Nisan/Iyar 5779 May 2019
Meet Ellie Crystal
Ellie Crystal, a generous donor to Project Tamid, was born in Brooklyn where she
spent her early years before marrying Allan Crystal, of blessed memory, in 1955. She
and Allan, an attorney, had 3 children and Ellie is now a grandmother of 6. While her
story began in Brooklyn, life took her to New Jersey, Connecticut, South Carolina and
then back again to Connecticut. But the theme of giving back to the community, as
both a volunteer and a professional, followed her to all her residences.
While living in Westport, Ellie and Allan became involved with a group called
“Renaissance” which worked with teenagers whose family challenges necessitated
they be temporarily placed in foster homes. Ellie and Allan provided a home for
numerous children during that time and came to understand that we may all be in
need of support at some time in our lives. While Allan rose to the level of Vice
President and Treasurer of Pitney Bowes, Ellie returned to school and subsequently
volunteered at a food pantry where she eventually became director of the program.
Thus began her interest in and commitment to helping people deal with the issue of
food insecurity.
Eventually, Allan was tapped by then Governor Lowell Weicker to be CT Tax Commissioner, a position he
held until his retirement. It was then that the Crystals began to travel extensively throughout the world. On
a road trip they discovered the city of Bluffton, South Carolina where they spent several busy years before
returning to Connecticut when Allan became ill.
A recurring theme in the life of the Crystals has been their ongoing belief in the importance of Jewish
communal life. While living in NJ, they helped revitalize a temple in a neighboring town. In Bluffton, they
reached out to a local church to see if Shabbat services could be held there on a regular basis to serve the
needs of the small Jewish community, an arrangement continues to this day.
We honor Ellie for a lifetime of volunteerism and financial support of the causes about which she feels
passionate. She is truly a person who lives in accordance with her beliefs.
Inside this Issue
Anniversaries……...5
Birthdays…………...5
Donations..…….…..2
Onegs………….......5
Tribute Cards………..7
Upcoming Events…...6
Yahrzeits……………..4
So far, Project Tamid has received outright gifts,
pledges and legacy commitments totaling, in the
aggregate, $177,000. Some of our outright gifts are
being paid over a period of 5 years and in those cases
the first installment has been received. In addition, we
have received a gift from a Foundation whose president
is a B’nai Israel congregant. While donations from our
congregation is the primary source of dollars, we are
actively exploring the possibility that there are other
Foundations that might be interested in awarding grants
to enhance our Endowment.
2
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund in memory of Dick Lippman S. Deborah Shnek Leopold Levy Leah Linton Sigmund Deutsch Leah Linton Rose Menaker Susan Fishman & Coby Ben-Chitrit Bernard Feinman Judith Feinman Anne Oblas Carolyn Strauss Judy Marangio Rose & Sidney Frenkel Renee Goldman Barry Fingerhut Philip Schwartz Leona & Allen Schwartz
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund in honor of Rabbi Polokoff Abby & Andy Peklo
General Fund in honor of Ira Goldman’s 80th birthday Sharon Goldman Ellen & Rob Zwang’s twin granddaughters Harriet Blum
General Fund in memory of Nancy Brandt The Brandt Family Joseph Komitor Fanny Crystal Kate Cooperman Eleanor Crystal Don Garber Frances Goldenberg Toby Berkowitz Sheri & Eric Kipperman Henry Fleischman Norma & Charles Fleischman Abram Bress Norma & Charles Fleischman Anne Kaplan Rudy Zeidler Roz Zackin Anna Segretario Roz Zackin Stephen Segretario
Adult Education Fund in memory of Louis Gershenow Rochelle & Earl Gershenow
Caring Fund in memory of Rosa Gelfand Anna Gelfand Don Garber Susan & Tom Wise
Caring Fund in honor of Ellen Zwang & her wonderful volunteers Abby & Andy Peklo
Music Fund Rudy Zeidler
Music Fund in memory of Sofie Deutsch Leah Linton Michael Hozer Joyce & Lew Hozer Toby Berkowitz Linda & Dan Goodman Morris Goodman Linda & Dan Goodman
Music Fund in honor of Life of Lois Zeidler Anonymous Rabbi Polokoff & Linda Goodman for the beautiful plaque hanging service for Donald Cohan Rachel & Jonathan Albert Alice Manning’s Senior Recital Linda & Dan Goodman B’nai Mitzvot of: Noah Ackert Nathan Fry Eric Greenberg Rachel Rubel Sam Stoltz Hanna Reps Linda & Dan Goodman
Ritual Fund in memory of Toby Berkowitz Sharon & Ira Goldman Irving Bisnov Sharon & Ira Goldman Toby Berkowitz Dawn & Bob Tendler Helen Friedman Perretz Dawn & Bob Tendler Sylvia Goldman Sharon & Ira Goldman
Memorials & Dedications Fund in memory of Lorraine Marcantonio Michelle Rosen & Eric Hall Sandy Slater & Joe Hochheiser Herb Garber Jackie Zagami Herb Isaac Ron Isaac Leah Linton Barry Fingerhut Kathryn Albee Sybil Blau Yvette Mickenberg
Donations
Thank you!
