January/February 2012 - My Host Control

January/February 2012 | 6 Tevet - 6 Adar 5772 

The 

A Publication of Mosaic Law Congregation 

The Center at Twenty Three Hundred 

2300 Sierra Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95825 

For ticket purchase, visit www.eventbrite.com/ 

event/2451973920 or call: (916) 488-1122, ext. 23. 

Premium Seating $36.00 (includes a reception 

following the show with the author and cast) 

General Admission $25.00 

Student $18.00 

Help support Education while having a fabulous time! 

Chai 5 Campaign for 

Second Clergy 

By Deborah Gonzales 

It's here! The Chai 5 Campaign for a Second Clergy has 

arrived! In case you missed the beautiful brochure that was 

recently mailed, here are some Frequently Asked Questions 

regarding the campaign: 

Why "Chai Five"? $18x5=$90, the amount we are asking 

you to contribute on a monthly basis. Think about it like adding 

another gym membership, or an additional 14 days of coffee 

per month, or perhaps just ONE dinner out per month. It's 

really not a lot to ask for considering it is to help build the 

future of our shul. 

How long is the commitment? Three years. It is the standard 

in the "industry" for first contracts to be that length. 

Why a special campaign? Why not budget from the General 

Fund? The reality is that our General Fund cannot currently 

support a third professional, widely due to the impact 

the economy has had on our membership, as well as a decrease 

in the interest we used to receive from the Mosaic Law 

Foundation. We are asking for a pledge above and beyond 

your regular dues and donations so that this campaign does 

not affect our daily operational budget. 

(Continued on page 2) 

Services & Festivals 2 

Reflections from the 

President 3 

From the Director of 

Education and Youth 4 

Bat Mitzvah’s 6 

From the Sisterhood 7 

KOH Library 10-11 

L.E.A.P. 11 

Community Notes 13-14 

Board Notes 15-17 

Birthdays & Anniversaries 19-20 

Donations 21-22 

Kiddush Sponsors, 

Mazel Tov! & 

Condolences 23 

2300 Sierra Boulevard | Sacramento, CA 95825 | (916) Page 488-1122 1 | Fax: (916) 488-1165 | www.mosaiclaw.org

The Scroll 

January 

Services & Festivals 

Shabbat Candlelighting 

Times 

January 6 - 4:41pm 




Shabbat 

Shabbat Morning Service – 

9:00am 

January 7 

Parshat Vaychi 

Havdalah - 5:45pm 


Parshat Shemot 


Orly Fahn Bat Mitzvah 


Parshat Va’eira 



Parshat Bo 


Abby Milstein Bat MItzvah 

Minyan Schedule 

Mornings 

Sunday – 9:00am 

Monday, Thursday & 

Rosh Chodesh – 7:15am 

Federal Holidays – 8:30am 

Afternoons 

Monday – Thursday – 5:45pm 

Friday Kabbalat Shabbat – 

5:45pm 

February 

Services & Festivals 

Shabbat Candlelighting 

Times 

February 3 - 5:11pm 




Shabbat 

Shabbat Morning Service – 

9:00am 

February 4 

Parshat Beshalach 



Parshat Yitro 


Ellis Dewing Bat Mitzvah 


Parshat Mishpatim 

Shabbat Mevarekhim HaHodesh 

Havdalah - 6:31 


Parshat Terumah 


Minyan Schedule 

Mornings 

Sunday – 9:00am 

Monday, Thursday & 

Rosh Chodesh – 7:15am 

Federal Holidays – 8:30am 

Afternoons 

Monday – Thursday – 5:45pm 

Friday Kabbalat Shabbat – 

5:45pm 

(Continued from page 1) 

How much money are we trying to raise? A minimum 

of $108,000; that's a "Chai Five" pledge from 

100 households! Our research has shown that this is 

a reasonable number for both salary and benefits for 

a second clergy. The good news is that as of this 

printing, we already have commitments to raise 20% 

of the total amount needed, thanks to the leadership 

and generosity of the Board of Trustees! 

Why a second "clergy," and not a "Rabbi" or 

"Cantor?" Our intent is for this individual to fill a 

specific role. Responsibilities will include training 

b'nai mitzvah students, adult education, accountability 

for daily ritual practices, lifecycle events, and 

other clergy support. The title of the individual is 

less important than his or her training. Therefore we 

will be contacting both the Rabbinical Assembly and 

the Cantor's Assembly, along with their corresponding 

graduate schools, in our search for the right person. 

What if I cannot commit $90/month? Can I still 

contribute? Of course! If you'd like, you could pair 

with another family to make the 3-year commitment. 

And we will absolutely be grateful for any donation 

you can you provide, whether it be a one-time or 

annual gift. 

Where will the money be held? How do I know it 

won't be spent on something else? We are establishing 

a separate, restricted fund in the Mosaic Law 

Foundation, with the designated purpose to recruit 

and hire a second clergy. 

What if we can't raise $108,000? If we are unable 

to achieve our goal, we will search for a part-time 

clergy. If we have not even achieved 50% of our 

goal (which is unthinkable, as we all know how important 

this campaign is), we will continue to raise 

funds but will wait on searching for a second clergy 

until at we have at least 50% of the salary accounted 

for. 

Who should I contact if I have any more questions? 

Deborah (Gonzalez gonzalez@surewest.net) 

or Carol Loew (MLCWLSac@aol.com) or call the 

office for their phone numbers. 

The Board of Trustees is committed to enhancing 

your religious experience by hiring a second professional 

clergy who will work with and complement 

Rabbi Taff and the congregation in order to further 

Conservative Jewish values. 

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The Scroll 

Reflections from the President 

Caren Zorman 

Business-Speak 

A couple of years ago, the Board of 

Trustees decided that it made infinitely 

more sense to change our 

fiscal year from ending on June 30th to ending on December 

31st. The rationale was that since we have a tremendous 

bump in income because of congregants paying either 

their past dues or their next year’s dues, it would be 

easier to budget and manage cash flow if the fiscal year 

matched the calendar year. And so it does. 

As a trustee, one of the more painful aspects of being on 

the board is understanding and approving a balanced 

budget. When I joined the board in 2006, revenue shortfalls 

were common so they would plug-in a “fundraiser” 

to bridge the gap. The fact that there was no “fundraiser” 

planned or executed that year didn’t seem to matter as the 

budget was deemed balanced. Obviously it wasn’t. 

The last couple of years have seen truly balanced budgets 

but our revenue continues to decline. Our primary source 

of revenues is congregational dues with additional monies 

coming through fundraisers and general donations. While 

dues have not been raised in a few years, the economy has 

hit this congregation especially hard. Unemployment, 

foreclosures, workforce reductions, pay cuts all factor into 

our revenue. Revenue projections are made based on what 

congregants commit to pay, but oftentimes, life happens 

and those commitments are not met. Unfortunately, the 

shul has bills to pay and isn’t in a position to de-commit 

to SMUD or PG&E. 

Because I’ve worked in corporate environments where 

data drives decision-making, the budget committee, in 

consultation with the Board of Trustees, is in a tough 

spot. If we base our budget on dues that we know we can 

collect, our budget is approximately $585K. If we were to 

peek at the amount that we bill, that amount is roughly 

$660K. However, our expenses are approximately $678K 

– a gap of about $91,000 looking at the money we know 

folks will pay. 

At the December board meeting, I wanted to present a 

balanced budget for a board vote. That didn’t happen, 

much to my chagrin. David Long and I presented the current 

fiscal state with a strong message to the board that we 

must reconcile the $91,000 gap. What could we possibly 

cut? Are there areas where we can trim our costs? Can 

programs that currently cost the general fund money be 

made revenue neutral? 

My strong preference is to generate more revenue, but 

how? Our families are strapped for cash and you can ask 

only so many times. There is the idea of “other people’s 

money” (OPM). If we were to conduct a fundraiser where 

Sacramentans come from near and far to participate in an 

event that generated $50K+, we’d be on to something. 

Planning fundraisers is not a one-man show; a team of 

talented individuals, which we certainly have at Mosaic 

Law, could come together to devise, create, produce, instigate 

and direct a stellar fundraiser. Interested? Contact 

either Hilda Harouni or me. 

It is my goal to think “out of the box” and be incredibly 

creative and pragmatic in devising the 2012 budget. The 

budget committee welcomes input on how to bridge the 

gap as the more minds helping, the better. A balanced 

budget will be presented again to the board at the January 

meeting with, once again, the goal of approval. I just wish 

I knew what the tea leaves had in store for us. 

