From Marci Barnes, our Director of Lifelong Learning
This past Friday night, my husband and I “had Shabbat” with our 3- year-old son. After he was in bed, we put in a VCR tape of an old favorite movie of ours. From the first notes of the first act, right up until the very end several hours later, Fiddler on the Roof, is still one of our favorite holiday traditions. It was hearing the opening number again, “Tradition”, that made me realize that watching this movie to get a break from all of the crass commercialization of the December holidays has actually become a tradition in my family.
One of the most amazing things that I have discovered since coming to work at Temple Ohav Shalom is how dedicated this congregation is to Judaism and its traditions. A majority of members here come from families with multiple religious backgrounds where parents have intermarried or converted or both. And whether or not you also celebrate other religions at home, week after week and year after year, you come to Temple Ohav Shalom to pray, to learn and to celebrate Judaism.
This Sunday, I invite all of you to join the teachers and students in our school as we celebrate Chanukah beginning at 11am in the Social Hall. (See information below for details.) We will say the blessings for the 1st night, sing songs, play games, share presents, and, of course, eat. Continue a family tradition or start a new one this Chanukah!
Reminder: There will be no school on Tuesday, December 23rd, Sunday, December 28th or Tuesday, December 30th. School resumes on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Our next Family Shabbat Dinner, featuring Kitah Daled, the 4th Grade, is on Friday night, January 9th. This is a different date than was advertised previously this year.
The Kitah Hey Shabbat dinner on Friday evening, January 9th.
Everyone is invited to attend Dinner and Friday night services to celebrate our 4th grade religious school class. Dinner begins at 6:00 PM, followed by the Shabbat Service in which the 4th grade children will participate at 7:00 PM.
This family dinner is open to all in the congregation. Each month, religious school classes are scheduled to participate and share a Shabbat meal together as well as sponsor the oneg. This encourages friendships to grow among children and families in the class.
Parental assistance at the oneg from all in the class is requested in order to make the Shabbat family dinner a wonderful experience for our entire congregation.
A vegetarian pasta dinner will be provided, as well as challah and drinks.
Every family is asked to bring both a side dish AND a dessert.
• Please bring a side dish of 12 servings. All side dishes should be dairy or pareve (no meat please). Examples of side dishes include salads, fruit or vegetable dishes.
• Please bring a dessert/pastry of 12 servings.
The cost for dinner is $16.00 per family (if you’ve signed up for the year, you’ve already paid). Please make checks payable to Temple Ohav Shalom. Please mark in the check memo space: January Shabbat Dinner. Please return completed forms to Marci Barnes, Lifelong Learning Director in the Lifelong Learning Office. Please respond by January 4th. If you have any questions you can reach Marci Barnes @ ext. 14 or .
Download the reservation form here.
Please return this form with your check on or before January 4th.
Join members of our Pittsburgh Area Reform Congregations for a Shabbat afternoon
of URJ Summer Camp in The Middle of The Winter
A URJ sleep-away camp experience is a unique, fun way to help your son or daughter cultivate an independent sense of self, along with a proud Jewish identity.
The Reform Movement Camps offer your child an invaluable opportunity to discover the joys of living Judaism as part of a warm, spirited, and diverse community. In a safe, scenic, natural environment, surrounded by nurturing and empowering role models, he or she will master a variety of new skills, and grow in confidence and maturity.
We will be joined by URJ Camp Harlam Staff as we share in team building activities, camp Torah activities, a song session, and camp comfort food.
We will watch camp videos, ask questions about camp, talk about scholarships and consider how your child can join thousands of Reform Jewish children at URJ Camps. This is a perfect family activity for families with children in 1st-6th Grades.
Whether you are considering camp for this summer, next summer or beyond, we want you to taste camp now… in the middle of the winter.
RSVP to your own Temple’s Education Staff by January 19.
Cantorial Intern Tifani Katof has designed a special service to link our breathe and body to the Shabbat Liturgy. We will explore various yoga postures, and experiment with chant and guided mediation.
This service will revitalize your body, mind, and spirit connection.
