Download - 2011.05 Messages
Number 621 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771
greetings from Rabbi Bellush — page 5
In celebration of Jewish Life The 2 011 Confirmation Class
of Temple Mount Sinai and their families invite you to
Confirmation Services
Friday, May 13, 2011 / 10 Iyar 5771 Oneg Shabbat 5:45 PM
Confirmation Service 6:15 PM Kiddush immediately following services
Temple Mount Sinai
Kaylen Rachelle Duran Corey Fruithandler
Rachel Madeline Goldfarb Meredith Heins
Benjamin Kalev Levin
Aaron McCoy Ben Puschett
Ethan Aviv Reiter Alex Stein Daryl Stein David Yates
Page 2 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Worship Schedule May 2011
May 6-7 Parashat Emor Friday, May 6
Candlelighting, 7:31 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Family Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm
Saturday, May 7 Torah Study, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Bat Mitzvah of Abby Blumenfeld
Havdalah, 9:02 pm
May 13-14 Parashat Behar Friday, May 13
Candlelighting, 7:36 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm Confirmation, 2011
Saturday, May 14
Torah Study, 9:30 am Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am
Havdalah, 9:07 pm
May 20-21 Parashat Bechukotai
Friday, May 20 Candlelighting, 7:41 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm
Saturday, May 21 Torah Study, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Havdalah, 9:11 pm
May 27-28 Parashat Bamidbar Friday, May 27
Candlelighting, 7:45 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm
Saturday, May 28 Torah Study, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Evan Blackburn
Havdalah, 9:16 pm
June 3-4 Rosh Chodesh Sivan
Parashat Nasso Friday, June 3
Candlelighting, 7:49 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm
Saturday, June 4 Torah Study, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Bat Mitzvah of Ellen Hirsch
Havdalah, 9:20 pm
June 10-11 Parashat Beha’alotcha
Friday, June 10 Candlelighting, 7:53 pm Oneg Shabbat, 5:45 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service, 6:15 pm
Saturday, June 11 Torah Study, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Isaac Ibarra
Havdalah, 9:23 pm
Page 3 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
May Birthdays
May Anniversaries
May 1
Kyle Goldfarb
Ilana Kresch
May 3
Don Fertel
May 4
Andrew Feinberg*
Laura Karp
Naomi Katz
Sabrina Katz
Eithan Kotkowski
May 6
Susan Forbes
Lauren Holderman
Bob Prensky
May 8
Bill Dahlberg*
May 9
Asher Litt
John Mobbs
Carol Parker
Molly Tennen*
May 10
Linda Ettinger
Alan Kahn
May 11
Alanna Bach
Benjamin Ettinger*
May 12
Reyna Assael
Aggie Freundlich
Bob Jacobs*
Ken Weiss*
May 13
Erica Holland
Lulu Loeb
Marie Robbins
May 14
David Yates
May 15
Evelyn Bellman
Samuel Farley*
Toni Harris
Barbara Yarber*
May 16
Elan Goldstein
Robin Kobren
Lyndon Mansfield
May 17
Lietzie Belford
Riley Miner
May 18
Colin Burton
Madeline Halperin
Debbi Trejo
May 20
Roger Belbel*
Julian Gonzalez Herrell
May 21
Marv Abrams
Drew Frank
Meyer Marcus
May 22
Jackie Heins
Isaac Ibarra
May 23
Erik Leonhardt
Shari Schwartz
May 25
Mandy Blumenfeld*
Zack Fine
May 26
Mimmy Halperin
Jennifer Pratt
May 27
Dorothy Borschow
Levi Meyer
Elaine Rosenbloom
Arthur Weiss
May 28
Laura Alpern
Julie Mullen
Matthew Schonberg
May 29
Bea Eger
Jeff Siegel
May 31
Maddie Goldfarb
Ann Marks
May 1
Bob & Susie May*
May 12
Christopher & Amissa Burton
May 13
Ellyce & Gil Kimmelman
May 14
Arthur & Rhoberta Leeser
May 16
Stuart & Nancy Shiloff
May 18
Soheil & Ellen Nazarian
May 20
John & Bea Eger
Steve & Kris Mickenberg
May 22
Alan & Cheryl Karp
May 23
Greg & Susanne Kligman*
Bernie & Elaine Rosenbloom
May 24
Britt & Heather Chapman
Alan & Lori Gaman*
Sheldon Poretsky & Sylvia Delgado
May 28
Laura Brannon-Rosales & Ricky
Rosales*
May 29
Mark & Dori Fenenbock
Scott & Bess Poehlmann
May 30
John & Rita Silverman*
May 31
Bruce & Shelly Gopin
Gil & Lauri Holland
Lee & Sandy Nadler*
Page 4 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Mazel Tov! Congratulations… to Paul and Paula Leonhardt on the birth of their son, Carter Richard Leonhardt, on April 8. Grand-
parents are John & Shirley Leonhardt.
to Scott and Mandy Blumenfeld on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Abby. Abby will celebrate her
Bat Mitzvah at our Shabbat Morning Service on May 7.
to Bert and Bert Blackburn on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Evan. Evan will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah
at our Shabbat Morning Service on May 28.
to Roshelle and Adam Winkler on the birth of their daughter, Vivienne Althea Winkler, on April 20.
