october - november 2012 - temple ner tamid

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2

C H E S H V A N / K I S L E V

T H E M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R O F T E M P L E N E R T A M I D

Topics Temple

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, November 12 / 7:30 pm ADD Support Group

Tuesday, November 13 / 12 noon Lunch With the Rabbi

Thursday, November 15 Adult Rosh Chodesh Chavurah

Saturday, November 17 / 9:30 am Shabbat: Camp Style

Saturday, November 17 / 8:00 pm Havdalah Café featuring Peri Smilow

Sunday, November 18 / 11:30 am The Jewish Idea of Bayit / Home

Sunday, November 18 / 5 pm Community Thanksgiving Service at Christ Episcopal Church

Thursday, November 29 / 7 pm Fall/Winter 1 Year B’nai Mitzvah Worskhop

Shabbat Services Erev Shabbat services every Friday at 8 pm except the last Friday of the month when services will be at 6:30 pm. Shabbat services

every Saturday at 10 am.

November 24 / 10 am

Casual Minyan

November 30 / 6:30 pm

Kabbalat Shabbat

TEMPLE TOPICS / TEMPLE TOPICS / TEMPLE TOPICS / TEMPLE TOPICS / PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE 2222

TEMPLE NER TAMIDTEMPLE NER TAMIDTEMPLE NER TAMIDTEMPLE NER TAMID

936 Broad Street Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003 Tel: 973.338.1500 Fax: 973.338.4486 www.nertamid.org

a Reform synagogue serving Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair and surrounding communities

Member URJ

HIGH HOLY DAY ADDRESHIGH HOLY DAY ADDRESHIGH HOLY DAY ADDRESHIGH HOLY DAY ADDRESSSSS

As the summer winds down and we gear up for the start of a new school year and the High Holidays, I like to take a moment to look back and reflect on the past year, my first as President of Temple Ner Tamid. This past year has been an amazing learning experience in many ways. I have come to appreciate even more all of the wonderful things we do at Ner Tamid, and the dedicated, caring and talented individuals who make up our community. One of the most meaningful things I have learned is how much we are committed to tikkun olam. For example, this past March we held one of our most successful fundraisers and we donated a significant portion of the money raised to the New Jersey Community Food Bank and the Montclair Food Pantry. This event represented a continuation of our on-going commitment to feeding the hungry in our community highlighted by our Yom Kippur food drive and the collection of food donations outside of local supermarkets that are delivered to food pantries in our community. In addition, this past August, we once again hosted homeless families as part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network.

We are similarly focused on helping those in our own community. One group that is active in this regard and does not always receive the praise it deserves for these efforts is our Chesed Committee. This Committee, which recently completed its eighth year, provides comfort and support to those experiencing difficult times, including offering meals to the sick, delivering shiva platters, sending sympathy cards, and visiting those who are alone. This committee is open to new members and accepts monetary donations to facilitate its efforts. I strongly encourage you to consider supporting this committee in a meaningful way.

I am excited to announce that we are expanding our outreach to those in our community in need through a Pastoral Care Team. Consisting of Rabbi Kushner, Cantor Greenberg, our Synagogue Social Worker Missy Jacobs, Cantorial Assistant Ronni Pressman, Congregational Nurse Karen Frank and Rabbinic Intern Anne Laurent, this team will make every effort to respond to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in our community who are struggling. This team, building on the success of the Chesed Committee, provides a much needed resource for our community.

The start of the new year brought a full slate of programs for all ages and interests. We once again kicked things off with our Blue Jean BBQ which took place on September 9. Before we ate, we explored the origins and deeper meaning of the sacred tradition of sounding the shofar. This BBQ was a great success.

Our robust Shoresh Preschool led by Arlene Sherman and our Religious School under the direction of Iris Schwartz got underway last month. Iris and her staff have prepared a well-rounded curriculum for the year invigorated and inspired by the energy and enthusiasm generated by the Trek through the Torah program held this past May. This program was truly a highlight of this past year exemplifying what we do best as a community.

For the adult members of our community we are planning a full slate of Adult Education classes centered around the theme of a Jewish home. Stay tuned for more details coming soon. After a short hiatus, the Lower East Side trip returned on September 30 visiting the Eldridge Street Synagogue and the Tenement Museum, together with lunch at Noah’s Ark after purchasing lulav and etrog.

(President continued on page 5)

RABBIRABBIRABBIRABBI

Steven Kushner RABBI EMERITUSRABBI EMERITUSRABBI EMERITUSRABBI EMERITUS

Stanley Skolnik CANTORCANTORCANTORCANTOR

Meredith Greenberg

SYNAGOGUE SOCIAL WORKERSYNAGOGUE SOCIAL WORKERSYNAGOGUE SOCIAL WORKERSYNAGOGUE SOCIAL WORKER

Missy Jacobs

CANTORIAL ASSISTANTCANTORIAL ASSISTANTCANTORIAL ASSISTANTCANTORIAL ASSISTANT

Ronni Pressman

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Iris Schwartz PRESCHOOL DIRECTORPRESCHOOL DIRECTORPRESCHOOL DIRECTORPRESCHOOL DIRECTOR

