Messages from the Mountain, December 2009

Number 607 December 2009/Tishrei-Cheshvan 5770

First Light — Friday, December 11

Happy Chanukah! On Sunday, December 13, Temple Mount Si-

nai‘s Religious School and B‘nai Zion‘s Tal-

mud Torah will come together for a Chanu-

kah Family Event. We will meet at Congre-

gation B’nai Zion beginning at 9:15 am for a

morning of family fun!

There will be Chanukah games, crafts, learn-

ing and music. Middle schoolers (sixth

through eighth graders) and their parents will

have special, separate programming with

Rabbi Bach and Rabbi Leon.

At 11:15 am we will all be treated to a per-

formance of ―The Chanukah Candle Caper‖

produced by the EPJA drama club. Following

the performance there will be a latke competi-

tion to see which men prepared the most tasty

latkes. To end the morning, everyone will en-

joy a latke luncheon and decorate their own

Canukah cookies.

As part of this community event we are con-

ducting a holiday mitzvah project. Each fam-

ily is asked to bring a new, wrapped gift for a

needy El Paso child. Please label the gift with

the intended gender and age. Families will

receive one raffle ticket for each gift they

bring, with a drawing to be held at the end of

the morning.

This Chanukah family event is open to all

families – please bring your friends. To RSVP

contact Alanna Bach at

[email protected] or 532-5959.

Join the Women of Reform Judaism

for a Chanukah Celebration and Dinner (bring your own chanukiah and candles!)

Friday, December 11 6:15 p.m.

Shabbat/Chanukah Service

at Temple Mount Sinai followed by a dinner

of seasonal comfort food (chicken and latkes)!

Prices and reservation information

on page 10.

Chanukah blessings, stories, songs, and a play, here: http://www.babaganewz.com/kids/hanukkah-ceremony/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.babaganewz.com/kids/hanukkah-ceremony/

Page 2 December 2009/Kislev 5770 Messages from the Mountain

Worship Schedule December 4-5

Parashat Vayishlach Friday, December 4

Candlelighting, 4:44 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm Camp Shabbat,

with participation from mini-MSTY

Saturday, December 5 Torah Study, 9:30 am

Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am

December 11-12 Parashat Vayishlach Friday, December 11

Candlelighting, 4:45 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm WRJ Chanukah Dinner to follow

Saturday, December 12

Torah Study, 9:30 am Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am

December 18-19 Parashat Vayechi

Friday, December 18 Candlelighting, 4:47 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm



December 25-26 Parashat Sh’mot

Friday, December 25 Candlelighting, 4:44 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm




January 1-2 Parashat Va’era

Friday, January 1 Candlelighting, 4:44 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm


Saturday, January 2 Torah Study, 9:30 am


January 8-9 Parashat Bo

Friday, January 8 Candlelighting, 4:44 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm

Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm

Saturday, January 9 Torah Study, 9:30 am



The Rabbis speak of two different kinds of

miracles that the menorah proclaims. We must

decide whether to believe in and propagate

either.

The Miracle of the Oil

The miracle recalled in the Talmud speaks of a

cruse of oil that burned for eight days instead of

one. That is a supernatural miracle violating the

laws of nature. Taken literally, it promotes a

belief in supernatural intervention. It may even

denigrate human effort…

However, David Hartman argues that the

miracle of oil is only a symbol that arouses

human faith. When human beings are willing to

believe that more is possible than meets the eye,

then they will invest in historical projects like

the Maccabean Revolt and the Declaration of

the Independence of Israel in 1948 even against

all odds. Our presupposition that a cruse of oil

cannot burn for eight days, that it is a natural

impossibility, is only a symbol of the mistaken

belief in the historical impossibility of change.

The Miracles of the Few Against the Many

Even if we cannot embrace the miracle of the

cruse of oil, the Rabbis offered a different kind

of miracle to celebrate. The Rabbinic prayer for

Canukah, Al Hanisim, ignores the miracle of the

oil and speaks of a general phenomenon

possible in every generation whereby God

helps human beings to bring about miraculous

rescues from historical oppressors. This belief in

God's miracles does not undermine human

effort but causes it to redouble. The miracle is

"natural" within the realm of historical

possibility, yet inconceivable and unattainable

by oppressed peoples who don't believe in its

possibility.

In the Exodus from Egypt, God initiates the

miracles for a passive, despairing people of

slaves. However, on Hanukkah, first the

martyrs like Hannah and then the zealots and

the warriors initiate the redemptive process. In

a world where God seems eclipsed, where there

are no supernatural signs and no prophets,

where the leading priests accepted Hellenism as

a boon, the Maccabees bear witness to another

dimension. They evaluate the world differently

and they believe in a Divine power whose

hidden will becomes manifest. The Rabbis

celebrated the political and military

manifestation of God's miracle in the

Maccabees' victory.

Personally, I prefer the miracle of the few

against the many. I need to reject the

miraculous long-burning cruse of oil lest I be

understood as an anti-rationalist or passive Jew.

