed to: Temple Beth El, 3980 Sonoma Springs Ave, Las

Cruces, NM 88011.

If you have any questions, please contact Susan Fitzgerald at 575-647-1808 or

[email protected].

How Safe Do You Feel?

Personal safety is an important topic and affects everyone--young and old, men and women.

The Interfaith CarePartner Program through Jewish Family and Children’s Service is hosting

a PERSONAL SAFETY session at Temple, Tuesday, March 15 at 11 am.

Officer Curtis Whitener from the Community Services Division of the El Paso Police Depart-

ment will lead this informative discussion. Officer Whitener will instruct participants in

ways to increase safety awareness in our homes and in public spaces.

All are welcome! Please RSVP to Gloria Lopez and Susan Hernandez at 915.581.3256 exten-

sion 15.

A good-sized and enthusiastic group gathered at Temple in late January to look at a proposed

itinerary and learn about Temple’s upcoming trip to Israel. Since that meeting, we’ve actually

modified the itinerary in one important way, by extending the trip by one day while lowering

the overall price (it’s an airline thing; we’d be happy to explain if you really want to know ;-))!

If you’re interested in joining a friendly and diverse group of adults, a wonderful guide, and

Rabbi Larry and Alanna in Israel from January 1-14, 2012, please give Alanna a call

(328-6062).

January 2012 trip to Israel


Men of Reform Judaism

MRJ is looking forward to celebrating Purim on Saturday, March 19. It's a very enjoyable service and MRJ will provide refreshments during the service, (Scotch for the adults and juice for the kids!) There will be a costume contest and everyone is encouraged to par-ticipate.

MSTY/mini-MSTY On February 11, eight 8th graders escorted by

Stacy Berry, flew to Phoenix for a "Taste of NFTY”

event. There were at total of thirty-six 8th graders

from El Paso, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and the

Phoenix area in attendance. The kids participated

in a Social Action weekend where they hung out

with a group of children from the Boys and Girls

Club and went on a citrus-picking adventure.

They also took part in mixers to get to know each

other, participated in services, Torah study, and a

social. Our 8th graders can't wait to be part of

NFTY next year.

We are having a lock-in at Temple with MSTY and the Las Cruces temple youth group on Satur-

day, March 12 from 7:30 pm until Sunday, March 13 at 9 am. We need to have a couple of adult

chaperones, so if you would be willing to help, please contact Stacy Berry at 241-6627 or

[email protected].

Gesher The Gesher class met on Sunday, February 27 to learn about Purim. The chil-dren dressed up in costumes, read stories, sang songs and made crowns, groggers

and shalach manot (gift bags.) Pictures will be printed in the April bulletin. We will meet again on Sunday, March 27 to learn “What’s Jewish about transportation?”


Women of Reform Judaism Members of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) at

Temple Mount Sinai enjoyed a lovely get-together at

the home of Sofi Kaplan on February 1 while also

enjoying a demonstration of flower-arranging tech-

niques by WRJ member and floral designer Fifi

Heller-Kaim. Thank you, Sofi, for opening your

home with such warmth on such a cold night!

Nearly 20 WRJ members met at Temple in Zielonka

Hall on Sunday, February 13 for our first annual

Members-Only Event: Bagels, Baubles, Books and

Bubbly. Participants were asked to bring gently

used books and costume jewelry to exchange for

new items. Some members even donated items for a raffle table – a couple of “bubbly”

wines, some beautiful “baubles” and a few in-demand books. Thank you to all of the

women who came and brought items for exchange! It was a warm, friendly and fun event

that we look forward to repeating again next year.

Get together with your sisters next at “Mochas & a Movie” on Tuesday, March 1 from

9:30am until noon at The Percolator (217 N Stanton). Come for coffee or a nosh and join

your WRJ sisters to watch "Making Trouble," a documentary about female Jewish comedi-

ans. Stay for lunch - their sandwiches are delicious! Car-pooling is recommended, as street

parking is limited and metered. To RSVP and/or request help with finding a car-pool,

email [email protected]. Further information on the movie can be found on the

movie’s website: http://www.makingtrouble.com/index.php

Don’t forget the Shabbat Dinner Fund-

raiser on March 4! Save some time on this

busy weekend and buy a tasty pre-

prepared Shabbat meal from WRJ. You

have the option to choose either a roast

chicken dinner or vegetarian meal. All

meals include salad, a side, challah and

dessert! Pick-up times are either between

10-noon or 2-4 pm; each meal costs $25

and will feed a family of four. For more

information or to request an order form,

contact Amissa Burton at 449-8877.


Religious School Cultural Celebration—March 6

Please join our Religious School students for the TMS

Cultural Celebration on Sunday, March 6, from 11:15 am

to noon in Schwartz Hall. During this event, our Pre-

Kinder through sixth grade students are given an oppor-

tunity to present a cultural aspect of Judaism. Being Jew-

ish is a part of our entire life, as expressed through music,

dance, art, reading, movies, and foods. Our students are

researching, preparing, practicing and creating displays

for us to learn from and appreciate during the Cultural

Celebration.

Join us as our Pre-Kinder and Kinder students lead us in

song. The first grade students will express their Jewish identity through Art. Second grade students

will dance to Jewish Folk songs. Have a taste of Jewish foods (recipes from parents and grandparents)

prepared by third grade students with the help of their parents. Our fourth grade students will draw

attention to some of our Jewish authors. Learn about

some Jewish artists from our fifth grade students. And

sixth grade students will highlight accomplishments of

Jews in America.

