nov-dec shofar 2019 - synagogue agudath achim · 2019-11-01 · silvana berlinski kenneth besser...

Nov/DecNov/DecNov/DecNov/Dec 2019201920192019

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In 2018, or 5779, I led the High Holiday services at the University of Texas Hillel. It was my first time being the “Rabbi” of a community on the High Holidays and it was a great experience. On my way home the day after Yom Kippur got into a shared car at the airport, and to my surprise the person who was there with me was also coming back from spending the High Holidays in Austin. His mother lived there and he would go down every year to help the Reform Temple there with their services.

We got to talking a bit and the conversation turned to the differences between life in Texas and in New York City. Specifically, we commiserated about the pace of life in New York. How fast it was, how we felt as though every-one—including ourselves!—were always in a rush to somewhere or from somewhere. We both shared how everything seemed to move just a bit slower in Austin, in Ann Arbor where I grew up, in Little Rock, pretty much anywhere else.

This conversation got me thinking about the importance of not being in a rush, of slowing down. I believe that when I’m in a rush I’m not the best version of myself and that’s likely true of others as well. And even though New York City might be the capital of rushing, in the 21st century it’s nearly impossible not to be in a rush no matter where you live. With email, social media, cell phones, and the immediacy of both our work life and our social life, we are hard pressed to find the time when we can slow down at all. When we do allow ourselves the luxury of slowing down, we affect three different relationships, we affect our relationship with others, our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with God.

In the course of our conversation, the gentleman from the car ride shared with me a study that was done at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1973. Researchers John Darley and Daniel Batson recruited 40 seminary students for the experiment which was performed on the campus of the school, which trains Protestant Christian clergy. Darley and Batson brought the seminary students to one building for the beginning of what they believed was a study in “religious education.” They were told to prepare a lesson or lecture on a topic and that they would then go to a different building where they would teach or deliver the lecture.

On the way to the second building, they would pass a man—an actor—slumped over in an alleyway asking for help. The goal of the study was to see how the students would react to the man and what—if anything—might change the way they behaved.. There were two primary variables in experiment: one was the subject the student would be teaching. Students were given a variety of subjects including that of the parable of the Good Samaritan, where the moral of the story is the importance of helping strangers along the road.

Darley and Batson found that the subject had a negligible effect on whether the students would stop to help the actor. Even if they were lecturing on the parable of the Good Samaritan there was not a significant difference in whether they would stop!

The second variable was how much of rush they were in. For some students, the researchers told them they had a lengthy period of time to reach the other location, while for others they would say they were in a big hurry and already late to lead the other lesson. In low hurry situations, 63% stopped to help the person. In high hurry situations, just 10%. In high-hurry situations, on several occasions, a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried on his way!

Now, this is not to say that any of these students are bad people. As Darley and Batson themselves noted, It is often true of people in a hurry that they are hurrying because somebody depends on their being somewhere. “Conflict, rather than callousness,” the authors wrote. “can explain their failure to stop.” They concluded that “Ethics becomes a luxury as the speed of our daily lives increases.”

By slowing down, we allow ourselves the time to see others in need and respond to that need. It also allows us to be more in touch with ourselves and our own throughs and feelings. The early 20th century Lithuanian scholar Eliahu Eliezer Dessler wrote:

אין הזמן עובר על אדם אלא שהאדם נוסע בתוך הזמןIt is not time that passes by us, but rather we travel through time. How can we make that journey more intentional? How do we make ourselves more aware of the way time

shapes our lives and how do we make sure that we’re not letting time simply pass us by? Author Michael Gelb wrote in How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, that he asked thousands of people, “Where are you when you get your best ideas?” The most common answers he got included “in the shower” and “walking in nature.” “Almost no one,” Gelb writes, “claims to get their best ideas at work.” In his Treatise on Painting, Davinci wrote, “ A very good plan every now and then to go away and have a little relaxation...When you come back to the work your judgment will be surer…”

