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“ KOL T.O.L” The “Voice of the Tree of Life”
December 2016 Kislev 5777
Tree of Life Congregation Monthly Newsletter Columbia, South Carolina
DECEMBER WORSHIP SERVICES
Friday, December 2
7:30pm
Tol’dot
Genesis 25:19
Friday, December 9
7:30pm
Vayeitzei
Genesis 28:10
Friday, December 16
10:30am
Vayishlach
Genesis 32:4
Friday, December 23
7:30pm
Vayeishev
Genesis 37:1
Friday, December 30
7:30pm
Mikeitz
Genesis 41:1-2
Installation of Rabbi Eric Mollo
and Consecration Service
Friday, December 9, 2016 7:30pm
The Isadore E. Lourie Memorial Menorah Lighting
At the South Carolina State House Tuesday, December 27 2016
at 5:30 PM
At the Main St. side of the SC State House
To all who came out and helped make
#ShabbatAlive with Rick Recht and Piano
and Pastrami with Marina Lamazov a
smashing success, we want to say thank
you. We appreciate your hard work and ded-
ication to the temple. A great time was had
by all in attendance!!
Page 2
From the President
Inside this issue:
From the President/From the Rabbi 2-3
Education Director/Green Team 4-5
Member News/Yahrzeits 6-7
Contributions/Calendar 8-9
A Happy and Blessed New Year to us all. It’s an exciting time at Tree of Life as Rabbi Eric Mollo and Rabbi Car-
olan Glatstein to lead our congregation, our religious school, and begin to hit their stride. We thank them for
coming to Columbia and we should continue to express our thanks to the search committee for their diligent
work finding the perfect couple to take us through some exciting – and challenging – times ahead.
There are so many other people to thank for all they do for our congregation but let me just say that together
we all give life to the Tree of Life. And it’s the life of our congregation, our future together ,that needs our
focus now.
It comes down to our willingness as a congregation to provide the resources the temple needs to serve our spir-
itual needs and our desire to celebrate life together. Will we choose to preserve and protect our congregational
life? Will we make sure it’s here for all the fellowship and life events that take place inside these walls?
Choosing to a higher quality of life is an internal decision affecting our general outlook, our view of the world
around us ,and our actions. It’s a decision to cherish all life, to see the positive and holy in the world, and it’s a choice that moves us to do
good to be good to others and to ourselves. Supporting our congregation is like saying, “L’Chaim!.” It is essential that we choose life.
The temple enriches our lives it’s our place to worship and pray our place to celebrate births and namings, bar and bait mitzvahs, confirma-
tions and marriages, and to mourn the passing of friends and family and support us through other difficult times. It’s here we educate our
children and ourselves as we enjoy activities at once cultural and social and religious.
This is our community; it was here before us and it’s here for us now, but what lies ahead? We cannot think that without our participation,
that without each of us contributing what we can, that this community will survive.
We can’t become complacent in our financial support of the temple just because we may go through a period where we are not active at the
temple. We can’t think that it is someone else’s responsibility and then expect everything to be here for us when we need it.
There are many ways to support the Tree of Life. Attend services and special events, volunteer our time to help make those events even
more special, we can donate to fundraisers and last, but not least, pay our dues in a timely manner. We currently have a membership of be-
tween 180 and 190 families, with 63 students in the religious school. We need to grow but we also need to make sure we have the re-
sources to support who we are now.
My primary goal as President is to see to it that the temple can survive and my first priority is meeting the financial needs of keeping the
building open and running, to keep the lights on, and our dedicated leaders and staff in place.
I know religious giving is a personal issue so please consider this; if we truly care about this temple and this community then we will do our
part to help us sustain and grow. In supporting our temple both with our time and financially, we are Choosing Life. For more than 120
years, people have made that choice here at Tree of Life. Will we continue to choose life? I have faith that we will.
My wife, Susan, and I wish you and your family a New Year of health, prosperity, and blessing.
May it be a good year for us all.
L’Chaim!
Dr. Alan Brill,
Temple President
KOL T.O.L.
Page 3
FROM THE RABBI
Isaiah 56:7 I will bring them to My sacred mount and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be welcome on My altar; For My House shall be called A house of
prayer for ALL PEOPLES."
Dear Friends,
It’s no secret that among Jews, the recent election has been divisive. Over this past year, there has been a lot of labeling and
hateful speech as we have grappled with facing who we really are as a nation. Focusing the magnifying glass on ourselves, we can see
how deeply it has affected the Jewish community. Moving into the next four years there is a great deal of uncertainty in the face of an
unprecedented shift in leadership. What is not unprecedented, however, is divisiveness in the Jewish community. One need only open
a book of the Talmud (a book of Jewish law and discussion based on principles from Torah) to see that we have always had differing
opinions. Even when popular opinion favors one school’s opinion on what the halakha (law) should be for a given subject, other opin-
ions are always preserved. In this way, our ancestors could show a shared commitment to honoring those with whom we disagree. We,
too, must commit to following this example by preserving the honor of our neighbors.