B’Shalom 

Page 3

The Scroll 

From the Director of Education 

and Youth - Orit Morgenshtern 

January Calendar 

January 1st: 

January 4th: 







January 21st: 

NO Religious School for Winter 

Break 

Religious School Resumes for 

3rd - 7th grade 

Machar Youth Group activity 

(5th & 6th grade) 

Religious School Resumes for 

K to 6th grade 

Perachim Youth Group activity 

(K to 2nd grade) 

USY Into the Night program 

(9th to 12th grade) 

NO Religious School for Martin 

Luther King, Jr. Day 

Bar and Bat Mitzvah Meeting 

USY Shabbat Dinner 

Shabbat School (K through 6th 

grade) 

February Calendar 

February 3rd: 

February 4th: 

February 5th: 

B’nai Mazel Shabbat Dinner at 

the Rabbi’s house 

Machar Youth Group activity 

Perachim Youth activities 

program 

February 12th: USY Tu B’Shvat Seder 

February 17th to 20th: USY ISS Weekend 

February 19th: No Religious School due to 

Presidents Weekend 

February 25th: Kadima Youth Group activity 

2012-2013 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Meeting 

Thursday, January 19th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in the 

Sanctuary. This meeting is for parents and Bar/Bat Mitzvah 

candidates. 

At this meeting, you will receive the 2012-2013 Bar/Bat 

Mitzvah Handbook and the tutoring schedule. The handbook 

will be explained and Rabbi will answer any questions 

you may have about tasks to be completed before the 

big day. A babysitter will be on-site to watch any siblings. 

P l e a s e R S V P t o M a r y B l u m e n s t e i n 

(mary@mosaiclaw.org) by January 3rd. 

SAVE THE DATE! 

March 11th: Purim Silent Auction and Carnival, the Religious 

School’s most important Fundraiser! 

The Education committee is meeting regularly to get ready 

for our yearly school fund raiser. If you would like to help 

solicit donated items, or if you have a donation item or 

service, please let me know at orit@mosaiclaw.org . 

B’ Shalom. 

Scholarship Fund 

The KESHER SCHOLARSHIP FUND was established approximately 10 years 

ago by Linda and Marvin Kamras. The sole purpose of this fund is to make all 

Kadima and USY events affordable for every child who needs financial assistance 

for local and regional events. A request form, which remains confidential, 

is submitted to us and we award the scholarships. In order to participate in this 

program, the family must be full members. To insure that this fund remains solvent 

we match dollar for dollar ANY contributions. Thus a "chai" donation becomes 

$36.00, just as a $500.00 donation becomes $1,000.00. Our children need 

adults to look into the future to guarantee and recognize their desire to be part of 

a Jewish and civic minded community. For Kesher Scholarship forms, contact 

blue@mosaiclaw.org. 

Donations 

If you are making a donation to 

Mosaic Law in honor/ memory of 

a loved one, or for a simcha, 

please take this opportunity to 

support your children or grandchildren 

and designate your donation 

to Religious School Scholarship 

Fund, fund number 306. 

Thank you in advance! 

Page 4

Youth Groups 

The Scroll 

Perachim Youth Advisor - Sharon Best 

I'm the youth group adviser for the Perachim kids, the 

group for K-2nd grade. We had a great opening event 

with all the Perachim families at the Rabbi's sukkah for 

dinner. Then we went to the Bounce Spot. In December, 

we all went to Fliptastic. Our future plans involve continuing 

to go out and do fun activities. We've got Mad Science, 

Sky High, Game Stop Truck and more coming up! 

I've lived and worked in Sacramento for just over two 

years now and am really enjoying it. In my spare, time I 

play ice hockey and soccer. 

Kadima Youth Advisor - Abigail Roush 

I am an East Coast transplant. I grew up in Maryland, but 

moved overseas and lived in Israel for the last 5 1/2 

years. The Kadima youth group has had a few exciting 

events including Laser Tag and the Adam Sandler movie 

"Jack and Jill." Later this year, the youth will take part in 

a mitzvah project to help the less fortunate and also have 

lots of fun together. Come out and join the fun with us! 

B’nai Mazel Youth Advisor - Matthew Miller 

B’nai Mazel is MLC’s youth group for 3rd and 4th graders! 

In just a few short months, our energetic youngsters 

have jumped Sky-High on indoor trampolines, braved a 

spooky game of mini-golf, and challenged one another in 

Laser Tag. We invite all to join us for more action-filled 

events as we enter the new year. 

Machar Youth Advisor - Monica Shapiro 

Monica has been a part of MLC Youth Groups forever! 

She loves working with young people and goes above and 

beyond to make their activities fun and memorable. She is 

always available and everyone loves her. She can also 

leap small buildings after a couple of practice jumps. 

Machar at Fliptastic 

USY Youth Advisor - Ari Polsky 

Shalom. By way of introduction, I am the USY advisor for 

the second year in a row. I am currently in my last quarter 

at UC Davis as an Art Studio major. I grew up in Los Angeles 

and was an active USYer myself. This past summer, 

I was a Rosh Edah [unit head] at Camp Ramah in Ojai. 

The first half of our USY year has been incredible. Our 

opening program featured a bungee-run inflatable tournament 

and was a ton of fun. We have had multiple Shabbat 

dinners at various homes and a Shabbat shmooze where 

USYers discussed Jewish beliefs (and their own) on drugs, 

alcohol, and relationships. 

At Fall Kinnus, hosted by Congregation Sinai, Sacramento 

USY was proud to represent 33 out of 57 USYers in attendance. 

Twelve USYers from Sacramento attended the 

International Convention in Philadelphia this past December, 

where everyone had a great time and made many 

friends. In January and February, we have Into the Night 

and the International Studies Seminar (ISS), two big programs. 

Into the Night, our annual “all nighter” program, 

will be January 14th and ISS, a new Frontier regional 

event, is over President’s Day weekend. We will continue 

to have our Shabbat dinners and other regular programs 

throughout the year. 

If you are interested in hosting a Shabbat dinner, please 

email me at usy@mosaiclaw.org. To sign up for our mailing 

list, please go to http://eepurl.com/fURYb 

USYers at an event 

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The Scroll 

January/February Bat Mitzvah’s 

Shalom! My name is Orly Fahn and I will be celebrating my Bat Mitzvah on January 

14, 2012. My parshat is Shemot. I am in the 7th grade in the International Baccalaureate 

program at Winston Churchill Middle School. I attended Shalom School through 

5th grade. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, playing tennis, listening to music, 

dancing and shopping. For my Bat Mitzvah project, I volunteered in the 4th grade 

classroom at Shalom School. I helped the kids with homework and assignments and 

also led some class lessons. Another part of my Bat Mitzvah project was tutoring the 

adults in the Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class here at Mosaic Law. I helped them learn Hebrew 

and prayers. I would like to thank my wonderful tutor, Hannah Olson, and my 

family for helping me prepare for my Bat Mitzvah. I am so excited for this milestone 

and hope you will join my family and me on this special day. 

Shalom! My name is Abby Milstein and I am looking forward to celebrating my 

Bat Mitzvah on Shabbat morning, January 28th, Parshat Bo. I am in the 7th grade 

at Arden Middle School in the High Achiever program. I enjoy hanging out with 

my friends, listening to music, riding my long board and playing soccer. For my 

Mitzvah project I am collecting donations for Fisher House at Travis Air Force 

Base. This organization provides a place for military families to stay while their 

loved ones are receiving medical treatment. My family has many friends and relatives 

coming to share this simcha with me, I hope you can make it too! 

From Midrasha 

Ian Lobel 

MIDRASHA IS COMING TO MOSAIC LAW! Starting 

February 1st, the Midrasha program for 8th through 12th 

graders will be enjoying the warm embrace of its new surroundings 

as we begin our second semester by moving 

from Congregation Beth Shalom to Mosaic Law Congregation! 

Different location, (some) different classes, same 

good times. 

MIDRASHA IS OFF UNTIL JANUARY 11TH. Enjoy 

your break! Dates for second semester are (Wednesdays): 

February 1st, 8th 15th, 29th 

March 14th, 21st, 28th 

April 18th, 25th 

May 2nd 

See you at Mosaic Law on February 1st! 

What a fast-paced start to the year it has been! It seems 

like I was just accepting enrollment forms and filling out 

class lists, and here we are already more than half-way 

through the first semester of Midrasha. We wanted to hit 

the ground running from opening night, and we certainly 

succeeded. Not twenty minutes into our first class I heard 

the first “Really?!” and the questions and conversation 

have never stopped. I have had a chance to observe classes 

for a while now, and I just can’t get over this group of 

teens. They are bright, enthusiastic, energetic, and all sorts 

of other nice ways of saying “loud.” Speaking of words, a 

parent asked me to describe our group in one word. Now I 

have been thinking about that - one word that in some way 

sums up this diverse group of teens - and here is what I 

have been trying on for size: 

Shy?: Some students are, sure, but by and large, um, no, 

not so much. And some of what seems like shyness may 

just be due to the fact that only so many people can talk at 

once. I believe, from what I have seen and heard at class, 

that number is about five people. 

Opinionated?: This one is a yes. Our teens have opinions, 

and they will tell you if you ask. They will often tell you 

even if you do not ask, but they really will if you do. The 

old adage of ten Jews eleven opinions? It is well reflected 

in our youth (Would you have it any other way?). 


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The Scroll 

From The MLC Women’s Network 

Carol Loew 

SHOPPING, THE MUSICAL! 

Sunday, January 22nd at 3pm in The 

Center at Twenty Three Hundred. If 

you love shopping, and that is most 

everyone, then this is the show for you! 

