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Friday, Feb. 4

6:00 p.m. KIDZ Shabbat Dinner & Service 7:30 p.m. Shabbat Eve Service* Torah Reading: Terumah,

Ex. 25:1 – 27:19 Friday, Feb. 11

6:30 p.m. Potluck Shabbat Dinner 7:30 p.m. Shabbat Service led by Kitah Dalet (4th level Hebrew students) Guest Speaker: Rabbi Brian Zimmerman,

URJ South District Regional Rabbi

Torah Reading: Tetzaveh, Ex. 27:20 – 30:10

Saturday, Feb. 12

10:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service and Torah Study

Friday, Feb. 18

7:30 p.m. Shabbat Eve Service Torah Reading: Ki Tisa, Ex. 30:11 – 34:35

Friday, Feb. 25 Artist-in-Residence Weekend 7:30 p.m. Special Musical Shabbat Service* Featuring Josh Nelson Torah Reading: Vayakhel, Ex. 35:1 – 38:20

Friday, Mar. 4 Hatikvah Kallah at TOL

7:30 p.m. Shabbat Eve Kallah Service Led by COFTY & NFTY-SAR Regional Board

Torah Reading: Pekudei, Ex. 38:21 – 40:38

* Childcare available. Please contact the Temple office for details.

FEBRUARY WORSHIP SERVICES

TREE OF LIFE CONGREGATION COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

“KOL T.O.L.” — THE “VOICE OF THE TREE OF LIFE”

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2011 / SHEVAT – ADAR I, 5771

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Temple News 2

From the Rabbi 3

Religious School 4 & 5

Youth News 6

Josh Nelson Information 7

Adult Education 8

Brotherhood Report 10

Member News 11

Community News 12

Yahrzeits & Bimah Flowers 13

Contributions 14

Calendar of Events 15

TOL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

JOSH

NELSON

FRIDAY, FEB. 25 7:30 p.m.

SPECIAL SHABBAT SERVICE

SATURDAY, FEB. 26 7:30 p.m.

THE JOSH NELSON PROJECT

IN CONCERT

See page 7 for more information.

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TREE OF LIFE “BUCKS BACK” FUNDRAISING PROGRAM TREE OF LIFE FUNDRAISER

TREE OF LIFE “BUCKS BACK” FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

Our next Bucks Back order deadline is Sunday, February 13

th. All checks need to be in the

Temple office by 1 p.m. Order forms are outside the Temple office or on the TOL website. Orders should be available for pick-up by Friday, February 18th. *NEW RETAILERS

• Target is now available with a $25 or $100 gift card! Both cards have a 2% contribution.

SPECIAL DEALS • Build-A-Bear Workshop 10% (until 2/4/11) Chili’s 11% (until 2/18/11) on gift card and ScripNow! Card. Also redeemable at Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s, or On the Border

RELOADABLE CARDS • BP Gas (1.5% - 2.5%) & Arco Gas (1.5% - 2.5%) Remember to mark your calendars for the 2011 Bucks Back Program. The deadline to order is the second Sunday of each month. Order forms are available outside the temple office. March 13 August 14 April 10* September 11 May 8 October 9 June 12 November 13 July 10 December 4** * Tentative date because this is also the date of the Big Nosh

** Chanukah is celebrated December 20 - 28

Thanks again for your support!

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FROM THE RABBI

FEBRUARY FUN AND LEARNING! By Rabbi Daniel M. Sherman

Before I look forward to what will be an amazing

month at the Tree of Life, I want to reflect on the January

we just shared. First, I want to say how happy I was with

our “Green Shabbat.” Again I want to wish KOL

HAKAVOD and MAZAL TOV to the TOL Green Team and

Captain Carolyn Hudson. It was a real honor and pleasure

to watch as TOL was the first in the city to be awarded the

Columbia Green Congregation certificate. After the pres-

entation, we enjoyed a wonderful Tu B’shevat seder. A

huge Todah Rabbah goes to Risa Strauss, who really made

this happen, and to all of the volunteers who helped out. I

hope that our Green Shabbat observance will continue to

inspire us throughout the year, as we make “going green”

a higher priority for our congregation and families.

I also want to thank the TOL Brotherhood for the an-

nual Red Cross blood drive. The event was a huge suc-

cess as we surpassed previous record highs for donations.

Thank you to everyone who donated this year. Giving

blood is truly part of Gemilut Chasadim – an act of loving

kindness – and together we will help to save many lives.

And now on to a few highlights for February 2011: TOL WELCOMES RABBI BRIAN ZIMMERMAN

Friday evening, Feb. 11 we will hold a very special

Shabbat service beginning at 7:30 p.m. Our Kitah Dalet

(4th level Hebrew) students will help to lead the service.

Our guest speaker will be Rabbi Brian Zimmerman.

Rabbi Zimmerman represents the Union for Reform Juda-

ism as the URJ’s South District Regional Rabbi. The

South District comprises 11 states from Texas to South

Carolina, with its headquarters in Dallas. Rabbi Zimmer-

man will update us on what is going on in the URJ and in

the Reform Movement, both nationally and in our region.

We are thrilled that Rabbi Zimmerman is able to join us in

Columbia this year. In addition to his speaking at ser-

vices, Rabbi Zimmerman and I will be hosting a meeting

of the Reform Rabbis of South Carolina at the temple on

Thursday, Feb. 10. We will be joined by our colleagues in

Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Hilton Head, Spartan-

burg, Florence, and Augusta. ADULT EDUCATION OFFERINGS

We are beginning new adult education classes this

month. I am thrilled with the variety of classes we will be

offering, and I am grateful to all who will be teaching.

Risa Strauss, back by popular demand, will continue to

teach her adult Hebrew classes. Rabbi Marcus will be

teaching a class on Orthodox and Reform Judaism that

will provide answers to many people’s questions. This

will also be a great opportu-

nity to study for the first

time with Rabbi Leah Do-

berne-Schor, who will be

teaching an introduction to

Jewish worship. Please see

pages 8-9 for more info and

to register for classes. THE JOSH NELSON PROJECT

Sometimes we just get lucky. I cannot tell you how

excited I was to receive a phone call explaining that Josh

Nelson was going to be in our area and was available for

performances. I have listened to Josh’s music over the

past few years, but was really introduced to Josh the per-

former and musician at the 2009 URJ Biennial Convention

in Toronto. Josh is amazing. He is incredibly talented and

a brilliant songwriter and performer. His music varies

from liturgical pieces to inspire services to rocking He-

brew and English songs that will get everyone on their

feet.