PLANNING MEETING: Sunday, December 7 at 11:30am in the Multi-Purpose room
TO HELP OUT: Contact Amy Covell
We’ve started planning our spring fundraiser! “Back By Popular Demand” the Temple will be hosting a ‘Nite at the Races and A Silent Auction’ on Saturday April 18, 2009. We have a lot to do to ensure this evening is a huge success! Our goal is to meet and even exceed the high expectations of those who attended in the past. It’s a hard act to follow! As a result, we’ll be looking for many volunteers to help pull this off. Therefore, a planning meeting will be held on Sunday, December 7 at 11:30am in the Multi-Purpose room.
We have lots of volunteer opportunities available so please consider joining this very important effort. Special thanks to those who have already signed up. Remember this is our big fundraiser for the year and we need your participation!
The subcommittees needing committee members are listed below:
Start-Up Committee: Responsibilities include advertising, invitations, RSVPs and selling horses.
Fundraising Committee: Responsibilities include obtaining and tracking race sponsorships, prizes and donations.
Set Up/Clean Up Committee: Responsibilities include room set-up, decorations, and clean-up.
Kitchen Committee: Responsibilities include organizing appetizers and the caterers.
If you have any questions, concerns or want to sign up, please contact me at 724-772-8117 or
Thanks in advance for your participation. TOGETHER LET’S MAKE THIS THE BEST FUNDRAISER EVER!!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009 TOS Community Night A night of business and social networking
When I started sending in these e-weekly columns, I told you that I wanted to enhance the culture of welcoming in this Temple. I still believe that we do a better job at TOS than most Temples in making people feel welcome here. However, with the exception of my mother’s turkey recipe, there is always room for improvement.
One facet of welcoming people is getting to know them. So we started with the name tags. Another facet of the welcoming process is support. We can support each other as members in many different ways. Meals and carpools come to mind, but there is another way. We can support each others’ businesses.
But how can you support your fellow congregant’s businesses if you don’t know what they do? And if your fellow congregants don’t know what you do for a living, how can they reciprocate? On Saturday, January 24, 2009 there will be TOS Community Night. It is a night of business and social networking.
Each person who chooses to present will give an “Elevator Pitch” 30- 45 seconds. After the pitches, we will enjoy a cocktail party. Good food and drink and good company. Oh did I mention Door Prizes?
Only TOS members may give a pitch. Come socialize. Come network for your business opportunities. Learn about your fellow congregants’ business as they learn about yours. More details and a flyer to follow. Any questions, call me at 724-449-2779 or send me an e-mail at .
Our website has a new mailing list feature that allows us to create opt-in mailing lists to which certain people can send messages. We will use this to make announcements or coordinate events.
To get things started, we are announcing the creation of a mailing list for the Temple Men’s Club. If you are an active member of the temple and would like to receive news about upcoming Men’s Club happenings, please sign up. It is free to be on the mailing list, but you must be registered as a user on the website.
To sign up for the list, log into this site and browse to Adult Organizations. Under Men’s Club there’s a link to join the mailing list. Sign yourself up. You should get a confirming email, which you must respond to immediately in order to be activated.
Messages sent to the Men’s Cub list will include an opt-out link if at any time you want yourself removed from the list.
If at any time you experience difficulty with the signup process, please contact our Webmaster.
Women of Ohav Shalom Tailgate Party!
October 19th 1:00PM at Elaine Bergstrom’s house. Please RSVP to .
Ohav Youth Group Hayride
Our next big event is hayride, bonfire and Havdalah scheduled for Saturday, October 18th 6:30 P.M. at Reilly’s Summer Seat Farm. During Sunday School, in many of the classes we asked the kids whether they would be interested in attending. The response was an overwhelming yes. The cost is $5 per child and $10 for adults. There are only 70 spots. Therefore, please sign up immediately or you may be “left out in the cold”, literally. If you have questions, please contact .
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, October 17th 7:30PM Rock Shabbat!
