From our President, Jeff Davis

Friends,

Happy Fall! I hope this newsletter finds everyone doing well. I wanted to again thank all of those who at-tended our High Holiday services last month. We had another fantastic turn out and heartfelt and moving services delivered by Rabbi August and Cantor Mollie. I am also truly grateful to have Barbara St. John cre-ate the plan and with her team execute the myriad of details to make this year’s High Holiday services the best ever! The sanctuary looked beautiful, with our new Ark and all the incredible decor! Finally I want to thank all of those members and non-members that so generously support our annual High Holiday appeal.

We quickly moved into Sukkot and the kids really enjoyed spending time in the Sukkah. We are kicking off the new school year with plenty to celebrate. Our attendance levels are increasing and we are very excited to have many new families joining Temple Shalom. I really believe that the momentum we have carried into the new year 5774 is going take our membership growth to new, higher levels. While doubling our member-ship may be a lofty goal, I still strongly believe that each of our current members can find just one family/couple/single to recruit as a new member. It may take some effort, but I am optimistic that we are now on an upward growth path, which will lead to new exciting things at Temple Shalom!

Before we know it, Hanukkah will be here and the South Bay will light up with the energy of the winter holi-days! It too comes very early this year, actually coinciding with Thanksgiving, so the kids should be looking forward to eating a big meal with family and friends, while also lighting the Menorah to celebrate the 2nd day of Hanukkah. This year happens to be an anomaly, and because of the difference between the Jewish calendar and the Gregorian calendar, this won't occur again until year 79811. It's probably fair to say that this year will be the last time us humans will celebrate these two holidays on the same day. I think I'll bring Latkes to my sister’s Thanksgiving feast this year! Take a look at the following link to learn more about this interesting factoid, now being coined Thanksgivukkah!

http://jonathanmizrahi.blogspot.com/2013/01/hanukkah-and-thanksgiving-once-in.html

I'm looking forward to cooler weather and some rain, hope to see you around town!

Jeff

October 2013

Welcome Miriam Yussman! Born September 29, 2013. Mazel Tov to the whole family

A Word from Rabbi Toba August

“In the Beginning…” Why is it, I wonder, that I anticipate every year with excitement, studying and reading the Torah from the beginning again? We start with the Genesis narratives. I know these stories so well and yet I am never bored or disinterested! There is always a fresh insight to be learned and applied to our current situations. Beginning with Adam and Eve, I knowingly nod, recognizing how easy it is to blame someone else instead of taking responsibility for our own actions. We have all been there. After eating the apple, Adam and Eve hide in the garden, ashamed of their nakedness. Eating from the Tree of Knowledge, they gained awareness of their sexuality. The all-knowing God calls out: “Ayekah: Where are You?” Where are you Adam and Eve in relationship to Me, Your Creator? Where are you in relationship to being accountable for your actions? Their answer is so predictable and must be a part of human DNA. “It’s not my fault,” Adam replies, “I didn’t do anything.” God asks Adam, “Did you eat of the tree from which I had forbidden you to eat? And Adam replied: “The woman YOU put at my side- she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And when asked what she had done Eve said, “The serpent duped me, and I ate, it’s not my fault!” I wonder what the snake would have responded to God’s questions. When we do something we are not proud of and feel guilt or shame, unfortunately, too often we respond like Adam and Eve and go into denial mode. The philosopher Martin Buber wrote in an essay regarding Adam’s situation, that every one of us is “Adam” and to escape responsibility we all have created systems of hideouts. He says: “Man cannot escape the eye of God, but in trying to hide from God, a person is really hiding from themselves….everything depends on whether we face the question…face the ‘still small voice’ which leads us on the way…or our lives will be ‘way-less’.” With the fall holidays behind us, the Torah narratives are there to guide and instruct us on our ‘way.’ After penetrating self reflection, asking for forgiveness and resolving to become our better selves, these stories, like Adam and Eve eating the proscribed fruit, can teach us what not to do. Instead of finding fault in everyone and everything else, we can accept responsibility, feel our pain, and thereby refine our character a little bit more. Each of us has the potential to be a true “Mensch”, making a difference in our troubled world. Studying Torah leads us on this journey. Let’s make it so. Please email TobaAugust@gmail.com, if you are interested in beginning your Torah study.

It Takes Our Community

To the group of volunteers who contributed to the creation, set up and smooth running of both Rosh Hasha-nah and Yom Kippur services, THANK YOU so very much. Services would absolutely not be the same without you.

From the set up crew of Matt Saltzman, Maddie Ziff, Geoff St. John and Ilana LaGraff with their endless trips across the parking lot; our welcoming registration ladies Andrea Saltzman, Rachel Saltzman, and Karen Hoffman; Rebeccah Birken Yussman for the wonderful children’s services and to our childcare providers, Lind-sey, Cat and Kasey. And the many others, like our student helpers, who are always so selfless and willing to miss part of the service in order to be ready to lend a hand with whatever is needed to be served, collected or distributed.

Extra thanks to Matt Saltzman our master sound guru, who enabled us to hear the wonderful musical contributions of Chad Yussman and Linda Schack Kaiserman.

