MFM 01-2011

Number 617 January 2011/ Tevet 5771

Todah Rabbah, Ellen, Tina and Ed! I had the great pleasure to speak with a fifth-year

rabbinical student at my alma mater, the Hebrew

Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, near

the end of December. Sandra is currently writing

her rabbinical thesis on the phenomenon of

“para-rabbinics” in the Reform Movement, and

she interviewed me about Temple’s decision to

invest in becoming a “multiple-shaliach

congregation” several years ago. She was curious

to know how Ed Solomon, Ellen Goodman, and

Tina Wolfe our sh’lichei kehillah (literally,

“emissaries of the community”) functioned, what

roles they fill, how they had been accepted by the

community, and more.

I think Sandra expected a brief call, but we

wound up speaking for just shy of an hour (tip of

the day: if you want a good chunk of a rabbi’s

time, call him or her on December 23; it’s a very

quiet day, he’s lonely, and he won’t let you hang

up!). Her very well-structured interview, and her

willingness to speak with me about what she’d

learned left me feeling very good about the

decision we made, and the fruits it has borne.

Ellen went first, in 2003 and 2004. Ten-day

sessions at HUC-JIR each summer, retreats

during the intervening winter, and ongoing

study with her classmates led to her certification

as a “Synagogue Associate.” Ed and Tina

followed in 2004 and 2005. With three sh’lichim,

Temple was well-covered when I left El Paso for

several weeks during the summer of 2005 on

sabbatical. Leading services, teaching Torah

study, providing pastoral support, and (sadly)

officiating at several funerals…our sh’lichim did it

all.

But Ed, Ellen and Tina are not just “pinch-hitters”

for the rabbi when he is away. They have been

my partners on the bima for Sabbath and holiday

worship. Furthermore, they have each continued

to grow in skills and talent, and have taken on

leadership in various aspects of Temple’s

religious life. Ed has become an outstanding

Torah chanter and Hebrew teacher, Ellen a gifted

life-cycle officiant, and Tina a sensitive and

caring mentor for those choosing to become

Jewish. Temple would be a different, and poorer,

place without their enthusiasm and dedication.

From my conversation with Sandra, I learned

that Temple really hit the “sweet spot” as far as

para-rabbinical training is concerned. Shortly

after Ed and Tina’s cohort, the program was

significantly pared back, and relocated. A much

shorter program, without the exposure to the

HUC-JIR faculty, took its place, and our

movement seems to be poorer for that fact. But

our congregation has been blessed, many times

over, by the actions we took several years ago.

May the blessings only continue, for many years

to come.

Thank you, sh’lichim!

Rabbi Bach

Page 2 January 2011/Tevet 5771 Messages from the Mountain

Worship Schedule January—February

December 31-January Parashat Va’era

Friday, December 31 Candlelighting, 4:54 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm

Saturday, January 1 Torah Study, 9:30 am

Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Havdalah, 6:25 pm

January 7-8 Parashat Bo

Friday, January 7 Candlelighting, 5:00 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm Baby-naming of Mateo Briseno



January 14-15

Parashat Beshalach Friday, January 14

Candlelighting, 5:05 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm



Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Shabbat Shirah — A Service in Song

Havdalah, 6:36 pm

January 21-22 Parashat Yitro

Friday, January 21 Candlelighting, 5:12 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm




January 28-29

Parashat Mishpatim Friday, January 28





February 4-5

Parashat Terumah/Rosh Chodesh Adar Friday, February 4


Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm

February 5 Torah Study, 9:30 am



January Birthdays

January Anniversaries January 2 Dick & Robin Krasne January 4 Damon & Janice Cross-land* January 5 Dick & Marlene Fass January 6 Andrew & Peggy Feinberg January 7 Rick & Leslie Otis

January 8 Allan & Amy Goldfarb January 11 Scott & Tania Schwartz January 12 Jerry & Julie Kallman* January 15 Merton & Laura Goldman January 16 Peter & Tova Herman

January 17 Frank & Susan Kamoroff January 22 Bob & Sara Shiloff* January 23 Irvin & Alicia Nadler January 24 John & Gloria Lavis January 26 Ben & Ruth Taber

January 29 Meyer & Mindy Marcus *Special 5 or 10 year Birth-day or Anniversary

January 1 Judah Lesser Carla Levin Del Raney

January 3 Marilyn Rotwein*

January 4 Connor Goldsberry Wesley Holderman

January 5 Simon Karch Miriam Yarber

January 6 Judah Horn* Garrett Levin

January 7 Beth McCoy Sydney Reiter Tania Schwartz* Alison Westermann*

January 8 Nicky Munch*

January 9 Josiah Meyer

January 10 Eddie Knipp* Juan Valdez January 11 Sally Strelitz

January 12 Michael Alkov Jaime Arbona* Ruth Stolaroff

January 14 Randi Cabrera

January 15 Rita Burman Stuart Kahn*

January 16 Benjamin Hirsch Alexandra Holderman Madison Holderman

January 17 Abe Ettinger Shirley Washer*

January 18 Mimi Lait Jerry Levy David Schecter David Schonberg

January 19 Vanesa Lomeli Carmen Yates January 20 Leah Pearlman Ann Rothstein

January 22 Lane Frank

January 23 Sofia Escobar Sue Feldblum* Marlene Golden Jaime Papa

January 24 Sarah Ames Paul Lazovick* Tina Wolfe

January 25 Madison Nadler Graham Ogle*

January 28 Levi Eisenberg Gene Finke Anna Sofia Loeb* Lola May Elaine Prensky Danielle Scher

January 29 Ofek Belkin Ellen Gulbas Ruth Katz January 30 Jane Rosen

January 31 Bob Duran Stephen Valdes


...to Major General Howard B. Bromberg, United States Army, for the Presidential appointment to the rank

of Lieutenant General and assignment as Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff, United States Army

Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia. He most recently served as Senior Commander for Fort Bliss,

Fort Bliss, Texas.

