TBE Bulletin April 2015

New Staff at TBE........................................................................................pg. 6 Learnings & Teachings..............................................................................pg. 7 “Flory’s Flame”............................................................................................pg. 8

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism 2309 Packard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 | Phone 734-665-4744

Fax 734-665-9237 | Religious School 734-665-5817 | www.templebethemeth.org

Temple Beth Emeth...its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.

Nisan - Iyar • 5775

Ann Arbor’s home for Reform Judaism

Friday, April 3Home SedersTorah Portion: Pesach (Exod. 12:37-42; 13:3-10) Saturday, April 48:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Chapel Service Friday, April 1011 am Passover Service & Luncheon6 pm Tot Shabbat 6:30 pm Tot Dinner and Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | Birthday & Anniversary CelebrationTorah Portion: Sh’mini I (Lev. 9:1–10:11)

Saturday, April 118:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Chapel Service

Friday, April 176 pm Tot Shabbat 6:30 pm Tot Dinner and Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | Generations After Yom HashoahTorah Portion: Sh’mini II (Lev. 10:12–11:47)

Saturday, April 188:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Bar Mitzvah: Max Steiger

Friday, April 246 pm Tot Shabbat 6:30 pm Tot Dinner and Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | 5th Grade Family ServiceTorah Portion: Tazria/M’tzora (Lev. 12:1–15:33)

Saturday, April 258:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am B’nai Mitzvah: Katie Miller & Jeremy Simon

Liturgical Calendar

April 2015

TBE’s Second Night Seder Saturday, April 4 | 6 pmLed by Rabbi Levy and Cantor Hayut.Feast on your favorite Passover foods. Dinner menu includes green salad, parsely buttered potatoes, lemon-thyme chicken, Passover cookies. Vegetarian option of goat cheese spinach flan. Prepared by Simply Scrumptious.Cost: $25 per adult (ages 13 & older), $15 per child (ages 4-12). Children ages 3 and under free if sharing a dinner with an adult. You may sign up and pay at www. templebethemeth.org.

Abode: Passover Foods Beyond the Tastebuds

*See special center insert, pg. 9*

Shabbat Service and Commemoration of Yom HaShoah Friday, April 17 | 7:30 pmPlease join us for a very special service developed by members of Generations After, TBE’s group of Holocaust survivors and their descendants. Speaking out on behalf of victims of the Shoah, the Generations After will focus on the experience of stumbling into new understanding and connection to their family stories through serendipitous and sometimes mystical events. Toward the end of the service, the congregation will be invited to rise and join in the recitation of names of any family members lost in the Holocaust. Please note that this service will run longer than our traditional Shabbat services.

2 President’s PostAlthough this article will not be published until April, I am writing this the week after the Genesis Informational Meeting that was held on March 8th. More progress in our ongoing discussions with St. Clare’s and the Genesis Board will have been made by the time you read this. However, I would like to express some of my thoughts about the meeting on Sunday.

First of all, it was very gratifying to see so many people from both congregations take the time to attend this meeting. It was also heartening to hear how important Genesis is to so many people. It was clear from the comments made that there is confusion about what the problems are in our relationship. The Design Team is working with our facilitator, Peter Norlin, to come to a common understanding of our recent issues so that we can begin to resolve them.

Although a number of people at the meeting were clearly frustrated, I believe that the results of the meeting will be enormously helpful to the Design Team as we continue our efforts to improve our relationship and renew our partnership. Indeed, I feel even more optimistic about achieving this after the meeting than I felt before the meeting.

I want to thank all of you who attended the meeting or watched it online, and/or sent me emails concerning the current discussions. I have received many thoughtful emails that I am currently in the process of responding to. Please feel free to continue to email me at [email protected] if you have questions or comments. I hope that we take to heart the wisdom of the original Genesis agreement, dated December 17th, 1974:

“Understanding that both congregations will maintain their unique, separate, ethnic identities, and will continue to worship and be fruitful in the ways which are unique to both understandings of the nature of God, and while both congregations pledge to respect the theological integrity of both the Jewish and Christian view, each believes that their actions herein will stand as a symbol of the power of reason and love to overcome distrust and the prejudices of our separate histories.”

May it be so.L’shalom,Susan

Susan Gitterman

The American Zionist Movement (AZM) is holding elections to determine the make-up of the American delegation which will represent the United States at the 2015 World Zionist Congress (WZO). The only criteria to vote are:1) Must be Jewish2) Must be 18 years or older by June 20153) Must be a resident of the United States4) Must register at a cost of $10 (for those under the age of 30, the fee is $5); this fee covers the cost of the election

Why is this important?The World Zionist Congress (with 757 delegates) is the legislative body of the World Zionist Organization. The Congress meets every four years to determine policy/action and choose the leadership of the WZO. These decisions influence and have a direct impact on Reform Jews, the institutions of Reform/Progressive Judaism, and the values they represent. The expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars also has a direct impact on Reform Jews and the institutions of Reform/Progressive Judaism in Israel. This is an opportunity for those of us living in the Diaspora to have a voice.

The United States has 145 seats which are allocated solely on the basis of the vote of American Jews. In the last election, ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) won 39% of the American delegates with approximately 60,000 votes. This year, ARZA would like to exceed that number! The polls are now open, and voting takes place through April 30. Please, go to the website, www.ReformJews4Israel.org, to read about the election, to register, and to vote for “ARZA – Representing Reform Judaism.”

Youth

Shalom Gever | Peaceful Warrior Martial ArtsMondays & Wednesdays | 4:30–8 pmApril 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27 & 29REGISTER TODAY!!!Health, Healing and Self-DefenseTry out this unique martial arts instruction including lessons in how to live a healthy lifestyle, be energetic, do well in school, and learn anti-bullying self-defense. 12-week semesters for belt advancement. Drop-in when schedules permit. Enrollment is open for students and their parents. Shalom Gever is taught by Rabbi Peter Gluck, 5th Degree Black Belt and martial arts instructor for eighteen years. For more registration information, contact the Temple Beth Emeth offi ce at 665-4744 or [email protected] or Rabbi Gluck at [email protected]

Rishonim End-of-the-Year PartySunday, April 19 | 11:30 am-1 pm Join Rishonim for its end-of-year Mongo Brunch at Mongolian BBQ at 200 S. Main. Please RSVP to [email protected]. For students in grades 3-5.

Kadima End-of-the-Year PartySunday, April 19 | 3 pm-5 pm

Come out to Putterz at 2675 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti for Kadima’s end-of-the-year, putt-putt golf event. For students in grades 6-8.

JNN (Jewish Nerd Night)Sunday, April 19 | 7:30 pmJoin us for our monthly Jewish Nerd nights directly following Religious School on Sunday.

3Caring Community

Youth

Families with Young Children (FYC): Tot Shabbat Service Every FridayApril 10, 17, 24 (No Tot service April 3)Tot (0–5 year olds) Shabbat Services led by Rabbi Levy and Cantor Hayut, 6 pmDinner for Tot Shabbat, 6:30 pm Popsicle Oneg, 7 pm

All of your favorite songs led by TBE’s tot team, Cantor Hayut and Rabbi Levy will hold Tot Shabbat at 6 pm. Join us for macaroni and cheese, fi sh sticks, applesauce, and salad bar at 6:30 pm. Dinner is just $5 per person and this year you can buy a punch card ahead of time for a discounted price. Punch cards are available in the TBE offi ce.

Sukkat Shalom | The Peaceful Shelter of ShabbatElementary Shabbat Service with Rabbi LevyFriday, April 17 | 6 pm in the ChapelWe are expanding service off erings for our youngest members. What to do after Tot Shabbat no longers meets your needs and, more importantly, the needs of your children? Join with us for Sukkat Shalom, The Peaceful Shelter of Shabbat. Held also at 6 pm, when Tot Shabbat is held, this will be a quieter moment, more suitable for our children in grades K-3.

TNT: Trip to Detroit Downtown SynagogueFriday, April 24 | 5:30 pm (Services in Detroit at 7:00)Join us for a Shabbat experience at a diff erent synagogue. Services are egalitarian with a meal to

follow. The downtown synagogue is in the heart of downtown Detroit. There is an option to go out in the city following services and dinner. Contact aostfi [email protected] for more information.

4 Generation to Generation: Our School

8th Grade Trip to Cincinnati Friday, April 17-Sunday, April 19

• Stay at HUC dormitories (where Rabbi Levy and Rabbi Baden were ordained)• Visit historic Plum Street Temple, the Underground Railroad Freedom Center• Taste the culinary highlights-Skyline chili, Graeter’s ice cream

7th Grade Mitzvah Trip Sunday, April 19 | 1-3 pm | Natural Area Preservation at Mary Beth Doyle ParkAs part of the mitzvah “Taking Care of the Earth,” 7th graders will be clearing the trails at the park.