We will have two opportunities to hear and get to

know Josh Nelson. Josh will join me in leading a very

special Shabbat Service on Friday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.,

featuring Josh’s music and including Josh’s explanations

and introductions. On Saturday, the entire Josh Nelson

Project will perform in the Social Hall. Joined by his

band, Josh will lead us in havdalah and a rocking show. I

really think his music will appeal to all ages. This is an

outstanding opportunity for us to hear one of the brightest

stars in modern Jewish music. You won’t want to miss

out. Please plan on coming to services and buying tickets

for the Saturday concert. And if possible, consider being a

sponsor for the event. We have purposely kept the price

of tickets low so as to encourage mass participation.

However, there are many costs to putting together a spe-

cial artist-in-residence weekend. Thank you for your sup-

port! INTERFAITH DIALOGUE

Last spring, we began a Jewish, Christian, and

Muslim interfaith learning experiment. On Sunday, Feb.

27, TOL will host the second installment as we explore the

Holy Scriptures of these three faiths. Rev. Bill Anderson

and Imam Omar Shaheed will join me in leading what

should be a wonderfully informative discussion. We will

need TOL members to help welcome participants and to

host the reception. Please contact me if you are interested.

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FROM THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR

MAKING A SUMMER CONNECTION By Risa Strauss

Life in the 21st century often means that we need to think ahead, meet deadlines and make plans. Whether it’s for a play date, a car maintenance appointment or to eat at that hot new restaurant in the

Vista, if we don’t write it down and make arrangements it doesn’t happen.

Season-wise, January and February seem to be the time when we are asked to commit ourselves and/or our children to a myriad of programming and activities that, more often than not, occur way in the future. This isn’t always easy, and yet applications for school magnet pro-grams, colleges and universities and standardized testing at this time of year are de rigueur.

Though it can be a stretch to think about the summer when the temperature outside is hovering in the mid-30’s, having your child attend a JEWISH SUMMER SLEEP-AWAY CAMP is…all the rage and is often the greatest single variable leading to lifelong Jewish commitment!

So, get your adrenaline pumping, begin thinking about summer, read on and then stick that big post-it on the fridge that says: “Don’t forget to send my child to camp!” or “Don’t forget to make a donation to help send a child to summer camp!”

Jewish summer camp is a uniquely American phe-nomenon. At the turn of the 20th century, after an un-precedented influx of European immigrants, settlement houses and welfare agencies established retreats and camps in the mountains outside of urban areas. These camps gave Jewish children a respite from the summer heat of inner cities, helped to acculturate new immigrants into American life, and particularly in the 1930s were critical in protecting children from contracting polio and other diseases.

In the 1950s and 60s, as the Jewish community changed and expanded, so did the function of Jewish camping. Camps began to focus on Jewish educational programming, developing and strengthening Jewish iden-tity.

Today almost every major Jewish institution spon-sors a youth and/or teen summer camp experience. Whether the camp your child attends focuses on Israel, horseback riding, t’fillot, ecology, music, arts, swimming, computers, leadership training, baseball or all of the

above – the experience that awaits will connect them for-ever to their Judaism.

Camp is a crucial element of every Jewish young person’s education. At a Jewish summer camp, many children get their first real experience of living a fully Jewish life where there is no separation between their Jewish self-expression and their secular life.

Activities that often differentiate them from their friends at home become the activities that unite them with their friends at camp. Campers can sing Hebrew and Jewish songs, say HaMotzi and Birkat HaMazon (grace before and after meals), attend Shabbat services and feel completely a part of and accepted by the world around them.

As one young camper wrote in a Jewish journal, “At camp, there is no disconnect between my Jewish self and my secular self. Camp has encouraged me as I try to find my way Jewishly in a non-Jewish world.”

Extensive research has shown that summers at Jewish overnight camp turn Jewish youth into spirited and en-gaged Jewish adults, laying the groundwork for the strong communities that we will need in the future.

As adults, many of us recall summer camp experi-ences as the most significant of our Jewish life. And as adults we know how much the informal educational ex-perience of camp can help us in providing all of our chil-dren with knowledge and connection to our people and culture.

The Union for Reform Judaism has two wonderful camps in the Southeast region that many Tree of Life children have attended and loved.

•Camp Coleman provides an all-around Jewish summer camp experience. It is located in the north Georgia mountains and serves youth entering grades 3 – 10. •6 Points Sports Academy is geared to the more sports-minded camper between the ages of 10 and 16 and focuses on training, skills, conditioning, nutri-tion, teamwork, sportsmanship and developing a strong Jewish identity. 6 Points is located in Greens-boro, N.C., on the campus of the American Hebrew Academy.

Continued on page 14

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RELIGIOUS SCHOOL NEWS

There is a story often told from the Talmud about an older man planting a carob tree. A passerby sees him and is incredulous that he is wasting his time planting this tree because he will not be around long enough to enjoy its fruit. Naturally, the older man is insistent that this small act is most worthwhile, and he declares to the pas-serby: “Just like there were trees around with delicious fruit when I was little, so do I plant trees so that my chil-dren and their children’s children may enjoy their bounti-ful fruit.”

This type of forward thinking and optimism is quite typical behavior for all those who work so hard to sup-port Tree of Life Religious School. Amongst all of our congregants there is an unspoken understanding of the need to “plant seeds” for our children to secure their Jew-ish future.