When we take the time to slow down and not simply let time pass us by, we become more in tune with our inner selves. We also have the opportunity to connect more deeply to God and our experience as Jews. Beth Kander Dauphin, the communications director for the Institute for Southern Jewish Life pointed out that at this time of year: “The air gets a little cooler, the days get a little shorter, and while weeks are no less busy, they are interrupted and overtaken by celebrations, reflection, and reminders both seasonal and sacred that it’s time to hit the pause button.” The air certainly got cooler in Little Rock between Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur, and this is indeed a time of year that we are better at slowing down. We are more willing to say “work can wait.” We are more open to the idea of put-ting ourselves and our relationship with God first. But this does not have to be limited to a few weeks in the fall. Continued on page 3

Student Rabbi Ben Freed

We mourn the passing of

Patricia Dicker Patricia Dicker Patricia Dicker Patricia Dicker

mother of Aliza (Jeff) Brown

המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים

May the Omnipresent comfort you among all the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem

President Susan Weinstein

1st Vice President Terri Cohen

2nd Vice President Michael Kuperman

Treasurer Mike Margolis

Secretary Toni Roosth

Financial Secretary Polly Greenbaum

1st Past President David Greenbaum

2nd Past President Karen Mackey

Men’s Club William Lulky

Sisterhood Karen Mackey

At-Large Members: Richard Steppach

Dan Girone

Valerie Steinberg

Lirit Franks

Jonathan Aronson

Chuck Prousnitzer

Congregation Agudath Achim Board of Directors

Annual Agudath Achim

Family Picnic

Sponsored by the Synagogues Men’s Club

Sunday November 3rd

Maumelle Park Pavilion #5 (9006 Pinnacle Rd on the Ark River)

Complimentary Luncheon at Noon

FUN & GAMES, FISHING, CHALLENGE MATCHES

Member’s, Friends & Guest are invited!

Thank you

Judy Pearlstein

& Family

for the beautiful Bimah flower

arrangement for Rosh HaShanah

holidays.

Jewish War Veterans Nov 14th

&

Dec 12th

2:00PM 2:00PM 2:00PM 2:00PM

For more information contact Jerry Sherman 663-0740.

Donations for Kol Nidre Charles & Martha Alman (In Memory of Sol & Blanche Alman)

Silvana Berlinski Kenneth Besser Sonia Burris Andrea Cohen Herbert Dicker Anna Marks & Joshua Epstein (In Memory of Corky Schroeder)

David & Polly Greenbaum Judy Greenbaum (In Honor of my Children, Grandchildren & Very Special Friends)

Leonard & Miriam Hasson Marvin Itzkowitz Philip & Ruthe Kaplan Doris Krain Aaron & Melissa Kuperman Michael & Alina Kuperman Eugene & Barbara Levy Ellen Lowitz (In Memory of Glenn Lowitz)

Mark & Karen Mackey Michael & Arlene Margolis John & Ellie Moore (In Memory of Sidney & Selma Koenig)

Melanie Pilcher Chuck & Charlene Prousnitzer Cecile & Lynn Schweig (In Memory of Buddy Schweig)

Allen Sherman Terri Cohen & Marc Sherman Joe & Valerie Steinberg (In Memory of Bernard & Selman Resnick & Nathan & Sarah Steinberg)

Susan Weinstein Eva Zeno Michael Zeno

A Leaf has been added to the

Tree of Life In honor of

Terri Cohen

with our appreciation for her

care, support and Love.

Anne & Larry Miller

10/3/2019

Rabbi’s Message Cont…

My mentor at the Conservative Synagogue in Riverdale Rabbi Barry Katz wrote, “the emotional intensity of the high holidays is possible only once a year. But once a week, our tradition offers us the chance to remove the obstacle that keeps us

from gaining perspective- our engagement with the work of building a life.” The Zionist philosopher Echad Ha’Am similarly noted, “more than the Jews have kept shabbat, it is shabbat that has kept the Jews.” Shabbat is this weekly reminder that we can slow down. That we can slow down not merely for the sake of slowing down, but slowing down with the goal of celebrating creation and connect-ing to our community and to the divine. Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us that The Sabbath is not for the sake of the weekdays; the weekdays are for the sake of Sabbath. It is not an interlude but the climax of living.” Slowing down allows us to connect differently and allows us to be the best versions of ourselves.