...to John Briseno and Samantha Pittle Briseno on the birth of their son, Mateo; grandparents are Alan and

Mimi Pittle.

...to Erin Purvin and Jeremy Wynn, who were married on December 19 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Parents are

Jon and Tobi Purvin; grandparents are Gene and Muriel Tucker, and sisters are Robyn Purvin and Stacy

Berry.

...to Stacy and Buck Shapiro on the birth of their daughter, Brooklyn Paige; grandparent is Jan Reed; Great

grandparents are Jay and Marilyn Mendeloff and Robert and Phyllis Shapiro.

...to Marne and Derek Van der Voort on the birth of their son, Peter; Great grandmother is Judy Leonard.

Mazel Tov! Congratulations…

B’ruchim Haba’im—Welcome New Members!

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

...to Beth McCoy on the death of her cousin, Marlene Rivkin Hyman.

...to Joan Eftis on the death of her son, Sander Starr.

...to Beth McCoy on the death of her uncle, Morton Rivkin.

Do you know someone who is new to town, new to Judaism, or interested in getting involved with a synagogue? Please help

them be in touch with Susan Jaffee at 532-5959 or [email protected].

Albertson’s Cash-Back Fundraiser

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 office.

We welcome our recent new members, Jennifer and Ron Pratt and their children, Julia and Curtis. Jennifer is a fundraising professional, working with area schools and organizations. Ron is a deputy with the Sheriff's depart-ment and is also enlisted in the Army Reserves. Julia is in 7th grade and enjoys playing the oboe. Curtis, a 5th grader, loves martial arts. We also want to welcome new member, Ilana Kresch from Farmington Hills, Michigan.


Lunch and Learn, January 11 at 11:45 am

Our next Lunch and Learn will be Tuesday, January 11 in Zielonka Hall at Temple.

The session will begin with lunch at 11:45 am, followed by study and conversation.

This month, Rabbi Bach’s topic will be, “What do we mean by ‘faith’?”

Lunch is $10, and reservations may be made by calling the Temple office, or online.

Your RSVP helps us purchase food wisely — please let us know if you’ll be attending.

Weekly Meditation, Tuesdays beginning in January

A weekly meditation “sit” will begin in

January, 2011, on Tuesday evenings at 6

pm.

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 medita-

tion practice, and recognize that a group

environment provides support for that

practice.

Our weekly sits will be held in the Krupp

Chapel, and will consist, for the most part

of...sitting. We will open with a chant to

center, and one of the facilitators will offer

some focus and instruction for practice.

There will also be time at the end for ques-

tions and sharing. But come prepared to sit

in silence, opening heart and mind to what

arises.

For more information and to confirm your

interest in attending, call Mary at 915-490-

7359 (for those who called last Spring,

please call again so we can update our po-

tential attendee list).

Sits begin on January 11, and continue each

Tuesday following.

Announcing Temple Mount Sinai’s next trip to Israel – January 1-12, 2012

If you are interested in making a pilgrimage to Israel with us, please plan to attend

a trip interest meeting on Tuesday, January 18, at 7 pm at the Temple. You may

RSVP for the meeting by contacting Alanna Bach. At the interest meeting, we will

present the itinerary and pricing for the land portion of the trip. Airline pricing

will be available in mid-February.

If you have any questions, please contact Alanna Bach at 328-6062 or

[email protected]

Israel—January, 2012


Women of Reform Judaism

The Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) at Temple Mount

Sinai hosted our annual Chanukah Dinner on Friday,

December 3rd. The evening began with a wonderful

Shabbat service, featuring Shir Chadash (our choir) and

some cherished Chanukah songs. Nearly 100 people at-

tended services and dinner, which began with each ta-

ble lighting their family chanukkiot, filling the room

with a warm glow. The dinner consisted of traditional

Chanukah fare, including potato latkes and sufganiyot

prepared lovingly by WRJ members. And there was a

twist this year! WRJ members donated briskets that

they prepared, which allowed for a wonderful diversity

of styles (sweet, BBQ, etc), each delicious in its own

right. Rabbi Bach had made a reference to "loaves and

fishes," which seemed very appropriate because the turn

-out was a bit larger than expected, but with all the food donations along with the

hard work of our members, lead by WRJ President Amissa Burton, everyone was able

to enjoy a delicious meal with a few leftovers to spare! Thank you to everyone who

helped make cookies, briskets, prepare tables (the napkins were folded so beauti-

fully!), coordinate everything and help with clean-up!

