December 2017 Kislev 13, 5778 – Tevet 13, 5778

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Message From Rabbi JudyOn the holiday of Chanukah, we light candles for 8 nights as a way of expressing our gratitude for light and miracles. We use a Chanukiah (also called a menorah), a special candleholder with 9 branches, used only on Chanukah. We begin by lighting the helper candle, or shamash.

We use the shamash to light the other candles. On the first night, we light the shamash and use its flame to light the first candle on the far right side of the Chanukiah. We add one candle each night, filling the Chanukiah from right to left (the way we read Hebrew), but we always light the newest candle first so that we are lighting them from left to right (the way we read English).

Once the candles are lit, it is fun to play dreidel with a spinning top or eat traditional Chanukah foods fried in oil like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).

When we light the candles, we say blessings. Each night, we say the following two blessings:

1. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-votav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner shel Cha-nu-kah.

2. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu baya-mim ha-hem baa-man ha-zeh.

On the first night only, we add this blessing:

3. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-ya-nu laz-man ha-zeh.

Message from Rabbi Judy continued

Translations:

1. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

2. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.

3. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.

HAPPY CHANUKAH

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SERVICE SCHEDULE

DECEMBER 1ST Bob Eisenstadt DECEMBER 8TH Kash SchrieferDECEMBER 15TH Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh DECEMBER 22ND TBA DECEMBER 29TH TBA

Lay leaders are subject to change.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YAHRZEIT

DECEMBER 1 ST

Bernard Levi Nathan Shapiro

DECEMBER 8th

Charles Fogel David Heller MasurJoe M.Schendle, Sr. Oscar CahnDoris Stern Levinson Dave MarcovitzJulia Marx Charles SnyderSampson Snyder

DECEMBER 15 TH

Julia Heninger Sadie AnselBessie Barton Martin LernerAnnette Milligan Joe DanteHannah (Sis) Kahn Lowentritt Jacob SeligmanHylda Klotz

DECEMBER 22 ND

Josh Bodan Fredric KingDorothy P. Lowentritt Laura PickensEsther Sandler William I. Perlstein

DECEMBER 29 TH

Arthur Mason Joe SchendlePaul Fink Victor CahnEugene Cahn Anna Rubin RaphaelDorothy Gluck Beatrice MasurMorris Blumenthal

DECEMBER 31 ST

Frances Kaplan Samuel KlotzTola Rosenberg Dr. Stanley MintzFran Willing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONDOLENCES

Heartfelt condolences are extended to Jill Hirsekorn and her family. Jill’s father, Jack Hirsekorn, passed away November 12th.

Cards may be sent to: Jill Hirsekorn2156 Banyan StreetNorth Charleston, SC 29405

We have been notified of the death of Vivian Baker Murov from Shreveport, who several of you may know. She passed away on November 14th. Our condolences go out to her family.

Heartfelt condolences are also extended to Ron and Sandra Blate and their family. Their nephew, Michael Blate, passed away November 17th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONGRATULATIONS

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Joe & Cynthia Kern December 23rd 28 years

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Robert Eisenstadt – December 7th Susan Marx – December 13th Sandra Blate – December 16th Gay Nell Barth – December 19th

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KALLAH PROJECTBy Susan Marx

I am very happy to report that we have well over 40 people of all ages signed up to attend the Kallah! By the time you read this, there will be several more and lots of fun activities are being planned. It is not too late to still sign up to attend. We have to give the Wesley Center a definite count by January 2. Our committees are working on all the different aspects of the Kallah - food, fun, services and the zip line, too. If anyone has any suggestions or requests, please let me know and I will try to accommodate you as well as possible. This facility is beautiful and easily accessible from Monroe. I know that you will enjoy the location as well as activities. Remember, you are free to participate in as much or as little as you desire. There is no required activity participation.January 26-28 will be here quickly. Please stop by the Temple and pick up a registration form and Shirley will help you, or you can sign up online.I look forward to seeing you there and get ready for food, fellowship and fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEN’S CLUB

Men’s Club is hosting the Hanukkah party on December 15th. Members should arrive at the Temple at 4 pm to help with preparation.

