July FLAME

23 Tammuz - 24 AvJuly 2013

Temple President Jon Weisz

Cantor Ruth Berman Harris

Time to Prepare

Accepting Our Differences

ServicesMinyan Services are held every Sunday in Knell Chapel, beginning at 9:00 AM

1434 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107 http://www.pjtc.net/ ( 6 2 6 ) 7 9 8 - 1 1 6 1

July 5/6 Parashat: Matot/Masei

6:00 PM Family Picnic Katz TerraceTot Shabbat 6:45 PM Knell ChapelShabbat Service 7:30 PM Galpert Sanctuary

Rachel Spaizman Bat MitzvahSat. Service 9:00 AM Galpert Sanctuary

Oneg and Kiddush hosted by Heather Spaizman

July 12/13 Parashat: Devarim

Fri. Service 7:30 PM Galpert Sanctuary

Ben Shilling Bar MitzvahSat. Service 9:00 AM Galpert Sanctuary

Oneg and Kiddush hosted by Cynthia and Howard Shilling

July 15 Tisha BAv

Tisha BAv ServiceService 8:00 PM Knell Chapel

July 19/20 Parashat: Vaetchanan

Family Shabbat Service 7:30 PM Katz Terrace

Oneg hosted by Sisterhood

Sat. Service 9:00 AM Knell ChapelKiddush hosted by Sarah and Jon Weisz

in honor of the Aufruf for Aaren Weisz and Clay Heller

Family Havdallah 7:00 PM Katz TerraceJuly 26/27 Parashat: Ekev

Shabbat Service 7:30 PM Katz TerraceOneg hosted by Theatre Havurah

Sat. Service 9:00 AM Knell ChapelKiddush hosted by Saturday Minyan Group

The summer t ime at PJTC can often be perceived as a quiet time of the year. After all, the calendar is not as crammed w i t h p r o g r a m m i n g , and many congregants go away on vacations. However, there can be much happening at PJTC in the summer, especially behind the scenes. This summer in particular is a profound time, a time for significant planning and preparation.

What is there to prepare for? To start, our PJTC Board of Directors works very hard in the early summer to prepare and establish a

budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. It is a big job and a challenge! Despite the Shaarei Torah funds, the Board must pass a budget that is both viable and prudent. The congregation also needs to understand that there are some large extra expenses and anticipated decreased revenues for this year.

Among the issues are full dues for the United Synagogue, accounting for a new Education Director, and the loss of rental income from the Shaarei Torah campus. It is equally essential to plan and budget for the possibility of decreased fundraising

During one of my moments of research, I came across a n a r t i c l e w r i t t e n b y Janet Sternfield D a v i s , a L e c t u re r i n R a b b i n i c

Studies at the Ziegler School, called Are You Lonely? I read it, and read it again I was profoundly touched by it and decided to modify it and share it with our board of directors at our last board meeting. Several people came to me afterwards conveying how much they liked it and what an eye-opener it was for them. I hope you take the time to read it and I

look forward to your comments afterwards. Here is the article:

"Recently, a rabbi told our students that addressing loneliness was the most important part of his job. I was struck because he was saying an emotion rather than an issue like Israel, anti-Semitism, or Jewish literacy was the key Jewish problem in his community. I recalled hearing many stories of Jewish loneliness over the past several months: a shomer Shabbat young person who couldnt find friends to share Shabbat in his Conservative Jewish community, another young person attending an Orthodox day school who felt shunned by her more observant fellow students and different from the

The Scouts Are Coming!The Israel Scouts

Friendship Caravan Is Coming to PJTC Tuesday, July 2

7:30 PMSocial Hall

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The FLAME 2 July 2013

Staff and Officers

Advertise in The FLAMEHelp offset the cost of our monthly publication while promoting your

business or service.Business Card @ $20.00/month Quarter Page @ $35.00/month

Half Page @ $70.00/monthThree month minimum. Discounted rates

are available for longer running ads. Make your request at

communications@pjtc.net

The Communications Committee can assist you with ad copy and layout.

by Debby Singer, Education Director

Religious School NewsPasadena Jewish Temple and Center

1434 N. Altadena DrivePasadena, California 91107

(626) 798-1161 (626) 798-8410 (Fax)http://www.pjtc.net/

info@pjtc.net PJTC Clergy and Staff Joshua Levine Grater RabbiGilbert Kollin Rabbi EmeritusRuth Berman Harris Cantor

