Temple Beth Shalom Newsletter

Parasha Va-Ethannan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:7)
13 Av 5764
July 30-31, 2004

Before discussing this week's parasha, some clarification and context is in order. First, you may have noticed that in recent weeks this message has included references to where this week's Torah portion can be found. The form of this citation is to list the book, then chapter, then verse. For example, this week's portion begins in the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 3, verse 23 and concludes with chapter 7, verse 7. Those wishing to read the portion for themselves can find it there.

The other matter is context. The Book of Deuteronomy is known in Hebrew as Devarim, a word that means both "words" and "things". The entire book, with the exception of the last chapter which details Moses' death, consists of Moses' last oration to the ancient Hebrews as their are poised to enter the Promised Land. The book is aptly named since it consists of many words and addresses many things. It is Moses' recapitulation of the events since the Exodus and of the laws he has received from God, although there are places where these laws vary from those reported elsewhere in the Torah. Thus, while referencing God, Devarim is very much Moses' book; it is a very human document reflecting both the greatness and foibles of a very human hero.

This week's Torah portion contains the most famous of all Torah verses. It is Deuteronomy 6:4 and it reads:

Shema, Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu; Adonai Ehad!
Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One

It is this statement of faith in our relationship with God and in God's Oneness that is the bedrock of Judaism. Whatever individual theology one might have, the single litmus test for inclusion in the Jewish world is the belief in one God. But the word used in the verse for One is Ehud and this opens the possibilities of several different interpretations, each one providing a valuable insight of its own. To say God is One certainly means that there are no other gods beside YHVH (pronouced Adonai). It could also mean, however, that God is the unity of all that is in the world. For example, God is described in Kabbalisic literature as being the unity of 10 spheres representing all aspects of Creation. Ehad could also be read as a denial that there is no God at all; that there is a God who rules over the earth. Finally, to give it a more contemporary spin, "ehad" could mean that God is #1! God is the overarching moral compass, the one constant in our lives from birth until death, there before the beginning and eternal beyond the end. May our lives, therefore, be enriched by the sense of God's Oneness, providing us with a single center to our lives and a unifying bond with all children of God throughout the world.

Rabbi Freedman

Friday Night Shabbat Services

Rabbi Alan Freedman leads Shabbat Services each Friday night in the Community Hall of the DJCC. Cantorial Soloist Abby Gostein leads the congregation in prayer through music. Each service is followed by an Oneg.

Babysitting is available for Shabbat evening services every Friday night (does not include Tot Shabbat service times). No need to make a reservation.

Saturday Morning Torah Study

Rabbi Freedman leads Shabbat morning Torah Study twice each month. The next Torah Study sessions will be held on Saturday August 7th and Saturday August 21st in the library located on the 2nd floor of the Education Building of the DJCC.

Beginning Friday July 9th and running through August 27th, Erev Shabbat services will be held at 6:30 p.m. The Erev Shabbat service on the first Friday of each month will still be held at 7:45 p.m.

Upcoming Services

Friday, July 30

6:30 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Shabbat service

Friday, August 6

5:30 p.m. - Tot Shabbat
7:45 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Shabbat service

Friday, August 13

6:30 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Shabbat service

Friday, August 20

6:30 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Shabbat service

Friday, August 27

6:00 - 6:30 p.m.Shabbat Sing-Along
6:30 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Shabbat service

Additional Pre-Shabbat Services "SHABBAT SING-ALONGS"announced

LOVE TO SING old favorite Jewish songs and learn new ones? Join Cantorial Soloist, Abby Gostein, and the TBS community for a fun-filled SHABBAT SING-ALONG (only love of music is required).

Friday, August 27
Friday, September 10
Friday, October 22

Times will still be 30 minutes before services begin on those dates. Hope to see you there!

Happily It Is That Time of Year Again: Yom Kippur Break the Fast

Harriet Goldman is chairing the Break The Fast for TBS this year. She will need HELP in preparing food and with telephone calls. The menu will be simple: Kugel, Tuna salad, egg salad, herring, fruit salad, cream cheeses, Challah, bagels and finger deserts, coffee and drinks. TBS will set up and clean up. Just lend us a hand for the goodies and we can save some money. We need to know quantities, so please RSVP to Harriet Goldman at 990-7015 or Email to lmgoldman@aol.com . Let her know if you are planning to attend and if you can prepare some of the above. Thanks so much. Looking forward to hearing from EVERYONE.

