CONGREGA TION Netivot Shalomold.netivotshalom.org/./newsletters/2001-12.pdf · Torah to our lives....

Netivot ShalomC O N G R E G A T I O N

DECEMBER, 2001 � KISLEV-TEVET 5762

From The RabbiBy Rabbi Stuart Kelman

I have a favorite metaphor. There is abank of elevators located in some high-rise building, and I am standing in front

of that bank of elevators watching as theygo up and down. Each of them is at adifferent floor. Some stop at each floor(like a Shabbat elevator!); others skipfloors reacting to the needs of thosepassengers; some are on their way upwhile others are coming down. Somereach the top � others begin their descentbefore getting to the top floor. Someneed special keys to open on certainlandings, while others stand empty, waitingfor riders.

I like that metaphor because it iscomplex and because it often helps meexplain what is going on in life. Take ourshul, for example: On the Shabbat ofHayee Sarah, we officially began using thenew Humash, Etz Hayim, a brand newcommentary which reflects the theologyof the Conservat ive Movement .Traditionally, Jews have not writtentheology; they have written commentarywhich reflected their theology. Etz Hayimis a wonderful example of that fact � aHumash that reflects the theology of theConservative Movement. It contains thebest that modern scholarship has to offerfrom the minds of scholars associatedwith the Conservative Movement whotry to discover meaning through the useof traditional commentary and modernmethodology and discoveries.

The commentary separates peshat, theplain meaning of the text, from derash, theinsights of classical, medieval, Hasidic,contemporary religious and secular

thinkers. This distinction in and of itself isa hallmark of our movement. It does notsay that one is �better� than the next. Itmerely contends that there are two kindsof truth.

There is a section called �Halachalema�aseh� which tries to link text toConservative law. Each of the haftarothave an introduction with two parts: thefirst talks about the haftarah and theprophet; the second, which tries to connectthe haftarah to the parashah. In the backof the Humash are 41 topical essays (oneof which was written by yours truly aboutthe Torah Scroll). These essays, plusreference tools at the end, mark this as amajor innovation in our attempts tounderstand and apply the wisdom of theTorah to our lives.

Thanks go in particular to Rena Fischer,for leading the campaign to purchasethese volumes for our use. Thanks to theRitual Committee and to you, for agreeingto make Etz Hayim an important additionto our Shabbat morning experience.

While our elevator was going up onParashat Hayee Sarah, on the very

next morning, Parashat Toldot, we enteredinto another elevator as we gathered tohear about our new building. What aremarkable event. We were all privilegedto see and hear the work of so manyindividuals led by the remarkable designteam of Blaire Prentice, David Finn, EdAnisman and Bruce Starkman (with othersto join in the next phase). Thousands ofhours of work, spanning many years,produced the first public translation of

our collective vision into real drawingsand timetables and plans. These individualsand the rest of the Site Work Committee,under the Chair of Joe Meresman, havebeen engaged in the task of gatheringinformation through research and listeningto various members and committees ofNetivot Shalom, and then translating ourprogrammatic needs into a space that isboth sacred and workable. Amazing!

As I gave my dvar Torah about thetheological implications of having windowsin the building (a halachic requirement forsynagogues), Blaire Prentice came upand, completely unrehearsed, showed hisdesigns for the sanctuary and the buildingwhich reflected precisely what I haddiscovered in my Talmudic search. I can�tbegin to describe that delicious feeling ofconfluence. It�s all coming together. Yes,there are issues to be discussed(bathrooms and elevators in particular),but from the comments it became clearthat we really are going to have a �homeof our own�.

Yet another elevator took me to thefinancial position of our campaign. We arevery close to $2,800,000. In one year, andwith just about 140 of you (us) who havemade significant pledges so far, we aremore than half-way there! That�s the goodnews; the bad news is that we are onlyhalf-way there. Thanks to Art Braufman,Ann Swidler, Claudia Valas and Mike Irwin,we have come this far. We need to pushon and complete this phase in ourdevelopment as we near our target �now on our own, as Stan Moore, our

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

DECEMBER 2001 2 KISLEV-TEVET 5762

CONGREGATION NETIVOT SHALOM

Copyright ©2001 by Congregation Netivot Shalom

RESOURCES

Bikkur CholimPeter Strauss547-8174 � [email protected] Kadisha CoordinatorAndrea Cassidy549-1407 � [email protected] Affairs CoordinatorJune Safran526-7173 � [email protected] CoordinatorRena Fischer658-8713 � [email protected]

COMMITTEES

Administration ChairJan Malvin658-8780 � [email protected] Education ChairJonathan Heinstein548-5830 � [email protected] Campaign Steering Committeeco-ChairsArt Braufman525-8492 � [email protected] Swidler644-0858 � [email protected] Valas848-6536 � [email protected]

RABBI & STAFF &RabbiRabbi Stuart Kelman549-9447 [email protected] AdministratorRhea Harlow549-9447 ext. [email protected] AssistantJennifer Zahigian549-9447 ext. 102 � [email protected] Abrahamsen549-9447 ext. [email protected]

PresidentDebby Graudenz525-1814 � [email protected] PresidentMark Priven559-8393 � [email protected] Jacobvitz268-9100 � [email protected]

Education AdministratorLorraine Rosenblatt549-9447 ext. 104 � [email protected] Coordinator, Birth-Grade 2Judy Massarano549-9447 ext. 249 � [email protected] Coordinator, Grades 3-6Bat Sheva Miller549-9447 ext. 248 � [email protected] Programs CoordinatorsMelissa Rogoway549-9447 ext. 110 � [email protected] DirectorDiane Bernbaum843-4667 � [email protected]

Ramah Day Camp DirectorJudith Schwartz549-9447 ext. [email protected] CoordinatorPeggy Sandel843-9027 � [email protected] CoordinatorRose Levinson549-9447 ext. 244Building CampaignAdam [email protected]

Etz Hayim Book Order CoordinatorRena Fischer658-0731Kiddush CoordinatorJanet Harris524-2245 � [email protected] Massarano644-0654 � [email protected] EditorKaren Friedman528-0728 � [email protected]

Shabbat Greeter CoordinatorRobin Braverman925-979-1998 � [email protected] Study CoordinatorSanne DeWitt845-2098 � [email protected] [email protected] CoordinatorDiana Wood

TreasurerEugene Berg415-665-3927 � [email protected] PresidentPauline Moreno428-1048 � [email protected] ChairRena Dorph527-6656 � [email protected]

At LargeTuri Adams 415-648-3988 � [email protected] Gidal841-8868 � [email protected] Lewis524-8013 � [email protected] Meresman653-1978 � [email protected] Rudolph524-2245 � [email protected]

Community Building co-ChairsMel & Lisa Sibony841-2268 � [email protected] Shadd654-5522 � [email protected] ChairSally Martin559-8880Membership ChairJoanna Weinberg653-0679 � [email protected] Relations ChairClaude [email protected]

Ritual ChairJosh Gressel234-4862 � [email protected] Work Group ChairJoe Meresman653-1978 � [email protected] Action ChairCyndi Spindell Berck524-2984 � [email protected] Education ChairAndrea Altschuler649-9290 � [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Congregation Netivot Shalom1841 Berkeley Way � Berkeley, California 94703Telephone: 510-549-9447 � Fax: 510-549-9448www.netivotshalom.org � email: [email protected] Hours: Monday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. � Friday 10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Deadline for the January newsletter is December 7. E-mail submissionsand Letters To The Editor to: [email protected].

KISLEV-TEVET 5762 3 DECEMBER 2001


TEFILAH SCHEDULESATURDAYSAll services are held at theBerkeley-RichmondJewish Community Center1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley

Torah Study 9:00 a.m.

Shabbat Services 9:45 a.m.

Meditative Minyan,3rd ShabbatDecember 15 9:30 a.m.

Learner�s Minyan,2nd & 4th ShabbatDecember 8, 22 9:45 a.m.

For Children & Parents:Shabbat B�Yachad (pre-school),2nd & 4th ShabbatDecember 8, 22 11:00 a.m.

Shabbat Shelanu (grades K-2),1st &3rd ShabbatDecember 1 & 15 11:30 a.m.