But perhaps beyond my polemic against the

childish legend, I need to mature and to

reinterpret both kinds of miracles as opening

me up to other dimensions, to possibilities in

myself and in my world that I have too quickly

foreclosed. Believing in miracles is another way

of learning to keep my options open and letting

myself be surprised.

Noam Zion

Two Kinds of Chanukah Miracles

Noam Zion is the Director of Shalom Hartman

Institute's Resource Center for Jewish Continuity. He

specializes in teaching Jewish Holidays, Bible and Art,

and has edited several educational books for the

Shalom Hartman Institute.

Reprinted with permission from A Different Light: The

Big Book of Hanukkah published by the Shalom Hartman

Institute and Devora Publishing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930143370?ie=UTF8&tag=temmousin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1930143370

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930143370?ie=UTF8&tag=temmousin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1930143370


December Birthdays

December Anniversaries

December 1 Joshua Kallman * Aaron Velasco December 2 Donna Munch Irvin Nadler December 3 Marci Karch * Jason Marcus Lillian Silberman * December 4 Bob Brannon Heather Chapman Julian Horwitz Shana Levin Sylvia Levin December 6 Eva Pearlman Honey Phelps December 7 Harold Ettinger Linda Fruithandler Ashley Mansfield

December 8 Jason Zehden December 9 Bernadine Belkin Rebecca Krasne December 10 Ann Louise Leeds * Abrielle Meyer December 11 Philip Alpern * Stephanie Calvo Chester Frame December 12 Jack Bargemann Melanie Blumenfeld Terren Klein Sig Rosen Phil Rothstein December 13 Norma Aaronson John T. García Martin Kern *

December 14 Eric Saks Scott Schwartz * December 15 Joseph Horn December 16 Frances Litt * December 17 Annette Goldberg Shayna Mickenberg December 18 Damon Crossland Lucy Garcy Carrie Snow December 19 Daniel Hirsch Matthew Papa December 20 Kaylen Duran Christopher

Holderman Allyson Holland Kenny Ley *

December 21 Ian Mobbs December 22 Leah Gluck * Miriam Goldfarb Arlene Levenson David Marcus December 23 Allan Goldfarb Joshua Meyer * December 24 Edward Feldt Norman Gordon Ruth Taber December 25 Judy Lauterbach December 26 Norma Levenson Ross Rotwein December 27 Matthew Bowman Barbara Given

December 28 Keeley Burton * Carolyn Feinberg Molly Goldman Merrill Krupp Mark McCoy December 30 Constance Finke * December 31 Arnold Bowman Michelle Ducorsky Irving Schecter

December 5 Bert & Bert Blackburn December 6 Sig & Olga Rosen * December 15 Tom & Sandy Dula * December 17 John T. & Elaine García December 19 Lou & Laura Alpern

December 20 Ron & Judy Blumenfeld * December 21 Aaron & Sylvia Wechter December 23 Jay & Marilyn Mendeloff December 26 Milton & Joan Cherno Harry & Suzanne Nagler *

December 27 Marty & Bonnie Colton Nancy Laster & Ross Dahman Jon & Arlene Sonnen December 28 Keith & Becky Myers December 30 John & Karen Ivey December 31 Bob & Edi Brannon


Hamakom Y’nachem—May God Bring Comfort... to Elaine Krasne on the death of her friend, Jill Kreitman.

to Neal Axelrod, Wendy Axelrod, and Iris Sauermilch on the death of wife and mother,

Evelyn Axelrod.

to Bob & Shirley Washer on the death of their brother-in-law, Louis Edelman.

to Lloyd Mark and Janet Keeton on the death of wife and mother, Anita Mark.

Mazel Tov! Congratulations...

to Randee & Lyndon Mansfield on the marriage of their daughter, Melissa, to Shane Poteet.

to Nancy Schwartz on the marriage of her daughter, Jerami Shecter, to Nir Peled.

B’ruchim Haba’im! Welcome New Members...

This month we welcome Andrew Proyect to membership at Temple Mount Sinai. Andrew is

an attorney, and is stationed at Ft. Bliss.

Do you know that you can honor or remember a loved one with a leaf or a

stone on the Tree of Life? This beautiful work of art is displayed on the

wall in the foyer at Temple just outside the Sanctuary.

For a minimum donation of $300 for a leaf or $3,000 for a stone, the brass

will be engraved according to your instructions and will remain on the

Tree of Life forever. Your donation becomes part of the Foundation Trust

and benefits Temple Mount Sinai in perpetuity.

For more information, contact Sally Parke at the Temple office at 532-5959.