The all-school Tzedakah project during this event is

“Packages from Home.” In the past, we have adopted

the Helicopter Rescue Unit and the Elite Combat Unit,

units that consist of thirty-four soldiers who help protect

Israel. The packages we send contain a letter offering

thanks and encouragement to the soldiers, as well as

gifts. For example, the winter packages are filled with

socks, warm hats and gloves, long sleeve t-shirts or two

piece long underwear sets, candy and snacks, toiletries, batteries….etc.

We plan to raise a total of $1,200 (or more) to adopt the Duchifat (Special Forces) Unit (with forty sol-

diers), this year. At our last Religious School Fundraiser Lunch, during Mitzvah Day we raised $500

toward this goal. TMS students will donate their

Tzedakah money collected from February 13 through

March 6 towards this effort. During the Cultural Cele-

bration, we will have another Fundraiser Lunch to raise

the money needed to meet our goal.

Please join us on March 6 for the Cultural Celebration

and stay and enjoy lunch and socializing with TMS

friends in Schwartz Hall. To learn more about our

“Packages from Home” Tzedakah Project, please visit

www.apackagefromhome.org/adoptaunit.html.


Seventh and Eighth Grade Classes — Always Something!

This issue features our seventh and eighth grade

students’ Religious School studies and activities.

But first, we’d like to thank their parents for being

role models and encouraging them to continue

attending Religious School, post Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

In relationship to past years, this year’s eighth grade

attendance has improved considerably. Second, a

special “THANK YOU” goes to their teachers Tina

Wolfe, Rabbi Bach, Chris and Chip Ponsford,

Nancy Schwartz, Jeri Nitzburg, Toni Harris and

Anat Reiter.

Seventh and eighth grade students

together learn a variety of lessons and

activities. This year’s curriculum

includes CHAI Torah and G’Milut

Chasadim lessons, Sacred Choices,

“Who Am I” and Genealogy, a Parent

and Grandparent Day, helping to lead

Religious School T’filah in Rabbi’s

absence, Jewish Cooking, Jewish Arts &

Crafts, Mitzvah Projects, and Rosh

Hodesh – “It’s A Girl Thing” for girls. Beginning on February 20, the students will begin a

Holocaust curriculum that will end with a visit to the El Paso Holocaust Museum on May 1.

Parents and grandparents are invited to join them.

In 2011-2012, the curriculum will consist of CHAI Avodah and G’Milut Chasadim Lessons,

World Religions (including visits to various places of worship), and Israel. We will continue

the enrichment sessions (“Who Am I” and Genealogy, Jewish Cooking, and Jewish Arts &

Crafts), Mitzvah Projects, Rosh Hodesh – “It’s A

Girl Thing” for girls, Parent and Grandparent Day,

and assisting with some of the Religious School

T’filah.

The accompanying pictures include the Parent and

Grandparent Day where our seventh & eighth

grade students lead a Tu B’Shevat Seder, a Jewish

craft session where students created trees of life,

and their Jewish Cooking session where they

learned how to cook Israeli food and enjoyed

eating it afterwards.


At our Shabbat Service on February 18, several girls in

the congregation spoke about therir experiences at vari-

ous Jewish summer camps. Here is one of those talks…

I spent fourteen days last summer at Shwayder

Camp near Idaho Springs, Colorado. Before I went

to camp I had envisioned a few log cabins out in

the middle of nowhere. When I arrived at the

camp site, I found that it was a few cabins out in

the middle of nowhere. But as I unpacked my

fourteen days worth of clothes and my bunk-mate-

to-be greeted me with a warm smile and intro-

duced herself, I realized that it was much, much

more.

As the first day turned into the second, and the

third, and the seventh, my time at Shwayder camp

was slowly drifting away. At that point, I had

gone to a low-ropes session, a horseback riding

session, an overnight campout, a Shabbat service

(which I have to say, was AMAZING!!!!!), an hour

long hike, a guitar class, and best of all, I had be-

friended fifteen completely different and amazing

individuals—my cabin-mates!

By the second week, I looked back at the seven

days behind me, and looked forward to the six

days ahead of me. I was beginning to feel like I

was in a whole separate world—away from tech-

nology and school—and I was. I was in mountains,

much like the ones here in El Paso, yet every detail

about every surrounding was completely different.

For one thing, Shwayder Camp was GORGEOUS!

It was green everywhere. It was the perfect tem-

perature. It was crowded with thirty kids my age.

It was exactly where I wanted to spend my next

week.

Shwayder Camp was just perfect. Nothing could

ruin my fourteen days there. Not a week-long al-

lergic reaction to my soap. Not a week without a

voice or a clearing in my nose. Not two-minute-

long, freezing cold showers. Not a toilet that gets

clogged. Not the screeching of Rebecca’s bunk

above mine. Not peeing in the woods. Not even a

three hour long hike straight up a mountain side—

literally! Even my biggest worry (the food) wasn’t

a problem. (Just so you know the food was amaz-

ing!) I began to see why people like my current

friend, Olivia Bohrer, have been going to Shway-

der camp for six years!