Morrie Bobrow, author and humorist, has been producing 

ensemble musicals in San Francisco since his original 

“Party of One.” “Shopping,” now in its sixth year, San 

Francisco’s longest running original show will be here in 

Sacramento for a one time only appearance on Sunday, 

January 22nd. You don’t want to miss it! 

By now, I am certain that you have purchased your tickets 

for this fun-filled afternoon of entertainment. However, it 

is not too late. To have the opportunity to meet Morrie and 

his ensemble cast, be sure to purchase premium seating. 

Call Mosaic Law Women’s Network at (916) 488-1122 

ext. 23 for information or go to eventbrite.com/ 

event/2451973920. All tickets will be held for you in Will 

Call. 

A NEW YEAR AND SOME CHANGES 

2012 brings a few changes to what you know as Sisterhood 

and the Judaica Shop! 

While most of you will recognize us as the MLC Sisterhood, 

we have changed our name to reflect the changes to 

organizations for women. Our women’s group will now be 

known as the MLC Women’s Network. 

Along with that change, we have renamed our gift shop to 

reflect the varied selection of merchandise we are featuring. 

The shop will be referred to as The Gift Shop at 

2300. We want to be able to offer a range of gifts appropriate 

for all occasions. You can make us your first gift 

shopping stop for friend and family gifts. Our full collection 

includes general gifts, Judaica gifts and Mah Jongg 

selections. Courtesy gift wrap is always available. Our 

store hours: Wednesday: 3:00pm to 6:30pm and Sunday: 

9:30am to 12:30pm. The shop is always available by appointment. 

Call Goldie (916) 480-9193 or Carol (916) 927 

-5220. 

Watch for our shop wide clearance sale coming in February! 

MITZVAH MESSAGE 

Remember to visit and purchase from TOM’S SHOES: 

www.toms.com. With each purchase, a new pair of shoes 

is given to a child in need of shoes. Tom’s Shoes are also 

available at Nordstom and Serendipity Boutique, 5362 H. 

Street (next to Sellands). 

Please remember to support the vendors that purchase ads 

each year in our directory. Thank them when you visit 

their establishments so they know that we appreciate their 

participation. 

A healthy and happy 2012 to all! 

See you in Shul. 

Midrasha (Continued from page 6) 

Energetic?: Do I need to say more than yes, so very much, 

yes, oh yes, and yes! 

None of these is quite right, though the last one is the closest. 

In the end, the word I came up with to describe the 

way our teens are when they get together Wednesday 

nights, to talk and debate and learn? MIDRASHA! That is 

the one. Spirited conversation and lively debate? That is 

just who we are! Good music followed by deep conversation? 

Every Wednesday! A chance to ask the big questions? 

What else would we talk about! And the Folktales 

class always seem to be up to something interesting! 

P.S. Not attending Midrasha but thinking it sounds like 

fun? You are absolutely right! Want to come but your 

schedule just did not allow you to make it to the first 

semester? We understand how busy you get and that you 

may not want to jump into classes with two or three weeks 

left to the semester. The good news is that second semester 

starts Wednesday February 1st, we will be housed here 

at MLC, and there is room for you to join the fun! We are 

working on creating new classes for next semester, so that 

we have something fun for new and returning students 

alike. So, for those students who have not signed up yet, 

or are waiting until second semester, we will have great 

new classes for you. For those of you already part of the 

Midrasha family, the fun has just begun! See you all 

February 1st for Semester 2 here at Mosaic Law! 

Ian Lobel, Midrasha Director 

sacramentomidrasha@yahoo.com 

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The Scroll 

November Events at the KOH Library 

and Cultural Center 

Sunday, January 8th, 2012 at 

2pm We are very excited to 

invite you all to attend the 

KOH Library and Cultural 

Center's first professional musical 

program. The Bridge 

Players (a professional chamber 

music ensemble from San 

Francisco), will be performing 

the music of Mendelssohn. In addition, we will hear a 

commentary about the life of Mendelssohn. The Bridge 

Players are Randall Weiss and Leslie Ludena (violins), 

Natalia Vershilova (viola), and Victoria Ehrlich (cello). 

The Players reside in the San Francisco Bay Area and regularly 

perform chamber music throughout Northern California. 

Since 2001, they have been ensemble-in-residence 

for Music in the Mishkan chamber music series at Congregation 

Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco. Tickets cost $15 

each and seating is limited. Advanced reservations are 

suggested by calling (916) 485-4143. 

Monday, January 9th at 1:30pm 

The KOH Library and Cultural 

Center presents the ongoing 

course: Discussion Group with 

Rabbi Joseph Melamed. If you 

have ever participated in a session 

with Rabbi Melamed, you know 

that this monthly discussion group 

will be a stimulating, interactive 

exchange on a variety of subjects: The day’s news, the 

Middle East, the future of Judaism, and many other topics. 

This group meets the second Monday of each month and is 

open to everyone. No class fee. For more information contact 

Fred Hayward at (916) 484-7333 or jacks.dad@att.net. 

Tuesday, January 10th at 7pm (not the 

17th) - KOH Fiction Book Club. We are 

starting our first book club meeting of 2012 

with a special guest author, Linda Frank, who 

will speak about her book After the Auction. 

The book is about a woman who glimpses a 

family treasure looted by the Nazis at an art 

auction and her quest for justice and restitution spanning 

three continents. Books will be for sale and the public is 

welcome to attend. 

Library Hours 

Sunday - By appointment only 

Monday - 10:00am - 1:00pm 

Thursday - 10:00am - 1:00pm 

Friday - 10:00am -1:00pm 

We will be closed when there is no religious school and 

for all Jewish and secular holidays. 

Phone: 

(916) 485-4143 

Address: 

2300 Sierra Boulevard 

Sacramento, CA 95825 

KOH Blog – The KOH Library and Cultural Center 

has its own blog at www.kohlibrary.blogspot.com. 

Come take a look to see photos, new book and DVD 

arrivals, and more information about our programs. 

Comments are always welcome. 

The KOH Library Fiction Book Club normally meets 

on the 3rd Tuesday evening of the month at 7pm. Our 

books for 2012 are: January - After the Auction by Linda 

Frank; February - Fare Forward by Wendy Dubow Polins; 

March - The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman; 

April - In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson; May 

- The Oracle of Stanbul by Michael David Lucas; June - 

Sweet Like Sugar by Wayne Hoffman; July - Stations West 

by Allison Amend; August - The Finkler Question by 

Howard Jacobson; September - No Book Club this month; 

October - Drawing in the Dust by Zoe Klein; November - 

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman; December - Holiday 

book exchange/party. The group is co-ed and anyone is 

invited to join us at any time. The list of books and dates 

of our meetings will also be posted on our blog - 

www.kohlibrary.blogspot.com . 

Sunday, January 29th at 2pm 

KOH Film Club will be screening 

Bride Flight, a lavish romantic drama 

that charts the lives of three 

women who escape the gloom of 

post-WWII Holland for what they 

hope will be a better life in New 

Zealand. Ada, the shy but sensual 

farm girl, Marjorie, who dreams of 

a big family and Esther, a Holocaust 

survivor who aspires to be a fashion designer, become fast 

friends during the long flight taking them to their waiting 

husbands who have already settled in Christchurch. On the 

flight the women meet Frank, a dashing young man who 

will play a large role in each of their lives. Upon arrival 

they part ways to start their new lives, but their paths continue 

to cross with chance meetings resulting in adultery, 


Page 10

The Scroll 

KOH (Continued from page 10) 

betrayal and near tragedy leading up to a reunion fifty 

years later. 

Sunday, February 12th at 2pm KOH Film Club will 

be showing Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story. 

This film traces the Jewish involvement in the history 

of the sport from the game's earliest days, through the 

tumultuous war years to today's All-Star games. By analyzing 

various stages in this history, including how the 

legendary Sandy Koufax pioneered rights for players 

and Hank Greenberg's support of Jackie Robinson, the 

film demonstrates how Jews shaped baseball, and baseball 

shaped them. $5 suggested donation. 

Tuesday, February 21st at 7pm KOH Fiction Book 

Club will be discussing, Fare Forward, by Wendy 

Dubow Polins. In the intersection of modern science and 

ancient mysticism, is a story about finding the things 

that transcend time. Gabriella Vogel's grandfather is 

about to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for his 

shocking proof that will change everything we take for 

granted. As she stands at the threshold of the beginning 

of everything in her own life, she knows that her future 

and that of the world, hangs delicately in the balance. 

She must decide: What are the things in life worth 

fighting for? Can we change our fate? In this journey of 

a lifetime, Gabriella meets a mysterious, young scientist, 

then learns that he's been at the center of her grandfather's 

research for hundreds of years, met her grandmother 

eighty years earlier, and that he hasn't aged--at 

all. Inspired by theories in art and science and events in 

history, Gabriella's unforgettable quest for answers will 

reveal a secret hidden for generations by her family, and 

one moment--one choice, that will change everything. 

Newcomers always welcome! 