Grandparents are Tony and Julie Mullen and Great Grandmother is Lollie Scott.
to Becky and Justin Blumberg on the birth of their son, Owen Zev, on April 16. Grandmother is Bar-
bara Loeser and Great Grandparents are Judy and Bernie Lauterbach.
Hamakom Y’nachem—May God Bring Comfort...
to Garrett & Sylvia Levin on the death of their son, Daniel Levin.
to John Shecter on the death of his aunt, Rhoda Gordon.
to Ellen Goodman, Susan Novick, Rebecca Krasne and Amelia Krohn on the death of their father and
brother, Robert Goodman.
to Maria Klein on the death of her father, Weldon DePrang.
to Joyce Anenberg on the death of her brother, Harvey Hoffman.
B’ruchim Haba’im — Welcome, New Members!
Robert Novick
Leaves and Stones on the Temple’s Tree of Life
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.
Page 5 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
A framed print of Hal Marcus’ “Torah in
Glass” has hung over my desk since 2003. It
was a gift from Temple Mount Sinai
presented by Ellen Goodman to each
participant in that year’s Sh’liach K’hilah
program. Although not the first step in my
Jewish journey, my participation in the
Sh’liach K’hilah program was a milestone on
my path to rabbinic ordination and my
becoming a rabbi at Temple Mount Sinai.
We learn in Pirke Avot “All is foreseen, yet
freedom of choice is given.”
Still, I can’t help but think that
my becoming part of the TMS
community was somehow
meant to be.
My husband Arnold and I had
the pleasure of meeting many
members of the congregation
during our recent visit in April
and we received a very warm
welcome! Although El
Pasoans have a reputation for
hospitality, the congregation’s
kindness and openness far
exceeded our expectations. One of the first
things which attracted us to Temple Mount
Sinai was the description on the Temple’s
website as a community “of supportive,
caring and diverse people with a rich
history” and the “temple as a place for
prayer, ritual, spirituality, learning,
wholeness and healing, social action and
celebration.” In just a matter of days we
learned that the Temple Mount Sinai
community is indeed such a place. I feel
honored to serve and be part of such an
inspiring and spiritually rich community.
By now you might have heard that I
describe myself as “a New Yorker,” but that
I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. My
parents, also born in Montevideo, were in
love with everything American and were
searching for greater economic opportunity,
so they moved to New York City when I
was one-year old. By speaking Spanish at
home, my parents reinforced
my Latin upbringing, but
unfortunately, Judaism was
relegated to an ethnic rather
than religious part of our
identity. When I married into a
Reform Jewish family, I
became aware that there was
much more to being Jewish
than eating Jewish food. It
took time, but through
learning, attending services,
engaging in Torah study and
living in Israel, I came to see
the beauty and appreciate the meaning
which Judaism adds to our lives.
Prior to entering rabbinical school, I lived
the high stress, fast-paced, professional life
of management consulting and investment
banking. However, there was a significant
period of time before moving to Cincinnati,
OH to attend Hebrew Union College –
(Continued on page 6)
from the (soon-to-be) Rabbi’s study...
At Temple’s Annual Congregational
Meeting on April 12, we voted to accept the recommendation of the Board of Trustees to extend an offer of
employment to Sandra Bellush. She happily accepted, and we are delighted to welcome
her to our team, beginning July 1.
Page 6 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Congregation Mount Sinai Cemetery
Just a reminder, our Cemetery hours are Sunday through
Friday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and closed on Saturday.
Jewish Institute of Religion during which
Arnold and I lived in Sequim, a small town
in western Washington State. Having
rejected the high-stress New York lifestyle, I
had time to hike and backpack in the
Olympic Mountains, train two Labrador
retrievers to become certified therapy dogs
and refine culinary skills using fresh
ingredients from the Pacific Northwest -- a
pastime I hope to pursue again, this time
with new and exciting flavors of the
Southwest! More importantly, I had time to
focus on a spiritual journey which began
years before. While living in Washington, I
became an adult bat mitzvah, and took on
the responsibilities of being a sh’liach tzibbur
(service leader) and board member of my
small, 25-family congregation. It was during
this time that I attended the URJ’s Sh’liach
K’hilah program. Shortly thereafter, my
application to rabbinical school did not
surprise family and friends.
As a student rabbi I served congregations in
Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, and taught at
the Cincinnati Reform Jewish High School.
At my internship this past year at Temple
Shalom in Louisville, KY, I have the
privilege of leading worship, teaching adult
education and tending to congregants’
pastoral needs. Together with a rigorous
course of academic study over the past five
years, these experiences have prepared me
for rabbinic ordination. As exciting as it is
to think that I will have the title Rav
bestowed in just a matter of weeks, it is
even more exciting to know that I will be
sharing all I have learned with the vibrant
and dynamic Jewish community of Temple
Mount Sinai!
Arnold and I are looking forward to our
upcoming move to El Paso and to getting to
know all of you as we worship and study
together. My official start date is July 1 and I
hope you’ll stop by my office to share your
thoughts about Temple, Judaism, maybe
share a recipe or even stop by just to say
“hello!”