A huge thank you goes out to all of our volunteers, but especially for their work this past month of January to the following groups and individuals: the TOL Brother-hood for their delicious Pizza Lunch; Jill Carr for her help with the Barton’s Candy Drive, Birthday/Yom Hule-

det Celebrations and TYG transportation; Nora Helman Budman and Jennifer Friedman for their leadership of COFTY; Kim Bannister, Kim Brody, Michelle Bowen and Jill Carr for their assistance with TYG transportation; Jamine Santiago of Classic Catering for providing the Kiddush lunch for the B’nai Mitzvah Shabbat Service and Orientation; Evelyn Gaton, Dori Nudelman, Linda Rod-gers, Linda Rosencrantz and Marvin Bienstock for their assistance with the celebration of Tu B’Shevat in Reli-gious School; Don and Michelle Bowen for hosting the Grade 8 Family Life program; Linda Kerner for her assis-tance with our Tree Tumbler group; Debra Stombler and Bill Strauss for their work on the Hatikvah Kallah; Kim Moses and the TOL Religious School board for their con-tinuous support; and Eleanor Stein for her help in coordi-nating our Israeli Dance sessions.

It definitely takes a village, and the Religious School is lucky to have the assistance of so many won-derful people.

UPCOMING FEBRUARY EVENTS

2/02: Adult Beginners Hebrew at 7 p.m. and Beyond Beginners at 8 p.m. 2/04: Kidz Shabbat Dinner and Service beginning at 6 p.m.; Childcare 7:15 p.m. with Robyn 2/06: RS at 9 a.m.; Teacher In-Service 10:45-11:45 a.m., Brotherhood Hot Dog Lunch Fundraiser 2/09: Adult Beginners Hebrew from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Beyond Beginners from 6:30-7:30 p.m. 2/11: Kitah Dalet Shabbat Service and Potluck Supper beginning at 6:30 p.m.; Services begin at 7:30 p.m. 2/13: RS at 9am; URJ Summer Camp Q & A at 12:15 p.m. in the Social Hall; Grade 6/7 Family Life program at the home of Jill and David Carr at 4 p.m. 2/16: NEW Adult Hebrew Classes — Beginners at 6 p.m.; Beyond Beginners at 7 p.m. 2/20: No Religious School – President’s Day Weekend 2/23: Adult Beginners Hebrew at 6 p.m.; Beyond Beginners at 7 p.m. 2/26: Shabbat Tales and Brunch for children ages 0-6 and their parents at 10:30 a.m. 2/27: RS at 9 a.m.; TYG Bagel Breakfast Fundraiser from 8:45-9:15 a.m.; February Birthdays, Binah Book Club, Grade 1 and 2 Family Life program at the home of Teri and Shawn Youngstedt at 4 p.m. 3/02: Adult Beginners Hebrew at 6 p.m.; Beyond Beginners at 7 p.m. 3/04-3/06: NFTY HaTikvah Kallah for 6th-8th Graders at Tree of Life Congregation

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YOUTH NEWS

By Jessica Volin COFTY President

Shalom from COFTY! We hope that everyone has started

2011 off well. We are so proud to announce that the weekend of January 14-17, COFTY broke a record and took 10 “COFTYites” to the NFTY-SAR Winter Regional Convention in Atlanta. The weekend was a blast filled with friends and memories that will last a lifetime. On Sunday, January 30, COFTY went to Moe’s and a movie after Religious School and had so much fun.

COFTY is thrilled and excited to host Hatikvah Kallah the weekend of March 4-6, 2011 for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders of our region. Check this newsletter and your email box for more information about participating in this event and hosting oppor-tunities. Thank you to everyone for your support!

TYG Spring-Summer Calendar FEB. 27: Bagel Breakfast fundraiser at TOL, 8:45 - 9:15 a.m. TYG is starting a monthly fundraiser – fresh bagels and coffee when

you drop off at Religious School! Oy! What a great breakfast!

FEB. 27: TYG Day of Service (date tentative, more info to follow)

MARCH 4-6: Hatikvah Kallah hosted by Tree of Life Congrega-

tion!

MARCH 26: TYG Shabbat morning service and PARK DAY! Join us for a COFTY-led service in the morning followed by break-fast and a day at a specially chosen park! Activities to include: •Ultimate Frisbee •Capture-the-Flag •Music •Noshing

MARCH 27: Bagel Breakfast fundraiser at TOL, 8:45 - 9:15 a.m.

APRIL 10: THE BIG NOSH at Tree of Life Congregation. COFTY will have a fundraising/TYG awareness booth. Tell all your friends!

APRIL 29-MAY 1: NFTY-SAR SPRING KALLAH in Charlotte, NC open to grades 9-12 Registration: www.nfty.org/sar username: nftysarpassword: chai18

MAY 8: Bagel Breakfast fundraiser at TOL, 8:45 - 9:15 a.m.

Advisors – Nora Budman: (803) 422-5005, superhewey@hotmail.com & Jennifer Friedman: (803) 528-3425, friedmje@hotmail.com

TYG NEWS HATIKVAH KALLAH Regional Convention for our 6th - 8th graders

Hosted by Tree of Life

March 4-6, 2011

This year’s NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah will take place for the first time at Tree of Life Congregation. The Kallah is an amazing weekend of fun Jewish activi-ties for our 6th, 7th and 8th graders sponsored by the NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) Southern Area Region. Middle schoolers from our state as well as Georgia, the Charlotte area, and Northern Florida will be attending. In the past, this event has attracted over 100 participants, and we are expecting the same this year. At last year’s Kallah in Atlanta, our many TOL attendees had an incredible time, so we are very excited to be able to host this year’s event.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 4 and will conclude at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 6. Par-ticipants from outside Columbia will be housed at host families from our congregation. You can register for the Kallah by going to www.nfty.org/sar/events/hatikvah (username: nftysar and pass-word: chai18). From now through February 1, there is an early-bird registration period with the cost of the weekend at $85.00. Regular registration takes place from February 2 through February 15th ($100.00). After February 15th, we will accept late registrations on a space-available basis and the cost will be $115.00. All participants will also need to fill out a new Health and Safety Form. If you have any questions or would like more in-formation, please give Bill Strauss (479-8222) or Nora Budman (COFTY advisor – 422-5005) a call! We are looking forward to having all of our 6 – 8th graders at-tend!