This year, I want us to embrace shabbat as a community as a way to slow down, as a palace in time that we can build together. We are going to work to make our palace in time a palace that is more friendly for everyone in our community, including the whole family. We will be developing new programming for kids so that they and their parents can be full members of our shabbat experience. Additionally, every time I come to town I will be teaching a class about some aspect on shabbat. We will explore texts and ideas related to shabbat that can help our community come to a greater appreciation of this amazing day that we are gifted with every week. I look forward to spending time together learning halacha (law), midrash (legend), as well poetry and song that can make this day more special every time we celebrate it together.

Or, as another sage, the great Ferris Bueller once put it, “Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Shanah Tovah,

Student Rabbi Ben Freed

Student Rabbi Ben Freed will be visiting on the following dates:

November 8th - 10th

December 25th - 28th

January 23rd - 26th

(Gladstein Conference)

February 7th - 9th

March 6th - 10th

April 3rd - 5th

May 1st - 3rd

Student Rabbi Ben will be happy to meet

with any congregant or prospective

congregant during his visits here, to hear

their concerns and questions.

If you haven’t met him yet, please do

not hesitate to reach out to him. He is very

sensitive to the different needs of our

congregants and anxious to meet everyone.

Donations for Aliyot

Charles & Martha Alman Silvana Berlinski Kenneth Besser

Leonard & Miriam Hasson Marvin Itzkowitz

Eugene & Barbara Levy Laurence & Anne Miller Melanie Pilcher

Congratulations to Bernie Baskin & Yvonne Quek

on the birth of their son

Joshua Jinxuan Quek Baskin

on October 2nd, 2019

& to the proud grandmother Susan Weinstein.

Joshua is named after Bernie’s father, Jeff Baskin “Z”L”.

Bernie continues to maintain the Synagogue’s website at no charge, although he moved to Arlington, VA in 2017.

Meet Us Under the Chuppah!

Vella Nguyen

&

Mitchel Brown

are excited t invite you to their

Wedding

Sunday, December 8th, 2019

AT 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON at Synagogue Agudath Achim