Children�s Servicefor K-2nd grade(2nd & 4th Shabbat) 11:30 a.m.for 3-6th grade 10:30 a.m.each Saturday, unless otherwise indicated

WEEKDAY MINYANIMAll services are held at our offices,1841 Berkeley Way, BerkeleyMorning MinyanWednesdays 7:15 a.m.Rosh Chodesh MinyanRosh Chodesh Tevet,December 15 Shabbat Services

TORAH STUDY & DRASHSCHEDULE FOR: DECEMBER

1 Torah Study of Va Yishlachwith Rabbi Art Gould

8 Torah Study of Va Yeshevwith Nitzhia Shaked

15 Torah Study of Mi Ketzwith Michael CohenDrash by Sam Finn, Bar Mitzvah

22 Torah Study of Va Yiggashwith Nitzhia Shaked

29 Torah Study of Va Yehiwith Naomi Seidman

President�s Letter

On November 22nd, 1973, Rom and I were part of the gar�in (literally, �seed�)that established Kibbutz Ketura in the southern Arava desert. Ketura is about25 miles north of the city of Eilat, situated on the old �green line� border with

Jordan. In 1973 the Southern Arava was not teeming with settlements. The city of Eilathad a population of about 13,000. Just north of Eilat was Kibbutz Eilot. A kilometer southof Ketura was Kibbutz Grofit, and about eight kilometers south of Grofit was KibbutzYotvata.

In those days the only way to establish a Kibbutz was through Nahal, a branch of theIsraeli army. We were drafted in early 1972, and were actually still in the army when weestablished the Kibbutz. The Israeli government had tried to convince us to take a pieceof land closer to the center of Israel, thinking that a bunch of �soft Americans� wouldn�tdo well in the far-flung desert of the Southern Arava. We fell in love with the site ofKetura when we saw it while on Young Judea Year Course in 1969-1970, and wereconvinced that this was the place for us. Other places the government suggested to uswere in the territories, and we were adamant that we wanted our settlement to bewithin the old green line.

Late one night, about a year and a half after establishing the Kibbutz, we got a callfrom the army. There had been a terrorist crossing in the Southern Arava, and we wereput on alert. We quickly established watching posts around the perimeter of the kibbutz.Those of us who had been in the army were augmented by those who had receivedweapons training after we�d established the Kibbutz, and were stationed in groups ofthree at these outposts around the perimeter of the Kibbutz. My group outpost was bythe dumpster into which we dumped our trash from our apartments. Certainly not aglamorous spot. But it afforded a certain amount of cover, and was an important positionin maintaining the security of our dwellings and those adults and children huddled inside.We didn�t have enough walkie-talkies to furnish one to each of the outposts, and ourdumpster site didn�t have easy communication with others around the Kibbutz.

A couple of hours into this alert, we saw a flare fired up from the other side of theKibbutz, followed by gunfire. I can still remember the physical sensation of, first the blooddraining out of my head, followed by the heart-pounding, limb-shaking adrenaline rush ofthat often spoken of (but rarely experienced) fight or flight response. I hunkered downinto my position, drew my weapon, and unlatched the safety. Eyes roaming the emptydesert around me, wondering from which direction someone might come, I was amazedthat I was being called on to actually use those skills I had learned in basic training in thearmy. As the minutes ticked by I was treated to a flood of emotions. Fear � oh my �fear like I�d never known in my life. A sense of irony and even humor, that I might end updying by a dumpster. Sadness � at the thought that our little piece of paradise was nolonger safe, at the thought that someone might be hurt or worse � and then a profoundsadness and anger that people who we didn�t even know were out there intending toharm us, and that I might be called upon to be the agent of someone�s demise. Afterwhat seemed like an interminable amount of time � but was more likely a matter of 15minutes � someone came by to tell us that what had been seen on the other side ofthe Kibbutz was an animal of some sort, and that no one was in imminent danger.

We made it through the night, and as dawn broke over the Harei Edom across theborder in Jordan, we received the all-clear call from the army. We dismantled ouroutposts, met in the chadar ochel for coffee and tea, and started our workday, each of us

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

By Debby Graudenz

Celebrate a Simcha!!Sponsor a kiddush! Contact the Kiddush Coordinator, Janet Harris, at

524-2245 and at [email protected]. If you are already signed up for a

kiddush, please contact Janet to re-confirm.



COMMUNITY

Shabbat B�Yachad

Shabbat B'Yachad Chanukah Celebration

Sunday, December 2, 10:00a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the BRJCC.Come share crafts, songs, food,and community warmth withyour fellow Shabbat B'Yachadfamilies. In the spirit oftzedakah, please bring a babypresent, card and photo of yourfamily for a young woman in oursister shul in Santiago, Cuba,who is due with her first babyin January. RSVP: Shalva Sorani(653-7343 [email protected]).

STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

FOR THE PARENTS OF

SHABBAT B�YACHAD

Sunday, December 16, 10:00-12:00in the shul library. Childcare provided.Come and learn how easy and fun it isto tell a Torah based story to SBYchildren. Lots of helpful hints andguidance will be provided. SBY needsmore parent storytellers!RSVP to Lisa Fink (595-1907).

This series is held on the second Saturday of each month at the Berkeley RichmondJewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley, 1:30-3:00 p.m., in the Library.

December 8 Rabbi Margie Jacobs�Supportive Sisters or Sibling Rivals: Rachel and Leah throughthe Lens of Contemporary Feminist Midrash�

Rabbi Margie Jacobs is the rabbi of Temple Beth Hillel in Richmond. A graduate ofthe Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she has lectured nationally for thespeaker�s bureau of the Kolot Center for Gender and Judaism on feminism, midrash,and Jewish mysticism, delving into the ancient Jewish tradition to uncover the sacredin our modern lives.

January 12 Jennifer Ring�Tradition versus Inclusion: Tensions Between Women andAuthentic Jewish Observance�

Jennifer Ring is Professor of Political Science and Director of Women�s Studies atthe University of Nevada, Reno. She earned her doctorate in Political Science fromthe University of California, Berkeley, specializing in European and American politicaltheory and political psychology. Ring is a nationally regarded expert in multiculturaland identity politics, and race and gender in the United States.

The Gender and Judaism series is sponsored by Congregation Netivot Shalom andco-sponsored by the Berkeley-Richmond Jewish Community Center, CongregationBeth Israel, Congregation Beth El, Kehilla, and the Aquarian Minyan.

All are warmly invited to participate in discussions of

GENDER & JUDAISM

consultant, has completed his tenure withus. We can and will make this happen.

These are some of our elevators �there are others. Our Amitim program iscurrently undergoing some revisions;Shabbat B�Yachad, Shabbat Shelanu,Religious School, adult education, Hebrewlanguage program, and Etzleynu � all ofthese �elevators� are moving, dynamically.

What of our future? Yes, we need tobegin thinking about next year. Our plansfor further staffing positions, programming,volunteers and our long-range plans areall subjects for consideration. Push thebutton, and jump on to the elevator(s).Now you can ride two or more at thesame time!!

Chag orim sameach!

trying to sort out the myriad feelings with which we were left.That was 27 years ago, and yet as I write about that incident, all of those feelings, along

with some of the physical sensations, return. I�ve had some vivid recollections of that incidentin the past, but, not surprisingly, they�ve become more prevalent in the wake of September11th. I�ve come to realize that it�s not just the normal process of recalling one fearful situationin the wake of another. We all have our dreams for peace in the Middle East, for an Israel thatis safe and can assume its place as or lagoyim (�a light unto the nations�). We feel an immensesadness that we can�t seem to find a way to that peace. We are frustrated, angry, bewildered,scared; and yet, we hang on to our hope as a drowning man hangs on to a life-preserver.Because what else can we do? We are a diverse community, and members of Netivot Shalomhave different thoughts and ideas about how this peace can be achieved. Yet we all dreamof, hope for, and pray for it.

This month we are celebrating Chanukah, commemorating the Maccabean victory overthe Syrians, and the rededication of the Temple in Yerushalayim. There are those who saythat Chanukah is likely the first record of the struggle for religious freedom in human history.I hope that each of us this year can re-dedicate ourselves to our hopes and dreams for peace.Nes Gadol Hayah Sham (A great miracle happened there). From our lips to God�s ears.

Debby Graudenz

President�s Letter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3From the Rabbi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1



Letter to the Editor:

I have been thinking about the joke publishedin (the November) newsletter, and

honestly, I�m pretty disappointed by it. Thereare many ex-Catholics in Netivot Shalom(myself included) and I think it�s in poor tasteto include this joke in an official publication.

I had heard the joke before, and I foundit mildly funny before. Somehow, though, tosee it printed in the official newsletter of thecongregation raises my consciousness ofthe undertones. Basically, the joke is that themost ignorant Jew is smarter than the bestCatholic. Imagine if you came across a churchbulletin in which the roles were reversed...thatan ignorant Cathol ic outsmartedMaimonides. Somehow, I don�t think we�dfind that funny and might even say it wasanti-Semitic. Some things need to have amore intimate audience in which you can besensitive to people�s backgrounds to be ableto see the humor. I would need to know thatthe person telling the joke had someappreciation of Catholicism to find it funny.There�s nothing in this context to suggestthat.