Members of WRJ enjoyed their second an-

nual Game Night in December. The casual

get-together at the home of Becky Myers be-

gan with Alanna Bach lighting candles for

the seventh night of Chanukah and leading

us in a brief, insightful discussion about the

holiday. The rest of the evening was filled

with the clicks of Mah Jongg tiles and

laughter. Mah Jongg winners included Les-

lie Beckoff, Stacy Berry, Sue Feldblum, and

Marilyn Silverstein, but everyone was a winner as a good time was had by all, begin-

ner and veteran player alike.


WRJ Book Group meetings are always popular with our sister-

hood members and this year's book takes a look at Jewish women

in a sisterhood in Memphis, Tennessee. We will be discussing The

Ladies Auxiliary by

Tova Mirvis on the

first Tuesday of the

month, January 4, at

your choice of time

and place. At 11:30 am,

we will meet at Montevista, 1575

Belvidere, for lunch ($8.00 for non-

residents) and a book review led by Al-

ison Westermann. At 7:00 pm, we will

meet at the home of Laura Tate Goldman for dessert and a book review led by Cindy

Graff Cohen. Even if you haven't read the book,

please join us at either time/place; we'll fill you

in on the novel's basic story and issues. Copies

are available at the Sunland Park Barnes & Noble

store behind the counter (under the name

Cohen). Please let Cindy know by Sunday, Janu-

ary 2, if you are attending: 833-4526 or 203-3538

or [email protected]

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.


Religious School Mitzvah Day

Mitzvah Day & Taco Lunch Fundraiser ... Successful and Enjoyable

On Sunday, December 12, we gathered in Krupp Chapel. As students walked into the Chapel, they

placed their donated items on the Bimah. Rabbi led us in T’filah, Michelle Blumenfeld thanked the

students and faculty for their donations and encouraged all to continue doing Acts of Random

Kindness throughout the year. Grace gave an overview of the Mitzvah Day activities for the morn-

ing.

After T’filah students and teaching assistants helped take all the items from the Chapel to the Re-

source room to be sorted for delivery. Every one then returned to their classrooms for a G’Milut

Chasadim lesson from 10:00 – 10:45 am.

This year we decided to honor the elderly with our main mitzvah project. Michelle Blumenfeld

volunteered to head this year’s Mitzvah Day projects and Becky Horowitz, with Visiting Nursing

Association’s, helped to identify their clients’ specific needs: baby wipes, new wash cloths, Ensure

or Boost drinks, Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash, Carnation Instant Breakfast, fitted and flat sheets

for hospital beds (extra long), plus the items that went into the gift bags.

At 10:45 the students started working on their Mitzvah projects:

The Pre-kinder through second grade (led by teachers and teaching assistants) worked on “Well

Wishes” cards to put in the gift bags. The third through eighth grade students decorated forty

cloth bags for the forty patients, assisted by VNA nurses. The bags included a lightweight throw

blanket, shampoo, rinse, body cream, toothpaste, toothbrush, notepad and pen, wooden handle

bell, M&M’s and two lollipops.

Becky Horowitz, VNA-Hospice representative, visited the classrooms to thank the students for

their donations and to talk about Hospice and answer the students’ questions. Our VNA guests

were very grateful for all the items donated by our students, parents, faculty and our Religious

School.

Additionally, we collected items donated by students (“Hidden Treasures “Mitzvah Project) during

this time. Everything we collected will be donated to the children at La Clinica Guadalupana.

At 11:30 am, we all gathered in Schwartz Hall for lunch and socializing. We sold tacos, salsa,

drinks and yummy treats and we raised $470. The money collected at this lunch is being saved for

a special Religious School Tzedakah Project “Packages From Home”. Money we raise at the next

Taco Lunch Fundraiser (planned for March 6 during our Cultural Celebration), will be added to the

$470 to buy packages for an Israeli Army Unit.

A very special "THANK YOU" to everyone for their generous donations, to Simon Bir, David

Wolfe, Ed Solomon, Elisa Gluck, JoAnn Farley, the Feldt's, Shana/Carly/Gabe Levin, and Ellen

Goodman for all of their help in the kitchen, to Sally Parke, Joyce Davidoff, Ethan Reiter, Meredith

Heins, Matthew Bowman, Leah Gluck, Gabe and Carly Levin for helping out during the sale. We

also truly appreciate Frank's assistance during our Religious School projects and events.

On Monday, December 13, Michelle delivered the forty gift bags to VNA. Thank you Michelle!



Temple Mount Sinai/Congregation B’nai Zion

Chanukah Family Event

As one of our parents commented, “From be-

ginning to end, this year’s Chanukah Family

program was WONDERFUL. My son had a

blast painting his glass menorah cups and his

father’s hands, we loved the story-time with

Rabbi Chaya (she gets so passionate and ani-

mated and the kids loved her) and the edible

menorah room was perfect and so much fun.

Best of all for us, was the special performance

up on the stage in Schwartz Hall when my

son joined the “big kids” as they sang Chanu-

kah songs. All in all, bravo and thank you for

all the work that went into planning such a

great event.”.

On Sunday, December 5, as families entered

the Chapel, Lisa Mitchell (B’nai Zion), Mere-

dith Heins, Maddie Goldfarb, and Alex and

Daryl Stein checked-in our B’nai Zion and TMS

families and provided them a pre-printed

nametag indicating the time frame and activi-

ties for the entire Chanukah Family Event.. As

families were greeted, they were handed Cha-

nukah activity sheets and Chanukah silly

bands.