Leaves and Stones on the Temple’s Tree of Life


by Rabbi Ken and Sue Weiss

Nine time zones away from West Texas, a 15-year-

old state still echoes Soviet values…in The Repub-

lic of Belarus there is an American embassy but no

ambassador – he along with 90% of U.S. employees

have been expelled. Belarus: it‘s west of Russia,

north of Ukraine, east of Poland, south of Lithua-

nia and Latvia…until 1939 it was home to many

schools of Jewish learning and centers of Jewish

population: Minsk, Babruysk, Gomel, Grodna,

Vitebsk, Mir, Pinsk, Lida, Mogilev…once the ‗Pale

of Settlement,‘ it was the point of departure for

countless Eastern European Jews who made their

way to America between 1880 and 1920…

Minsk, the capitol of Belarus, was our ‗home‘ for

the month of October 2009. We served the Pro-

gressive (=non-Orthodox) Jewish communities of

Belarus in the absence of the only liberal rabbi in

the entire country. While Rabbi Grisha

Abramovich (ordained at London‘s Leo Baeck

Seminary) spent a month of sabbatical in the U.S. –

actually in our Boston area condo – we stepped in

to provide rabbinic coverage.

Our Activities

Services…teaching…conversion and b‘nai mitzvah

lessons, English language assistance; Sukkot…

Simchat Torah…Shabbat.

We participated in a retreat bringing together lead-

ers from 10 of the 15 progressive communities

around Belarus (3 of the 15 are in Minsk, the capi-

tal; the others are in 12 smaller communities, all of

which were predominantly Jewish prior to World

War II and now are home to a few Jews who are

determined to re-grow Jewish life in their home-

towns). We participated in ‗Hevruta,‘ an annual

daylong educational gathering of Minsk‘s Jews

held on the JCC campus.

During a weekend visit in Vitebsk some 200 miles

from Minsk, we led Kabbalat Shabbat services. We

also searched the Jewish cemetery and local ar-

chives for signs of Ken‘s maternal grandfather who

was born in this area in 1887 and migrated to the

U.S. around 1900. Nothing regarding his life has

yet come to light, but a search in the state historical

archives in Minsk continues.

Impressions and Reflections…

…Belarus‘ Jewish worship melodies are (90%) the

same as ours; the Jewish people we met are warm,

welcoming and dedicated to Judaism; there are

Jewish kindergartens but the law dictates that they

must classified as secular, not religious…the chil-

dren are gorgeous; there‘s a teenage youth group

called NeTZeR (Reform Zionist Youth) possessing

so much spirit, so much music. They‘re NFTY, Bel-

arus-style…

…very few people we met speak any English.

…there are official memorials all over Belarus,

most recalling deaths at the hands of the Nazis, yet

none mention that most Belarussians before the

war were Jewish(!)

…via email, we worked closely with two Ameri-

cans (a rabbi and a rabbi‘s widow) who are plan-

ning to bring Torah scrolls to two Belarussian com-

munities – Gomel and Lida; the Progressive Jewish

communities in these cities have never had scrolls

…Belarus Jews love to ‗toast‘ and do so often –

with vodka and thoughtful, moving words

…an irony that struck us: we thoroughly enjoyed a

wonderful public concert (presented by the Israeli

Embassy!), featuring an Israeli husband-wife duo

who played piano magnificently…yet the Belarus-

sian Jews we met told us they would not wear kip-

(Continued on page 7)

FAÇADES AND FACES –

Our ‘Mitzvah Month’ in the Republic of Belarus


pot in public…nor did we see a single mezuzah

OUTSIDE any door (inside – in private – yes)…

…the streets of the cities are filled with beautiful

people – young, slim, long-legged (LOTS of very

high heels!), blond; everyone walks – I think we

covered at least 60 miles in our 28 days; the Metro

(=subway) is so efficient – trains every 2-7 minutes,

fast, terribly crowded; 4 escalators were recently

installed in the central Metro stop and, despite

huge crowds, we never saw more than 3 (usually

2!) operate at the same time.

Façades and Faces

In Belarus, public facilities – boulevards, parks,

government buildings, shopping centers, even the

outer walls of virtually every building – are well

maintained, beautifully tended: the first impres-

sion is overwhelmingly positive. But the private

places – inner stairwells, office building hallways

and restrooms – are neglected, decrepit; many of

the places where people live and work are thread-

bare, the buildings neglected. So many ‗officials‘

watch (and record?) as you enter every public

building; so many others rake falling leaves…and

then rake them again; Façades – while appearing

genuine – only glosses over the inner decay…we‘re

reminded of Hollywood movie sets.

What IS genuine in Belarus are the people…their

faces are candid reflections of the very kind and

generous people they are. The Belarussian Jewish

people whom we met – of all ages – returned our

love and feeling of connection. Their faces, their

eyes, are windows on what is REALLY inside

them…no façades there at all! We KNEW they ap-

preciated our presence and our efforts.

Our hosts in Minsk were Michael Kemerov, Execu-

tive Director of the World Union for Progressive

Judaism in Belarus (age 42) and his wife, Irina (Ira)

Belskaia (age 31). Ira shared this wisdom with us:

‗Yesterday is history,

‗Tomorrow is a mystery,

‗Today is a gift…and that‘s why it‘s called ―the

present‖‘

While we were with the Jews of Belarus, every

‗today‘ was a gift; we knew we were among our

cousins, our people.