B’shalom,
(soon-to-be) Rabbi Bellush
(Continued from page 5)
from the (soon-to-be) Rabbi’s study, continued...
Page 7 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Southwest Jewish Arts Festival
Temple Beth El of Las Cruces is looking for artists for a juried art show, the Southwest
Jewish Arts Festival, to be held on Sunday, June 12, 2011 from 3 to 7 pm at Temple Beth
El. The show is open to Jewish artists from New Mexico and the El Paso area. The
mediums are painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, fiber arts and jewelry. Entry
forms are located at the Temple website, www.tbelc.org . You can also call the Temple at
575-524-3380. Submissions are free and must be postmarked no later than Friday, April
16 , 2011. Submissions can be mailed to: Temple Beth El, 3980 Sonoma Springs Ave, Las
Cruces, NM 88011.
If you have any questions, please contact Susan Fitzgerald at 575-647-1808 or
Have you been to Israel and always wanted to return? Have you yet to visit Israel
and long to make a first trip? Would you like to “experience” Jewish history in
many of the places where it was made? Would you like to meet the modern-day
peoples of Israel?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, Temple Mt. Sinai invites you to
join us on our journey to Israel, January 1 – January 13, 2012.
We have designed an itinerary that focuses on Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the wondrous
Arava and Negev, and Eilat. The trip also includes an optional day-trip to the ex-
quisite Nabatean city of Petra in Jordan.
The price for the land portion of this trip (excluding Petra) is $2550 per person
(double occupancy rate). Group air travel is avail-
able from El Paso to Tel Aviv on Delta Airlines for
$1400. A refundable deposit of $200/person is
due by June 15.
For an itinerary and registration form, or to ask
any questions, please contact Alanna Bach at 328-
6062 or [email protected].
January 2012 trip to Israel
Page 8 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Improv Workshop
The Improv Workshop has been meeting on Monday nights from 7 to 9 pm in
Zielonka Hall.
The main goals of this group are to have fun, to build our skills of listening,
teamwork, imagination and spontaneity, to learn to be in the moment, and to
gain confidence with movement. Through improv games, movement-based
exercises, and scene work, they will build toward creating—for themselves—
longer improvised theatrical experiences that will be powerful, funny, honest,
and compelling. It is not necessary to be a clever or funny person to join this
group—it is really about learning to trust others.
David Novick is leading the group. He brings a lot of experience from
attending many workshops, performing with ComedySportz in Portland,
Oregon, and leading team-building improv workshops here in El Paso.
No experience is necessary to join! The group will be open to all Temple
members over Bar/Bat Mitzvah age. If you’re interested (or just want to ask
questions), please contact David at [email protected].
Lunch and Learn: “What Does ‘Pro-Israel’ Mean?”
Our Lunch and Learn session this month will be on Tuesday, May
10. Rabbi Bach will explore what it means to be “pro-Israel” at a
time when the Reform Movement prepares to welcome a new
President who has taken some flack for being not sufficiently
committed to the Jewish State.
All are welcome to the session, which begins with a buffet lunch at
11:45 am. Rabbi Bach begins teaching at about noon, and we wrap
up at 1 pm. The cost is $10 for lunch. Your reservation helps us plan
and shop efficiently, so please let us know if you’ll be coming by
calling the Temple office by Friday, May 6.
Page 9 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Growing in Body, Heart, and Spirit
Each week, we offer opportunities for growth in body, mind and heart. Not so much “classes” as “opportunities for practice,” our yoga, meditation, and text study are at the core of our adult learning and growth. There’s great benefit from attending regu-larly, but drop-ins are always welcome! • Meditation, Tuesdays at 6 pm. We continue to have a good turnout for our weekly
meditation “sits”. These sessions take place every Tuesday evening at 6 pm in
Krupp Chapel. Rabbi Bach is joined by co-facilitators Mary McIntyre and Nancy
Schwartz. All three have some experience meditating. They share a commitment
to a regular meditation practice, and recognize that a group environment provides
support for that practice. Please consider joining us as we sit, focus and reflect. For
more information, call Mary at 915-490-7359.
• Yoga Practice, Wednesdays at 9 am. Take a much needed break in your day for
one hour of yoga on Wednesdays at 9 am. Anusara InspiredTM teacher, Susan Jaf-
fee, will lead you through a life-affirming, heart-oriented practice. This hour yoga
session is suitable for yoga students of all levels. Please wear comfortable clothing
and bring your own mat and yoga props (belt, block and yoga blankets).
• The Weekly Portion as a Vehicle for Spiritual Growth, Saturdays at 9:30 am.
Every Saturday at 9:30 am, a diverse and lively group of participants gathers to
study the weekly Torah portion through the lens of Hasidic spirituality. Rabbi
Bach typically brings a text from one of the classics of Hasidic Torah commentary,
in Hebrew and in translation, which serves as the starting point for our conversa-
tion. We conclude in time for the 10:30 am Shabbat morning service. Bagels and
coffee are provided, and all are welcome.