We gathered in the Chapel. Rabbi Bach led us

in Chanukah songs and the dreidel spiel and

right after, Grace gave families an overview of

the morning’s activities.

Families were divided into two groups; group

one went downstairs to the classrooms to work

on a Chanukah craft. During this time, the par-

ents in group two stayed with Rabbi Bach for a

Chanukah lesson and their children were es-

corted to the Library for a storytelling (Hershel

and the Hanukkah Goblins) session with Rabbi

Chaya. After 20 minutes of learning and story-

telling, group two parents and children re-

united in Zielonka to create an edible Cha-

nukiahs. At 10:35, families in group one and

group two swapped activities.

Our Chanukah program began at 11:15 in

Schwartz Hall. Pre-Kinder through second

grade students (dressed in Chanukah deco-

rated white T-Shirts) sang three Chanukah

songs; “I have a little Dreidle”, “S’vivon” and

“I Am a Latke”. TMS seventh and eighth grade

students preformed the story of Chanukah, di-

rected by Tina Wolfe. Everyone enjoyed the

program.

Right after the program, Rabbi Chaya and

Rabbi Bach lit the Chanukah candles and led

the blessings, then Grace asked the families to

help themselves to Latkes and Chanukah cook-

ies. Kaylen Duran handed out gelt and drei-

dels to enjoy as families socialized, and a Cha-

nukah Goblin picture-taking session was avail-

able in Schwartz Hall.

A very special “Thank You” to our latke mak-

ing crew – Simon Bir, Arlene Sonnen, David

Wolfe, Jaime Papa and Ed Solomon. They

whipped up over 400 yummy latkes.

Thank you, Tina Wolfe and Michelle Blu-

menfeld for your help making the Chanukah

cookies. Debbie Marcus and Randee Mansfield

(TMS Gift Shop) we appreciate your support of

our Religious School. We had a wonderful set

up crew: Helene Solomon, Carly Levin, Shana

Levin, Angela Feldt, Monica Escobar and

Monica’s two nephews who created the picture

taking poster of Hershel and the Chanukah

Goblins. As always, we certainly appreciate

Frank Hernandez for the hard work that goes

into in setting up before the events and picking

up after the events. “Thank You” Frank.


Got pictures of life at TMS that you’d like to share?

Post them to our Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/tmselpaso


MSTY/mini-MSTY News

On Saturday, December 11, 8 members of MSTY/mini-MSTY and 6 members of BETY/BEMY (from Las Cruces), along with 4 advisors, met at Bob-O's at 3:00 pm to play laser tag. We played 3 rounds and the kids had a blast. We then packed up at 5:15 pm and headed to Temple. At Temple, we made dinner (pasta, bread, and salad), while everyone else did a mixer to get to know each other better. We had a havdalah service and dinner. Even though there wasn’t a great turnout for this event, everyone that attended had a really good time. Hopefully this will become an annual event. There are a couple of upcoming events this month. The ADL Confronting Anti-Semitism workshop is on January 9 (details are below). The NFTY (National Federation of Temple Youth) Social Action Weekend (SAW) will be held January 20-23 in Phoenix. It is a wonderful annual event when the kids get an opportunity to participate in community service with their Jewish peers from the Southwest region.

ADL—Confronting Anti-Semitism Workshop

January 9, 2011

Plan to attend a helpful workshop with your children on Sunday, January 9, 2011 to learn

how to respond to anti-Semitic jokes and remarks. This program is brought to you by CLAL:

Community Learning and Leadership and presented by the Anti-Defamation League

Southwest Region, based in Houston.

10:00 am- Noon Grades six through eight - Temple Mount Sinai

2:00 pm-4:00 pm Grades nine through twelve—JCC 405 Wallenberg

Parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend together. All youth welcome, regardless of

affiliation. No charge. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 584 4437.

Gesher — Learning for Young Children

Gesher (bridge in Hebrew) is a hands-on Jewish learning program run by Temple Mt. Sinai for

children from birth through four years and their parents. Throughout the year children and par-

ents explore Jewish holidays and Jewish ethics through the vehicle of play.

Our rich curriculum, designed by Marci Karch, includes singing, movement, stories, craft pro-

jects, snacks, and more. Gesher meets at Temple Mt. Sinai in Zielonka Hall from 10 to 11 am ap-

proximately twice a month. There is an $80 per family registration fee for this program.

We hope your family will join us for a year of Jewish fun and learning. Please contact Marci

Karch at [email protected] or 585-7833 for complete registration information. It is not

necessary to be members of Temple Mount Sinai to join this class.


From the Healing Resource Center 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].

Nurturing Yourself, The Physical Realm

By Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D.

Reprinted with permission from Grief Digest,

Centering Corporation, Omaha, Nebraska,

402.553.1200.

Your body may be letting you know it feels

distressed. Actually, one literal definition of the

word “grievous” is “causing physical suffering.”

You may be shocked by how much your body

responds to the impact of your loss.

Among the most common physical responses to

loss are troubles with sleeping and low energy.

You may have difficulty getting to sleep. Perhaps

even more commonly, you may wake up early in

the morning and have trouble getting back to sleep.