(Continued from page 6)


Take the opportunity to learn with friends as

our Lunch and Learn series continues on

December 15. We‘ll begin at 11:45 am as lunch

is served; Rabbi Bach will teach from shortly

after noon until 1 pm.

This month‘s session takes place during

Chanukah, and our learning will focus on ―the

Festival of Lights...for Grownups.‖ Best-known

as a ―kiddie‖ holiday of dreydls, gifts and gelt,

Chanukah has been mined for meaning by

Jews in every age. We‘ll explore the ways in

which the holiday has been shaped in the

image of those who celebrated it, ―in those

days‖ and ―at this time,‖ ―over there‖ and

―here‖ as well.

Future dates are: December 15, 2009; January

19, February 16, March 16, April 6 and May 4,

2010.

Lunches are $10 each. Please send in your

check if you want to prepay or call Buddy

Schwartz at 532-5959 or email him at

[email protected]

Lunch and Learn, December 15 at 11:45 am

Interested in celebrating an Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah? Give Rabbi Bach a call!

TAX FREE DAY: Sunday, December 6, 2009—9:30 am

to 1:00 pm —- Also, 30% off selected Fashion Jewelry

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 — 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 — 3:30 pm to 5:30

pm

Thursday, December 10, 2009 —

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Temple Gift Shop Holiday Hours



by Thomas Krapin

After more than six years, El Paso once again

played host to a NFTY-SW regional event:

Leadership Training Institute (LTI) from

October 23-25, 2009! During LTI, the activities

mostly consisted of trainings on how to be an

awesome leader. At the beginning we did a

Mixer, which gave us an opportunity to

introduce ourselves to the group and tell

everyone who we are and what position we

serve within our Temple Youth Group. We

also got to hear some of our regional board

members‘ leadership advice on topics such as,

―Words to Use in Articles,‖ ―How to Attract

New Members,‖ and of course, ―How to Be a

Great Leader!‖

MSTY members who attended this event

were: Nate Benjamin, Kaylen Duran, Leah

Gluck, Thomas Krapin, Carly Levin, Melanie

Shapiro, Daryl Stein, Alex Stein, David Yates,

Meredith Heins, Maddie Goldfarb, and Ben

Puschett. According to all of our members

who attended, ―LTI was a blast and a new

chance to experience new ways to make our

TYG absolutely amazing. This weekend was

totally worth missing school!‖ Nate Benjamin

states, ―Great Success. Programs were well

thought out, and helped to develop the TYG

board. Social activities lightened the mood.

Oh, and the food was great!‖ And Melanie

Shapiro says, ―The activities were fun!

Friendship circle is the best! And the Native

American drum circle was an educational

experience.‖

So to wrap this up I have to tell you that this

event was the best! Not only the leadership

training but also the social activities were

phenomenal! Getting soaked and playing

laser tag at Bob-o‘s was great, and learning

about how different our cities are was a very

interesting experience. LTI was a great

success, and of course, we couldn‘t have done

this without the great help of Temple Mount

Sinai, Alison Westermann, Stacy Berry, Greta

Duran, Lori Gaman, Rabbi Bach, all our

incredible host families and the NFTY-SW

advisors!

NFTY-SW Leadership Training Institute Wrap-Up


WRJ News In November, WRJ members enjoyed a

wonderful mikveh tour and talk event co-

hosted with B‘nai Zion Sisterhood. Thirty-one

women toured the newly renovated mikveh at

the synagogue, where Rabbi Rebecca

Rosenthal taught the group what the ritual

bath can mean to modern Jewish women and

how it can be applied to our contemporary

lives. This tour provided a new experience for

many of the women who had not see the

mikveh before this event. Rabbi Rosenthal

explained that this transformative body of

water can symbolize closure and new

beginnings and encouraged us to use the

mikveh ritual throughout our lives at significant

events.

Our tour was followed by a creative water-

color keepsake art project led by event

coordinator Jenny Meyer, which reinforced the

meaning of the mikveh practice. Our event

ended with a meditation and relaxation session

led by Ellen Goodman, focused on water

imagery. Thank you to Rabbi Rosenthal and

everyone who participated in this event and

helped make it a success.

WRJ has several events in the coming months,

beginning in December with the Canukah

Celebration and Dinner on Friday, December

11, at Temple Mount Sinai. WRJ members will

serve a delicious Canukah dinner after

services. The cost is $18 for adults and $5 for

children 5 to 18 years old (under 5 are free), for

reservations made before December 4.

Reservations made after December 4 will be

$24 and $9 respectively, so don‘t wait! Contact

Buddy Schwartz at Temple at 532-5959 or

[email protected] to make

your reservations today.