Needed: Host Families To House Visiting

7th/8th graders for the Youth Group

We will need host families to house the 100-150 teens that are attending. Hosting families can be anyone from the Tree of Life community who is interested in helping out (not just families of TOL teens attending the event). Homes should be able to host a minimum of three teens, will need to supply breakfast and dinner on Saturday, and transportation to and from Tree of Life throughout the weekend (Friday evening, Saturday morning, afternoon and evening, Sunday morning). Beds and bedding will not be necessary as the teens will be bringing sleeping bags and pillows. If you are unable to host, but can support us with transportation, set up or food service, we could use your help! If you are interested in helping out, please contact Deb Stombler by email or phone at: stombler@sc.rr.com, 730-2027.

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TOL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE: JOSH NELSON

Josh's performance style is high-energy and captivating. His music consistently leaves audiences with strong feelings of community. Josh has performed over one thousand shows in a variety of venues. High-lights include: International conventions for each of the major youth movements in the USA, URJ Biennial Conventions, JCCA National Conventions, JCC Maccabi Games, CAJE Conferences and JCCs across the country. Josh serves as the music director for the URJ Biennial Convention, faculty for the Hava Nashira Music Institute, and a musical artist in residence for the JCC Maccabi Artsfest.

Tree of Life is proud to welcome Josh Nelson to Columbia for an inspiring weekend of music and learning. Josh is one of the most sought after Jewish performers in the country. We know our community will love his music and getting to know him at his two Columbia performances. FRIDAY, FEB. 25 7:30 p.m. SPECIAL SHABBAT SERVICE AT TOL

Josh will lead services for us and introduce us to his music. SATURDAY, FEB. 26 7:30 p.m. THE JOSH NELSON PROJECT IN CONCERT

Josh and his band will perform a rocking, thrilling, moving concert in the TOL Social Hall. You won’t want to miss out. We will begin with Havdalah. The event is open to the entire community and is co-sponsored by the Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center. CONCERT TICKETS:

Sponsor’s Ticket: $50.00 Adult Ticket: $10.00 Students (12th grade & under): $5.00 Tickets may be purchased on-line at the Temple website (www.tolsc.org) or in the TOL office. Please join us for this very special weekend. To find out more about Josh Nelson, please check out his website (www.joshnelsonproject.com). His music is also available on iTunes.

February 25-26, 2011

Josh Nelson is one of the most popular performers and producers in modern Jewish music. A multi-instrumentalist and song-writer, Josh's music is celebrated and inte-grated into the repertoire of congregations, camps and communities around the world. 2009 marked the long-awaited release of "Lift," the debut CD from the Josh Nelson Project. Built upon songs of Jewish identity and continuity, "Lift" breaks new ground with razor-sharp lyricism and a progressive, radio-ready sound.

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BEIT MIDRASH FOR LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNING

ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES

Wednesday evenings

February 16 & 23, March 2, 16, & 23

6:00 – 6:55 p.m. “ORTHODOX AND REFORM: Thought, Practice, & Why” with Rabbi Sanford Marcus

Join Rabbi Marcus for this interesting exploration of Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Topics to be covered each week: “Ground Rules of Orthodoxy” (Feb. 16), “Reform Interpretations of the Ground Rules” (Feb. 23), and “Changing Patterns in Contemporary Judaism” (Mar. 2). Advance reading material and a list of references will be provided. The topics are intended to elicit thought and discussion of issues central to Jewish living today. This class will have three sessions. 6:00 – 6:55 p.m. INTRODUCTORY HEBREW with Risa Strauss

Using the text Aleph Isn’t Tough, we will get to know the letters and vowels of the Hebrew alphabet while at the same time learning key Hebrew roots, enrich prayer understanding, grow prayer vocabulary and concepts. This is a good refresher class as well as being beginner friendly. This class will continue in April. 7:00 – 7:55 p.m. JEWISH LITURGY 101: Exploring our Prayers & Services with

Rabbi Leah Doberne-Schor Feeling puzzled by the prayerbook? Want to know more about what the prayers we recite really mean? What’s going on at services? Why and when do we stand and sit? Want to get even more out of Shabbat services? Rabbi Leah Doberne-Schor will answer these questions and more in this three-week course on the liturgy of Jewish wor-ship. We will be placing a particular emphasis on Shabbat evening services. No Hebrew knowledge required. Class meets on Feb. 16 & 23, and Mar. 2. 7:00 – 7:55 p.m. JEWISH ETHICS OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY with Rabbi Daniel Sherman In this course, we will examine the subject of Jewish Ethics, using a modern commentary on Pirke Avot as our guide. Pirke Avot, literally “Sayings or Chapters of our Fathers,” is one of the sixty-three tractates of the Mishnah (the code of Jewish law compiled in the early third century of the common era) and is one of the most commonly-studied classics of Jewish literature. This course will be an introduction to the basics of Jewish ethics and thought, from rabbinic times to our own day. Topics for discussion will include revelation, tzedakah and righteousness, mitz-vot and ethics, evil, sin and repentance, wisdom, and our relations with God. 5 sessions. 7:00 – 7:55 p.m. HEBREW FOR BEYOND BEGINNERS with Risa Strauss Using a conversational Hebrew text as well as well as Aleph Isn’t Tough II, we will continue to improve our conversation and prayer skills, grow our vocabulary and develop a better understanding of the language. This class will continue in April.

8:05 – 9:00 p.m. THE BIBLE AFTER MOSES: What Happens Next? with Rabbi Daniel Sherman There is more to the Jewish Bible than just the Five Books of Moses. In this course we will take an in-depth look at the rest of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). We will look at the structure of the Bible – what’s in it and what’s not – and examine the first few books of the Prophets, including Joshua, Judges, and I & II Samuel. It will be a combination of stories we know well and stories with which we are less familiar. 5 sessions.

Class Fees:

Adult Hebrew (Intro or Beyond Beginners): $18 (includes materials), $25 for non-TOL members All Other Classes: There is a one time $18 registration fee ($25 for non-TOL members). Once registered, you can take one class or three classes – all for no additional fee. Please complete the class registration form on page 9 and mail to TOL or return the form to the office.

