you’re at home here!
TRANSCRIPT
You’re at Home Here!
Congregation Beth HaTephila: An Engaging, Inclusive, Reform Congregation in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
September 2021 Vol. 82 No. 1 (Published monthly) Elul – Tishrei 5781-5782
Congregation Beth HaTephila 43 North Liberty Street
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-1822
(828) 253-4911 Web site: bethhatephila.org
Batsheva H. Meiri, Rabbi ([email protected])
Buffy Skolnick, Executive Director ([email protected])
Seth Kellam, Religious School Director ([email protected])
Gaia Goldman, President ([email protected])
Robert J. Ratner, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus
SERVICES
Fridays – 7:30 PM Family Service First Friday @ 6:30 PM
What’s Inside
Board & Committee Members 2 Rabbi’s Message 3 President’s Message 4 Brotherhood Buzz 5 Sisterhood News 6 Elevation Elul 6 Tikkun Olam Committee 7 Caring Community Circle 8 Carolina Jews for Justice 9 Religious School 10 Gifts and Memorials 10 Letter from CBHT President 11 Celebrations 12 Our CBHT Family 12 Yahrzeits 13 Sisterhood Clothing Drive for ABCCM 14 Manna Food Bank 15 Ingles Tools for Schools 16 Trip to Peru 17 Advertisers 18
TEMPLE OFFICE HOURS
Mon. — Thurs.: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Rabbi Meiri
To make an appointment with Rabbi Meiri, please call the Temple office (253-4911, ext.10).
High Holy Days Schedule 5782 – 2021
Monday, September 6th
Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 7:30 PM Livestream & Sanctuary
Tuesday, September 7th
Meditation & Music w/ Billy Jonas 9:00 - 9:45 AM Zoom Only
Rosh Hashanah Morning Service 10:00 AM Livestream & Sanctuary
Rosh Hashanah Family Service & Tashlich Service at Weaver Park
2:30 PM Weaver Park
Wednesday, September 8th
2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Mountain Top Experience w/ Billy Jonas Craggy Gardens More info in HHD Email 11:00 AM
Friday, September 10th
Shabbat Shuvah 7:30 PM Livestream & Sanctuary
Wednesday, September 15th
Kol Nidre 7:30 PM Livestream & Sanctuary
Thursday, September 16th
Silent Meditation with Rabbi 8:30 -8:45 AM Zoom Only Meditation & Music w/ Billy Jonas 9:00 - 9:45 AM Zoom Only
Yom Kippur Morning Service 10:00 AM Livestream & Sanctuary
Enhanced Yizkor Experience 1:30 PM Zoom Only
Yom Kippur Family Service 2:30 PM Amphitheater (if good weather)
Yizkor Service then Neila Services 4:30 PM Livestream & Sanctuary
Monday, September 20th
Erev Sukkot Service To Be Determined
Tuesday, September 21st
Sukkot Service To Be Determined
Monday, September 27th
Shimimi Atzeret/Simchat Torah & Consecration To Be Determined
See page 11 for the details and procedures regarding participation in the above services.
Temple Board & Committee Members
All email addresses below end with @bethhatephila.org
TEMPLE OFFICERS CONGREGATIONAL COMMITTEES &
Sub Committees
Gaia Goldman, President president Sabrina Rockoff, 1st V.P. firstvp Harris Livingstain, 2nd V.P. secondvp FINANCE
Raymond Capelouto, Chair finance Shannon Tuch, Secretary secretary
Raymond Capelouto, Treas. treasurer Pam Shelton, Asst. Treas. assttreasurer GOVERNANCE Tikkun Gottschalk, Past Pres. pastpres Sabrina Rockoff, Chair firstvp
BOARD OF TRUSTEES HISTORIAN Alan Feiler trusteea Sharon Fahrer historian Darren Green trusteeb Sam Hausfather trusteec HOUSE Alison Rhodes trusteed Chair house Amanda Diamond Ring trusteee Chuck Rosenblum trusteef NOMINATING
David Seligman trusteeg Chair nominating Marty Stickle trusteeh Anne Winner trusteei RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Amanda Diamond Ring religiousschool
CONGREGATIONAL COMMITTEES
L’Dor V’Dor – Capital Campaign RITUAL
Larry Weiss & Joe Karpen, Co- Chairs longrange Isaac Rockoff, Chair ritual
BROTHERHOOD SECURITY
Paul Glaser brotherhood
Eric Naimark, Chair security
CARING COMMUNITY caringcommunity SISTERHOOD
Cindy Feiler& Melissa Seligman, Co-Chair Phyllis Nalick & Roberta Naimark, Co-Presidents, sisterhood
CEMETERY SISTERHOOD GIFT SHOP
Buddy Riesenberg, Chair admin Jessica VanRegenmorter giftshop
CHOIR TIKKUN OLAM
Sarah Kim Senor choir Sam Hausfather, Chair tikkunolam
Menorah Editor: Barbara Jaslow — [email protected]
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Between You and Me
This autumn holy day season has a design and focus that is radically different from all other Jewish holidays. Most holidays draw our attention to changing cycles of nature and recall important stories that ground us in vital Jewish values. For example, when we observe Pesach, we celebrate the onset of spring. At the
same time, our Seders walk us through the story of our ancestors’ exodus from Egyptian bondage and our continued mission is to relieve suffering wherever we find it. Religious history and story are at the heart of our observances of Chanukah and Purim. Tisha B’av and Yom HaShoah are opportunities to mourn tragic events in Jewish history.