There�s a big undercurrent of anti-Chr ist ian sent iment among Jewishcommunities, understandable given history.I�ve sat through more than my share of �whyJews are better than Christians� sermonsand discussions. However, I think we atNetivot Shalom can be, and should be,above that. We have a very high percentageof converts in our congregation. I think oneof the reasons many of us converts findNetivot Shalom to be such a special place isthat it seems mostly free of the automatic,anti-Christian sentiment found in so manyother Jewish communities. It, by and large,embraces people without as many pre-conceived notions.

Maybe we can use this as an opportunityto reflect that the strength of our Jewishidentity, particularly in our very specialcongregation, doesn�t have to be at theexpense of other people�s beliefs andreligions.

Thank you,

Meghan Starkey

Chanukah Schmooze & Fun!

A CONCERT For OurCountry & Community

ACHI BEN SHALOM and hisband ADAMA, Mizrachi stylemusic of ZA�ATAR, singersARELLA BARLEV & IRA,A CAPPELA group & MORE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 157:30-9:30 P.M.

TEMPLE BETH EL (located atthe corner of Arch and Vine)

Suggested donation: $18, $25 percouple. Families with childrenwelcome! All proceeds to theSeptember 11 Fund.

Sponsored by Beth El, Kehilla, BethIsrael, Berkekey Richmond JewishCommunity Center, Netivot Shalom& Aquarian Minyan.

Come and celebrate as a community at

Congregation Netivot Shalom's

Chanukah Party

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, 3:30-5:30 pm.

In the shul library & classrooms

3:30 Snacks, Schmoozing, Storytelling, & Dreidel Games

4:00 Art activities & Fun for kids (ongoing),Social for teens & adults

4:30 Latkes for everyone, Chanukah JeopardyCompetition for kids grades 5-8. (Prizes will be awarded;Please see Lorraine in the school office for a study guide.)

5:00 Candle Lighting, Sing-along, Desserts

5:30 Clean up; Possible carpool to Union Squarein San Francisco for the big candle lighting there.

Bring your chanukiah & candles and join usfor a great afternoon. Please RSVP to Melissaat the synagogue offices with the numberof people attending and the ages of any children.549-9447, ext. 110.

See you there!

COMMUNITY

Rosh Chodesh Group:Food & MemoriesThe Rosh Chodesh group will meet onThursday, December 13 from 7:00-9:30 p.m. This is our Chanukah meeting� Food and Memories. We will sharefamily recipes, photos of the cooks andmake sufganiot! This meeting is open to allwomen of Netivot Shalom. For additionalin format ion, contact Toby Gida l ,[email protected].

Erev ShiraAn Evening of Song

at the KelmansDecember 25

8:00 p.m.Guitars Welcome!



The Site Work Group presented the final design plan for ournew home at the congregational meeting on Sunday,November 11. Approximately 95 member households werepresent, representing about one quarter of Netivot Shalom�smembership. This was an above-average turnout for acongregational meeting, underscoring the importance of thisproject to our community.

The plan was unveiled and explained by Ed Anisman,David Finn and Blair Prentice, members of the Site WorkGroup�s design sub-team. First up was a discussion of theproject�s Design Parameters: the space requirements forvarious functions as determined by a thorough evaluation; theCity of Berkeley�s building and zoning requirements withwhich the design plan must comply; and considerations aboutour new neighborhood (and new neighbors). Next camedetailed architectural drawings of the building and grounds

News from the University Avenue Site Work GroupEnthusiastic Response for the Site Design

By Joe MeresmanSite Work Group Chair

and an explanation of the use of each individual space. Finally,we talked about the milestones along the way to ourproposed move-in day in 2003, and about the budget andfundraising needs.

Feedback, Q&A and informal discussion continued for overan hour after the presentation, and I am very pleased that theresponse was overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. If youwere unable to attend the meeting, copies of the handouts areavailable in the office. And we continue to welcome yourcomments and questions at any time.

Much remains to be done, and the Site Work Group willbe working hard on your behalf to turn our new home into areality. Please continue to watch this space for more excitingdevelopments on University Avenue, and for announcementsabout ways you can help. As always, feel free to contact me [email protected].

This page: Architect Blair Prentice�s rendering of the front view of the new University Avenue building.Next page: Architectural plan of the ground floor.



Summary ofBoard Meeting on10/28/01:[Do I need to report that I conducted thismeeting wearing a �Happy Birthday� tiara, on atable strewn with �Over the Hill� confetti? �D.G.]

The Nominating Committee will be elected(per the Bylaws of the Congregation) at

the Board meeting in November.�A group from within the Congregation isinterested in organizing a synagogue-endorsedIsrael Action Committee. After some discussionit was decided not to endorse the IAC, also notto not endorse. The IAC may use NetivotShalom space for meetings or Israel Educationactivities, but must be careful not to say that theevent is one sponsored by Netivot Shalom.�Eugene Berg, Treasurer, reported that we areon track with the Annual Budget.�The Board did not accept a proposal by theSocial Action Committee for a specific protocolto have the Congregation take policy stands onissues it defines as of public concern.�George Gidal reported that the liaisonrelationship with Committee Chairs developedafter the re-structuring of the Board is workingwell. Each of the committee Chairs felt thatthere was sufficient communication with them.�The Design Sub-group of the Site WorkGroup rev iewed the agenda for theCongregational meeting set for November11th. They also presented and reviewed theirdesign for the new building.�The Board passed the following three motions:[1]The Board of Directors approves the designfor the development of the University Avenuesite and authorizes the Site Work Group todevelop a permit request for submission to theCity of Berkeley, based on this design. Prior tosubmission to the City, the Site Work Groupwill present their submission to the Board forfinal approval.[2]The Board of Directors believes that itwould be mutually beneficial for Netivot Shalomand Berkeley Montessori School to coordinatedevelopment of their adjacent sites onUniversity Avenue. Therefore, the Boardauthorizes the Site Work Group to work withBerk. Montessori School to develop two plans:a) A joint site development plan for drop-off/pick-up, parking, social hall patio, and landscaping.b)A joint site operations plan for access to anduse of each other�s indoor space.Upon their completion of these plans, the SiteWork Group will bring these plans, along witha Memorandum of Understanding with BerkeleyMontessori School, to the Board for approval.[3]The Board of Directors supports plans forthe City of Berkeley to develop the WestStreet/former Southern Pacific Right of Way asa Bicycle and Pedestrian Walkway.

A shrei yoshvei vetecha � Happyare those who dwell in Yourhouse. What an exciting time in

our development as a shul community! Asyou know, our search for a permanenthome has been a lengthy one. The numberof person-hours that went into that search,negotiations for this site, securing a loan,and now continuing with the Site WorkGroup, the Design Sub-group, and thoseinvolved in the Capital Campaign isstaggering.

We were treated to an amazing displayof the fruits of that labor on November11th, when the Design Sub-group unveiledthe plans for our new building (see pages6 & 7). It�s been a little more than a yearsince Jean Bass Bradman saw the For Salesign at the site on University Avenue, andyet here we are with plans developed by

project as soon as we went into escrowon the property. I am in awe of BlairPrentice, David Finn, Ed Anisman andBruce Starkman, the Design Sub-group,and what they�ve accomplished. StanMoore, our fundraising consultant, andAdam Brown, his assistant, have kept usmotivated in our Capital Campaign. TheChairs of our Capital Campaign, AnnSwidler, Art Braufman and Claudia Valas,and all of the other volunteers whocontinue the mission of soliciting pledgesfrom our members are working hard tosecure the funding to complete this project.Mike Irwin, our Campaign Treasurer, foundthe bank and negotiated our loan, andcontinues to track the progress of ourcampaign. At the congregational meetingMike announced that we had reached the$2.7 million mark in pledges!

At the November 11th meeting wewere presented not only with the

design, but also with a project timeline. Ifall goes according to plan, we will be readyto move into our new building aroundYamim Nora�im in 2003. There are twomajor factors that will facilitate meetingour projected deadlines. One factor isexternal: permits, planning commission,etc. Our able Design Sub-group is handlingthose aspects. The other factor is internal:raising the money necessary to completethis project. I�m asking that we all give ourmost careful consideration to the call forpledges to the Capital Campaign. If you�vealready pledged, could you considerincreasing that pledge? Would youconsider extending that pledge for anotheryear or two? If you haven�t yet beencontacted for your pledge, please beginnow to give careful thought andconsideration to what you can do.

Our shul community is poised tobecome members of the greatercommunity of Berkeley in a way thatwe�ve never been before . Ouropportunities to provide programs andservices to our members and to engage inTikkun Olam will only increase when weare in a home of our own. ✡✡✡✡✡

�It�s been little more than

a year since Jean Bradman

saw the For Sale sign at

the site on University

Avenue, and yet here we

are...�

members who know our shul and ourcommunity, and who put in countlesshours gathering input, analyzing the data,and designing a beautiful building thatmeets our needs.