5th Grade Dinner and ServiceElementary No MoreFriday, April 24 | 5:45 pm Program and dinnerFriday, April 24 | 7:30 pmShabbat Service honoring 5th graders, Oneg provided by 5th grade parents

School Calendar

Friday, April 3 | Evening Pesach (home seders)

Saturday, April 4-Sunday, April 12 | No Religious or Hebrew School

Friday, April 17-Sunday, April 19 | 8th grade trip to Cincinnati

Sunday, April 19 | 1-3 pm | 7th grade Mitzvah Trip to Mary Beth Doyle Park with NAP

Monday, April 20 and Wednesday, April 22 | Last days Hebrew School

Saturday, April 25 | Last Saturday Religious School session

Places of Faith #2 | Interfaith Roundtable | April 7, 14, 21, 28 & May 5 | 7–9 pm Zion Lutheran ChurchA new 5-week series building on the last two years of the Interfaith Round Table series, Places of Faith #1 (visits to local houses of worship). What are the “big issues” that many faith traditions address? For two hours each week we will examine the texts and stories found in different sacred traditions in order to learn, compare and share what we find. What surprises us? How do other beliefs and traditions inform our own understandings of these issues? All of this and more will be explored. Cost for the series is $75.00 (most materials included). Email [email protected] for registration details, or go to www.irtwc.org.

Community Events

5B’nai MitzvahPlease Celebrate our B’nai Mitzvah With Us!

Saturday mornings at the 10 am service.

Saturday, April 18 | Max SteigerHi, my name is Max Steiger and I am a 7th grader at Honey Creek Community School. I live with my Mom, Dad, and two sisters named Ella and Sula. In my spare time, I enjoy rock climbing and voraciously reading Stephen King books. For my Bar Mitzvah project, I have been volunteering at a local nursing home where I provide companionship to the residents. While I started doing this work to support my Bar Mitzvah project, I really enjoy interacting with the residents as they are so incredibly insightful. I will continue this well after my Bar Mitzvah, and I plan on pursuing a career in nursing.

Contribution FormPlease find enclosed $________ as a donation to the _____________________________________________________

Fund in honor/memory of_________________________________TBE Funds: Adult Education, Building, Cantor’s Discretionary, Caring Community, Flower, General Fund, Isaac and Pearl Levine Educational, Genesis Landscape, Library, Melvin & Lois Levy Endowment Fund, Memorial Garden Care, Oneg Fund, Music, Professional Development Fund in Honor of Ronnie Simon, Rabbi Levy’s Discretionary, Religious Education, Social Action/Interfaith Hospitality Network, Spiritual Life, Year of Torah, Youth, Youth Scholarship.Sisterhood Funds: College Connections, Barbara F. Heilveil Campership Fund, Sponsorship Fund. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Please send acknowledgement to:

Name _________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________________

Donor’s Name_______________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, April 25 | Kathryn MillerMy name is Kathryn Miller. I am in 7th grade, and a life-long homeschooler. My parents are Renee and Mark Miller, and we live in Hartland. I have 2 older brothers named Joey and Aaron. I also have 3 dogs, a cat and 2 goldfish. I am very active with figure skating, archery and Krav Maga.

Saturday, April 25 | Jeremy SimonHi. My name is Jeremy Simon. I am a 7th grader at West Middle School in Plymouth. I live with my mom, Melissa, dad, Charlie, and my older sister, Ellie. I also have a dog named Cocoa. I am in the band at my school and play the euphonium. I like to ski, play video games, and read.

Mazel Tov to: Ted Lawrence on being named the new director of University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Condolences to: Alytia Levendosky, on the death of her mother Charlotte Levendosky, February 26.Janice Tainsh, on the death of her sister-in-law Dee Ann Levine, February 28.

Executive Director

6 Membership

2015-16 Membership Renewals Renewal packets have been mailed out to all current members. Please return your membership commitment forms to the TBE office by Friday, April 17.

For members paying dues by credit card or direct debit, you must reauthorize this option each year. Sustaining members pledge an additional $1,000 above their regular membership commitment. If you have questions about

becoming a sustaining member, please contact the office.

PDFs of membership forms can be found on our website, www.templebethemeth.org.

Tax Statements2014 Tax Statements were sent by email in early February. Should you need another copy of your statement, please contact the office at 665-4744 or email [email protected] and we can easily send you another copy.

New Staff!Alyssa Wealty, Communications Coordinator A native Texan who’s spent the last 5 years living in Germany and California due to her husband’s former career as a musician in the Air Force band, Alyssa moved to Michigan in June 2014. After having received a B.A. in English and Communications, working in communications positions and loving the diverse skills it requires, she pursued an M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communications, which she completed in August. Alyssa is so happy to meet and get to know the wonderful members of the TBE community and is excited to apply her skills here. She now handles monthly bulletins, weekly announcements, and other communications items for TBE. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] if you have any communications needs!

SooJi Min

More Community Events14th Annual Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival | April 12-16 | Michigan TheaterThis popular community event is sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor and showcases a variety of films over five days. Visit www.jccannarbor.org/#!film-festival/cyc6 to view the schedule and purchase tickets.

Camp RaananaThe JCC of Greater Ann Arbor’s CAMP RAANANA is offering eleven inspired weeks of summer, filled with outdoor activities. Camp Raanana will be held at both the JCC and the beautiful Camp Cedar Lake of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. Children entering grades K-5 participate as campers, the Junior CIT leadership program is for pre-teens entering grades 6–8, teens entering grades 9 and 10 can become paid CIT’s, and teens entering grades 11 and 12 can become paid Junior Counselors. Transportation between the JCC and Cedar Lake is provided. For more information or to register, please go to www.jccannarbor.org and click on “Camp Raanana” under “J-Camps” at the top of the page or call the JCC at 971-0990.

Learnings & TeachingsLearnings & Teachings

7Learnings & Teachings

Purim Thank Yous

Auction Items/DonationsTina BisselShlomit CohenColonial LanesCompassionate Care Animal HospitalElephant EarsEeta GershowSusan and Dave GittermanRachel GlickCantor HayutMarjorie Lesko/The Ann Arbor IndependentKathleen LeSueurRabbi LevyNancy Margolis

Affi liate GroupsR&RSisterhoodBrotherhoodTNT

In KindHaifa FalafelTios

Orbit Hair DesignRobin Pollak/Journeys InternationalAlex Roberts/Pet Supplies PlusRonnie ShapiroLori Shepard/Simply ScrumptiousJulie SteinerRyan SullivanMichael Susanne SalonTBE BrotherhoodStacy Williams/WhatscookingA2.com

Purim CommitteeSally Brieloff George Brieloff Carol MilsteinHeidi RuudAlex Wood

Second Night Seder at TBESaturday, April 4 | 6 pmDon’t miss TBE’s annual congregational Passover Seder (meat and vegetarian options available). Cost: $25 per adult (13 & older), $15 per child (4-12). Sign up and pay at www.templebethemeth.org.

Beyond Pentateuch: The Rest of the Hebrew Bible Thursday, April 9 | 7:30 pm Join us for a guided discussion as Professor Julian Levinson teaches Ruth. Participants will read from the ancient prophets, the historical narrative, from Joshua to the Babylonian exile, the poetry of Psalms, Job and more. Enjoy informal exchanges, learn from scholars and each other, and chat over refreshments after class. Registration is not required, but it will allow you to be emailed the texts in advance. To register, contact Leonore Gerstein at [email protected] or 930-1673.

Men’s Torah Study ReinventedMonday, April 13 & 27 | 7 pmA men’s Torah discussion group will be led by a lay leader on April 13 and by Rabbi Levy on April 27. Participants will fi nd their way as men by wrestling with text. For more information, contact Bill Parkus at [email protected].

Women’s Torah StudyMonday, April 13 & 27 | 7 pmAn in-depth study and lively discussion of the week’s Torah portion led by Cantor Regina Hayut. The group will explore various passages from the portion looking at several translations and commentaries from a variety of scholars from Talmudic times to the modern day. No Hebrew knowledge necessary to participate in the discussion. For questions, contact Cantor Regina Hayut at [email protected].

Yom HaAzmaut CelebrationSunday, April 26 | 6 pm | TBE

We’ll celebrate the national day of Israel with an all-ages event. We will serve an Israeli meal and end the evening with Israeli dancing! Advance ticket sale cost: $7 per adult (ages 13 & older) and $5 per child (ages 4-12). Cost at the door: $10 (ages 13 & older) and $7 (ages 4-12). Sign up and pay at

www.templebethemeth.org.

Clare Kinberg

8 Books & More

Passover Books for Students and Their FamiliesJust a few of my favorites from among our 120 Passover titles for children.

For the youngest A Tree Trunk Seder, by Camille Kress. Who knew the squirrel family was Jewish?

Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah and Sammy Spider’s First Passover, by Sylvia Rouss. The Sammy Spider books (we have 15 different titles!) are always a good introduction to the holidays. Several books are also available for purchase at the TBE Gift Shop. Stories to read with the family, all ages

Nachshon Who Was Afraid to Swim, by Deborah Bodin Cohen (2009). Captures one of the enduring Passover themes.

Seder in the Desert, by “the adventure rabbi,” Jamie Korngold, a new book with exciting photos of celebrating a seder in the Red Rock Desert (2014).