9

THE BIG NOSH

ARCADIA LAKES / TREE OF LIFE RAIN GARDEN RE-

CEIVES AWARD

Our rain garden has been named a winner in the Richland County 2010 Appearance Counts Contest. The award will be presented on February 1 and will include a gardening gift certificate. WHY THE RAIN GARDEN IS BENEFICIAL • The stormwater from our parking lot, roof, and storm drains

is piped into our rain garden and eventually reaches Cary Lake across Trenholm Road. The plants absorb pollutants such as oil and dirt, so that the water reaching the lake is much cleaner.

• Wildlife on our property benefits from the food, shelter, and water we provide.

• We are educating others about handling stormwater in a pro-ductive way.

• We have added an attractive area to our property. • Over 50 people from the temple and the community came

together to work on it. • Tree of Life has received favorable publicity through the

Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism listserv and the Green Congregations movement around SC.

Tree of Life Jewish Cultural Festival,

THE BIG NOSH, is planned for

Sunday, April 10th

11 a.m. -- 5 p.m. This festival will include all of the wonderful foods and camaraderie from past years with the Jewish Food Festival PLUS great indoor and outdoor entertainment and fun. There will be tents, music and dancing, vendors, kids’ games, crafts and Jewish Education. We are also promoting the Harvest Food Bank and “keeping green” with the festival.

There will be a lot more information and publicity in future emails and bulletins between now and April. Watch for television publicity, and notices in newspaper articles, as well as ValPac coupons and notices in the Free Times and other community publications.

Please mark your calendars with the date and plan to join us for a great time at The Big Nosh!

GREEN TEAM UPDATE

Name________________________________ Phone___________________________ Email________________________________

Please check the classes you would like to take:

Orthodox & Reform, 6 p.m. _____ Introductory Hebrew, 6 p.m. _____ Jewish Liturgy 101, 7 p.m. _____ Beyond Beginners, 7 p.m. _____ Jewish Ethics, 7 p.m. _____ Bible After Moses, 8 p.m. _____

Please make all checks payable to Tree of Life Congregation.

Register early so that we can arrange for materials!

BEIT MIDRASH CLASS REGISTRATION

10

BROTHERHOOD REPORT

January was another busy month for the TOL Brotherhood. On Sunday the 9th we held our Pizza lunch fundraiser, with our own David Tedeschi (the “Pizza Master”) hand-tossing each pizza. We made a total of 25 pizzas, as more than two-thirds of the stu-dents participated and we had a number of takeout or-ders. We will have a lunch for the Religious School on the first Sunday of each month during the Spring se-mester. Prices will be the same, but menus will vary. The lunch on February 6 will be hotdogs. All proceeds will benefit the Religious School.

On Sunday the 23rd we organized the annual Red Cross Blood Drive at Tree of Life. This is an important event each year, and we appreciate all those that donated. We set a new record for donations. Spe-cial thanks are owed to Ed and Sandy Hertz for initiat-ing and organizing the Blood Drive.

In February we are looking forward to a Broth-erhood lunch at the President’s house. Please join me on Sunday February 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We will have a brief membership meeting, elect 2011 officers, honor some of our standout volunteers, and have lunch. Please RSVP to brotherhood@tolsc.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Brotherhood Annual Members’ Meeting

will be on Sunday, February 27th from 11:00 to 12:30 at Brad Smith’s house. We will hold our annual mem-bers meeting. We will elect our 2011 Brotherhood board members. All are welcome. Brotherhood Bike Rides

On Sunday, February 20th the next Brotherhood bicycle ride will leave at 10:30 a.m.

(note the time change) from the Tem-ple. The course will be from the Tem-ple to Fort Jackson and back; we will ride approximately 20 to 30 miles at a 15MPH pace. All riders welcome. It is

recommended you contact David Carr if you are inter-ested in riding so he can communicate any changes or updates. More details will be provided closer to these rides.

Latke Hut

The Brotherhood is planning on building a Latke Hut back by the kitchen. You can help us make this happen by making a donation to the Latke Hut. For as little as $18 you can buy a board for the hut. Please consider making a donation so the Brotherhood can build this hut and have a great place to cook our fa-mous latkes. You can make checks payable to Tree of Life and put Latke Hut in the memo line or do an online donation by visiting our donation page on the Temple website. International Night

Have fun & benefit Tree of Life. We are excited about starting an "International Dinner Evening" one Saturday night a month for adults at the Tree of life. Anybody who enjoys cooking could enjoy serving their favorite ethnic meal for groups of 20 to 30 peo-ple at the Temple. We will all get to taste a variety of wonderful new foods. Previously we enjoyed Israeli, Chinese, Mexican, German & Spanish dinners. We'd love foods of other countries. So anyone interested, please call Sandy @ 788-6603 or e-mail the Brother-hood at brotherhood@tolsc.org. We will give as much or as little help as you might want. Brotherhood Membership

Please join the Tree of Life Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a support organization for the Temple and 100% of dues are used in supporting Temple ac-tivities. Come join us today! Typically dues are $18 but we are happy to accept more if so inclined. Send your check to Temple or you may pay using a credit card by visiting the Donate page.

By Brad Smith TOL Brotherhood President

DATE CORRECTION Please note:

The Sisterhood Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 8th at 7 p.m. -- 9 p.m. Just Revenge by Alan Dershowitz and Homesick by Eskol Neva will be discussed.