Enrich your Mind, Satisfy 

your Soul 

Take the L.E.A.P. 

Learning and Enrichment for 

Adults Program 

Join us on a Sunday Morning or a Monday 

evening on the Mosaic Law Campus 

L.E.A.P. at Mosaic Law Congregation is open to all adult 

members of the Jewish Community. Anyone interested in 

participating in any of the course offerings must complete 

the registration form and send the form with a check for 

tuition fees (if applicable). No one will be denied the opportunity 

to participate in our program due to financial 

reasons. College students may attend any and all courses 

free of charge. Full Members of any other synagogue may 

pay the MLC member fee for any chosen course. Registration 

forms can be downloaded from the MLC website: 

www.mosaiclaw.org. All checks should be made payable 

to: Mosaic Law Congregation. 

Next Class: 

Page 11

The Scroll 

Jewish Genealogical Society of Sacramento 

b a - 

Sunday, January 15th at 10am 

"Using Facebook and Twitter 

in Genealogy" 

Lorenzo Cuevas will be the January 2012 

speaker for the Jewish Genealogical Society 

of Sacramento, focusing on Facebook and 

Twitter. He'll show how to make the best 

use of social networking for genealogical 

research and says this method of connecting 

is becoming more important each day. 

Lorenzo has been gathering data on his 

Cuesta and Saldana lineages since the 1960s 

and has found "new" relatives throughout 

the country. His day job is with the State of 

California as a computer programmer; he is 

also a professional registered parliamentarian. 

All are welcome to attend the Sunday, January 

15th, 10am meeting at the Albert Einstein 

Residence Center, 1935 Wright Street, 

Sacramento. 

For more information about the Jewish Genealogical 

Society of Sacramento, visit 

www.jgss.org or e-mail the JGSS at 

jgs_sacramento@yahoo.com. 

Sunday, February 19th at 10am 

"Getting Ready for the 1940 

Census" 

When the 1940 census is released in April 

2012, a name index will not be available for 

at least six months, so finding people will 

involve searching by location instead. 

San Francisco genealogist Steve Morse will 

discuss the organization of the 1940 census 

by Enumeration Districts, or EDs. Locations 

will need to be converted to an ED 

before the census can be accessed. Morse's 

One-Step website contains numerous tools 

for obtaining EDs and his talk will present 

the various tools and show where each can 

be used. 

All are welcome to attend the Sunday, February 

19th meeting at the Albert Einstein 

Residence Center, 1935 Wright Street, Sacramento. 

For more information about the 

Jewish Genealogical Society of Sacramento, 

visit www.jgss.org or e-mail the JGSS at 

jgs_sacramento@yahoo.com. 

Family Shabbat Service & Dinner 

Family Shabbat Dinners are returning! This monthly Shabbat celebration begins with age appropriate services at 5:45pm 

(with an adult only service as well in the Chapel). Dinner begins at 6:30pm in the social hall. Cost $32 per family of 5 or 

$12 per individual if RSVP is received the Wednesday prior to the dinner. Reservations after that date are $35 per family 

of 5 and $15 per individual. 

Here is the Family Shabbat Dinner schedule for 2012: 

Friday, January 9th 

Friday, February 10th 

Friday, March 23rd 

Friday, April 27th 

Friday, May 25th 

If you have any questions about Family Shabbat Service & Dinner, contact Erich Olson at ericholson@gmail.com. 

Page 12

Community Notes 

(See also the KOH Library and Cultural Center) 

The Scroll 

Rosh Chodesh Society 

January 4th at 7:30pm: The Inner Woman; February 

1st: The Outer Woman; February 29th: The Family 

Woman; March 21st: The Professional Woman; April 

25th: The Spiritual Woman; May 23rd: The Complete 

Woman. An international sisterhood dedicated to inspiring 

and empowering Jewish women through monthly cultural 

learning experiences. All meetings are at 7:30pm. Located 

at the Chabad JCC, 302 South Lexington Ave., Folsom. 

For more information, visit www.jewishfolsom.org/ 

womenscircle or contact Goldie at (916) 608-9811. 

Freilache Menschen 

Wednesday, January 11th at noon: At Temple Or 

Rishon, please join us for a slide show featuring last summer's 

TOR trip to Israel, presented by Rachel Silber. 

Lunch provided, no charge. 

Wednesday, February 8th at 10:30am: Please meet the 

group in the TOR parking lot to carpool to Thunder Valley! 

Please bring $6 for the all “you can eat” buffet, plus 

any money you might want gamble. Group will leave 

Thunder Valley at 2pm. Please RSVP to Rina Racket at 

944-1980. 

Sunday, January 15th at 6pm: A Weekend Honoring 

Rabbi Mona Alfi - Celebrating her “Bat Mitzvah” - 13 

years of ordination and service to B’nai Israel and the Sacramento 

Jewish Community. For more information, contact 

Deidra Meyers at (916) 990-2104 or visit 

www.bnais.com. 

Tuesday, January 17th 

at 5pm - Coffee & 

Chocolate: Examining 

Child Labor Trafficking: 

Held at Sol Collective, 

2574 21st Street. 

Sacramento Rescue & 

Restore presents the documentary film “The Dark Side of 

Chocolate” and discussion about child labor trafficking. 

Modern day slavery exists in this country, even in Sacramento, 

as well as around the world. 25 million human beings, 

primarily women and children, are trafficked into 

sexual and other slave labor by criminal networks. The 

Jewish community can actively respond to this fundamental 

abridgement of human dignity and freedom. NCJW- 

Sacramento and the Rescue and Restore Coalition are cosponsoring 

this event as part of National Human Trafficking 

Awareness month. Featured speaker is Barry Broad, 

chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Barry 

played a key role in the human trafficking legislation The 

California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (SB657). 

Featured artwork inspired by Fair Trade and information 

about fair trade and other solutions will be available. Pick 

up a flyer in the foyer or go to www.ncjwsac.org. 

Sunday, January 22nd at 10:30am - Women of Distinction 

Brunch - Hadassah Sacramento will honor outstanding 

volunteers in our community at the annual Women of 

Distinction brunch, held at Arden Hills Resort & Spa. 

Come to support your friends and enjoy a new menu! Mosaic 

Law members being honored are Taliah Berger, Jill 

Reiser, and Terry Kaufman. For more information, please 

email Marcy Silliman at marcy@silliman.com, or call 

Marlo Dewing at (916) 243-9466. 

Sunday, January 29th at 4pm - The PJ 

Library presents Rick Recht in Concert 

- at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street. 

Tickets are $10 (free for children who do 

not need a seat). VIP package available! 

Go behind the scenes and join Rick for a 

private concert and conversation at 3pm. 

Package also includes preferred seating and an autographed 

CD. All for only $180 (for up to 6 people). Attendees 

will be asked to make a gift to the 2012 Federation 

Annual Campaign. 

Miscellaneous 

The PJ Library - The 

Jewish Federation of 

the Sacramento Region 

is excited to announce 

that The PJ Library has been expanded to include children 

up to age 8! Enroll your child or grandchild or renew their 

participation until their 9th birthday! The PJ Library® provides 

free Jewish books and music to eligible children. 

Each month, children receive the gift of a Jewish book or 

CD as well as a reading guide to enhance your family’s 

experience. Enroll now! For more information, contact 

The PJ Library Director Ardyth Sokoler at pjlibrary@jewishsac.org 

or (916) 486-0906. 

Write on For Israel Series. Don't be fooled by the name! 

This five-session series is a skills development workshop. 

The remaining sessions are offered at the reduced price of 

$72/person (originally $100) The curriculum is available at 

www.jewishsac.org. Session dates are: Jan 12th, Feb 16th, 

and Mar 15th. from 6:15-8:30pm. Federation offices: 2014 

Capitol Ave., Suite 109 (street parking available). For 

more information, contact Federation Executive Director 

Melissa Chapman at 916.486.0906 ext. 301 or mchapman@jewishsac.org. 


Page 13

The Scroll 

Community (Continued from page 13) 

2013 Adult B'nai Mitzvah Class 

Come become a Jewish adult! This class is offered to all 

members of MLC who never celebrated their bar or bat 

mitzvah, or to those who did and want the chance to relearn 

those skills. Class members will have the opportunity 

to learn how to lead services, read Torah and Haftarah, 

write a D'var Torah, and study Jewish philosophy and 

practice. Taught by Hannah Olson with regular lectures 

from Rabbi Taff, the next Adult B'nai Mitzvah class is 

scheduled to start on Wednesday, January 11th from 7:00- 

8:30pm in the Chapel. The class will continue for about a 

year, and celebrate our b'nai mitzvah on February 2nd, 

2013. Cost is $360 plus $10 for materials. Student rates 

and financial aid available. To sign up, or for more information, 

please contact Hannah Olson at 916-488-4033 or 

olsonmishpacha@gmail.com. 

Yad B’Yad (Hand in Hand) is an educational program 

for kids of all ages with significant special needs that cannot 

be met with the resources and structures of the Sacramento 

community’s existing Jewish educational programs. 