If you have not yet paid your dues, please do so as soon as possible. They can be sent to the Temple, Attn: Men’s Club.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DONATIONS

General FundIn honor of Mel and Nanette Cohen’s “Decade Birthdays”

Rose Marie and Ron WagmanArhcives Fund

In honor of Janet Masur’s 80th BirthdayMel and Nanette Cohen~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Temple B’nai Israel Kallah – January 26-28, 2018

By Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh

You don’t want to miss Temple B’nai Israel’s very first Kallah which will take place on the Shabbat weekend of January 26-28, 2018. This happens to coincide with Shabbat Shira which is the Sabbath of Song. So, there will be lots of music and joy as we celebrate Shabbat together as a caring community.

Plans are in full swing preparing for this fun, spiritual and memorable weekend. Our Kallah is sponsored by the Kallah Project whose generous grant will help make this weekend possible. Rabbi Barb Moskow from the Kallah Project has been guiding us in planning this special weekend and she will join us for the Kallah. She plans to visit Monroe on January 8th and 9th for a final meeting with the committees. Susan Marx will be in touch with more details.

Currently we have 44 people registered to attend. The Kallah will be held at the beautiful Wesley Center in Woodworth, LA. Plans will include fun activities to get to know each better, Shabbat worship including a beautiful Havdalah under the stars, study and discussion with the Rabbi, a bonfire with s’mores, lots of music and food and a Shabbat afternoon filled with indoor and outdoor activities including a nature walk, zip lining, Mah Jong, poker, and experiencing a Jewish labyrinth. Or you can just rest…it is Shabbat, after all.

We hope you will join us. Brochures are available at the Temple and there is still time to register. If you need a scholarship in order to attend, please contact Rabbi Judy. If you would like to help on a Kallah committee, please contact Susan Marx.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THANK YOU

A big thank you goes to Bill Levinson for donation the silver Kiddush cup for Shabbat service.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HANUKKAH SUPPLIES FOR SALE

Need candles, greeting cards, wrapping paper, decorations, or gifts for Hanukkah? The Sisterhood Judaica Shop has them for sale. Shirley will be at the Temple before and after Services on Fridays, through December 15th, for you to make your purchases. You may also purchase them during regular Temple hours. Contact Shirley at the office if you have any questions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WORSHIP AND RITUAL

I hope everyone is ready for a busy December.  Hanukkah's first candle should be lit on the evening of December 12th.  Hanukkah goes from December 12th thru December 20th.  December 15th we will have a Hanukkah party as our service that night.  Be sure to bring your menorah and we can light candles together.  It is always a breath taking sight when all the menorahs are glowing.

I hope everyone is planning on coming to the Kallalh retreat.  It is going to be amazing.  If you need more information call Shirley at the office or call me or Susan Marx. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ARCHIVES NEWS

"Please keep this museum alive. Too many people want to see this history erased, and it is important to keep history alive."  This is a quote from one of Dr. Chris Blackburn's Holocaust classes that he teaches at ULM.  The new museum room is a work in progress!! The design changes and evolves weekly. We welcome help and inspiration in designing our museum and preserving our heritage. If you would like to help, call the Temple office.

It seems that untold WWII stories keep appearing.  The book “Sons and Soldiers” is the story of the Jews who escaped the Nazis and returned with the US Army to fight Hitler.  They were known as the Ritchie Boys.  You can find more information of the Ritchie Boys on the internet.

Enjoy Hanukah!Sandra Blate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SISTERHOOD NEWSSisterhood members are invited to a Chanukah Brunch on Tuesday, December 5th at 11:00 a.m. at my home, 3508 Lake DeSiard Drive. Please call me at 325-8358 to make a reservation by noon on Thursday, November 30th.