I now want to say that the services at Camp were

completely relatable to me and every single one of

them felt personal. At my first service on the first

night of camp, I noticed how similar it was to ser-

vices at Temple. I also noticed that it was com-

pletely different. Every song had a little camp

twist to it, from the V’ahavta to the Sh’ma. They

took traditional Jewish chants and added fun

dancing and swaying of the hands and claps and

stomps and togetherness and Shwayder Camp to

every single one of them. I realize that most of

these twists are the same at every other Jewish

camp, but it didn’t feel like that. It felt like one big

Shwayder family singing and having a great time

together. I’m not sure if it was the way that Strabbi

(student rabbi) led the service, or the way that

everyone seemed to know the words, or maybe the

fact that it was in a beautiful location, but the ser-

vices were phenomenal.

Now, where do I start with Shabbat? It was like

the wonderful interactive services to the nth

power. It wasn’t so much the dressing up or the

great dinner or even the challah . . . well maybe it

was the challah just a little . . . but Shabbat at

Shwayder was better than any Jewish experience

that I had ever had. It was amazing in every way.

Maybe I loved the endless song session. Maybe I

loved that everyone was having a great time.

(Continued on page 15)

A Word about Summer Camp


Assistive listening devices are available at the entrance to our chapel and

sanctuary. Please ask a greeter for assistance.

If you have inadvertently left Temple with one of these devices, please

return it as soon as possible. These headsets are programmed to be used only

in our Sanctuary and Chapel, and many of them have disappeared, meaning

that they are not available for congregants who use them at services. If you

find you have one of these (perhaps in that drawer with all the yarmulkes!),

please return it to the Temple office so that it may be put back into service.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Please remember to use your key tag each time you shop for groceries at Albert-

sons. All you need to do is have the card scanned when you check out. Temple

will earn 1% of your shopping total each time you scan the card, at no additional

cost to you. If you need additional key tags, they are available in the Temple of-

fice.

Maybe I loved that I was sitting at a table full of

my new best friends. Maybe I loved that it didn’t

matter if I knew absolutely none of the dances.

Maybe I loved that no one made a fool of them-

selves if they jumped up and down and sang at the

top of their lungs. Maybe I loved ALL OF IT. Some

people say that the journey is more important than

the destination. Well, considering that my journey

there was spent sitting next to a nine year old, who

wouldn’t stop talking while I was trying to sleep,

and looking out a window to see a cliff about a

foot away from the huge bus on a switchback

while going uphill—you get the point. For me, the

journey didn’t start until I stepped off the bus,

teary eyed, and walked to my open-armed dad

after fourteen days of camp. It was the start of the

long, endless journey to next summer. It is a jour-

ney that will end the second that I arrive at the

place “where the green of the trees meets the blue

of the skies,” Shwayder Camp, my second home.

Sincerely,

Lydia Duran

(Continued from page 14)

Albertson’s Cash-Back Fundraiser


Grief Digest is a publication purchased by the Jo Ann

Rothbardt Petersen Healing Resource Center. There are

many wonderful articles to read and explore. If you would

like more information, contact Susan Jaffee at 532-5959 or

[email protected].

Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D.

Reprinted with permission from Grief Digest, Centering

Corporation, Omaha, Nebraska, 402.553.1200.

This is another in a continuing series of articles by Dr.

Wolfelt from his recent book, Understanding Your Grief.

CRYING AND SOBBING

If you’re crying and sobbing a lot, you may feel like

you’re out of control, which can trigger your feelings

of going crazy. Sobbing is like wailing, and it comes

from the inner core of your being. Sobbing is an ex-

pression of the deep, strong emotions within you.

These emotions need to get out, and sobbing allows

for their release.

In many Eastern cultures, sobbing and wailing

(sometimes called keening) are encouraged and un-

derstood as a normal part of grief and mourning. In

our culture, however, sobbing is often considered

frightening. It is perceived as being “out of con-

trol.” (That’s where your feelings of loss of control

come from!) But it is this very loss of control that

helps you express your strong feelings. Your feelings

are too strong to be under “control” inside you—and

their authentic expression can’t either.

If you’re crying or sobbing a lot, you’re not crazy.

Cry, wail and sob as long and as hard and as often as

you need to. Don’t try to be “strong” and “brave” for

yourself or others. Tears have a voice of their own.

You will be wise to allow yours to speak to you. Lis-

ten to your tears and heal.

BORROWED TEARS

Here’s another kind of crying that can make you feel

like you’re going crazy: borrowed tears. Borrowed

tears are tears that spring up when you are touched

by something you might see, hear or smell, and you

react with strong emotion. During a griefburst, you

might be brought to tears by a place or a smell that

directly reminds you of the person who died. Bor-

rowed tears, on the other hand, seem to come out of

nowhere and are triggered by something you don’t

associate with the person who died and wouldn’t

normally have been upset by.

Borrowed tears are called what they are called be-

cause you seem to be “borrowing” them from some-

one else’s store of pain and memory. They’re not

yours! You might find yourself crying at a sappy

commercial on TV or seeing a little bird out your win-

dow. These things never made you sad before. Why

are you crying now? You’re crying because your

heart and soul are hurting and your emotions are ten-

der. Think of it this way: If you press on your leg

gently with your hand, it doesn’t hurt. But if you

break your leg and then press on it, even the slightest

touch can hurt. Your heart is broken now, and any-

thing that touches your heart even slightly may hurt.

This is normal and will pass as your heart is healed.