Sacramento Area Jewish Educators (SAJE) is spearheading 

a project under the direction of Marcia Greene and 

Rabbi Shoshanah King-Tornberg. We are looking to build 

a once-a-month community for these students and their 

parents to gain education and support through an environment 

of skilled one-on-one physical, cognitive and/or social 

emotional assistance. Contact Rabbi King-Tornberg at 

916-446-4861 x16 or at RabbiKT@bnais.com or contact 

Marcia Greene at educator@orrishon.org. 

Do you know a special and talented teen looking for a 

mitzvah project? In order to make the above program happen, 

we are looking for committed and focused teens who 

want to take on a very special mitzvah opportunity. If you 

know a teen who you think would be a good match for this 

opportunity or if you are a teen who is interested, please 

contact Rabbi King-Tornberg at 916-446-4861 x16 or at 

RabbiKT@bnais.com or contact Marcia Greene at educator@orrishon.org. 

The Leisure League 

A Partnership Project of the Trust Fund for the Jewish Elderly 

The next Leisure League Luncheon will be held at Mosaic Law Congregation on 

Thursday, February, 2nd at 12pm. 

Come and enjoy a wonderful winter kosher luncheon and the singing and dancing of the 

Shalom School Entertainers! 

The Shalom School Entertainers 

Price remains unchanged since 2004! Cost is $5 per person 

if RSVP and payment received no later than Sunday, January 

29th. It is $10 per person for any RSVP or payment on 

or after January 30th. 

Please send your name, address, email, phone number and 

check made payable to “Mosaic Law Congregation” to 

2300 Sierra Boulevard, Sacarmento, CA 95825. Your 

check is your reservation IF returned to Mosaic Law Congregation 

NO LATER THAN Sunday, January 29th. Any 

reservations after that date will be charged $10 per person 

and acceptance is conditioned upon space being available. 

Please direct inquiries to Frank Gumpert at (916) 483-2596 

or email at gumpert@surewest.net. 

Page 14

Board Notes 

September 2011 

Shalom School Presentation: Gaga 

Court - Judy Lewis, Shalom School 

President & Scott Shapiro, Shalom 

School Vice-President 

Scott Shapiro reported that Shalom 

School has constructed a Gaga pit 

with removable walls. This pit has the 

approval of MLC’s aesthetics committee. 

Shalom School has the liability 

for any accidents that may happen 

in the Gaga pit. Motion to approve 

Shalom School's Gaga pit passed 

unanimously. 

2nd Clergy Campaign - Deborah 

Gonzalez 

A discussion occurred if Mosaic Law 

should specify if the 2 nd clergy would 

be a Cantor or an Assistant Rabbi. 

Some felt that we should make the 

decision now while others felt that we 

shouldn’t commit ourselves. The rabbi 

has no preference, only that this 

individual meets his criteria. Caren 

asked for a vote on whether we 

should specify now or make the decision 

after funds are raised. The majority 

wanted to wait on finalizing the 

preference. 

Cantor Wald Fundraiser Update - 

The event's planners are hoping for 

approximately 200 attendees at the 

evening event. All board members 

should be there. Both the Board and 

the past presidents will be taking out 

full page ads in the tribute book. 

Budget and Finance - David Long 

High Holiday Day deposits have 

made a big spike in revenues. Our 

collection call efforts are successful. 

Team Reports 

Membership Team - Gary Weinberg 

Dues and dues collection were the 

recent focus of the membership committee. 

115 names have been called. 

Orit commented that the Religious 

School uses EFT and it has really 

helped. 

Gary wants to start sending out flyers 

about activities with monthly bills, 

like Carol did with the Sisterhood 

packets. 

Orit commented that 7-10 new families 

have approached her about becoming 

members and she would like 

to connect them with Gary and his 

team. She would also like to have a 

buddy family assigned to each new 

family. 

Programming Team - Hilda Harouni 

Hilda said that fundraising is tough 

and that she would like more people 

to join their team. 

Deborah attended the USY board retreat 

and suggested they increase their 

attendance at shul services. USY offered 

babysitting services for the Cantor 

Wald event. Deborah also discussed 

the need for USY to communicate 

by email to keep parents informed. 

Orit reported that USY will 

have family Shabbat services with 

parents. 

We have five youth groups (with five 

advisors); activities are scheduled 

through May 2012. 

Education Team - Larry Mozes 

Larry reported that the (Adult) Education 

Team will be meeting soon. Larry 

hopes to get out flyers on future 

classes by Yom Kippur with actual 

programming starting by November 

2011. Conversational Hebrew classes 

will be starting after Sukkot. Larry 

and Taliah Berger met with Rabbi to 

get his input. Three non-board members 

have joined the Team. 

Religious school is starting on Sunday, 

September 18 th with a field trip 

to the circus. Thanks to Roger 

Cochran, Bill Thomas and Debra 

Brown for their help in preparing the 

food for the 300 people that are expected 

at the kick-off BBQ lunch. 

Sisterhood - Carol Loew 

Sisterhood has 85 members, two volunteer 

applications, two orders for 

pins and has received lots of input 

The Scroll 

about the upcoming show. Carol 

would like to change the name of the 

Mosaic Law Gift Shop to The Shop at 

2300. 

The directory will be printed on 

schedule. The Sisterhood won't be 

mailing the directories; rather, they 

will be distributed on Rosh Hashanah. 

Flyers about other shul events and 

activities will be included with the 

directory. 

Jonathan wanted to convey a message 

from the Rabbi that we, as board 

members, should assist Carol in greeting 

people on Shabbat. 

Men's Club - Alex Zamansky 

September 17th was poker night at 

Erich Olson's house. Money raised 

goes to the education fund. 

New Business 

Nancy Brodovsky presented information 

regarding "Live Here, Give 

Here,” based in the Sacramento Regional 

Foundation. Through a four 

county survey, local giving is at 62% 

compared to 67% nationally. In our 

area, that 5% difference would represent 

approximately $250,000 to local 

non-profits. Nancy asked the board to 

be a part of this effort by using the 

“Live Here, Give Here” logo on our 

website. In return, Mosaic Law would 

be listed as supporters of the program. 

A motion to add the logo to the Mosaic 

Law website was passed. 

Good and Welfare 

Caren wished all a happy and healthy 

new year and an easy fast. 

The next meeting of the Mosaic Law 

Board will be Wednesday, October 

26, 2011 in the Youth Lounge. 

The Mosaic Law Board of Trustees 

meets the second Wednesday of the 

month at 7:00 pm in the Youth 

Lounge. Meetings are open to the 

congregation except when in executive 

session. 


Page 15

The Scroll 

Board (Continued from page 14) 

October 2011 

Team Ritual has created two subteams 

and their hope is to develop a 

third sub-team in the near future. Information 

will be in The Scroll to encourage 

congregants to participate in 

any of the teams. A suggestion was 

made that it would be a good idea for 

mentor families to be given to all new 

members. These mentors should have 

the new members over for Shabbat 

and let them know that they could get 

involved on the different teams. 

2nd Clergy Campaign - Deborah 

Gonzalez 

100-125 families will be invited to 

donate $90/month, reflecting a total 

financial package of $108,000 to 

$135,000 per year. The campaign 

would begin in January 2012, with 

the goal that payments would begin 

once we have commitment from at 

least 50 families. Furthermore, if we 

cannot raise the necessary funds from 

100 families, but we have commitments 

from 50, we will move forward 

by posting a part-time position. If we 

do not have commitment from even 

50 families, we will ask potential donors 

if they will continue to make a 

contribution toward the Rabbinic Internship 

program, with the hope that 

we could increase the frequency that 

an intern is present in Sacramento. 

Lastly, payments can be made in full 

on an annual basis, for the full three 

years, or monthly or quarterly. Ideally, 

all donors who are making payments 

on a monthly or quarterly basis 

will have an automatic payment system 

set up. Deborah included a two 

page option sheet of using either the 

Foundation of the West or the MLC 

Foundation. There was a consensus to 

keep the funds at the Mosaic Law 

Foundation. 

Cantor Wald Fundraiser Update 

The event was sold out with 300+ 

people in attendance. Total net is estimated 

at $17,000. 36 wine carafes 

will be donated to the shul/Center. 

Budget & Finance - David Long 

David reported that the October 

month-end accounting will be available 

at the November Board meeting. 

David provided a written report for 

High Holidays income and expenditure. 

It was reported that 61 people 

showed up for HHDs without tickets; 

25 families showed up and had not 

requested tickets. Membership Team 

will follow up with these individuals 

and inquire about donations to the 

shul. They need to be billed. 

Men's Club - Alex Zamansky 

Men's Club has updated its email 

lists, is on Facebook and Linked-In. 

November 19th is poker night at 

Bud's house in Roseville. 

Ritual Team - Karl Zeff/Jonathan 

Lightman 

Ritual Team met on November 10th 

to review the HHDs. They are also 

working to ensure adequate coverage 

during Rabbi's sabbatical. 