The Days of Awe make a completely different claim on our spiritual lives. While the Machzor describes the priestly rituals of expiation executed back in the day, our gaze this season is not pulled backwards in time to those events. The history we are interested in is our own: where we veered off our intended path, when we stayed true to ourselves, when we were able to show our truest self and when we betrayed ourselves and others through our actions and words. While we read a lot of Torah, the most important Torah we must study at this season is the Torah of our lives.
Where it gets really interesting and liberating is the assurance we are given at this season that our life story has no predetermined ending
At the end of a Passover Seder, Pharaoh’s army always drowns in the sea while the Israelites safely rest on the far shores of freedom. But on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, no such ending is offered. Instead, we are boldly entreated to remember that ours is a story that is still unfolding and we are its authors. Through the powerful tool of teshuvah, atonement, we can radically change the plotline, make U-turns and head in new directions should we so choose. This season is about reminding us, as Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert has written, that “Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished.”
It is true that we are partially products of our circumstances and conditioning. It is true that we have habits that are difficult to break, personality traits that sometimes serve us and other times don’t. It is true that we have a self that others know and is known to ourselves and there is security and familiarity in continuing being that self. But these are not days we are to squander in our comfort zone. These are days for our hardened ideas of “who we are” to be shaken loose by the shattering sounds of the shofar which proclaims to us again that we can be new in all the ways we hope to be and yearn to be. Who we are is who we will create ourselves to be, over and over again.
If anything, this year has been an education in managing the dark side of uncertainty. I look forward to sharing with you this season of awakening to the possibility that is contained within uncertainty. May it bring us all blessing.
L’Shana Tova
Send in your article for the October Menorah by the Sunday, September 12th, deadline and you’ll have one less thing to
atone for on Yom Kippur. And, I guarantee you an Easy Fast!
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President’s Message
I just returned from our temple’s annual spiritual retreat led by Rabbi Meiri and as always, feel restored and recharged. This year, one of the group activities was designed to help us process our emotions relating to events that have happened during the pandemic. Each of the 20+ participants were given a
pile of rocks and a marker, and asked to write down on the rocks specific emotions that arose when thinking about the many hardships and traumas we have faced since the pandemic began. Challenges like Covid’s death toll, the temple closing, Black Lives Matter, the Capitol riots, and the murder of George Floyd. We were then given opportunities throughout the weekend to process and release our fear, sadness, anger, and worry around these issues. The exercise lasted all weekend and during that time we were invited to carry our bag of rocks around with us wherever we went.
As I watched myself and my fellow participants schlep our heavy bags, I was struck by how this is a moment in our collective history that calls for resilience. Sure, we also need to be courageous, adaptive, and smart in how we deal with the pandemic; but in truth there is a lot we can’t control, even when all these qualities come to
bear. The widespread occurrence of the Delta variant at the time I write this drives home the fact that we’ll need endurance to get through the next few months. I take comfort in knowing that as a Jewish people, we are nothing if not resilient.
Our history is rich with defining moments where it would’ve been easier to submit to injustice, allow ourselves to be divided, or just plain give up. But none of those things are in our collective DNA. Quite the opposite in fact. Throughout history, there are countless examples of Jews overcoming unfavorable odds with creativity, resourcefulness, and determination. Yes, we prevail and prosper through our talents and skills, but also through our unwavering faith. Faith in ourselves, faith in each other, and faith in G-d.
This pandemic is no different. The past 17 months have shown that we can do hard things, not just to get by, but to thrive. These are my wish and my vision as we enter this High Holy Day season. That we remember how strong and resilient we already are. That we can adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. And most of all, that we can nurture our inner sanctuary with a strong and clear connection to G-d regardless of our circumstances. If it’s true that what we focus on expands, then let us all set down our rocks and lovingly carry each other into the new year instead.