CALLING ALL TBS SINGERS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS!!

Musical participation by congregants adds so much to the spirit and beauty of our services.

Please consider joining with your voice or other instrument(s) to do a piece or several pieces for High Holidays this year.

If you are interested and have not yet contacted Abby Gostein, please do so by email music@bethshalomaustin.org or phone 343-8434

Here is the rehearsal schedule for musical participation in High Holidays. If times do not work for you and you still want to participate, we can certainly work something out together. If you do not have much time to rehearse, please tell me something(s) you would like to play/lead that you've done in the past that you'd like to "rerun."

The rehearsals for High Holidays are to learn/relearn/practice some pieces for small or large groups to sing/play from the bimah, as well as to learn some pieces that I was hoping you would help me to (vocally) lead the congregation from your seats amongst the crowds.

High Holiday rehearsals:

Tue, Aug 17
Tue, Aug 24
Tue, Sept 7
Tue, Sept 14

ALL REHEARSALS ARE PLANNED FOR 7:30 pm and to last 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Rosh Hashana services are Sept 15, 7:30 pm and Sept 16, 10 am.

Yom Kippur services are Sept 24, 7:30pm and Sept 25 starting at 10am and continuing throughout most of the day.

RITUAL COMMITTEE

Ritual Committee Seeks New Members

Ritual Committee welcomes all members who wish to help in planning for the Jewish rituals and services of TBS. Interested and want to discuss it please phone 272 5235 or e-mail hservetnick@austin.rr.com.

After the last two vastly productive years the Ritual committee still needs your guidance to help develop and (if necessary) modify the religious aspect of our fast growing congregation.

Please contact Harold Servetnick hservetnick@austin.rr.com if you wish to continue to serve on this committee. As in the past - meetings will be held only when necessary and agendas will cover pertinent items.

IMPORTANT FUTURE CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS

HOLD THE DATE!
Temple Beth Shalom Gala

Gala Event Honoring Dee & Don Coplin
October 3, 2004
Driskill Hotel

WANTED: SILENT AUCTION ITEMS

In conjunction with the TBS Benefit-Gala honoring Dee and Don Coplin, there will be a Silent Auction. Think about what you might contribute. Do you own or work for a business that might provide an item or a gift certificate? Are you in a profession that can donate a service? What about tickets that you won't be using for a UT game, the Opera, Ballet or Symphony? Or what about hosting another couple for an event to which you have 4 tickets and picking-up dinner for the group before the show? Do you have a condo or time-share you might want to share? So many possibilities....

Please phone Andie Allen (454-8403) or Lis Chozick (327-0996). We will be happy to provide the necessary forms and answer any questions. We need your help to make this important aspect of our fund raising a success!

Gala Tribute Book

This October, as we honor Dee & Don Coplin, we invite all TBS congregants to share any special thoughts in our tribute book. A Double Chai ($36) tribute enables you to submit about three sentences ( 205 characters) a Chai Five ($90) enables you to express your wishes in 485 characters. For more information about tributes, please contact Traci Grossfeld at tgrossfeld@austin.rr.com or 266-4890.

Also, if you'd like to join our ad team, we could use your help recruiting ads from area retailers and businesses to be included in the event program/tribute book. Ads run from $50 (business card size) - $425 (outside back cover). Please contact Traci Grossfeldtgrossfeld@austin.rr.com or Lori Weinbachlori_weinbach@dell.com for more information.

TBS Board Announces NEW Committee Chairpersons for 2004-2005: HELP NEEDED!

Committees are just getting started for the 2004-2005 year. Everyone’s help is welcome and needed at all levels. Here’s the list of committee chairs and their e-mails. If you are interested in any committee(s), please contact the chair for more information.