Arlene Sherman YOUTH GROUP ADVISORSYOUTH GROUP ADVISORSYOUTH GROUP ADVISORSYOUTH GROUP ADVISORS

Jeff & Amy Kagan CONGREGATIONAL NURSECONGREGATIONAL NURSECONGREGATIONAL NURSECONGREGATIONAL NURSE

Karen Frank RABINICAL INTERNRABINICAL INTERNRABINICAL INTERNRABINICAL INTERN

Anne Laurent ACCOMPANIST / CHOIR DIRECTORACCOMPANIST / CHOIR DIRECTORACCOMPANIST / CHOIR DIRECTORACCOMPANIST / CHOIR DIRECTOR Edward Alstrom

PRESIDENTPRESIDENTPRESIDENTPRESIDENT

Jordan Solomon FIRST VPFIRST VPFIRST VPFIRST VP

Phyllis Berman

VP PLANNING & DEVELOPMENTVP PLANNING & DEVELOPMENTVP PLANNING & DEVELOPMENTVP PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

Nina Tucker

VP FINANCEVP FINANCEVP FINANCEVP FINANCE

Andrea Robik VP MEMBERSHIPVP MEMBERSHIPVP MEMBERSHIPVP MEMBERSHIP

Marge Grayson VP RELIGIOUS LIVINGVP RELIGIOUS LIVINGVP RELIGIOUS LIVINGVP RELIGIOUS LIVING

Fred Pressman

VP HOUSE & ADMINISTRATIONVP HOUSE & ADMINISTRATIONVP HOUSE & ADMINISTRATIONVP HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION

Ken Schapiro

VP EARLY CHILDHOODVP EARLY CHILDHOODVP EARLY CHILDHOODVP EARLY CHILDHOOD

Rochelle Sandler

TREASURERTREASURERTREASURERTREASURER

Andrea Brudnicki

SECRETARY / DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSECRETARY / DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSECRETARY / DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSECRETARY / DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

Mary Lee

BROTHERHOOD PRESIDENTBROTHERHOOD PRESIDENTBROTHERHOOD PRESIDENTBROTHERHOOD PRESIDENT

Stephen Rosen

YOUTH GROUP PRESIDENTYOUTH GROUP PRESIDENTYOUTH GROUP PRESIDENTYOUTH GROUP PRESIDENT

Audrey Hertzberg

TEMPLE TOPICS EDITORTEMPLE TOPICS EDITORTEMPLE TOPICS EDITORTEMPLE TOPICS EDITOR

Laurie Schifano


FOOD FOR THOUGHT PLEASE DONATE

The Human Needs Food Pantry located at 9 Label Street in Montclair provides food and services to people and families in need from Bloomfield, Montclair, and neighboring Essex County communities. Currently the Food Pantry provides over 2,000 bags of groceries each month. The number of families in need continues to grow.

Please remember to drop off canned or boxed food (no glass jars) to the Mazon Box located near the front entrance of the Temple. Please be mindful of expiration dates on any food that is put in the box. As soon as the Mazon box is full it will be delivered to the food pantry. Thank you for your support!

IRIS SCHWARTZ IRIS SCHWARTZ IRIS SCHWARTZ IRIS SCHWARTZ Director of Education

I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A PARENT the other day about belief in God and the value of prayer. When I voiced some of my own uncertainties she expressed surprise that as someone who has been a Jewish Educator for so long I would still have so many doubts. Well, depending on the day, the time, and who knows what else, I do. That being said, I absolutely believe that Judaism offers us the blueprint for how to behave as ethical, moral people who are God’s partners in helping to make this world whole. I also believe that nature is too perfect for it to have been an accident. I am just not always so sure about what God is and that prayer always or even often connects me to God. After recently sitting at High Holy Day services in two different synagogues, one Conservative and one Reform, I found myself wondering again about God, prayer and my relationship to both. The conversation I had with the parent was indeed timely.

Donning my Educator’s hat I know that prayer is a fundamental part of Judaism. Tefillah, the Hebrew word for prayer, comes from the root pey-lamed-lamed and the word l’hitpalel which means “to judge oneself.” This tells us a little something about the purpose of Jewish prayer. Whether a prayer is used to praise God, to ask for something or to be confessional, the most important aspect of the prayer is the opportunity it provides for introspection. Prayer gives us a moment to look inside ourselves, to see our role in the universe and our relationship with God. Daven, the Yiddish word for prayer, comes from the same Latin root as the word “divine” and emphasizes the One to whom our prayers are directed.

Prayer is an integral part of everyday life for observant Jews, not something that is reserved for the synagogue. There are prayers said to thank God for material pleasures such as eating or wearing new clothes; before doing a mitzvah (commandment) such as lighting Shabbat candles or washing hands; for special times like seeing a rainbow or hearing thunder; when either good or bad things happen; and certainly to be said before going to sleep. “Modeh Ani,” is said before getting out of bed each morning and thanks God for returning our souls to us. What would our lives be like if we all took these daily opportunities to acknowledge the seemingly mundane and the apparently extraordinary in such a special way?