The Ritual Committee is requesting
donations of new or gently used tallitot to
enhance the current inventory for the
wooden stand outside the sanctuary
donated by last year’s B’nai Mitzvah class
and lovingly crafted by Andrew Peklo. As a
Reform congregation we understand that
some of our congregants may choose to
wear a tallit to enrich their worship
experience. (No kippot donations please.)
During Mitzvah Day, as a
community, we will bury damaged
prayer books and other ritual
items. We will also dedicate a
memorial bench to honor Leo
Goldberg’s long commitment to
the Jewish Cemetery Association.
If you have items you wish to bury
please call our office so that we
can plan on enough space.
Items must be brought to the
service May 5th at 10 AM. The
Hebrew Benefit Cemetery is on
Stillson Road (side entrance to
Walmart Plaza) in Waterbury.
NO ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED
AT THE CAMPUS.
3
At B’nai Israel’s Judaica
shop, you can choose from
a large selection of Tallit in
varying sizes and materials,
many made in Israel.
Many styles of Kippot are
also available and can be
customized with your child’s
name in Hebrew and/or
English.
Please browse through our
catalogs for candlesticks,
mezuzot and other ritual
items for yourself or for gift
giving!
Make it a
mitzvah!
When you purchase your
Kippot and/or a Tallit from
B’nai Israel’s Judaica shop,
a donation will be made to
BIRS in honor of your child’s
Bar or Bat Mitzvah!
For more information call:
Michelle Rosen
(516) 320-5089
B’NAI ISRAEL JUDAICA SHOP
Tuesday mornings 11:00 a.m. Rabbi’s Discussion Group-registration
required
Sunday mornings 10:00 a.m. Introduction to Judaism-see page 4 for
schedule
For our most current calendar please visit our website at www.bnaiisraelsouthbury.org
Annual Meeting
Wednesday
June 5th at 7 pm
Please note:
We continue to strive to be as
budget conscious as possible.
Therefore, due to high fees, we
can no longer accept
American Express.
We apologize for
any inconvenience.
4
5/3
Rachel Danen Edna Dyme Carol Eisenberg Dora B. Feinn Felix Freedman Eli Gleiberman Leo Goldberg David Grossman Leopold Isaac Jacob Jacowitz Sam Levine Josefa W. Lichtenstein Gustav Rosenfelder Rose Sagal Dennis Slattery Leslie Strauss George S. Wale Ethel Weisman
5/10
Jack Cooperman Doris Engel Max Engel Martin Falk Aaron Frenkel Celia Karp Minnie G. Levin Rose Matzkin Esther Polen Murray Schulman Priscilla Rudin Stern Marcus Howard Weisman
5/17 Max Bram Ida Rose Cantor Robert Carver Hirsch Crystal Oscar Dell Claire A. Goldman Sylvia Goldman Harris B. Gordon Rae S. Holczer Maurice Jackson Jennie P. Kirschner Allan Koester Monroe M. Pollak Marvin Rechtman Ary Reed Benjamin Ross Ruth Rubin Evelyn Beninson Sabin Esther Simon Mortimer Stammelman Ed Suib Selma Mazur Swerdlick Alma Cantor Weisman Isidore Wilkin Norman Zelin
5/24 Rosamond Count Louis ‘Nate’ Danen Nathan Feinn Allan Chase Franken Manya Goldstein Morris Goodman Esther Kirson Sarah Klausner Adela Landau Edward Landau Jeanette Lax Molly Liebeskind Charles Light Gertrude Paul Miller Hyman ‘Mickey’ Miller Anne Nathanson Robert Schoenberg Emil L. Weil
5/31 Hilda Albert Jacob Bamberger Bernard Burnham Juanita Chichester Meyer B. Erlanger, Sr. Fannie Fingerhut Tillie Fischer Moritz Lax Sheila Mahler Norman R. Richards Boris Woloshin
Names indicated in bold have plaques on Memorial Boards in the rear of the Sanctuary.