In January WRJ will hold its annual game night

at the home of Becky Myers on the first

Tuesday of the month, January 5, at 7:30

p.m. We hope you will join us for dessert, Mah

-Jongg, and other games, as well as help us

plan our social action projects scheduled for




February. Social action is an important part of

Jewish life and WRJ members will be preparing

dinner for families living in the YWCA's

Transitional Living Center on Tuesday,

February 2, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Temple,

and participating in El Paso's Race for the Cure

supporting breast cancer research on Sunday,

February 21. More information regarding these

events will be sent in the mail to members; for

any questions, please email

[email protected].

Here are the results of the 2009 Worlds Series of Baseball Fundraiser! A 3-way tie for 1st

place! Ruth Braun, Terren Klein, and Adrienne Mansfield! A 5-way tie for 4th place! Mark

Fenenbock, Jay Druxman, David Mansfield, Tess Mansfield, and George Elias! Lyndon Mansfield

sold the most tickets. Steve Spivak guessed the total runs. Bill Spier, David Mansfield, and Scott

Feldt each sold a winning ticket. Congratulations to all the participants, as well as the win-

ners. Through your efforts, another child has the opportunity for a camp scholarship. Thank you

for your support of MRJ.

MRJ World Series Pool Results

Temple‘s newest Chavura (―affinity group‖) is

YAMS — Young Adults of Mount Sinai. Several

energetic members in their twenties and thirties

have begun planning monthly social gatherings

combining Jewish learning and socializing. So

far, they‘ve gathered for ―Torah at Toro‖ in

September, ―Challah and Kabbalah‖ in October,

and ―So You Think You Can Dance?‖ in

November. Each event has had more attendees

than the last, and they‘re just getting started!

This month, the YAMS will gather at TMS

Trustee Hal Marcus‘s Studio/Gallery on

December 8 at 7 pm for an evening of ―Art,

Wine, and the Divine.‖ Hal will speak about his

own work as well as the currently-hanging

exhibit, ―Paint the Town Red,‖ featuring

twenty- eight local artists.

There is no cost for this event. And while the

YAMS are hosting and organizing, those of us

who’ve reached forty are cordially invited to

join for art, wine, and bit of the divine. Please

RSVP to Hedy at 903-244-7989 or:

[email protected]

Young Adults of Mount Sinai (YAMS)




On Sunday, November 8, we gathered in the

Chapel at 9:30 am. Rabbi led us in T‘filah and

Grace gave an overview of the Mitzvah Day

program. A special treat was a visit from

Gloria, a representative from La Clinica

Guadalupana. Gloria spoke to us regarding

the hardships people in the colonias face on a

daily basis, and which she faced earlier in her

life.

After T‘filah, Morim and Madrichim (teachers

and teaching assistants), as well as some

parents, helped take items donated to the

clinic from the Chapel to the Resource room to

be sorted until pick-up time. Our donations

included: Latex gloves (grades preK-1),

Kleenex (grades 2-3), hand sanitizer (grades 4-

5) and computer paper (grades 6-8).

Additionally students and their families

donated numerous items (toys, clothes, games,

books, etc.) for our "HiddenTreasures" project.

In addition to the mitzvah of giving to Clinica

Guadalupana, our students took on projects

during the morning. These projects were fun

and meaningful.

· The pre-kinder, kinder and first grade

students (lead by Monica, Shana,

Angela, Carly, Valerie and Mia) worked

on ―Get Well Bags.‖ The students

decorated twenty cloth bags for

children that visit La Clinica

Guadalupana. They put crayons, a

coloring book, a pencil, lollipops, a mini

pinball game, stickers, and biscotti in

each bag.

· The second grade students (lead by

Amissa, Susan Bargemann and Maddie)

learned about ―Staying Healthy‖ and

prepared thirty ―Staying Healthy‖ bags

for TMS families. The bags included

tips for staying healthy, signs of the flu,

and tips for getting better from the

CDC, a small container of tissues, three

disposable thermometers, and small

bottle of sanitizer. The second grade

students created three posters which

included some tips on proper hand-

washing, tips on staying healthy, and

tips on getting better. Three students

were selected to present the

information during the Mitzvah Fair in

Schwartz Hall.

· The third and fourth grade students

(lead by Ellen, Carly Robalin, Leah and (Continued on page 13)

Mitzvah Day, a Huge Success


Nate) learned about ―Going Neutral.‖

The students watched a video from

JNF, made posters about planting trees

in Israel to offset carbon emissions, and

set up an educational table in Schwartz

Hall. Three students were selected to

present the ―Going Neutral‖

information on their posters. The

students handed out JNF boxes at the

Mitzvah Fair.

· The fifth and sixth grade students (lead

by Josh, Pinni, Kaylen and Ethan) met

in the parking lot next to Zielonka Hall

and began washing the white chairs we

all use throughout the year.

· The seventh and eighth grade students

prepared awesome Bar/Bat Mitzvah

project displays and presented their

information during the Mitzvah Fair.