To the Kaiserman family for their donation of flowers and Frank Reiner who kept the Orchids on the Bima alive between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (while moving into a new home at the same time!). Of course all of our Board Members who acted as Ushers, and our dedicated Carol Risher who greets us every year with prayer books and a warm welcome. And finally those who acted as Gabbais for Rabbi August: Carol Risher, Mike Kalan and Jeff Bronchick.

Everyone named above, and some I may have forgotten, worked so hard with me to create an atmos-phere of warmth and community. We are fortunate to have Rabbi August and Cantor Mollie to lead us through services with such meaningful and heartfelt spirituality amidst a truly great Temple community.

From Barbara St. John, Temple Director

Thinking of you Temple Shalom extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of:

Andrew Goldstein and Megan Bowers

on the loss of her father, Spencer Bowers.

May their memories live forever in your hearts.

Thank you for sharing your family with us during the holidays Rabbi August: husband, Dr. Alan Klein, aka Shofar blower extraordinaire, daughter Lena, visiting from New Orleans, and who read Torah so beautifully and nephew Saul, always a good sport when “called upon” by his Aunt during services!

A note from Rebeccah Birken Yussman, Director of Education Temple Shalom families and friends – what an amazing and busy back-to-school season it has been! Our learning

community plunged directly into the holiday season, shaking the lulav in the Sukkah (built by our own bnai mitzvah class!) with Rabbi August, and celebrating Simchat Torah by making comic strip retellings of some of the most famous Torah sto-ries. It is always wonderful to watch students get so excited about exploring Judaism, especially with the hands-on, experi-ential approach we take here at Temple Shalom. The first month students built edible sukkot out of graham crackers, cre-ating 3-D pictures depicting the days of creation, and forging ahead in the Hebrew reading skills by attempting to read the first Torah portion in Hebrew!

A notable change this year, we have structured our Hebrew language program to group students by level instead of by age or grade for the first trimester. Rabbi August and I evaluated students in grades 3-6 to determine which level will best suit their level of knowledge. In the second trimester, we will reassess the students and make adjustments as neces-sary. Our students are very motivated to improve their Hebrew skills.

Another innovation at Temple Shalom are “Kavod Cards”. Each week, students will have the opportunity to earn Kavod Cards from their teachers by exemplifying the values of kavod (honor or respect): by making excellent effort in class, by being a good friend, by asking wonderful questions or providing thoughtful answers, and more. These cards go into our Kavod Box, which I will open at tefilah time to select cards at random and hand out prizes. Students can earn Kavod Cards at any time, even at Shabbat services and other holiday events, so please keep a look out for the box!

In addition, we now have a set of six iPads for use in our classrooms! Students will use this technology for Hebrew practice, exploration into holidays and other Jewish topics, to play educational games, and to watch appropriate videos. Shortly, our website will list recommended sites, applications, and videos for home use, which is a wonderful way for the whole family to study and grow together.

Lastly, be sure to welcome the newcomers to our Temple Shalom faculty – Rachael Stone, who is teaching Hebrew and sixth grade Judaica for the first trimester; Alana Gross, who is teaching Hebrew and fifth grade Judaica, and Zachary Golden, who will be assisting both with the Hebrew program and with our large, energetic fifth grade class. All three are thrilled to be part of our community, so be sure to say hello!

Welcome new teacher, Rachael Stone

We are pleased to welcome Rachael Stone to our Temple Shalom community! With us for the first trimester and teaching sixth grade Judaica, she will focus on the his-tory of Judaism and Israel plus Jewish holidays and customs, and also lead one of our Hebrew classes. Originally from Los Angeles, Rachael earned her B.A. from American Jewish Uni-versity and has worked in all levels of Jewish education, from preschool through adult. Also a yoga teacher, she will bring Jewish-themed and alef-bet yoga into her class!

In her classroom, Rachael encourages students to participate to the best of their abilities by offering challeng-es which intuitively lead to the development of personal thoughts and opinions. She utilizes music, art, and technol-ogy so that students can relate to Judaism in contemporary ways.

Although Rachael has taught at many Jewish schools throughout Los Angeles, she finds Temple Shalom to be a special place because of the intimate sizes of our classes and the energy and enthusiasm our students bring to each session. She looks forward to challenging her students (and herself!) as they explore the fascinating topics within the history of Judaism.

Technology

Here are some websites with wonderful Jewish content you can use at home!

My Jewish Learning – www.myjewishlearning.com

This website truly has something for everyone, from explanations about Jewish holidays and traditions to blogs to wonderful Jewish recipes to games and articles just for kids. You can take an online quiz to see how much you know about Bible characters or take a tour of some of America’s most creative sukkot – and more!

Akhlah – www.akhlah.com

“Akhlah” is the Arabic word for “cool” that has come into common usage in Hebrew, and this site is definitely cool. Geared for younger kids, it offers information on Jewish holidays and Torah portions in addition to print-able Hebrew letter flashcards and worksheets you can use at home. Ever wanted to learn to write Hebrew in cursive? You can find instructions and printables at Akhlah. Show Rebeccah that you can write your name in Hebrew cursive for an extra Kavod Card!