If there are so many daily opportunities to pray most of us might then ask why we also need time for regular, formal prayer. Isn’t praying when the spirit moves us enough? This common attitude misses the two most important aspects of Jewish prayer: the purpose of prayer and the need to practice. Prayer teaches us to constantly be aware of God and the role that God plays in our lives. Whether you believe that God is a very old white-haired king sitting on a heavenly throne, or a larger presence or spiritual energy in the universe, or even if you are unsure that there is a God at all, the purpose of prayer is to help increase our own awareness and to give us time to actually “wrestle” with what God means. The word Yisrael means “to struggle with God”—something that prayer helps us do on a daily basis—if we allow prayer to regularly be part of our lives.

Like anything else worth doing, we need to learn how to pray and practice praying before we can be good at it. Simply put, we all spend time practicing the things that we think are worth mastering be it professional skills like balancing a spreadsheet or everyday skills like making an omelet. No one is born knowing the ins and outs of financial management and we all watch others prepare food before we take our turn at the stove. The sense of closeness to God does not come easily to most modern people and doesn’t happen magically. It requires practice. We can easily fail at prayer if we wait for the “right time” to pray. We just won’t have the skills to pray in a meaningful way.

(Iris Schwartz continued on page 8)

CHESEDCHESEDCHESEDCHESED

Welcome to all our new members to Temple Ner Tamid! The Chesed Committee is a group of people who reach out to those in our community who are in need. Some of the activities we are involved with are visitations, driving to the Temple for services, delivering meals to those in need due to surgery or illness, making shiva visits and platters and sending cards to people who lost a loved one, or have been ill, or are going through difficult times. We try to be there for you, or for someone you know, whenever there is a need. If you need to get in touch with the Chesed Committee or would like to become active on the committee you can email Susan Goldstein at [email protected].


B’nai Mitzvah

November 3 Abby Ladov

November 10 Ethan Vest

Ner Tamid is About People

Kendra and Michael Poster moved to Glen Ridge from Brooklyn this summer and immediately searched for a temple. There’s a special place in their hearts for Jewish houses of worship since the couple first met in Manhattan’s Central Synagogue. Kendra had just moved back to New York from France, and was looking for a compatible community. She found Michael and the rest is history. Michael is an entertainment and corporate attorney with Vandenberg and Feliu in Manhattan. Kendra is the Rights Director for Algonquin Books, busy making deals with foreign publishers for the translation of their books into other languages. She is fluent in French and also speaks Dutch and Russian. Their children, Avery, 10, and Bianca, 7, attend Ridgewood Avenue Upper Elementary School and Linden Avenue School, respectively. Michael and Kendra love to cook for friends and family. But if you’re lucky enough to get invited to their home for a meal, don’t insult Michael’s cooking, he has a black belt in Judo and he knows how to use it.

Meet some of Ner Tamid’s Newest Members and Help Us Welcome Them to Our Community

Parlez-vous francais? If so, say bonjour to new member Eric Zaltas, who just joined the Temple after moving from the French-speaking part of Switzerland. He lived in the beautiful alpine town of Vevey for 4 years while heading up R&D for Nestlé’s performance nutrition division. Raised in the Bronx, Eric lived in Berkeley, California before moving to Switzerland for work. Before getting graduate degrees in nutrition and sports nutrition, he made a living as a professional cyclist. Ask him his opinions of the current doping scandal in cycling; he has a lot to say about it. His two children Emeline (Emmie), 10, and Lincoln, 7, both attend the Bullock School. This is their first exposure to Jewish education. Emmie is looking forward to her bat mitzvah in 2014. When Eric isn’t working, he’s bicycling to and from his Montclair home and Nestlé’s office in Florham Park. He is also busy training for the NYC marathon. If you can catch him in the Temple lobby on a Sunday morning, say “bienvenue” to Eric and family.


We are pleased and honored to have our very own Peri Smilow performing a Havdalah Café for us on November 17. We all know how talented Peri is and we are in for a treat on the 17th. More information about these and other upcoming events can be found at our website, www.nertamid.org. Please check it out. You can also be up-to-date on all Temple activities by liking us on our Facebook page.

As the Temple is a vibrant, dynamic place change is inevitable. I am pleased to welcome back Ronni Pressman as our Cantorial Assistant. Ronni is well-known and liked in our community, and is a welcome addition to our staff. We have also expanded the services of our Congregational Nurse Karen Frank. Karen has been working with the seniors for many years and will now be available to the community at large. Karen offers a much needed service that will provide great benefits to our community. Please join me in thanking Rabbi Kushner for his generous donation from his discretionary fund making this possible.

The foregoing is just a small portion of the activities going on at our synagogue on a daily basis. Temple Ner Tamid is a dynamic, energetic place with lots to offer. We do all of this with a limited budget that is hindered even further by our difficult economic times. Our dues alone cannot fund everything we do and want to do at the Temple. We must rely on additional support from our congregants and our High Holiday Appeal is our largest, most important fundraiser. If you have given to the Appeal in the past I thank you and ask that you consider giving more this year. If you have not given before, please start now. Our community has experienced the effects of the down economy and we need your support more than ever. Once again, our entire Board of Trustees has committed to support the Appeal and I would be so pleased if we could get that commitment from the entire congregation. In this economic climate getting a good return on your money is very difficult. However, an investment of time and money in our synagogue provides a great return in a multitude of ways and is a win-win for everyone.

