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Purim 2018Friday, March 2nd at 5:30 PM

Our Story, Everyone’s Story!

The Story of Purim—in Rap!

Mask Making with Artist Karen Brooks!

Mishloach Manot Swap

Noise Making in Support of Immigrants and Dreamers

Dinner featuring Purim Perogies, Baxter Beer, Wine and Hamantashen

Please bring canned or other non-perishable items to help feed the hungry (an important Purim Mitzvah!)

Suggested donation: $5 per person, $10 per family.

RSVPs encouraged. Please call Melissa at 786-4201 or email temple6359@aol.com

From the Rabbi, March 2018

Hi Everyone.

So, I googled “Precious Moments and Jewish” and this popped up:

The popular line of cutesy Precious Moments figurines is getting a long-awaited addition with an upcoming “Conquest of Canaan” series of

collectibles, sources confirmed Friday. The figures will include iconic events from the momentous time in Israel’s history, including the circumcision of all Jewish males encamped at Gilgal, the slaughter of the wicked inhabitants of Jericho, and the stoning of the deceitful pillager Achan. “We wanted to depict some of the bloody, violent bits of the Bible in an adorable way,” a Precious Moments representative said as she showed off a collectible set of the five corpses of the Amorite kings Joshua put to the sword and publicly hanged before the people. “These are perfect for decorating a nursery or play room.”

This great parody piece came from the website, The Babylon Bee, which bills itself as “Your Trusted Source for Christian News Satire.”

My first encounters with Hallmark figurines came when I would accompany my father to Gift Shops. My father had an almost uncanny ability to pick out just the right greeting card. He would spend a long time perusing the card racks looking for the perfect message while I was attracted to the kid-friendly figurines. But one look from my father and I understood: nisht far unz—not for us. Lisa told me that she was given a similar non-verbal message growing up.Several weeks ago, our Temple held our second Shabbat Together. Our goal was to bond as a community by experiencing all the elements of a traditional Shabbat, together: prayer, song, food—great food, thanks to a generous sponsorship by Candy and Jim Platz—drinking, shmoozing, sharing and learning. And we did. At the end of the day, as darkness fell, we gathered together for Havdallah—the ceremony that marks the transition between Shabbat and the rest of our lives. Suddenly, spontaneously, our community hooked arms around each other in warmth, love, community, friendship, and spirit as we sang the prayers basking in the light of the Havdallah candle.

Truly a precious moment.

Rabbi Sruli

P.S. Rabbi Sruli will teach about Jewish traditions for Professor Alison Melnick’s “Death, Dying, and Afterlife” class at Bates College on Monday, March 5 at 9:30 a.m., Rabbi Sruli and Lisa will teach a class on Jewish music at Colby College on Tuesday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m., Rabbi Sruli will teach about Hasidic music for the Androscoggin Retired Educators Association on Wednesday, March 14 at 11:15 a.m., and Rabbi Sruli will lead a discussion for the Maine Jewish Film Festival’s showing of “Menashe” in Portland on Thursday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m.

Rabbi Sruli is always happy to speak with and meet with members or our Temple. Please call or text Rabbi Sruli on his cell phone at 914-980-9509 if you would like to

speak with him or to arrange a time for a meeting. You can also call or leave a message at the Temple office and Rabbi Sruli will get back to you.

VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE!!!!!

Hello again!

David is taking a well-deserved vacation, so bear with me as I’m a little rusty……….

February was Black History Month and I was reading an article   quoted Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist, “Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” This month starts our holiday of Passover when we retell the story of being slaves in Egypt. And what is one of the first major events of the Israelite’s new-found freedom? It’s being given the Torah, including the Ten Commandments. (Or so the story goes.) While we are told to always remember that we were once slaves in Egypt, we are not to dwell on it. That is not who we are. The Torah is a guide book to leading a good and just life, even if we have to learn from our mistakes.