During your grief journey, your body needs more

rest than usual. You may also find yourself getting

tired more quickly—sometimes even at the start of

the day.

Sleeping normally after a loss would be unusual. If

you think about it, sleeping is the primary way in

which we release control. When someone in your

life dies, you feel a loss of control, so you don’t

want to lose any more control by sleeping. The

need to stay awake sometimes relates to the fear of

additional losses. Therefore, you may stay awake

because you want to prevent more loss. Some

grieving people have even taught me that they stay

awake hoping to not miss the person who died in

case he or she returns. If you have this experience,

be assured you are not crazy. It is a normal part of

searching and yearning for the person who died.

Muscle aches and pains, shortness of breath,

feelings of emptiness in your stomach, tightness in

your throat or chest, digestive problems, sensitivity

to noise, heart palpitations, queasiness, nausea,

headaches, increased allergic reactions, changes in

appetite, weight loss or gain, agitation, and

generalized tension—these are all ways your body

may react to the loss of someone loved. If you have

a chronic existing health problem, it may become

worse. The stress of grief can suppress your

immune system and make you more susceptible to

physical problems.

Right now you may not feel in control of how your

body is responding. Your body is communicating

with you about the stress you are experiencing!

Keep in mind, however, that in the majority of

instances, the physical symptoms described above

are normal and temporary.

Good self-care is important at this time. Your body

is the house you live in. Just as your house requires

care and maintenance to protect you from the

outside elements, your body requires that you

honor it and treat it with respect. The quality of

your life ahead depends on how you take care of

your body today. The “lethargy of grief” you are

probably experiencing is a natural mechanism

intended to slow you down and encourage you to

care for your body. Be certain to “talk out” your

grief. Many grieving people have taught me that if

they avoid or repress talking about the death, their

bodies will begin to express their grief for them.

The following “Twelve Commandments of Good

Health” are good advice for anyone, but especially

for anyone in mourning. While this is by no means

an all-inclusive list, it should get you off to a good

start. Quit procrastinating and adopt that now

famous Nike mantra, “Just do it!”

1. Stop Smoking Right Now

Smoking can kill you. Stopping smoking can add

years to your life. The main ways smoking kills are

(Continued on page 14)


by heart disease, lung disease or cancer. Again, if

you smoke you are being self-destructive. It’s

poison, pure and simple. Tobacco kills more than

350,000 Americans every year, making it the leading

cause of premature death in the United States. If

you can’t stop on your own, get help.

2. Eat Less Fat

Perhaps you realize you should eat less fat, but you

eat it anyway. Why? Because is tastes good and it’s

a habit. In rebuttal: There are a lot of other things

that taste good and you can change bad habits. Fat

clogs your arteries and causes heart attacks and

strokes. My family physician wife, Susan, tells me

that foods high in saturated fats are the worst

offenders. These foods also tend to high in

cholesterol ad do some of their damage by building

up a plaque on the walls of your arteries. These

buildups are what lead to heart disease. The reality

is that the more your blood vessels are narrowed by

fat and cholesterol, the less oxygen will be circulated

in your body and the more fatigued you will feel.

The American Heart Association recommends

getting no more than 30 percent of your daily

calories from fat. The less the better.

3. Exercise Your Heart

Think of your heart as an engine in your car. Let’s

say you abuse it by driving it thousands of miles

and never performing maintenance on it. And then

one day in the middle of a drive it just stops. Don’t

abuse your heart. It is the engine that keeps you

alive. Each day it beats one hundred thousand times

and pumps sixteen hundred gallons of blood over

sixty thousand miles of vessels. Your heart is your

best friend. Support it every chance you have.

One way to support your heart is to condition it.

Aerobic conditioning trains your heart, your blood,

your lungs in ways that they can deliver more

oxygen faster and more efficiently to the body. Just

30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week can

keep your heart and lungs healthy. Do what you

most enjoy. Walking, jogging, swimming and

cycling are very good forms of aerobic exercise.

4. Exercise Your Muscles

The American College of Sports Medicine now

recommends weight training for every adult. The

earlier you start weight training, the more muscle

you will keep in older age. Muscle conditioning is

vitally important, yet often neglected. There are two

aspects to muscle fitness: endurance and strength.

In a weight-training program, lifting lighter weights

with more repetitions increases endurance, while

lifting heavier weights with fewer repetitions

increases strength. As you age, muscle strength

declines more quickly than endurance.

The reality is that if you don’t use your muscles, you

will lose your muscles. Get help from a professional

trainer to assist you in creating the right weight

training program for you.

5. Exercise Your Mind and Spirit

The demands of grief—on top of your everyday

commitments—prime you for plenty of stress.

Building in some regular physical exercise lets you

“get away” from the demands of an all-too-often

hectic life. Exercise will help you experience an

enhanced sense of well-being.

Exercise has a calming effect on the body and the

mind. We know that people who regularly exercise

say they handle pressure better, feel more confident

and are happier and less depressed than those

people who don’t exercise. In other words, exercise

not only benefits the body, it benefits the mind and

the spirit. Even if you think you are in great

physical shape, exercise anyway.