Adult Hebrew, Wednesdays at 6 pm
Adult Hebrew — 6 pm, Wednesdays. The Adult Hebrew class continues to meet in the
Zork Library at Temple on Wednesday evenings from 6 pm to 7 pm. The students are
progressing nicely with their reading and understanding of Hebrew and the weekly
Torah portions. If you are interested in learning with us, please join us on Wednesday
evenings. If you have any questions, feel free to call Ed Solomon at 525-4616.
Page 10 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Grades 7-8: Learning about the Shoah
How do you explain the Holocaust to 13
year olds? How do you make it real when
it happened so long ago and so far away
from their mostly happy, prosperous
lives? That was the challenge that Toni
Harris, former docent with the El Paso
Holocaust Museum and holocaust re-
searcher, took on in five lessons this
spring with seventeen students at TMS
religious school. She carefully planned
the sessions to progress through history:
Lesson 1 - Jews through history - How anti-Semitism arose in Europe
Lesson 2 - Events leading to World War II, the Nuremberg laws, Kristalnacht
Lesson 3 - How ghettos evolved and concentration camps
Lesson 4 - Extermination camps
Lesson 5 - Resistance, righteous gentiles, war crimes, tolerance
Field trip to the Holocaust museum
The seventh and eighth grade students reviewed timelines, examined various historic maps,
viewed video clips, and perused TMS library books. They watched as a banner hung up in
the room - which said “You have no right to live among us as Jews” - the motto at the be-
ginning of the Third Reich—changed to say “You have no right to live among us” as the
Nazi propaganda spread, and, finally, “You have no right to live,” as the accepted dictum of
the German government. But mostly, students listened attentively to the astounding facts
presented by the witnesses to
history who visited them.
Guest speakers spoke about
their personal experiences of
the Holocaust. Simon Bir
grew up in Poland and, after
the Nazi’s came, lived in the
cramped dirt cellar of a farm
family during the winter and
in the forest during the sum-
mer, gathering wild foods to
(Continued on page 11)
Page 11 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
survive. Irene Osborne was sheltered by
a French couple and managed to
have false papers issued which allowed
her to get to the U.S. Tibor Schaechner
was raised in a prosperous Hungarian
family where he attended a school with
half-day Jewish studies and half-day secu-
lar studies. All that changed when the Na-
zis arrived right after his Bar Mitzvah. All
of these speakers had family members
murdered by the Nazis and were narrowly
saved from the same fate by luck and
righteous people. The stories were diffi-
cult to tell and heart-wrenching to hear.
Finally, Stanley Marcus spoke as an
American serviceman and liberator of a German concentration camp. His questioning of
“How could God allow this?” brought the question to the forefront for the young people he
addressed, provoking stimulating discussion.
A specially scheduled field trip to the Holocaust Museum on a Sunday morning provides the
unit finale, accompanied by parents and teachers.
Page 12 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
MRJ’s End-of-Year, Mothers’ Day, Cookout!
MSTY/mini-MSTY
MSTY sent eleven high-schoolers to Spring Conclave in Phoenix, and we’re
proud to announce that Kaylen Duran is the new NFTY-Southwest Communi-
cations VP! Elections for next year’s MSTY Board will be held on May 1, and
we’ll report on the winners in the June issue of Messages from the Mountain.
Ten mini-MSTYites gathered at the home of Lyndon and Randee Mansfield for
a Chocolate Seder just before Passover, and a great time was had by all!
Watch your mailboxes for information about the end-of-the-year MSTY/mini-
MSTY pool party.
Gesher
The last Gesher session of the 2010-2011 school year will be on Sunday, May 1 at 10 am in Zielonka Hall. We will be learning all about Israel.
MRJ Will be grilling on May 8, celebrating the last day of
Religious School. Another school year has come to an
end. Congratulations to all of our Religious School stu-
dents and families! Thank you to our faculty and staff
for a great year! Thank you to all the BBQ Chefs who
help with the grilling. Special thanks goes to David &
Donna Leffman for their sponsorship of the year-end
BBQ. If you'd like more info on MRJ activities, contact
Scott Feldt at 526-8478, or [email protected].
Page 13 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Women of Reform Judaism A Special Evening to Remember....
Meet us at the El Paso Museum of Art on Thursday, May 5 at 6 pm for a pri-
vate tour of Suzi Davidoff (a WRJ member) and Rachelle Thiewes exhibit,
"Common Language: Punctuating the Landscape." Suzi and Rachelle will
guide us through the exhibit.
The exhibit is composed of large-scale photographs on aluminum and video
projections. The project began when the artists received a joint-residency at
Fiskars Village, an artist's cooperative in Finland and continued upon their re-
turn to El Paso.
All components directly reference numerous site-specific installations created
by the artists that responded to the natural landscape and architectural/
historic structures by incorporating foreign objects/materials into both the
lush, green, forested Finnish landscape and the arid topography of the Chi-
huahuan desert.
After our tour, we will walk to The Oasis Cafe for a no-host dinner.
If you can only join us for one part of the evening (just the tour or just dinner),
please feel free! We'd love to see you at one or both parts of the event.
Please RSVP soon. Call Alanna at 328-6062 or email
The El Paso Museum of Art is located at: 1 Arts Festival Plaza, El Paso, TX
79901. The Oasis Cafe is located adjacent to the Plaza Theatre.
On Sunday, May 29 at 10 am, the YAMS group will be having a BYO pic-nic and hike with Rabbi Bach. We will leave from Temple for a short hike, followed by lunch and a discussion about Judaism and the environment. Please let Danielle Scher know if you will be there—[email protected].