Shlemiel Crooks, by Anna Olswanger (2005). If you have a penchant for yiddishisms, old St. Louis, or tall tales, you’ll have some fun with this.

Miriam’s Cup, by Fran Manushkin (1998). This story within a story manages to tell the traditional Pesach tale, with emphasis on the women, while explaining the new tradition of placing a cup for

Moses’ sister Miriam on the seder table.

The Yankee at the Seder, by Elke Weber (2009). What did Passover mean to Jews in the American South during the Civil War? This book with a compelling simple story is a great discussion starter.

For primary grade readersRabbi Rocketpower and the Half-baked Matzah Mystery, by Rabbi Susan Abramson (2009). Popular and fun for young readers.

Private Joel and the Sewell Mountain Seder, by Bryna Fireside (2008). Another Civil War placed Passover story, this one imaging Passover celebrated with a few of the 180,000 African Americans who served in the Union Army.

The whole family learning about PassoverThe Passover Journey, by Barbara Diamond Goldin (1994). Beautifully illustrated by Neil Waldman, this book tells the Exodus story, explains the seder rituals and symbols, and tells you how to conduct a seder.

Passover A-Z, by Smadar Shir Sidi (1989). A Hebrew alef bet book that has hundreds of Passover words. Lots of fun learning.

TBE Sponsors “Flory’s Flame” Documentary | Jewish Film Festival Sunday, April 12 | 6:30 pm | Michigan Theater Flory Jagoda's 1 hour documentary, "Flory's Flame," will be the opening and highlight feature movie at the Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival at The Michigan Theater. This is the story of a woman, a Holocaust survivor, that devoted her entire life to teaching and performing Sephardic/Ladino music.

Flory, her daughter Betty, and an accompanying musician will perform live right after the documentary.

Here is the link below for a sneak preview: http://www.florysflamemovie.com/


The Trouble with Ritual, by Rabbi Robert LevyOne of the most profound (and overlooked) parts of the Seder occurs close to the beginning. The middle matzah is broken in half. The larger half is saved for “dessert”, or afikomen, and the the smaller half replaced into the middle. While all attention is focused on the afikomen and its later search and reward, the leader reads:

This is the bread of affliction, the simple bread which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat with us. Let all who are enslaved become free. Let all who are oppressed become liberated.While we take the search for the afikomen and its reward with appropriate seriousness, making sure that it is well hidden, that the prize for its finding is appropriate, and that all the children who take part in the search feel rewarded, the seder itself conspires to discount the import of the accompanying words.

We really do not want strange hungry people to come through the door, as we read, taking the seats of those momentarily excused from the table or squeezing an extra chair or two between Uncle Harry and Aunt Sophie. Indeed, as I was taught by Rabbi David Aaron, it would actually be too late to invite extra folk to join us, inasmuch as the reading, though early in the seder, comes after the first cup of wine, so our hungry new guests would only drink 3 and not 4 cups of wine. Are the hungry to be excluded from a complete seder experience?

No, because there is no desire in the seder to do what we say! I know that many of us are thoughtful concerning those who might not have a place to attend a seder for whatever reason. We often invite guests in advance of whom we know little. But no one, no one, expects new guests to arrive in response to our “plea.”

Yet the paragraph does not seem completely inappropriate because it reflects so well our Jewish heart’s desire to associate freedom with sustenance and hospitality. We do not experience the reading as the lie it is because feeding the hungry is so deeply enmeshed into our social consciousness. If the paragraph spoke of inviting in the “other” for new clothes, or specified the just-in-time appearance of an “orphan” who would sit next to some parent for the evening, we would be so weirded out that the paragraph never would have survived.

Brot to Freedom, by Cantor Hayut Passover cuisine is a task that isn’t taken lightly in our home. We always like to cook delicious meals, but finding that balance between the bread of affliction and the sweetness of freedom is not always so easy to strike. Incredibly, I had found that balance in a word: Mandelbread.

Yes—that sweet, dry, crumbly dessert that, until I got a KitchenAid mixer, was quite a task to make. However, so beloved at family Seders, I reveled in making it for anyone who asked. For me, it became a paradigm of what Passover represents.

It was a time of hard labor—creaming the sugar with the butter by hand, which for a weakling like me was quite an arduous task. Have you ever tried to mix anything into a block of cold butter? The task took a very long time and left my hands and arms and whole body exhausted. And that was only the first step!

It was a time of making bricks—finding just the right matzah cake meal isn’t so difficult these days, but carefully measuring so that mixing all of that dryness into my already dense butter mixture to create the perfect batter consistency is an art! (Yes, once it was so dense that no one could bite through a piece!) Then comes the time for forming the loafs—just big enough so that it cooks evenly and small enough for a conveniently sized cookie when sliced. Of course, it must be placed on the middle shelf of a properly pre-heated oven for nearly an hour (just didn’t cook right if the oven wasn’t at temperature when the loafs were placed into it). And the loafs must be removed at just the right time as the house begins to have that wonderful fresh-baked smell. After a bit of carefully timed cooling, they are easy to cut without crumbling apart. I often didn’t quite get that last step right with all of the other cooking going on. Surely the task masters would have beaten me for that in Egypt, but in New Jersey, it was a welcomed taste of the delicious, so no one complained.

It was a time for eating unleavened bread—the utter lack of fluffiness in this cookie and the thick matzah taste may sound like a deterrent to its consumption, but for my family and friends, my mandelbread, that came from my first synagogue cookbook, was the perfect balance of bread of affliction and the sweetness of freedom. Always containing copious amounts of chocolate chips and often walnuts and sometimes even dried cranberries or dried blueberries, the balance of the crumbliness of the matzah treat and the sweetness of the cookie were a reminder of the challenges we faced then and still do today.

As always, I look forward to the celebration of Passover with enthusiasm. Somehow this holiday filled with remembrances of our suffering as slaves and the privilege of freedom truly fills me with gratitude year after year.

9

-continued on page 13

A Tale of Two Matzah Balls, by Terri Ginsburg I was blessed with two grandmothers who were great cooks. Grandma was born in Ohio and was fastidious about following recipes when she cooked. Her specialties were cakes that were light and moist, even those that were for Passover. Bubie was born in Opt, Poland, moved to Toronto as a teen and and lived in Toronto for 75 years. She cooked up feasts for each Jewish holiday, and never used a recipe.

Every year for Pesach, my Ohio grandparents would drive to Philadelphia, where we lived, with a trunk full of Kosher for Passover cooking and baking utensils. My grandfather would unload the trunk and my grandmother would start cooking for the seder. My brothers and sister and I would hang around the kitchen until it was time to lick the bowl and beaters from the mixer. Then we all went outside to play because my grandmother was a nervous wreck that our bouncing, jumping and running around inside the house would cause the cake to fall.

As the moment arrived at the seder when my mother brought the chicken soup with matzah balls out to the table, my father would take a taste of the matzah ball that his mother-in-law made and say, “You call this a matzah ball? I thought that they were supposed to be small, hard and sit like a lump in your stomach”.

I never quite understood what my father meant until one year we went up to Toronto for Passover. Bubie had made a delicious dinner for the seder, including chicken soup with matzah balls. They were delicious, but hard, a different experience altogether. “Ah….” my father said, “Now that’s a matzah ball”.

I guess the fact that my matzah balls seem to vary from year to year shows what happens when you learn to cook from two grandmothers. Grandma gave me her recipe and I followed my Bubie around and measured the ingredients before she threw them into the bowl. My own mother, a cook of the 50’s and 60’s, made her matzah balls from a mix.

Over the years I have tried different techniques to make the matzah balls soft and fluffy. The key seems to be keeping the pot covered while they are cooking (difficult to do if you are a cook who likes to check how the food is doing!), handling the dough lightly (impossible when I had little children as helpers) and beating more air into the eggs before adding them. Even after my scientific experiments, it still seems to be primarily a matter of chance, but no one ever complains. The magic of matzah balls is the connection with our culinary past and the love that goes into them.


How to Drive While Eating the Afikoman, by Avital Ostfield

I was born on the seventh day of Passover. Almost a month early. My family has since joked that I was always in a hurry and that I never did anything the easy way. The same was true of my driver’s permit. My family was hesitant about letting their always in a hurry daughter behind the wheel of a car. So I found myself, almost 15, with no real shot at getting to drive like the rest of my friends.

At that year’s seder we were hosting our regular crew, and it was time to deal with the afikoman. My little sister and I secretly started looking before we were allowed. We found it hanging on a string from the laundry chute. We snuck the afikoman up to my bedroom and stole the matzah from the bag. We switched it out with a Santa Claus cardboard cutout of a similar shape and size (and probably taste, let’s be serious) and re-hid the afikoman in a new place.

We let someone else find it, collect the prize, and the glory and we continued on with the seder. Once it came to a close and all that was left was to eat the afikoman, I knew I was on. My father unwrapped what he thought was matzah to find not only the cardboard, but a ransom note.