LINKING OBJECTS

Linking objects are items that belonged to the person

who died that you now like to have around you. Ob-

jects such as clothing, books, knick-knacks, furniture,

artwork and other prized possessions can help you

feel physically close to the person you miss so much.

Once when I was counseling a widow, she shared

with me that she found it comforting to take one of

her husband’s shirts to bed with her. She said that as

she clutched his shirt close to her, she didn’t feel so

alone. But as she worked with her grief over time,

her need for the shirt dwindled.


From the Healing Resource Center


If you like to hold, look at, sleep with, caress, or even

smell a special belonging of the person who died,

you’re not crazy. You’re simply trying to hold on to a

tangible, physical connection to the person. The per-

son’s body is no longer physically here, but these spe-

cial items are. Like the woman who slept with her

husband’s shirt, you’ll probably need your linking

objects less and less over time, as you integrate the

loss into your life. But you may always find these

items special and you may always want to keep them.

Don’t rush into giving away the belongings of the

person who died, either. Sometimes people hurry

into clearing out all the “stuff” because they think it

will help them heal. It doesn’t. Opening to the pres-

ence of the loss may include embracing the feelings

that are stirred up by the belongings of the person

who died. If you get rid of the belongings prema-

turely, in effect you rid yourself of a natural and nec-

essary medium of healing.

I’d also like to point out the difference between cher-

ishing some belongings and creating a “shrine.”

Mourners create a shrine when for years (sometimes

decades) after the death they keep everything just as

it was when the person died. Unlike keeping linking

objects, creating a shrine often prevents you from ac-

knowledging the painful new reality that someone

you love has died. It’s as if you expect the person to

return to you at any moment.

I do think it’s okay for mourners to leave the belong-

ings of the person who died just as they were for a

short time after the death, perhaps up to a year or so.

In the early weeks and months of grief you may sim-

ply lack the energy to contend with the person’s be-

longings and your feelings of shock and denial may

be so powerful that you simply can’t bring yourself to

confront the person’s clothing, furniture, keepsakes,

etc. Within reason, go at your own pace. I often say

that there are no rewards for speed and that once

you’ve disposed of something, you can’t get it back.

IDENTIFICATION SYMPTOMS

OF PHYSICAL ILLNESS

When you care deeply about someone and they die,

you sometimes develop new ways to identify and feel

close to that person. One way is by relating to the

physical symptoms of the person who died. For ex-

ample, if she died from a brain tumor, you may have

more frequent headaches. If he died from a heart at-

tack, you may have chest pains. Of course, checking

for organic problems is important, but you also

should be aware that you might be experiencing

identification symptoms of physical illness.

Grieving people have shared with me these exam-

ples:

“She had awful pains in her stomach and after she

died I began to have them, too. It kind of made me

feel close to her. After awhile the stomach pain went

away and I felt some sense of loss. As I have healed,

I’ve been able to let go of the stomach pain.”

“I loved him so much. After he died, I wanted to be

just like him. I guess one of the ways I did it was to

be dizzy just like he used to be all the time.”

Don’t be shocked if you have a few physical symp-

toms that are similar to those experienced by the per-

son who died. You’re not crazy. Your body is simply

responding to the loss. As you do the hard work of

mourning, however, these symptoms should go

away. If they don’t, find someone who will listen to

you and help you understand what is happening.

SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Thoughts that come and go about questioning if you

want to go on living can be a normal part of your

grief and mourning. You might say or think, “It

would be so much easier to not be here.” Usually this

thought is not so much an active wish to kill yourself

as it is a wish to ease your pain.

To have these thoughts is normal and not crazy; how-

ever, to make plans and take action to end your life is

abnormal. Sometimes your body, mind and spirit can

hurt so much that you wonder if you will ever feel

alive again. Just remember that in doing the hard

work of mourning, you can and will find continued

meaning in life. Let yourself be helped as you have

hope for your healing.

If thoughts of suicide take on planning and structure,

make certain that you get help immediately. Some-

times tunnel vision can prevent you from seeing

choices. Please choose to go on living as you honor

the memory of the person who died.



DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND GRIEF

Unfortunately, when someone loved dies, you may be

tempted to quickly quell your feelings of grief. This

desire to avoid and to mask the pain is understand-

able. But using drugs and alcohol to help you do so

only brings temporary relief from a hurt that must ul-

timately be embraced.

A well-meaning friend hands you a bottle of sleeping

pills and says, “Take one tonight. You need your

sleep.” Your doctor prescribes an antidepressant,

promising it will make you feel better. Or you find

yourself sipping on the whiskey bottle to get through

the day. Should you take these drugs?

First, never take prescription drugs unless they were

prescribed for you by a medical doctor. You don’t

know how you might react to a certain medication.

Don’t take a drug that your doctor has prescribed, ei-

ther, unless you understand and agree with the rea-

sons for taking it and the effects it will have on you.

Drugs that make you feel numb or unnaturally peace-

ful will only complicate your grief experience. After

all, they will eventually wear off and you will still

have to struggle with the pain. Psychological or physi-

cal dependence can also be a problem with these medi-

cations. If your doctor has prescribed a drug to help

you cope with your grief, you may want to get a sec-

ond opinion.

Alcohol is yet another danger for grieving people.

When you drink, you may indeed feel better—

temporarily. But alcohol taken to mask painful feel-

ings is only a crutch and may in fact cause an entirely

new set of problems.