YAMS—Young Adults of Mount Sinai
Page 14 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Dates: May 20-22, 2011
Location: Sacramento, New Mexico
Join your El Paso friends for a Jewish Women’s
Retreat in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains,
Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22. Take
this opportunity to remove yourself from the
pressures of everyday life in El Paso and focus on
friendship, Judaism, and personal growth.
The retreat theme is finding balance. Our pro-
gramming will be a mixture of prayer, adventure,
and relationship building. We will stay in hotel-
style accommodations at the Sacramento Method-
ist Assembly Retreat Center.
Cantor Robbi Sherwin from Austin will be our spiritual leader for the retreat. Cantor Robbi will lead us in
Shabbat blessings, prayer services, a song session, and inspirational discussions.
This retreat is sponsored in part by the TMS Women of Reform Judaism along with Terren and Maria Klein.
Registration forms are available by contacting Alanna Bach at [email protected] or 328-6062. The registration
deadline is Friday, May 13. Sign up today, space is limited.
Jewish Women’s Retreat—Finding Balance
The Healthy Schools/Healthy Choices Program of the El Paso Jewish Federation is happy to sponsor Community
Play Dates for the Jewish community.
Our first three gatherings have been a big success. In February we met at Coates Park, in March at the Mission
Hills Park, and in April on the River Bike/Walking Trail. Children and adults enjoyed exercising, biking, play-
ing, talking, and snacking on healthy food.
Join us in May and June as we continue to “Get Moving”. On the last Sun-
day of these months we will meet to hike and swim. Healthy Schools/
Healthy Choices will provide a snack and offer a short presentation on safe
and successful ways to “get moving” at each play date.
All ages are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Mark your calendars for 2-4 pm on the following Sundays:
Sunday, May 29 – Dino Prints and Fossil Hike
A hike at the base of Mt. Cristo Rey led by Eric Kappus, a UTEP grad stu-
dent. We will meet at the State Line Restaurant on Sunland Park and then
carpool over to the trail-head.
Sunday, June 26 – Swim Party at the JCC Pool
Join us for an afternoon of fun, sun, and healthy snacks
For more information or to volunteer to help, please contact Alanna Bach at
328-6062 or [email protected].
Let’s Get Moving
Page 15 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Please remember to use your key tag each time you shop for groceries at Albert-
sons. 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, at no additional
cost to you. If you need additional key tags, they are available in the Temple of-
fice.
Albertson’s Cash-Back Fundraiser
Landscaping Temple’s landscaping was greatly affected by the freeze in February and we want to share what is happening to care for our Temple grounds. We are ac-tively watering all of the plants and trees on the property and working to com-plete repairs on the irrigation lines to insure that the plants receive appropriate water. We are encouraged to see new growth on some of the trees, but we will certainly lose some of them. We are continuing to water to give the plant mate-rial time to recover and then we will determine exactly what will need to be re-moved and to decide what will be replaced. In the short run, this will leave the landscape unsightly but it will give us the opportunity to replace only what is needed. We feel this is the most cost effective and reasonable option. Our annual landscaping budget does not anticipate costs like this. Large land-scaping projects are typically funded though donations to the "Landscaping Special Projects Fund.” We are asking that you think of the beauty of our grounds when making donations to Temple and consider the Landscape Fund to assist in making Temple the beautiful place it was in the past. Hopefully the grounds here may be renewed in the not too distant future.
Page 16 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Shop
Helen of Troy Warehouse Outlet
July 17, 2011
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
10% of the day’s sales
will be donated to Temple Mount Sinai
Charity Sunday
Page 17 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Los Poblanos Ranch in Las Cruces to offer El Paso delivery – sign up now!
Would you be interested in a weekly box with fresh, local and/or organic produce in-
cluding locally grown greens, fruit and other vegetables? Are you looking for a way to
reduce your carbon footprint while increasing your and your family’s health?
Here’s the answer! Temple has offered some space on Friday afternoons for weekly de-
liveries of Harvest Boxes from Los Poblanos Organic farm in Las Cruces, New Mex-
ico. Each week’s box costs $28 (see the end of the article for the website and ordering
information) and includes different items each week, depending on what is in season
and currently being harvested.
Right now, the farm has asked us to gauge interest in a weekly El Paso delivery. If you
can commit to buying a box (see their website for other fantastic items like meats,
cheeses, milk, eggs and more!), please email [email protected] and let Char-
lie & Emily know that you’re interested in an El Paso delivery! Once they’ve heard
from 15-20 families who can commit to a weekly order, they’ll commit to sending a van
to Temple once a week for delivery!
As promised, here is the link to the farm’s website: www.nmorganics.com – click on the
“pickup locations” link on the left-hand side of the page and a new page will open with
the grocery and produce items listed along the left-hand side. If you have any ques-
tions about this farm, their products or anything from this article, feel free to contact
Alison Westermann at [email protected] or 915-443-4084.
Community-Supported Agriculture
Assistive listening devices are available at the entrance to our chapel and
sanctuary. Please ask a greeter for assistance.