The moment was one of total uncertainty but he chose to take it light heartedly and the next day I woke up to my birth certificate! My dad vowed to keep the note and read it again at my wedding.

My name is Avital , I am the kidnapper of the Afikoman . I have but one simple demand. If you want your precious “dessert,” you must comply with my demand. This is for Tamar and John Ostfield. Since I am 15, my demand is quite simple and not outrageous! I want to get my permit! Without your precious matzah you cannot finish the seder, which basically means I am the one with the power! THIS IS YOUR RANSOM NOTE! Oh , and my accomplice would like a CD to enrich her musical repertoire . And we, of course, would like the intended prize as well or the deal is off! If you do not comply, I wish you luck while you sleep at night! GOOD BYE….Enjoy the rest of your life .

10

Reflections on Passover, by Marianne Aaron My very favorite Jewish holiday is Pesach and it has always been so since I was a child. I have so many memories – at less than 7 years old reciting Ma Nishtana at a community seder, which my father conducted (he was a cantor) at the B’nai B’rith lodge in Germany, where everyone was all dressed up including the men wearing top hats.

Today I love the holiday because it is one of the few times that our whole family can get together and that can only happen every other year because our youngest son is a Congregational Rabbi, so duties require him to be present for a 2nd night Seder in California. Our oldest son, David, is very creative and writes a new Haggadah each year. We hold our Seder at Richard and Yuni’s home because that’s more spacious than our own condo. To celebrate with our sons, daughters-in-law and 6 grandchildren is always the highlight of my year.

Although matzot don’t agree with most people I know, Pesach is also about food. I start thinking about what to make for Seder just around Purim. I have dozens of Sisterhood Cookbooks that I’ve accumulated, as well as many that are designated only for Pesach. I take them all out, study them thoroughly, perhaps try one new recipe and then make the same things that I’ve been making for over 50 years. Perfectly round matzah balls in homemade chicken soup are an absolute must. Among the main dishes are the usual salad, brisket, chicken, sweet and sour tongue, twice baked potatoes, asparagus etc...desserts are my favorite things, so there’s mocha mousse (in the TBE cookbook), a flourless chocolate cake, found in the NY Times about 55 years ago, an almond, apricot cake, strawberries, hazelnut cookies and more. My freezer overflows!

You might notice that I forgot to mention gefilte fish. That’s because every year, along with the telling of the Exodus story, we remember our Gefilte Fish Story. When we came to the US in January of 1939, none of us spoke any English. My brother, Sam, and I attended a “Foreign Class” at PS 27 in New York from February until we moved to Worcester, MA that June, where my father became the Cantor at Temple Emanuel. By the time we moved there, my English was excellent and everyone thought I was born in the Bronx. The younger you are, the less likely you are to retain any accent. Needless to say, my mother never ventured anywhere without taking me (or Sam) along so that we could interpret for her. My father, an avid reader, taught himself English quite rapidly. The thing that frightened my mother most was that she couldn’t talk on the phone because pointing and sign language are of no use.



Bring a “Raisin Mind” to the Seder Table, by SooJi MinShortly after I converted to Judaism, I tried very hard to keep kosher. Following the practice of kashrut, for me, was a way to remember the teaching that what comes out of your mouth (words, tone) matter just as much as what you eat. Similarly, the practice of mindfulness teaches me to appreciate every aspect of what it means to be alive—to be fully present with each and every breath. Mindful eating helps to reconnect all of our senses. It liberates me from my habits. This Passover, try and approach the Seder meal as if it was your first. Set aside five to ten minutes when you can be alone and undisturbed. Read through the instructions below to get an idea of what’s required. Then spend about 20-30 seconds focusing on each step.

1. HoldingTake one of the raisins (or a dried fruit or nut) and hold it in the palm of your hand, or between your fingers and thumb. Focus on it, approaching it as if you have never seen anything like it before. Can you feel the weight of it in your hand? Does it cast a shadow on your palm?

2. SeeingTake the time to really see the raisin. Imagine you have never seen one before. Look at it with great care and full attention. Let your eyes explore every part of it. Examine the highlights where the light shines; the darker the hollows, the folds and ridges.

3. TouchingTurn the raisin over between your fingers, exploring its texture. How does it feel between the forefinger and thumb of the other hand?

4. SmellingNow, holding it beneath your nose, see what you notice with each inhalation. Does it have a scent? Let it fill your awareness. And if there is no scent, or very little, notice this as well.

5. PlacingSlowly take the object to your mouth and notice how your hand and arm know exactly where to put it. And then gently place it in your mouth, noticing what the tongue does to “receive” it. Without chewing, simply explore the sensations of having it on your tongue. Gradually begin to explore the object with your tongue, continuing for 30 seconds or more, if you choose.

6. ChewingWhen ready, consciously take a bite into the raisin and notice the effects on the object, and in your mouth. Notice any tastes that it releases. Feel the texture as your teeth bite into it. Continue slowly chewing it, but do not swallow it just yet. Notice what is happening in the mouth.


11

Savory Seder, by Bobbi Heilveil Having grown up in a culturally Jewish home my memories of Passover are different than most. Passover was “celebrated” by attending a festive family meal either at home or in a catering hall. Standing rib roast was the main course served at Passover meals and on all other holidays. When I was 16, though, I was sent to my aunt’s home in Woodbine, NJ, a Barron De Hirsch community, where I participated in my first traditional Seder. It was an evening about which stories are written.

My awareness of what Passover really was and how it should be celebrated actually developed after we moved to Ann Arbor. Going through weekend religious and Hebrew schools and JCC day camps from the time I was 6 until Confirmation at 16 made me familiar with history, culture, Bible and Hebrew but gave me little experience with celebrations and home practices. Beginning in 1974, three things happened to change my Jewish life. We moved to Ann Arbor from the East and joined Temple Beth Emeth, my older sons began religious school and I joined our Sisterhood.

Our religious school taught both the facts and customs surrounding holidays so the boys brought home prayers, recipes and practices we could incorporate into our home celebrations. Members of Sisterhood demonstrated cooking techniques and made sure that everyone had a place to go for the holidays. Our first Ann Arbor Passover was spent celebrating with other young families and using a Southwestern themed Haggadah. Soon after, I began to work in our religious school and spent a great deal of time researching family holiday practices. Each holiday covered in the school curriculum included a section on home celebration so that other families like mine could develop traditions of their own.

I became active in Sisterhood and made friends with many women from our congregation as well as around the state and nationally. One of my fondest memories is of my family being one of three to participate in a Persian Seder put on by Perichur Yomtoob, then Sisterhood district president. The evening was filled with new words, wonderful foods and traditions that have been included in our Seders to this day. Thirty-two years after that fantastic evening someone always arrives with green onions to use on the person sitting next to them while singing Dayenu, although these days the onions rarely make it to the table in one piece.

Over the years we have used a variety of services, some printed and others adapted for the needs of our participants, turned to more traditional foods (brisket has replaced roast beef ) and expanded our family from 5 to 12 with room for anyone who would like to join us. Our Seder now changes locations and is sometimes held on nights other than the 1st due to scheduling conflicts but it is a time when everyone sets aside their lives to travel, sometimes long distances, to share food in good company while retelling our story so it can never be forgotten.


Reflections on Passover, continuedOne day, everyone was out and so my mother had little choice but to answer the phone. She picked up the receiver and timidly said, “Hallo”...a very friendly woman’s voice on the other end responded, “Is this Mrs. Adler? I’m Mrs. Abeles, the Temple Sisterhood President”....“We heard that you are a very good cook and we were wondering if you would be willing to share your recipe for gefilte fish with us?” “Gefilte Fish?” my mother repeated. “Yes, your recipe for gefilte fish”....”I don’t know, what is Gefilte Fish?” my mother cautiously asked. “Oh,” Mrs. Abeles said and slammed down the receiver.

She then proceeded to call her Sisterhood board to tell them, “Our new cantor’s wife isn’t Jewish!” When she informed Rabbi Olan of that fact, he assured her that he had met Mrs. Adler and that she was indeed Jewish.

When we came home, my mother reported this conversation to us and none of us could help her because we didn’t know what gefilte fish was either. It is a German custom to eat sweet and sour carp and so it wasn’t until we came to the U.S. that we heard of the Eastern Europeans’ gefilte fish. Several years later, after doing her Pesach shopping in the Jewish markets of Worcester, my mother came home with a huge grin on her face. She was selecting from the jars of Gefilte Fish and found a new brand called “Mrs. Adler’s Gefilte Fish.” Some markets still carry it today.

12

A Raisin Mind, Continued7. SwallowingSee if you can detect the first intention to swallow as it arises in your mind, experiencing it with full awareness before you actually swallow. Notice what the tongue does to prepare for swallowing. See if you can follow the sensations of swallowing the raisin. If you can, consciously sense it as it moves down into your stomach. And if you don’t swallow it all at one time, consciously notice a second or even a third swallow, until it has all gone. Notice what the tongue does after you have swallowed.

8. After EffectsFinally, spend a few moments registering the aftermath of this eating. Is there an aftertaste? What does the absence of the raisin feel like? Is there an automatic tendency to look for another?