Education is the key for all people to a better life. And there are so many places to gain knowledge: the library, the internet, public schools, senior college, even the History Channel. But where to get quality Jewish education? There are many places, like the ones I just mentioned. (Well, maybe not public schools!) And in Maine we also have the JCA in Portland, the Maine Jewish Film Festival statewide, and the Maine Conference for Jewish Life in Waterville. But closer to home, we have our own Temple Shalom. Of course our children are taught in our Hebrew School and there will be 4 B’nai Mitzvot this year! This is a wonderful start for their Jewish identity. Every Shabbat Rabbi Sruli leads a Torah study on that week’s parsha, with a preview of it every Thursday. This discussion is always interesting and usually quite relevant to life today. And almost every month there is a brunch with a speaker. It is amazing what brains we have to pick from right here in Maine.

This is why it’s so important to maintain such a vibrant Jewish community right here in Central Maine. Without you all, there would be no need for these opportunities of Jewish learning. And without knowledge, where will that leave us? Passover is the most celebrated holiday in Judaism. Who doesn’t like a good story?!

 Lesli WeinerVice-President

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGOur next meeting will be on

Monday, March 12th, at 7:00 p.m.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOK GROUP NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! We love simchas, and on February 12 we celebrated Sarah Aronson’s 97th birthday with chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and flowers. Party goers were Bertha Bodenheimer, Sandy Traister, Helene Perry, Adele Silverman, Lyndsey Walker, Jeanne Kassel, Sarah Aronson and me, Lesli Weiner.

Hala Alyan’s novel Salt Houses was difficult to read. First of all, it was from a displaced Palestinian’s point of views, so we had to rethink what we thought we knew. This was also a multi-generational story and the unfamiliar names of all the characters made it hard to follow. Luckily the book had a family tree printed at the beginning, but I listened to it on audio and didn’t have that benefit.          That being said, I like to suggest this type of book for our Book Group, one with minimal Jewish content. It gives us something to think and talk about. The majority of those present would not recommend this book. But I would add……………unless you wanted to view things from a different perspective and gain some understanding. You decide.          Our next book is Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. Here is Amazon’s description:“NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • For readers of The Nightingaleand Sarah’s Key, inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this remarkable debut novel reveals the power of unsung women to change history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances.

New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.

An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.

For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.

The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.” Our next meeting is MONDAY, MARCH 12 at 4 PM. This book is widely available, so start reading! See you then……………………lesli

Shab-BatesOur friends at Bates Hillel have once again graciously

invited Temple Shalom to celebrate Shabbat with a Dinner and Musical Service on

Friday, March 16th at 6:00 p.m.The dinner and service will take place at Bates College at

the Muskie Archives (70 Campus Avenue).

This is our opportunity to show the Bates students how much we love them!

Please RSVP immediately to Melissa so the Hillel students know how much food to prepare.

Community Passover Seder

Saturday, March 31st at 5:00 pm

*Adults: Members - $25 *Adults-Non-Members - $30 *Children 12 & under - $15 *Children under 5 No

Charge

Paid reservations Must be made by March 15th

No one turned away for inability to pay, but we must have the reservation.

Mishloach Manot SwapEveryone is encouraged to participate in our third annual Mishloach Manot Swap!Mishloach Manot (Shalach Manos in Yiddish) is the name for our beautiful tradition of sending each other baskets of treats on Purim. To participate, please prepare one or more Shalach Manos and bring it/them to our Shul Purim celebration on Friday evening, March 2nd. Please remember to include your name inside each package so that we know who to thank:) We can then exchange the Shalach Manos with each other. A traditional Mishloach Manot consists of at least two ready-to-eat food gifts, but you can be creative if you like. In this way, we will honor this festive tradition and, more importantly, the spirit of the tradition---which is for Purim to be a holiday that brings communities even closer together in joy.

Maine Jewish Film Festival March 10 through 18

The Maine Jewish Film Festival is coming up soon – March 10 through 18 – in Lewiston, Portland, Brunswick, Waterville, Rockland and Bangor. Programs in Lewiston are:

1945, a mesmerizing drama about life in a small Hungarian town after World War II will be shown on March 11 at 12 noon in the Olin Arts Center. The film will be followed by a discussion with Bates professor Katalin Vecsey.