Thank you for your support. I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year.

(President continued from page 2) KAREN FRANK, RNKAREN FRANK, RNKAREN FRANK, RNKAREN FRANK, RN

PLANNING & DEVELOPMEPLANNING & DEVELOPMEPLANNING & DEVELOPMEPLANNING & DEVELOPMENTNTNTNT

Whether you were at services in the main sanctuary or at the B'yachad service for the High Holidays, we can all agree how moving and engaging High Holiday services were again this year. The singing and the music were varied and beautiful. There is always something new, such as Minchah and Ne'ilah services on Yom Kippur this year. As you reflect on this experience, we ask that you to send in your High Holiday Appeal pledge for this year. The Appeal is an integral part of our annual operating budget. It allows us to continue to bring new ways to engage our community. Thank you in advance for making all this possible.

“KAREN, CAN YOU HELP ME? My wife just got out of the hospital and I just don’t know how to manage.”

“I was just diagnosed as pre-diabetic. What am I supposed to do now?”

“I really want to breast-feed but my baby seems to have trouble latching on.”

“My mother just doesn’t seem to be managing her life in her home. I am afraid she is not eating properly and she seems so vague on the phone. I am worried.”

Real phone calls, real situations. And happily, Temple Ner Tamid now has a congregational nurse to address these concerns. I help families who are involved with any health challenges-the newly diagnosed, the caregivers, the frail and homebound.

Changes brought on by aging, dis-ease, and other life events often raise spiritual challenges and distress. Peo-ple may experience a sense of vulnera-bility and anxiety new to them. So piled on to the physical problems is a feeling of standing in unfamiliar terrain and a fear of the unknown.

As a congregational nurse my work focuses on addressing your physical, emotional, AND spiritual concerns. Working with the pastoral action team, PACT, the chesed committee, and the clergy, I can also help summon congre-gational support. And as a nurse in the wider community, I am familiar with resources available outside of our walls, in the Metrowest community.

Call me if... � you are struggling with illness � you have lifestyle changes brought

on by aging or disability � you are trying to provide care to a

loved one � you are considering end-of-life

options and decisions � you need to connect with commu-

nity resources � you wonder “where is God in

this?” Calls can come directly into my cell

at 862-485-9062 or my email [email protected].

Please call me if I can help you or anyone you love.


Thanks so much for your donations! We can't do it without you. It's not too late to give to our most important fund-raiser of the year—the High Holiday Appeal. Please give what you can to sustain this wonderful congregation.

Richard Abrams and Lori Price Abrams Robert and Beth Adleman Fran Adler Martin and Anne Baum Phyllis Berman Leslie Nobler and Morty Bernstein Glen and Ewa Bronstein Rochelle W. Brown Joseph Campeas and Rochelle Sandler Deborah and Derek Caney Robert Carrigan and Cornelia Sherman Andrew and Nancy Clayman Shirley Cobert George and Marla Cohen Kenneth Cohen and Jodi Nussbaum Rayna and Martin Cole Judith Davis Larry and Jane Degenshein Mitchell Dinnerstein & Julie Blackman Mark Dodd and Amy Strickler Joel Dorow & Miriam Chilton David & Shari Dreier Fred Duchin and Mindy Propper Rhonda Einhorn Woody Eisenberg and Ellen Silver Ronald Epstein and Paula Kaufmann Anita Epstein Arthur Fagin and Sonia Rapaport Stephen Feldberg and Mary Knowles David and Benita Fishbein Ari, Kaila and Jeffrey Fleisig Rabbi Steven and Vicki Fox Michael Frank and Susan Helman Gregory Frekhtman and Lidya Trunina Mark and Joanne Friedman Martha Fritz Susan Garbo Paula Gash Victor and Linda Gates Michael German and Anna Padva Steven and Lauren Glassman Bruce and Susan Goldstein Florence Goldstein Paul and Marjorie Grayson

Florence Grossman Jeffrey and Deborah Gussoff Scott and Eileen Harwood Barbara Hasson Robert Hertzberg & Janet Duni Robert and Marilyn Hilowitz Francine Hirsch Allyson Jankunas Peter Janulis and Jean Siegel Alan and Jill Johnson Arthur and Ruth Josephson Mollie Kamen Peter Kaplan Daniel Kaplan and Amy Graydon Alan Kass and Frannie Friedman Lanny and Susan Katz Stanley and Claire Keyles David and Miriam Klein Jeffrey and Lourdes Kobernick Gordon & Arlene Kraus Jerrold and Trudi Krivitzky Elliot and Elise Lainof Mildred Leader-Parker Steven and Mary Lee Steven and Beryl Leffler Eric and Susan Levin Harriet Heinig and the Link Family Elliott Fox and Stephanie Lubroth Mark and Stephanie Lurie Phyllis Lustgarten Wendell and Ellen Maddrey Helen Marantz Donald and Meryl McCusker Ruth Messineo Budd Mishkin and Peri Smilow Kenneth Moore and Lee Guest Moore Harvey and Debby Morginstin Donald & Barbara Neckers Sherri Neuwirth Brian O'Reilly and Deborah Lasday Tom and Patricia Perlmutter Mark Perwien and Laurie Goodman Claudette Pfeffer Lee and Ann Phillips

