Wednesday, May 06, 2009

eWeekly May 6, 2009

TOS eWeekly Volume 3 Issue 32, May 6th 2009

From the Rabbi
On Pesakh we ask at least four questions. This week I have but one to pose.  What Jewish festival gets no respect?  The Rodney Dangerfield of Jewish celebrations is Shavuot. Even though Shavuot goes by several names from the Bible and the Rabbis it gets little respect. Our tradition calls it “The Festival of Weeks” (7 weeks after Pesakh), “The Festival of the Ingathering” (the barley harvest in the Spring), and “Z’man Matan Torateinu” (the Season of the Giving/our Receiving of the Torah). 
 
Now I can understand why calling a festival “7 Weeks” doesn’t excite some people. And “the festival of the Ingathering” may not be any better for us city dwellers.  But the “Season of the Giving/Receiving of the Torah” should have everyone filling the sanctuary to standing room only just as the Israelites stood at Mt. Sinai over 3,000 years ago.
 
So why is it that many of us, especially in non-Orthodox communities (this not only a reform dilemma) ignore this ancient Biblically ordained festival?
 
Here are a few possibilities that I can think of, please feel free to share with me yours’:
 
1)      It comes very late in the school year (usually the very end of May or June) and most religious schools are finished and never get around to teaching about it and families and students are counting the days until school “real” is over ;
2)      Unlike Pesakh when we have a Seder and make use of the Haggadah or Sukkot when we put up a Sukkah and take up a lulav and etrog, Shavuot doesn’t have anything comparable; (except of the course, the Torah itself)
3)      In communities such as ours, while we hold the Torah in very high esteem and give it appropriate honor and respect, because we don’t believe literally in the story of the Revelation at Sinai and don’t observe Halakha, Jewish law, in a literal manner thus the pull of the festival is much less that Pesakh or Sukkot, not to mention Rosh HaShanah or Yom Kippur;
4)      Many in the Jewish community, consciously or unconsciously, still believe that Jewish education ends with Bat or Bat Mitzvah and that the celebrating of Kabbalat Torah/Confirmation of our young people at the end of 10th is still not well known.
 
What do you think?  Why doesn’t Shavuot get any respect? While you are contemplating your answer to this question why don’t you save the following date, Friday, May 29 at 7:30 PM when three of our young people, Emily Gibbs, Alex Greenblatt and Kate Rosenzweig will lead our Shavuot/Kabbalat Torah service and share their “Statements of Faith”, their personal remarks about what Judaism means them. 
 
I look forward to hearing your replies and I look forward to wishing you “Hag HaShavuot Sameakh”, a joyous festival of receiving the Torah.
 
B’shalom,
Rabbi Art Donsky
 
 (For the text on this weeks Torah portion, go to  http://urj.org/torah/ )
 
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
 
Dear Temple Ohav Shalom Community,
 
I have not communicated with all of you in quite awhile and thought it was time to express some thoughts, say thank you and share some good news. I am blessed to have been voted in as President by the Board of Directors of our Temple and am enjoying the process of learning the responsibilities of the position. It feels like much longer than six months have passed since I became President. It has been especially interesting to discover all that I didn’t know about the office and its many duties and responsibilities.  One of the biggest blessings of this experience is the opportunity to be mentored by past presidents Bill Lowenberger, Maury Locke and Mike Rosenzweig. All three of these men have been unfailingly generous with their wisdom, time and energy.  Through their examples and teaching I am hoping to lead this Temple forward in a positive direction in the remaining year of my term.
 
 The Board of directors as a whole is incredibly hardworking and dedicated. They should be commended by this congregation for the time, commitment, work and effort they put in for the betterment of our temple.
 
A perfect example of this effort is the recent “Night at the Races” fundraiser organized by our fundraising chair Amy Covell with help from her committee and the Women of Ohav Shalom. Everyone had a great time, even those of us who picked no winners, and the evening was a great success on both a social and financial level. This past Friday was the Teacher Appreciation Shabbat followed by a talent show where our youth displayed incredible musical abilities and Rabbi Art brought down the house with a moving rendition of the “B’nai Mitzvah Blues”. Everyone who attended had a fantastic time and I want to personally express my gratitude to the teachers, who make our religious and Hebrew school the best in greater Pittsburgh, Marci Barnes, our Education Director, and all of the talented youth who performed for us. Speaking of Marci Barnes, she is being honored by the Agency for Jewish Learning at an event at the Jewish Community Center on Sunday June 7, 2009 at 11:00 AM for her work with “special needs children”. Congratulations to Marcie for this wonderful recognition and for the great dedication she shows these children.
 
I want to encourage all congregants to attend our special service Friday night, May 15th, honoring our Cantorial intern, Tifani Katof. It is our opportunity to thank Tifani for all she has done leading our services, and providing educational and spiritual experience for our children these past two years. We wish her the best as she finishes her studies and in her upcoming marriage to Luic!
 
I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to   Nicole Avershal as our new music coordinator and youth advisor. Nikki will be singing at services, teaching in the school, helping tutor B’nai Mitzvah students and will also serve as our youth advisor! We welcome Nikki to our TOS family.
 