(Excerpted from Mark William and Danny Penman’s Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World.)

Caring Community

Passover Food Memories: Surviving Passover in the Borscht Belt, by Chef Burt Steinberg

In order to understand how Passover and Jewish food in general played a prominent role in my youth, you need to know that I spent my formative years in the Catskill Mountains….more specifically at The Concord Hotel and Resort. My family lived within the resort complex, and my parents owned the hotel beauty shop and worked there. My Dad was a renowned (at least in his mind) hair colorist and my mother was a manicurist. So, the hotel was literally my entire world.

At that time, The Concord was advertised as the largest resort hotel in the country. People travelled from New York City and the surrounding areas to spend the Passover holiday there as it transformed into essentially “the largest synagogue in the country.” My family was not especially religious, but my parents were determined that I would have a Bar Mitzvah…even though the only synagogue in my town was Orthodox. But, they couldn’t have been more Jewish when it came to food. In its heyday, The Concord was known for its kosher cuisine and the chefs from the hotel kitchen would bring my parents endless creamed lox(to die for), creamed herring (to die for), white fish, the best steaks and scrumptious baked goods including chocolate chip pound cake, New York style cheesecake and linzer tortes. Our home kitchen was filled with these Jewish culinary delights. However, at Passover, it all stopped!! Of course, the hotel adhered to traditional Passover dietary restrictions serving no “chametz” in either the formal dining room or in the coffee shop. As a boy, this was, to say the least, a “bummer.”

However, since most of the hotel shops were closed during the holiday, Passover afforded my family a rare opportunity. My parents, aunts, uncles and cousins, all of whom lived in close proximity to the hotel and for the most part worked in some capacity for the hotel, gathered in my family’s dining room for a Passover feast. My mother and aunts would do the preparation and most of the cooking, but my Grandmother would make her famous “Passover Egg and Onion” dish. It was served as an appetizer with matzoh and was so moist and delicious that we couldn’t get enough of it. To this day, I make it and it is always well received. Actually, I’m not sure how I managed to get the recipe because I remember asking my grandmother how to make her famous “E&O”. She looked at me with her steely grey eyes and said, “Cooking is for girls!” I often wonder what she would have said if she had lived long enough to know that I became a chef.

Those Passover Seders are truly among the best family memories of my youth. The fact that we used that time to gather, reconnect and enjoy the holiday did a lot toward making a young boy appreciate what he had, rather than focusing on the crisis of the “chametz” that was temporarily taken away!

Abode: Passover Foods Beyond the Tastebuds 13

The Trouble with Ritual, continuedYet we are so at ease with the words, “Let all who are hungry come and eat,” because we believe them even when we don’t exactly mean them. It’s our sacred rehearsal of our commitment to repairing our world.

Sacred rehearsal is the theme of the entire seder evening: Pretending that we were slaves, acting like Romans at a feast with wine aplenty, and being wise, simple, young, and even evil all at the same time; and caring enough to interrupt our plans to share our plenty with those who lack sustenance.

Marianne Aaron has been a member of TBE since moving to Ann Arbor 8 years ago. She’s always been active in Temple life wherever her husband, Ronald, and she have lived. She’s an artist specializing in Judaic art such as Ketubot and Bar/Bat Mitzvah plaques. Her proudest achievements though are her three sons and their families.

Burt Steinberg is a semi-retired chef who is a member of TBE along with his wife, Ava Adler. He earned a teaching certificate from EMU in Art Education but ended up with a career in the hospitality/culinary arts field.

Bobbi Heilveil, trained as a teacher, moved with her family to Ann Arbor in 1974 where she joined Temple Beth Emeth. She has worked in TBE’s Religious School, directed Raanana Day Camp at the JCC and for 20 + years and was the House Director at U of M’s Delta Eta Chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon. She continues to be an active volunteer at TBE and in the Ann Arbor community.

Guest Contributors to the Special Issue

1

5 6 8

1312 14 15

19 20 21 22

26 27 28 29

7

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

April 2015

Jewish Film Festival

1 pm Mahj – off site4:15 pm Hebrew School4:30 pm Shalom Gever4:30 pm 5th & 6th Grade Model Seder5:30 pm Hebrew 1015:40 pm All-Sch. Sing Along7:30 pm Board Mtg.

2:30 pm FGCK4:30 pm Shalom Gever

7:30 pm Kol Halev 4:30 pm Shalom Gever7 pm SRHD Series7:30 pm Pulpit Committee

4:15 pm Hebrew School4:30 pm Shalom Gever5:40 pm Youth Choir7 pm Men’s Torah Study7 pm Women’s Torah Study

7 pm ICPJ Meet and Greet7:30 pm Kol Halev6 pm SRHD Dinner & Movie

1 pm Mahj – off site4:15 pm Hebrew School4:30 pm Shalom Gever5:40 pm Youth Choir7 pm Generations After Rehearsal7 pm Executive Committee Mtg.

12 pm Rishonim: BD’s Mongolian BBQ1 pm 7th Grade Field Trip: Natural Area Preservation5 pm Basic Judaism5 pm Shir Chadash6 pm Religious School6:15 pm Kol Halev7 pm Trinkets & Treasure7:30 pm AARTY: JNN

4:15 pm Hebrew School4:30 pm Shalom Gever5:40 pm Youth Choir7:30 pm Finance Committee Mtg.

7 pm Interfaith Panel for Women

4:15 pm Hebrew School4:30 pm Shalom Gever5:40 pm Youth Choir7 pm Genesis Board Mtg.

Last Day of Religious School1 pm GNS Grounds Clean Up 5 pm Shir Chadash6 pm Religious School6 pm Yom HaAtzmaut Event6:15 pm Kol Halev

4:30 pm Shalom Gever7 pm Men’s Torah Study7 pm Women’s Torah’s Study

1 pm Cemetery Committee Mtg.7 pm BDFP Volunteer Mtg. 7:30 pm Finance Committee Mtg.

4:30 pm Shalom Gever

Passover

No Religious or Hebrew School - AAPS Spring Break

8th Grade Trip

No School

AARTY .. Ann Arbor Temple YouthJNN........Jewish Nerd NightSRHD.....SisterhoodGNS........GenesisBDFP.......Back Door Food PantryMtg.........Meeting FGCK.......Food Gatherers Community KitchenICPJ.........Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice

4

9 10 11

16 17 18

23 24 25

32

30

Thursday Friday Saturday

Nisan- Iyar • 5775Noon Yoga with Shlomit4 pm BDFP

8:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Chapel Service6 pm Second Night Seder at TBE

11:45 am Sisterhood Board Mtg.7:30 pm Beyond Pentateuch: The Rest of the Hebrew Bible4 pm BDFP

TBE Office Closed11 am Passover Service & Lunch6 pm Tot Shabbat6:30 pm Tot Dinner & Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | Birthday & Anniversary Celebration

8:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Chapel Service2:30 pm Food Gatherers Community Kitchen

4 pm BDFP7:30 pm Membership Committee Mtg.

12:30 pm Rabbi’s Lunch & Learn6 pm Sukkat Shalom6 pm Tot Shabbat6:30 pm Tot Dinner and Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | Generations After Yom Hashoah

8:30 am Religious School8:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am Bar Mitzvah: Max Steiger10:45 am Religious School10:45 am Pre-School 3 Class Meets11 am Madrichim Training

4 pm BDFP 12:30 pm Rabbi’s Lunch & Learn5 pm TNT: Trip to Detroit Downtown Synagogue5:45 pm 5th Grade Family Program6 pm Tot Shabbat6:30 pm Tot Dinner and Popsicle Oneg7:30 pm Shabbat Service | 5th Grade Family Service

8:30 am Religious School8:50 am Torah Study with Rabbi10 am B’nai Mitzvah: Katie Miller & Jeremy Simon10:45 am Religious School10:45 am Pre-School Class 3 Meets

6 pm Brotherhood Dinner at Grizzly Peak

Passover

Passover

8th Grade Trip to HUC

No Religious and Hebrew School - AAPS Spring Break

No Religious and Hebrew School - AAPS Spring BreakJewish Film Festival

16 Social ActionSocial Action Committee Meeting Dates: Monday, May 18 | 7-9 pm, Adult LoungeSAC Retreat | June 2015 TBDUpcoming EventsThe Homestretch Documentary | Wednesday, April 1 | 6:30 pm | Michigan TheaterJoin Social Action for a viewing of this documentary they’re sponsoring in partnership with Ozone House. The Homestretch follows three homeless teens as they brave the Chicago winters, the pressures of high school, and life alone on the streets to build a brighter future. Against all odds, these kids defy stereotypes as they create new, surprising defi nitions of home. Admission is free and open to the public.