SISTERHOOD NEWS

11

MEMBER NEWS

Andrew Barkan Feb. 1 Harrison Moses Feb. 2 David Bannister Feb. 3 Zach Helman Feb. 4 Lois Wandersman Feb. 4 Barbara Novinbakht Feb. 5 Elsie Wolff Feb. 6 Hannah Wassermann Feb. 7 Lora Stein Feb. 8 Barri Thompson Feb. 8 Elizabeth Brown Feb. 10 Barry Bernstein Feb. 11 William Barkan Feb. 12 Laney Cohen Feb. 12 Judi Emanuel Feb. 12 Dori Nudelman Feb. 12 Marilyn Picow Feb. 12

Arthur Iskhakov Feb. 13 David May Feb. 13 Jean Ginsberg Feb. 14 David Carr Feb. 16 Dennis Cohen Feb. 16 Linda Kerner Feb. 16 Michael Mischner Feb. 16 Alex Ogden Feb. 16 Marilyn Ehmke Feb. 17 Alex Bernstein Feb. 18 Tirza Leader Feb. 18 Alex Levy Feb. 18 Keenan Silver Feb. 18 Paul Beattie Feb. 20 Marguerite Brill Feb. 21 Richard Cohen Feb. 21 Julien Katz Feb. 22

Gracie May Feb. 22 Linda Sterne Feb. 22 Yvette Frank Feb. 24 Lisa Helfer Feb. 24 Leeam Stein Feb. 24 Mark Crawford Feb. 25 Marlene Mischner Feb. 25 Sarah Mullis Feb. 25 Kay Radin Feb. 25 Amy Reynolds Feb. 25 Jasper Wessinger Feb. 26 Alyssa Greenhouse Feb. 28 Sheldon Kall Feb. 28 Retha Lynch Feb. 28 Joel Morris Feb. 28 Jewel Rotholz Feb. 28

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

Cheri & Allen Alexander Feb. 5

Peggy & Jeff Miller Feb. 7

Suzy Herzog & Harvie Nachlinger Feb. 8

Thalia & Hal Birch Feb. 9

Mia & Marc Rapport Feb. 14

Pam & Mark Crawford Feb. 26

FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES

MAZEL TOV TO

Rebecca & Michael Coffman, on the birth of their son Riyler Gray on Dec. 21, 2010. Riyler was welcomed home by his big brothers, Sheldon & Cedar.

REFUAH SHLEIMA

Get well wishes to TOL members recently hospitalized or at home recovering: Hal Birch,

Dan Davis, Khaya Dobrushkina, Harriet Tischler,

and Barbara Volin

HONOR ROLL

We salute and thank our wonderful volunteers!

Office – Irene Fields, Annette Goldstein, & Sandy Hertz Religious School Office – Joan Tucker Hospital Calls – Sandy Hertz

CONDOLENCES TO

Debbie & David Greenhouse and family, on the loss of her mother Rita Wasserman Amanda & William Hamilton and Ben Lipton, on the loss of their grandfather Paul Southard Barbara & Art Levy and family, on the loss of her father Harry Blecker Lennie & Charles Mullis family, on the loss of her father Rabbi Milton Schlager Jeff & Walton Selig and family, on the loss of his father Marvin Selig

WELCOME TO OUR NEW TOL MEMBERS

Stacy Duty Faye Miller

DONATE YOUR OLD WORKING

FRIDGE OR FREEZER

TO THE BIG NOSH!

If you have a working refrigerator or freezer that is no longer of use to you, consider donating it to Tree of Life. We are looking for extra cold stor-age space for The Big Nosh food items and will ar-range pickup and transportation to Tree of Life. Please contact Bill Strauss (803-479-8222 or billstrauss@sc.rr.com). Thank you!

12

COMMUNITY NEWS

Mark your Calendars for … OUR STORY

ON BROADWAY

“A Cabaret Evening” Presented by Beth Shalom Synagogue

Created by Larry Needle

Saturday, Mar. 12 at 8 p.m. / Sunday, Mar. 13 at 7 p.m. Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center

For ticket information call 782-2500 or visit

www.BethShalomColumbia.org

LUNCH & LEARN

WITH OUR RABBIS

At the Katie & Irwin Kahn JCC

Bring your lunch and discuss current topics

with Columbia’s Rabbis

2nd Wednesday of each month

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

February 9: Rabbi Hesh Epstein, Chabad

March 9: Rabbi Jonathan Case,

Beth Shalom Synagogue

April 13: Rabbi Daniel Sherman, Tree of Life Congregation

For more information about this FREE program,

please contact Benjamin Kranitz at 787-2023 ext 207 or benk@jcccolumbia.org

Chabad of SC and the Katie & Irwin Jewish Community Center

Invite you to join us for

JEWS AND BASEBALL:

An American Love Story More than a film about sports, it is a story of immi-gration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, and the shattering of stereotypes. Nar-rated by Dustin Hoffman. Starring Sandy Koufax, Larry King, Kevin Youkilis, Shawn Green, Yogi Berra, Ron Howard, and many, many others.

Sunday, February 27 at 1:30 p.m.

at the Katie & Irwin Kahn JCC

Tickets: $6 in advance / $10 at the door $18 special reserve box seats

Tickets include the movie and a delicious hot dog lunch and may be purchased at the JCC.

For more information call 787-2023 or go to www.jcccolumbia.org.

This film made possible by a generous donation from John Baker & Family.

SAVE THE DATE:

11th annual

COLUMBIA JEWISH

FILM FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 26 to

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

at the Nickelodeon Theatre 937 Main Street, Columbia

Join us for an

Interfaith Learning Opportunity As Jews, Christians, and Muslims

join together to discuss

“OUR HOLY SCRIPTURES:

The Tanakh, Bible, and Koran –

What’s in these holy texts and

how do we read them?”

Sunday, February 27

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Hosted by the Tree of Life Congregation

Speakers:

Rev. Bill Anderson, Priest Associate at St. Simon-St. Jude Episcopal Church Imam Omar Shaheed, Masjid As-Salaam Community Rabbi Daniel Sherman, Tree of Life Congregation

Join us as we discuss and learn more about all three faiths. A question-and-answer session and reception will follow.