Kudos to those visionaries who, yearsago, realized the need for a permanenthome for Netivot Shalom. I�d like to thankRabbi Kelman, for breathing life into thatvision, fleshing it out in drashot and duringmeetings, giving it substance and form. Kolhakavod to the former Building Committeefor their tireless search over the years fora site that would meet our needs and ourpocketbooks. Joe Meresman, and all ofthe members of the Site Work Group,jumped in and took on all aspects of this

Plans for Our New BuildingBy Debby Graudenz, President



COMMUNITYOur SisterCongregation inSantiago deCubaBy June Safran

Well, everyone, Bob and I areof f to Cuba aga in onDecember 19th, this time

for the bar mitzvah of David BudeginFarin, a very sweet boy whose favoriteactivities are playing chess, participating inservices, building and flying kites, and playingbaseball. We are very excited both forDavid and the community. This is a veryspecial time for the community becausethere will not be another bar mitzvah forfour more years.

Unfortunately, his mother, Emna Farinhas been ill for the past month with aproblem that has left her anemic. But sheis slowly recovering and looking forwardto seeing her son on the bimah inDecember.

In other news in the community, twobabies are due to be born in January; oneto Betty Delgado Farin, and the other toYurina Santesteban, the sister of Nili Beharwho has now moved to Israel. Both ofthese mothers-to-be take part insynagogue life in one way or another andboth need assistance, such as pediatricvitamins, Tylenol, thermometer, teethingrings, Desitin, medicated baby powder,and a myriad of other baby things that I nolonger remember now that my baby is 32years old.

I spoke with president Eugenia Farinrecently. She asked me to tell all her sistersand brothers at Netivot Shalom that theSantiageros wish you all a very happyChanukah and invite you to come visit

David Budegin Farin

Jewish Heritage Tour to SpainCongregant Steve Bileca is leading a Jewish Heritage Trip to Spain this spring, open

to members of Netivot Shalom and other congregations of Northern California.The dates are May 17-28, 2002, and the itinerary includes some of Sephardic Spain�smost enchanting sights: Seville, Granada, Córdoba, Segovia, Toledo. Space is limited to16 people. Call Steve at 510-339-1498 for more info.

Mature MavensBy Jean Bradman

Our recent discussion group successfully navigated through the most essentialaspects of long term health care insurance and gently impressed upon us the

necessity for evaluating the various plans available. The issues are so subjective, thevarious plans described so different, and some of the language so technical, that it isdifficult to present a coherent picture of the presentation in a couple of short paragraphs.We learned that some aspects to think about when considering long term health careinsurance are: 1) family medical history, 2) your personal medical history, 3) financialstatus, 4) possible heirs, 5) your relationship with your heirs, etc. We were very fortuantein that two speakers were present to provide a balanced view, and we thank them bothimmensely: Michael Jarnigan, an insurance agent specializing in senior long term careinsurance, and Phil Epstein from the health insurance counseling and advocacy program(HICAP). Both offered their extensive knowledge and expertise. Brochures from theevening's discussion are available; please contact Iris Greenbaum if you are interested inreceiving a copy of them: 524-8548.

Our next get together is planned for December 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the NetivotShalom library. We are planning a Chanukah celebration. Please bring your chanukiot,tasty treats to share, and come to celebrate! Please RSVP to Iris Greenbaum 524-8548.

Hag Sameach!

New Program Coordinator Joins Us

We are excited to welcome Melissa Rogoway to the staff at Netivot Shalom.She will be working with Iris Greenbaum to help develop the Etzleynu

B�Shchunah groups, and to further build our Netivot Shalom community. One of her firsttasks is a phone tree to help link us all together. She will also be involved in planning eventshere at the synagogue.

Here is your chance to get involved by volunteering just a few hours per month. Ifyou are interested in helping, contact Melissa at 549-9447, ext. 110.

them anytimeand often.

Capital Campaign UpdateOn November 19th we bid adieu to Stan Moore, the fundraising consultant for ourCapital Campaign. We can�t thank Stan enough for the work that he did for us. He traineda cadre of volunteers from within our congregation to do the work of soliciting membersfor our five-year pledges. He held our hands, encouraged, cajoled and inspired us toembark upon and continue this work. Stan is hoping to come back and see us in our newbuilding in the Fall of 2003.

Adam Brown, Stan�s capable assistant, will continue to work on the campaign on alimited basis. Although the physical space of the campaign office closed on December2nd, the phone and e-mail are still connected. Adam will be handling the ongoing processof recording pledges, sending out reminders to those members who chose options otherthan monthly ACH withdrawals for payment of their pledges, and will stay in closecontact with Mike Irwin, our Campaign Treasurer.

217 Kislev

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAYUnless otherwise stated, allSaturday morning activitiestake place at the BRJCC(1414 Walnut St.) and allother activities take placeat the Netivot Shalom offices(1841 Berkeley Way).

318 Kislev

419 Kislev

520 Kislev

924 Kislev

1025 Kislev

1126 Kislev

1227 Kislev

161 Tevet

172 Tevet

183 Tevet

194 Tevet

238 Tevet

249 Tevet

2510 Tevet

2611 Tevet

3015 Tevet

3116 Tevet

january 117 Tevet

january 218 Tevet

December 2001

3rd Day of Chanukah

7:15 am Morning Minyan

6:15 pm Teachers Inservice7:30 pm Hebrew class7:30 pm Trope for Beginners,

with Jan Fischer

10:00 am-12:00 pmShabbat B�Yachad ChanukahCelebration, at the BRJCC

10:00 am Controversial Ideas in the Siddur,with Rabbi Kelman

5:00 pm Youth Education meeting7:00 pm Ritual Committee meeting


2nd Day of Chanukah

7:30 pm Talmud & AdvancedTalmud class:Rabbi Kelman � BrachotIlana Fodiman � Makkot

7:30 pm Talmud & AdvancedTalmud class:Rabbi Kelman � BrachotIlana Fodiman � Makkot

1ST CHANUKAH LIGHT (IN THE EVENING)

9:30 am Midrasha workshops, grades 10-12and parents

10:00 am Controversial Ideas in the Siddur,with Rabbi Kelman

3:30-5:30 pm Netivot Shalom�sChanukah Celebration

5:00 pm Executive Committee meeting

5:00 pm Board of Directors meeting

1st Day of Chanukah

7:00 pm Mature MavensChanukah celebration

7:00 pm Social Action Committee

7:30 pm Advanced Talmud class:Rabbi Kelman � BrachotIlana Fodiman � Makkot

SHUL OFFICE CLOSEDNO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL / AMITIM

7:15 am Morning Minyan11:30 am Regional Rabbinical

Assembly meeting

7:30 pm Hebrew class7:30 pm Haftorah Trope

for Beginners,with Jan Fischer


7th Day of Chanukah2nd Day Rosh Chodesh Tevet

10:00 am K�Tanim at the BRJCC

10:00 am Shabbat B�Yachad StorytellingWorkshop


7:30 pm Ethics in the Torahwith Nitzhia Shaked

SHUL OFFICE CLOSEDAT NOON

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

Fast of theTenth Day of Tevet

SHUL OFFICE CLOSEDNO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL / AMITIM

8:00 pm Evening of Song,at the Kelmans

8th Day of Chanukah

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

116 Kislev

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

621 Kislev

722 Kislev

823 Kislev

1328 Kislev

1429 Kislev

15 30 Kislev

205 Tevet

216 Tevet

227 Tevet

2712 Tevet

2813 Tevet

2914 Tevet

january 319 Tevet

january 420 Tevet

january 521 Tevet

Kislev-Tevet 5762

9:00 am Torah Study of Va Yishlach, with Rabbi Art Gould9:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES10:30 am Religious School for Grades K-611:30 am Shabbat Shelanu, Room 20

9:00 am Torah Study of Va Yeshev, with Nitzhia Shaked9:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES9:45 am Learner�s Minyan, room 14, with Rabbi Kelman10:30 am Religious School for Grades K-611:00 am Shabbat B�Yachad, Room 14

1:30 pm Gender & Judaism Lecture, with Rabbi Margie Jacobs, in theBRJCC Library

9:00 am Torah Study of Mi Ketz, with Michael Cohen9:30 am Meditative Minyan, Room 149:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES; Sam Finn is called to the Torah as a

bar mitzvah10:30 am Religious School for Grades K-611:30 am Shabbat Shelanu, Room 20

Kiddush sponsored by Andrea Altschuler & David Finn, inhonor of Sam becoming a bar mitzvah

7:30 pm Achi ben Shalom: 9/11 Benefit concert, at Temple Beth El

9:00 am Torah Study of Va Yiggash with Nitzhia Shaked9:45 am Learner�s Minyan, Room 14, with Rabbi Art Gould9:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES11:00 am Shabbat B�Yachad, Room 14