Betsy LaudenheimerSisterhood President

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

North Louisiana Jewish Federation

A donation to the North Louisiana Jewish Federation provides:Money for IsraelMoney for campers - Henry S. Jacobs and KutzMoney to help fight anti-antisemitismMoney for other Jewish agencies

The Goldring Family Foundation provides $1000.00 non-needs based scholarships to all first time Jewish campers in our region.  To obtain an application form call Ellen Abrams at (504)524-4559 or contact jewishcamping@jefno.org. Henry S. Jacobs Camp fee is $2,300 - $6,800.00 for a summer session depending on the child's age. Registration for Summer 2018 is going on now.

Send your donations to:North Louisiana Jewish Federation245-A Southfield Road Shreveport, LA 71105

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A MESSAGE FROM RABBI JUDY

Chanukah: The Holiday of Light and Rededication

This month, we will celebrate the fun holiday of Chanukah. The word Chanukah means "dedication" in Hebrew and refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and "rededication" of the Temple in Jerusalem. Chanukah is a holiday celebrated in the home and centers around the lighting of the hanukiyah, a special menorah for Hanukkah; foods prepared in oil including latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts); and special songs and games.

Each night of Chanukah, we light a new candle and continue to light the candles from the previous nights until, on the last night of Chanukah, our menorah is full of light. When the light was kindled in the Temple so long ago, this light was a symbol of rededication. As I light the menorah each night, I like to think that we are also gaining light (wisdom, enlightenment, etc.) and rededicating ourselves with the increasing light that comes from the candles we kindle.

Chaya Kaplan-Lester, a Jewish educator and psychotherapist, talks about each of our homes being a holy place. She also suggests that in addition to lighting lights in our home each night of Chanukah that we also allow the lights to illuminate our inner selves as well. Our souls are the Temples of our bodies. On each night of Chanukah, we should light our menorah as an outward symbol of rededication, but we should also illuminate a new aspect of self in our inner House of Holiness.

Kaplan-Lester compares each night to a room of a house and suggests themes for each night with a meditation before lighting each candle:

First Night – Dedicated to Darkness (The Cellar): Before you light the first candle, stand quietly in the darkness and sense the sanctuary that is yourself. Standing in the cellar of yourself, with an unlit candle in your hand, in the darkness, you discover a deeper self than light lets in. This night is dedicated to the unknown.

Meditation: I dedicate this night to every question I have quested after, to every confusion that has humbled me, to every challenge I have mastered, to the thrill of secrecy. As this candle casts a shadow, myself in dark outline, I integrate and dedicate the darkness with the light. The first night is for the dark cellar of winter, that which illumines a deeper insight.

Second Night – Dedicated to Ascension (The Stairway): As you light the second candle imagine a stairway rising before you. Each step is a worthy act, a good word you have spoken, a good deed you have done. Each step leads to the next. Dedicate yourself to single steps in an upward direction; go out of your way to do one new kindness each day of Chanukah.

Meditation: This night is dedicated to increase, to the second step of every path. This is why we light an additional candle each night. For holiness, like light, should always advance, like an ascending staircase. Just as each good act gives forth another, one spark springs forth to a second wick while a string of candles awaits. I stand at the staircase, ready to rise, ready to explore. From the darkness, I move upward with the second step.

Third Night – Dedicated to Decisions (The Hallway): Imagine yourself in a hallway, an endless corridor. Before you are many doors. Each offers opportunity, each offers an unknown path…letting you choose, challenging you to act. The hallway is the narrowness that leads to expansion. The hallway is the tension before any great act.

Meditation: This night is dedicated to direction, to making decisions in the dark, to taking the leap of faith that leads to miracles. From the narrowness of Greek domination, the Maccabees chose the doorway to freedom. They did not remain confined. They lunged fearlessly for the doorway of independence. Contemplate the path to your future and light three candles as your guide.