L’Shanah tovah u’metukah. Gaia Goldman, CBHT President
Come Present at the JFS Elder Club!
The Jewish Family Services Elder Club Group Respite Program provides socialization for isolated seniors and respite for caregivers. Elder Club meets three days a week – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – from 11 AM to 2 PM. For the last hour of the day, Elder Club invites activity presenters to share music, arts and crafts, lead an activity, or give a presentation in front of the Elder Club participants, and we are always looking for new fun and exciting activity presenters! If you have something special you would like to share with our Elder Club members, please contact the Elder Club Program Manager Brendan Hanover at [email protected] or call 253.2900.
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Brotherhood Buzz
So here we are, another New Year upon us.
I never suspected, lo those many years ago, that when my college fraternity made me memorize the Greek alphabet (and be able to recite it in the time it took for a match to burn out) it would be of such value at this time in history. Not only does it help my crossword puzzle-solving skills to know which letter follows “sigma,” (tau), but it’s also helped me keep up with the various Covid variants.
Those variants preclude any 100% reliable announcements from this column as to the Brotherhood events for which one can plan to attend in the coming month.
If things were otherwise, I would tell you that CBHT Brotherhood helpers will be in the kitchen helping to present the Break of the Fast following the conclusion of services on Yom Kippur. Or that we’ll be once again offering the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of eating a meal in a sukkah with a new and improved Burgers and Booze Schmooze in the CBHT Sukkah on the evening of September 22nd. But as of this writing we don’t really know whether there will be any kitchen service for Break/Fast, or whether any food service at all will be available in our building during the month of September.
Unfortunately, too often over the past year-and-a-half I’ve been guilty of presenting a column which doesn’t exactly coincide with what’s really happening here. All due to the pandemic.
To be realistic, all I’ll say now is that Brotherhood has optimistically planned a full series of events for the coming month or two or three, and that we’ll do our best to better promote them as we get closer to the events themselves. And if circumstances preclude a food event in our sukkah again this year, we will try to substitute it with a lunchtime Schmooze in a local restaurant. If circumstances allow the latter, of course.
So be sure to watch your emails for further developments.
In the meantime, if you haven’t already done so, please consider mailing your $36 annual dues check to CBHT Brotherhood in care of the temple office. Or, if you are a new member here at CBHT, we’d like to offer you a free year’s membership (but you have to let me know so I can put your name on our membership list). If you have any questions or comments, let me know.
And L’Shanah Tovah to y’all.
Shalom,
Paul Glaser, CBHT President
Join the CBHT Tech Team!
Have you ever watched a live TV event and thought, "Wow, the person directing this broadcast has the coolest job in the world! I wish I could do that!"? Or perhaps you've watched CBHT services online over the past 18 months and thought "That's pretty cool. I'd love to know how that works."
Now is your chance! The CBHT production team is looking for a few good congregants to round out our group.
What do you need? A moderate level of comfort with technology, a schedule that would allow you to commit to being at Friday night services 1-2 times per month up to an hour early, a willingness to learn, and a desire to give back to your congregation and community!
You don't need to be an expert or have previous knowledge (we didn't!), you just need to be willing to channel your inner Bill Gates or Steven Spielberg!
Teens and adults can be good fits as long as you can commit to your dates 4-8 weeks ahead of time and can be responsible for being there on those dates.
Contact Kevin Ring at 828.450.0385 or [email protected]
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Sisterhood News
We Are the Women of CBHT: A Rich Tapestry of Voices That Work
Together To Serve our Temple, Support the Community, And Enrich
Our Lives Through Personal Growth and Friendship.
The Women of Sisterhood wish CBHT a beautiful meaningful Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
While this year is again different in our multiyear pandemic with a new variant and illness present even in those who are vaccinated, we cannot give up hope. Hope that those who are unvaccinated will become vaccinated, hope that everyone will keep their masks on in a crowd of others and hope that this is a blip in the road for a bigger, better future. Let us take this time to enjoy small pleasures, the turning of the leaves and the glorious beauty of sunrises and sunsets. At this time, lets us get through one difficult day at a time by looking at what we have rather than what we do not.
Sisterhood’s future programming:
Sunday, October 3rd: New Member Program at the home of Hope Warshaw.
Saturday, October 9th: @ 6 PM Havdalah Rosh Chodesh at Jewell Acres Lake.
Sunday, October 31st: @ 10 to 12 :30, Jewish Rituals of death. All the questions you were dying to ask. Sharon Fahrer will give us a guided tour of Riverside Cemetery following the temple portion of the program.
Please stay tuned for details of future programs and events in these ever-changing Covid times.
