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<strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong><br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
WWW.BTBRC.ORG
Leadership<br />
MARIO ROJZMAN<br />
Rabbi<br />
EDWIN FARBER<br />
Rabbi Emeritus<br />
DR. MAX A. LIPSCHITZ Z”L<br />
Founding Rabbi<br />
GASTÓN BOGOMOLNI<br />
Cantor<br />
WAYNE KEIL<br />
Chief Operating Officer<br />
MARSHALL BALTUCH<br />
Director of Development<br />
GABRIELA RASCOVSKY<br />
Religious School Director<br />
Membership Director<br />
JENI BUCHHOLZ<br />
Youth & Camp Director<br />
ANNE MANDELBAUM<br />
Early Childhood Academy<br />
Director<br />
SHERRY KRUG<br />
Administrative Assistant<br />
TERI SMOLKEN<br />
Controller<br />
MARLA COHEN<br />
BT2U Coordinator<br />
In this issue<br />
Messages 03<br />
From our Rabbi, Cantor, Co-<br />
Presidents, Director of Development,<br />
Chief Operating Officer, Early<br />
Childhood Academy Director &<br />
Director of Membership<br />
Lifecycles 13<br />
Officers<br />
MIKE SEGAL<br />
RICH BERGER<br />
Presidents<br />
JILL KOCH<br />
Executive Vice President<br />
STEVEN SCHECK<br />
Immediate Past President<br />
HOWARD CHAFETZ<br />
At Large VP<br />
MICHELLE KABAK<br />
Early Childhood Academy VP<br />
MINDY KURKIN<br />
Education VP<br />
DAVID ROSEMBERG<br />
Financial VP<br />
ETTA EPSTEIN<br />
Membership VP<br />
ERIC BERGER<br />
Operations VP<br />
MARK MOYEL<br />
Ritual VP<br />
PHYLLIS SHEINMAN<br />
Ways & Means VP<br />
EDGARDO IMAR<br />
Youth & Camp VP<br />
STEVEN WILLINGER<br />
Treasurer<br />
ANDREA BECK<br />
Secretary<br />
B’nai Mitzvah 14<br />
New Members and<br />
Candle Lighting Times<br />
/ Parashiot<br />
High Holy Days 5779<br />
Feedback<br />
Contributions & Yahrzeit<br />
Donations<br />
15<br />
17<br />
23<br />
News 28<br />
From Beth Torah Sisterhood, Scheck<br />
Family Religious School and Youth<br />
Groups.<br />
Donor Roster - High Holy<br />
Days 5779<br />
38<br />
2 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
A Message from Our Rabbi<br />
Pittsburgh<br />
Sermon Shabbat 11.03.18<br />
Last Shabbat morning around<br />
11:00am a volunteer whispered in<br />
my ear “there was an attack on a<br />
synagogue in Pittsburgh, they are<br />
saying at least 4 people are dead”<br />
I received the news like a sword in<br />
my chest!<br />
I have never been to the state of<br />
Pennsylvania, but I was born in<br />
Buenos Aires and the AMIA, the<br />
Jewish Federation, was bombed<br />
there and the Israeli Embassy was<br />
bombed there leaving between both<br />
attacks more than 110 dead and<br />
countless injured.<br />
And I revived all those terrible<br />
feelings of anger, impotence and<br />
sadness.<br />
I did not stay for Kiddush.<br />
I left for home as I wanted to be<br />
with my family and watch the news.<br />
Yes, the news on Shabbat!<br />
During this past week I was shocked<br />
by our sense of shock and surprise!<br />
This has happened countless times<br />
before! In recent years, right here in<br />
America:<br />
- Emanuel African Methodist<br />
Episcopal Church, South Carolina<br />
… nine black church members<br />
massacred by Dylann Roof.<br />
- Al Masjid Masque, New York City<br />
… the Imam and his assistant fatally<br />
shot on Aug 13, 2016.<br />
- <strong>Nov</strong> 5, 2017, 26 people killed<br />
at First Baptist Church in<br />
Southerland, TX.<br />
- Sept 25, 2017, one killed and<br />
seven injured at the Burnette<br />
Chapel Church of Christ,<br />
Tennessee.<br />
It has happened again and<br />
again! So how come now,<br />
suddenly, we are shocked? Why<br />
weren’t we shocked enough<br />
when those victims were black?<br />
Or Christians? Or as in an<br />
Orlando bar where the victims<br />
were Gay?<br />
ARE WE REALLY SURPRISED????<br />
We don’t know that hate speech<br />
leads to hate crimes???<br />
And yet I have been troubled<br />
this past week. While I was<br />
pleased with the response of<br />
the community when we called<br />
for a community vigil the other<br />
night, I found myself thinking<br />
about Charleston. Where was<br />
our voice when Dylan Roof<br />
opened fire in a church and<br />
killed nine African Americans<br />
three years ago? Sure, we shook<br />
our heads in dismay, rabbis gave<br />
sermons and people said, “How<br />
terrible,” but where were the<br />
vigils? Where were the local<br />
protests? And last year, when a<br />
gunman opened fire at Marjory<br />
Stoneman Douglas High School<br />
RABBI<br />
MARIO ROJZMAN<br />
in Parkland, why didn’t more of us<br />
take to the streets and challenge<br />
public leaders regarding gun<br />
control? Why did it take an attack<br />
on a synagogue to motivate us to<br />
speak out and organize a vigil?<br />
I am not foolish, I know why we are<br />
shocked. It is because it almost hits<br />
home:<br />
We are a conservative shul, Tree of<br />
Life is a conservative shul.<br />
We gather Saturday mornings at<br />
9:30, they gather at 9:45.<br />
Continues on page 44<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
3
A Message from Our Rabbi<br />
“How long O Lord? The aftermath<br />
of the shooting in Pittsburgh’s<br />
Tree of Life”<br />
Ad Anah Adonai – How long O<br />
Lord – cried out the prophet – How<br />
long? How long must we endure<br />
these vile anti-Semitic attacks is<br />
the question on all our minds.<br />
It’s a painful cry that no Jewish<br />
community has been immune from<br />
since Pharaoh decided to enslave<br />
his Hebrew population in spite of<br />
all it had done from Egypt – saving<br />
it from famine and destruction.<br />
We all have opinions about what<br />
happened, why it happened, what<br />
might have triggered it. All have<br />
some validity, none can be proven<br />
right or wrong – every opinion has<br />
a kernel of truth we can learn from.<br />
The issue is too complicated and<br />
has a long, long history. What we<br />
need to do is look at our tradition<br />
and see what it teaches us and put<br />
it all in perspective. Tzay ulmad -<br />
let’s learn. In Moses’ Maimonides<br />
epic legal work called the Mishneh<br />
Torah he discusses the coming of the<br />
Messiah. He tells us that once the<br />
Messiah comes: “All the books of<br />
the prophets and all the writings will<br />
no longer be valid in the days of the<br />
Messiah except for Megillat Esther<br />
which will remain together with the<br />
five books of the Torah and the laws<br />
of the Oral Torah that will never<br />
lose their validity. Even though all<br />
memory of troubles will be dropped<br />
– but the days of Purim will remain.”<br />
Why even after the coming of the<br />
Messiah will we still read the book<br />
of Esther and still observe Purim?<br />
Because even when the Messiah<br />
comes you still need to look out for<br />
Haman!! That is how enduring anti-<br />
Semitism is. Even in the Messianic<br />
era we will have to keep an eye<br />
out for Haman There is a Rabbinic<br />
midrash which I believe explains<br />
this rather bizarre idea. The Rabbis<br />
say that if you are in the midst of<br />
planting a tree and someone comes<br />
and tells you that the Messiah has<br />
arrived, you should finish planting<br />
the tree and then go greet the<br />
Messiah. What are the Rabbis<br />
saying? I believe they are saying<br />
two things: a) don’t alter your<br />
lives – your work – your building<br />
for the future – because you think<br />
the Messiah has come. Because<br />
it’s probably a false alarm. b) Even<br />
if it is the Messiah you still need to<br />
plant trees, care for the world and<br />
build the future. Our partnership<br />
with God and our working to repair<br />
the world doesn’t end with the<br />
coming of the Messiah. The story<br />
of Esther will always be relevant<br />
because even if you think it’s the<br />
messiah – it probably isn’t – and<br />
even if it is people will still be<br />
people and Haman will still be<br />
lurking in the shadows. In other<br />
words, never, ever let your guard<br />
down. My fellow Jews – Jews have<br />
been attacked in France, in Belgium,<br />
RABBI EMERITUS<br />
EDWIN FARBER<br />
in England, in Istanbul, in Argentina, in<br />
Morocco, in Italy and of course in Israel.<br />
Each time we are upset and horrified - Jews<br />
being attacked and killed for the crime<br />
of being Jewish. But for us this attack in<br />
Pittsburgh is psychologically more traumatic<br />
for many reasons. It’s simply more personal.<br />
Let me illustrate why. When they first read<br />
the list of the names of the victims – the<br />