Those who voted against Donald Trump have every right to be scared and protest in a way that fits this ideal. Those who sup-
ported, and voted for, Donald Trump also have the right to peacefully defend their views. So let us commit to no longer haphazardly
saying or writing whatever we want because it feels good. The power of the pen, the power of words, can build or break the ideals on
which we stand. As a Jewish community, let us be among those who choose to stand in solidarity with others who believe in building
bridges, cherishing life, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We must also never allow ourselves to forget the values and tragedies
that forged our people. For our sake, and the sake of our children, let us remain vigilant in our work for a world redeemed – an enlight-
ened house of prayer for all peoples.
Chazak, Chazak V’nitchazek – Let us strengthen one another
Rabbi Eric Mollo
From the Rabbi
Friday, 12/2 6:30pm Tot Shabbat
Friday, 12/2 7:30pm Shabbat Alive!
With Rick Recht
Sunday, 12/4 6:00pm Piano & Pastrami
Friday, 12/9 7:30pm Rabbi Eric’s Installation
We’re looking forward to all the events happening this year at
TOL. Youth Groups Regional Ski Trip, Shabbat Services and NFTY
Conventions. Many lively services - B’nai Mitzvah's, Tot Shabbat
& Friday Night Live. Dan Nichols is coming back to TOL and we’ll
have many Holiday Celebrations, a Tu B’Shevat Temple Dance,
our annual Megillah reading/Ice Cream & Hamentaschen. As
well as, Congregational & Women’s Seders, Film Screenings and
Fundraisers.
Page 4
From the Education Director
As American Jews, we stand firmly with a foot in each of two worlds. No other time is that more evident than
the stretch on our calendars from Thanksgiving to Chanukah. It’s all too easy to get bogged down in the dol-
drums of the “December Dilemma.” However, regardless of which holidays (or combinations of holidays) we
celebrate at home, with what color scheme, and which side of the family – the focus is always the same – giv-
ing thanks and being together.
Jewish prayer falls into one of three categories – petition, praise, and the largest – thanks giving. You are prob-
ably familiar with Shehecheyanu, a prayer we say to celebrate first occasions and personal achievements.
Barukh Atah Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam shehekheyanu vi-kimanu vi-higiyanu la-z'man ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Sovereign of the Universe, who has allowed us to live, has preserved us, and has enabled us
to reach this season.
However, there is another prayer we say when the good we witness in the world benefits not only ourselves but others as well.
Barukh Atah Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam, Ha-tov V'hameytiv.
Blessed are You, Sovereign of the Universe, who is good and causes good things to occur.
At this season, I’m thankful for the good things I see happening in our religious school and the good things that our students are helping to bring to
our community. Our youngest students have completed their units on Shabbat, completing “Shabbat kits” that they can use at home to celebrate
with their families. Our middle students have spent time expanding their horizons by practicing their scribing skills using quills and ink and viewing
the Torah as a work of art. Our older students logged their hours in the kitchen to create a kugel feast which they served at Food Not Bombs in Fin-
lay Park. More than 230 hungry people came through the line that day and shared their stories. Our students are seeing how wide our world is and
the role they can play to make it a better place for everyone by implementing their learning. We say “ha’tov” for the wondrous acts we see them per-
form and “ha’meytiv” for the good that ripples forth from their actions.
Wishing you nothing but “ha’tov” at this time of year and always,
Rabbi Carolan
KOL T.O.L.
Religious School Schedule
Sunday, December 4th
9:00am Religious School
11:30am Hebrew School/Imagination Station
Friday, December 9th
7:30pm Consecration Service
Sunday, December 11th
9:00am Religious School
9:30am Young Explorers
10:45am Hanukkah Happening
Youth News
Shabbat Shalom from COFTY 2016 at
Temple Sinai in Atlanta!
Page 5
The challenge we will face because of climate change can feel overwhelming. So, it helps to break the problem down into smaller, manageable
chunks. Buying an electric car is too expensive for most families and building a Dyson sphere to harness the sun's total energy output is too big a
project for humanity. But converting lights from fluorescent to LED -- that's something we can manage! Little efforts add up to big changes: think
globally; act locally.