7901 West Capitol Avenue , Little Rock, AR 72205

Dinner & Dancing to follow at B’nai Israel at 5:00PM

3700 North Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock AR 72212

JFAR’s Medicare Open Enrollment Workshop Thursday, November 14th, Noon- 4:00PM

at Agudath Achim Insurance specialists for the Arkansas Commission Senior

Health Information Program (SHIIP) will be present & can help

November 2019

3 Heshvan 5780 - 2 Kislev 5780

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

12

34

56

78

9

10

1112

13

1415

16

17

1819

20

2122

23

24

2526

27

2829

30

¡¡5:57PM

§6:59PM

¡¡4:51PM

§5:53PM

¡¡4:46PM

§5:49PM

¡¡4:43PM

§5:45PM

¡¡4:40PM

§5:43PM

3 Heshvan

4 Heshvan

5 Heshvan

6 Heshvan

7 Heshvan

8 Heshvan

9 Heshvan

10 Heshvan

11 Heshvan

12 Heshvan

13 Heshvan

14 Heshvan

15 Heshvan

16 Heshvan

17 Heshvan

18 Heshvan

19 Heshvan

20 Heshvan

21 Heshvan

22 Heshvan

23 Heshvan

24 Heshvan

25 Heshvan

26 Heshvan

27 Heshvan

28 Heshvan

29 Heshvan

30 Heshvan

1 Kislev

2 Kislev

Y.Dr. Glenn Lowitz

Y.Maxie Itzkowitz

9:00AM Shabbat Morning Services




12-Noon Annual Agudath Achim




Family Picnic

Family Picnic

Family Picnic

Family Picnic

Y.Abram Greenbaum

Y.Joseph Zinn

Y.Philip Bress

Y.Harry Kramer

Y.Mike Kiel

B.Robert (Bob) Safirstein

Y.Beatrice Sherman

Y.Samuel Gross

6:00PM Kabbalat Shabbat &




Children's Services followed by




Shabbat Dinner

Shabbat Dinner

Shabbat Dinner

Shabbat Dinner

Y.Elsie Phillips

B.Carole Weisbly





and Kiddush Luncheon




12:30PM Shabbat afternoon Skill




Building by Rabbi Ben Freed




7:00PM Havdalah & S'mores at Mark




& Karen Mackey's home




Y.Dorothy Goldberg

B.Sharon Greenbaum

B.Marvin Itzkowitz

10:00AM Annual Member's Meeting




12:30PM Lunch & Learn about




Shabbat by Rabbi Ben Freed




B.Judith Lansky

B.Sydney Alman

B.Heather Kaufman

B.David Kuperman

B.Sheila Griffin

Y.Samuel Bernhard

B.Annette Arnold

B.Ben Greenbaum

B.Bernard Baskin

B.Esther Biton

B.Sam Ivanovsky

B.Joanna Benjamin

Noon-4:00PM JFAR Open Enrollment




for Medicare at Agudath Achim




Y.Al Treadway

Y.Dr. Wilfred Finkelstein

B.Benjamin Prousnitzer

B.Myra Rosen

B.Moriah Hoos





Y.Max Binder

9:15AM-Noon Global Day of Jewish




Learning at B'nai Israel




B.Judy Pearlstein

Y.Maxine Hirsch Meyers

B.Jessica Lulky Boshears

Y.Lil Rovinsky

Y.Mollie Gordon

A.Jerry & Susan Cohen

B.Noah Niksefat

A.Michael & Arlene Margolis

B.Angie Boury

B.Susan Schmitz

Y.Goldie Kluglose

Y.Anita Lassen

B.Aaron Kuperman





Y.Frank Lulky

Y.Ariel Imber

B.Jason Greenbaum

Y.Stanley M. Bauman, Jr.

Y.Donald F. Gordon

Y.Susan Forsyth Bauman

B.Alex Blass

ROSH HODESH I

ROSH HODESH I

ROSH HODESH I

ROSH HODESH I

ROSH HODESH II

ROSH HODESH II

ROSH HODESH II

ROSH HODESH II

Y.Hildegard Sherman

B.Michael Kuperman

B.Karen Stone





¡¡Candle Lighting, §Shabbat (or Holy Day) Ends, Y=Yahrzeit, A=Anniversay, B=Birthday

December 2019

3 Kislev 5780 - 3 Tevet 5780

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

12

34

56

7

89

1011

1213

14

15

1617

18

1920

21

22

2324

25

2627

28

29

3031

¡¡4:40PM

§5:43PM

¡¡4:41PM

§5:44PM

¡¡4:43PM

§5:47PM

§5:48PM

§5:48PM

§5:49PM

§5:50PM

§5:50PM/¡¡4:47PM

§5:51PM

§5:52PM

§5:52PM

3 Kislev

4 Kislev

5 Kislev

6 Kislev

7 Kislev

8 Kislev

9 Kislev

10 Kislev

11 Kislev

12 Kislev

13 Kislev

14 Kislev

15 Kislev

16 Kislev

17 Kislev

18 Kislev

19 Kislev

20 Kislev

21 Kislev

22 Kislev

23 Kislev

24 Kislev

25 Kislev

26 Kislev

27 Kislev

28 Kislev

29 Kislev

30 Kislev

1 Tevet

2 Tevet

3 Tevet

B.Jonathan Aronson

B.Aliza Brown

B.Marina Ivanovsky

B.Julia Aronson

Y.Louie M. Zubkoff

Y.Eleanor Gross





B.Eden Rose Kirsch

4:00PM Vella Nguyen & Mitchel




Brown Wedding at Agudaht Achim




followed by dinner & dancing at 5PM




at B'nai Israel

at B'nai Israel

at B'nai Israel

at B'nai Israel

Y.William Radin

Y.Daniel Kaiser

Y.Barbara Schlesinger

Y.Julius Tenenbaum

B.Sarah Zent

Y.Saul Goodman

Y.Charles Kluglose

B.William Cohen

Y.Edmund Adler

Y.Mary Snyderman

B.Jana Cohen





Y.Bobbi Goldman

B.Marilyn Sorrells

B.Sally Pearlstein

Y.Rose Schwartz

Y.Karen Gulley Kuperman

Y.Ely Bernhard

Y.Golde Lulky

Y.Milton Warren Dicker

B.Lynn Greenberg

B.Ruth Itzkowitz

Y.Raphael Biton

Y.Louis Krain

Y.Harry Ehrenberg, Sr.