very first name was Daniel Stein. For many<br />
years a fine elderly and gentle man sat over<br />
there – (pointing to seat) many a Friday<br />
night or Shabbat morning with his wife of<br />
many decades. She passed away a few years<br />
ago but he kept coming – now even more<br />
regularly – to say kaddish. The other year<br />
he decided to move away to be closer to<br />
family and we miss him. His name is Daniel<br />
Stein. For one moment I wondered if this<br />
could have been the same man as I didn’t<br />
remember where he moved to. It wasn’t<br />
him – it was a different Daniel Stein. This<br />
attack was more personal because this was<br />
here in America in a city where many of us<br />
personally knows people. My colleague -<br />
Rabbi Jonathan Berkun’s father and mother<br />
would have been<br />
Continues on page 48<br />
4 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
A Message from Our Cantor<br />
CANTOR<br />
GASTÓN BOGOMOLNI<br />
A great miracle happened ALSO there<br />
Jews of the Dominican Republic – another Chanukkah story…<br />
By Clauss Bienen, Martín Katz y Rachel Reuter<br />
Revised by: Rabbi Manes Kogan y Hazzan Gastón Bogomolni.<br />
This year, it is the 80th anniversary of the Evian Conference.<br />
In 1938 the Evian Conference was held under the auspices<br />
of American President Roosevelt with the participation of<br />
32 countries, in order to investigate the possibilities of help<br />
for the emigration of Jews persecuted by Nazism. Only the<br />
Dominican Republic under the government of General Trujillo<br />
offers 100,000 visas for refugees.<br />
In the year 1939 the DORSA (Dominican Republic<br />
Settlement Association) was founded in New York under<br />
the administration of Dr. Rosenberg, Dr. Rosen (expert in<br />
agronomy) and Dr. Hextor (principal administrator of the<br />
Joint). DORSA acquires from Trujillo the lands of the former<br />
United Fruit Company in the north of the country. The lands<br />
are dry, arid and of little agricultural value.<br />
On May 10, 1940, the first group of refugees arrived in Sosúa.<br />
There were 35 mainly German and Austrian people. The<br />
DORSA paid the cost of the trip of approximately 18 days,<br />
from Genua -Italia- to Santo Domingo.<br />
The first settlers lived in the old houses of the<br />
Fruit Company and began to develop a European<br />
agriculture under the instructions of the Diplomat<br />
Agronomist Frederick Perlstein. They grew tomatoes,<br />
cucumbers, carrots and cabbage but couldn’t find a<br />
market for these products. They worked and lived<br />
under extremely rudimentary conditions. Many of the<br />
settlers, unaccustomed to local weather conditions,<br />
fell ill with malaria.<br />
In 1941, a hospital, a pharmacy, a building for<br />
administration, a small synagogue, a school with a<br />
library, a common dining room, dormitories for men<br />
and women were started. Houses were built only for<br />
married couples with children, all in wood and very<br />
austere.<br />
In the same year more refugees arrived: Germans,<br />
Austrians, Poles, some Dutch and French.<br />
Continues on page 53<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
5
A Message from Our Co-Presidents<br />
Fellow Congregants:<br />
A few months ago, through the miracle of Facebook, I caught up with an old<br />
friend, who then sent me a photograph. It was a picture taken at my then<br />
synagogue in Orlando, Ohev Shalom. The year was 1951. It showed about 25<br />
Sunday School children, encompassing grades K-2. At the top of the picture<br />
were the teachers and a big sign that said “HAPPY CHANUKAH!” Incredibly,<br />
there I was, far younger, at the far right in the second row. For me, it was an<br />
incredible picture, and it brought back some great memories!<br />
I think that for most American Jews of my generation, and perhaps continuing<br />
right up until today, our memories as children always contain thoughts of<br />
Chanukah. I got my first bicycle on Chanukah. In fourth grade I was gifted<br />
two great books that I still own, with a note from my mother wishing me a<br />
Happy Chanukah. I remember my beloved mom and dad, of blessed memory,<br />
so pleased with the smile on my face when getting my presents. I remember<br />
my grandmother, who made awesome blintzes and latkes! I am sure that all of<br />
you have similar memories. Forget that the Rabbis said that Chanukah was not<br />
a major thing. For me, who grew up with relatively non-observant parents in a<br />
largely Gentile environment, Chanukah was a very big deal – it’s what allowed<br />
us to match up with Christmas! It was fun! You got eight presents (even<br />
though by number 8 the gift was always very small)! G-d bless the Maccabees!<br />
MIKE SEGAL<br />
I write all of this because by the time you read it Chanukah will be upon us and<br />
because I’m feeling a bit nostalgic for the good old days. When I was a kid we<br />
literally did not lock the doors at my house – no need. My friends and I rode<br />
our bikes around the neighborhood and beyond, and basically did what we<br />
wanted, so long as we were home by dinner. When I was 7, I was allowed to<br />
take the bus downtown to see a movie – by myself!<br />
I feel sad for what our world has become. The Pittsburgh shooting was another<br />
nail in the coffin of the world as I knew it. That world is gone – forever. However,<br />
we must keep going and adapt. Jews survive! Here at BTBRC we are working<br />
hard to keep you safe. I think you can be confident that we are laser focused<br />
on protecting all of our congregants. We are also, with your help, creating a<br />
culture of security where we all look out for each other.<br />
Thus, as Chanukah approaches let us count our many blessings. Let us<br />
celebrate, spin the dreidel, light the menorah, sing “Rock of Ages,” eat the<br />
latkes, and be happy just like it’s the good old days, in the safe haven of our<br />
beloved Beth Torah!<br />
RICHARD BERGER<br />
Enjoy the Holiday,<br />
Mike Segal<br />
Co-President<br />
6 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
A Message from Our<br />
Director of Development<br />
In the Spirit of Chanukkah<br />
It seemed strange for a Talmudic sage to have asked ‘mi hanukah’<br />
“What is Hanukah?” Surely our sages were profoundly steeped in<br />
all the minutiae of Jewish lore. Since the Talmud alludes only to the<br />
miracle of the cruse of oil, and completely ignores the spectacular<br />
Maccabean triumph, we must seek an ancillary meaning. The miracle<br />
of the cruse of oil symbolizes the miracle of man’s invincible spirit in<br />
the face of adversity.<br />
There are occasions in life when the lamp of hope flickers low, and<br />
its “fuel” seems to have reached its nadir. The pit of despair yawns<br />
deeper and deeper. Failure seems inevitable, as it did with the<br />
Maccabees before their indomitable spiritual stamina enabled them<br />
to gain the ultimate victory. A rebirth of strength emerged from some<br />
spiritual subliminal profundities.<br />
It is at such a time when the miracle of the spirit becomes a reality.<br />
This is borne out in the redemptive experience of the author of Psalm<br />
130 who, when all seemed hopeless, cried out Mimaamakim kratiha<br />
haShem, “Out of the depth have I called You, O Lord.”<br />
Rabbi A. Alan Steinbach<br />
ROCHELLE & ROBYN JOIN ME IN WISHING A HAPPY CHANUKKAH<br />
TO OUR ENTIRE <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> FAMILY. MAY WE REJOICE IN PEACE<br />
AND HAPPINESS ON THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY AND AS WE ENTER THE<br />
SECULAR YEAR OF 2019.<br />
Over the years, I have come across many articles that have become<br />
some of my favorites and the words below reflect one that enriches<br />
my synagogue life and I hope yours as well. Let’s make this “New<br />
Year’s Resolution” together.<br />
We may compare our synagogue to a wheel, with our executive<br />
officers and the board at the hub, the working committees as spokes,<br />
and the general membership as the rim. If any part of the wheel does<br />
not function properly, serious trouble results. On the other hand, if<br />
every part performs its task efficiently, we have one of the greatest<br />
inventions of mankind. Should any member consider himself more<br />
important than any other member, the alignment and symmetry of<br />
our organization is disrupted. If in a wheel one spoke is larger than<br />
MARSHALL BALTUCH<br />
the other spokes, the wheel has little value; or<br />
if the hub should expand beyond its limits, we<br />