Those achievable actions are what we are focusing on while we work towards the GreenFaith Water Shield. As part of that initiative, we hosted a wa-
ter-themed Shabbat service on Friday, November 11th. We welcomed Bill Stangler, the Congaree Riverkeeper, who spoke briefly about the im-
portance of water in our everyday life. Detailed information about GreenFaith, the Water Shield, and ways you can get involved can be found at
http://www.tolsc.org/green/water-shield. Download your own Household Water Pledge today, and help us work towards earning the Water Shield
together.
The next time you visit the synagogue, we hope that you take a moment to visit our new ADA-compliant path to the rain garden. Made from permea-
ble concrete, it provides improved access without disrupting the water flow in the area. The path was mostly funded by a grant from the Richland
County Conservation Commission, as well as contributions from the town of Arcadia Lakes and the Jeanette Birch Endowment.
Green Team
WRJ / Sisterhood Book Club
In other news:
We are working with Jewish Family Services to hold a coat
drive this fall. Please support the efforts of The Columbia
Jewish Family Service and the TOL Green Team. The collec-
tion box is located in the Temple foyer!
To learn more about the Green Team, please visit
http://www.tolsc.org/about-us/associations/green-team
Contact us at [email protected] if you would like to be added to
our email list or have questions.
Please consider earmarking a donation for the Green Team.
Remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Brotherhood
Latke Sale
Again this year the Brotherhood will be holding our Annual
Latke Sale. You may find the order form in the Temple foyer,
on the Temple website and Facebook. The deadline is
5:00 PM Wednesday, December 7th and pick-up will be on
Sunday, December 11th from 10:00am – 12:00pm in the
Temple Social Hall.
Annual Red Cross Blood Drive
Mark your calendar for Sunday, January 29th with the Annual
TOL Red Cross Blood Drive. More details will be provided as
we draw closer to the date. To be eligible your last donation
must be prior to November 25, 2016.
Thanks,
David Carr
TOL Brotherhood President
More News To Come In January
Page 6 KOL T.O.L.
Member News
R’fuah Shleimah
Get well wishes to TOL Members recently hospitalized or at
home recovering: Rayna Aschaffenburg.
December Birthdays
December Anniversaries
December 1
Eric Mendel
Winston Carr
December 3
Jennifer Savitz
December 4
Ned Strauss
December 6
Joan Amado
December 7
Benjamin Ginsberg
December 8
Jeffrey Moses
Anselle Blackmon
Max Miller
December 9
Stephen Savitz
Leeds Barroll
Lucy Zug
December 10
Abigail Crawford
Brian Glavey
Lee Williams
December 11
Jean Ginsberg
Neil Parks
December 14
Harvey Helman
Joan Tucker
December 15
Steven Cohen
December 17
Rosann Canady
Belle Fields
Carolyn Hudson
December 18
Roberta Friedland
Walton Selig
December 19
Barbara Levy
December 20
Pamela Feuerstein
December 21
Riyler Coffman
December 23
Helga Cohen
Carol Beck
December 25
Judith Kalb
December 26
Hannah Amado
December 27
Violette Chartock
December 28
Marcia Medway
December 10 Richard Lazar & Carol Beck
December 14 William & Barbara Rast
December 18 Allan Nail & Cheryl Glantz
December 20 Edward & Saundra Hertz
December 22 Ira & Kay Radin
December 25 Alan & Victoria Carr
December 30 David & Debra Tedeschi
Page 7
Bimah Flowers Yahrzeits
December 2
Martin Lefkowitz, in loving memory of Betty Lefkowitz, Jan Barkan, in
loving memory of Carol Barkan, Marcia Geers, in loving memory of
Herbert Stern, Richard & Debbie Cohn, in loving memory of Honey
Halpern, Family of Art & Barb Levy, in loving memory of Robert Allen
Levy, Reyner Family, in loving memory of Charles Reyner, Sr.