9:00 am Torah Study of Va Yehi with Naomi Seidman9:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

4:37 pm Candle Lighting





9:00 am Torah Study of Shemot with Nitzhia Shaked9:45 am Learner�s Minyan9:45 am SHABBAT SERVICES11:30 am Shabbat B�Yachad, room 14

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

4th Day of Chanukah

7:00 pm Rosh Chodesh groupChanukah event,Food & Memories

7:30 pm Adult B�nai Mitzvah class

5th Day of Chanukah

6th Day of Chanukah1st Day Rosh Chodesh Tevet

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

NO AMITIM NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

NO AMITIM



I was going to begin this article with anapology for writing about YamimNora�im observance in a newsletter

article that chronologically should bedevoted to something about Chanukah.However, most of us know quite a bitabout Chanukah, even though it is aboutas significant to Judaism as Flag Day was topre-September 11 Americans. Chanukah� like Hoshana Raba � is a minorholiday, mentioned nowhere in theTanach. Apparently Chanukah did notachieve major holiday status (nor theBook of Maccabees canonization in theTanach) because the Maccabean rulersquickly degenerated into bloodthirsty,decadent tyrants. For example, Simon�sgrandson, King Alexander Yannai ,executed 800 of his Pharisee opponentsafter forcing them to witness the murdersof their wives and children. (King Yannaiwas hosting a drinking party during theslaughter.) Chanukah is a major holiday toAmerican Jewry simply because of itsproximity to Christmas. Shemini Atzeret,on the other hand, is a biblically ordainedfull holiday whose purpose most of uswould be at a loss to describe.

First, let�s clear up some of the confusionaround when these holidays occur. Sukkotand Shemini Atzeret often get lumpedtogether as one holiday. Officially, theyare not. They are, rather, individual holidayswhich follow each other. Sukkot is aseven-day holiday, the last day of which iscalled Hoshana Raba (more on this below).Shemini Atzeret is a one-day holiday inIsrael and two-day holiday in the Diaspora.It comes the day after Hoshana Raba. LikeRosh Hashana, Sukkot and Passover, it iscelebrated an extra day in the Diasporabecause of historic uncertainty aroundthe calendar. (Did you ever wonder whyYom Kippur wasn�t also observed for twodays in the Diaspora?) Simchat Torah, aholiday with which we are all more familiar,

is subsumed within Shemini Atzeret. Inthe Diaspora, Simchat Torah is the secondday of Shemini Atzeret. In Israel it iscelebrated on the same day as ShimeniAtzeret.

HOSHANA RABAAs mentioned, Hoshana Raba is the lastday of Sukkot. The first day of Sukkot isconsidered a full holiday in Israel; the firsttwo days are considered full holidays inthe Diaspora. The remaining days of Sukkot� including the last day (Hoshana Raba)are considered half holidays (when it ispermitted to work).

Many of us have taken part in the�hakafot� at Sukkot. This procession aroundthe synagogue waving the lu lavcommemorates the procession aroundthe Temple during biblical times. Duringthese processions the people would singPsalm 118:25: �Ana Adonai Hoshia Na,��Please, God, please save us� which gotshortened to �Hoshana� (�Hosanna� inEnglish). The last day of Sukkot was givenspecial sanctity by the prophets Haggai,Zechariah, and Malachi and the Templewould be circuited seven times, thus thename �Hoshana Raba� (�the greatHoshana�).

Hoshana Raba came to be viewed asa �second Yom Kippur� when the

final judgment of God would be sealed.There have been numerous popularcustoms developed around this belief thatthe verdict of a person�s behavior waspassed on Yom Kippur and �sealed� onHoshana Raba. In some communitiescandles were lit, in some the chazzanwore a white robe, and in some the shofarwas blown. Special challot were bakedwith a hand on the top; the handrepresented the acceptance of thedocument on which the verdict wasrecorded. There was an ancient belief thatthe Sukkot holiday was the time in which

it was determined how much rain wouldfall, and this led to the prayer for rainfollowing Sukkot (on Shemini Atzeret �see below).

The seven hakafot of Hoshana Rabawere thought to be so important that thecalendar was set so that it would never fallon Shabbat, when hakafot are notconducted. Paradoxica l ly , in ourcongregation this means that we don�tobserve Hoshana Raba unless it shouldhappen to fall on a Wednesday. As aminor holiday in a series of major holidays,it gets ignored because of what comesbefore and after it.

SHEMINI ATZERETShemini Atzeret is mentioned twice in theTorah, first in Leviticus 23:36: �On theeighth day shall be a holy convocationunto you; and ye shall bring an offeringmade by fire unto the Lord; it is a day ofsolemn assembly; ye shall do no mannerof servile work.� It also appears in Numbers29:35-36, where the Israelites are againtold not to work and the nature of thesacrifices they are to make. Herein probablylies the confusion between Sukkot andShemini Atzeret: the �eighth day� of what?Of Sukkot. But again, this holiday is to betreated as a separate festival, �regal bifneietzmo.� It contains none of the Sukkotceremonies, such as hakafot or eating in asukkah. Its name comes from the words�atzeret� (assembly) and �shemini� (eighth).

Shemini Atzeret liturgy is notable forthree things: Yizkor, Kohelet, and theprayer for rain. Yizkor services are heldfour times throughout the year: on YomKippur, the eighth day of Passover, thesecond day of Shavuot, and SheminiAtzeret. Again the conflation with Sukkotis evident here: the conclusion of a holidaywas considered to be a more propitioustime for Yizkor (thus the end of Passoverand Shavuot) and the rabbis of the Talmud

RITUAL COMMITTEE

Hoshana Raba and Shemini AtzeretA Winter�s Explanation for Fall Holidays

By Josh Gressel, Ritual Chair

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

COMMITTEES



treated Shemini Atzeret as the end ofSukkot, so Yizkor was held on this day.

Kohelet is read on Shemini Atzeretbecause its depressive tone was thoughtto fit the somber end of an intense periodof soul searching through the YamimNora�im. Others believe it was read tostrike a balance to the lighter, more joyousmood of Sukkot. If one of the intermediatedays of Sukkot falls on Shabbat, Kohelet isread then rather than on Shemini Atzeret(another blurring of the separateness ofthe two holidays).

Finally, the prayer for rain (�TefillatHaGeshem�): This prayer for return of

the wind and rain is recited during theMusaf service on Shemini Atzeret and isthen mentioned in the three daily amidot(�mashiv ha ruach umorid hageshem�) untilthe first day of Passover. Its purpose to theagricultural society of ancient Israel (andto the agriculture of modern Israel) isclear: �For a blessing and not a curse, forlife and not for death, for plenty and notfor famine. Amen.� Prayers for rain areamong the earliest liturgical texts anddrought in the Tanach is consideredpunishment from God. While the ShemeniAzeret-Passover dates were chosen withIsraeli agriculture in mind, later rabbinicauthorities decreed that wherever rain isbeneficial �out of season� (e.g., in thesummer) prayers for rain may be inserted.✡✡✡✡✡

REFERENCESElbogen, I. (1993). Jewish Liturgy: A ComprehensiveHistory. (R. Scheindlin, Trans.). Jewish PublicationSociety. (Original work published 1931).Encyclopedia Judaica.Hertz, J. (1972). The Pentateuch and Haftorahs.London: Soncino Press.Kolatch, A. (1981). The Jewish Book of Why.Middle Village, NY: Jonathan David Publishers,Inc.Telushkin, J. (1991). Jewish Literacy. New York:William Morrow & Co.

SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Intolerance and Tolerance

By Cyndi Spindell Berck

staff counselor. See below for informationabout volunteer opportunities.

Blanket DriveAmerican Friends Service Committee iscollecting blankets to deliver to Afghanrefugees. A collection box will be placedin the synagogue office until December21. Please, clean blankets only, and pleaseput them in the box, not on the floor!

Chanukah Book DriveFrom Monday, December 10 (first dayof Chanukah) until Friday, December21, there will be a box at the shul office tocollect children�s books for distribution bythe Jewish Coalition for Literacy. If youcan, please send your kids to weekdayReligious School or Amitim with a bookfor K-3 children, new or used in goodcondition. Please make sure that the booksend up in the box, not on the floor! TheCoalition will distribute the books tochildren who are participating in readingtutoring programs.

Volunteer Opportunities�Jewish Children�s and Family Services isseeking visitors to homebound Holocaustsurvivors. Contact Lola Fraknoi at (510)704-7475.�The Jewish Coalition for Literacy is seekingreading tutors for K-3 children. ContactAlison Gretz at (510) 839-2900.�Shalom Bayit is seeking volunteers tohelp women in domestic violence crises.Contact Naomi Tucker at (510) 451-8874.

And please let me know if you dovolunteer.