Adult Education: Shelly Fleischman- swkfleish@aol.com, Michele Schwartz- texasfms@hotmail.com
Audit Task Force: Ron Goldstein- srgold@prodigy.net
Building Plans: Don Coplin- dcoplin@austin.rr.com
Caring: Irene Parker- popybite@austin.rr.com, Mary Balis- mbalis@austin.rr.com
Cemetery: Mark Salmanson- mark.salmanson@sierratech.com
Education Task Force: Traci Grossfield- tgrossfeld@austin.rr.com
Endowment/Development-Sherman Kusin- shermku@msn.com
Fundraising: Michelle Feibus- mfeibus@austin.rr.com
Greeting & Ushering: B J Sonstein- bjsonstein@sbcglobal.net
Leadership Development: Keith Lewis- keithlewis@topointb.com
Library: Pam Prais- praisfamily@cox-internet.com
Long Range Plan: Lee Shidlofsky- lshidlofsky@nickenskeeton.com
Marketing: Laraine Lasdon- llasdon@austin.rr.com
Membership: Jeri Saper- jeri@sapermail.com, Sandy Goldstein- SRGOLD@prodigy.net
Nominating Committee: Don Coplin- dcoplin@austin.rr.com, Dee Coplin- deecoplin@austin.rr.com
Outreach: Ruth Levenstein- RuthEllen@austin.rr.com
Publicity: Traci Grossfeld- tgrossfeld@austin.rr.com
Religious School: Robin Blakely- Robin@blakelys.org
Ritual: Harold Servetnick- hservetnick@austin.rr.com
Shalomites: Lisa Goodman- lisagoodman37@aol.com, Becky Shidlofsky- bshidlof@austin.rr.com
Sisterhood: Gay Thompson- Gay_Thompson@yahoo.com
Social: Michelle Feibus- mfeibus@austin.rr.com
Social Action: Beverly Whitley- jbwhitley@mail.utexas.edu
Volunteer Coordination: Joan Edelstein- red42750@aol.com

TBS Board Encourages Congregants to Attend URJ Southwest Council Convention
November 5 - 7, 2004, San Antonio

The URJ Southwest Council Regional Biennial Convention is fast approaching. We want Temple Beth Shalom to have a strong presence with the convention being "right in our backyard" a short drive down I-35 in San Antonio. It will be held at the Doubletree Hotel on Loop 410 in San Antonio on November 5-7. For more information please click this link, call one of your TBS board members, or call the URJ toll-free at (888) 234-8242.

ONGOING TBS MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Marketing Committee Seeks Volunteers: Families to feature; committee membership and input

The Marketing Committee has produced a series of TBS photos and testimonials in the Jewish Outlook. To join this program with your family, contact Michelle Feibus at mfeibus@austin.rr.com during July and August. We have also completed a TBS Brochure. Please pick these up from the office, the J or at services to give to friends and family who may want to join our "family". Any other suggestions for distribution would be welcome. Grateful thanks go to Susan Szafir, Susan Finfer, Dennis Gross, Steve Feibus, Michelle Feibus, Eddie Astrich and many others for their very professional work on both these projects. More volunteers with marketing expertise needed. If you would like to join the committee, please contact its chair, Laraine Lasdon, at llasdon@austin.rr.com.

ADULT EDUCATION

The Adult Education Committee of Temple Beth Shalom is preparing it's calendar of program for the upcoming year. If you are interested in being a part of this dynamic group of indivdulals please contact Shelley Fleishman at SWKFLEISH@aol.com.

One of the new programs the Adult Education Committee wants to begin is a Women's Book Group devoted to Jewish literature and content. If you are interested in participating in a monthly book discussion of the newest in Jewish reading (fiction and non-fiction), please join us for our first meeting on August 26 at 7:30 PM at Shelley Fleishman's. At this meeting we will choose our first book and decide the format for the monthly meetings. To RSVP or for more information contact Shelley at SWKFLEISH@aol.com.

SHALOMITES (a Chavarah for families with children ages five and under)

First Friday of the month is coming up. So, join us for Tot Shabbat on August 6 @ 5:30 p.m. Feel free to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy after celebrating the arrival of Shabbat. And, Shalomites grads, please be sure to attend as we will be presenting Rabbi Freedman with a special thank you gift. And, it will be one more opportunity for the Shalomite Family to congratulate you on your entrance into kindergarten!!!