Mitzvah Day at Alpha House | Sunday, May 31 | Alpha HouseBack by popular demand, Mitzvah Day returns, and we’re returning to Alpha

House to do a variety of activities. Please mark your calendars for the morning shift (starting at 8:30 am), afternoon shift (starting at 1 pm) or both! There will be a lunch and service from Noon–1 pm. A perfect opportunity for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and the entire family to share in the joy of healing the world together! Children under the age of 16 are welcome with an adult. Join us in a fun and rewarding opportunity for Tikkun Olam. Coordinators are Bob

Milstein, [email protected], Marty Ludington, [email protected], and Helena Robinovitz, [email protected].

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) at Alpha House 2015 Dates of Service: June 8-14, August 24-30, December 21-27 Alpha House needs YOU! 5:30 pm: Drop off a child-friendly meal for 25; 5:30-7 pm: serve the meal and clean up; 7-8 pm supervise playtime for resident children; or 9 pm-7 am spend the night. Questions? Contact Helena Robinovitz: [email protected] or 475-7751.

Back Door Food PantryOur current NEEDS include: Financial donations to help cover our increasing food bills and Popular Items on Food Gatherers’ shopping lists: toiletries (especially soap, body lotions and tooth care products), canned garbanzo and dry (non-pinto) beans , non-dairy milk substitutes, plain canned tomatoes, baking ingredients, condiments, tea and toff ee. Thank you for continuing to support the BDFP. For more information about the Back Door Food Pantry, please contact [email protected].

As you clean out chametz, please consider donating the following to the BDFP: Anything made from wheat, barley, rye, spelt and oats that is not labelled “Kosher for Passover” and kitniot (rice, millet, corn, legumes and lentils) if you do not eat these items during Pesach.

Chair, Interfaith Eff orts, Aff ordable Housing AdvocacyShoshana Mandel Warner

VP, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) liaison, Co-Genesis Faith and Food Garden CoordinatorBob Milstein

Religious School liaison, Youth Advocate Abbie Egherman

Co-Genesis Faith and Food Garden CoordinatorLisa Perschke

Archivist, CommunicationsEd Davidson

Back Door Food Pantry Co-CoordinatorEllie Davidson

Crop Walk Coordinator, Poverty and International Debt Relief Eff ortsSusan Beckett

Youth OutreachMarian Cohen

SAC Shabbat Simone Yehuda

Israel peace initiatives, Hand in Hand Schools liaisonIrene Butter

Food Gatherers Community Kitchen at Delonis CoordinatorYuni Aaron

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) at Alpha House coordinatorHelena Robinovitz

Recording Secretary, Human Traffi cking Elizabeth Wojtowycz

Rotating Shelter Coordinator, Sisterhood liaisonMiriam Shaw


Dessert Meeting for Volunteers | Tuesday, April 28 | 7-9 pmAll current and past BDFP volunteers are invited to join us in the social hall. Rabbi Levy and Reverend Rhodenhiser will welcome everyone and Food Gatherers’ CEO and President, Eileen Spring, will update us about the agency.

Bursting the Bubble in Israelby Lee Gordon

Ms. Yaeli Keinan, who is now 19, studied at the Hand in Hand integrated Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem from first grade through high school, where she graduated in 2013. By third grade Yaeli, who is Jewish, was fluent in both Hebrew and Arabic, and by high school, fluent in English as well.

After 6th grade, many of Yaeli’s Jewish classmates left the Hand in Hand school and went to larger Jewish-only schools. In her early years of high school, on numerous occasions, Jewish friends from other schools would suggest to her to leave Hand in Hand and come to larger Jewish high schools where there were “more cute guys” and more electives to choose from. Yaeli would say, that “every day, I consciously choose to stay at Hand in Hand because it is what I believe in; it is what is right.”

Hand in Hand now has five integrated Jewish-Arab schools in Israel, with over 1,200 Israeli Arab and Jewish students and thousands of Arab and Jewish adults who participate in regular joint programs and activities. All of this began with 50 children in kindergarten and first grade and their pioneering parents who believed (and still believe) in a different future for Israeli society; one with partnership and coexistence between its Jewish and Arab citizens.

Yaeli and her parents were among these visionary pioneers who have helped build this new and sustainable model for integrated education. Today, Yaeli is in the Israeli army, doing her mandatory two years’ of service. After graduation and prior to entering the military, she chose to volunteer for a gap year at an underprivileged school in the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva.

While in 12th grade, prior to graduating from Hand in Hand, Yaeli said, “The key word here is understanding and dialogue, and coming to the point where you can actually listen to the person who is talking to you, and get him to listen to you; and the Hand in Hand school is a big part of the person I am today, and I am proud of it.”

Many people outside of Hand in Hand say it is a bubble, and that even though in our school there is Jewish-Arab understanding, partnership and coexistence, the rest of Israeli society does not have this and because of this Hand in Hand is unrealistic. But Yaeli Keinan thinks differently. She says, “Actually Hand in Hand is the reality and it is the rest of society that is the bubble, and our job is to go out there and burst that bubble and expand the reality of Hand in Hand”.

This is indeed what Yaeli and the other Hand in Hand students, families, teachers and partners are doing: helping to “burst the bubble” of isolation and segregation in Israeli society; helping to create a wonderful new model of education where Jews and Arab can learn together and live together.

Hand in Hand 17Hand in Hand Jewish-Arab Schools

More Announcements

TBE Sisterhood Gift Shop

WED 5:30-7 pm, SUN 5:30-7 pm FRIDAY 6:30-7:30 pm

or By AppointmentCall Amy Paberzs at 668-6842

Help Wanted Genesis Grounds Spring Clean-up Sunday, April 26 |1- 4pm

Only an hour to spare? Perfect! Join us as we tidy up the grounds. Contact [email protected] for mor information.

18

Questions? Noreen DeYoung, [email protected].

TBE SisterhoodAttn: Membership,

2309 Packard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Yes! I want to join the TBE Sisterhood and share in the mitzvah of helping my community.Name ____________________________________________________Address __________________________________________________Phone________________ Email ______________________________

Please send a check (separate from your Temple dues) for $36 (basic membership level) or make an additional donation by paying $54 or $72 (support at this level lets Sisterhood provide more to the community) to:

Sparks of Our Flame - SisterhoodThe weekend of Feb. 20-21, 2015, Temple Beth Emeth Sisterhood held its Sisterhood Shabbat Service and invited a WRJ representative to speak to us. We also invited all the Sisterhoods within an hour of us to come for both or either of the events.

Sharon Benoff came to Ann Arbor and delivered an inspiring and illuminating D’var Torah for us on Friday night at services. Our committee who developed the Shabbat service were excellent and interspersed poems by Margie Percy and other women poets in our readings.

Looking around prior to the service, we had Sisterhood members (from any Sisterhood and at all levels of responsibility) stand and be acknowledged. Sandy Adland, President of WRJ Central District, also came from Canton, OH to our weekend. Laurie Blinder, another WRJ Board Member also came for services.

Saturday we held a workshop with members from Kol Ami, Shir Tikvah, and Temple Israel as well as members of our Social Action Committee at TBE. The focus for our Saturday meeting was Social Action. Sharon briefl y spoke about WRJ and its history and leadership in social initiatives, both Jewish and humanitarian. We then discussed RAC (Religious Action Center, which we support) and some of the new WRJ Resolutions and initiatives; we worked as small groups on packets of information on resolutions covering: reproductive rights, LGBT issues, race relations, pay equity, immigration, and Israel.

The idea was to take these issues and come up with resources, initiatives and programs that might help us work on them within our Sisterhood and in a larger context. If you have an interest in any of these, it might be time to look at developing a program responding to them.

President

Hillary Handwerger

VP AdministrationBobbi Heilveil

VP MembershipNoreen DeYoung

VP Programming Carol Milstein

VP Fundraising &Social Action

Yuni Aaron

TreasurerFredda Unangst

Recording Secretary

Jackie MooreCorresponding Secretary

Emily Miller

Websitewww.tbesisterhood.org


Upcoming EventsTrinkets and TreasuresSunday, April 19 | 7:30-9:30 pmTBE Social HallSisterhood is delighted to introduce the fi rst annual Trinkets and Treasures. This is the fi rst in a series of activities highlighting TBE Sisterhood’s commitment to sustainability.

At Trinkets and Treasures – A Party! attendees will fi nd a collection of much loved, gently used and new items, specifi cally donated for this event. Included are myriads of wonderful hidden fi nds, such as retired Vera Bradley items, Detroit Tiger’s tickets, jewelry, artwork, gadgets, hand-knit items, gift cards, pottery, tableware, fashion accessories, clothing (even an inherited fur coat!) and much, much more.

TBE Sisterhood Presents

TRINKETS AND TREASURES

Shopping, Recycling, Fundraising in Style

TRINKETS AND TREASURESSunday, April 19, 2015, 7:30-9:30 p.m. TBE Social Hall

TBE Sisterhood Presents

TRINKETS AND TREASURES

19Sparks of Our Flame - Brotherhood

PresidentGeorge Brieloff [email protected]

TreasurerMarty Ludington [email protected] Vice President, Religious ProgrammingRoger Stutesman [email protected]

Vice President Larry Yonovitz [email protected]

Website tbebrotherhood.weebly.com/

Membership Form 2014/2015We focus on what our membership really wants and needs. Past experience tells us that this does not appear to be monthly social meetings with speakers, deli trays and poker. The range of our events in the last few years is too big to list here, but we do know that an opportunity for fellowship will get attention and an email for help will get the job done. Check our website: http://www.templebethemeth.org/tbe/brotherhood.