6. Get Adequate Sleep

Sleep is restorative. It allows you to live. Sleep

allows your mind and body a chance to perform day

-to-day maintenance and repairs. Choose to get

enough sleep. Determine how much you need to

feel your best and then make every effort to get it.

Try to go to bed at a similar time each night, and get

up at a similar time each morning. Begin to

completely relax an hour or so before you go to bed.

Limit caffeine and alcohol intake.

7. Establish a Relationship with a Physician

(Continued on page 15)


Making our health a priority requires creating a

relationship with a trusted physician. Do you

know that some people spend more time selecting a

veterinarian for their pets than they do selecting a

doctor for their bodies? That’s if they pick a doctor

at all. Simple as it may seem, finding and making

use of a good doctor can be one of the most

practical choices you can make toward leading a

healthier and longer life. Think of physicians as

coaches—trained professionals—who know how to

help keep you healthy. If you don’t already have

one, find one now and work to create a health-

partnership.

8. Slow Down

Being too busy to see a doctor is only one symptom

of a fast-paced, hurry-up lifestyle. For many

people, the feeling of being rushed permeates their

entire life. Are you living out the “squeeze it all in”

mentality? Are you simply too busy? Do you have

to leave one commitment early to go to another?

If you can allow yourself to slow down, your

perception will change. Life will become easier and

more enjoyable. You will work smarter. You will

discover that your quality of life is generated from

within instead of being imposed from the outside.

As you slow down you may find that much of what

you previously thought was essential can actually

be postponed, delegated, or even ignored. Instead

of waiting to enjoy your life when everything is

done, allow yourself to enjoy the journey.

9. Rest and Relax

Set aside time every day for some rest and

relaxation—a minimum of thirty minutes. (I can

hear some of you right now. “I just don’t have

time!”) Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your day

off or weekend off are your time for rest and

relaxation. You may find yourself running around

trying to pack everything you haven’t had time to

do into this short time. Build in rest and relaxation,

and when you do, don’t feel guilty. Your times of

rest are every bit as important as your times of

being productive. Remember, rest restores!

10. Stay Fluid

Many people aren't aware that one of the easiest

ways to stay healthy is to drink lots of water. Think

of water as the oil that lubricates the mind and the

body. The universal recommendation is six to eight

glasses (10-12 ounces each) of water a day.

11. Laugh—A Lot

Humor is good medicine. Research demonstrates

that laughter stimulates chemicals in the brain that

actually suppress stress-related hormones. Also,

respiration and circulation are both enhanced

through laughter. If you’re in grief, you may not

feel like laughing very much right now. But as

your journey progresses, find ways to build

laughter into your life.

12. Invest in Major Relationships

When it comes to your physical, emotional and

spiritual wellbeing, don’t underestimate the

importance of your family and friends. Whether

it’s your spouse, significant other, children or close

friends, the people you turn to for support can play

an important role in your wellbeing.

Connected relationships with your family and

friends can motivate you to take care of yourself—

to eat right, exercise and get regular medical care.

Your family and friends can be an important buffer

from the stresses of everyday life. Yet, like a

garden, family and friend relationships must be

tended. You can’t expect to get much, if anything,

out of these relationships if you are too busy.

Slowing down from your busy life and spending

time with family and friends will invite you to

experience intimacy, play, compassion, respect,

kindness, joy and gratitude. If you are able to be

truly present to your family and friends—without

agendas, expectations, and preoccupations—you

will feel more connected to each other by love.

(Continued from page 14)


Tributes from November 21 to December 20

Amelia G. Krohn Basic Judaism Collection

in honor of Lynn Krohn's Special Birthday by Matt & Elizabeth Krohn

Campership Fund

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Bob & Susie May

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Bob & Susie May

in memory of Sam Hoffman by Larry & Joyce Anenberg

Caring Community Fund

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Keith & Becky Myers

in memory of Ken Given by Gershon & Barbara Ettinger

Cemetery Fund

in memory of Ken Given by Valerie Barnett

Choir Fund

speedy recovery to Bill Spier by Bill & Marcia Dahlberg

Ethel Oppenheimer Flower Fund

in memory of Anna F. Rosenberg by Ruth Braun

in memory of Corrine Alice Coleman by Steve Rosenberg

in memory of Elayne Bernat by Julian Bernat

in memory of Francine Raileanu by Jerry & Haidi Appel

in memory of Henry Cohen by Sue Feldblum

in memory of Jack Marcus by Mildred Marcus

in memory of Joseph Heller by Fifi Heller-Kaim

in memory of Evelyn Axelrod by Wendy Axelrod

in honor of Bree Meyer’s Bat Mitzvah by Josh & Jenny Meyer

Floyd Fierman Religious School Fund

in memory of Edy Fierman by Gary & Judith Weiser, Aaron & Judith Chinn, Marc & Pam Bernat, Tom & Edna Gordon, Bob & Elaine Krasne, Marty & Bonnie Colton, Jay & Kathryn Hollander, Deborah Epstein