If you have inadvertently left Temple with one of these devices, please
return it as soon as possible. These headsets are programmed to be used
only in our Sanctuary and Chapel, and many of them have disappeared,
meaning that they are not available for congregants who use them at
services. If you find you have one of these (perhaps in that drawer with all
the yarmulkes!), please return it to the Temple office so that it may be put
back into service.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Page 18 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
EPHM Book Club Presents Spring Book Club Discussion
The El Paso Holocaust Museum Book Club will present the book "The
Wiles Of Destiny: A Survivor's Journey" by the late Itzhak Kotkowski
at 11 a.m., Sunday May 15th, at the Holocaust Museum, 715 N. Oregon.
The book is based on Kotkowski's memoirs as a young man growing
up in Nazi-occupied Poland who eventually found himself in a Soviet
prison and work camps, constantly escaping death. "The Wiles Of
Destiny" examines this dark era through Kotkowski's eyes and readers
will feel his sense of hopelessness and ultimately, his inspiring will to
live.
Gary Warner, former KVIA-TV news anchor, will moderate the discus-
sion. Mr. Warner will interview members of the Kotkowski fam-
ily. Mr. Kotkowski lived in El Paso with his wife Aviva, two sons and
his grandchildren. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 87.
This year, the EPHM Book Club committee chose to feature books writ-
ten by Holocaust survivors who made their home in El Paso. In Febru-
ary, the museum featured "The Lioness of Judah" by Sara
Hauptman. Future books include: "I Forgive Them" by David Kaplan;
and "From Darkness To Sunshine: A Young Boy's Odyssey" by the late
Mark Kupfer.
The EPHM Book Club is free and open to the public. Donations are en-
couraged. Copies of "The Wiles Of Destiny" are available for $15.00 at
the Museum's Bookstore.
Reservations are encouraged. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Maribel Villalva at 351-0048, ext. 24 or e-
mail her at [email protected].
El Paso Holocaust Museum
Page 19 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Israel Fun Day Israel Fun Day for Kids Sunday May 15 1:30-3:30 At the JCC and Presented by Federation $10 per family (parents welcome) For Kids ages 6-12 Dig the Past(digthepast.org) An extended hands-on Israeli Archaeological Experience Come Explore the Tel and see what you find and reconstruct with the help of two experts. For Kids ages 3-7 Watch two brand new Shalom Sesame Adventures, starring Grover in Israel. Special advanced showing brought to you by PJ Library. With appreciation to Jim, Elizabeth and Leah Levy for significant funding.
Yom Ha Atzma’ut Celebration
Let’s all be Together on Israel’s Sixty-third Birthday The Community’s Yom Ha Atzma’ut Celebration
Tuesday, May 10 from 5:30 until 7:00 Congregation Bnai Zion. 805 Cherry Hill.
Israeli Food Yom Ha Zikaron Commemoration Family Friendly Entertainment
Facilitated by the JCRC of the Jewish Federation of El Paso
Based out of Santa Fe, CLAN TYNKER is a family that performs a wide variety of whimsical entertainment. The show is an enchanting kaleidoscope of skills from around the world performed to live music--an impressive variety of juggling, stage magic, comedy,
and dance, culminating in a dizzying array of stunts.. This fun and lively show is appropriate for audiences of all ages.
Page 20 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Tributes from March 13 to April 8 Amelia G. Krohn Basic Judaism
Collection
in honor of Doug Krohn's Special
Birthday by Matt & Elizabeth
Krohn
Campership Fund
in memory of Daniel Levin by
Joyce Davidoff
Caring Community Fund
in memory of Daniel Levin by
Donna Munch
in memory of Lois Ann Marko-
witz, Eric Markowitz, Herman
Markowitz, Richard &
Rosalind Heymann by Ray &
Taube Jenkins
Cemetery Fund
in memory of Fanny Lavinthal
by Fran Fleischer
in memory of Bobbi Shapiro’s
sister by Valerie Barnett
Ethel Oppenheimer Flower
Fund
in honor of Isaac Ibarra becom-
ing a Bar Mitzvah by Jorge Ibarra
& Lee Rosenthal
in honor of Brent Mobbs becom-
ing a Bar Mitzvah by Bita & John
Mobbs
in memory of Albert Heyde-
mann by Jack Heydemann
in memory of Archie Shiloff by
Bob & Sara Shiloff
in memory of Consuelo Hughes
by Arnold & Lila Bowman
in memory of David Oscar
Leeser by Arthur & Rhoberta
Leeser
in memory of Lawrence Reed-