Questions? Contact George Brieloff at [email protected]

Temple Beth EmethAttn: Brotherhood,

2309 Packard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Name _______________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________Phone ______________________________________________________Email _______________________________________________________

Return form with check for $40 dues, optional $50, $75 to:

Brotherhood has a number of wonderful events between now and the end of June. There is something for everyone so please take a look and join us.

Thursday, April 30 | 6-7:30 pm | Dinner @ Grizzly Peak. Guys dinner out. Join us for some great food and spectacular company. To RSVP, contact George Brieloff at [email protected] or 734-478-7859.

Saturday, May 16 | 8:30-10 am | Breakfast @ Weber’s. Get together with the guys for breakfast. RSVP to George Brieloff at [email protected] or 734-478-7859.

Tuesday, June 9 | 6:30-7:30 pm | Annual Membership Meeting @ TBE. Catered dinner: 6:30-7:30 pm followed by meeting: 7:30-9 pm. Join us for dinner and hear about what’s going on with Brotherhood. To RSVP, contact George Brieloff.

Friday, June 12 | 6-7:30 pm | Brotherhood Shabbat BBQ @ TBE. Brotherhood will be grilling, the menu will has yet to be determined. To RSVP, contact the TBE Office.

Saturday, June 20 | Mud Hens Baseball. Please join Brotherhood for a great night at the ballpark. This year we have reserved 30 tickets and dinner, which includes all you can eat dinner and dessert, is included in the price of the ticket. We have a picnic area reserved and our seating is next to the picnic area. Tickets are $27. To obtain tickets, please contact George Brieloff at [email protected] or 734-478-7859.

Sunday, June 28 | Joint Congregational Picnic with Congregation Beth Israel. Everyone welcome. Details and site to be determined.

Please take a look at the Brotherhood website for updates. The 2015-2016 schedule of events will be added to the site this spring. If you have any questions regarding any upcoming events, please contact George.

20 More Social Action

Why I Volunteer at Delonis

I enjoy volunteering with TBE at the Food Gatherer’s kitchen in the Delonis Center once a month because I get to help others out as well as meet different people. The clients who come in for the food service are always very grateful for what we do for them. It is always nice to get to know other people from the Temple better as well as the other volunteers that come in to help with us. The kitchen managers are great to work with and make sure we know what we are doing. I also got to learn something about food service and now appreciate more what it takes to make and serve meals in bulk.

-Gwynne Osaki

Dinner & A Movie During the Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Tuesday, April 14 | 6 pm | Cottage Inn 8 pm | Michigan TheaterTBE’S Sisterhood members are invited to view “Gett: The Trial of Vivian Ansalem.” This hypnotic 2014 Israeli film about a woman who fights for her freedom is brilliantly written and acted. Released in the States on February 13, 2015, and directed by Ronit and Shlomi Elkabats, it won the Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Award for Best Picture and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the theater. Those who are interested are also invited to have dinner beforehand at 6:00 pm at the Cottage Inn. Please contact Simone Yehuda at [email protected] if you would like to join us for dinner so she can make reservations.

Sparks of Our Flame - Sisterhood Continued

Ripples of Hope: An Introduction to ICPJ Tuesday, April 14 | 7-8 pm | TBE/St. Clare’sJoin us for this one-hour informational event to share ICPJ’s work for peace and justice in our community. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Bob Milstein at [email protected] or call 663-1870.

Food Gatherers Community Kitchen at the Delonis Center Volunteers needed two different dates per month. Ten (10) volunteers covering two (2) shifts to prepare and serve food. First Mondays, 3-5 pm or 5-7 pm. 2015 dates: April 6, May 4, and July 6. Contact Bette Cotzin, 663-4817, [email protected].

Second Saturdays, Noon-2:30 pm and 2:30-5 pm. 2015 dates: April 11, May 9, June 13, and July 11. Contact Yuni Aaron, 369-4411 or [email protected]. Click here for easy online volunteer registration.

TBE Sisterhood Bulb Sale Through Sunday, May 24 Check out the selection and purchase bulbs at TBEBulbSale.com. Beautiful tulips, daffodils, iris, hyacinths and so much more are available for your outside plantings. Amaryllis and Paperwhites are there for indoors or make great gifts. You’ll receive a special bonus, 8 free Ruby Giant Specie Crocusi, for all orders over $30 ordered before Friday, May 15.

-Trinkets and Treasures continued

We are inviting you and the Ann Arbor community to come and enjoy dessert, satisfy your appetite for bargains, win a door prize and most of all, give new homes to these wonderful treasures. A silent auction is planned for select pieces of original art work.

$10 entry fee. TBE Sisterhood will be collecting new or gently used items this month and throughout the year. For further information,contact Bethany Steinberg at [email protected].

21Snapshots of TBE

Family Purim Party

Delicious dinner at the Purim carnival! The pizza was cut into triangles to remind us of Haman’s hat (above).

Behind the scenes of the Puppet Show (left). Fifth grade Purim Puppet Show (above).

Purim Celebrations for All Ages

Carol & Bob Milstein at the Adult Purim Party (above).

Sarah & Jeff Cohen at the Adult Purim Party (below).

Family Purim Photos courtesy of Carrie Bank

Cantor Hayut with a happy Haman! (above)

Sally & George Brieloff at the Adult Purim Party (above). Having an “Incredible” time at the Purim celebration (above).

22 Yahrzeits

May their memories be for a blessing.

Lots may be purchased over a three year period with no interest. Current prices are: Member, Pre-Need: $1,700 Member, Immediate Need: $1,900 Non-Member: $2,200

Cemetery LotsThe Temple maintains burial lots at Arborcrest Cemetery. Please contact any committee member to arrange a site visit or to purchase lots by phone or for any questions about the cemetery.

TBE Cemetery Committee: Ken Handwerger, 662-0154, Andrea Ludwig, 302-3335, Gary & Harriet Charson, 528-1061, Marty Ludington, 269-967-1556, Ronnie Simon, 429-5935.

April 10 & 11Erma AlexanderFlorence AshinMiriam BarrisJerome BoyeIsrael CohenWilliam EghermanJack FaginJanel FainErnest GentileEdith GoldmanHelen GreenbergMax HartBeatrice HymanMary JedlickaElfreda KetchelHelen LewisEleanor LitowJane MacInnisLouis McMullenIda McNicholNorman MeketonJulius MetoyerAnnette MillerJoseph NupufEthel ParentJack ReitmanRose RobinovitzHerman RosenbergLilly SavishinskyAlvin ScodelAlexander SzaboMarcy WalkerIda WeinbergAdeline WeissmanMay Willer

April 3 & 4Gerald BargaDonald BliebergLeonard BurchmanRuth CaplanNathan CooperwasserMary Jo CroweDaniel DarnellJoseph DomenickFlorence GoodrichHenry GreenebaumJane GreenebaumLloyd GreenebaumRosa HaasClyde HagedornAllen HorowitzCharles HorwitzHarold HorwitzHelen HumeNicholas JupinRobert KaplanJeffrey KlivansHarry LieblingFlorence MarklePatricia MattoxDavid MayersteinNora McGuireMaurice MerionLeo NewpolSylvia ReitmanStella SigalZelma SmithRobert SpiegelPaulina SpivakJosephine TramerHelen WarattHarriet WolfsonJulius YoungRuth Zitomer

April 17 & 18Barnett AaronClifford AdlerSidney AltmanBarbara BatesFanny BenjoyaSaul BloomHerman BohmKorine BrieloffDennis CoffmanMinnie CopelandRolla DonerHy EisenbergJessie GillLillian GoldmanAlbert HalperLoy HannaChuck IrwinMartha KahnCharles MetzendorfSimon MikeRose MinkoffEthel MooreMelvin ReinhartRae RubinLucille SchwartzGertrude SilvermanRhea WeissMargie WrightDorothy YonovitzLouise Zazove

April 24 & 25Max BelitskyMartha CaeserSheldon EllisWolf FriedmanSymond GottliebJames HansellBetzalel HenigJenny HertzRosa IsaacsGussie LevineSamuel LindenbergRichard MargolisEli McCune SteinFan ParkerJacob SeederCharles SegaloffMichael ShafiroffMax Sigal Jr.Molly StrossJoan WeinbergMalcolm WeissAbraham WhiteEvelyn Wiss

Back Door Food PantrySpecial thanks to Jenny Young for her wonderful spirit and her tasty spirits! From Marc Kessler PhD & Jennifer Burn.