This is not to say that grieving people should never

take medication. For example, you may become so

exhausted from lack of sleep that temporary use of a

sedative is warranted. And in rare cases, tranquilizers

or antidepressants are appropriate therapies for severe

emotional reactions to trauma.

It is important to note that people who were taking

antidepressants prior to the death of someone loved

should continue taking them afterwards as ordered by

a physician. Their grief will not be further compli-

cated by the use of these drugs.

In general, though, taking medications of any kind is a

bad way to cope with grief. Instead of relying on the

deceptive “comfort” of drugs, turn to fellow human

beings for support. Reconciliation of grief comes

through the expression of thoughts and feelings, not

through their drug-induced repression.

DREAMS

Sometimes dreaming a lot about the person who died

may contribute to your feelings of “going crazy.”

Mourners sometimes tell me that they can’t stop think-

ing about the death—even in their sleep!

Keep in mind that dreams are one of the ways the

work of mourning takes place. A dream may reflect a

searching for the person who has died, for example.

You may dream that you are with the person in a

crowded place and lose him and cannot find him.

Dreams also provide opportunities to feel close to the

person who died, to embrace the reality of the loss, to

renew memories or to develop a new self-identity.

Dreams also may help you search for meaning in life

and death or explore unfinished business. Finally,

dreams can show you hope for the future.

The content of your dreams often reflects changes in

your grief journey. You may have one kind of dream

early in your grief and another later on. So if dreams

are part of your trek through the wilderness, make use

of them to better understand where you have been,

where you are and where you are going. Also, find a

skilled listener who won’t interpret your dreams for

you, but who will listen to you!

On the other hand, you may experience nightmares,

particularly after a traumatic, violent death. These

dreams can be very frightening. If your dreams are

distressing, talk about them with someone who can

support and understand you.

MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES

When someone you love dies, you may have experi-

ences that are not always rationally explainable. That

doesn’t mean you’re crazy! If you share these experi-

ences with others, they may question your mental fit-

ness. But I like to say that if you have mystical experi-

ences, it’s simply that you’re mystically sensitive.



The primary form of mystical experience that grieving

people have taught me about is communicating with

the person who dies. Some people find the experience

hard to believe and they try to explain it away in a ra-

tional manner: “I must have been dreaming” or “I was

probably half-asleep.” Others try to distance them-

selves from the experience because they are taught

that such things are impossible: “A rational mind just

doesn’t experience those kinds of things.” So, if you

want to be considered “rational” or “sane” (and who

doesn’t!), you would feel compelled to distance your-

self from this kind of “irrational” experience.

Mystical experiences vary greatly. In Alabama, for

example, a mother whose daughter had died woke up

one summer morning only to find it snowing in her

back yard (and her back yard only!) The snow lasted

for fifteen minutes and then stopped. The mother un-

derstood this as a communication telling her that her

daughter was all right and that she shouldn’t worry so

much. In another instance, a man whose wife had

died saw her lying on the couch in his living room.

“It’s like she came to me and wrapped me in her arms.

I felt warm and happy...I experienced her presence.”

I have listened to and learned from hundreds of peo-

ple who have seen, heard and felt the presence of

someone who has died. If you count yourself among

this number, you’re not going crazy. You can still be

very sane and exceedingly rational while at times ex-

periencing and embracing mystical encounters. Who

on this earth is to say what’s real and what isn’t? Cer-

tainly not I. Remain open to these experiences and be

thankful for the comfort they provide.

ANNIVERSARY AND HOLIDAY GRIEF OCCA-

SIONS

Naturally, anniversary and holiday occasions can

bring about pangs of grief. Birthdays, wedding dates,

holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and

Christmas, and other special occasions create a height-

ened sense of loss. At these times, you may likely ex-

perience griefbursts.

Your pangs of grief also may occur in circumstances

that bring up reminders of the painful absence of

someone in your life. For many families, certain days

have special meaning (for example, the beginning of

spring, the first snowfall, an annual Fourth of July

party, or any time when activities were shared as a

couple or a family), and the person who died is more

deeply missed at those times.

If you’re having a really tough time on special days,

you’re not crazy. Perhaps the most important thing to

remember is that your feelings are natural. And some-

times the anticipation of an anniversary or holiday

turns out to be worse than the day itself.

Interestingly, sometimes your internal clock will alert

you to an anniversary date you may not consciously

be aware of. If you notice you are feeling down or ex-

periencing pangs of grief, you may be having an anni-

versary response. Take a look at the calendar and

think about whether this particular day has meant

anything to you in years past.

Plan ahead when you know some naturally painful

times are coming. Unfortunately, some grieving peo-

ple will not mention anniversaries, holidays or special

occasions to anyone. So they suffer in silence and their

feelings of isolation increase. Don’t let this happen to

you. Recognize you will need support and map out

how to get it!

YOU’RE NOT CRAZY, YOU’RE GRIEVING

Never forget that your journey through the wilderness

of your grief may bring you through all kinds of

strange and unfamiliar terrain. Your experiences may

feel so alien that you feel more like you’re on the

moon! When you feel like you’re going crazy, remind

yourself to look for the trail marker that assures you

you’re not going crazy; you’re grieving. The two can

feel remarkably similar sometimes.