Friedman/Bloom/Rothstein Outdoor Chapel

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Sam & Gayle Belford

in memory of Jack Hirsch by Phil & Ann Rothstein

General Donations Fund

in appreciation of Temple Mount Sinai by Gordon Mahon, Douglas Waters

in honor of Albert Schwartz's Special Birthday by Skip & Teresa Schwartz

in honor of Miriam Goldfarb's Special Birthday by Ann Louise Leeds

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Larry & Joyce Anenberg, Marty & Bonnie Colton, Norma Levenson, Bill & Anne Spier, Irene Oppenheimer, Ed & Lory Oppenheimer

in memory of Edy Fierman by Ed & Lory Oppenheimer

in memory of Judith Nankin by Larry & Joyce Anenberg

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Nancy Heydemann, Marc & Mimi Spier

in memory of Ken Given by Edward & Evelyn Schwartz, Mark & Dori Fenenbock, Nancy Heydemann, Robert & Merle Navarro, Bob & Sara Shiloff, Bob & Jane Snow, Ed & Lory Oppenheimer, Ann Louise Leeds

in memory of Leona Goldfarb by Bob & Shirley Goldfarb

in memory of Reba Swiff by Mark & Dori Fenenbock, Dick & Marlene Fass, Nancy Heydemann

in memory of Ruth Robinson by Ed & Lory Oppenheimer

in memory of Sadie Hoffman by Chet & Jan Frame

in memory of Sander Jeffrey Starr by Harris & Kay Hatfield

Jeffrey Levy Fund

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Madge Plese

in memory of Ken Given by Madge Plese

Josh & Frances Kahn Endowment For Youth Fund

in memory of Joshua N. Kahn by Alan & Jean Kahn

Jo Ann Rothbardt Petersen Healing Resource Center

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Phil & Judy Bargman

in memory of Ken Given by Phil & Judy Bargman

in memory of Larry Gladstone by Phil & Judy Bargman


Krasne Discretionary Fund

in appreciation of Bob & Elaine Krasne Happy Chanukah by Allen & Marlene Levine

in honor of Jennifer & Jason Schwartz's Marriage by Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Bob Washer by Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Bob & Elaine Krasne

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Dick & Robin Krasne

in memory of Judy Nankin by Marty & Bonnie Colton

in memory of Ken Given by Marty & Bonnie Colton, Bill & Anne Spier

speedy recovery to Bill Spier by Bob & Elaine Krasne

speedy recovery to Scott Stein by Dick & Robin Krasne

Landscape Special Projects Fund

in memory of Bruce Keidan by Lyndon & Randee Mansfield

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Sue Bendalin, Paquita Litt

Lauterbach Youth & Campership Fund

in memory of Ken Given by Bernie & Judy Lauterbach

MAZON Donation

in memory of Dorothy Kovan & Norma Aaronson by Edward & Evelyn Schwartz

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Jim & Marian Daross

Nathan Goldman Zadie Fund

in memory of Edy Fierman by Estelle Goldman

Prayer Book Fund

in appreciation of Shari & Stuart Schwartz Happy Chanukah by Svetlana Ulrich

in appreciation of Temple Mount Sinai by Azucena Monzon, Douglas Waters

in honor of Becky & Keith Myers' Special Wedding Anniversary by Stuart & Shari Schwartz

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Bud & Charlotte Ramenofsky, Bill & Marcia Dahlberg

in honor of Jennifer & Jason Schwartz's Marriage by Bill & Marcia Dahlberg

in memory of Bob Washer by Bill & Anne Spier

in memory of Rebecca Horwitz, Philip Terk & Abe Hill by Bob & Sara Shiloff

in memory of Sander Starr by Bob & Sara Shiloff

in memory of Sonia Katz by the Katz Children

in memory of William Katz by the Katz Children

in memory of Aida & Moses Halkin and Sonia & William Katz by the Katz Children

in memory of Josh & Frances Kahn by Sandi & Mike Carpenter

in memory of Sarah & Blane Katz and Sonia & William Katz by the Katz Childen

In memory of Richard Carvajal by Bill & Jessica Carvajal

Rabbi Bach's Discretionary Fund

in appreciation of Rabbi Larry Bach by Michael Tomor, Stan Nankin, John & Gloria Lavis, Leonard Starr, Joan Starr-Eftis

in appreciation of Rabbi Larry Bach & Sammy Holaschutz by Jon & Arlene Sonnen

in honor of Nancy Schwartz's new granddaughter, Eden Adele Peled by Barbara Berliner

in memory of Bob Washer by Peter Shugart

in memory of Dorothy Kovan by Bob & Jane Rosen, Barbara Berliner

in memory of Jack Hirsch by Bob & Jane Rosen

in memory of Judith Nankin by Arnold & Lila Bowman

in memory of Judy Blumenfeld by Bob & Jane Rosen

in memory of Ken Given by Bernie & Judy Lauterbach, Barbara Berliner

in memory of Oscar David Leeser by Arthur & Rhoberta Leeser

speedy recovery to Beth Lipson by Bob & Jane Rosen

speedy recovery to Cheryl Gordon by Bob & Jane Rosen

speedy recovery to Harriet & Marvin Roth by Bob & Jane Rosen

SKIP Donation

in appreciation of Temple Mount Sinai by Robert & Jane Warach

Onegs and Kiddushes

in honor of Bree Meyer's Bat Mitzvah by Josh & Jenny Meyer, Simon & Grace Bir

in memory of Anne Elizabeth Hawkinson by Lietzie Belford

in memory of Fan & I.B. Goodman by Gershon & Barbara Ettinger

in memory of Helen Kern by Martin Kern

in memory of Jon Heller by Fifi Heller-Kaim & Boris Kaim

in memory of Leo Rosen by Sig & Olga Rosen


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.