Mr. Gaga, a engaging documentary about Ohad Naharin, the dancer and former director of the Batsheva Dance Company in Israel will be shown on March 11 at 3 PM in the Olin Arts Center. The film will be followed by a discussion with Bates visiting professor Julie Fox.

There will be a reception from 2 PM to 3 PM in the Olin Arts Center.

In addition to the presentations in Lewiston, other events of note during the festival include a showing of the film Menashe, a family drama taking place in the ultra-Orthodox community followed by commentary by Rabbi Sruli Dresdner on March 15 at 6PM at the Nickelodeon and Supergirl, a film about an Orthodox Jewish girl who is a competitive weight lifter, featuring commentary by Bates professor Su Landon and Rabbi Carolyn Braun (who is also a weightlifter) on March 18 at 1:30 PM at the JCA. For further information about all of the festival films and ticket sales please go to www.mjff.org.

SPEEDY RECOVERY We pray for refuah sh’leimah – the full and speedy recovery of Gary Buckman, John Calloway, Lloyd W. Cohen June Wilner Chason, Carson Hudson, Enid Ehrlich, Isaak Gekhtin, Anne Geller, Ariella Green, Elizabeth Johnson, George Laskoff, Susan Lifter, Sandy Miller, Ashley Olstein, Joel Salberg,

Sandy Traister, Toby Wallach, Neal Weiner, Janet Zidle, David Izenstatt, Phil Bray, Michael Jesser, Debby Eicher, Georgette Belanger, and all others who are not well at this time.

We like to hear good news! Whenever you request that a name be put on this list, please let Temple Shalom know when it can be removed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TOHelene Fakhery March 6 Deena & Jack Weinstein Mar 8Aaron Sever 9 Barry & Roz Kutzen

31Julia Isaacson 11Patti Levenson 13Adam Allen 14James Lifter 14Jack Weinstein 16Joseph Zidle 18Raymond Belanger 19Able Kaplan 19Joy Zidle 23Elinor Goldblatt 25Charlie Dresdner 27Johnny Dresdner 27Kenneth Goodman 28Cassandra Jensen 28Sheri Olstein 29

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TOBarry & Roz Kutzen 31

YAHRZEITEN

If you are observing a yahrzeit and are planning to come to Thursday morning minyan to say Kaddish, we urge you to contact Bob Laskoff (ral@laskofflaw.com) and let him know so that he can include that information in his weekly reminder email. It is your responsibility to call friends and neighbors to make sure there are enough people for the minyan. We all enjoy our Thursday morning Minyans and breakfast schmoozes. HELP! We need volunteers to shop and setup. A sign-upsheet is in the kitchen.

March 2018 Yahrzeiten

Jules Asher March 2 Rabbi David Berent 2 Morris Sheriff 2Celia Simonds 3Rebecca Koss 3Joseph Zidle 3Morton Brody 5Shirley Goodman 5Annette Hertz 5Mary Silverman 5Benjamin Abromson 7Joseph Shapiro 7Leonard Nemeth 11Nathan Day 11Rose Nussinow 12Poppy Traister 13Natalie Woolf 13Lillian Kutzen 16Marjorie Kraunz Basser 16Pearl Steinman 18Lillian Zidle 18Sheldon Nussinow 20Betty Granat 22Gertrude Berent 23Ida Perry 23Edward Reeves 25Paulyn Rosenthal 25Robert Meyer 29Phillip Laine 30

CONTRIBUTIONS GENERAL FUND Mike Gagne

In memory of Ruth Schloss and Dorothy Fishman Babs & Mike Shapiro In memory of Betty & Julius Wise Shira & Isaak Gekhtin In memory of Betty Wise