then have an empty hoop, and no wheel can<br />
travel with a rim sans spokes.<br />
There are times when an organization (the<br />
wheel) will travel over rough roads and extra<br />
strain may demand lubrication. Nothing is<br />
more effective for this purpose than friendly<br />
cooperation. It reduces friction and supplies<br />
that “ingredient” which makes the difference<br />
between a well-oiled machine and a clanking<br />
mass which produces nothing but noise and<br />
discord.<br />
With this comparison in mind, let us all<br />
resolve to cooperate, and let us perform our<br />
part, whether it be at the hub, at the spokes,<br />
or at the rim. No part is so important that we<br />
can dispense with all other parts. No member<br />
is so insignificant that he will not be missed.<br />
Chag Chanukkah Sameach and a Happy<br />
Secular New Year.<br />
Marshall Baltuch<br />
Director of Development<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
7
A Message from Our<br />
Suzy Fischer Early Childhood<br />
Academy Director<br />
Our Early Childhood Academy is having another amazing year. All of our<br />
classrooms and filled and we have added additional rooms to meet the<br />
demand for our program. Our Suzy Fischer Early Childhood Academy has<br />
expanded to 19 classrooms, and growing.<br />
Our newly formed Parent Community, KOOLAM, has made a wonderful<br />
start this year with many fundraising and friend-raising events. Our<br />
weekly challah sales and Scholastic Book Fair has already raised funds.<br />
Our goal this year is to upgrade and enhance our playgrounds. Thank you<br />
to Sharon Lewen and Melanie Gorin, co-presidents of KOOLAM, for their<br />
commitment and leadership of this amazing ECA Parent Community!<br />
The Jewish holidays were enjoyed and celebrated by all our children with<br />
special events, Sukkah parties, food experiences, music and dance to<br />
enhance the beauty of the holidays and Create Jewish Memories for our<br />
children and families.<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember brings our favorite holiday, Chanukkah. We bring out the<br />
menorahs, candles, latkes and the joy of the holiday is felt throughout the<br />
school.<br />
Our Chanukkah De-Lights show on <strong>Dec</strong>mber 7th , is a wonderful way to<br />
conclude the first months of school and get everyone in the holiday mood<br />
as our pk2, pk3 and Jr.K children entertain their families with Chanukkah<br />
songs and dances!! Our Toddlers and Twos also get into the Chanukkah<br />
spirit and invite all their families for a special Chanukkah party on <strong>Dec</strong>ember<br />
5th!!<br />
ANNE MANDELBAUM<br />
The ECA Staff send<br />
their wishes for a<br />
Joyful Chanukkah to<br />
all our Beth Torah<br />
Families.<br />
8 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
A Message from Our<br />
Membership Director<br />
Dear Families,<br />
By the time you receive this issue many things have happened<br />
at BT since the last Beth Torah Times. We had experienced<br />
meaningful High Holy Day time. We shared many shabbatot<br />
and social and communal events, from family programs<br />
(FunFest) to Latin Concerts (Entrelazadas).<br />
We continue to enhance the Beth Torah experience by<br />
growing the number of opportunities we can take advantage<br />
of as a community. The Social Action volunteers expanded<br />
their actions by re-instituting the Mitzvah Day with lots of<br />
offerings to contribute to the well being of other (Jewish and<br />
non-Jewish) communities. A new initiative of a Culture Club<br />
offers added learning opportunities to nurture ourselves in<br />
different fields; architecture, Jewish History, theater, music<br />
appreciation and more. The all-year- round programs (Café con<br />
Torah, Partners in Torah, Rikudim, Yiddish Club) started again<br />
this year.<br />
Yes, life goes on. We are about to enter a new secular year<br />
(2019) and we must admit that we live in a dynamic world of<br />
constant impact and change. We, as American Jews are being<br />
impacted by sick minds of intolerance and hatred. Once<br />
again more than ever, we should remain united and connected<br />
amongst ourselves and to our communities. Take adavantage<br />
of the many opportunities we offer to remain strong against<br />
every storm.<br />
GABY RASCOVSKY<br />
As always, please feel free to contact<br />
me at grascovsky@btbrc.org or<br />
305. 932.2829 x 7821 at any time.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Gaby Rascovsky<br />
Membership and Religious School<br />
Director<br />
10 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
11
Lifecycles<br />
Lifecycles<br />
“Life is lived with people.” Rabbi Ed Farber<br />
MAZAL TOV TO:<br />
Liron and Jackob Dweck in honor of the birth of their<br />
daughter, Noa<br />
Miriam and Bruce Masia, on the marriage of their daughter,<br />
Alexandra (Ali) Lakofsky to Yehonatan Kor, son of Chedva and<br />
Avraham Kor of Rehavia Israel<br />
Sandra Cantor and Horacio Schutt, on the marriage of their<br />
daughter, Daiana Kucawca to Eli Tukachinsky<br />
Diane and Stephen Wander, on the marriage of their son,<br />
Josh to Alison Masterman<br />
Jan and Alex Hockman, on the recent marriage of their son,<br />
Jeremy to Cori Stone<br />
Renee and Jorge Lerman, on the recent marriage of their son,<br />
Benjamin to Tatiana Mesa<br />
Ilene and Moises Cohen, in honor of the birth of their<br />
daughter, Elizabeth and to the proud Grandparents, Lea and<br />
Salomon Cohen and Uncle Abe<br />
Jessica and Kevin Plotkin, on the birth of their daughter,<br />
Alison Daren and to the proud grandparents, Etta Birenbaum<br />
Epstein and Adrienne and Marc Plotkin and to Aunt Melissa<br />
and Uncle Oleg Zubarev<br />
Judy and Rich Berger, on the marriage of their son Jeremy to<br />
Chris Howard, son of Susan and Sheldon Howard<br />
Renata and Jeffrey Wolfe-Schlesinger, on the naming of their<br />
son, Daniel<br />
CONDOLENCES TO:<br />
Wendy and Steven Kravitz, Ellen and Larry Elbrand and Marlene<br />
and Michael Olin and Families, in memory of beloved mother<br />
and grandmother, Shirley Kravitz<br />
Cheryl and Nelson Ferreira, Jeni, Matt, Kayla, Addison and<br />
Dylan Buchholz and Londyn, in memory of beloved mother,<br />
grandmother and great grandmother, Gerri Toth<br />
Bernie, Kristy and Adam Singer, in memory of beloved mother<br />
and grandmother, Rosalind ”Roz” Singer<br />
Bergman Family, in memory of beloved mother, grandmother<br />
and great grandmother, Joan Bergman<br />
Sandra Moskovitz, Rob and Evelyn Moskovitz, Dan and Susan<br />
Moskovitz, Bradley, Justin, Josie and Logan, on the passing of<br />
beloved husband, father and grandfather, David Moskovitz<br />
Judi and Bob Billig, on the passing of beloved brother, David<br />
Dobin<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
13
Mazal Tov to our<br />
B’nai Mitzvah<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 3 RYAN ROTHENBERG<br />
Son of Shari & Jeff<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 10 NOAH KURKIN<br />
Son of Mindy & Mark<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 15 DYLAN WIGODA<br />
Son of Ruthy & Paul<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 16 TALIA ROSENTHAL<br />
Daughter of Jeanne & Kerry<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 9 NOA BEN DAVID<br />
Daughter of Oranit & Eron<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 9 BRADEN PARRIS<br />
Son of Aileen & Steven<br />
January 5 MICHAEL PLEWINSKI<br />
Son of Fabiola & Brian<br />
January 12 CINDY HELLER<br />
Daughter of Carolina<br />
January 17 ANDREW SIMPFENDORFER<br />
Son of Susan Fox & Conrad<br />
Simpfendorfer<br />
January 19 PARKER SANDERS<br />
Son of Kerri & Jeffrey<br />
January 21 MATTHEW GOLOD<br />
Son of Vanessa & Sebastian<br />
14 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Candle lighting Times<br />
for Shabbat and Parashiot<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 24 VAYISHLACH 5:11PM<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 1 VAYESHEV 5:11PM<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 8 MIKETZ 5:11PM<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 15 VAYIGASH 5:13PM<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 22 VAYECHI 5:16PM<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 29 SHEMOT 5:20PM<br />
January 5 Vaera 5:25PM<br />
January 12 Bo 5:30PM<br />
January 19 Beshalach 5:35PM<br />
January 26 Yitro 5:41PM<br />
Welcome our New Members<br />
ADRIANNE & ADAM BLOMBERG<br />
FERNANDA & MICHAEL NEWMAN<br />
VERA MUZYKANSKI & DANIEL CHTEINBERG<br />