Yahrzeits
Host an Oneg
Call Sandy Marcus
or Joyce Hozer if you
are interested in
hosting an Oneg or
joining the committee
Sandy: (203) 264-
9136
Joyce: (203) 729-
9277
5
5/01 Anna Gelfand 5/03 Linda Goodman Adam Packer Scott Segal 5/04 Melissa Buccino 5/06 Josh Isaac Brad Mahler Seth Mahler 5/08 Hilary Bree Waylon Duguid Elijah Rosen 5/09 Alyssa Friedman Liliana Yelin 5/10 Sari Price Bennett Samberg Jennifer Stoltz 5/11 Myra Suib 5/12 Michele Goudsmith 5/14 Emily Eisen 5/15 Jesse Fry Sam Stoltz 5/16 Linda Schiff 5/17 Sylvia Albert Ava Hozer Marjorie Ross
5/18 Irv Borenzweig Spencer Burwin Dan Marcus 5/19 Ronald Isaac Jonathan Kapstein Ryan McConnon 5/20 Richard Baron Douglas Fuchs 5/21 Melissa Grossman Susan Haber Tikva Rose 5/23 Eric Linnetz 5/24 Matthew McConnon 5/25 Alexandra Pettengill 5/27 Sharon Elias Michael Rosen Mitchell Solomon Tammy Wisnefsky 5/28 Stephen Rudin 5/29 Sarah Hill Stephen Rubenstein 5/31 Charlene Blatter Eli Pekovich Douglas Solomon
5/03 Birthday Shabbat Yom HaAtzmaut The Rubel Family in honor of Rachel becoming a Bat Mitzvah 5/10 Teacher Appreciation Shabbat 5/17 Sandy & Dan Marcus and Ina & Irv Borenzweig in honor of Dan’s & Irv’s 85th birthdays 5/24 Available 5/31 The Stoltz Family in honor of Sam becoming a Bar Mitzvah
To find out more about sponsoring an
Oneg contact: Sandy Marcus at (203) 264-9136
Birthdays
“Tree of Life” Purchase a leaf on the
“Tree of Life” to honor a
simcha. Each leaf is $180
(203) 267-3394
5/04 Kate & Michael Friedman 5/22 Margi & Michael Sermer 5/23 Paula & Richard Baron 5/24 Charlene Falk & John McNally 5/25 Sarah & Kevin Manning 5/26 Marci Silverman & William Slepoy 5/28 Lorrie & Gary Diamond 5/29 Eve Stabinsky-Ackert & David Ackert Tracy & David Hill Stacey & Jeffrey Langsam 5/31 Deborah & David Augenbraun Rochelle & Earl Gershenow
Anniversaries
6
7
Rabbi
Eric Polokoff, D.D.
Director of Sacred Music
Linda Goodman
School Director
Abby Peklo
Officers
Lisa Segal, President
Steven Reps, 1st Vice President
Patti Berkowitz, 2nd
Vice President
David Augenbraun, Treasurer
Sheri Kipperman, Secretary
Trustees
Rochelle Gershenow (2021)
Joseph Hochheiser (2019)
Joyce Hozer (2021)
Jonathan Kapstein (2020)
Beth Rosen (2020)
Michelle Rosen (2019)
Kim Rubel (2021)
Allen Schwartz (2020)
Pauline Zimmerman (2019)
Tribute Cards
From: Myra Suib To: Zeena Garber * In memory of her beloved husband, Don To: Ellen and Rob Zwany * Mazel Tov on the birth of their twin granddaughters To: Celia Schwartz * Hope your good health returns quickly From: Joyce and Lou Hozer To: Ira Goldman * In honor of his 80th Birthday To: Jeff Berkowitz and Merri Klar * In memory of Jeff's mother, Toby Berkowitz From: Lionel and Celia Schwartz To: Deborah Yellin * In memory of beloved Molly, mother, cousin To: Lauren Raciti * In memory of her “Pop Pop”, Sal Raciti From: Rachel Basch To: Jeff Berkowitz * In memory of his mother, Toby Berkowitz From: Susan and Tom Bleeks To: Jeff Berkowitz and family * In memory of Jeff's mother, Toby Berkowitz
Free kindergarten
Time to start thinking ahead!
B’nai Israel Religious School
offers free kindergarten to
all. For more information
please contact:
Abby Peklo, School Director
(203)267-3396
To purchase Tribute Cards, please
contact
Doris Landaeta at
(203) 232-6206 or at
The cost per card is still only $5.00
including postage
Members of the Memorials & Dedications Committee are
already hard at work on the 5779 Yizkor Book.
Any congregant interested in joining the team and share in
the Jewish tradition of remembrance should contact:
Eric Hall, Committee Chair at (516) 482-5565.
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B’nai Israel
444 Main Street North
PO Box 350
Southbury, CT 06488
PLACE STAMP HERE
Phone: (203) 267-3394
Fax: (203) 405-7017
E-mail: [email protected]
www.bnaiisraelsouthbury.org