Jeffrey Plaut & Amy Karas Plaut Yvette Quraishi Mark and Joanne Rakov Michael Reitman Anthony Rizzo and Amy Meyers Stephen Rooney and Cynthia Kaplan Rooney Phillip and Debra Roselin Stephen and Sharon Rosen Robert Rosenberg Daniel Rosenblum and Tamima Fried-man Bernard and Lois Rosenkrantz Kent Roth Kenneth and Deborah Schapiro Richard Segal and Elizabeth Peters Guy Segal Roger and Sarah Segal Daniel Shapiro Benjamin and Rebecca Shpigel Paul & Turbi Smilow Steven Snyder and Helen Spencer-Snyder Samir and Debra Sofer Alan and Margo Sokolow Jordan and Kristine Solomon Karen Spindel Robert and Barbara Spiro David and Lauren Steinke Herbert & Elaine Stein Evelyn Stier Brian and Linda Sterling Lora Tucker Cathy Tucker Richard and Nina Tucker Johnson Tyler and Jane Marcus Lawrence and Suzette Unger Paula Wasser Bruce Frank and Susan Weinberg Tamar Weiss Harvey and Ellen Weiss Josh and Judy Weston Larry and Lisa Westreich Michael Zinn and Nancy Friedman

HIGH HOLY DAY APPEALHIGH HOLY DAY APPEALHIGH HOLY DAY APPEALHIGH HOLY DAY APPEAL


SENIORSSENIORSSENIORSSENIORS

Sponsored by Temple Ner Tamid and the JCC MetroWest, and founded by the late Dorothy Druian. Meetings are held at Temple Ner Tamid, 936 Broad Street, Bloomfield, on most Tuesdays. Schedule: Exercise at 10:30 am. Discussion group at 11:15 am followed by lunch (bring your own dairy lunch) and then our feature presentation at 12:30 pm.

Tuesday, November 13—Meeting Medicare Update 2013 (open to all Temple members) presented by S.H.I.P.—Senior Health Insurance Program. Nurse Karen Frank will be available from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm to check blood pressures.

Tuesday, November 20—Meeting (come early!!) 11:15 - Hillside School Drama students presents songs from “On The Town”. No discussion group today. 12:00 - Pizza lunch ($3 per person) 12:30 - Rabbi Steven Kushner will speak on “The Jewish Roots of Thanksgiving”

Tuesday, November 27—Meeting 12:30 - Lloyd Kishinsky will speak on Jewish Classical Composers

COMING IN DECEMBER…

Tuesday, December 4—Meeting (rescheduled) Miriam Maskowitz, author of Phantom Spies, Phantom Justice.

Monday, December 10 Hanukkah Concert at JCC with music by Tuvia Zimber Transportation available from Temple Ner Tamid at 11:15 am. Boxed lunch available. Show starts at 1 pm followed by dessert and latkes.

Tuesday, December 18—Meeting Paid up Membership Luncheon

For additional information on programs or trips please contact Susan Galatz, JCC Coordinator at 973-530-3447.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED DECEMBER 24 & 25

The Temple membership has the opportunity to participate in the activities at Clara Maass Hospital in Belleville and at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson. As in previous years, the hospital staff needs your help for about two hours. This will allow some hospital staff and other volunteers to have time off to enjoy their holidays. The tasks include activities at the front desk, telephone inquiries, and whatever is else is requested such as operating the gift shop or errands for a staff member. This is time well spent and a good mitzvah as well. There is still plenty of time left for a movie and Chinese food. If you would like to participate, contact Harvey Morginstin at [email protected].

TURKEYS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair wants to thank the congre-gants of Temple Ner Tamid for their overwhelming support through the Yom Kippur food drive. 278 bags of food were delivered to the Food Pantry by Temple volunteers. With the holiday sea-son upon us the donations will make a big difference in many family’s lives.

The next challenge is to help supply the food pantry with 550 turkeys needed for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Many supermarkets will be offering free frozen turkeys again this year. If you are not using your free turkey please drop it off at the Food Pantry, 9 Label Street (next to Egan’s parking lot) Sunday No-vember 18, Monday November 19 or Tuesday November 20 from 8 am – 12 pm. If you prefer, we are looking for a volunteer or two to collect turkeys at the Temple on Sunday morning November 18 and deliver them to the Food Pantry. When you drop your children off for Religious School you can also drop off your turkey! If you are able to help please let me know. (Deb Miller [email protected] or 973.783.3407)


The routine prayers that are part of our tradition teach us the words to use, the ideas to think about, the ways to communicate our feelings, and help us to establish the kind of frame of mind that makes God accessible to us. Praying regularly can help us learn how to be more contemplative and also eventually how to express ourselves in prayer. Prayer is an important avenue which most modern Jews don’t appreciate, practice and use enough – myself included. Like anything else, we need to first value prayer and practice praying if it will ever work for us as a path to the spiritual.