In the spirit of Tzedakah, Sisterhood’s dynamic Social Action Committee will again be having a clothing drive in the Temple Parking lot for Women and Children for ABCCM Transformation Village on Sunday, October 10th from 12 to 2 PM. Please see the flyer in this Menorah for more details.
Sisterhood is giving the Congregation a giant virtual hug and the wish for a beautiful Rosh Hashanah and an easy fast for Yom Kippur.
B’Shalom, Phyllis Nalick, Co-President
ELEVATING ELUL SERIES with BILLY JONAS
Are you ready for the days of Awe?
Want to find more personal relevance, and deepen your understanding of the High Holiday services?
Join me and fellow congregants in preparing ourselves for the High Holy Days through music, mindfulness, and meditation. Our last class will take place on Thursday, September 2nd,from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. Please join us even if you haven’t attended the earlier sessions. We will meet in-person.
We’ll follow in the tradition of Moses Maimonides and Rabbis of the Middle Ages. They spent the month of Elul (the 29 days preceding Rosh Hashanah) preparing themselves for a true High Holiday “Cheshbon Hanefesh” (Accounting of the Soul). We’ll use stories, songs, journaling, poetry and personal reflection to open our minds and hearts, and make the High Holy Days a time of genuine transformation.
Our guiding text will be Rabbi Alan Lew's INCREDIBLE book: This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation.
If you want to preview or order the book, there is an audio sample at Audible.com (link to Audible.com sample, and FREE audio copy if you don't have Audible yet) and a written sample at Amazon.com (Iink to Amazon for hardcopy and sample).
To register, look for a link in the weekly email from Executive Director, Buffy Skolnick.
2nd DAY of ROSH HASHANAH - MOUNTAINTOP MINYAN! Come celebrate the Jewish New Year at Craggy Gardens! Wednesday, Sept. 8th— details to be announced.
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The Lotte Meyerson Tikkun Olam Committee ([email protected])
UPCOMING SCHEDULED LOTTE MEYERSON TIKKUN OLAM PROJECTS:
MANNA High Holiday Food Collection – see the flyer on page 15.
1st Friday each month from 1-3 PM @ MANNA– CBHT volunteer team. Contact Wendy Capelouto at [email protected] to help. 4th Thursday each month @ noon – CBHT Vets shelter meal serving. Contact Hilary Paradise at [email protected] to help. Monday, November 15th @ 4:30 PM—next LMTO meeting
QUESTIONS FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS Adapted from rac.org
The High Holidays provides an opportunity to reflect about the past year – instances in which we excelled and those where we could have done better. These questions are intended to honor all of us by helping to identify and acknowledge our missteps so that we may, ultimately, do better going forward.
1. WHEN HAVE I COMMITTED MICROAGGRESSIONS? Microaggressions are often unintended slights, invalidations, and insults directed toward members of marginalized communities; in Judaism, such microaggressions can be considered lashon hara, “bad speech.” Even with our best intentions, we’ve all committed microaggressions in some way or another. It’s important that we not block these instances from our minds due to guilt or denial, but rather acknowledge them, reckon with them, and determine how we can do better. We are capable of committing small but meaningful good deeds concurrently – so just imagine what else we are capable of when we act even more mindfully.
2. WHEN HAVE I GIVEN IN TO MY “SENSE OF URGENCY”? When we see a problem, we often want to fix it immediately, which has the unfortunate side effect of limiting inclusion, democratic decision-making, and overall benefit to the marginalized communities we aim to serve. We must ask ourselves, then: When have I unintentionally sacrificed the long-term benefit of others for a quick win to meet a quota or check a mark off a short-term goal list? Inversely, when we take time
•
to center ourselves and plan ahead, to understand that everything in life is in a constant state of process, we see beautiful results, and we know what’s possible in the new year ahead, as well.
3. HOW HAVE I USED MY PRIVILEGE? “Privilege” isn’t a dirty word! While not all privilege is the same, we all have it in some varying degree. Therefore, the question we should ask ourselves this month is not whether we have privilege but rather how we have used our privilege – and when we have fallen short. When have you practiced genuine allyship when others have needed it the most? When might you have been able to act differently or do better? Regardless of what our individual answers are and how well we’ve succeeded in using our privilege to uphold the rights and dignity of others, we can still grow and improve, and this time of year is the perfect time to make that happen.
The LMTO Committee wishes these High Holidays may be a time of healing and empowerment as we move – as a united Jewish community – into the new year ahead. We look forward to working to repair the world together.
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION
Please drop off new or gently used children’s picture book in the tubs at the temple. These will be donated to groups that support underserved families who do not have access to books. Books in the homes of
children is a strong predictor of future academic success.
Financial donations will also be accepted to purchase books for particular groups. Checks may be made out to CBHT Tikkun Olam with Book Collection on the Note line. For further information contact Jenny Mercer at [email protected].