man by Hilda Reedman
in memory of Leonard Kratzer
by Susan Davidoff
in memory of Linda Falcon by
Rose Falcon
in memory of Millard Krasne by
Bob & Elaine Krasne
in memory of Milton D. Feinberg
by Steve Feinberg & Susan Foote
in memory of Milton S. Goldman
by Debbie Hamlyn
in memory of Sanford Feldblum
by Sue Feldblum
Floyd Fierman Religious School
Fund
in honor of Simon Bir's Special
Birthday by Jim & Anne Spier
in honor of Sue Zaltz's Special
Birthday by Ruth Braun
in memory of Leo A. Rowen by
Ruth Braun
General Donations Fund
in appreciation of Temple Mount
Sinai by David Barta
in appreciation of Temple Mount
Sinai by Azucena Gonzalez Mon-
zon
in appreciation of Temple Mount
Sinai by Douglas Waters
in appreciation of Valerie Barnett
by Larry & Joyce Anenberg
in memory of our family by
Teresa, Steve & Robert Simon
Isadore Kahn Memorial Fund
in honor of Adam Dorfman's
Birthday by Stuart & Frances
Kahn
Jon Heller High Holiday Fund
Donation
in honor of Fifi Heller-Kaim's
Special Birthday by Lyndon &
Randee Mansfield,
Bill & Marcia Dahlberg, Marty &
Bonnie Colton
Krasne Discretionary Fund
in honor of Elaine Krasne’s Spe-
cial Birthday by Bill & Anne
Spier, Marty & Bonnie Colton
Landscape Special Projects
Fund
in honor of Elaine Krasne's Spe-
cial Birthday by Ron Blumenfeld
in honor of Sue Zaltz' Special
Birthday by Bill & Anne Spier,
Marty & Bonnie Colton, Ron Blu-
menfeld
Page 21 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
in memory of Abe Scherotter by
Norma Levenson
in memory of David Terk by Bob
& Sara Shiloff
MAZON Donation
in honor of Tibor Schaechner's
Birthday by Edward & Evelyn
Schwartz
Prayer Book Fund
in memory of Irving Schecter by
High Flying Sams
Rabbi Bach's Discretionary
Fund
in appreciation of Rabbi Bach by
Wendy Axelrod
in honor of the birth of Micah
Farber by Bob & Jane Rosen
in memory of Frances Catalano,
Janet Susan Weiss & Heidi Bona
Weiss by Arthur E. Weiss
in memory of Frances Eisner
Barjansky by David Eisner
in memory of Great Aunt Rhoda
Gordon by Mr. Joshua & Sean
Shecter
in memory of Rhoda Gordon by
John & Kristine Shecter
in memory of Shirley Schecter by
Bob & Jane Rosen
in memory of Irving Schecter by
Bob & Jane Rosen
speedy recovery to Fan Geller by
Bob & Jane Rosen
Ruth Kahn/Andrew Kahn Rose
Garden Donation
in honor of Ellen Dorfman's
Birthday by Stuart & Frances
Kahn
Special Friday Night Oneg or
Kiddush
in appreciation of Rabbi Larry
Bach by El Paso Jewish Acad-
emy
in appreciation of Temple
Mount Sinai by St. Francis on the
Hill Episcopal Church
in honor of Isaac Ibarra becom-
ing a Bar Mitzvah by Jorge
Ibarra & Lee Rosenthal
Special Kiddush in honor of
Isaac Ibarra becoming a Bar
Mitzvah by Jorge Ibarra & Lee
Rosenthal
in memory of Alice Purvin by
Marshall & Stacy Berry
in memory of Amelia Delgado
by Sheldon Poretsky & Sylvia
Delgado
in memory of Consuelo Hughes
by Arnold & Lila Bowman
in memory of Edwin Berliner by
Barbara Berliner, Alda Berliner
in memory of Howard Arthur
Post by Mark & Joyce Post
Syd Dictor Memorial Fund
speedy recovery to Jody Klein
by Rona Dictor
speedy recovery to Lola May by
Rona Dictor
Tree Of Life Donation
in honor of Simon Bir's Special
Birthday by Jaime & Laurie Papa
Edward & Helene Solomon,
Sally Parke, Buddy Schwartz,
Jim & Anne Spier, David & Tina
Wolfe, Bill & Marcia Dahlberg,
Lyndon & Randee Mansfield,
Jon & Arlene Sonnen,
Bud & Charlotte Ramenofsky,
Alex & Madelyn Shaheen
in honor of Sue Zaltz' Special
Birthday by Stuart & Frances
Kahn, Aaron & Sylvia Wechter,
Bob & Jane Rosen, Steve & Eve
Riter, Roy & Rachel Levit, Rich-
ard & Ellen Katz, Ron Blu-
menfeld
in memory of Phyllis Shecter,
Isabell Freeman, Rhoda Gordon
by John & Kristine Shecter
in loving memory of Colonel
Robert J. Washer by the Washer
Family
Youth Fund
in memory of David Bleiberg by
Al Bleiberg
Page 22 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
Yahrzeits for May 2011 May 6-7, 2011
Louis Axelrod
Sol Berg
Helen Borschow
Marvin Citterman
Rae Dichter
Ann Bergman Eisen
Leah Ackerman Glass
Ruth Jacobs Goldberg
Ruth Heydemann
Josefina Kaim
Elias G. Krupp
Gerald Leeser
Irene Lerner
Harold Levy
Lilla Moye
Mario Nevarez
William Oppenheim
Judith Marjorie Loewe
Poehlmann
J.B. Robbins
William Rosing
Susan Levin Rothschild
Judith Rubin
Hedwig Mathias
Schwartz
Rosalie Silberg
Sarah Silberman
Dorothy Simon
Ida Spivack
Louis Steinzig
Adelaide Weinstein
May 13-14, 2011
Ernestine Alfman
Esther Sacks Benson