Cantor’s Discretionary Fund Charles & Melissa Simon

Caring Community Fund In memory of Arnold Spellman, Jack & Karen Mercer.With Sympathy and Memory of Arnie Spellman, from Super Fair Cellular, INC.In memory of John Waidley, from Marilyn Scott.In memory of Arnie Spellman, from Allyn & Sherri Kantor.In memory of Arnie Spellman, from Paul & Irene Adler.In memory of Arnie Spellman, from R. William & Noreen Chace.In memory of Arnie Spellman, from Ira & Sarah Mark.In memory of Arnie Spellman, from Stuart & Rhonda Simon.With sweet memories of Arnie Spellman, from Miriam, Debby and Dan Shaw.

Flower Fund In honor of Nora McGuire’s yahrzeit, from Eve Mokotoff.

General FundCharles & Melissa SimonJoel VergunJohn & Amy MilanovichMark & Romana SolentArthur & Barbara KornbergIn loving memory of Arnold Spellman, from Philip & Nancy Margolis.In honor of Gail Rosenblum’s yahrzeit, from Fran Weinstein.In honor of Carol Dworkin’s 70th Birthday, from Herbert & Eileen Pritzker.In memory of Regina Schlesinger, from Eva Taylor.In memory of B. Meyerowitz, from Neal Belitsky.In memory of Anne Simon on her Yahrzeit, from Fredda & Paul Unangst.In memory of John Waidley, from Fredda & Paul Unangst.In memory of Dorothy Yonovitz’s yahrzeit, from Lawrence & Mary Yonovitz.

Library Fund In honor of Reuben Mokotoff’s yahrtzeit, from Eve Mokotoff.

Melvin & Lois Levy EndowmentCharles & Melissa Simon

Music & Spirituality Endowment Charles & Melissa Simon

Oneg Fund Charles & Melissa SimonMark & Leslie RosenwasserCharles & Sharon Newman

In honor of Sarah Levin’s bat mitzvah, Barry & Stephanie Levin.

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund Charles & Melissa Simon In memory of John Waidley, from Sally J. Spies Family. In memory of Gerald Zwiren on his yahrzeit from his loving family, Janine, Bill, Sam, Russel, and Josie Chey. In memory of Dee Ann Levine, sister-in-law of Janice and Peter Tainsh, from Mark & Leslie Rosenwasser. In memory of Arnie Spellman, from Paul & Irene Adler. In appreciation of Rabbi Levy, from Jeff Meyer.

Religious Education Fund Charles & Melissa SimonIn appreciation of Karen Pollens for being a great kindergarten teacher, from Andy & Ilena Endahl.In appreciation of Rabbi Levy for teaching 10th grade/confirmation, from Andy & Ilena Endahl.In appreciation of Karen Pollens & Sari Mills. Thank from Sam & Maddie Grand, David & Julie Grand.In honor of my child’s teachers, Zoe McCoon & Jake Levine from Yoav, Avishay Hayut & Regina Lambert-Hayut.In honor of my child’s madrich, Ari Schoenburg, from Yoav Hayut, Avishay Hayut & Regina Lambert-Hayut.In honor of my child’s teachers, Daniella Raz, Jordan Pollack & Ariel Shoag, from Alon Hayut, Avishay Hayut & Regina Lambert-Hayut.In honor of my teacher, Cheryl Sugerman, from Hannah, Ethan & Allison Kaplan.In honor of my child’s teachers, Rabbi Levy, from James, Jr. & Bonnie Keen.In honor of my child’s teachers, Zoe McCoon & Jake Levine, from Steve Ratner & Nancy Szabo.In honor of my child’s teachers, Jillian Apel, Ari Schoenburg, Sari Mills & Ben Kahn, from Carl & Lisa Ensfield.In honor of my child’s teachers, Karen Shill & Erica Broder, from Laura Sader & Ira Goldstein.With thanks to Rabbi Levy, Aaron Jackson, & Samuel Molnar for teaching our children well, from Barry Fishman & Teresa McMahon.With thanks to Sari Mills & Ben Kahn, from Scott Regenbogen & family.In appreciation of Marjorie Lesko & Karen Shill, from Greg & Toby Lewis.In appreciation of Chery Sugerman for inspiring the next generation to

embrace their Jewish roots! From Michael & Erica Brenner.In honor of Sari Mills, from Maia Morenoff, Soni Mithani & Jeffrey Morenoff.In honor of 1st and 4th grade teachers at TBE and Terri and Tressa, from Helen, Noah, Eve & Jonah Kaplan.In appreciation of Jonathan Friedman, Advanced Hebrew teacher, from Rich & Myra Klarman.With thanks to Rabbi Ilana Baden for helping Katie love Hebrew School! From Daniel & Lynn Heumann.With thanks to Aaron Jackson for a great year, from Katie Heumann and Family.In appreciation of my teacher, Yarden Ginsburg, Jonathan Friedman, Karen Shill, Sarai Koster-Mockeridge & Marjorie Lesko from Zach, Jesse & Toby Newpol.In appreciation of the 7th grade teachers, from James Berry & Karen Freedland.In honor of my child’s teacher, Rabbi Levy, from James & Bonnie Keen.In appreciation of my child’s teachers, Karen Shill, Ariel Shoag, Jordan Pollack, Marjorie Lesko, Zahava Bookh, & Daniella Raz, from Jeff & Ilana Baden.In appreciation of my child’s teachers, Sari Mills & Karen Pollens, from Jonathan & Sarah Finks.In appreciation of Karen Pollens and Sarai Koster-Mockeridge for their dedication to the students, from the Hammerman Family.In honor of the ninth grade teachers, Zoe McCoon and Jake Levine, and in appreciation of Clare Kinberg, from Abbie Egherman.In honor of my child’s teachers, Aaron Jackson, Samuel Molner, Zoe McCoon, Jake Levine, from Tamar Springer & Steve Stancroft.In honor of my child’s teachers, Ari Schoenburg, from Evan Caminker and Stacey Lee.In honor of my child’s teachers, Matan Skolnik, Jordan Pollack, Ariel Shoag, from Julie & Alex Roberts.In honor of Terri Ginsburg, from the Lieberman Family.In honor of my child’s teachers, Karen Shill, Erica Broder, from Wendy & Russell Weiner.In honor of my child’s teacher, Nina Pressman, from Wendy & Russell Weiner.In honor of my child’s teacher, Josh Hoffman, from Wendy & Russell Weiner.In honor of my child’s teachers, Erica Broder, Karen Shill, from Aviva & James Simonte.In honor of my child’s teacher, Sari Mills, from Robert & Andria Eisman.

Social Action Fund - Rotating Shelter In memory of John Waidley, from Kenneth & Hillary Handwerger.

Youth Fund In appreciation of Dr. Ronal Hirschl, from Jeff Meyer.

23Donations

Temple Beth Emeth2309 Packard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

TBE’s Staff and ResourcesRabbi Robert D. Levy ___________________________ [email protected]

Cantor Regina S. Lambert-Hayut _______________ [email protected]

Executive Director SooJi Min [email protected]

Dir. of Education Terri Ginsburg [email protected]

Director of Congregational Services Avital [email protected]

Clergy Coord. Sarah Krell [email protected]

Account Manager Amie Brockman [email protected]

Account Administrator Victoria Gross [email protected]

Communications Coordinator Alyssa [email protected]

School Asst. Tressa Hart [email protected]

Saturday School Coordinator Emily [email protected]

Library Coordinator Clare Kinberg _____________ [email protected]

General Office Questions [email protected]

Website_________________________________________www.templebethemeth.org

Family Shabbat Table Talk ___________________________________urj.org/shabbat

TNT Group Website ___________________________www.templebethemeth.org/tnt

Add your name to these TBE e-mail lists by calling the office

Announcements___________________Weekly announcement of events and servicesHotline _________________________Births, deaths, emergency news (members only)TBE Tots __________________________________________________www.tbetots.orgBeth Israel Funeral Notices_____________________________________Call the office

The TBE Bulletin is published monthly by Temple Beth Emeth | 2309 Packard | Ann Arbor, MI 48104

TBE is a non-profit religious institution in the State of Michigan. Volume 16 | Issue 17

Rabbi Robert D. Levy

Cantor Regina S. Lambert-Hayut

Cantor Emerita Ann Z. Rose

Director of EducationTerri Ginsburg

Executive DirectorSooJi Min

Officers and Board of TrusteesPresidentSusan Gitterman

VP for AdministrationJulie Steiner

VP for Education and YouthLisa Newman

VP for Finance Ronnie Shapiro

VP for Membership Rachel Glick

VP for Religious Practice Alexandria Wood

VP for Social Action Bob Milstein

TreasurerLarry Yonovitz

SecretaryElaine Yeglic

Ex-officio:Immediate Past PresidentDeborah Scott Katz

Sisterhood PresidentHillary Handwerger

Brotherhood PresidentGeorge BrieloffMembers at LargePhil BarrSarah CohenMichele ForbesBonnie KeeneMarjorie LeskoLisa LynchJoe PollakDeb SchildJordan ShavitSteve StancroffJodi WalloMartha Weintraub

Bulletin EditorSooJi Min

Bulletin DesignAlyssa Wealty

Sunday, May 31 | Mitzvah Day!

Documents

TBE Bulletin April 2015