Saturday, October 18th 6:30Pm Youth Hay Ride-O’Reily’s Farm
Wednesday, Oct. 22th TOS 101 10:00AM & 7:00PM
Sunday, Oct. 26th Blood Drive 8:30-1:30PM
Sunday, Oct. 26th 1:00-4:00PM Mah Jongg
Monday, October 27th TOS Board Meeting 7:00PM Social Hall
Wednesday, Oct. 29th TOS 101 10:00AM & 7:00PM
Wednesday, October 29th Preschool Open House 7:00PM
Saturday, November 8th 9:00AM Special Needs Shabbat
Saturday, November 8th Special Needs Shabbat Celebration 9:00AM-9:45AM
Thursday, November 13th 7:30PM Temple Youth Committee
2009
Thursday, January 15th 7:30PM Temple Youth Committee
Saturday, January 24th Special Needs Shabbat Celebration 9:00AM-9:45AM
Thursday, March 5th 7:30PM Temple Youth Committee
Saturday, April 25th 9:00AM Special Needs Shabbat
Schedule of Worship Services for October
Parashat Ha’Azinu
Friday, October 10 --- 11 Tishrei, 5769
7:30pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Sandy Berkowitz
Saturday, October 11 --- 12 Tishrei, 5769
10:00am Shabbat Morning Service
Rabbi Donsky
Parashat Hol Hamoed Sukkot
Friday, October 17 --- 18 Tishrei, 5769
6:15pm Tot Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof, Cantorial Intern
7:30pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof, Cantorial Intern
Saturday, October 18 --- 19 Tishrei, 5769
10:00am Shabbat Morning Service
Bar Mitzvah of Aaron Karsh
Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof, Cantorial Intern
Parashat Bereshit
Friday, October 24---25 Tishrei, 5769
7:30pm Kabbalat Shabbat
Rabbi Donsky & Marshal Auron
Saturday, October 25 --- 26 Tishrei, 5769
10:00am Shabbat Morning Service
Bar Mitzvah of Chad Feldman
Rabbi Donsky & Bill Lowenberger
Though it feels like summer has only just begun, believe it or not the High holidays are almost upon us. As the Days of Awe approach, we will be updating our high Holidays page with a multitude of details including schedules, ticket and parking information, and special events. Before you email Elliot, check the website!
Leading Kabbalat Shabbat Services: An Open Invitation! Tuesday, June 10th from 7 PM until 8:15 PM
Rabbi Donsky will offer an interactive learning experience for those interested in leading Friday evening services. Whether you are a potential newcomer or have some past experience, this is a wonderful learning opportunity. We will explore the fundamentals of the Kabbalat Shabbat service. CDs will be available containing the basic melodies that we sing each week at the temple.
Please RSVP with Alaine Smith in the Lifelong Learning office.
LAST 1st Friday Dinner and Early Service Before the Summer!!!
PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL ALAINE as soon as possible if you are planning on attending!
Friday, June 6th beginning with dinner at 6:15 PM and Kabbalat (Welcoming) Shabbat at 7:00 PM we will gather to enjoying a great meal, wonderful friendships and a rockin’ Shabbat. Tifani Katof and Rabbi Art along with some of our teens (we have lots of talented young people, don’t we!) promise to engage us in a spirited, uplifting Kabbalat Shabbat celebration. Because this is an add-on meal, we need to know who is planning on attending so we can order enough food. Please RSVP to Alaine Smith – Our new website is not yet operational for RSVP’s. PLEASE BRING A CHECK IF YOU HAVE NOT PRE-PAID. PLEASE BRING A SIDE DISH OR DESSERT for 6 TO PASS.
One More 1st Friday Dinner and Early Service Before the Summer!!!
The response to our 1st Friday Dinners and 7 PM Shabbat services has been overwhelming this year so we are adding 1 more!!!! Friday, June 6th beginning with dinner at 6:15 PM and Kabbalat (Welcoming) Shabbat at 7:00 PM will gather to enjoin a great meal, wonderful friendships and a rockin’ Shabbat. Tifani Katof and Rabbi Art along with some of our teens (we have lots of talented young people, don’t we!) promise to engage us in a spirited, uplifting Kabbalat Shabbat celebration.
Please RSVP to .
Our new website is not yet operational for RSVP’s. PLEASE BRING A CHECK IF YOU HAVE NOT PRE-PAID.
You can have the latest news and announcements from Temple Ohav Shalom delivered straight to you, rather than having to check the Temple site regularly. Consider using an RSS reader. For an RSS feed of the Temple News, click here or go to the “Syndicate” section on the right side of the news area.. If you have no idea what RSS is or how to use it, check out the video below, which explains RSS in plain English.