B.Herbert Dicker





EREV HANUKKAH

EREV HANUKKAH

EREV HANUKKAH

EREV HANUKKAH

Y.James Friedman

HANUKKAH I

HANUKKAH I

HANUKKAH I

HANUKKAH I

HANUKKAH II

HANUKKAH II

HANUKKAH II

HANUKKAH II

A.Leonard & Miriam Hasson

Y.Sylvia Schwartz

HANUKKAH III

HANUKKAH III

HANUKKAH III

HANUKKAH III

A.Phil & Ruth Kaplan

Y.Mark Adler

6:00PM Latkes & Lomein (Food, Fun,




Music & Chanukah gift exchange!)




Rabbi Ben Freed Visit




HANUKKAH IV

HANUKKAH IV

HANUKKAH IV

HANUKKAH IV

A.Derek & Mary Mumford

Y.Diane Kirsch

Y.Harvey Luber

B.Derek Mumford





HANUKKAH V

HANUKKAH V

HANUKKAH V

HANUKKAH V

Y.Belle Reddoch

Y.Jack Ross





ROSH HODESH - HANUKKAH VI




B.Bob Boury





led by Rabbi Ben Freed




ROSH HODESH - HANUKKAH VII




Y.Dora Sanders

HANUKKAH VIII

HANUKKAH VIII

HANUKKAH VIII

HANUKKAH VIII

A.Jeffrey & Aliza Dicker Brown

B.Chuck Kaufman

B.Michael Greenbaum

¡¡Candle Lighting, §Shabbat (or Holy Day) Ends, Y=Yahrzeit, A=Anniversay, B=Birthday

1 3 Dr. Glenn Lowitz

2 4 Maxie Itzkowitz

4 6 Abram Greenbaum

4 6 Joseph Zinn

5 7 Philip Bress

7 9 Harry Kramer

7 9 Mike Kiel

8 10 Beatrice Sherman

8 10 Samuel Gross

9 11 Elsie Phillips

10 12 Dorothy Goldberg

13 15 Samuel Bernhard

15 17 Al Treadway

15 17 Dr. Wilfred Finkelstein

17 19 Max Binder

19 21 Maxine Hirsch Meyers

20 22 Lil Rovinsky

20 22 Mollie Gordon

23 25 Goldie Kluglose

23 25 Anita Lassen

24 26 Frank Lulky

25 27 Ariel Imber

26 28 Stanley M. Bauman, Jr.

27 29 Donald F. Gordon

27 29 Susan Forsyth Bauman

29 1 Hildegard Sherman

NOVEMBER CHESHVAN

NOVEMBER KISLEV

4 6 Louie M. Zubkoff

7 9 Eleanor Gross

11 13 William Radin

12 14 Daniel Kaiser

12 14 Barbara Schlesinger

12 14 Julius Tenenbaum

13 15 Saul Goodman

13 15 Charles Kluglose

14 16 Edmund Adler

14 16 Mary Snyderman

15 17 Bobbi Goldman

17 19 Rose Schwartz

17 19 Karen Gulley Kuperman

19 21 Ely Bernhard

19 21 Golde Lulky

19 21 Milton Warren Dicker

20 22 Raphael Biton

20 22 Louis Krain

21 23 Harry Ehrenberg, Sr.

22 24 James Friedman

24 26 Sylvia Schwartz

25 27 Mark Adler

26 28 Diane Kirsch

26 28 Harvey Luber

27 29 Belle Reddoch

27 29 Jack Ross

29 1 Dora Sanders

DECEMBER KISLEV

DECEMBER TEVET

It is a Tree of Life

to Those Who Up Hold It.