ELENA & ABRAHAM SILBER<br />
LORENA & ABRAHAM ABRAMSON<br />
PATRICIA PEREZ & BRETT PALAT<br />
JUAN MONTOYA<br />
SANDRA MEHLER<br />
KARINA DUER & ISAAC KATZ<br />
DIANA GRAJALES<br />
KFIR AMSALEM & JULIANA SALTCHICK<br />
OREN MAROM & KARINA RYAN<br />
DAIVA SUMSLATE<br />
SHEILA VISHNEVSKY<br />
ENA & SOLOMON ENGEL<br />
AMY SHUTTER<br />
LUZ GEDULD
High Holy Days Feedback<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
17
18 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
19
ASK DR. KERUV<br />
Q: We have our family Chanukah party each year. This year<br />
we invited our daughter’s brother in law’s family to our party.<br />
His wife is not Jewish and the children are being brought<br />
up with no particular religion at this time. Our tradition is<br />
to give each child their own menorah to light the Chanukah<br />
candles and recite the prayers. Is it appropriate to give all<br />
the children menorahs even if they aren’t being brought up<br />
Jewish?<br />
Dianne Dreidel from Davie<br />
A: Dianne it is perfectly alright to give all the children<br />
menorahs. The story of Chanukah teaches us about religious<br />
freedom. Invite others to share in the joy of lighting the<br />
menorah. If you expose the children from an interfaith marriage<br />
to the wonderful custom of Chanukah perhaps the memories will<br />
be happy and long lasting, and hopefully will help influence the<br />
non Jewish spouse and children to partake in Jewish traditions in<br />
the future. You need to make the interfaith couple and children<br />
feel welcome in your home when celebrating Chanukah and<br />
other Jewish holidays. Chanukah is a happy holiday with lots of<br />
ethnic foods, games, and songs; what better way to show the joys<br />
of Judaism to a young family.<br />
Dr.Keruv<br />
This column will be printed in the Beth Torah Times each<br />
edition.If you have a question, please email<br />
drkeruv@hotmail.com or<br />
Mail to<br />
Dr. Keruv<br />
Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus<br />
20350 NE 26th Avenue, N. Miami Beach, Fl. 33180<br />
20 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
REGISTER AT https://btbrc.shulcloud.com/form/mitzvahday.html<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
21
22 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
“...As my father planted for me before I was born,<br />
so do I plant for those who willcome after me.”<br />
- Talmud Ta’amit<br />
Contributions &<br />
Yahrzeit Donations<br />
Beth Torah gratefully acknowledges<br />
these gifts of Tzedakah, from<br />
March <strong>2018</strong> to August <strong>2018</strong><br />
The Officers and Board of Directors, Professional and Office staff join in expressing our<br />
Mazal Tov or Condolences to the following families:<br />
GENERAL FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Diane and Stephen Wander, in memory of George Rodman,<br />
beloved father of the Rodman Family<br />
Goldstein-Okay Family in memory of beloved son, Alan<br />
Bernardo Selcer, in memory of beloved Moises Zaragoza and<br />
Samuel Zaragoza<br />
Raquel and Michael Scheck, in memory of beloved mother,<br />
Berta Berezdivin<br />
Phylis Meier, in memory of beloved father, Leo Simensky and<br />
beloved sister, Sandra Frank<br />
Phylis Meier, in memory of beloved Rebecca Simensky<br />
Ramsey and Henry Pevsner, in memory of beloved Ralph Baker<br />
and Pearl Barrett<br />
Herbert Goldberg, in memory of beloved son, Steven Goldberg<br />
Bob Shelley, in memory of beloved mother, Evelyn Shelley<br />
Burton Young, in memory of beloved mother, Clara Young<br />
Marta Jacofsky, in memory of beloved Carlota Dunayevich de<br />
Jacofsky<br />
Julio Barenboim, in memory of beloved Sara Barenboim<br />
Ramsey and Henry Pevsner, in memory of beloved Ruth<br />
Pevsner<br />
Annette Willis, in memory of beloved grandmother, Hannah<br />
Harriet Pearson, in memory of beloved Albert Johnson, Rose<br />
Johnson, Julian Pearson, David Pearson and Joan Harris<br />
Helen and Edward <strong>Dec</strong>ker, in memory of beloved Bernard Catz<br />
Anne and Harold Mandelbaum, in memory of beloved Joan<br />
Bergman<br />
Harry Zimmerman, in memory of beloved sister, Sylvia<br />
Zimmerman<br />
Bette Joy Field, in honor of Jeremy and Chris Berger’s wedding,<br />
son of Judy and Rich Berger<br />
Dora Katz, in honor of Elaine Fisher’s birthday<br />
Rhoda Stein-Lipschitz, in honor of Sherri and Jeff Niefeld’s 40th<br />
Wedding Anniversary<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
23
IN MEMORY OF SHIRLEY KRAVITZ, BELOVED<br />
MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER OF<br />
WENDY AND STEVEN KRAVITZ, ELLEN AND LARRY<br />
ELBRAND AND MARLENE<br />
AND MICHAEL OLIN AND FAMILIES<br />
IN MEMORY OF DAVID DOBIN, BELOVED BROTHER<br />
OF JUDI AND BOB BILLIG AND FAMILY<br />
Received from…<br />
Gisela and Rabbi Mario Rojzman and Family<br />
Laurie and Rabbi Ed Farber and Family<br />
Marcela and Cantor Gaston Bogomolni and Family<br />
Wayne Keil<br />
Rochelle and Marshall Baltuch and Family<br />
Ronna and Mike Segal and Family<br />
Judy and Rich Berger and Family<br />
Raquel and Michael Scheck and Family<br />
The Beth Torah office staff Teri, Sherry, Marla, Lea, Veronica<br />
and Catalina<br />
Marcia and Joel Hochberg<br />
Etta Epstein<br />
IN MEMORY OF GERRI TOTH, BELOVED MOTHER<br />
OF CHERYL AND NELSON FERREIRA AND<br />
GRANDMOTHER OF JENI AND MATT BUCHHOLZ<br />
AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER OF KAYLA, ADDISON,<br />
DYLAN BUCHHOLZ AND LONDYN<br />
Received from…<br />
Gisela and Rabbi Mario Rojzman and Family<br />
Laurie and Rabbi Ed Farber and Family<br />
Marcela and Cantor Gaston Bogomolni and Family<br />
Wayne Keil<br />
Rochelle and Marshall Baltuch and Family<br />
Ronna and Mike Segal and Family<br />
Judy and Rich Berger and Family<br />
Raquel and Michael Scheck and Family<br />
The Beth Torah office staff Teri, Sherry, Marla, Lea, Veronica<br />
and Catalina<br />
Arlene Keil<br />
Rhoda Stein-Lipschitz<br />
Etta Epstein<br />
Melissa and Oleg Zubarev<br />
Jessica and Kevin Plotkin<br />
IN MEMORY OF ROSALIND “ROZ” SINGER, BELOVED<br />
MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER OF BERNIE, KRISTY<br />
AND ADAM SINGER AND FAMILY<br />
Received from…<br />
Gisela and Rabbi Mario Rojzman and Family<br />
Laurie and Rabbi Ed Farber and Family<br />
Marcela and Cantor Gaston Bogomolni and Family<br />
Wayne Keil<br />
Rochelle and Marshall Baltuch and Family<br />
Ronna and Mike Segal and Family<br />
Judy and Rich Berger and Family<br />
Raquel and Michael Scheck and Family<br />
The Beth Torah office staff Teri, Sherry, Marla, Lea, Veronica and<br />
Catalina<br />
Tina and Myron Cohen<br />
Lea and Salomon Cohen and Family<br />
Janet Hager<br />
Mindy Drath<br />
Scott Weisblum<br />
Lenore Elias<br />
Shelly Lipson<br />
Arlene Keil<br />
Judy and Joel Feinman<br />
IN MEMORY OF DAVID MOSKOVITZ, BELOVED<br />
HUSBAND, FATHER AND GRANDFATHER OF<br />
SANDRA MOSKOVITZ, ROB AND EVELYN<br />
MOSKOVITZ AND DAN AND SUSAN MOSKOVITZ,<br />
BRADLEY, JUSTIN, SARA, JOSIE, LOGAN AND FAMILY<br />
Received from…<br />
Gisela and Rabbi Mario Rojzman and Family<br />
Laurie and Rabbi Ed Farber and Family<br />
Marcela and Cantor Gaston Bogomolni and Family<br />
Wayne Keil<br />
Rochelle and Marshall Baltuch and Family<br />
Ronna and Mike Segal and Family<br />
Judy and Rich Berger and Family<br />
Raquel and Michael Scheck and Family<br />
The Beth Torah office staff Teri, Sherry, Marla, Lea, Veronica and<br />
Catalina<br />
Ronni and Bob Whitebook<br />
Judi and Ray Wilensky<br />
24 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
KETTLER & LEVY FAMILIES YOUTH CONNECTION<br />
Received from…<br />
Karen and Michael Matluck, in memory of beloved mother,<br />
Elaine Matluck<br />
Carole Fink, in memory of beloved husband, Jeffrey Fink,<br />
mother’s Elizabeth and Gertrude and aunt, Goldy<br />
Gareth Fink, in memory of beloved father, Jeffrey Fink and<br />
sister, Heidi<br />
Syd Nacron, in memory of beloved father, Emmanuel Rudy and<br />
beloved parents, Rosa and Rubin Najkon<br />
Justine and Stanley Warmbrandt, in memory of beloved son,<br />
Barry Warmbrandt<br />
Justine and Stanley Warmbrandt, in memory of beloved<br />
brother, Marvin Warmbrandt<br />
Ilene, Jay, Brian, Courtney and Austin Rechtman and Rachel and<br />
Patrick Banks, in memory of beloved father and grandfather,<br />
Edwin Rechtman<br />
Lenore Elias, in memory of beloved husband, father and<br />
grandfather, Alvin Elias<br />
Syd Nacron, in memory of beloved daughter, Rosemary Nacron<br />