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Caring Community Circle
The Caring Community Circle’s vision is to support and care about one another as congregants and to make a positive impact on your life, and the lives of those you love, by inspiring connection. As an active member of CCC, Ahava has been working toward creating connections for our LGBTQ+ members. I hope you’ll treasure her article below as much as I do, and I hope you’ll plan to join in the conversation. L’shalom, Cindy
Where Did We Come Up With The Rainbow?
Where did we come up with the rainbow? What's with all these awesome and fun new pronouns? Why is it still legal to be fired for being LGBTQ+ in 29 states? What's with all those flags? Do all of us scream “Yaasss queen!” when we see Lady Gaga? (Yes.) Do you remember the AIDS crisis in the 80s
and 90s? Have you heard of Matthew Shepard?
Oh, the questions you can ask at a wonderful new workshop I'm working on to answer them about my other family, the LGBTQ+ community! It's a community-building, hopefully multi-generational, extravaganza where we can all learn about what happened in the past, and what’s happening now, and how we can build a better future. We can share our coming-out stories if you have one!
For example, I came out in 2004, when I was a teenager, after several years of struggling with all the sins of what that meant with all of the religious propaganda. When I was 12 years old, I cried in my bed accepting my fate of burning in a bad place, because I couldn't just "turn this off." I was 14 when I came out to my friends, who were lovely and supportive, and 15 when I came out to my family who were tolerant at best. Can you imagine how hurtful it was being a teenager who was LGBTQ+ knowing it was illegal to be married to the person you loved?
Earlier this year I finally got the opportunity to watch (binge) the spin-off of my favorite show as a teenager: The L word: Generation Q. While I watched, it dawned on me that I hadn't let being a Lesbian be a part of who I am. It was just something I did. I hadn’t embraced it. And I imagine many people have had the same experiences!
I want to build a space where all people can come and learn about all the colors of our LGBTQ+ rainbow and feel the family within the family. I want to help initiate an embrace of identity without shame. As it stands presently, I will be talking with the Religious School students on October 24th, and November 7th and 21st. After that I would love to expand to the community as a whole. What I hope to see come from this is possibly a group that meets regularly to continue conversations and educate members on LGBT lingo, political, and moral issues. Join us as we dive into fun bright topics, and hit on heartbreaking realities that still harm us today. Come share your experiences and your pronouns. Your love and all of your questions. Come support your Jewish LGBTQ+ family members! Can’t wait to see you all! With peace,
Ahava Shalom Miller, Caring Community Circle
CCC can provide transportation if you need a ride to a medical appointment? Please let Cindy know if you need a ride or if you are willing to be a driver.
Contact Cindy at [email protected].
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This Rosh Hashanah Help Right An Egregious Wrong Here In WNC Howard Berkowitz
As we approach the High Holidays, we often focus on the life we are leading and what we need to change. What mistakes have we made and more importantly what new actions we should take in the New Year? Most of us have lists of both types particularly for our personal lives, but have we considered what we might do to better our community? We in Carolina Jews for Justice (CJJ) are exploring how to eliminate inequity and racism in the Buncombe County and Asheville property tax codes, which place an inordinate burden on People of Color.
The Asheville Citizen Times (ACT) in a July 14th story “Disparity in the Market” examined the property tax system, showing that it reflects practices of systemic racism. Urban renewal programs, which Asheville recently acknowledged, exploited and damaged the Black community. Larger self-sustaining Black neighborhoods were divided into smaller dependent neighborhoods. Prior to Urban Renewal, the rate of Black home ownership in Southside, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Asheville, was 58%. Currently citywide home ownership in the Black community is only 44.3%. To address the loss of generational wealth as well as loss of communities, Asheville has become one of the first cities to vote for reparations.
The ACT story includes data from an urban planning expert that clearly demonstrates that the tax assessed per square foot is consistently higher in areas populated by People of Color and low-income communities. The information in the data tells a compelling story that policy on tax assessments needs to change. A 600+ page manual for county/city employees to calculate property's assessed value exists with the goal of
creating. fair, objective, unbiased, and consistent tax assessments across Asheville/Buncombe County. But based on the results, that goal is not met. We must insist our county and city officials re-examine property tax assessments to ensure that valuations are consistent, rather than laying the tax burden inordinately upon those least able to pay.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, “When a person turns himself around, regrets his past and does good, that is such a powerful act that his sins become merits.” Looking at the wrongs that have been done to the communities of Color in Asheville and Buncombe County, we see an opportunity to take “powerful acts” to turn around the damage of these past wrongs
We invite you to work with CJJ as we support a fair and equitable system of property taxation in our community. We will be working with other groups as well as city and county officials to demand changes to the tax assessment process. Join us to help lessen the harm done to these communities and begin to repair the inequality.