Next MeetingTuesday, December 4, 7:00 p.m, 1048Keith. Contact Cyndi Berck at 524-2984.Please note that, starting in January, themeeting date will be the first Monday ofthe month (January 7). ✡✡✡✡✡

Anti-Semitism at U.C. BerkeleyIntolerance has been part of the fallout ofSeptember 11. Last month, I talked aboutthe murder of two men of Middle Easternappearance. Now, anti-Semitic incidentsare surfacing as well.

On Simchat Torah, a young Jewishman celebrating the holiday on the U.C.Berkeley campus was punched in the faceby an assailant shouting �Heil Hitler.� OtherJewish students have reported verbalharassment. In response, U.C. BerkeleyJewish students staged a �Sit Down toStand Up Against Hate and Anti-Semitism.�

My one-year-old son and I attendedthe �sit down.� I was encouraged to see agroup holding a banner that said �Studentsfor Justice in Palestine against all forms ofracism.� They sat peacefully near a groupof young people wearing �Kahane� t-shirtsand holding a sign that said �Tolerance, MyA�.� My sign read, �Scapegoating Arabsor Jews is not the path to peace.� (A littlepitch for our shul, if anyone noticed!)

I spoke briefly with some of the Araband Muslim students, and I don�t knowwhether our contacts will lead to anyfurther communication. Meanwhile, JonKlein has been pursuing efforts to learnmore about the local Muslim community.We will let you know of further efforts towork together on issues of tolerance.

I should also mention a photo I saw ofan anti-war demonstration in SanFrancisco, in which a man dressed asUncle Sam held a sign saying �I want youto die for Israel.� Regardless of one�s viewson the U.S. military action, we all should bealert for distorted and simplistic attempts toblame the current crisis on Israel.

Shalom BayitShalom Bayit � Peace in the Home � isa Jewish agency supporting women facingdomestic violence. Shalom Bayit has acounseling line at (510) 451-SAFE. JuliePatrusky, who often davens with us, is the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

COMMITTEES



Mazal Tov To:Moeshe & Flo Pripstein in honor of the engagementof their son, David

Condolences to:Melissa Rogoway on the death of her father, JackRogoway, on October 28thShelly Ball on the death of her grandmother, SuraBrana bat Perl, on October 30th

Jack Becker 18 Kislev/December 3Sylvia Lorwit 18 Kislev December 3Estelle Seder 19 Kislev December 4Mary Solomon Goldberg 19 Kislev December 4Morris Burack 20 Kislev December 5Louis Lieberman 21 Kislev December 6Samuel Namiot Koslav 22 Kislev December 7Roslyn Sterling 24 Kislev December 9Rudolf Grossmann 24 Kislev December 9Fred Brinner 25 Kislev December 10Louis Robinson 25 Kislev December 10Mitchel Derish 25 Kislev December 10Yosef Shein 27 Kislev December 12Jacob Levine 29 Kislev December 14Yakov Melech Ruby 30 Kislev December 15Joseph Yaffee 1 Tevet December 16Eric Wood 1 Tevet December 16William Bruch 2 Tevet December 17Harvey Beck 2 Tevet December 17Faye Berman 3 Tevet December 18Leo Lowsky 3 Tevet December 18Simon Dov Yaffee 5 Tevet December 20Charlot Rehfeld Lanier 5 Tevet December 20Samuel Margolis 5 Tevet December 20David Rosenstein 6 Tevet December 21Bertha Rodbell Spiegel 8 Tevet December 23Nathan Abraham Epstein 9 Tevet December 24Ida Frank 10 Tevet December 25Abraham L. Gewertz 11 Tevet December 26Gershon Kaplan 11 Tevet December 26Sophie Chait 11 Tevet December 26Victor Goodman 11 Tevet December 26Anna Abramowski 12 Tevet December 27George Trow 12 Tevet December 27Stan Fink 12 Tevet December 27Irving Lowe 13 Tevet December 28Josef Levi 14 Tevet December 29Esther Radousky 14 Tevet December 29Dr. Robert C. Goldberg 16 Tevet December 31Bernard David Laytner 18 Tevet January 2Alan Gordon 19 Tevet January 3Al Becker 19 Tevet January 3Max Rosenheimer 20 Tevet January 4Naida Schlossman Epstein 21 Tevet January 5Cecelia C. Rosenheimer 21 Tevet January 5Fanny Kohn Fingerhut 23 Tevet January 7Sheldon Berrol 24 Tevet January 8Samuel Banc 25 Tevet January 9Ann Weintraub 26 Tevet January 10Harry Alter 26 Tevet January 10Celia Linsey 26 Tevet January 10William Samelson 28 Tevet January 12Edwin Posner 28 Tevet January 12Gertrude Aronstein 29 Tevet January 13Rosalie Cohen 29 Tevet January 13Benjamin Goor 1 Shevat January 14Ellen C. Isaak 1 Shevat January 14Mary Rosenblatt 1 Shevat January 14Max Grosz 2 Shevat January 15Nathan Solomon 2 Shevat January 15

YAHRZEIT LISTA Letter From the AlamedaCounty Community Food Bank

On behalf of the Alameda County Community Food Bankand the Bay Area Coalition on the Environment and Jewish

Life, I sincerely thank you for your contribution to the HighHolidays Food Drive.

This year was an especially challenging food drive, as ourattention so naturally focused on the need on the East Coast.However, the thirteen synagogues and Jewish Communityorganizations who collected food during this most holy time ofyear showed an inspiring ability to be generous to our ownneighbors who suffer from hunger on a daily basis.

The Food Bank is delighted to report that this year�s collectioneffort totaled more than 18,895 pounds of food, which is themost food collected in the drive�s history. Congregation NetivotShalom, in particular, collected 445 pounds of food. It will bedistributed to the Food Bank�s network of 300 social serviceagencies who strive to feed the 171,000 people in our communitywho are at risk of going hungry.

The Food Bank is grateful for your support and wishes you allthe best in the new year.Sincerely,

Dan McCloskyHonorary Chair, High Holidays Food Drive

TO ADD A NAME(S) TO THE YAHRZEIT LIST, FILLOUT THE INFORMATION BELOW AND MAIL, E-MAILOR FAX (include only names of departed parents, spouses, sibingsor children)MAIL TO: Congregation Netivot Shalom 1841 Berkeley Way Berkeley, CA 94703E-MAIL TO: [email protected] FAX TO: (510) 549-9448

NAME OF DECEASED: (English name)__________________________

(Hebrew name � if possible)_______________________________

DATE OF DEATH: (civil date)________________________________

(Hebrew date � if possible) _______________________________

YOUR NAME: ____________________________________________

RELATIONSHIP TO DECEASED:_______________________________



Learner�s Minyan for 5762

The Learner�s Minyan will meet on the second and fourthShabbat of each month in room 14 of the BRJCC, 9:45-

10:35 a.m. The program is designed to develop a greaterappreciation for the structure and sense of our services and toteach nusach, the melodic form of the prayers. All levels arewelcome.

December 8, Rabbi Stuart KelmanTefilah: Where do these prayers come from? The relationbetween Temple and synagogue service; The intersection ofTorah and prayer

December 22, Rabbi Art GouldTefilah: The Work of the Spirit

January 12, Wendy RosovOverview of the Shacharit Service

January 26, Brenda GoldsteinShacharit Service: Nishmat kol chai, Yishtabach

February 9, Wendy RosovShacharit Service: Barchu, K�riat Sh�ma and surroundingblessings

February 23, Brenda GoldsteinShacharit Service: K�riat Sh�ma and surrounding blessings,continued

March 9, Eva HeinsteinShacharit Service: The benedictions of the Shabbat Amidah. ASephardic Yismach Moshe

March 23, Brenda GoldsteinHallel

April 13, Julie BatzShabbat Amidah: The Public Repetition

April 27, Brenda GoldsteinBirchot Ha Shachar: Overview & nusach

May 11, Esther BrassBirchot Ha Shachar

May 25, Brenda GoldsteinMusaf Service: Remnants of the Temple Service and thevariations in the Musaf Amidah

June 8Discussion: How should we teach the Learner�s Minyan?

Hebrew ClassesWednesday evenings 7:30-9:00 p.m. � At the shul

�10 sessions for beginning and intermediate levels January16 through March 20�Free to Netivot Shalom members, $50 for non-members�Text for this session will be THE SHABBAT AMIDAH.Text, glossary, bibliography, and reference material will beprovided for students.�Rabbi Stuart Kelman will give an introductory lesson, withhistorical overviewon Sunday, January 20, 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the shul offices.