Prayer is a significant part of our religious school curriculum. Students in grades 3 through 6 spend almost half of their time learning to read Hebrew and after that reading and chanting tefillot. We strive to have our students understand the prayers on both literal and personal levels. Our students are taught about keva, the fixed nature/literal meaning of prayer, and kavannah, the intent or underlying meaning of prayer, and, at the most minimal of levels, how prayer is the vehicle we use to speak to God. Just reading the words of a prayer can be an empty experience unless we do it with understanding and with awareness that we are trying to connect with God.

We can teach children some of the essentials of prayer in the classroom and help them begin the journey of finding personal meaning through prayer. Certainly participating in the family tefillah on Sunday mornings and attending services for Shabbat and holidays really helps too. Our goal is not for our students to come out of religious school as finished products. Rather, our goal is for our children to come out of the religious school experience understanding that there is so much more they need to learn, so many more questions they need to ask, and so much more searching they need to do if they are to find a connection to God, to Judaism, and to their special role and responsibility as Jews in making the world whole.

I don’t feel inadequate as a Jew or as a Jewish educator because of the doubts I sometimes have about God or prayer or anything else Jewish. Rather, as I continue to search for the Jewish answers that make sense to me about the big questions in life, I feel that I am being a responsible Jewish adult. I can’t imagine that the parent who sat in my office realizes how much our discussion spurred me on once again to think, to question and to continue my own Jewish journey. There must be an appropriate prayer for such a conversation. And if not, as I get further along on my own path of Jewish growth and discovery I’m sure I will be able to find just the right words to create such a prayer myself.

(Iris Schwartz continued from page 3)


Shanah Tovah to our friends at TNT from:

Rick Abrams and Lori Price Abrams Fran Adler and Adam Lagno Judy and Dan Anderson Edith and Phyllis Berman Elaine Borowsky Lyn, Larry, Beth and Stacey Brenner Janet Campeas Rochelle Sandler and Joe Campeas Andy, Nancy, Max, Harry and Molly Clayman Shirley Cobert Bob, Barbara, Nick and Ian David Judith Davis & Family The Chilton-Dorow Family Renee and Shane Edelman Ron Epstein and Paula Kaufmann The Marchese-Estes Family Susan Fader and Dennis Ricca Paula Gash The Gates Family The Glazer Family Bernice M. Glucoft Jodi Godfrey Florence R. Goldstein Bob and Pam Good Leila E. Goodman Marge, Paul and Jennie Grayson Florence, Wendy and Barbara Grossman The Gussoff Family – Deborah Jeff, Kestin and Leah The Frank-Helman Family The Hertzberg-Duni Family Marilyn and Bob Hilowitz Diane Horowitz & Family Robin Sherman and Ron and Matt Jacobs The Jankunas Family

Jill, Alan, Lee, and Cory Johnson Ruth and Art Josephson The Graydon-Kaplan Family Bill, Jodi, Max, and Julia Kaplan Marcia, Paul, Julian and Ethan Kramer Arlene, Bud, Gabe and Bree Kraus Mrs. Mildred Leader-Parker Mary and Steve Lee Beryl, Steve, Rebecca and Erica Leffler The Link-Heinig Family Steph and Mark Lurie Phyllis Lustgarten Helen Marantz Ruth Messineo Jory and Deborah Miller Debby and Harvey Morginstin The Neckers Family Sherri, Brett, and Brianna Neuwirth The Lasday-O’Reilly Family The Mazur-Peknay Family The Karas-Plaut Family The Poggie Family Ronni and Fred Pressman Rooney Family Susan and Stuart Rosen Richard Segal and Elizabeth Peters Roger, Sarah, Jonatha, and Aaron Segal Margo and Alan Sokolow Jordan, Kris and Amanda Solomon Dr. and Mrs. Robert K. Spiro Spencer-Snyder Gamily Nina and Rich Tucker Larry, Suzette, Rachel and Sam Unger Elizabeth, Jonathan, Sarah and Rachel Weiswasser Judy & Josh Weston & Family The Wolfson Family The Friedman-Zinn Family


Judith Abraham-Tausk

in memory of Miklos Ander

Marvin Alpern

in memory of Ida Alpern

Berna Berger

in memory of Seymour Berger

Lisa & Michael Berlin in honor of Marge & Paul Grayson's Anniversary and

Alan Sokolow's birthday

Phyllis Berman in memory of William Meehan, Rose Schlyen, Cecilia Giacalone, Fanny Berman, Paula Hertzberg and Gerald Feather; in honor of Marge & Paul Grayson's

Anniversary

Bernadine Boyarsky

in memory of Samuel Skelly

Marilyn Brenner in memory of Anna Alpart; in honor of Harvey Morginstin’s birthday; mazal tov to the Morginstin’s on their grandson’s Bar Mitzvah; mazal tov to David

and Miriam Klein on Laura’s graduation.