Alyne and Abbey Kaplan, in memory of beloved Norman Wrubel<br />
Deborah Berkowitz, in honor of Fern Sher’s 89th birthday<br />
EVELYN and MONROE MITCHEL and FAMILY<br />
CONTINUING EDUCATION<br />
Received from…<br />
Berta Feldman, in honor of Elaine Fisher’s birthday<br />
Evelyn and Monroe Mitchel, in memory of beloved mother,<br />
Mary Goldberg and beloved uncle, Benjamin Benjamin<br />
SCHECK FAMILY RELIGIOUS SCHOOL<br />
Received from…<br />
Susan and Sid Koslovsky, in memory of Alex and Millie Koslovsky<br />
and Gertrude Greenberg<br />
Steven Zucker, in memory of all deceased members of my<br />
family, and in honor of all of these wonderful souls<br />
Berta Feldman, in memory of beloved husband, Abraham<br />
Feldman<br />
Jane and Alan Axelrod, in memory of beloved Joan Leff<br />
Rabbi Ed and Laurie Farber, in memory of our parents<br />
SUZY FISCHER EARLY CHILDHOOD ACADEMY<br />
Received from…<br />
Audre Niedenthal, in memory of my dearest beloved dad, Bert<br />
Bass<br />
KIDDUSH FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Raquel and Manuel Rydz, in memory of beloved fathers,<br />
Moises Cohen and Felix Rydz<br />
Judy and Joel Feinman, in memory of beloved mother,<br />
Norma Reich<br />
Jean and Bruce Smoler, in memory of beloved Goldie<br />
Smoler<br />
Deborah Friedman, in memory of Ruth Newman<br />
SHIRLEY SCHREIBER FAMILY CAMP SIMCHA<br />
SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Perry Phillips, in memory of beloved Louis Phillips and<br />
Miguel Berezdivin<br />
DR. STUART KLODA CAMP RAMAH AND YOUTH<br />
SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Madeline and Joel Benes, in honor of Danny Whitebook’s<br />
birthday<br />
WARREN HENRY AUTO GROUP AND THE ZINN<br />
FAMILY LEV SHALEM MACHZOR FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Arlene Keil and Family, in memory of beloved sister and<br />
aunt, Renee Glassman<br />
Bette Joy Field, in honor of my children<br />
SIDDUR LEV SHALEM FOR SHABBAT AND<br />
FESTIVALS<br />
Received from…<br />
Ron Smith, in honor of Rabbi Rojzman and Rabbi Farber<br />
and wishing you a healthy and Happy New Year<br />
Ronni and Bob Whitebook, in memory of Shirley Kravitz,<br />
beloved mother and grandmother of Wendy and Steven<br />
Kravitz and Family<br />
Ronni and Bob Whitebook, in memory of David Moskowitz,<br />
beloved husband, father and grandfather of Sandra<br />
Moskowitz and Rob and Evelyn Moskowitz and Dan and<br />
Susan Moskowitz and Families<br />
Jill and Brian Koch, in memory of Andy Rodman’s father<br />
Friends of Rosalind (Roz) Singer, in memory of beloved Roz<br />
Singer<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
25
MIRIAM AND SEYMOUR FELDSTEIN LIKRAT<br />
SHABBAT FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Arlene Keil, in memory of beloved sister, Isabel Lerner<br />
KERI BROOKE HEIKEN COLLEGE OUTREACH FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Syd Nacron, in memory of beloved daughter, Rosemary Nacron<br />
PATTI MINTZ CAMP RAMAH SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Shelly Lipson, in memory of beloved mother, Doris Dorfman<br />
and beloved brother-in law Robert Lipson<br />
SUZANNE LIPSON ISRAEL PROGRAMS FOR<br />
COLLEGE STUDENTS<br />
Received from…<br />
Evelyn Wagenberg, in memory of beloved Hilda and Marcos<br />
Yanovich<br />
BT2U<br />
Received from…<br />
Tina and Myron Cohen, in memory of beloved sister, Selma<br />
Silverman<br />
RABBI ROJZMAN’S DISCRETIONARY FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Renee and Jorge Lerman, in honor of the marriage of their son<br />
Ben to Tatiana<br />
Sharon Miriam Blumberg, in memory of beloved Joel A Gellar<br />
Goldie Wigutow, in memory of her beloved husband, Sol<br />
Wigutow<br />
RABBI FARBER’S DISCRETIONARY FUND<br />
Received from…<br />
Christy and Bernie Singer in loving memory of Bernie’s Mom, Roz<br />
Singer<br />
Ilene and Jay Rechtman in honor of the birth of their grandson,<br />
Austin Ian Rechtman<br />
Ilene and Jay Rechtman in prayer for a speedy recovery for<br />
Morechai ben Laima<br />
Marc and Jackie Fine in honor of the baby naming of their new<br />
granddaughter<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Muchnick in honor of the High Holy Days<br />
services<br />
Robin Wucher and Larry Willis in memory of Robin’s Uncle,<br />
Lloyd Wucher, on the occasion of the unveiling ceremony.<br />
Sylvan Marlen and Gorecki Korda in honor of Beth Torah<br />
Mindy and Marc Dickler in memory of Robert and Sandra<br />
Feldman<br />
You may also send your tax-deductible donations to these other funds:<br />
- SECURITY<br />
- MARSHALL BALTUCH USY SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
- SHELLEY FAMILY EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER<br />
- SPANISH MAJZORIM FOR IAMIM NORAIM<br />
- EVA AND HELMUT WELLISCH ETZ HAYIM - CHUMASH FUND<br />
- RABBI MAX A LIPSCHITZ YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
- PHYLLIS & STEVE SHEINMAN YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
- RUTH WAGNER SHAPIRO YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND<br />
- CAMPUS RENOVATION PROJECT<br />
- JENNY LERMAN RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND<br />
- MORRIS STEIN MEMORIAL FUND<br />
- DR. SHULAMIT KATZMAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR JEWISH EDUCATION<br />
26 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
News from Sisterhood<br />
Chanukkah means dedication, which<br />
represents the Maccabees defeating<br />
the Syrians and rededicating the Temple<br />
with the miracle of finding holy oil that<br />
miraculously lasted for 8 days, despite<br />
having only enough for one day.<br />
Our Sisterhood is a dedicated group of<br />
women and we honored our members at<br />
our Paid up Membership Brunch, along with<br />
honoring Rachel Lerfelt with our special<br />
Eyshet Chayel award. This award is given<br />
annually to a member of our Sisterhood<br />
who goes above and beyond at helping out<br />
at various events and programs.<br />
Our program included a special skit about<br />
Jewish pirates. Thank you to Judie Berger<br />
and Terry Jonas for writing the script and<br />
to our hard-working committee. A special<br />
thanks goes to our Beth Torah Temple<br />
Presidents, Rich Berger and Mike Segal for taking<br />
on the roles of two of the pirates.<br />
Our Chanukkah party, will be graciously hosted<br />
by our own Gisela and Rabbi Rojzman. Instead<br />
of a gift exchange, we have chosen to donate<br />
to Sharsheret by bringing special toys for the<br />
families of the women who are suffering from<br />
breast and ovarian cancer.<br />
On January 20 at 10 am, Sisterhood will be<br />
celebrating with a Tu B’Shevat Seder. This will be<br />
in lieu of our annual Women’s Seder at Passover.<br />
Special Todah Rabah to our Sisters who have<br />
honored us with donations.<br />
Chanukkah Sameach!<br />
Judy Berger and Etta Birenbaum Epstein<br />
Sisterhood Co-Presidents<br />
28 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
News from the Scheck Family Religious School<br />
Dear Families,<br />
Shalom,<br />
We hope this issue finds you well.<br />
Incredibly, school has been in session<br />
for about two months. In such a<br />
short time we have achieved many<br />
accomplishments. First of all, we<br />
proudly share that our classrooms<br />
have grown, not because we<br />
expanded the walls, but because the<br />
number of students has increased<br />
in every grade level. We opened the<br />
year by baking round Challah for<br />
Rosh Hashanah, and right away in<br />
mid October we shared the Shabbat<br />
table with families in grades K-3. The<br />
turnout reached the 150 people who<br />
celebrated Shabbat in shul. We also<br />
initiated our collective Mitzvah project<br />
with KFB and our students in those<br />
grade levels attended the Kosher Food<br />
Bank Facility to help stack the monthly<br />
items. During the month of <strong>Nov</strong>ember,<br />
students in grades 5-6 visited the<br />
Holocaust Memorial Museum to<br />
commemorate Kristallnacht and,<br />
of course, discussed the tragedy in<br />
Pittsburgh. As <strong>Dec</strong>ember approaches,<br />
we start re - evoking the miracles of<br />
Chanukkah and thinking of a relaxing<br />
break. It is our true hope to continue<br />
to illuminate and nurture our children<br />
with Jewish values and educate them<br />
as Jewish Civilians of the world.<br />
The end of the secular year is approaching soon and once again the<br />
year goes round and round as many things happen around us, some<br />
good simchas to share and yet other sorrows to despair. We want<br />