The displays included Bar/Bat Mitzvah

projects done in the past and projects

planned for in the near future (Alison

and Sammy Holaschutz supervised).

At 11:45, students, parents, morim and

madrichim enjoyed learning at the Mitzvah Fair

and had a great time socializing and eating in

Schwartz Hall. We raised a total of $485 at the

Taco Lunch (for tacos, salsa, drinks and

yummy treats). The money collected at this

fundraiser is in reserved for a ―Special

Religious School Tzedakah Project.‖ The

recipient for this project will be announced

during our Cultural Celebration on March 7.

A very special "THANK YOU" to everyone for

their generous donations of time and

resources: we thank the Intebis for donating 48

boxes of surgical gloves, Susan and Cory

Bargeman, the Feldts, Shana Levin, David

Wolfe, Simon Bir, Amissa Burton and JoAnn

Farley for all their help in the kitchen, Greta

Duran and Buddy Schwartz for helping out

during the sale and Meredith Heins and Erhen

Weiner for creating all the posters for the

Mitzvah Fair/Taco Sale. As always, we are

grateful to Frank Hernandez for his help

during all of our Religious School projects and

events.

Please take a moment to read the thank-you

note from Gloria, on the next page. They were

overwhelmed with our school‘s generosity and

very appreciative for all of our help.

(Continued from page 12)

More pictures from Mitzvah Day...

www.templemountsinai.org/Mitzvah-Day

http://www.templemountsinai.org/mitzvah-day



You and your children are invited to welcome Shabbat at Temple Mount Sinai

during our special B‘nai Shabbat services once a month. B‘nai Shabbat is an

experiential (touch, smell, see ...) Shabbat service conducted on the bimah in the main

sanctuary. At the service we have candle lighting, singing with Rabbi Bach, and

joyful praying. This month...all eight candles of Chanukah!

B‘nai Shabbat families are invited to join the rest of the congregation at 5:45 pm for

our delicious oneg prepared by Simon Bir. Simon always serves snacks that the

children enjoy. Following the oneg, childcare will be available. Parents are invited to

enjoy an adult service beginning at 6:15 pm.

Please join for B‘nai Shabbat Services on Friday, December 18, at 5:15 pm in the main

sanctuary. To RSVP for the services or for more information please contact Alanna

Bach at 532-5959 or [email protected].

B’nai Shabbat — December 18, 5:15 pm



The Jewish Federation of El Paso is thrilled to

announce that the new Hartman Institute Lecture

Series on DVD "Leadership and Crisis: Jewish

Resources and Responses," a study program for

adults with a thirst for substantive Jewish

education will be presented in El Paso.

Bringing the multi-denominational Hartman

Institute‘s world-renowned faculty (hartman.org.il)

to our community, this program will enhance your

knowledge and ability to respond to key questions

facing the Jewish people and contemporary

society.

2009-2010 Study Theme and Scholars

1. Donniel Hartman: Introduction to the Series:

Jewish Responses to Crisis

2. Micah Goodman: The Crisis of Destruction:

The Biblical Prophet Jeremiah

3. Micah Goodman: Personal Crisis and

Theological Audacity: The Book of Job

4. Micah Goodman: The Sages of the Talmud and

the Crisis of Authority

5. Melilah Hellner-Eshed: Individual and

Collective Responses to Crisis: Zohar and

Hasidut

6. Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi: God After

Auschwitz: Jewish Theological Responses

7. Donniel Hartman: Response to Crisis:

Reestablishing Moral Awareness

8. Donniel Hartman: Moving Beyond Crisis:

Reclaiming the Primacy of Ethics

The program will meet for eight-two hour sessions

on selected Monday evenings, beginning January

18. Rabbi Bach, an alumnus of the Hartman in

Jerusalem, will serve as rabbinic facilitator, guiding

the conversations that follow each video lecture.

Tuition is $36 per person and includes study texts,

supplementary readings and havruta study guides

and a one-year subscription to Shalom Hartman

Institute‘s Havruta journal

Shalom Hartman Institute in El Paso “Leadership and Crisis”

Please remember to use your key tag each time you shop for groceries at Albertsons. All you need to do is have the card scanned when you check out. Temple will earn 1% of your shopping total each time you scan the card. If you have a card from another organization, you may scan more than one card and thereby benefit both organizations. If you need an additional key tag, contact the Temple office.