Cecil E. Brannon
Edward Coffman
Maria Corral
Louis Dictor
Sara Braver Ettinger
Willard Freidman
Abram Geller
Alex Gershowitz
Rae Lipsky Gottlieb
Beatrice Horowitz
Grossman
Abe Krantz
Abner Kurtin
Sylvan Landau
Lillian Lasky
Walter Mann
Berdella Peyton
Max Rosenberg
Marvel Scherotter
Gilbert Schrier
Alan David Schwartz
Leon Siegel
Lillian Stolaroff
May 20-21, 2011
Shirlee Z. Amstater
Howard J. Barnett
Rose Beren
Adeline Blumenthal
Alfred A. Blumenthal
Howard Byrd
Abraham C. Cohen
Minnie Cohen
Nellie Daross
David Charles Erlich
Abraham Freifeld
Marion Freitag
Ann Goodman Gollob
Sali Goodman
Aida Halkin
Mary Hawkinson
Freda Shiloff Hill
Simcha Kozakish
Errold B. Lapowski
Stella R. Lent
Sarah Levin
Sol Litt, IV
Trube May
Louis Ovsay
Samuel Ovsay
Saul Poretsky
Melvin L. Potash
Samuel Reedman
Hyman Rivin
Howard B. Roisman
Sam J. Rosenberg
Irvin Rothstein
Linda Sue Rybak
Mike Snider
Donna Levy Thwaits
Flora Weiss
Rosalie H. Zimmerman
May 27-28, 2011
Norma Brody Aaronson
Arnold Aronson
Neal Axelrod
Dorothy Bonner
Sarah Goldin Brickman
Ruth Gray Brounoff
Laurence S. Calisher
Roz Chicofsky
Dora Strauss Cohen
Manley B. Cohen
Michael D. Colton
Elmo Curry
Tina DeJong
Meyer Fagelman
Samuel Feld
David Forman
Daniel Freundlich
Irma Glass
Isaac Halkin
Johnny Hammans
Phillip Horwitz
Irving Israel Kallman
Julius Kantor
Ruth Jane Strelitz
Majesky
Ruth Ellen Marcus
Dorothy Goodman
Marshall
Reta McCoy
Clyde P. Molloy
Harold Nitzburg
Rachel Raskob
Jennie Rosenberg
Arnold Rothchild
Manuel Schwartz
Alan Paul Stein
Harry C. Talpis
June 3-4, 2011
Dale Alkov
Edward V. Barnett
Adele W. Blaugrund
Irwin Breeman
Max Feldt
Eugene Fleischer
Lawrence Freitag
George Gornstein
Eleanor Given Guttman
Janice Heller
Maurice Heller
Vera Hirsch
Frances Levy Kahn
Frances Kaulkin
Leopold Leon
Tita Lyle
Kirsten Laura Meyer
Herbert D.
Oppenheimer
Irving Press
Pauline E. Raney
Etta Packer Rose
Billie Sparks
Robert Valdes
Eva Weiser
Earl Wigodsky
Page 23 May 2011/Nisan-Iyyar, 5771 Messages from the Mountain
May 8, 2011
Last Day of
Religious School
COOKOUT
Parents, Grandparents, Board of Trustees and Staff,
Please come and join our students and faculty as we say
goodbye to a successful school year. Enjoy delicious
hamburgers and hotdogs prepared by our MRJ members
and celebrate Mother’s Day with us.
The end of school year cookout is generously sponsored
by the Leffman Family
Join Us From 11:15 to Noon
in the Religious School Courtyard
Students and Faculty will meet in Krupp Chapel at 9:30 am for
Tefilah and an end of school year assembly. Then they will head
back to their classroom for an end of school evaluation and a
Yom HaAtzma'ut lesson.
SEE YOU AT THE COOKOUT!
Staff
Rabbi ............................................................... Larry Bach Rabbi Emeritus ............................................... Ken Weiss Administrator ................................................ Sally Parke Administrative Assistant .................... Buddy Schwartz Religious School Director................................ Grace Bir Youth Advisor ............................................... Stacy Berry Rabbi’s Assistant ........................................... Elisa Gluck Building Manager .............................. Frank Hernandez House Keeping ......................................Ramona Pinales Accompanist ........................................... Linda McClain
Officers
Shari Schwartz ........................................................... President
Thomas Goldfarb ............................................. President-Elect
Greta Duran ........................................................ Vice President
Lori Gaman ......................................................... Vice President
Jack Heydemann ................................................ Vice President
David Leffman ................................................... Vice President
David Novick .............................................................. Secretary
David Kern ..................................... Immediate Past President
Trustees
Rick Amstater, Bill Carvajal,
Cindy Graff Cohen, Scott Feldt, Susie Goldman,
Ellen Goodman, Maria Klein, Arthur Leeser, Hal Marcus,
Susan May, Josh Meyer, Debby Robalin,
Danielle Scher, Mark Schrier, Jane Snow
Temple Mount Sinai 4408 North Stanton Street El Paso, TX 79902 Phone: 915-532-5959 Fax: 915-533-0092 www.templemountsinai.com
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