I also want to announce that through the generosity of the Snow family and the 2008-2009 B’nai Mitzvah class families, the Temple is acquiring new siddurim, the Mishkan T’filah. The Snows are making this donation in honor of the Blessed Memory of Richard’s parents, Martin W. Snow and Sylvia Snow.
 
As President, I have found myself spending more time at the Temple than I had previously. I have always thought of myself as being involved in our congregation but it is a very different experience when in this position. I am more convinced than ever that we have a very special community and that we are blessed by the caring, nurturing and generous character of our members. I am also more convinced that we all have to become more involved, attend more functions, come to more services, and give our time. Through this involvement our community will grow, our relationships with each other grow deeper, and our temple will prosper. The summer is coming which usually equates to the slow time in Temple activity. Please take this time and consider what you and your families can do to become more involved in Temple life and to help our community flourish.
 
B’shalom
 
Ralph 
 
TALENT SHOW 
The talent show was held last Friday, May 1, and benefited the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. You can still drop off kosher canned goods at the Temple, and checks (addressed to the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry) can either be sent or dropped off at the Lifelong Learning Office.
 
Thanks,
 
Naomi
 
 
MEMBERSHIP LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES 
The Rabbi is offering a series of classes called   TOS 201 – What do Jews Believe?
 
Classes will be held on Tuesdays, May 12, 19, and 26. Lunch-n-Learn will take place at 12 noon (bring a bag lunch) and evening classes at 7 PM.  Classes are free to members and prospective members.
 
Tuesday, May 12th – What do Jews Believe about God?
 
Tuesday, May 19th – What do Jews Believe about the After Life?
 
Tuesday, May 26th – What do Jews Believe about being a ‘Good’ Jew?
 
Come to one or all three and bring your questions.  Handouts will be provided.  Please RSVP to Laura Flieder at or 724-449-2779.
 
PITTSBURGH RACE FOR THE CURE

We now have a team of 10 people who, together, have raised over $1300 for this cause!!
 
Join fellow TOS members on Mother’s Day (May 10th) at the Pittsburgh Race for the Cure! It is a beautiful day of celebration and remembrance for those touched by breast cancer.  Your participation will help provide the necessary funding to fight breast cancer in our region.  Join us as we strive to end breast cancer forever. RUNNERS and WALKERS are welcome! Bring your CHILDREN… there is a 1 mile fun run/walk that you can do with your kids! 
 
To register, or to get more information, go to http://www.pittsburghraceforthecure.org. Click on “Join an existing team” to find the Temple Ohav Shalom team.  Elana Kriess (724-452-7043)
 
 
GIFT SHOP
Now that Sunday school is over for the year, the gift shop is on a summer schedule. We will be glad to meet you any time. Please call either Elaine Cohen 412-364-8484 or Andi Turkheimer 412-367-7864 so set an appointment. We have many items that will make beautiful engagement and wedding gifts, Bar and Bat Mitzvah tallit and gifts, and lovely Judaica items. Please visit us first. There is no need to go to Squirrel Hill.
 
UPCOMING EVENTS 
Friday, May 8th                        11:30Am  Pre-School Mother’s Tea
Tuesday, May 12th                   7:00PM  What Do Jews Believe (about God?)  TOS 201
Friday, May 15th                      7:30PM Shabbat honoring Tifani Katof Guest Rabbi: Rabbi Mark Mahler
Tuesday, May 19th                   7:00PM  What Do Jews Believe (about the After Life?) TOS 201
Friday May 15th                       6:15  Tot Shabbat
Thursday, May 21st                  Last Day of Pre-School!
Tuesday, May 26th                   7:00PM  What Do Jews Believe (about being a ‘Good’ Jew?) TOS 201
Friday, July 3rd                          All American Pre-Shabbat Barbeque
Friday, August 28th                   Shabbat In The Park
 
SCHEDULE OF WORSHIP  SERVICES FOR MAY
Parashat Emor
Friday, May 8         14 lyar, 5769
7:30 pm         Kabbalat Shabbat
                      Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof
 
Saturday, May 9     15 lyar,  5769
10:00 am        Shabbat Morning Service
                       Bar Mitzvah of Jason Weis
                       Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof
 
Parashat Behar – Behukotai
Friday, May 15     21 lyar, 5769
6:15 pm        Tot Shabbat
7:30 pm         Kabbalat Shabbat
                      Rabbi  Mark Mahler – Honoring Tifani
                      Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof
 
Saturday, May 16 – 22 lyar, 5769
10:00 am       Shabbat Morning Service
                      Bat Mitzvah of  Rena Ferrara
                      Rabbi Donsky & Tifani Katof
 
Parashat Bamidbar
Friday, May 22 – 28 lyar, 5769
7:30 pm         Kabbalat Shabbat
                      Rabbi Donsky & Bobbie Harley
 
Saturday, May 23 – 29 lyar, 5769
10:00 am       Shabbat Morning Service
                      Bat Mitzvah of  Becky Lebovitz
                      Rabbi Donsky & Shara Taylor
 
Shavuot
Friday, May 29 – 6 Sivan, 5769
7:30 pm          Kabbalat Torah
                       10th Grade Graduation
                       Rabbi Donsky & Shara Taylor
 
Saturday, May 30 – 7 Sivan, 5769
10:00 am        Shabbat Morning Service
                       Bar Mitzvah of Andres Hoberman
                       Rabbi Donsky & Bill Lowenberger