Sondra Dreshner - GabbaiEitan Trabin Executive Director

Debby Singer Education DirectorEitan Lowenstein Religious School Assistant

Bruce Applebaum Operations ManagerZachary Madick Youth Director

Jane Hirschkowitz Assistant to the RabbiMarian Rosen Bookkeeper

Robert Brown Facilities Manager

PJTC Officers President Jonathon WeiszSecretary Bob Levinson

Treasurer Mickey BernathExec. VP Management Faith Segal

Exec. VP Programs Jeff LandauVP Administration Noah Golden-Krasner

VP Adult Programs Felicity SwerdlowVP Finance Sandy Hartford

VP Membership Andrea EdwardsVP Religious Affairs Richard SamuelsonPlanning Committee Chair Mickey Segal

Sisterhood President Carolyn SiegalMen's Club President Jerry Halpert

Board of Directors Keri Axel, Judy Balian, Judy Callahan,

Ricky Calvin, Geoff DeBoskey,Valerie Grover, Stephanie Ivler,Haley Karish, Amy Richardson, Meredith Rose, Ruth SeveralVoting Past Presidents

David Lorin, Brian Mark Matt Ober, Art Taus

The FLAME Staff Bruce Applebaum Layout

Edie Taylor and Roz Scherr EditorsKaren Hochman Brown Advisor

Sunday morning, June 9 was graduation, or rather the celebration of the completion of educational milestones for our seventh and tenth graders. The three tenth-graders who represented their class of six, spoke about the fact that they were not done with their Jewish education yet. In fact, Dylan Jack quoted Voltaire who said, The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing. She and classmate Boa Pistol-Boesch referred to this occasion as the anti-graduation because both will be back next year in our school as teaching a s s i s t ant s . A nd r s Martinez counted the seconds he spent at LBSRS but not in a bad way, thank goodness. He said, Religious school changed me in a series of different ways. It wasnt just learning about Torah and Hebrew, but many other topics: the service projects I participated in during religious school were unlike any other place. Most schools have their own community service programs, but none compare to the depth and seriousness that PJTC has to offer.

O u r p o s t - bn a i m i t z v a h s t u d e n t s r e c o u n t e d t h e i r Tikkun Olam projects, which ranged from teaching children with disabilities how to ski to raising money for the National Math and Science Initiative; from coaching youngsters with autism, to raising money for the Israel Guide Dog Center; from serving food at Union Station to building a clean water well in South Sudan; from raising money for Power the World to making craft kits for Ronald

McDonald House. It was quite an awe-inspiring list! We also heard from our first Madeline Mark Memorial Scholarship award winner, Shai Martinez. He recounted an experience he had teaching guitar to underprivileged children, which had a great personal impact on him.

The annual Fuchs Award was presented by Marta Fuchs Winik, the daughter of Ilona

and Morton, of blessed memory, to eighth grader Sasha Monterroso. Sasha was unanimously selected by her teachers and members of the committee. Having Marta

Fuchs and her daughter Sophie present brought back fond memories of our beloved gabbai who devoted many years of his life being the silent but strong guardian of our Torah service.

There were many memorable moments in the program that m o r n i n g . J a n i c e Markhams beautiful violin accompaniment to two songs penned by prolific songwriter Debbie Friedman, of blessed memory, stood out for me. The final song, Lchi Lach has become a graduation tradition here at LBS. The lyrics speak of journeying to a new land accompanied by Gods blessings. Lchi Lach, on your journey I will bless you; and you shall be a blessing Lechi Lach.

What more can we ask as our precious students end one phase

of their lives and begin a new one. Again in the words of Debbie Friedman: "May they be blessed beneath the wings of Shchina. Be blessed with love, be blessed with peace. May we all say, Amen.

Photos by Edie Taylor

The FLAME 3 July 2013

Men's Club Newsby Jerry Halpert, Men's Club President

It's Time to Become a Valuable Mens Club Member: Letters inviting PJTC men to join our dynamic Mens Club have been sent. The letters describe the Mens Clubs role in the congregation and significant accomplishments for an organization thats only five years old. Many new programs are being planned that are interesting, entertaining and educational. We hope that we have convinced you to want to be a part of

our team that is so important to PJTC. You can easily become a member by sending a check for $36 in the return envelope enclosed with your letter.

Purchase Tickets for the MC Football Pool -- Now Available: The membership letters also have a provision for purchasing Football Pool tickets at the same time as joining Mens Club. The Football Pool has been a successful MC fundraiser from the start. The tickets are randomized by computer and are not related to which teams are playing each other. Winners are determined by the scores of the teams on your ticket during each of the 16 NFL weekends and