Midrasha

Where has the semester gone? It seems like school justbegan and suddenly we are choosing new electivesfor the second semester. It�s been a great few

months. So, now let me tell you what�s coming up.On December 9, at 9:30 a.m., we are having a set of

workshops for students and parents of 10th-12th graders. If youare not a Midrasha family, but have teens the right age, please joinus. Tenth and eleventh graders will hear a recruitment presentationabout the East Bay Summer Experience in Israel. Eleventh gradefamilies not wanting to hear the Israel trip presentation can attenda workshop on �Applying to College Through Jewish Eyes�,presented by independent college counselor Marilyn Neril. Twelfthgraders will hear a panel of Hillel staff and Cal students talk aboutadapting to college life. All will be an hour long. Sounds like a fullprogram.

Have you checked your mail lately? We recently sent out ourannual fundraising appeal. If you are even tempted to throw themailing away without reading it, or writing a check, remember this:Ten percent of our students have requested financial aid. Ourfaculty salaries need to remain competitive to retain our wonderfulstaff so that teaching at Midrasha will be more than just a labor oflove. We run Midrasha as frugally as possible, and we need youto make it all possible. Thanks in advance for your support.

And keep an eye out at your local bookstore. One of ourteachers, Danya Ruttenberg, has a new book that has just comeout: Yentl�s Revenge: The Next Wave of Jewish Feminism. Oneof the articles in the book is written by a former teacher, YiskahRosenfeld. I can�t wait to start reading my copy.

And for those of you with 8th-12th grade children notcurrently enrolled at Midrasha, remember that the semesterbreak makes an excellent time for a new student to enter thesystem since everyone takes new courses beginning in January.

B�Shalom,

Diane Bernbaum

EDUCATION



EDUCATION

In the fifth/sixth grade class, students have compiled a list ofquestions about Yahadut/Yiddishkeit. Their questions range fromthe importance of the Shema to the reasons for kashrut. RabbiKelman has been our special guest, willing to answer some verychallenging questions.

The Religious School meets three times a week, on Mondaysand Wednesdays, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., and on Shabbat,

from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The curriculum includes the coreof Jewish learning, such as Torah study (Humash) andcommentaries, the holidays, mitzvot and tefillah. In the classroomwe create an environment which encourages questioning andcuriosity as well as group/partnership work, known as chevruta.Students have been working in chevruta for part of the time, as itis traditional of Jewish education. We study from as many sourcesas possible, such as humashim, siddurim and commentaries, in anattempt to break the �Sefer (book) Barrier�. We create anenvironment of familiarity with our history and with what hasgiven us our practice for the last thousands of years.

I would like to invite you into the classroom, where you arewelcome to share your strengths with the students and be partof this process which we all consider so important. We intend tobring the community closer to the students, by having guestspeakers who will join us and share their strengths, be it movie-making, puppet theater, sign language, Jewish History, or Hebrewcalligraphy, just to mention a few. If you have an interest, a hobby,or if you are really enthusiastic about your profession and wouldlike to share it with the Religious School, please contact us.Together we will be able make the experience of Jewish learningpart of the student�s life.

Shabbat mornings are designed to provide families with anatural time to celebrate together. Parents are able to join us inour Shabbat morning services from 10:30-11:30 a.m., wheremusic and ruach (spirit) enliven the space in which the study of theweekly parasha (Torah portion) takes place. Later on in the year,students will be encouraged to prepare a Divrei Torah (a speechabout the parasha or any other aspect of their learning) for theseShabbat morning services.

Shabbat is also a natural time for story telling. It is a great placeto introduce students to Chassidic masters and explore Chassidictales that have inspired many generations.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of dialogue andcommunication between parents and students around theirTorah and Judaic studies. As Joel Grishaver points out in theintroduction to his book Learning Torah, �American English usuallytalks about studying, but Jewish English uses learning.� Together,we will learn, throughout the year, what the difference is.

Shalom U�Vracha

Youth Education: Grades 3-6By Bat Sheva Miller, Education Coordinator

Shalom! Religious School is well under way. Students andstaff have been working together in providing each otherwith opportunities to explore our local Jewish community,

our interests in Jewish education and our strengths and potentialas active participants of the community at large. We areinvestigating how the students of Netivot Shalom can contributeto the Berkeley community, as part of our mitzvah focus. Wewelcome your ideas and input.

One of the main aspects of Jewish education is to encouragestudents to look for questions in texts, in Jewish practice or in anyother aspect of a student�s life. We intend to create an environmentwherein students are able to reflect on their questions about thespecific subject matters that constitute Jewish education. Thesequestions are a very important piece of the curriculum design. Forexample, in the third grade, students are inspired by Revital Hellerto learn about Sefer Bereshit (Book of Genesis). They are askingimportant questions which are posted on their Midrash Board.Commentaries and midrashim from the rabbanim are thenstudied and compared with students� own interpretations.

In fourth grade, under the creative leadership of JeremiGoldshen, students are reviewing Bereshit and getting started inSefer Shemot (Book of Exodus), the focus of the fourth gradeHumash curriculum. These students are working on parasha skitswhich elicit different interpretations of the Torah.

ANDREA ALTSCHULER

& DAVID FINN

INVITE YOU TO JOIN THEM ON

DECEMBER 15, 2001

AS THEIR SON,

SAM FINN

IS CALLED TO THE TORAH

AS A BAR MITZVAH



EDUCATIONReligious School Hadashot:Shabbat B�Yachad

By Judy Massarano, Education Coordinator

Did you know that there is a �little shul� within our big shulon the 2nd and 4th Shabbatot of each month? Do youknow about Shabbat B�Yachad (SBY) and the tireless

efforts of Iris Greenbaum in bringing the joy and warmth ofJudaism into the lives of our children?

In 1998, Iris and a group of parents with children under the ageof five years (for whom there was no synagogue programming)created a siddur and launched SBY. In four years, it has grownfrom a handful of interested members into a cohesive communityof over 30 families and our lives haven�t been the same since! Irishas infused the program with her special gifts � her way of makingJudaism magical and accessible to very young children, her deeplove and understanding of children, her skill in teaching lessonsof Torah through song and stories. She makes Jewish ritual andprayer so appealing that our children can�t wait to get to room14 for SBY services! Iris has inspired all of us with young childrento live better lives, to give more to our community, and tonurture Jewish values in our children.

The original concept of SBY was of a parent-led service andprogram. The time has come for us to strengthen this model andfor more parents to get involved in leading the service, telling theTorah stories, organizing holiday celebrations, and maintainingSBY as an organization. All SBY parents recently received a letterexplaining that since Iris has reduced the number of hours sheworks at Netivot Shalom, we all need to become more active inSBY. To this end, service leading and storytelling workshops willbe offered in the near future (read weekly announcements or e-mail announcements for dates) and parents will be contactingtheir fellow SBY members to ask them to sponsor a SBY kiddush,lead services, or tell a story. Quarterly meetings of the SBY ParentCommittee (which is made up of anyone who attends themeetings!) will be held to plan events and address issues. And aweb site will soon be up and running containing a SBY manual ofdetailed �how to� information, as well as notes from themeetings. It is our hope that Iris�s energy will continue on in eachone of us as we strengthen the old and create new ways ofexperiencing the wonders of Judaism and the joy of being partof the Netivot Shalom community.

All congregants are welcome to stop by Room 14 any 2nd or4th Shabbat at 11:00 a.m. to participate in our service. Thechildren love seeing new faces. And should you feel inclined tolead the service or tell a Torah story, please call LorraineRosenblatt, Education Administrator (549-9447 ext. 104) for thename of a parent contact. We hope to see you! ✡✡✡✡✡

Ramah Day Camp

Dear Ramah Families & Friends,We�re writing to update you about some changes at Ramah

Day Camp.First, we are sad to announce that Dan Alter will no longer

be serving as our Director. We thank him for his passion forand commitment to this camp and community. We areprofoundly grateful for Dan�s leadership in establishing thiscamp and seeing it through its first two years of existence. Weknow that Ramah Day Camp would not have become theinstitution that it is without his tireless dedication.

We are in the process of compiling a terrific leadershipteam to direct camp for the upcoming year. Until then, JudithRosenthal Schwartz�our Camp Administrator and ParentLiaison�together with our active Board, will continue toensure that camp runs smoothly during this transition period.As always, we welcome your questions, comments, andsuggestions throughout the year.

Finally, we would like to let you know that the event weannounced last month, �Ramah Reunion�Bring A Friend,� hasbeen postponed. Rather than taking place Thanksgivingweekend, we have scheduled it for Sunday, January 13.Please hold the date and plan to join us. New and continuingfamilies are invited.

We look forward to seeing you in your synagogues, at ourevents throughout this coming year, and during Summer, 2002.

B�shalom,

The Board of Ramah Day Camp of the East Bay.

NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL OR AMITIMDECEMBER 24- JANUARY 6

Young JudaeaOh no!!! You�ve already missed some of the hottest clubmeetings in town. Young Judaea�s East Bay club has already kickedoff its year and the only problem is that you weren�t there withus. We found a new home at the Berkeley JCC, but all NetivotShalom congregants in 3rd-8th grade are invited and encouragedto attend. Check out our new web site at www.youngjudaeacnh.org.For more information and our calendar, please contact ourregional office at 510/549-0260 or [email protected].

Katie Winsberg, Assistant Director CNH Young Judaea



MAKE A DONATIONI/We wish to make a donationto Congregation Netivot Shalom.Enclosed is my/our check payable to:

CONGREGATION NETIVOT SHALOM1841 BERKELEY WAYBERKELEY, CA 94703

Donor(s) Information:Name__________________________________________________

Street__________________________________________________

City____________________________________________________

Please honor the following person/event:

Name__________________________________________________

Street__________________________________________________

City____________________________________________________

✃

ETZ HAYIM: A Torah Commentary ORDER FORMORDER FORMORDER FORMORDER FORMORDER FORM

✃

c I would also like a Humash for home use at a cost of $50.00.(List price is $75. Pre-publication price is available when you alsodedicate a book for synagogue use.)

Orderedby______________________________________________

Phonenumber____________________________________________

Total number of books __________ x $50.00 eachTotal Enclosed = $_____________

Return this form with your check payable to:

Congregation Netivot Shalom - Etz Hayim FundCongregation Netivot Shalom - Etz Hayim FundCongregation Netivot Shalom - Etz Hayim FundCongregation Netivot Shalom - Etz Hayim FundCongregation Netivot Shalom - Etz Hayim Fund1841 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 947031841 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 947031841 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 947031841 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 947031841 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703

I/We will dedicate ____ book(s) at the price of $50.00 each.

Please include the following on a bookplate:

First book: c In honor / c In memory of____________________________________________________________

Second book: c In honor / c In memory of____________________________________________________________

Third book: c In honor / c In memory of____________________________________________________________

Dedicated by____________________________________________________________

c An anonymous gift.

This donation is intendedfor the following:

❐ Adult Education

❐ Building Fund

❐ Cuba Fund

❐ Dinners for the Homeless

❐ Etz Hayim Fund

❐ General Fund

❐ Kiddush Fund

❐ Library Fund

❐ Max & Cecelia Rosenheimer

Camp Scholarship Fund

❐ Rabbi�s Discretionary Fund

❐ Torah Study

❐ Yamim Nora�im Oneg

❐ Youth Education

❐ Youth Education

Scholarship Fund

Thank you!



DONATIONS TO NETIVOT SHALOMADULT EDUCATION

Vivian Numaguchi in honor ofJonathan & Rachel HeinsteinNoriko Obinata

BUILDING FUND

Linda BlachmanRabbi Graudenz in honor ofRabbi Stuart & Vicky KelmanSanne & Hugh Dewitt in memory ofAl AnismanCarol Traeger in honor ofHannah Traeger MuneySteve Zolno & Carol Deltonin memory of Ed Anisman�s father,Al AnismanDavid GoldsteinFrank & Charlotte Sadofskyin honor of Aja & Zachary BagginsTal & Elad ZivGeorge & Toby GidalNoriko ObinataSam & Frances Levin

B�NAI MITZVAH

Henry Miller & Connie Philip inhonor of Amit Gressel�s bar mitzvah

BOOKS & RITUAL OBJECTS

Joan Bradus in honor of Debra Lobel& the Haver Hall davenners at YamimNora�imSheila & Art Braufman donation tothe Book of Remembrance in honor ofDebra Lobel, Wendy Rosoff & all thosewho worked so hard to make theYamim Nora�im specialJulie Weissman in memory ofDon FischerTed Feldman books for the library

CUBA FUND

Mitch Cohen in memory ofSidney Cohen

DINNERS FOR THE HOMELESS

Mitch Cohen in memory ofSidney Cohen

ETZ HAYIM

Judy Lieberman & Allen Samelsonin memory of Jerome Lieberman and inhonor of Avi Samelson

GENERAL FUND

David Levine & Joanne WeinbergLaurie & Eric Zell in honor ofDean Kertesz, Carla Cassler & familyJane Falk in memory of Don FischerAllan Joseph in memory ofJerome LiebermanNoriko Obinata

KIDDUSH / ONEG

Michael & Betty Rosenheimer

RABBI�S DISCRETIONARY FUND

AnonymousErica Fono & Morry Katz in honorof Rabbi Stuart Kelman�s officiating ourweddingShari Rifas in honor of Dan Alter &Ruth WeisbergRobert & Jane MallowBetty MartinezDiane Rose JohnsonMitch Cohen in memory ofSidney CohenNoriko Obinata

TORAH STUDY

Esther StoneFabrice HabelskiKathryn WinterDavid & Eva BradfordVivian NumaguchiJohn & Eleanor CoxBasya GaleJoyce B JacobsonJerry GarfieldConrad Ellner, M.D.Isaac Turiel &

Ellen Matthews TurielGeri Rossen

YAMIM NORA�IM

Howard ApplemanSteven Greenfield in honor of aninspiring serviceJonas ZuckermanRichard Weinstein with thanks forlast minute Rosh Hashanah �stranded�accommodationsSteve Gottlieb & Pat Hellman inhonor of their aliyah on Rosh Hashana

YOUTH EDUCATION

Rabbi Graudenz in memory of EvaGraudenz, Esther Behrend, MoppelAvni, Hermann Graudenz, MachlaGraudenz, and Heinrich & CeliaSchorrEric & Heike Friedman in honor ofHannah Yael Friedman�s first birthday

THANK YOU TO:Rena Fischer, Debby Graudenz,Lee Feinstein, Jan Malvin andDavid Radwin for stepping in to helpget the new Humashim ready for theNovember 10th Shabbat servicesNorman Rosenblatt for installingand getting the new office server up andrunningChai Levy and Hillel Lester for adonation to the library

OOPS!These announcements werefound in shul newsletters andbulletins. Even the spellcheckerwouldn't have helped.

�Don't let worry kill you. Let yoursynagogue help. Join us for our Onegafter services. Prayer and medication tofollow. Remember in prayer the many whoare sick of our congregation.�For those of you who have children anddon't know it, we have a nurserydownstairs.�Thursday at 5:00 p.m., there will be ameeting of the Little Mothers Club. Allwomen wishing to become Little Mothersplease see the rabbi in his private study.�The ladies of Hadassah have cast offclothing of every kind and they may beseen in the basement on Tuesdays.�The Men's Club is warmly invited to theOneg hosted by Hadassah. Refreshmentswill be served for a nominal feel.� We are taking up a collection to defraythe cost of the new carpet in thesanctuary. All those wishing to dosomething on the carpet will come forwardand get a piece of paper.�The Associate Rabbi unveiled thesynagogue's new fund-raising campaignslogan this week. �I Upped My Pledge. UpYours.�

NON-PROFIT RATE

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

BERKELEY, CA

PERMIT NO. 106

Congregation Netivot Shalom1841 Berkeley WayBerkeley, CA 94703

Issue Date: December, 2001 / Kislev-Tevet, 5762Frequency: MonthlyIssue Number: Volume 13, Number 12

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Opportunities to Offer TzedakahVOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESShabbat Greeters We need Shabbat Greeters to welcomepeople into our services on Saturday mornings. Volunteer togreet for one Shabbat. Call Robin Braverman at925-979-1998, or e-mail her at [email protected].

Book Reviewers Often library volumes are sent to us forreview purposes. Many of the reviews need only be a oneparagraph description while some require a bit more. In orderto keep these books coming to Netivot Shalom, please contactRabbi Kelman at 549-9447 ext. 103.

Library Help Do you have a few hours to volunteer in ourlibrary? We need volunteers to re-shelve books, keep track ofbooks that are borrowed and process new books. If any of these�jobs� interest you, please contact Rabbi Kelman at 549-9447ext. 103.

CONTRIBUTIONSeScrip / Schoolpop Each time you shop at Safeway, Andronico�s,Albertsons and many other stores in the Bay Area, a percentageof your purchases can be donated to Netivot Shalom througheScrip and Schoolpop. Registration forms for eScrip and AlbertsonsCommunity Partner Cards are free and available through thecongregation office. For Schoolpop, call 1-877-456-1032.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles Donate your old car,motorcycle, truck or RV to Netivot Shalom. For more informa-tion, call Claudia Valas at 558-9200.

Stocks & Bequests To find out how to make a donation ofstock to the congregation, contact Mark Priven at 559-8393.When drafting your will, please consider making a bequest toCongregation Netivot Shalom.

CONGREGA TION Netivot Shalomold.netivotshalom.org/./newsletters/2001-12.pdf · Torah to our lives....

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Transcript of CONGREGA TION Netivot Shalomold.netivotshalom.org/./newsletters/2001-12.pdf · Torah to our lives....