Douglas Aronin has said, “The blessing over the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah refers to the mitzvah as ‘hearing the voice of the Shofar,’ but since that voice speaks without words, the message that is heard depends a great deal on who is doing the listening.” This year when you hear the blowing of the Shofar, who will you be? And what actions will you feel compelled to take?
Contact Judy Leavitt at [email protected] for more information about how to get involved or visit the CJJ webpage at carolinajewsforjustice.org.
The views expressed are those of Carolina Jews for Justice and do not necessarily represent the views of CBHT.
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Returning to school can require some adjustment. Initially one might need to physically adjust. We need to be up earlier than we might prefer. We have to sustain our energy for the entire day! That might require additional sleep, adjusted diet and even exercise. But what always takes me by surprise is all of the emotional
adjustments that need to happen when returning to school.
Like all of the children in our congregation, I too am returning to school for my third year of Cantorial training. School has never come easily to me and while I love my field of study, re-entry into academic life always stings. Without knowing exactly what the flow of my day and week is, fills me with anxiety. Not to mention the self-doubt I have surrounding learning. Once the semester begins, my anticipatory anxiety is replaced with the stress around keeping up with my assignments and keeping up with my comprehension. Can I stay afloat?
Fortunately, I have enough life experience to temper those concerns so that they don’t overwhelm. But, they used to! And, I’m sure that some of our CBHT students feel similarly. Our teachers at CBHT Religious School recognize this and feel compassionately. Our teachers are passionate, caring, thoughtful, Jewish
leaders, who give of themselves tremendously. They are excited about being Jewish, and sharing our faith, practices, and values with our students. And, built into our tradition is the desire to encourage everyone to feel the same.
It may be another crazy start to the school year, however, with masks on our faces and love in our hearts every Sunday. But like Abraham and Sarah, we will welcome every student with full and complete compassion.
B’shalom, Seth Kellam,
Director of Religious Education & Sacred Music
Gifts & Memorials
The Congregation and its Trustees gratefully acknowledge the following gifts.
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Bert Rothman Jane Rothman Bob & Hilda Pozner Helen R. Pozner Herb & Jayne Gallinger Lillian Gallinger & Estelle Greene Leslie White & Dawna Wade Evelyn Ruth White
DONATED BY IN HONOR OF Rick & Laurie Chess Rabbi Meiri
TIKKUN OLAM FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Sam & Pam Hausfather Edythe Hausfather Bienstock
SACRED MUSIC & KOL SIMCHA CHOIR FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Steve Shulruff Mary Shulruff Steve Shulruff Joseph T. Shulruff, M.D.
DONATED BY IN HONOR OF Henrietta Cuttler Phyllis & Don Nalick’s renewal
of wedding vows
DONATED BY WITH GRATIUDE TO CBHT Sisterhood Deborah Silverstein
CBHT OPERATING FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Danielle Earley Jeannette Greenberg Dr. Bill & Dianne Neglia Bill Rocamora Robert & Carol Nemo Bill Rocamora Lisa Straus and Jim Bethel Bill Rocamora
PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Caren Goodman Ellen Gladding and B. Paul Goodman
L’DOR V’DOR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FUND DONATED BY IN MEMORY OF Joe & Jean Karpen Rabbi Michael Robinson Leslie Croland & Sandra Tart Henry Croland Leslie White & Dawna Wade Dora White & Edna Ruth Randee Goodstadt Nathan Rich Brenner
DONATED BY IN HONOR OF Gaia Goldman Shannon & David Tuch
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Dear CBHT Community,
As we continue to navigate the impact Covid-19 has on our community and our world, the plans we had for reopening the temple and for High Holidays are having to shift a bit to make things safer for our members. Balancing our deep desire to remain the open and hospitable congregation that we are while also doing our part to stop the spread of the virus continues to be a delicate act. We are grateful to our Medical Advisory Committee for their knowledge and guidance during these difficult times. Special thank you to Dr. Alan Feiler, who has fielded dozens of pandemic-related questions, and has been endlessly available to us.
For Building Use/Services in August and September We will continue to require vaccination cards from those entering our building. Now, we are also requiring that vaccinated members, as well as children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated, mask on our property, both inside and outside.
High Holy Day Services The bullet points below are the result of several conversations between the executive committee, temple staff, and our medical advisory committee. Please know that many of these decisions were difficult to make. Our guiding principle was, and is, to offer a meaningful High Holy Days experience to the largest number of congregants, both in-person and at home, while at the same time keeping our community safe.