Amelia G. Krohn Basic Judaism

Collection

in honor of Matt Krohn's Special

Birthday by Douglas & Monique

Krohn, Lynn Krohn

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by

Lynn Krohn

Campership Fund

in appreciation of Temple Mt. Sinai

by Douglas Waters


by Barbara Given

in honor of Bob & Jane Rosen's new

granddaughter, Sophie by Bob &

Sara Shiloff

in honor of Jay Mendeloff's Special

Birthday by Ron Blumenfeld, Bob &

Sara Shiloff, Barbara Given, Milton

& Joan Cherno

in honor of Lory Oppenheimer's

Special Birthday by Ron Blumenfeld

in memory of Arline Yonack by

Mary Miller

in memory of Fran Zimet by Arthur

& Rhoberta Leeser

in memory of Irving Schecter by

Lyndon & Randee Mansfield, Loree

Furman, Keith & Becky Myers, Amy

Wilson, Meyer & Mindy Marcus,

Jay & Mary Heins, Thad & Kathryn

Steele, Ron Blumenfeld, Sharon

Stein & Family, Eddie & Rebecca

Kallman

in memory of Shirley Schecter by

Norma Levenson, Jay & Mary Heins

in memory of Sonia & William Katz

by Bruce Katz

Caring Community Fund


Birthday by Keith & Becky Myers

in honor of Lola May's Birthday by

Anne Hollander

in honor of Sue Feldblum's Special

Birthday by Bill & Anne Spier


Edward & Evelyn Schwartz

in memory of Jeri Klein by Keith &

Becky Myers

speedy recovery to Jan Wolfe &

Chet Frame by Bill & Anne Spier

Cemetery Fund


Birthday by Bill & Marcia Dahlberg

in memory of Jeffrey Schweitzer by

Lee Schweitzer

in memory of Raymond Garmel by

Marion Garmel

in memory of Reba Swiff by Jay &

Marilyn Mendeloff

Ethel Oppenheimer Flower Fund

in memory of Barney Brickman by

Keith & Becky Myers

in memory of Evelynne Belford by

Lietzie Belford

in memory of Gene Hawkinson by

Lietzie Belford

in memory of Hannah Horwitz by

Julian Horwitz

in memory of Hilde Mason by Jim &

Carol Parker

in memory of Lena B. Rosenberg by

Steve Rosenberg

in memory of Lillian Lakehomer by

Arthur & Rhoberta Leeser

in memory of Mark Cohn & Lee

Aronstein by Bruce & Shelly Gopin

in memory of Raul Falcon & Hope

Garcia by Lily Falcon

in memory of Rose Weinberg by

Carol Molloy

Floyd Fierman Religious School

Fund

in memory of Edythe Fierman by

Merrill Krupp

in memory of Fran Zimet by

Barbara & Gershon Ettinger

speedy recovery to Paulette &

Mitchell Newberger by Dennis &

Anat Reiter

Friedman/Bloom/Rothstein

Outdoor Chapel

in honor of Jon & Arlene Sonnen's

Special Anniversary by Phil & Ann

Rothstein

in memory of Jerry Bloom by Idell

Rothstein

General Donations Fund

in appreciation of Sally Parke by

Susie Novick, Nita Goodman,

Rebecca Krasne


by Douglas Waters


by Azucena Monzon

in memory of Florence Adler Jacob

by Marty & Jody Klein


Ruth Braun, Karen Natkin, Walter &

Theresa Chayes, Bill & Anne Spier

in memory of Jeri Klein by Adam &

Dana Frank, David & Jeanie Johns

in memory of Louis Levitt by

Wendy Axelrod


Tributes from January 11 to February 12


in memory of Lucy Bleiberg by Al

Bleiberg

in memory of Maurice Schwartz by

Sister Blumenthal

in memory of Michele Levitt by

Jewel Reinhardt

Kahn Endowment

in memory of Dorothy Levy Katz by

Ruth Braun

Isadore Kahn Memorial Fund

in honor of Stuart Kahn's Special

Birthday by Valerie Barnett & Jack

Eisenberg, Buddy & Ellen Dorfman

Krasne Discretionary Fund

in honor of Bob & Jane Rosen on the

the birth of their granddaughter

Sophie Tyroler by Bob & Elaine

Krasne

in honor of Bob & Sara Shiloff's

Special Anniversary by Bill & Anne

Spier, Bob & Elaine Krasne


Birthday by Bob & Elaine Krasne


Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Jeri Klein by Bob &

Elaine Krasne

in memory of Sander Starr by Bob &

Elaine Krasne

speedy recovery to Loree Furman

by Bob & Elaine Krasne, Bill & Anne

Spier

Landscape Special Projects Fund

in honor of Arlene & Mel

Levenson’s grandson, Ryan

Levenson's Bar Mitzvah by Jay &

Mary Heins


Birthday by Norma Levenson

in honor of Sara & Bob Shiloff's

Special Anniversary by Valerie

Barnett & Jack Eisenberg


Dick & Jean Scherotter

in memory of Terry Walker by Bob

& Shirley Goldfarb

speedy recovery to Bill Dahlberg by

Louis & Cindy Cohen

Lauterbach Youth & Campership

Fund

in honor of Bob & Jane Rosen's new

granddaughter, Sophie Tyroler by

Abe & Annette Goldberg

MAZON Donation

in honor of Paul Lazovick's Special

Birthday by Valerie Barnett & Jack

Eisenberg