The TOS Religious School Registration form for the 2008-2009 school year is not available. If you have not already received it, you can download it from the Religious School page. Click on Lifelong Learning to learn more.
The following article was published in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle on April 17, 2008 and written by Temple member Hilary Daninhirsch.
Four-year old Ariella Avigad of Franklin Park has been coming home from preschool with some Hebrew words in her vocabulary. Says her mother, Elinor Avigad, “When Ariella says ‘Boker Tov’ at the breakfast table, we are thrilled that we sent her to a Jewish preschool.”
That is exactly what Liz Sender, director of Ariella’s preschool at Temple Ohav Shalom, wanted to achieve.
Last week, Israeli preschool teachers Dina Liberman and Tzivik Costa arrived in Pittsburgh as part of a nine-day learning exchange program between Israel and Pittsburgh early childhood educators, sponsored by the Agency for Jewish Learning (AJL). The focus was to incorporate Israel into the preschool classroom.
Sender, along with Gail Schmitt, director of Adat Shalom’s preschool and other preschool teachers across the Pittsburgh region, went to Israel last summer for two weeks as part of an AJL-sponsored study tour. In addition to touring the country, the teachers visited preschools in the Misgav region.
Liberman spent one full day at Temple Ohav Shalom’s preschool and Costa spent a day at Adat Shalom’s preschool.
Both directors felt that the children were enriched by having Costa and Liberman visit their schools. Costa read to the Adat Shalom children, sang songs and handed out Israeli CDs. “She was a wealth of knowledge, and was very sensitive and caring. It was a wonderful experience,” said Schmitt.
In Sender’s class, Liberman affectionately asked each child their names. The children seemed mesmerized as Sender and Liberman each took turns reading from Eric Carle’s A Very Hungry Caterpillar, alternating between the English and Hebrew versions of the popular children’s book. Liberman also played some finger games in Hebrew and concluded her visit by teaching the children an Israeli dance and handing out Israeli flags.
Since the Israeli study tour, Sender said she has been teaching the children basic Hebrew words such as numbers and simple phrases such as “please sit down” and “thank you.” When the preschoolers talk about the weather in Pittsburgh, they’ll also talk about what the weather is like in Israel. In the older classroom, the children have created a “passport” to Israel, where they are learning about the Israeli landscape.
Sender’s classes have penpals in Israel; they send each other letters and small gifts. At Chanukah, they received some Israeli dreidels. Sender said, “The purpose is, if we can get young children excited about Israel, they’ll feel more of a bond with Israel as they grow older.”
Schmitt has been incorporating a similar program at Adat Shalom’s preschool. She said that the children learn about Israel through daily awareness, such as looking at maps and pictures of Israel that Schmitt took while there last summer. Said Schmitt, “We have real, tangible things to show the kids in very concrete ways what children in Israel are doing. We have an exchange with a school there—we exchanged Rosh Hashanah cards, for example.” And while the children at Adat celebrated Purim, the teachers showed pictures of Israeli children doing the same thing. They also shared Israeli megillas and groggers with the preschoolers.
Schmitt added that the synagogue is working on plans for an Israel room, an idea that was borne out of the Israel trip.
As for her own experience in Israel, Sender commented that you can learn about Israel in a classroom setting, but, “When you actually go to Israel, it brings everything to life.”
This was Liberman’s first visit to the United States. She worried about traveling so close to Pesach, but her husband, who was left by himself caring for their four children, encouraged her, saying, “Your brothers and sisters in America need you.”
Liberman’s preschool in Israel, of which she is director, has an enrollment of 120 children. In Israel, Liberman explained, children between the ages of 3-6 attend the “children’s garden,” the American equivalent to preschool.
She added that Jews all over the world, whether Orthodox or Reform, are all one big family, and she wanted her own students to realize this, as well as the students with whom she would be visiting during this trip to Pittsburgh.
Liberman said, “I must speak with children about what Israel means to us in the Jewish community. It is important to start early.”
The itinerary for both women included visits to the South Hills J.C.C., Hillel Academy and Yeshiva as well as a few other area preschools. Liberman and Costa also planned to speak at a Jewish Teacher’s Institute training course and present at a workshop. Some time was left for visits to Pittsburgh points of interest.