http://www.hartman.org.il/index.asp


Rabbi Bach Discretionary Fund

in appreciation of Rabbi Larry

Bach by Janet Crowe, Lyndon &

Randee Mansfield, Marc & Pam

Bernat, Marty & Bonnie Colton

in memory of David Goodman by

Jim, Liz & Leah Levy

in memory of Donald S. Klein by

Marty & Jody Klein

in memory of Evelyn Axelrod by

Eric & Rochelle Saks

in memory of Joseph Mansfield by

Sara Mansfield

Campership Fund

in appreciation of Sis & Jay

Druxman by Steve & Eve Riter

in honor of Jim Schwartz's

Birthday by Skip & Teresa

Schwartz, Lee Schwartz & Edi

Brannon

Caring Community Fund

in memory of Bluma & Sam

Hoffman by Larry & Joyce

Anenberg

in memory of Jane Friedman by

Larry & Joyce Anenberg

Choir Fund

in honor of Albert Schwartz's

Special Birthday by Lee Schwartz

in honor of Herbert Schwartz &

Chanukah by Lee Schwartz

Syd Dictor Memorial Fund

in honor of Rona Dictor's Special

Birthday by Marty & Jody Klein

in honor of Sara Mansfield's

Special Birthday by Rona Dictor

in memory of Bruce Litt by Rona

Dictor

in memory of Dorothy

Schonberger by Rona Dictor

in memory of Syd Dictor by Rona

Dictor

speedy recovery to Mimi Lait by

Rona Dictor

Falk Youth Fund

in honor of Harvey Falk's Special

Birthday by Bill & Anne Spier,

Marty & Bonnie Colton

Floyd Fierman Religious School

Fund

in honor of Ann & Phil Rothstein's

Special Anniversary by Ron &

Judy Blumenfeld

in honor of Sara Mansfield's

Special Birthday by Bill & Marcia

Dahlberg


Ruth Oppenheim & Family

Freidman/Bloom/Rothstein

Outdoor Chapel Fund

in honor of Becky & Keith Myers'

daughter engagement by Phil &

Ann Rothstein

in honor of Phil & Ann Rothstein's

Special Anniversary by Bud &

Charlotte Ramenofsky, Rick &

Leslie Otis

in honor of Sis & Jay Druxman's

new home in New Mexico by Idell

Rothstein

in memory of Tama Bloom & Hy

Rothstein by Jerry Bloom


Jeff Jacobs

General Fund

in appreciation of Temple Mount

Sinai by Douglas Waters

in appreciation of Temple Mount

Sinai by Raquel Aldama

in appreciation of Sis & Jay

Druxman by Bud & Charlotte

Ramenofsky

in honor of Ann & Tibor

Schaechner's Special Anniversary

by Edward & Evelyn Schwartz

in honor of Jean & Dick

Scherotter's Anniversary by Irene

Oppenheimer

in honor of Ken Given‘s Special

Birthday by Mildred Marcus

in memory of Bruce Litt by Irma

Oppenheim, Bud & Kathie

Amstater Harris


Arthur & Rhoberta Leeser, Mark &

Dori Fenenbock, Lowell & Shirley

Nussbaum, Bob & Sara Shiloff

in memory of Jeffrey Howard

Weiss by Arthur E. Weiss

in memory of Leslie Levy by

Sylvan & Margie Landau

in memory of Nell J. Schnadig &

Benjamin O. Oliver by Isabel

Schnadig

in memory of William Bromberg

by Joyce Davidoff


Tributes — October 6-November 19


Tributes — October 6-November 19, continued...