Cary & Beth Chevat

in honor of Marge & Paul Grayson's Anniversary

Shirley Cobert

in memory of Tillie Chrobersky

Peter Della Bella

in memory of Carmen Della Bella

Rachel Shatz and William Dunnell

in honor for Joel Dorow's Adult Bar Mitzvah

Muriel Dushkin

thank you Temple Ner Tamid

Sally Fleishman

General donation

Ted & Dorothy Friedrich

in memory of Martin Maltenfort

Susan Garbo

in memory of Genia Chavkin and Lillian Taradash

Paula Gash

in memory of Anna Gash

Helaine Glantz

in memory of Sarah Glantz

Lauren Glantzberg

in memory of Murray Glantzberg

Bernice Glucoft

in memory of Mary Marshak

Amy Graydon

in memory of Adelyn Graydon

Marge & Paul Grayson In honor of the marriage of Rachel Perten; the B'nai Mitzvah of Sophie Clayman and the Morginstin's grandson; in honor of Alan Sokolow's birthday; in memory of Paula Hertzberg, Joan Stagoff and Leah Kaplan; for the recovery of Beth Adleman and Frank

Corso

Leonard Grossman

in memory of Benjamin & Ida Grossman

Jeff & Deborah Gussoff in memory of Miriam Shankman, Joseph Greenberg

and Paula Hertzberg

Meryl Gutterman

in memory of Leonard Napach

Barbara Hasson in memory of Ruth Hasson, Connie Drew and Leon

Feather

Harriet Heinig

in memory of Ann Haber

Susan Helman

in memory of Gordon Helman

Diane Horowitz

in honor of Alan Sokolow's Birthday

Jill Johnson

in memory of Joan Stagoff

Susan Jones

in memory of Frank Bloom

Ken Kanoff

in memory of Louis Kanoff

Frannie Friedman & Alan Kass

in memory of Miriam Kass

Stan and Claire Keyles in memory of Anne Glass, Harold Fixel, Paula Hertzberg and Leah Kaplan; in honor of Marge &

Paul Grayson's Anniversary

Cindy Kramer

in memory of Bonnie Friedman

Elise & Elliot Lainof in honor of Donna and Filipe Pistiner's 40th wedding

anniversary; in memory of Irene Braunstein

Steven & Mary Lee in honor of Kenneth & Lee Moore's wedding anni-

versary; in memory of Bernard Stahl and Rose Levin

John Link

in memory of John Link

Anita Linn

in memory of Benjamin Linn

Phyllis Lustgarten in memory of Stanley Lustgarten, Frances Feig, and

David Lustgarten

Laurence Mandelbaum

in memory of Max Mandelbaum

Mimi Mansky

in memory of Samuel Pfeffer

Ruth Messineo

in memory of James Messineo

Jory Miller

in memory of Edward Miller

Harvey & Debby Morginstin in honor of Marge & Paul Grayson's Anniversary and

Alan Sokolow's birthday

Donald & Barbara Neckers

in memory of Ruth Neckers

Leslie Nobler

in memory of Lenore Nobler

Jodi Nussbaum

in memory of Pauline Nussbaum

Martha Ohl

in memory of Martin Maltenfort

Eileen Opatut

in memory of Mary Opatut

Rex Perlmeter

in memory of Janet Perlmeter

Laurie Goodman & Mark Perwien


Amy & Jeff Plaut


Dorothy Pollack

in memory of Felix Kalmeyer

Tamara Radyuk in memory of Sofya Leyzerova and Solomon

Leyzerov

Lois Ring

in memory of Shirley and Jack Sterman

Mila Rossetti

thank you TNT for the Yom Kippur services

Rochelle Sandler

in memory of Mary Benson

Lenore Schaffel

in memory of Sarah Nepo

Fred Schnitzer

in memory of Henry Schnitzer

Sarah & Roger Segal in memory of Joan Stagoff and in honor of Marge

and Paul Grayson's wedding anniversary

Guy Segal

in memory of Sylvia Segal

Elizabeth Peters & Richard Segal in memory of Sylvia Segal; in honor of Alan

Sokolow's Birthday

Arlene Sherman

in memory of Leah Kaplan

Arlene Sherman & Shoresh Staff

in memory of Kathy Polton

Elinor Smilow

in honor of Peri Smilow

Alan & Margo Sokolow in honor of Marge & Paul Grayson's Anniversary; in

memory of Sylvia Sokolow

George Spiegel

in memory of Helene Spiegel

Robert Spiro

in memory of Edna Spiro

Cyndi Stagoff Thank you for the support from Rabbi Kushner and

Cantor Meredith

Caren Stern

in memory of Samuel Lopotow

Peter Tilkin

in memory of Hal Potters

Catherine Tucker

in memory of Michael Tucker

Joseph Tycon

in memory of Paulina and Henry Tycon

Crystal Van Horn

in memory of Lorena Wellington

Felice Wanger

in memory of Harold Wanger

Tamar Weiss

in memory of Emil Weiss and Morris Ellis

Harvey Weiss

in memory of Claire Weiss

Judy Weston

in memory of Beatrice Hirsch

Murray & Beryl Zankel in memory of Martin Maltenfort, brother of Ruth

Messineo

Celia Zeisel

in memory of Jaime Zeisel

Contributions to the Synagogue

WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBU-

TIONS OF OUR MEMBERS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS


hcrcl Mnurcz

THEIR MEMORIES ARE A BLESSING

Gerald Feather, husband of Barbara Hasson Robert Fields Isabella Goldschmidt, great aunt of Rachel Poggie Paula Hertzberg, mother of Bob Hertzberg Leah Kaplan, mother of Cindy Kaplan Roo ney Arlene Linetzky