Happy Birthday! Caleb Moss October 6th

Finley Moss October 7th

Carli Parker October 11th

Lisa Taub October 17th

Jennifer Roskin October 20th

Olivia Arensdorf October 23rd

Jeremy Kole October 26th

Carol Graham October 30th

Camille Taub October 31st

Happy Anniversary! Mark & Kasey Kogen October 6, 1990

Wayne & Teri Hampton October 23, 1999

Todd & Samantha Wohl October 27, 1996

Randy & Barbara St. John October 29, 1989

Jon Barris & Wendy Shaffner October 30, 1998

Ronald & Stacy Harrison October 30, 1999

Did we miss your special birthday or anniversary? Update your profile online at www.Templeshalomsb.com

Did you know...Rabbi Augusts sermons are available to enjoy at your leisure by clicking on the clergy tab on our website (templeshalomsb.com).

Did you see…Our Banners hanging proudly through-out the South Bay? Notice a Temple Shalom Ad in the Beach Reporter? All of that plus the beautiful fliers and promotional pieces here at Temple Sha-lom are the creative talent of Chad Yussman. Thank you Chad, you really make us “look” terrific!

Do you want to get involved…Committees are a good way to be involved in your Temple Shalom. We have opportunities to help with Membership, Social Action, and Programming. The work is small but the rewards are great. Email Barbara at Direc-tor@TempleShalomSB.com or call 310-613-3855.

Follow us @TempleShalomSB

Follow us: Temple Shalom of the South Bay

Welcome to Your New

Temple Shalom Family:

Daniel and Shira Adato Children: Elan, Leila

Eric and and Julie Cortez

Sons: Alex and Jace

Eric and Michelle Fader Daughters: Hannah, Mia

Rob and Julie Green Sons: Lucas, Brady

Steven and Lauren Greenberg

Sid and Flo Hammond

Daughter: Audrey

David and Jodi Miller Daughters: Allie, Maddie & Rachel

Paul and Marla Minestrella

Daughters: Alexa, Mia

Sam and Katya Newman Sons: Jakob and Max

Brian and Carli Parker

Children: Brenly, Gwynn, Price and Colby

Lauren Pizer Mains

Daughter: Sofia

Andrea Saltzman

Robert and Catherine Schubert Son: Miles

Todd and Samantha Wohl

Sons: Connor and Zachary

South Bay Youth Coalition Update Temple Shalom continues its partnership with the other South Bay synagogues to provide quality youth group programming for students in the third through twelfth grades. Thanks to the Jewish Federation for a grant to make these events possible.

Club Noar (6th-8th) – Iron Chef

Sunday, October 13th,, 1:00 p.m., Temple Menorah

What will the secret ingredient be – will it be chocolate? Celery? Anchovies? The only way to find out is to come to this special Iron Chef event. Participants will be given a surprise secret ingredient plus other kitchen staples to come up with a unique (and maybe even edible) dish for our judges to sample. This event is always a lot of fun. A “real” meal will also be provided. Please look for an e-mail for further information.

Shimshiya (9th-12th) – Fright Night

Overnight, October 26- 27, Time TBA, Temple Menorah

It’s the season for spookiness, so please join other South Bay Jewish high school students for an overnight interactive murder mys-tery event. This is back by popular demand after participants had a blast last year and is again planned by student leaders of the program. Please look for an invitation by e-mail.

Weekend Leadership Retreats

Club Noar (6th-8th) November 1-3 Shimshiya (9th-12th) November 8-10

Students showing leadership potential will be invited to attend these weekend retreats to meet with youth from area synagogues to plan events for the upcoming year. The retreats will be held at a local Jewish residential camp. Please look for an e-mail with ad-ditional information.

My Club (3rd-5th) – Kids’ Night Out

Saturday, November 16, 5:30 p.m., Temple Menorah

Put this in your calendars now! Kids’ Night Out is a wonderful night that includes dinner, a movie, and thematic programming for kids of all ages. Older students will be given the opportunity to help lead the programs and then watch a separate movie if they so choose. Look for the Youth Update in next month’s bulletin and upcoming e-mails for more information.

For the Fridge October 7 No Religious School due to inservice Teacher day, MB schools October 11 5:30 –6:30 pm Tot Shabbat 7:00 pm That’s Entertainment! Shabbat Join us for a musical Shabbat and hear from the producer of the movie Django Unchained, Pilar Savone October 25 6:00 pm, location pending B’nai Mitzvah Families Shabbat Dinner October 26 Make a Difference Day See side box

Make A Difference Day with Temple Shalom of the South Bay

On October 26, Temple Shalom will join thousands of people across the nation reaching out to those in need, less fortunate or in our case, to recognize the care and compassion of Hospice nurses.

Hospice caregivers enter our lives in the most difficult moments. They not only bring medical skills, comfort and care to our loved ones, but also light during a very dark time. On October 26 we will “give back to the caregiver” with an appreciation lunch and a gift bag filled with gift certificates for coffee, massages and other goodies.

To participate, donate or support, please contact Bar-bara at 310-613-3855.