to greet our families with a prosperous and peaceful 2019 as we<br />
thank our teachers for their devotion to the sacred task of Jewish<br />
Education.<br />
Last, but not least, we want to congratulate the Kurkin Family on<br />
Noah’s Bar Mitzvah while we thank Mindy for the tireless hours and<br />
effort she invests in our school as the V.P of Education.<br />
Mazel tov, Noah and to the entire family.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
The Scheck Family Religious School Team<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
29
News from the YOUTH GROUP<br />
USY & KADIMA<br />
30 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
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TEL AVIV - MASADA - EIN GEDI - JERUSALEM -<br />
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Discover the Old and the Modern Israel<br />
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Copyright © <strong>2018</strong> Momentum Tours & Travel, Inc. All rights reserved.<br />
MAY 19 - MAY 29, 2019<br />
Ed Farber<br />
Rabbi / Educator<br />
ONLY 5 SPACES AVAILABLE<br />
with<br />
Marshall Baltuch<br />
Trip Administrator<br />
GRANTS TO SUBSIDIZE EACH ATTENDEE BY THE<br />
HAROLD E. SIMON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC<br />
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Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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32 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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34 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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36 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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Donor Roster<br />
High Holy Days <strong>2018</strong> - 5779<br />
“Each according to the Blessing which the Lord God has bestowed upon them”<br />
We thank the following people and their families for committing<br />
to our High Holy Days campaign.<br />
LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP<br />
Lois & Sanford z”l Hildebrandt<br />
Marcia & Joel Hochberg<br />
Cheryl & Ruben Kloda<br />
Shelly & Arthur z”l Lipson<br />
Raquel & Michael Scheck<br />
Linda Shelley<br />
Robert Shelley<br />
Ronni & Bob Whitebook<br />
RABBIS’ CABINET MEMBERSHIP<br />
Anonymous<br />
Carola & Michel Cohen<br />
Marcia & Jeff Frantz<br />
Jeannie & Barry Lewin<br />
Syd Nacron<br />
Ana Karina & Jonathan Politano<br />
Laurie & Stephen Riemer<br />
Phyllis & Steve Sheinman<br />
Terri & Jeffrey Sonn<br />
Elizabeth Laduzinski & Jose Waingarten<br />
BT2U PROGRAM<br />
The Scheck Family<br />
ENDOWMENTS<br />
ETZ CHAYIM CHUMASH FUND<br />
Eva & Helmut Wellisch<br />
LEV SHALEM MAHZOR FUND<br />
Warren Henry Auto Group &<br />
Zinn Family<br />
LIKRAT SHABBAT SIDDUR FUND<br />
Miriam & Seymour Feldstein<br />
<strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> FOUNDATION<br />
Dr. Shulamit Katzman z”l<br />
Educational Scholarship Fund<br />
NEW PERMANENT SEATS<br />
Tammy & Eric Isicoff<br />
Renee & Jorge Lerman<br />
Valentina & Ariel Saban<br />
Anica & David Shpilberg<br />
With much gratitude, we thank<br />
Marcia Frantz, for compiling our<br />
Annual Book of Remembrance.<br />
PILLAR OF <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong><br />
$25,000 - $35,999<br />
NER TAMID<br />
$18,000-$24,999<br />
Monica & Daniel Bajuk<br />
Lana & Michael Fischer<br />
Grosskopf Family<br />
RABBI MAX’S B’NAI MITZVAH<br />
CLUB – $13,000 - $17,999<br />
Amy & Howard Chafetz<br />
Linda & Gil Drozdow<br />
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42 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3<br />
RABBI ROJZMAN MESSAGE<br />
There are lots of Nazis in Pennsylvania, There are<br />
lots of Nazis right here in Florida.<br />
They were getting ready apparently to have a Bris, a<br />
Bris that never took place. We had a baby naming.<br />
So I decided that I wanted to talk to that baby who<br />
did not have a Bris, because babies sometimes<br />
understand more than adults.<br />
I will call him “baby” because I don’t know his<br />
name (he wasn’t able to receive one that day)<br />
but brilliantly Zev Steinberg tried to think of a<br />
name. For those of you who may have seen this, I<br />
apologize in advance.<br />
Little boy, what’s your name – do you have one?<br />
Sweet baby, just eight days, what should we call<br />
you?<br />
Is your name Shalom? We long for peace in this<br />
troubled world. I hope you are Shalom.<br />
Is your name Nachum? Oh, how we need to be<br />
comforted in our grief. I hope you are Nachum.<br />
Is your name Raphael? Our broken hearts and<br />
bleeding souls need healing. I hope you are<br />
Raphael.<br />
Is your name Moshe? Our unbearable anguish and<br />
rage demands justice. I hope you are Moshe.<br />
Is your name Ariel? We need the ferocious strength<br />
of lions to protect our people. I hope you are Ariel.<br />
Is your name Barak? We need courageous warriors<br />
to vanquish our enemies. I hope you are Barak.<br />
Is your name Simcha? We need an end to sadness<br />
by bringing joy into our world. I hope you are<br />
Simcha.<br />
Is your name Yaron? We need an end to mourning<br />
by bringing song into our lives. I hope you are<br />
Yaron.<br />
Is your name Matan? We need the gift of children<br />
who will bring a better tomorrow. I hope you are<br />
Matan.<br />
You know baby, you should have been carried high<br />
into the congregation on Shabbat morning - past<br />
from loving hands to loving hands - on a cushioned<br />
pillow to receive your Jewish name. Instead your<br />
elders fell and were carried out on stretchers in<br />
plastic bags. Their names on tags.<br />
So little boy, what’s your name? Take them all if you<br />
will. Take a thousand names. Be Peace and Comfort and<br />
Healing. Be Justice and Strength and Courage. Be Joy<br />
and Song and a Gift to the world. Be every good name<br />
and every good thing.<br />
Baby, you are joining an amazing civilization. One that<br />
teaches humanity that God is one and only one. That<br />
every person is created in his image and cannot even<br />
infer that he is better than the other. A civilization<br />
that maintains that we need to take care of widows,<br />
orphans and strangers.<br />
And yet “bechol dor vador”, in every generation there<br />
were and there will be people ready to kill us.<br />
A week from today we will commemorate the 80th<br />
anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night of the “Broken<br />
Glass” where Nazis torched synagogues. Kristallnacht<br />
was the beginning of the end for the Jews of Germany<br />
After Kristallnacht, Germans did not come to help<br />
the Jews clean up. Quite the contrary, the Jews were<br />
forced to pay for all the damage as the Germans<br />
claimed they had brought it on themselves!<br />
You know baby, when you heard all the screaming,<br />
you also heard the screaming of 2 police officers and<br />
2 S.W.A.T team officers as they worked to stop the<br />
murderer.They risked their lives as well.<br />
Never after a pogrom did non-Jews help the Jews to<br />
recover, but this is America.<br />
Listen Baby: A group called Muslims Unite for<br />
Pittsburgh Synagogue held a fundraiser. Listen to the<br />
words of Wasi Mohamed, from the Islamic Center of<br />
Pittsburgh. He told the crowd at the fundraiser that<br />
their work is not finished with the fundraiser alone. He<br />
said: “We just want to know what you need.”<br />
That’s America at its best!<br />
Like Rabbi Wolberg wrote, “Pittsburgh also reminded<br />
us of Jews at their best.” Most of those Jews who<br />
were killed were elderly. They were that synagogue’s<br />
minyonaires … they came every day to ensure that<br />
there was a minyan to say kaddish. We have people<br />
like that at Beth Torah! Every synagogue has people<br />
like that … people who honestly believe and live by<br />
the words: “Kol Yisroel areivim zeh la zeh – all Jews are<br />
responsible one for another.” There are plenty of Jews<br />
who live by those words.<br />
44 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Yes, little baby, sometimes we are blamed that we take<br />
care of only our own. But it is not true! We don’t only<br />
take care of our own!<br />
Look what happened the day of your supposed Bris.<br />
After the attack, Robert Bowers, the killer who cried,<br />
“I want to kill all the Jews …” was kept alive at the<br />
Allegheny General Hospital, where at least three<br />
of the doctors and nurses who cared for him were<br />