It's Torah Tots Registration Time! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? If you are a Temple member with a child between the ages of 2-5 (pre-K), send in your registration today! Contact Traci at tgrossfeld@austin.rr.com for more information or a form.

Don't miss the Shalomite's Summer Schmooze! Meet us at Central Market on Sunday August 8th at 9:30 a.m. to socialize as our little ones climb on the playscape. And for those who need a good breakfast, a delicious Sunday brunch and other goodies are always available at Central Market. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Goodman at lisagoodman37@aol.com or call her at 918-1423.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATION COMMITTEE

Volunteer from Your Home!

From Time to Time, TBS has mailings that need to go out to the entire congregation. This can be done from the comfort of your own home! Lisa will prepare the envelopes, labels & inserts and all you need to do is pick them up, stuff, lick & drop at your nearest Post Office! Please call or email Lisa (at admin@bethshalomaustin.org or 735-8900) if you would be willing to help! Many thanks.

TBS "Volunteer Central" Matches Willing Volunteers with Projects in Need of Help

Are you a willing volunteer in waiting? Are you a committee or event chairperson looking for a few good volunteers? If so, TBS has a new committee formally known as the "Volunteer Coordination Committee" that is the perfect resource for you! The Volunteer Coordination Committee matches willing volunteers with committee chairs and event chairs who need willing helpful volunteers to help them accomplish their goals. If you are either a volunteer or someone in need of a volunteer, please contact Joan Edelstein at 340-0330, or at RED42750@aol.com.

SISTERHOOD

The TBS Sisterhood Nominating Committee will soon present a slate of officers and board members for the approval of the general Sisterhood membership. In addition, there may be proposed amendments to the Sisterhood Constitution. Only current Sisterhood members will be eligible to vote in the upcoming election. If you are not currently a Sisterhood member (or have not renewed your previous membership) please contact Membership VP Lisa Goodman at 918-1423 or email lisagoodman37@aol.com by August 1.

This will be the absolute deadline to be included in the election voting, although you are of course welcome to join Sisterhood at any time throughout the year. If you are unsure of whether or not you are current with your membership, please email our Treasurer, Rachel McNamara at rachelmcnamara@sbcglobal.net.

If you would like more information about joining Sisterhood, please contact our membership chair, Lisa Goodman, at 918-1423 or lisagoodman37@aol.com.

TRIBUTES

RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND

In honor of the yarzheit of Dave Grundfest, godfather of Keith Lewis
Mary and Keith Lewis
GENERAL FUND

In honor of the new Board of Directors
Lisa and Gary Goodman

In honor of the 60th birthday of Charles Wolchansky
In memory of Lillian Katz
In memory of Eileen Laves Guzick
Andie and Arnie Allen

In memory of Lillian Katz
Lynne and Steve Gellman
Cece and Benard Laves
Irene and Dick Parker
Sandy and Marshall Sack
Lois & Ira Goodman

In honor of Ira Goodman's special birthday
Mary Jane & Stanley Saikin

In honor of the new grandson, Max, of Ellen and Sherman Kusin
Ron and Barbara Klayman

SOCIAL ACTION FUND

In memory of David and Lil Katz (CORRECTION from last issue)
Alice and Michael Kuhn
Judy and Jack Fox (Storybook Project)

BUILDING FUND

In memory of Lil Katz
In memory of Stephi Wolff's stepfather
In honor of Charles Wolchansky's special birthday
Speedy recovery to Ellen Rozman
Sandy and Ron Goldstein

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SIMCHAS

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Mazel Tov to the following Temple Beth Shalom adult members who are celebrating their birthdays and anniversaries for the week of July 26 - August 1.

Birthdays

July 26 - Aug 1 None this week

Anniversaries

July 26 Jerry and Carrin Katz

July 27 Todd and Sandy Halter

Please contact admin@bethshalomaustin.org if you have any corrections or if you have been inadvertently left off the list.

Other Simchas

There were no simchas submitted for publication this week.

Please contact newsletter@bethshalomaustin.org if you have any corrections or if you have major Simchas to be listed here.

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