Focus On: Education Team - Taliah 

Berger/Bruce Anapolsky/Orit Morgenshtern 

A Mission Statement for the Adult 

Learning and Enrichment Program 

has been adopted, a flyer on the Rabbi's 

upcoming Jewish Ethics Workshop: 

Mentchmaking has been created 

and the first in the series of The Real 

Housewives or the Hebrew Bible 

went very well. 38 people attended 

the “Real Housewives” lecture. Taliah 

hopes that this series will help to create 

bonds and build bridges in the 

community. She further reports that 

she has been in contact with the Chair 

of Jewish & Religious Studies at Davis 

and has been assured that she will 

be given full access to all of the 

teachers at Davis regarding our adult 

education programs. Taliah has also 

reached out to the University of San 

Francisco. Les Finke has agreed to 

bus people in from Einstein to attend 

MLC’s adult education classes. Finally, 

Baryohay will set up an interactive 

link to the Israel Museum for access 

to the Dead Sea Scrolls. In addition to 

all of the above, the Adult Ed subteam 

is on Facebook, calendaring, 

doing web page updates and outreach 

to congregants. 

Old Business 

Caren reported that we need help with 

picking up food from Einstein and 

setting up for Kiddush. A sign-up 

sheet was circulated. 

New Business 

Elliott Pearl has developed a plan to 

raise funds for renovating the chapel 

at a cost of approximately $30,000. 

Funds would be raised with a musical 

event in March, which could raise an 

estimated $16,000. He believes he 

could raise another $24,000 from various 

dedications. Elliott asked for 

board approval to proceed. The board 

asked for more specific cost information 

and expressed concern that the 

funds for the chapel project might 

cannibalize the Second Clergy Campaign 

funds. The board did not approve 

this proposal. 

Taliah Berger is Hadasah's Woman of 

Distinction this year. Mazel tov! 

Joseph Robinson, our Rabbinic Intern, 

wants to put together some mitzvah 

projects for the congregation and 

is looking for input. Deborah asked a 

board member to be a volunteer liaison 

and help him with this project. 


Mark thanked us for supporting the 

Cantor Wald event. 

Jonathan wants to send a letter to 

Rabbi to thank him for all his hard 

work over the High Holy Days. 




Lounge. Meetings are open to the 

congregation except when in executive 

session. 


Page 16

The Scroll 

November 2011 

2nd Clergy Campaign 

Deborah met with Debra Malenovsky 

(graphic designer) and Lisa Breslau to 

develop a second clergy campaign 

flyer. Members will be asked in January 

because hiring of clergy begins in 

February. There are 2 things needed 

from the board: 

1. Commit to join the Chai 5 

Club. 

2. Think about how to 

approach other members to 

join. 

Budget 

The 2012 budget will be ready for the 

December board meeting. 

Sisterhood 

Carol announced ticket prices for the 

upcoming fundraiser “Shopping, the 

Musical” are: 

$36 for premium seating and a reception 

with the cast and writers 

$25 general admission 

$18 students 

Team Updates 

Education Team: Over 40 USYers 

attended Fall Kinnus; there were 21 

participants in the “Elephant in the 

Room” lecture. 

TO VOLUNTEER ON AN MLC 

LEADERSHIP TEAM 

Make 5772 your year for volunteer service at Mosaic 

Law Congregation. Congregants are encouraged 

to sign up for one of our synagogue’s four 

leadership teams: 

1) Membership (recruitment and retention of members) 

2) Education (from tiny tots to seniors) 

3) Program (social, religious, Israel, fund raising) 

4) Ritual (policies and participation of religious life in the 

congregation) 

Leadership teams meet once every 4-6 weeks, with volunteer assignments 

performed between meetings. Dedicated congregants wishing to make a 

difference are invited to contact Caren Zorman, president@mosaiclaw.org. 

Your time, energy and dedication are highly valued! 

Ritual Team: Rabbinic Intern Joseph 

Robinson will fill in for two Shabbatots 

while Rabbi Taff is on sabbatical 

Membership Team: Twenty new families 

joined the shul. The team will be 

developing a spreadsheet for the office 

staff to use for new queries. The team 

will meet with office staff on a regular 

basis. 

Old Business 

A plan was presented to remodel the 

Chapel. 


Mazel Tov to Mike and Betsy Singer 

on becoming grandparents. Mazel tov 

to Mark Cohn on a job well done for 

the Tribute Overture. Shalom School 

sent a letter of appreciation for our 

participation in their Sukkah event. 




Lounge. Meetings are open to the congregation 

except when in executive 

session. 

Mosaic Law Congregation 

Board of Trustees 2011-2012 

Executive Board 

President - Caren Zorman 

First Vice Pres - Jonathan Lightman 

Second Vice Pres - Dan Ott 

Treasurer - David Long 

Secretary - Lynn Temple 

Immediate Past President - 

Deborah Gonzalez 

Board of Trustees 

Bruce Anapolsky 

Scott Cartwright 

Moti Darf 

Baryohay Davidoff, PhD 

Tamsen D’Souza 

Larry Mozes 

Erich Olson 

Randy Pollack 

Hilda Sadigh-Harouni 

Larry Saltzman, MD 

Robert Spector 

Gary Weinberg 

Vicki Wheelock, MD 

Karl Zeff, MD 

Carol Loew - Sisterhood President 

Alex Zamansky - Men’s Club President 

Past Presidents 

Alan Brodovsky 

Mark Cohn 

Alan Edelstein 

Morton Ehrlich, MD 

Morton Friedman 

Deborah Gonzalez 

Kenneth Goore 

Frank Gumpert 

Marvin Kamras, MD 

Steven Mopsick 

Charles Nadler 

Michael Opper 

Mitchell Ostwald 

Arlene Pearl 

Elliott Pearl 

Steven Polansky, MD 

Sid Rosenberg 

Marc Sussman 

Robert Zeff, MD 

Page 17

The Scroll 

MLC Police on Civility and Derech Eretz 

Mosaic Law Congregation endeavors 

to be a Kehillat Kodesh, a holy community, 

which embraces the practice 

of Judaism as interpreted by the Conservative 

movement. 

To achieve this goal, the synagogue 

stresses the Jewish principles of civility, 

tolerance, diversity and derech 

eretz within the context of interpersonal 

communication. Our service to 

HaShem can be fulfilled only through 

continual improvement of our human 

relationships with priority placed on 

respect for individual dignity. When 

we genuinely relate to one another as 

beings created b’tzelem Elohim (in 

the image of G-d), from the Rabbi, 

Board of Trustees, Members of our 

Staff to the administrative assistant, 

our synagogue will become a garden 

of creativity, prosperity and peace. 

Through a coordinated effort of our 

clergy, professional staff, lay leadership 

and volunteers, Mosaic Law 

Congregation will work to ensure a 

warm and caring environment in 

which all who partake in the multitude 

of our ritual, cultural, educational 

and social programs can fulfill the 

precept, v'ahavta l'reacha kamocha, 

you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

All members of the Mosaic Law 

Congregation community are encouraged 

to share ideas for implementing 

this value and helping the synagogue 

fulfill its vision of becoming a 

Kehillat Kodesh. 

The following guidelines offer a 

pathway for achieving our goal to 

create a Kehillat Kadosh: 

1. Derech Eretz (“the way of the 

land”) 

Thoughtful conduct and common decency 

toward others. 

Our individual and institutional conduct 

as a synagogue rests on the 

foundation of derech eretz in visible, 

tangible ways. We actually live up to 

the ethics and values we allegedly 

espouse. 

According to the Midrash, derech 

eretz precedes Torah (Leviticus 

Rabbah 9:3). Others interpret that the 

Torah rests on the foundation of 

derech eretz. 

2. Areyvut 

Mutual responsibility; accountability. 

We hold each other accountable to 

“walk our talk,” and we are as invested 

in the success of others as we are 

in our own success. Our practices are 

transparent and we are fully and 

equally accountable to constituents, 

donors, funders and colleagues. 

3. Kavod 

Honor and respect 

We treat everyone with respect and 

dignity regardless of role, level of 

education, or economic privilege. 

Our respect for them is apparent in 

every encounter. 

4. Mishpat v’Rachamim 

Justice and compassion 

Justice and compassion are two critical 

cornerstones of our values, and 

are evident in all of our interactions. 

5. Hachnasat Orchim 

Welcoming guests 

We are genuinely warm and welcoming 

to everyone who enters our synagogue; 

evident in every human interaction, 

on the phone, via email, or in 

person, from the Board President to 

the administrative assistant. Hospitality 

is a spiritual practice. 

6. Chesed and Gemilut Hasadim 

Acts of loving kindness 

We extend ourselves to one another 

with kindness regardless of whether 

we have met before. We offer the 

same kindness we would want to receive 

from others. 

7. Lashon Ha’tov 

“Good Tongue;” right speech 

Lashon ha’tov is more than just abstaining 

from gossip; it is about the 

spirit and flavor of how we speak to 

one another. It is also about listening 

and speaking from the heart. 

8. Lo Levayesh 

Do not embarrass 

Closely related to kavod, lo levayesh 

means that we actively engage in behaviors 

that are expressly intended to 

comfort, delight, protect and honor 

others and ourselves. 