Fourth Night – Dedicated to the Senses (The Dining Room): This is the seat of appetite, brimming with all things delightful to the senses. See yourself seated at a beautifully set table. How full is your plate? How great is your need? As your body eats, how nourished is your spirit? Do you take only what you need or do you take too much?

Meditation: This night is dedicated to delicate balances where our desires come to dine offering pleasure in each embellishment, fuel for the fire of life though oil anoints and nourishes, over pour and it will put out the light. Everything needs balance.

Fifth Night – Dedicated to Defiance (The Courtyard): See yourself standing in a courtyard stained with suffering. Think of all those who gave their lives and fought for what they believed in. The fifth night finds our strength tested and we must stand strong against external forces.

Meditation: This is a night dedicated to persistence, a night not to be afraid to sacrifice. It is a night of knowing one’s identity, of being grounded in an inner courtyard of calm and courage, regardless of the chaos of the world outside. Try to block out the noise and find a bit of peace deep inside yourself.

Sixth Night – Dedicated to Rebirth (The Bedroom): Find yourself beneath a canopy, recall the seasons of your days. Are you satisfied with the path you have walked? The bedroom provides a cocoon, a womb, a tomb, a room of rejuvenation. We lay our souls to rest here, our breath slows, the world recedes. We experience the end of all, only to dream, and be reborn, burdenless in the morning. In our lifetime, we witness many lives, personalities developed and discarded, many births and many deaths.

Meditation: This night is dedicated to rebirth. Just as the Temple in Jerusalem was lost and won and lost again, so too are we forever falling, and redefining, losing and re-finding, a new beginning born with every end. Each night when we fall asleep, we are reborn each morning. The six flames we light tonight lift like a phoenix, reviving life in a circle. Though history be a looping spiral, redemption lies at the end of the line.

Seventh Night – Dedicated to the Miracle (The Light in the Window): As you light your menorah in front of the open window, look outside and see the face before you. It is your reflection, your own eyes. What do you see in the window’s mirror? What miracles are there for you to behold?

Meditation: The seventh night is dedicated to the window of the world. This is where the strength and purpose that you have nurtured within are celebrated in the sight of others. This is the show of lights that sparkles forth from self. It is the

commandment of Chanukah to do pirsum hanes—“to advertise the miracle,” the miracle that was wrought in history, that is wrought within us. May our eyes behold the miracles shining forth from each passing soul. And as we gaze into their windows may our own miracle be beheld as we behold.

Eighth Night – Dedicated to Transcendence (The Rooftop): Imagine yourself standing on a roof watching the night fall. As the blue of the sky deepens to black, you see a single star. Then you see more and more stars shining like the lights of the menorah. Dazzled by stars beyond count, you face the infinity of space. Feeling this limitlessness, you are reminded of the infinity of your own soul. The menorah is fully lit. Complete. We are reminded of God’s light that has no end.

Meditation: The eighth and final night is dedicated to transcendence. Just as the seven days of the week represent linear time and the completion of the physical, the number eight is an elegant leap beyond the linear, and beyond physicality. Eight represents transcendence. Just as miracles themselves transcend the limits of the physical realm, so does the number eight beckon us to transcendence.

Although the eighth night represents the end of this holiday of Chanukah, it also hints at the limitless holiness of every day. Yes, there were eight nights of miraculous oil, but beyond that, every day holds its own special miracles. When we are in touch with the infinite light of our own souls, then we are in touch with the infinitude of God. This final night of Chanukah celebrates our transcendent spirits and God’s promise of always being in our lives.

I hope this spiritual take on lighting the menorah has helped you to inwardly grow and be touched by the light and miracles that we experience during this season. May each of you come to know the miracles that you have in your lives and continue to share your lights with the world. Together, we shine!

Happy Chanukah, Rabbi Judy