13

January 7

Carolyn & Alan Conway, in memory of

Jeffrey Wander

Belle Fields, in memory of Patricia-ann F. Schwab

Irene & Fred Fields, in memory of

Patricia-ann F. Schwab

Bill Gabali, in memory of Hans Gabali

Linda, Steven, Emily, & Jared Kerner, in memory

of Rochelle Cooper

Marc & Ann Posner, in memory of Philip Posner

Lea & David Weiner, in memory of Rose Josephs January 14

Booty Bedinger, in memory of

Judith Weinberg Thompson

Bob & Sherry Blenner, in memory of

Rebecca Blenner

Barry & Eleanor Bornstein, in memory of

Anna Bornstein

Pierre Jaffe, in memory of Raymonde Jaffe

Diane & Sheldon Kall, in memory of Gertrude

“Gigi” Becker

The Feliks & Sarra Rabinovich, Kim & Raisa

Rabinovich, and Elizaveta Khasietova families,

in memory of Joseph Rabinovich

The Reyner family, in memory of

Daniel Cooper Reyner

Harriet Posner and Rob, Amy, & Matthew Scully,

in memory of Clara Levin

Barry Sidenberg, in memory of Stanley Sidenberg

Howard Weiss, in memory of Stanley Weiss January 21

Barbara, Bruce, & Laura Becker, in memory of

Murray Buchsbaum

Marlene Korash, in memory of Sophie Madoff

Harold R. Mandell, in memory of Nathan Mandell

Muriel Masur & Annette Goldstein, in memory of

Ella Garlick Gabriel

Jerry Rothstein, in memory of Edward Rothstein

Jewel Rotholz, in memory of Norman Rotholz

Cindy Alpert Saad, in memory of

Eleanor Calvert Alpert

Gary & Laine Silverfield, in memory of

Leo Silverfield January 28

Pamela & Eric Feuerstein, in honor of

Sarah Feuerstein’s Bat Mitzvah

Cheri & Allen Alexander, in memory of

Oscar Alexander

Sheryl, Peter, Ben, & Dan Kline, in memory of

Hedva Fried

Cindy Alpert Saad, in memory of Maxie Alpert

David & Karen Schwartz, in memory of

Bryan McMullen

BIMAH FLOWERS YAHRZEITS

February 4 – Darrell Cooper*, Sol Kohn*, Charles Thide, Mathilde Nover Gruber*, Bernard Lefton*, Meyer Love*, David Richman*, Harry Artz, Susan Epstein Furman*, Jonathan Scott Train*, Norman Becker, Jerry Berez, Sylvia Cohen, Dean Koon, Rose Wildman Stern, Elias Stiglitz, Mira Volynets, Mac David-son, Eugene Korash*, Barry Levey*, Sue Mandell*, Ruth Rich-mond* February 11 – Lillian Schulman*, Paul Garber*, Sidney Zucker, Hershel Koon, Wilma Peet Hill, Isadore Jack Hoffman*, J. Paul Silberberg*, Herbert Spiers*, Michael E. Weisberg*, Henrietta Block*, Samuel Savitz*, Elsie Hayman Bruck*, Gertrude Segal Furman*, Charles Robert Meador, Steele Brouillette February 18 – Morris Alion*, Ann Browne, Helene Lipsitz, Mabel Mann, Bella Kalb, Esther Magrill, Nellie Levine Winter*, Abram Aroneck*, Rabbi Harold Gelfman, Solomon Korash, Alfred Mischner, Ethel Radin, Ethel Ann Serbin*, Mar-shall Diamond, Florence Snyder, Kenneth Sorenson, Harry Vigodsky*, Alvah Hope Gould, Nancy Bedford Milman*, Joseph Russ, Milton E. Block*, Bernard Fleischman, Sr.*, Herbert Grosby*, Nancy Higgins, Robert Glenn Shultz, Rachael Zarek*, Ruth Grossman Diamond, Bernard Reyner, William Rothstein, Yakov Volfson, Catherine Weiner* February 25 – Sidney Conway*, Charles M. Herzog, Goldie Weiner*, Herschel Cooper*, William Frisch, Janet Pearlstine Cohn*, Jean F. Gergel*, Mildred Auerbach, Ilene Bronson*, Dorothy Berlin Herzog, Kay Politis*, Maurice Savitz*, Rena Sheftman*, Fran Truere, David Becker, Ernest Ellisor, Henry Steel*, Wolf Winter*, Henry Wolff*, Libbie Wittenberg*, An-nette Hark*, Kate Posner *name memorialized by a plaque in the sanctuary

ONEG SHABBAT HOSTS

February 4 – Chair: Michelle Bowen; Barry Bor, Barry & El-

eanor Bornstein, Michelle & Donald Bowen, Rimma Brandin,

Allan & Debbie Brett, Allan & Susan Brill February 11 – Chair: Debra Stombler; Parents of Kitah Dalet

Students February 18 – Chair: Ed Hertz; Kim Brody, Dan Brookshire &

Debi Baker Brookshire, Elizabeth & James Brown, Lyle & Teri

Browne, Bob & Jocelyn Burg, Rosanne & Daniel Canady February 25 – Chair: David Carr; Gordon & Rebecca Cantor,

David & Jill Carr, Nancy Cartiff, Dana & Chris Cason, Paul &

Leah Cherney, Karen & Brandon Cho Note: If you are unable to bake or purchase Oneg Shabbat refreshments, you may donate $20.00. Homemade goods are always preferable. Checks need to be sent to the temple office two weeks prior to your Oneg Shabbat date. Thank you for your support.

14

WRJ SHABBAT SERVICE REPS

February 4 – Laura Becker

February 11 – Deb Tedeschi

February 18 – Jeanne Volin

February 25 – Linda Ackerman

We gratefully acknowledge the following thoughtful donations:

General Fund

Harriet Posner, in memory of Rita Wasserman Harriet Posner, in memory of Marvin Selig Rabbi Sherman’s Discretionary Fund

The Artz Family, in appreciation Carolyn Green, in appreciation for the monthly services held at Wildewood Downs Religious School Fund

Sandra & Gerald Euster, in memory of Rita Wasserman Fred & Irene Fields, in memory of Paul Siskin Marcia & Harry Rosenfeld, in honor of Zeva Leader’s baby naming

Sukkah Plaza Brick

Donna & Ernie Magaro and Rob & Amy Scully, in memory of Rita Wasserman Jonathan Train Youth Group Endowment Fund

Hans & Jennifer Mykytyn and Matthew Train, in memory of Marvin Selig Youth Activities Fund

Rob, Amy, & Matthew Scully, in memory of Marvin Selig Rob, Amy, & Matthew Scully, Mazel Tov to Paul & Karen Beattie on Andrew becoming an Eagle Scout

CONTRIBUTIONS

Continued from page 4

• For high schoolers, the URJ

offers Kutz Camp –

NFTY’s Campus for Reform Jewish Teens. Kutz Camp is located in upstate New York and concentrates on developing leadership skills, Jewish ethics, men-torship and advocacy, ritual life and much more.