9. V’ahavta L’reyacha Kamocha 

and Ahavat Ger: 

Love your neighbor as you love yourself, 

and love the stranger (ger) 

These mitzvot appear more often than 

any other in the Torah. They express 

love for our neighbors, ourselves, and 

for HaShem. We are not only polite 

to one another; we are actually loving, 

warm and generous of heart. 

Page 18

Birthday Wishes for January 

1 Beverly Konkoff 

1 Mehrnaz Halimi 

Waks 

1 Caitlin Temple 

1 Julia Dimant 

2 Robert Zeff 

2 Mark Bellamy 

2 Avi Taff 

3 Debbie Winter 

3 Leah Gumpert 

4 Marlene Ratner 

5 Charles Goldmark 

5 Sofia Komsky 

5 Stav Alon 

5 Rena Cleaner 

6 Gabe Spooner 

6 Morgan Spiller 

7 Laura Schaffer 

7 Hannah Green 

8 Sidney Yassinger 

8 Hannah Edber 

9 Charlotte Ballard 

9 Maya Ballis 

9 Alexander Rogawski 

9 Hannah Finkel 

10 Deborah Gonzalez 

10 Erich Olson 

10 Jacob Dosick 

11 Fredi Jakob 

12 Michael Caplan 

12 Tatyana Rozenbeg 

12 Taliah Berger 

12 Andres Schloss 

12 Harold Rosenblume 

12 Lisa Brent 

13 Mark Friedman 

13 Jennifer Sullivan 

14 Alla Gamarnik 

15 Sheila Lipshutz 

15 Randy Pollack 

15 Janis Lightman 

15 Fred Howe 

15 Judah Grossman 

15 Samuel Cohen 

16 Evie Lieb 

16 Steven Lewis 

16 Miriam Cochran 

16 Daniella Spector 

17 Sam Len 

17 Walter Francis 

18 Barbara Greenspan 

18 Miriam Brabec 

19 Eugene Elzufon 

19 Dianne Cohn 

19 Orna Harel 

19 Ilisa Weinberg 

19 Aaron Prohofsky 

20 Shirley Fahn 

20 Jonathan Gilbert 

21 Mark Shannon 

21 Kenneth Fahn 

22 Susan Kuttner 

22 David Fahn 

22 Ardyth Sokoler 

22 Arielle Berger 

22 Adam Foster 

23 Yvette Fishbein 

23 Vicki Wheelock 

24 Art Zimmerman 

24 Deborah Heymann 

24 Shira Bogin 

24 Benjamin Salman 

24 Miriam Gilbert 

24 Ariel Block 

25 Lou Weintraub 

25 Tamara Davidoff 

25 Wade Beardsley 

25 Natalie Blackman 

26 Sharon Anapolsky 

27 Raul Gandelman 

27 Joseph Green 

27 Ethan Levy 

27 Malkah Javanifard 

27 Abby Milstein 

28 Hannah Olson 

29 Claire Mozes 

29 Mark Cohn 

29 Caitlyn Shannon 

30 Millly Hayward 

30 Toni Rosenberg 

30 Jennifer Rubin 

30 Aaron Grijnsztein 

31 Diane Greenberg 

31 Carolyn Green 

31 Jean-Pierre Rushing 

31 Jonathan Breslau 

31 Philip Wolinsky 

31 Or-tal Shtulvarg 

The Scroll 

January 

Anniversaries 

2 Bernie & Mollly Goldberg 

3 Ashley & Sheila Lipshutz 

3 Baryohay & Tamara Davidoff 

3 Joseph & Diane Samuel 

4 Johnny & Gayle Javanifard 

5 Ralph & Irene Green 

10 Harry & Carol Loew 

12 Harvey & Scarlet Edber 

12 Scott & Valerie DePeel 

14 Philip & Karen Levy 

14 Walter & Phyllis Francis 

15 David & Sheli Varshawsky 

16 Louis & Deborah Gonzalez 

17 Boris & Tatyana Rozenberg 

20 Frank & Ruby Persin 

20 Leonard & Betty Stecher 

20 Mason & Marlo Dewing 

26 Allen & Diane Greenberg 

Page 19

The Scroll 

Birthday Wishes for February 

1 Hilary Ross 

1 Kenneth Sokoler 

1 Natanya Green 

2 Jill Stecher 

2 Gerson Stauber 

2 Lisa Ben-Reuven 

4 Morgan Phoenix 

4 Seth Reiser 

5 Beverly Karfiol 

5 Alan Edelstein 

5 Erica Gutmann 

5 Thomas Debia 

7 Sheila Swift 

7 Elena Friedman- 

Weiss 

7 Gayle Merksamer 

7 Oded Morgenshtern 

7 Daniel Gumpert 

7 Justin Davidoff 

8 Phyllis Kaufman 

8 Gay Tanner 

8 Harvey Edber 

8 Andrea Rosenblume 

9 Evelyn Gurev 

9 Larry Long 

9 Einat Vechter 

9 Jackie Kubel 

10 Marie Levander 

10 Rande Zaretsky 

10 Alon Vechter 

10 Justin Berg 

10 Jordan Anapolsky 

10 Jacqueline Anapolsky 

10 Eliana Kurzrock 

11 Shirley Cohodes 

11 Jerry Merksamer 

11 Shahar Shenhar 

11 Jacob Green 

13 Edmond Yaghoubian 

13 Donald Zimmerman 

14 Bruce Blackman 

14 Eddy Joelson 

14 Lisa Gray 

15 Barri Freeman 

15 Alice Polan 

15 Megan Sullivan 

15 Samuel Bamberger 

16 Joan Epstein 

17 Rosalie Mazur 

17 Ron Meyer 

17 Sarah Ostwald 

18 Lisa Loventhal- 

Stanton 

18 Karun Grossman 

18 Joshua Villanueva 

19 Suzie Lauer 

19 Andrew David 

19 Madeline Rubenstein 

19 Richard Goore 

19 Valerie Daru 

19 Max Weinstein 

20 Janet Ehrlich 

20 Anna Joy 

20 Jordan Brown 

20 Sara Harbarger 

20 Benjamin Harouni 

20 Emma Asch 

22 Philip Stanger 

22 Marlo Dewing 

23 Irv Frumberg 

23 Liz Igra 

23 Andrew D’Souza 

23 Melinda Yaffee 

23 Craig Samoville 

23 Ranon Dulberg 

23 Tom Elrom 

24 Nathan Fine 

24 Ethan Brown 

24 Delilah Dewing 

25 David Arenson 

25 Devi Eden 

25 Carmel Alon 

26 David Varshawsky 

26 Jeff Winston 

26 Toviah Pollack 

26 Greyson Horst 

26 Loreen Vaknin 

27 Bill Blank 

27 Mark Tannenbaum 

27 Alyson Opper 

27 Jacob Weinberg 

28 Joseph Kerub 

28 Sierra Rosenberg 

29 Evan Grijnsztein 

29 Heidi Grijnsztein 

February 

Anniversaries 

3 Fredi & Sybil Jakob 

9 Michael & Elisa Levy 

14 Tim Taylor & Kerry Wittlake- 

Taylor 

15 Joe & Elayne Metzger 

19 Murray & Andrea Cleaner 

20 Phillip & Deborah Rosenberg 

20 Valla Hoffman & Harlan Goodson 

21 Shmuel & Sima Toledano 

23 Roy & Jennifer Rubin 

26 Harry & Julie Lavine 

27 Andrew & Tamsen D’Souza 

Page 20

The Scroll 

Generous Gifts From Thoughtful People 

Donations Made Between November 22 - December 20 

Alan& Gordon Kubel 

Medical Assistance Fund 

Mazal Tov! Jackie & Phil Kubel on 

the birth of Grant Parker 

Elaine Steinger 

Ernest & Sylvia Fahn Israel 

Scholarship Fund 

In loving memory of our Mom & 

Omi, Renee Haberman Rotter 

Murray, Gail, Michael & 

Morgan Haberman 

General Synagogue Fund 

In memory of our dear friend, Judy 

Mandel 

Betty & Jack Ruben 

In honor of Milly & Michael 

Hayward on their 70th wedding 

anniversary 

Sandy & Lloyd Shaffer 

In appreciation of use of the 

Synagogue 

Al Anon 

In honor of the Adult B’nai Mitzvah 

class 

Scarlet & Harvey Edber 

In appreciation of our High Holy 

Days experience at Mosaic Law 

Rhonda & Charles Esgro 

In appreciation of Sid Rosenberg 

Kamala & Cantor Avi Alpert 

In appreciation of Rabbi Taff for your 

time spent with Gary & me. 

Scott & Gary 

In memory of Judith E. Mandel 

Seymour & Ilene Mandel 

Kesher Scholarship Fund 

In honor of Sandi Fahn’s Bat Mitzvah. 