Jewish. The President of the hospital, Dr. Jeffrey<br />
Cohen, who happens to be a member of the Tree of<br />
Life Congregation, told the media: “We are here to take<br />
care of sick people. We’re not here to judge you, we’re<br />
not here to ask if you have insurance or do not have<br />
insurance … we’re here to take care of people who<br />
need our help.”<br />
We read in the parasha of the week:<br />
“And Abraham died in a good old age, an old man,<br />
and full of years, and was gathered to his people. And<br />
Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of<br />
Machpelah.”<br />
Did you hear that???<br />
Isaac and Ishmael together.<br />
Even after all their past, after all their differences, after<br />
all their complexities, after all their discrepancies, they<br />
together buried Abraham.<br />
The support, the love, the compassion, the kindness<br />
that we received from the community made us<br />
feel that we were not burying our eleven dead by<br />
ourselves. We were not alone. Ishmael was with us.<br />
Many others were with us.<br />
People from different faiths were with us and they are<br />
with us hugging us, embracing us.<br />
And if Ishmael and Isaac with all their differences were<br />
able to bury their dead together, why can’t Republicans<br />
and Democrats bury 11 American Jews together??<br />
These days, rabbis are afraid to speak out or make<br />
moral pronouncements for fear of sounding too<br />
political. No matter what we say, we are criticized for<br />
sounding too much like a liberal or a conservative,<br />
a Republican or a Democrat. Many of us have been<br />
silent in the face of the horrors taking place in our<br />
country. Have we forgotten the words of Elie Wiesel?<br />
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the<br />
oppressor, never the victim, silence encourages the<br />
tormentor, never the tormented.”<br />
In the past two years there has been a 67% percent<br />
increase in anti-Semitic incidents in America and a<br />
ninety percent increase in New York.<br />
This needs to stop.<br />
So, I am mourning today the precious lives lost<br />
in Pittsburgh. But I am also mourning for the loss<br />
of civility, the rise of prejudice, the diminution of<br />
honesty, and the inability of our leaders to talk to<br />
one another. I am mourning because this is not the<br />
America we deserve<br />
Baby, tell them that you don’t want to hear more<br />
politicians telling you “our thoughts and prayers are<br />
with the families of the victims” Tell them that you<br />
represent the future and for this country to be a<br />
light to other nations and to have a future, we need<br />
the leaders to be leaders and not walking egos.<br />
We are a remarkable people, and we live in a<br />
remarkable country. So, we as a people, must stay<br />
strong, we as a country must remain optimistic.<br />
We dare not give into despair. We are a people<br />
dedicated to a Torah whose “ways are ways of<br />
pleasantness and all its paths are peace.” Do you<br />
know where you find those words?<br />
In the words of the Book of Proverbs that provided<br />
the Tree of Life Synagogue its very name: “Eitz<br />
Chayim He – it is a tree of life to those who grasp<br />
it and those who uphold it are happy. Its ways are<br />
ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.”<br />
I received yesterday morning a phone call from<br />
a dear friend, a member of our congregation, Dr<br />
Sosenko. He became a grandpa. You know what<br />
the new baby’s name is?? Ilan Chaim (a tree of life,<br />
after the attacked synagogue’s name)<br />
Baby take another name be CHAIM, BE LIFE!<br />
Life is a synonym of Judaism<br />
We believe in life, we are life.<br />
And we will be alive<br />
Am Israel Chai<br />
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL ARE HURT BUT ALIVE<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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46 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4<br />
RABBI FARBER MESSAGE<br />
in that synagogue that morning if they weren’t jetlagged<br />
from a trip they had just made. Good friends of ours<br />
from Kendall have a son who was literally walking by that<br />
synagogue on his way to a synagogue down the street<br />
when the police pulled up with sirens blasting and the<br />
gunman was running back into the synagogue. He took<br />
cover to avoid any stray bullets. This attack was personal.<br />
And it affected us more because in our minds – we were<br />
thinking – if it could happen there – it could happen here.<br />
How do I know that? Because immediately our leadership<br />
– like leaderships in synagogues across the country –called<br />
meetings to discuss in some cases – bringing security<br />
as many synagogues to my dismay have zero security<br />
arrangements – or in our case to strengthen an already<br />
strong security situation. I went to the Memorial service<br />
and vigil at the Holocaust Memorial and there were police<br />
and swat teams deployed to protect the few thousand<br />
who gathered there. So - this one was different because it<br />
happened here. On Chanukkah we will spin a dreidel which<br />
has the letters that spell out – a miracle happened there.<br />
It happened in Israel – there – not here. But in Israel their<br />
Dreidels are different – they say – a miracle happened<br />
here. Because they walk the streets where the battles took<br />
place – they live in the country where the persecutions<br />
began and the heroism of the Maccabees brought<br />
liberation. That’s what is happening here. When Jews<br />
are attacked in other countries – we feel it – we mourn –<br />
we’re concerned. But it happened there. This attack didn’t<br />
happen – Sham – there – it happened – poh – and when<br />
it happens ‘poh’ – here - the connection is stronger – the<br />
reaction is stronger the fear is greater.<br />
Now back to our learning about the planting of<br />
the tree even when the messiah has arrived and telling<br />
the story of Esther, Haman and Mordechai even after the<br />
Messiah is here. America is not only the greatest country<br />
that has ever existed in the history of the world – not only<br />
does the free world exist today because of America and the<br />
greatest generation – not only does any hope for the future<br />
of humanity depend completely on the power and the<br />
success of America – but America has been the greatest<br />
country outside of Israel for Jews to live and thrive. If<br />
we are shrinking because to many of our children and<br />
grandchildren have lost their connection to Judaism and<br />
the Jewish people – and because we have low fertility rates<br />
– that is not the fault of America – that is our fault and our<br />
fault alone – but that my friends is a different sermon for<br />
a different time. And we Jews know that America has been<br />
the greatest place for Jews and most minorities. And we are<br />
very, very proud of it. But we have forgotten the lessons the<br />
Rabbis taught us about planting the tree even if we think<br />
the messiah has come and reading about Haman and Esther<br />
even if we are sure the Messiah has come. The lesson of<br />
the book of Esther is – never – ever – let your guard down.<br />
Watch out for Haman. He is there is every generation – in<br />
every generation and in every place. He is looking for the<br />
opportunity to raise his ugly head and kill Jews because<br />
he has an ancient hate that is – a neurosis or a pathology<br />
– or it’s genetic or its cultural or religious or comes with<br />
mother’s milk. I don’t know – but I do know its eternal<br />
and nothing – nothing – will very make it go away. Strong<br />
opposition to it – condemning it – isolating it – making it<br />
persona non grata will limit it – push it into the shadows –<br />
force it back into hiding. But it won’t eliminate it and it will<br />
without failure arise again. Some American Jews have made<br />
the mistake of thinking that America is the messianic age<br />
for American Jews. We have arrived and we are free, safe<br />
and secure. Yes, we are freer and safer and more secure<br />
than we’ve ever been in the Diaspora. We said the prayer<br />
for Israel a few moments ago – it says – Bless the state of<br />
Israel – the beginning of our redemption. THE BEGINNING<br />
– not the final redemption. Because Israel understands<br />
that Haman is still there and although Jews are more<br />
secure now in Israel than they have been since the days of<br />
the Maccabees the Messiah hasn’t come. So Israel does<br />