Andrew Bodenheimer In memory of Ellen Bodenheimer and Bert Bodenheimer Andrew Bodenheimer in memory of Hugo Schleicher Bertha Bodenheimer in memory of Bert Bodenheimer and Abe Tetenman Babs & Mike Shapiro In memory or Morey Plavin David & Anne Allen Wishing a speedy recovery to Andrew Bodenheimer and in honor of Bertha Bodenheimer’s 85th birthday Robert & Carol Thomas In memory of Dorothy Fishman Behzad & Harriet Fakhery In memory of Bashi Elyeshmerni Jerryanne LaPerriere In memory of James LaPerriere John and Consuelo In memory of Marcy and Leonard Plavin Adele Silverman In memory of Henry Brody Thomas Reeves In memory of Dr. Helene Reeves Philip Laine In memory of Betty & Julius Reeves Joel and Sheri Olstein Wishing a speedy recovery to Bertha Bodenheimer and David Allen ABROMSON MEMORIAL FUND Judy Abromson In memory of Dorothy Fishman Judy Abromson and Family In memory of Ruth & Ernest Williams BELL MEMORIAL CHAPEL FUND Harvey & Elaine Bell In memory of Betty & Julius WiseBODENHEIMER PASSOVER FUND ThomasPlatz & Paula Marcus-Platz In memory of Bernard Marcus Stan & Cathy Tetenman In memory of Bert Bodenheimer. Abe Tetenman, and Morey Plavin Henry & Margaret Meyer

In memory of Walter Jaeger Behzad & Harriet Fakhery Wishing a speedy recovery to Bertha BodenheimerCEMETERY FUND(Grounds Improvements Project) David & Susan Teich Burton Miller In memory of Morey Plavin Sidney and Elizabeth In memory of Morey Plavin Nancy Levinsky and Adele Silverman In memory of Morris Silverman COHEN/LEVOY GARDEN FUNDENDOWMENTFUND Marcia & Manny PlavinEVE & GEORGE SHAPIRO MEMORIAL FUND FAMILY HEBREW SCHOOL FUNDSHIRLEY GOODMAN MEMORIAL FUND Joel Goodman In memory of Betty & Julius WiseLIBRARY FUND Bob & Jackie Laskoff In memory of Ann Leavitt MARCUS MEMORIAL GARDEN FUND Carla Marcus In memory of Bernard Marcus Thomas Platz & Paula-Marcus Platz In memory of Bernard MarcusMINYANAIRES FUND Andrew Bodenheimer In honor of Bertha Bodenheimer’s 85th birthday NUSSINOW PRE-SCHOOL FUND Scott and Amy Nussinow In memory of Betty & Julius Wise Estelle Rubinstein In memory of Betty & Julius WiseRABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND James & Candace Platz In memory of Betty & Julius Wise Marianne Wise In memory of Betty & Julius Wise Jeffrey & Susan Brown In memory of Jean Brown

RANDALL SILVER LIBRARY FUND Ellen Crosby In memory of Jayne Miller Malca Wilner In memory of Betty & Julius WisePrayer Book Fund Barry & Roslyn Kutzen In memory of Sylvia Kutzen and Shirley Asher

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDAuburn, MEPermit #4

Temple Shalom, Synagogue-Center74 Bradman StreetAuburn, ME 04210-6330

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

DATED MATERIAL March 2018

MARCH AT TEMPLE SHALOMThursday, 3/1 7.00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfastFriday, 3/2 5:00 pm Purim PartySaturday 3/3 9:30 am Shabbat ServiceThursday 3/8 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfastSaturday 3/10 9:30 am Shabbat ServiceSaturday 3/10 thru 3/18 Maine Jewish Film FestivaMonday 3/12 4:00 pm Book GroupMonday 3/12 5:15 pm Program Committee Meeting Monday 3/12 7:00 pm Board MeetingThursday 3/15 7:00am Weekday morning minyan & breakfastFriday 3/16 6:00 pm Shab-BatesSaturday, 3/17 9:30 am Shabbat ServiceThursday, 3/22 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfastSaturday, 3/24 9:30 am Shabbat ServiceSunday, 3/25 10:00 am Hebrew School FundayThursdday, 3/29 7:00 am Weekday morning minyan & breakfastSaturday, 3/31 NO SHABBAT SERVICESaturday, 3/31 5:00 pm Community Passover Seder