In-person and live streaming access will only be available to current members in good standing who have made their Fiscal Year 22 Fair Share Commitment. We will not have guests this year either in person or on livestream as we are focusing on providing HHD services for our members only.
• The following services will be both livestreamed and in person: Erev Rosh Hashanah, morning Rosh HaShanah, Kol Nidre, Morning Yom Kippur, Yizkor/Neila. We will have a beautiful S’lichot service that will be held via livestream only. We will not have afternoon Yom Kippur services this year.
• All members who are in good standing will be emailed the links to livestream all services. These will be unique links that are not our typical service links or the links we used last year.
• Registration is required for all indoor in-person services. Members who are in good standing will receive an email in which they will be asked if they want to attend indoor in-person services. If they do, they will be asked to register and rank the five services in order of preference. This will ensure that each member can attend at least one of their preferred services. If registrations are lower, it is likely that each member will be able to attend two or more services. S’lichot will be held via livestream only.
• For in-person services, all attendees in the pews will
be masked. Seating in the sanctuary will promote social distancing with groups no less than 3 feet apart. Capacity will be limited to +/- 75 people per service.
• All attendees must show proof of vaccination to attend in-person indoor High Holy Day services. This means that indoor High Holy Day services will not be accessible to unvaccinated children. However, afternoon family services will be offered outdoors, weather permitting.
• Rosh HaShanah family service will be held outdoors in Weaver Park followed by Tashlich, weather permitting. Yom Kippur family services will be held in our amphitheater, weather permitting. If the weather does not cooperate, we will provide streamed family services.
• Singing in our sanctuary will be by our Ensemble only. They may be unmasked while singing. To help lower the risk of infection, we made the incredibly difficult decision of foregoing Kol Simcha Choir’s participation in High Holy Day services this year.
• Shofar will only be blown by Rabbi, in the vestibule, with doors open.
• We will not have honors and readers in our services this year with the exception of Torah and Haftarah readers. This is to limit movement in the sanctuary and provide an extra layer of protection to the Ensemble and Rabbi, who may be on the bima and unmasked. We realize some of you have already been contacted regarding honors. We appreciate your willingness to participate and hope to be able to contact you next year.
• The office will facilitate and assist with the purchase of HHD prayer books for those choosing to worship at home.
We are offering different types of experience so that everyone in our community can choose what makes their High Holy Days experience most meaningful. Please read our revised schedule on the cover of the Menorah so you can see what is being offered and take some time to consider what you want for your holiday this year. If you have questions, please reach out to me or Buffy: at [email protected] or [email protected].
I am grateful for this community and look forward to sharing the holidays with you in whatever way feels best for you and your family,
Gaia Goldman,
CBHT President
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Celebrate With Our Temple Families
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
2 Charles Rosenblum 19 Jennifer Glasser 2 Steve & Susan Huter 3 Anna Bernstein 21 Selia Morgan 3 Peretz & Daphne Cohn 3 Joe Gates 21 Lizzie Naimark 3 Gil & Dionne Kempenich 3 Cathleen Kilbanoff 21 Gary Rodbell 6 Alan & Silvia Meyer 4 Richard Shrier 22 Meredith Gottschalk 6 Nigel & Felisa Morgan 5 Megan Spicer 22 Maxwell Kline 7 Grier & Diane Davis 7 Juniper Winnecour 22 Carol Tannenbaum 10 David & Phyllis Perkins 8 Melody Hockley 23 Colette Rodbell 10 Larry & Kathy Rosenberg 8 Laura Livingstain 23 Suzie White 12 Jack & Kirsty Kline 8 Todd Norman 24 Rich Eichen 15 Rabbi Robert & Susan Ratner 9 Jonah Childs 24 Lucy Karpen 16 Gary & Colette Rodbell 9 Maya Resnick 24 Sue Levenson 17 Scott Vautrin & Christine Bell 9 Noah Senzon 24 Cora Livengood 24 Yaron & Hilary Fridman 9 Rachel Smith 24 Jared Schoenfeld 25 Alfred & Joyce Hiller 10 Roberta Birken 26 Isaac Francis-Fallon 25 Eric & Roberta Naimark 10 Elijah Seligman 27 Henrietta Cuttler 28 Jason & Steph Birn 11 Gabrielle Vautrin 27 Laurie Johnson 28 Pamela & Michael Shelton 12 Zoe Sarah Kaplan 27 Batsheva Meiri 29 Isaac & Sabrina Rockoff 12 Hilda Pozner 27 Sarah Kim Senor
13 David Shainberg 28 Kerry Friedman 15 Cathy Klein 28 Tricia Harris 15 Nancy Saidman 28 Marilyn White 15 Judy Willis 29 Ellen Carr 16 Jeff Slosman 29 Janet Oppenheimer 17 Eileen Simon 29 Jason Rhodes 17 Scott Vautrin 30 Matthew Huter 18 Molly Mesibov 30 Patricia Reader
Our CBHT Family
Welcome to Our New Members
Dr. Joe & Linda Levi
Maddy & Rich Eichen
Charles Erde
Jamie Johnson & Karl Liebman
Condolences to the Harriet & Rich Eisen on the death of their brother-in-law Eddie Fisher .