Congregation Mount Sinai Cemetery

If you have not yet obtained plots in the Temple Cemetery for yourself and your family

members, now would be an excellent time to do so before the price increase takes effect on

February 2, 2011. If you desire to purchase a plot or plots at the current price of $1,000 please call

Sally Parke at 532-5959 at your first opportunity. If you wish to extend your payments, an

approved payment plan of 20% down, with equal installments over the next 4 years, is available.

Just a reminder, our Cemetery hours are Sunday through Friday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and closed

on Saturday.

The future of the North American Jewish community is being shaped by divergent forces unlike those we

have confronted in the past. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), Central Conference of American Rab-

bis (CCAR) and Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) are convening a Think

Tank to provide creative leadership in addressing these trends and are asking for input from the public.

Feedback will be used to direct the Think Tank's discussions and will help identify core issues, trends

and challenges to the Reform Jewish community. This work will result in a shared understanding about

future possibilities and directions for the Reform Movement. Think Tank discussions will include topics

such as:

• Communal: How does technology change the nature of community building and affiliation?

• Financial: The nature of community in an era of "free" and financial uncertainty.

• Post-Denominationalism: What does it mean to be a denomination/movement in a culture that is in-

herently anti-institutional?

Congregations and individuals are invited to participate in several public forums that will impact the

work of the Think Tank and the future of Reform Judaism. Organizers will be soliciting feedback from all

participants at the conclusion of the forum and will be sharing this feedback with the Think Tank. Please

visit www.urj.org/thinktank for more information.

Reform Movement Think Tank


Yahrzeits for January 2011 December 31, 2010-January 1, 2011 Lillie Alpern Solomon Appel Jeanette Braunstein Mary Cherno Mollie Cohen Lee Crawford David Dichter Benjamin S. Feinberg Milton Fink Alfred Finke Harry Jacob Finke Sherman Bernard Given Anna Gopin Frieda Gordon Hedwig Grunebaum Sarah Katz Coleman Kovan Ida Ovsay Bernard Rothbardt Edward Rubin Sam Scherotter Herbert M. Schwartz Dorothy Solomon Laura Sommer Chad Michael Vojtas Isabell Weinblatt January 7-8, 2011 Rose Appel Manuel W. Blaugrund Lena Brent Ada F. Calisher Nell Carvajal Edward Cohn Mark Cohn Rose Fidell Cousins Audrey Given Sylvan Golden Werner Kohlhagen Jennie Levy Lewis Levy Marion Ogron

Irving Potashkin Harry Rosenbloom Robert Louis Rosenthal Mel Schwartz David Sopkin January 14-15, 2011 Mona Aarons Milton Amstater Meyer B. Berkman Idas Brannon Arthur Bromberg Rae Bromberg Alma Curry Walter Daniels Ruth Dula Rudolph Edelman Regina Freier Eisner Lillian Cousins Fiedell Mary Gold Stanley Robert Golden Geroge Gregory Joseph Halkin Freddy Kahn Edith Kallman Rifka Kozakish Sara Krasne Hyman Mendeloff Harold Novak Fannie Schwartz Nandor Schwartz Clarence Rochmill Solnick Cheri Spier Sandra Tyler January 21-22, 2011 Louis Alpern Armando Alvidrez Evelynne Belford Bernice Bibo Merton Bilsky Rose Cohen Jean B. Feinberg Phyllis Fruithandler

Blanche A. Goldberg Harry Goldstein Ricki Gross Josephine Holguin Bertha Juda Gladys Kenoffel Helen Krapin Samuel Lauterbach Max Levenson Fred Levy William Levy Leonard Lipson Hilde Mason Albert Nedow Max Prensky Sidney Prensky Frieda Schatz Maurice Schwartz Molly Steinman Ralph T. Talpis Lillian Tucker Cruz Villegas Al Weiss January 28-29, 2011 Marcelina Alvidrez Abe Barnett Robert Borschow Jack Armond Cohn Rebecca Cohn Jack Domnitz Edith Schill Feinberg Meyer Furman Pauline Glazer Frieda Goldberg Estelle Harrison Gene Hawkinson Ruth Kern Morris Kozak Robert Lait Juanita Maddux George Michael, Jr. Herbert Potashkin Janice Levy Rosenberg

Yetta Sandler Glennon Schall Lillie Talpis Aaron Vooles February 4-5, 2011 Horst Arndt Melittia Axelrod Anna Bailen Bertha Berg Janet Berkenfield Gisela Bernat Lucy Bleiberg Barney Brickman Sarah Brody David Coleman Roberto Duran Raul Falcon Raymond Garmel Max Eli Goldberg Leah Gordon Aaron Heller Hannah Horwitz Florence Adler Jacob Simon Kahn Sandra Kern Leon Krupp Charles Lowenbert Shannon McQueary Harold Nussbaum Michael (Mickey) Robalin Mildred Rosenbloom William Saltzman Henry Scherr Jeffrey Schweitzer Mary Smith Gertrude Spier Anna Turetsky Celmira Vaughn Rose Weinberg

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

MFM 01-2011