Congratulations and all good wishes 

on this wonderful achievement 

Norman & Mitzi Davis 

KOH Library 

In honor of Taliah Berger being 

Mosaic Law’s “A Woman of 

Distinction” 

Jolie Baron 

In honor of Michael & Milly 

Hayward’s 70th wedding anniversary 

In honor of Taliah Berger being 

named a “A Woman of Distinction” 

by Hadassah 

Barbara & Davina Dubnick 

Mazal Tov! Michael & Milly 

Hayward on their 70th anniversary 

In honor of Hy Kashenberg on his 

birthday 

Gay & Paul Tanner 

In memory of Judy Mandel 

Roz & Bob Dinsfriend 

Mosaic Law Sisterhood 

Speedy recovery to Dorothy Weisberg. 

Get well quickly 

Sybil & Fredi Jakob 

Other 

In honor of Michael & Elizabeth 

Gurev on the occasion of their 

children’s B’nai Mitzvah 

Marsha & Ralph 

Guggenheim 

Murray Bachman Minyan 

Fund 

Speedy Recovery to Liz Igra. Refuah 

Shlema 

Speedy recovery to Dorothy 

Weisberg. Refuah Shlema 

Molly & Bernie Goldberg 

In honor of Rabbi Taff & Deborah 

Gonzalez for Jack, Jennifer & Sarah 

Gurev’s B’nai Mitzvah 

Joan & Ron Klafer 

In memory of our beloved brother 

Arnold Dubnick 

In memory of our beloved mother 

Frances Dubnick 

Mazel Tov! Betsy & Mike Singer on 

the birth of their 1st grandson, Noah 

Clark 


In memory of Marty Petersil 

Harvey & Elise Canter 

Rabbi’s Mitzvah Fund 

Mazel Tov! Rabbi Taff on the birth 

of his first granddaughter 

In appreciation of Barbara Gibson 

for your friendship & many years of 

service to Mosaic Law 

Molly & Bernie Goldberg 

Mazal Tov! Rabbi Taff on the birth 

of his granddaughter 

Judy Persin 

In honor of the birth of Eliana Taff 

Louise & Michael Caplan 

Mazel Tov! Rabbi Taff on becoming 

a Zayde 

Iris & Ron Bachman 

In appreciation of Rabbi Taff 

Beverly & Art Zimmerman 

Page 21

The Scroll 

Donations 

(Continued from page 21) 

In honor of Arnon Erba 

Kamala & Cantor Avi 

Alpert 

Mazal Tov! Betsy & Mike Singer on 

the birth of Noah Clark Ettus 

Dorothy Weisberg 

Mazel Tov! Soni & Ron Meyer on the 

birth of their granddaughter Natalia 

Shoshanna 


Mazel Tov! Rabbi Taff on your new 

granddaughter, Eliana 

Sam & Sharon Anapolsky 

Mazel Tov! Rabbi Taff on the birth of 

his granddaughter 

Gay & Paul Tanner 

In honor of Rabbi Taff & Deborah 

Gonzalez for Jack, Jennifer & Sarah 

Gurev’s B’nai Mitzvah 

Joan & Ron Klafer 

In appreciation of our guidance 

through the B’nai Mitzvah of Jack, 

Jennifer and Sarah Gurev 

Elizabeth & Michael Gurev 

In honor of Nicole Temple’s Bat 

Mitzvah 

Special birthday blessings for Elena, 

Kate & Rachel 

Mazel Tov! On the birth of Eliana 

Jack 

Elissa Provance 

In memory of Judy Mandel 

Herb & Joy Cohen 

In blessed memory of Judy Mandel 

Lillian Edelstein 

Yahrzeit 

In memory of Stephen Coblens, 

Hester’s father 

Hester & Eddy Joelson 

In memory of Bea Bolden 

Gloria & David Frasier 

In memory of Greta Edelson, her 

mother 

Randy Goldstein 

In memory of Bernard Friedman, her 

father 

Terri Friedman 

In memory of Lois Meyer, Ron’s 

mother 

Soni & Ron Meyer 

In memory of Sol Goldstein, his father-in-law 

Robert Mehler 

In memory of Sarah Bachmuth, her 

mother 

Rita Abbott 

In memory of Frank Levine, his brother 

Harry Lavine 

In memory of Chaia Rachel Bank, his 

grandmother 

In memory of Bernard Bank, his 

cousin 

Jacob Igra 

In memory of Dorothy Eklund, her 

mother 

Patricia White 

In memory of Berthold Neuwald, her 

uncle 

Karen Neuwald 

Page 22

The Scroll 

Kiddush Sponsors, Hosts and Co-Sponsors 

for December 2 - December 23 

Anonymous 

Julie & Harry Lavine in honor of Harry's 89th birthday 

Milly & Michael Hayward in honor of their 70th anniversary 

Soni & Ron Meyer in honor of their anniversary 

Teresa Bilyk in honor of her birthday 

Barbara Dubnick in honor of her sister, Davina, on her birthday 

Esther-Lee & Cantor George Wald in honor of their 62nd anniversary 

Betsy & Mike Singer in honor of the birth of their first grandchild, Noah Clark Ettus 

Ed Fishkin in honor of his wife Gayle on her birthday 

Tamsen D'Souza in honor of her husband, Andrew 

Jim and Judy Lawson in honor of Judy’s birthday 

Irv & Rita Frumberg in honor of their anniversary 

Hester & Eddy Joelson in honor of their anniversary 

Caren & Jack Zorman in honor of their anniversary and Jack’s birthday 

Condolences 

for December 2 - December 23 

Sid Mandel on the loss of his dear wife, and our dear member, Judy of blessed memory. 

Judy Weiner (Barry), on the loss of her dear mother, Blanche Ginsburg of blessed memory, beloved 

wife of the late Norman Ginsburg and mother to Paul (Diana), Mark and Phil (Fran). 

Mazel Tov! 

ELIANA JACK ALTMAN TAFF 

The Taff and Altman Families are overwhelmed with joy to announce the birth of Eliana 

Jack Altman Taff, born to Rabbi Avi and Amy Altman Taff. Thursday morning in Los Angeles. 

In addition to her parents, the new arrival was welcomed by and met for the first time by 

her paternal grandparents, Judy Finkelstein-Taff and Rabbi Reuven Taff, uncles Josh and Ari 

Taff, grandparents Judy and Mike Altman and aunts Shari Weiner (Michael) and Shelly 

Margulies (Craig). Her six-year old brother Ethan Altman Blatt met his new sister with curiosity 

and sweet tenderness. 

Eliana was named for three loving and devoted great grandparents: Amy's maternal grandmother, 

Irma Clarice Green Bazar (z"l); Avi's maternal grandfather, Jack Finkelstein (z"l), 

and Avi's maternal grandmother Kitty Finkelstein who resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

There are no adequate words to express our gratitude to the Kadosh Baruch Hu for this amazing miracle and gift of 

new life. May Eliana's world be filled with the blessings of Torah, good health, family, friends, laughter, wisdom, 

peace and all the pink ribbons and ice cream cones she desires :) Rabbi Reuven Taff 

Mazal Tov to Steven and Yvette Fishbein on the marriage of their son Jacob to Jaclyn Teichman of Los Angeles. 

They will be living in New York City where Jacob works for Meridian Capital Group, and Jaclyn will be finishing 

Stern College of Yeshiva University. 

Page 23

Published monthly by: 


2300 Sierra Boulevard 

Sacramento, CA 95825 

A member congregation of United 

Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 

Scroll Deadline 

There is a 350 word limit on articles 

submitted for The Scroll. Deadline for 

all issues is the 15th of the month prior 

to publication date. Please send your 

article to laurawendel@comcast.net 

and blue@mosaiclaw.org. 

Submissions received after the deadline 

will be held until the next scroll is 

published. 


The Scroll 

Rabbi 

Reuven Taff……………………....ext 13 

email: rabbi@mosaiclaw.org 

Cantor Emeritus 

George Wald 

email: elge@earthlink.net 

Rabbi’s Secretary 

Mary Blumenstein………………..ext 19 

email: mary@mosaiclaw.org 

Administration/Facilities 

Director 

Barbara Gibson…………………..ext 20 

email: barbara@mosaiclaw.org 

Education & Youth Director 

Orit Morgenshtern………………..ext 17 

email: orit@mosaiclaw.org 

Education & Youth Assistant; 

Weekly/Monthly Scroll 

Barbara Blue……………………..ext 18 

email: blue@mosaiclaw.org 

Accountant 

Lisa Wade………………………..ext 16 

email: lwade@mosaiclaw.org 

President 

Caren Zorman 

email: president@mosaiclaw.org 

Men’s Club President 

Alex Zamansky 

email: mensclub@mosaiclaw.org 

Sisterhood President 

Carol Loew 

email: mlcwlsac@aol.com 

The Scroll Editor 

Laura Wendel, Editor 

email: laurawendel@comcast.net 

Office Hours: Mon-Thu: 9am - 5pm Fri: 9am - 4pm Sun: 9am - 1pm (during the Religious School year only) 

Telephone: (916) 488-1122 Fax: (916) 488-1165 General Mailbox: Ext. 10 

Page 24

January/February 2012 - My Host Control

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