Condolences to Lanny & Linda Altshuler, on the death of their aunt Selma Blattman.
NOTE: If you are planning to use the LiveStream Access and not attend High Holy Day services in person, consider purchasing Mishkan HaNefesh prayer books from CCAR, 20% off until Sept. 15th, code MHN20. Please call 800.621.2736 to order.
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YAHRZEITS
The Yahrzeit policy at CBHT is as follows: The Anniversary date can be celebrated either in the English calendar or the Hebrew calendar. A letter to remind you about your upcoming Yahrzeit is sent to you two weeks before the actual date.
The name of your loved one is read at the Friday evening service immediately before the date of the Yahrzeit.
If your Yahrzeit actually falls on a Friday, it will be read the previous Friday.
If, for any reason, changes must be made, please call the Office before the scheduled date of service. Please keep the Office informed of any incorrect dates or new dates you wish to include.
It is important to give the Office the complete date (month/day/year) and whether it is the English or Hebrew date.
Please take a moment to update the Office now. Thank you.
September 3, 2021 September 10, 2021 September 17, 2021 September 24, 2021 Marsha Alexander Mary Ellen Burke Kate Birken Joseph Epperson Seymour Anzman Norman P. Cohen Morris Cohen Ruth Fischman Celia Bayer Anna Gershenson Maxwell Ingram Betty Helbein Bernard Blumenreich Leona Gottesman Morten Kahn Julian Hiller James Williiam Gottesman Betty S. Gradman Minnie Kempner Pauline Kaplan Minnie Halpern Miriam Mann Mary Lawson Micky Kaplan Arthur Joseph Sheva Pinkwater Frank Marder Mr. Louis Kaye Ruth Kosberg Sarah Pitt Sylvia Roberts Henrique Kempenich Evelyn Metzger Shirley Plotkin Christy Seligman Monna Lighte Peter Oppenheimer Franklyn Rettig Ellen Shafer Gustavo Rabin Israel Raim Oscar Roman Eve M. Shulruff Marvin Ratner Nathan Richter Ann Tretiak Milton Sirkin Jerome Rubin
Mildred Scott Somers Jordan Schimmel Samuel Staff Pauline Walkoff Donald Weisman Herman Wallace David Elam White
Contact
Telephone
Batsheva Meiri, Rabbi [email protected]
253.4911, ext. 10
Gaia Goldman, President
828.713.2071
Buffy Skolnick, Executive Director
[email protected] 253.4911, ext. 10
In case of an emergency outside of regular office hours, please call the office at 253.4911 and the voice mail recording will indicate whom to call and will provide the telephone number.
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Your Help Is Needed -
CBHT Sisterhood is Having a
Drive Thru Collection of Gently
Used Fall and Winter Women’s and Children’s
Clothing for ABCCM Transformation Village on
Sunday, October 10 from 12 noon to 2 pm.
Should you have gently used fall and winter women’s and children’s
clothing but you cannot drop them off on October 10th please email
Gail Sobel and Judy (B) Kaplan at [email protected]
and we will arrange with you to pick it up. Also, if you have any
questions please email us.
ABCCM Transformation Village – gives hope, healing,
health and a home to women, women with children,
and women vets. Residents get a fresh start and a
place to heal surrounded and supported by love,
trust, education, and companionship given by
volunteers and congregations.
You CAN help
every timeyou shop
1. Jot down the twelve digit number on the back of your card + your name, and your email to Cindy Feiler:
2. Email a picture of the back of your card (or the 12-digit number) along with your name to: [email protected]
3. Text a picture of the back of your card (or 12-digit number) and your name to Cindy:
828-777-0563.
NOTE
Every time you use your Ingles Advantage card when you shop, Ingles do-nates money to our school for equipment and supplies.
Sign up today!
The more cards we link toIngles Tools for Schools
the more
our kids benefit.
We’ll do the rest.
FREE $$$for OUR school!!
TEXT
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
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PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
CONGREGATION BETH HATEPHILA
43 NORTH LIBERTY STREET
ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-1822
(828) 253-4911
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
BATSHEVA MEIRI, RABBI
GAIA GOLDMAN, PRESIDENT
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID Asheville, NC Permit # 78