Proverbs 3:16-18

Leaves may be inscribed to highlight or commemorate such joyous events as birth, weddings, anniversaries, graduations or to

honor or remember family and friends.

For more information call

Marc Sherman at 831-4462.

Yizkor - Remember!

There are many ways to honor the living or the memory of the departed :

! Donate to Tzedaka ! Study or sponsor Jewish Learning ! Do an act of kindness ! Pray or lead prayers

May their souls be bound in the souls of the living

If a birthday, anniversary or yahrzeit is missing or listed incorrectly please call 225-1683 or email LRsynagogue.org

Thank you.

Kiddush Sponsor

Thank you for

your generous

Contributions!

General Fund

Endowment Fund

Cemetery Fund

Suzanne Klimberg

Cecile & Lynn Schweig In memory of Buddy Schweig David & Polly Greenbaum In memory of Abram Greenbaum Judy Greenbaum

In honor of my Children, Grandchildren & Very Special Friends

Suzanne Klimberg

William & Monica Lulky

Charles & Martha Alman

Susan Weinstein

Chuck & Charlene Prousnitzer

Robert Namath

Larry & Anne Miller In memory of Sophie Knopping Patricia Dicker Stanley Goldberg & Faye Marks In memory of Louis B. & Dorothy Goldberg Alan Nussbaum

In memory of Sam & Jennie Nussbaum Carl & Michelle Schoenberger In memory of Victor Schoenberger Gary & Carole Weisbly In memory of Patricia Dicker Vera Weller Steven Lane In memory of Joe & Evelyn Bernhard Rose Schwartz In memory of Cheryl Lynn Schwartz Patricia Dicker Gary & Carole Weisbly In honor of Rose Schwartz Larry & Anne Miller In honor of Rabbi Ben Freed Jeff & Aliza Brown

In honor of Sherry Brown Gail Brown Karen Mackey Valerie Steinberg Esther Biton Michael Margolis Judy Greenbaum Polly Greenbaum Chuck Prousnitzer Michael & Alina Kuperman Dan Girone Gary & Eileen Freed In honor of Rabbi Ben Freed Rose Schwartz In honor of Gary & Carole Weisbly Terri Cohen Steve Koenig

Dorian Stuber & Marianne Tettlebaum

Elaine Wolff In memory of Sol & Rose Sanders Waldman Victor & Esther Biton In memory of Yosef Mansour Irving Kuperman

In memory of Pauline Kuperman Cecile & Lynn Schweig In memory of Buddy Schweig Kenneth Besser In memory of Helma Besser Maurice Besser

In memory of Helma Besser Ruth Itzkowitz In memory of Joe Itzkowitz

Eugene & Barbara Levy In memory of Syd Waltzer

DATES TO REMEMBER

Sun Nov 3rd, Noon Annual Family Picnic at Maumelle Park

Fri Nov 8th, 6:00PM Kabbalat Shabbat & Children’s Services followed by Dinner

Sat Nov 9th, 9:00AM Shabbat Services followed by Kiddush lunch & Skill Building by Rabbi Ben Freed

Sat Nov 9th, 7:00PM Havdalah & S’mores Home of Karen & Mark Mackey

Sun Nov 10th, 10:00AM Member’s Annual Meeting

Sun Nov 10th, 12:30PM Lunch & Learn about Shabbat by Rabbi Ben Freed

Thu Nov 14th, Noon-4PM JFAR Open Enrollment for Medicare at Agudath Achim

Sun Nov 17th, 9:15AM-12:00PM Annual Global Day of Jewish Learning Sun Dec 8th, 4:00PM Vella Nguyen & Mitchel Brown Wedding

Sun Dec 22nd - Mon Dec 30th Hanukkah

Wed Dec 25th - 28th Rabbi Ben Freed Visit

Wed Dec 25th, 6:00PM Latkes & Lomein Hanukkah Dinner

Congregation Agudath Achim

7901 W. Capitol Avenue . Little Rock, AR 72205

(501) 225-1683 Fax (501) 225-3177

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.LRsynagogue.org

nov-dec shofar 2019 - synagogue agudath achim · 2019-11-01 · silvana berlinski kenneth besser...

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