You can access more information on any of these programs by going to www.urj.org and clicking on the link to youth and camps. Rabbi Sherman and I strongly support these wonderful programs and are committed to helping our families make summer sleep-away camp happen for their children. In Hebrew the word for donation is Terumah. That same word is also the name of a Torah portion in the

book of Exodus that describes the many contributions needed from the children of Israel to build the Taberna-cle in the wilderness. Building a Tabernacle was a com-plicated and probably quite costly undertaking. Sending a child to camp is not necessarily compli-cated, but it can be expensive. As you can imagine, camps are quite costly to run. Any trumot – donations that you can make – to the Youth Activities Fund at Temple are so appreciated and will greatly help to offset the cost of summer camp for many of our families. On Sunday, Feb. 13 Rabbi Sherman and I invite you to join an informal session of parents and students who have experienced summers at the camps listed above. The meeting will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the social hall. There will be a PowerPoint presentation as well as campers and parents present to share their summer ex-periences. For more information or questions, feel free to speak with Risa or Rabbi at Temple.

Barton’s Miss Chocolate Passover Candy

& Confection Sale!

Begin your preparation for Passover by starting with dessert. Order packets are available from TOL Religious School students and in the Temple office. This important fundraiser helps support the TOL Religious School. The sale ENDS February 18, 2011. Use an or-der form or go on-line at: www.misschocolate.com. Enter School Code: 704479.

TOL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

30 8:45am

TYG Bagel Breakfast Fundraiser

1:30pm Israeli Dance

31 1 2 7:00pm

Beginner Hebrew

8:00pm Beyond Beginners

3 4 6:00pm

KIDZ Shabbat Dinner & Service

7:30pm

Shabbat Service

5

6 11:15am

Brotherhood Hot Dog Lunch Fundraiser

10:45am Teacher In-Service

7 8

7:00pm Sisterhood Book Club

9 5:30pm

Beginner Hebrew

6:30pm Beyond Beginners

6:30pm Executive Board

7:30pm Board of Directors

10

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE

FOR MARCH

ARTICLES

11 6:30pm

Potluck Dinner

7:30pm Shabbat Service (Kitah Dalet Students)

12 10:00am

Shabbat Morning Service

7:00pm TOL Wine Tasting at Gregg Park

13 12:15pm

URJ Summer Camp Q&A

4:00pm Grade 6/7

14 15 16

6:00pm—9:00pm Adult Education

Classes (see pgs 8-9)

17 18

7:30pm Shabbat Service

19

20 NO SUNDAY

SCHOOL

CLASSES

10:30am Brotherhood Bicycle Ride

21

7:30pm BIG NOSH Meeting

22

7:30pm Sisterhood

Board Meeting

23

6:00pm—9:00pm Adult Education

Classes (see pgs 8-9)

24 25

7:30pm Special Musical Shabbat Service with Josh Nelson

26 10:30am Pre-School Shabbat Tales

7:30pm Josh Nelson Project Concert

@ TOL

27 8:45am

TYG Bagel Break-fast

Fundraiser

11:00am Brotherhood Annual Mtg

(Brad’s home)

2:00pm Interfaith Dialogue Program @ TOL

4:00pm Grade 1 & 2 Family Life

28 1 2

6:00pm—9:00pm Adult Education

Classes (see pgs 8-9)

3 4 7:30pm

Shabbat Service

NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah (7th & 8th Graders) Hosted by TOL

5

NFTY-SAR Hatikvah Kallah (7th & 8th Graders) Hosted by TOL

February 2011

16

DIRECTORY

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Endowment………………………………….…Ned Strauss Finance………………………………….….Debra Tedeschi Fundraising…………………………...……….Scott Kaplan House & Ground………………..………..…G. Todd Weiss Membership…………………...……………...Laney Cohen Outreach…………………………………....Debra Tedeschi Religious School Board……………………..….Kim Moses Ritual…………………………….……….....Richard Cohen Social Action…………………………………….Ilene King Temple Youth Group……………………….…..Bill Strauss AFFILIATES Brotherhood President………………………….Brad Smith Sisterhood President..………..………...….Linda Ackerman COFTY President……………………………..Jessica Volin TOL NEWSLETTER Design...…..……………………………….Morgan Sherman Proofreader……..………………..…………....Marc Rapport TEMPLE STAFF Office Manager……………………………...Linda Frederico Custodian………………..…………..….....Demitris Gilmore TEMPLE MUSICIANS Music Director……………………...…...…Sharon Witherell Music Director Emeritus………………......…Jackie McNeill

TREE OF LIFE CONGREGATION Established 1896

6719 North Trenholm Road Columbia, SC 29206

Office: (803) 787-2182 Fax: (803) 787-0309

Website: www.tolsc.org Email: tolcong@bellsouth.net

Office Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Friday 8:30 am – 4 p.m.

Closed daily 12 noon – 1 p.m.

RABBI Daniel M. Sherman rabbisherman@bellsouth.net RABBI EMERITUS Sanford T. Marcus, D.D. Risa Strauss, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR risatol@bellsouth.net

OFFICERS PRESIDENT………….…………………………….…….Jeff Selig jhselig@bellsouth.net 1ST VICE PRESIDENT…………..………………...Debra Tedeschi 2ND VICE PRESIDENT….………………..…….Annette Goldstein TREASURER………………………..………....….....Paul Westfall SECRETARY…………………………..…...….............Bill Strauss IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT………………….....Amy Scully

BOARD MEMBERS

Michelle Bowen Scott Kaplan David Carr Donna Magaro Laney Cohen Kim Moses Richard Cohen Arline Polinsky Richard H. Cohn Marc Rapport Deborah Greenhouse Julie Strauss LIFETIME BOARD MEMBERS Bernard Fleischman, Jr. Stephen Savitz Howard Weiss

Tree of Life Congregation 6719 North Trenholm Road Columbia, SC 29206 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

COLUMBIA, SC

PERMIT #121