speedy recovery to David

Metrikin by Irene Oppenheimer

speedy recovery to Julie

Berroteran by Jo Witkoff

speedy recovery to Martin Kern

by Stanley & Dina Marcus


Jeff & Wendy Siegel

L.A. Goodman, Jr. Book Fund

in memory of David Goodman by

Eleanor Goodman

in memory of Leonard Goodman

by Jim, Elizabeth & Leah Levy

Isadore Kahn Memorial Fund


Special Birthday by Bill & Anne

Spier


Stuart & Frances Kahn

Ruth Kahn & Andrew Kahn Rose

Garden

speedy recovery to Rick Deragisch

by Jo Witkoff

Krasne Discretionary Fund


Special Birthday by Marty &

Bonnie Colton



by Bob & Elaine Krasne


Scherotter's Special Anniversary


in honor of Ken Given's Special

Birthday by Marty & Bonnie

Colton

in honor of Marcia Rubinett's

Special Birthday by Tibor & Ann

Schaechner

in memory of Jill Kreitman by Bill

& Anne Spier, Marty & Bonnie

Colton

in memory of Tham Friedman by

David & Cindy Metrikin

speedy recovery to Jay Mendeloff



Bob & Elaine Krasne

Landscaping Fund



by Marty & Bonnie Colton, Ed &

Lory Oppenheimer, Dick & Toni

Harris, Joyce Jaffee

Mazon: a Jewish Respose to

Hunger

speedy recovery to Richard Katz

by Charlie & Sue Zaltz

Novick Campership Fund

in memory of Ruth & Julis Novick

by Robert Novick

Ethel Oppenheimer Flower Fund



by David & Susie Novick



by Jeanne Moye

in memory of Cornelius O. Ryan

by Carl Ryan

in memory of Frank Parker by Jim

& Carol Parker

in memory of Harold Soule by

Arthur Weiss

in memory of Hilda Weinstein by

Arthur Weiss

in memory of Jerry Cohn by Bruce

& Shelly Gopin

in memory of John Crohn by

Gloria Crohn

in memory of Olga Bowman by

Arnold & Lila Bowman

in memory of Phyllis & Herbert

Shecter by John & Kristine Shecter

in memory of Sam Balk by Bob &

Shirley Goldfarb

in memory of Silvana Assael by

Assael Family


Jeanne Moye

Perpetual Care Fund

in memory of Elayne Bernat by

Marc & Pam Bernat

Jo Ann Rothbardt Petersen

Healing Resource Center

in memory of Bruce Litt by Ed &

Lory Oppenheimer


Ed & Lory Oppenheimer


speedy recovery to David Rothbardt by Bill &

Marcia Dahlberg

Special Oneg or Kiddush

in memory of Lazar & Lillian Kopilowitz by Bob

& Blanche Brown

in honor of Jo Witkoff's family visiting by Jo

Witkoff

in honor of NFTY LTI by David & Alison

Westermann

in memory of Evelyn Axelrod by the Axelrod

Family

in appreciation of the Choir by Judy & Leon

Feldt

in memory of Fan & I.B. Goodman and Haim

Ettinger by Gershon & Barbara Ettinger

in honor of Marcia Dahlberg's Special Birthday

by Bud & Charlotte Ramenofsky

in honor of NFTY LTI Group by Stacy Berry

Tree of Life Fund

In honor of Judy & Ron Blumenfeld‘s 50th

Wedding Anniversary by Joyce & Larry

Anenberg, Bonnie & Marty Colton, Carolyn &

Shelly Gopin, Elaine & Bob Krasne, Shirley &

Lowell Nussbaum, Jean & Dick Scherotter, Sara

& Bob Shiloff, Anne & Billy Spier, Anne &

Jimmy Spier, Dixie & Tommy Wicker.

Rabbi Ken & Sue Weiss URJ Campership

in honor of Sue Weiss' Special Birthay by Marty

& Bonnie Colton, Peggy Kligman

Zork Memorial Library Fund

in memory of Bruce Litt by Eleanor Goodman,

Rick & Leslie Otis

Coming next month...

A special Torah Study session with

Rabbi Bach and Fr. John Stowe,

exploring Jewish-Christian Relations

through Dabru Emet. This class is held

in memory of Rabbi Michael Signer on

the occasion of his first yahrzeit.

January 2, 9:30 am.

The Bar Mitzvah of Edward Feldt…

Mazel Tov, Edward! January 16, 10:30

am.

Lunch and Learn, with the topic: ―You

mean I can be an atheist and still be

Jewish?‖ January 19, 11:45 am.

Our annual ―Syd Dictor Sing,‖

bringing together Syd‘s friends for

Havdalah and an evening of folk

music. January 23, 7 pm.

Reminder

Please return your 2010 financial commitment forms to the Temple office at your earliest convenience. Your prompt, fair, and generous

assessments allow us to maintain a high level of

program and service.

Staff

Rabbi .................................................................... Larry Bach

Rabbi Emeritus ..................................................... Ken Weiss

Administrator ...................................................... Sally Parke

Administrative Assistant ........................... Buddy Schwartz

Religious School Director ....................................... Grace Bir

Outreach Director ............................................... Susan Jaffee

Family Educator ................................................Alanna Bach

Youth Advisors ..........Stacy Berry and Alison Westermann

Building Manager..................................... Frank Hernandez

House Keeping ............................................ Ramona Pinales

Accompanist .................................................. Linda McClain

Officers

David Kern ............................................................. President

Shari Schwartz ............................................... President-Elect

Marian Daross ................................................ Vice President

Greta Duran .................................................... Vice President

Ellen Goodman ............................................... Vice President

Jon Sonnen ...................................................... Vice President

Tommy Goldfarb ............................................ Vice President

Stephanie Calvo ...................................................... Secretary

Marcia Dahlberg .......................... Immediate Past President

Trustees

Rick Amstater, Olivia Chavez, Joyce Davidoff,

Scott Feldt, Lori Gaman, Susie Goldman,

Jack Heydemann, David Leffman,

David Mansfield, Hal Marcus, David Novick

Debby Robalin, Nancy Rothschild, Phil Rothstein

Temple Mount Sinai 4408 North Stanton Street El Paso, TX 79902 Phone: 915-532-5959 Fax: 915-533-0092 www.templemountsinai.org

Temple Mount Sinai is the Reform

Jewish congregation serving El

Paso, Texas.

We are a congregation of

supportive, caring and diverse

people with a rich history.

Temple is a place for prayer, ritual,

spirituality, education, wholeness

and healing, social action and

celebration.

Join us as we explore, through these

elements of sacred living, the

richness of Jewish faith and

tradition.

Mailing Address

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. Postage

PAID

EL Paso TX

Permit No. 1386

http://www.templemountsinai.org

Documents

Messages from the Mountain, December 2009