June 2011

Shalom Chaveirim/Dear Friends:

The month of June has a finality about it.  It’s the end of the school year.  Many students are graduating.  Children head off to camp; families head off on vacation.  Things quiet down considerably when school is out.  Before we head off in many different directions, I want to bring your attention to several June events here at Temple, most notably Confirmation, which occurs during the celebration of the Festival of Weeks, Shavuot, this year on June 7^th at 7:30 p.m.

At a time when our teens are busy with so many extra-curricular activities and getting ready for college, we have three teens who have made a concerted effort to attend Chai School and have personally chosen to be Confirmed.  We, as a congregation, should make every effort to come out and support these wonderful students who have been such an integral part of our Jewish community:  Brian Charash, Jenny Rehkugler and Charlie Sheppard.  Their parents as well deserve a lot of kavod/honor, for fostering in them by example a sense of commitment to our Temple community– all three families have been active members through teaching, class parenting, and/or worship attendance over the years: Lori & Bill Charash; Abby & Colin Rehkugler; Marjie & Mitch Sheppard.

Aleinu:  We began this “living room lecture series” about five years ago as an opportunity for adults to gather in the informal setting of someone’s home on a Saturday night and have an evening with an interesting speaker on a Jewish topic in a convivial atmosphere with other members of the Jewish community.  We gather for drinks and dessert, mark the end of the Sabbath with Havdallah and listen to a speaker.  This June 4^th we are gathering at the home of Natalie and Mitch Fleischman to hear the first-hand account of his cousin’s survival during the Holocaust on what has come to be known as the Voyage of the Damned.  There are details about this even elsewhere in the Shofar so I urge you to read about it and come to the Fleischman home for a pot-luck dinner.

Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan – These wonderful youngsters have been coming to Temple Sinai for more than a dozen years, spreading the message of Israel in an entertaining song and dance show.  People young and old have loved their shows.  Often times we have had them here during “finals” week; this year they will be here on June 29^th – school is long over.  I hope that before you disburse for the summer you will come out and support these wonderful teens.  As always, we need overnight host families.

Bnai Mitzvot – It’s always a simcha when one of our students is called to the Torah for the first time.  And it’s certainly a joy when the community shows up to support them in this effort.  We have two Bnai Mitzvot this June – Hana Kallen on June 4^th and Steven Levite on June 25^th.   I hope you will come to services and worship with our wonderful students and their families.

Don’t forget, Friday night services now start at 6:00 until September.

B’Shalom,

Judy Alexander