Nathan Goldman Zadie Fund

in honor of Merton & Laura

Goldman's Special Anniversary by

Estelle Goldman

Plaque a Prayerbook

In memory of Abe Krantz by Bob &

Elaine Krasne

In memory of Edith Krantz by Bob

& Elaine Krasne

in honor of Jay Mendeloff's special

Birthday by Stuart & Shari Schwartz

in memory of Bettye M. Kohlhagen

by Bruce & Erline Gordon

in memory of Celia & David

Schecter by Bruce & Erline Gordon

in memory of Gloria Ekery by

Buddy Schwartz

in memory of Harold Novak by Bob

& Elaine Krasne

in memory of Irving & Soletta

Schwartz by Buddy Schwartz

in memory of Jean L. Schecter &

Irving Schecter by Bruce & Erline

Gordon

in memory of Jerry Bloom by Idell

Rothstein

in memory of Jill Kreitman by Bob

& Elaine Krasne

in memory of Klein, Lapowski &

Berg Families by Bruce & Erline

Gordon

in memory of Loved Ones by

Buddy Schwartz

in memory of Max Kreitman by Bob

& Elaine Krasne

in memory of Millard Krasne by

Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Rabbi Cohn by Rabbi

Bach's Discretionary Fund

in memory of Rabbi Fierman by

Rabbi Bach's Discretionary Fund

in memory of Rabbi Phillips by


in memory of Rabbi Zielonka by


in memory of Selma Kreitman by

Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Thama Lee Friedman

by Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Willard Friedman by

Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Sara Krasne by Bob &

Elaine Krasne


Buddy Schwartz, Gershon &

Barbara Ettinger

Prayer Book Fund

in memory of Bluma Silverstein by

Stuart & Shari Schwartz


Joyce Davidoff, Bert Davidoff,

Helen Baum

in memory of Jeri Klein by Mr.

Edward Wise



in appreciation of Rabbi Larry Bach

by John & Shirley Leonhardt

in honor of Jane Rosen's Birthday by

Alan & Mimi Pittle

in honor of Liz Goodman Levy's

Special Birthday by Evelyn

Goodman & Family

in memory of Bluma Silverstein by

Bob & Jane Snow

in memory of Col. Martin Muehsam

by Mitchell Muehsam

in memory of Estelle Harrison by

Judy Leonard

in memory of Irving Schecter by Judy

Leonard, John & Shirley Leonhardt,

John & Kristine Shecter, Arthur &

Rhoberta Leeser

in memory of Jean Craige Bach by

John & Kristine Shecter

in memory of Jeri Klein by Sue

Feldblum

in memory of Shirley Goldstein

Schecter by John & Kristine Shecter

in memory of Vivian J. Levinson by

Marty & Jody Klein

Roth Campership Donation

in memory of Herbert Roth by Bruce

& Ann Gronich

Ruth Kahn/Andrew Kahn Rose

Garden Donation


Birthday by Bill & Marcia Dahlberg,

Milton & Joan Cherno

in memory of Jeanne Post by Stuart

& Frances Kahn

in memory of Shirley Schecter by

Stuart & Frances Kahn

Special Oneg or Kiddush

in memory of Josefina Holguin by

Fifi Heller-Kaim & Boris Kaim

in memory of Mark Cohn & Lee

Aronstein by Bruce & Shelly Gopin

in memory of Melittia Axelrod &

Lena Levitt by Wendy Axelrod

in memory of Phyllis Fruithandler by

Ross & Linda Fruithandler

in memory of Raul Falcon & Hope

Garcia by Lily Falcon

in memory of Sandi Kern & Ruth

Kern by David Kern & Mollie Kern

Tree Of Life Donation


Birthday by Judy & Phil Bargman,

Nancy Laster & Ross Dahman, Sue

Bendalin, Carolyn Feinberg, Dick &

Toni Harris, Joyce Jaffee, Jeanne

Moye, Paquita Litt, Mimi Lait, Jim &

Anne Spier, Bud & Charlotte

Ramenofsky, Paul & Ellen Gulbas,

Irene Oppenheimer, Rita Davis, Bob

& Jane Rosen, Abe & Annette

Goldberg, Steve, Audrey & Graham

Oppenheimer


Birthday by David & Rose Schecter,

Arthur & Gloria August, Manon &

Ellen Daugherty, Myer & Beth

Lipson, Bob & Jane Rosen, Marvin &

Harriet Roth, Phil & Ann Rothstein,

Jerry & Stanlee Rubin

Youth Fund

in honor of Paul Lazovick's Special

Birthday by Abe & Annette Goldberg

Tributes from January 11 to February 12, continued..

Leaves and Stones on the Temple’s Tree of Life

Do you know that you can honor or remember a loved one with a leaf or a stone on the Tree of

Life? This beautiful work of art is displayed on the wall in the foyer at Temple just outside the

Sanctuary.

For a minimum donation of $300 for a leaf or $3,000 for a stone, the brass will be engraved

according to your instructions and will remain on the Tree of Life forever. Your donation becomes

part of the Foundation Trust and benefits Temple Mount Sinai in perpetuity.

For more information, contact Sally Parke at the Temple office at 532-5959.