Helen Mackler Elizabeth Nadel, grandmother of Deb Caney Morris Roth, uncle of Nina Tucker Jim Sevrens, father of Christopher Sevrens Joan Stagoff, mother of Cindy Stagoff

In Loving Memory

Shabbat – November 9 & 10

Leah Abramowitch

Arthur Asher

Stephen Berman

Charlo�e Braer

Shirley Cooper

Sidney Dicks

Samuel Finkelstein

Herman Gluco�

Samuel Goodman

Rhoda Haberman

Lisa Halpern

Leo Handelman

Irving Kaplan

Dennis Kauff

Samuel Kimmel

Maurice Krieger

Jacob Levine

Rose Lopotow

Joseph Marshak

Irma Meyer

Jerry Miller

Barne� Olinger

Melvin Peck

Leonard Phillips

Joshua Plaut

Benny Ptaszek

Sanders Rosenblum

William Russ

Elizabeth Sconzo

Rose Sherman

Frances Singman

Sidney Singman

Julius Skolnik

Mary Spitzer

Jack Weinstock


Rose Alexander

Hyman Beckerman

Arnold Bloom

Lilyan Buckbinder

Arnold Glantzberg

Harriet Glassman

Benjamin Gluco�

Rosalind Gohr

Tillie Goodwillig

Bertha Gordon

Rachel Harris

Oscar Hilfman

Herman High

Ma1lda Horowitz

Isidore Klein

David Leff

Dora Liebling

Bernard Macy

Isadore Meinhard

Bessie Neuwirth

Nathan Newman

Dorothy November

Allen Plutz

Sidney Protas

Fannie Ptaszek

Meyer Rosansky

Elsa Schmeyer

Marilyn Schwartz

Gladys Shukur

Harry Spirt

Joseph Stromfeld

Emil Ungerleider

Sidney Waldman

Helen Wolkoff


Solomon Beck

Milton Chapman

Sam Forim

Mildred Frank

Therese Garik

Meyer Glantzberg

Helen Goldstein

Juanita Goldstein

Fannie Golds1cker

Rose Gould

Mary Gruber

Elsa Haller

Ruth Hendler

Beatrice Indek

Rose Kaplan

Morris Katz

Oscar Katz

William Keyles

Gabriel Klein

Jerome Kramer

Charles Lazar

Ruth Maltenfort

Abraham Mankes

Esther Marcus

Sophie Menkes

Vernon Menkes

James Messineo

Laura Newman

Florence Rosansky

Dan Rosenberg

Philip Sapir

Alex Shafer

Benjamin Shapiro

Harry Shyman

Rose Small

Salim Sofer

Ben Spitz

Belle Sweetwood

Sima Tarlavsky

Abraham Weintraub

Leroy Zeger

Sophie Zubatkin

Shabbat – November 30 & December 1

David Alpern

Morris Appel

Rebecca Bloom

Elias Brown

Dr. Neal Chilton

David Deitch

Abraham Ehrlich

Jacob Ehrlich

Celia Fish

Frances Garber

Clemens Henly

Blanche Hochberg

John Janulis

Louis Ka1msky

Frances Katz

Stuart Kolinski

Ann Kolodny-Stepper

Aid Kushner

Isador Levin

Louis Malick

James Messineo

Buddy Meth

Seth Mishel

John Mizialko

Cantor Samuel Morgins1n

Rachel Nalebuff

Hyman Nathan

Elinor Neifeld

Rhoda Pressman

David Rappaport

Harry Rose

Milton Sapir

Julius Sli8in

Dr. Jacob Spiro

Inge Strauss

Harry Ulanet

Isaac Wohl

Norman Zukoff


Prayerbook Fund Dedicate one of our new pray-er books in honor of a simcha or in memory of a loved one.

The cost per dedication is $36.

Remember Temple Ner Tamid in Your Will

Would you like to make a gift to the Temple that provides you or your loved ones with income for life while giving you an immediate tax deduction?

Temple Ner Tamid has established a Planned Giving subcommittee.

For information on planned giving, or to help with this important effort, please call Nina Tucker at (973) 783-1176.

TREE OF LIFETREE OF LIFETREE OF LIFETREE OF LIFE Leaves on the Tree of Life

can be purchased to celebrate any simcha.

Commemorate any life-affirming event such as

Birth, B'nai Mitzvah, Confirmation, Marriage

or Anniversary.

Leaves cost $180

TEMPLE NER TAMID 936 Broad Street Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003

We still want each of our members to be a part of the "Path of Peace" walkway leading to the Temple's main entrance. You can order 4X8 bricks at $180 or 8X8 bricks at $360.

Questions? Contact Nina Tucker 973-783-1176 or

[email protected]

Candle LightingCandle LightingCandle LightingCandle Lighting

November 200 5:33

November 9 4:25

November 16 4:19

November 23 4:14

November 30 4:12

october - november 2012 - temple ner tamid

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