December 9
Feliks & Sarra Rabinovich and Family, in loving memory of Sonia
Rabinovich, Linda Ackerman, Rine Dunlop & Natalie Picow, in loving
memory of George Helman, Harvey & Beth Helman, in loving memory
of Joseph George Helman
December 16
Barbara Paul, in loving memory of Libby Paul, Ernie & Donna Magaro,
in loving memory of Christopher Magaro
December 23
Jennifer & Stephen Savitz, in loving memory of Sylvia B. Savitz, Marcia
& Frederic Medway, in loving memory of Arnold David Lutz, Rosann
Schwartz Canady, in loving memory of Albert Schwartz
December 30
Lorraine & Jeff Moses, in loving memory of Solomon Lourie, Philip
Wittenberg, in loving memory of Rhea Shapiro Wittenberg,
Oneg Shabbat
December 2 Chair: Stephen & Jennifer Savitz
Steven & Ellyn Schilit
Adam Schor & Leah Doberne-Schor
Rob & Amy Scully
Jeff & Walton Selig
December 9 Chair: Cheri Shapiro Marc & Mia Rapport Howard & Karyn Sheftman Vladimir & Tat’Yana Shtessel Jeffrey & Linda Silver Brad Smith & Jennifer Savitz Smith
December 16 Chair: Jack & Linda Sterne Jon & Debra Stombler Ned & Julie Strauss Aileen Sunshine David & Debra Tedeschi
December 23 Chair: Andrew & Minday Tucker
Joan Tucker
Boris & Jane Veytskin
Andy Volin
Abraham & Lois Wandersman
December 30 Chair: Rchard & Nancy Wassersman Revera Wayburn Lea Weiner Todd & Heather Weiss
December 2
Felix Goldberg, Robert Allen Levy*, Jim Frea, Betty Lefkowitz*, David
Miller, Charles Reyner, Sr.*, Trudy Selig, Herbert Stern, Carol Barkan,
Morris Blank*, Robert S. Friedman, Sadye C. Green*, Mollie Green-
berg*, Pauliine Karp Schulman, Harold “Hal” Birch*, Claire Boxt*,
Honey Halpern, Beatrice Perl Lindau*, Tillie W. Kaufman*, Viola W.
Levenson, Jeannette Rosichan*, Roma Arov, Ida Belle Drucker
December 9
Ben Stern, Clyde F. Quick, Giza Nisenholz, Henry Henning*, Hershel
Hark*, Joseph George Helman*, Laura Zaidman*, Louis Burger*, Louis
Kohn*, Mamie K. Tolochko*, Max Krautler*, Minnie Brown, Sam
Cohen, Selma Levin, Sonia Rabinovich, Sophie Goldblatt*, Theodore
Kole*
December 16
Al Kordon, Betty Lee Schlager, Christopher Magaro, Helen Spence,
Jack Lapine*, Jack Sullivan, Julius Winter*, Lena W. Henning*, Libby
Paul*, Louis Burns Simmons*, Max Gordon, Pauline Wheeler, Russell
Sheckler, Shelia Nudelman
December 23
Albert Schwartz*, Alfred Brauer, Anna Chaves Halprin*, Arnold David
Lutz*, Clara Blick, Eleanor Lerner Bush, Eugene Keiselman,
Georgianne Schwartz, Hyman Rubin, Sr.*, Ida Read Savitz*, Jacob
Blick, Joseph Harold Ginsberg, Julia Merlin, Meyer Loeb*, Michael
Goldberg, Michael Jay Glantz, Morris Rubenstein, Myron Bernard
Kahn*, Paul Southard, Sarah Bazerman*, Stephen Mendel*, Sylvia
Savitz*, Tzila Arov, Yefim Khaim Krupnik
December 30
Aaron Garbuz, Abraham Nisenholz, Bertha M. Kole*, Charles Bradford,
Jr., David E. Cohn*, David Moss, Goldie Slone, Herbert Young, Hilde
Brauer, Hugo Wolf Terner*, Ina Chenoff, Israel Merlin, J.T. Pearlstine*,
Jacob J. Freedman, Joseph Nifoussi, Julian Henning, Jr.*, Leona Sobel,
Marian V. Waxelbaum*, Marvin Selig, Murray King, Philip Turner, Rhea
S. Wittenberg*, Richard Herzog, Rona Russ, Sarah Plavin, Solomon
Lourie
Page 8
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to your favorite TOL
General, Sisterhood, or Endowment fund. Donations make wonderful gifts.