Yahrzeits for March 2011 March 4-5, 2011 Helen Berg Julius Berg Morris Bir Sidney Blaugrund Sarah Blumenfeld Ginger Chapman Hinda Cohn Humberto Corral Milton D. Feinberg Jennie Friedman Charles M. Fruithandler Irene Galatzan Claire Gillen Roslyn A. Golden Giza Gray Helene Herman Stella Herman Hattie Belle Hoffman Solomon Juda Simon Kotosky Brannette M. Krupp Shirley Luger Sara Mandel David Medoff Desider Miller Raul Nieto Mollie Oliver Ethel A. Oppenheimer Maria Rodriguez Ruth C. Rosen Sarah F. Sattinger Adolph Schwartz Bernice Schwartz Lois Stampa Benjamin Weinberg Emanuel Zimmerman March 11-12, 2011 Martin Andorn Abe A. Barnett Miriam Bir Joseph B. Blaugrund Abraham Eisen Milton S. Feinberg Abraham Fertel Jack Finger Byran Funk Herbert M. Given Louis Greenberg

Max Kreitman Miriam Lewis Levy Sam Loew Gale Mendeloff Edwin Moye Julius M. Nasits Lawrence D. Oppenheimer Minnie Ramenofsky Norman N. Rosen Louis Rubin Simon Saks Jacob Schut John Herbert Shanblum Maurice Solomon Sadye Spiritus Felix R. Suhler Terry Walker Irene Waxman Noah Zaltz Harold Zimmerman March 18-19, 2011 Rene Alpern Lazarus S. Bach Joshua Batkin Naomi Bender Celia Blumenthal Esther Cohen Claire Fass Sam Fierman Bernard Given Saul Gordon Stanley E. Gordon Nina Grey Julia Horwitz Frank Klein Minna Krakauer Eli Paul Krupp Arthur Loew Fanny Lovinthal Sydney S. Mandel Abraham Melmed Ella Borschow Pearlman Howard Arthur Post Mathy Chayes Pottock Gladys Schecter Archie Shiloff Norman Stone Barney Taber

Trystan Yancy Rose Zimmerman March 25-26, 2011 Edwin Berliner Frank Bernat Mildred Blumenfeld Margola Cohen Fred Davidoff Geri Given Jean Swartz Golden Paul Herman Albert Heydemann Isadore J. Kahn Millard Krasne Galina Kreinovich Rhoda Labowitz Joseph Lazovick William Lieberman Gerry Mann LoisAnn H. Markowitz Ben Prensky Pearl Rosen Doris(Dottie) Rosenfield Leo A. Rowen Charlene M. Smith Willie Weiss April 1-2, 2011 Bobby Abramson Dorothy Blumkin Harry M. Brettler James H. Daross Sandford Feldblum Mary Lee Finger Charles Given John N. Groesbeeck Irving L. Herman Lydia Imber Richard Jacobs Morton Andrew Jaffe Lillian Lazovick Evelyn Leff Harold Mann Larry Gene Metcalf Lawrence Meyer Sadie Miller Alice T. Purvin Lawrence Reedman Kathryn Rosenbaum

Abe Scherotter Jack Schwartz Ben Shanblum Sidney Stern Marian Warsowe Anne Ovsay Weiss Dorothy Krupp Wolfson April 8-9, 2011 Francis Eisner Barjansky Max Borschow Dorothy Carter David Cohen Amelia Delgado Grace D. Fagelman Linda Falcon Sylvia Friedman Jimmy Given Buena Ventura Gonzalez Consuelo Hughes Evelyn Jaffee Abraham Karsch Erna Schiff Krakauer Jeanette Lait Irving Levine Jean Loew Tillie Kress Podus Ann H. Reinhardt Isidore Rosen Laura Rosenberg Greta Roth Florence B. Rothbardt Matilda A. Shanblum David Terk Henry Weiller

Staff

Rabbi ............................................................... Larry Bach Rabbi Emeritus ............................................... Ken Weiss Administrator ................................................ Sally Parke Administrative Assistant .................... Buddy Schwartz Religious School Director................................ Grace Bir Outreach Director ........................................Susan Jaffee Youth Advisor ............................................... Stacy Berry Rabbi’s Assistant ........................................... Elisa Gluck Building Manager .............................. Frank Hernandez House Keeping ......................................Ramona Pinales Accompanist ........................................... Linda McClain

Officers

David Kern ................................................................. President

Shari Schwartz ................................................. President-Elect

Marian Daross .................................................... Vice President

Greta Duran ........................................................ Vice President

Ellen Goodman .................................................. Vice President

David Leffman ................................................... Vice President

Jon Sonnen .......................................................... Vice President

Stephanie Calvo .......................................................... Secretary

Marcia Dahlberg ............................ Immediate Past President

Trustees

Rick Amstater, Joyce Davidoff,

Scott Feldt, Lori Gaman, Susie Goldman,

Jack Heydemann, Maria Klein, Hal Marcus,

Susan May, David Novick, Debby Robalin,

Phil Rothstein, Mark Schrier, Jane Snow

Temple Mount Sinai 4408 North Stanton Street El Paso, TX 79902 Phone: 915-532-5959 Fax: 915-533-0092 www.templemountsinai.com

Temple Mount Sinai is the

Reform Jewish congregation

serving El Paso, Texas.

We are a congregation of

supportive, caring and

diverse people with a rich

history.

Temple is a place for prayer,

ritual, spirituality, education,

wholeness and healing, social

action and celebration.

Join us as we explore,

through these elements of

sacred living, the richness of

Jewish faith and tradition.

Mailing Address

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage

PAID

EL Paso TX

Permit No. 1386

Documents

2011.03MFM