◦ General Funds ($5.00 minimum dona-
tion)
◦ Building Fund ($10 minimum donation)
◦ Choir Fund
◦ Green Team
◦ Foyer Leaf Fund ($72)
◦ High Holy Day/Passover Fund
(to help cover holiday operating expenses)
◦ Library Fund
◦ Memorial Board & Plaque Fund ($500)
◦ Prayer Book Fund
◦ Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
◦ Rabbi Emeriti's’ Discretionary Fund
◦ Religious School Fund
◦ Religious School Neil Cartiff Memorial
Fund
◦ Youth Activities Fund
WRJ/Sisterhood Funds ($5 minimum)
◦ Reyner Convention Fund
◦ Courtesy Fund
◦ Evelyn & Dan Daniel Leadership Develop-
ment
Fund
Endowment Funds ($25 minimum)
◦ Jeanette Birch Endowment Fund
◦ Diane Brown Sobel Endowment Fund
◦ Marian D. Fleischman Endowment Fund
◦ Ralph & Sarah Levine Endowment Fund
◦ Sylvia & Sam Savitz Music Enrichment
Fund
◦ Jonathan Train Youth Group Endowment
Fund
Presenting Level $1500
Dunbar Funeral Home
Greens Beverages
Jim Hudson Automotive
Platinum Level $1000
Baker and Baker Foundation
First Community Bank
Parker, Poe, Adams, & Bernstein, LLP
Gold Level $500
Abacus Planning Group
Ameris Bank
BMW of Columbia
Cohn Construction Services, LLC
Dick Dyer & Associates
Lewis Babcock, LLP
Southern First Bank
Terminix
Wells Fargo
Silver Level $250
Ally & Eloise Bakeshop
Brill, Dr. Alan & Susan
Ed Robinson Laundry& Dry Cleaning
Fields Chiropractic Clinic, PA
LTC Associates
Mungo Homes
South State Bank
Tenenbaum, Inez & Samuel
The Pilates Studio
The Toy Box
Theodore & Associates
Wilson Kibler, Inc.
In Kind
Groucho’s Deli
Friend of the Big Nosh™
Bannister, Kim & David
Bland Richter Law Firm
Gaton, Ann
Gaton, Richard & Wendy
Humphries, Ellen
Holloway Law Office, LLC
McGee, Joan & Thomas
Salzberg, Deborah
The Brooker Law Firm, PA
Greening the Nosh
Alice Kasakoff Adams
Brett & Erica Altschul
Richard & Myrna Cohen
Stephen & Roberta Friedland
Carolyn Hudson
Joel Hudson
Ellen Humphries
Simiko Roberts
Deborah Salzberg
Barb Willens
Keith Babcock & Jackie Dickman-Babcock
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
The Tree of Life would like to thank our
2016 Big Nosh ™ Sponsors.
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1 2
6:30pm: Tot
Shabbat
7:30pm:
Shabbat ALIVE!
Featuring
Rick Recht
3
4
9am: Religious
School
11:30am: Hebrew
School/Imagin.
Station
6:00pm: Piano &
Pastrami
5 6
7pm: Family
Caregiver Support
Group
7
8
6:30pm Parlor
Meeting with Ron
Bernstein from the
Israeli Movement
for Progressive
Judaism
9
7:30pm Installation
of Rabbi Eric Mollo
7:30pm: Consecra-
tion Service
7:30pm: Shabbat
Evening Service
10
11
9am: Religious
School
9:30am: Young
Explorers
10:45am Hanukkah
Happening
12 13 14
6pm: Executive
Committee Meeting
7pm: Board of
Directors Meeting
15
6:00pm Harmony
School Winter
Concert
16
7:30pm: Shabbat
Evening Service
17
18
19 20 21 22
23
7:30pm: Shabbat
Evening Service
24
6:00pm: Hanukkah
First Light
25
26 27 28 29 30
7:30pm: Shabbat
Evening Service
31
10:30am: Shabbat
Morning Service
Tree of Life Congregation
6719 North Trenholm Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29206
Tree of Life Congregation
Office: 803.787.2182 Fax: 803.787.0309
Website: www.tolsc.org Email: [email protected]
Office Hours
Monday—Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm
Friday 9:00am-4:00pm
Rabbi Eric Mollo
Rabbi Carolan Glatstein, Education Director
Rabbi Emeritus Sanford T. Marcus, D.D.
OFFICERS COMMITTEE CHAIRS BOARD MEMBERS
President Alan Brill Endowment Robert Feinstein Jackie Dickman-Babcock Donna Magaro
First Vice President Bruce Miller Finance Ernie Magaro Debbie Cohn David Polen
Second Vice President David Polen House & Grounds David Potter Jessica Elfenbein Jeff Selig
Secretary Alex Ogden Membership Debbie Cohn & David Polen Eric Feuerstein Jeff Silver
Treasurer Todd Weiss Oneg Annette Goldstein Annette Goldstein Deb Tedeschi
Immediate Past President Rick Cohn Programs Gail Bienstock & Josh Gupta-Kagan Elisa Westfall
Religious School Board Elisa Westfall Scott Kaplan
AFFILIATES Ritual Jessica Elfenbein
Brotherhood President David Carr
WRJ/Sisterhood President Terry Garber TEMPLE EMPLOYEES LIFE TIME BOARD MEMBERS
COFTY President Ellie Feuerstein Demitris Gilmore Sharon Witherell Bernard Fleischman, Jr. Amy Scully
Green Team Representative Carolyn Hudson Carol Randolph-Davis Stephen Savitz Howard Weiss