everything in her power to secure the state and its citizens.<br />
Too many Americans have forgotten the lesson of Haman<br />
and planting the tree. The tree is real life – stay connected<br />
to reality even if you think the Messiah has come. Reality<br />
in America and throughout the world means – secure your<br />
Jewish institutions as best as you can. Laurie and I were in a<br />
synagogue in Vermont for a wonderful simcha a few weeks<br />
ago. We noticed that on Shabbat morning we walked in<br />
unnoticed -in the sense that there was zero security – no<br />
one at the front door to even notice our arrival. When we<br />
got to the sanctuary doors we were warmly welcomed. I<br />
asked the Rabbi who knows I am from Miami why there<br />
was absolutely no security at the door. She said – Ed – this<br />
is Vermont – not Miami. And I thought to myself – after all<br />
I was a guest and there are sometimes where my natural<br />
tendency to say what I think is curbed – so I thought to<br />
myself – I guess she thinks that anti-Semitism and mental<br />
illness and hatred somehow stops at the Florida Georgia<br />
border. Well it doesn’t. And the Messiah has not come –<br />
and there are Hamans out there. But here’s the other side<br />
48 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
of the truth. America is the dawn of redemption in the<br />
sense that it is the very best place there has ever been for<br />
Jews. Within 15 minutes of the attack in Pittsburgh police<br />
cars were sent out throughout Dade County to secure<br />
synagogues and any Jewish site that might have been<br />
open. This happened throughout the country. In Alabama<br />
Jeremy Schwartz reported to us about the police securing<br />
Hillel on Campus – the local synagogue - the JCC and Jewish<br />
fraternities on campus. There are four police officers in the<br />
hospital now in Pittsburgh who ran into that synagogue –<br />
putting their lives at risk – to save Jews. They would not like<br />
me saying it that way. Because they ran into that synagogue<br />
to save innocent lives – and they would have run into a<br />
church or a mosque or a mall. They would be upset that I<br />
said Jews because for them there are the innocent people<br />
and the criminals and that’s that. But we have a history<br />
and in our history the governments of the world were the<br />
instigators of the attacks on the synagogues – they were the<br />
corroborators with and protectors of the ones who bombed<br />
the JCC’s and the Israeli Consulates. The government – the<br />
law enforcement - in our history were more often than<br />
not the ones who instilled the anti-Semitism. That has<br />
never been and is not the case in America and that my<br />
fellow Jews – is the difference – and it is all the difference.<br />
And in America – the Christians and the Muslims and the<br />
secular Americans were universally horrified at this attack<br />
and rallied to our sides and that will help push back on the<br />
Hamans in this world. But heed the lesson of the Book of<br />
Esther and remember what the Rabbis said about the tree<br />
planting and the Messiah. Do not forget reality -do not let<br />
your guard down. A Mayor of a major city opposed using<br />
armed guards in our religious institutions because that isn’t<br />
America. He lives in a messianic vision that hasn’t come<br />
yet – in Hollywood they call it LaLa Land but at least they<br />
know its LaLa Land and I loved the movie but it wasn’t the<br />
real world. He is right – we shouldn’t have to put security in<br />
our Churches, Synagogues and Mosques. And we shouldn’t<br />
have to lock our homes at night – or have guards at our<br />
condos – or tracking devices on our cars or even now on<br />
our children. But until the Messiah comes and even after<br />
he comes – we will have to do it. Hopefully we’ll have to do<br />
it less and the number of times that Haman raises his ugly<br />
head will be less and less – fewer and fewer. And yes - that<br />
means we need leaders on both sides of the aisle that can<br />
disagree agreeably and tone down the heated rhetoric that<br />
can in no way help us. Harry Truman did three great things.<br />
He ended the war and saved at least 100,000 American<br />
soldiers lives and the city of Tokyo from total destruction.<br />
He recognized the State of Israel and in that way assured<br />
her existence. And he said – The Buck Stops Here – the<br />
responsibility stops in the oval office. To put a halt to this<br />
deterioration of our political discourse – to get it out of<br />
the gutter the leaders of the GOP and the leaders of the<br />
Democrats should have a meeting and then come out in<br />
one voice denouncing hate speech – commit to more civil<br />
but vigorous public debate of the key issues and in unity<br />
denounce any kind of violence or hate speech. If they can’t<br />
get together on this then they are not leaders. But it has to<br />
start with the White House because the buck stops there.<br />
The White House bears the greatest responsibility because<br />
it has the bully pulpit and it has the microphone.<br />
I found a message on my answering machine<br />
on the Monday after the attack. It was from a security<br />
company I never heard of. They said – Rabbi – we don’t<br />
know how to reach your synagogue – we know you have<br />
a security company and they are good – but we know<br />
that they are spread thin because of this terrifying and<br />
heinous attack. We want to know if we could send some<br />
security people just to help you out. We aren’t seeking<br />
your business or any payment – we just want to be part<br />
of the solution and let you know that all Americans stand<br />
in solidarity with you. That is the difference and that is<br />
why we will be ok – better than ok - here - as long as we<br />
remember that even in the land of the free and the home<br />
of the brave the anti-Semitic virus has not and cannot be<br />
erased – it can only be contained and Haman is there in the<br />
shadows. Our job is to keep pushing him to the margins<br />
– into the shadows and be prepared on the rare occasion<br />
when he snaps and is ready to end his own life to act on<br />
his overwhelming hatred of the Jew. I want to end by doing<br />
what we do in any Shivah house – we specifically say the<br />
name of the deceased and pray that we can make his/her<br />
memory into a blessing and then we say a prayer that ends<br />
in peace. These peoples are martyrs of the Jewish people –<br />
people who die for one reason – they are Jews. But they are<br />
martyrs with names:<br />
• Joyce Feinberg: Yiddis bat Ava Menachem -75, an<br />
intellectual and academic, who was knowns as a mentor<br />
and surrogate mother to her students.<br />
• Dr Richard Gottfried, Yosef ben Chaim, 65, A Dentist<br />
by trade, he volunteered his services to those who were<br />
uninsured at the Catholic Charities Free Dental Clinic.<br />
• Rose Mallinger, Raizel bat Avraham - 97, was the<br />
oldest victim, yet her age never stopped her from attending<br />
weekly services at Tree of Life. Spry and quick-witted, she<br />
was often seen walking in the neighborhood and stopping<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
49
to chat with friends at the grocery store.<br />
• Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, Yehudah ben Yechezkel -66, a<br />
primary care physician, who with his signature bowtie earned<br />
a reputation for faithfully tending to the needs of his patients,<br />
friends and family. Even in his final moments, he ran outside,<br />
dodging a barrage of bullets, to help the wounded.<br />
• Brothers David and Cecil Rosenthal, David ben Eliezer<br />
and Chaim ben Eliezar - 54 and 59, considered by congregants<br />
as welcome ambassadors. They always sat in the back of the<br />
Temple and greeted people as they came in to worship. The<br />
duo had developmental disabilities and often spent their days<br />
at the nearby JCC.<br />
• Bernice Simon, Beila Rochel bat Moshe, 84, and<br />
Sylvan Simon, Zalman Shachna ben Menachem Mendel, 88<br />
exchanged their marriage mows at the Tree of Life synagogue<br />
and remained a devoted presence there ever since. Sylvan<br />
loved chatting with his friends and sharing jokes. Together,<br />
they were an inseparable couple known for walking hand in<br />
hand around town.<br />
• Melvin Wax, Moshe Gadol ben Yosef, 88, was at<br />
synagogue every Friday and Saturday, without fail. The first to<br />
arrive and the last to leave, he took on so many tasks – from<br />
chanting Torah to changing light bulbs.<br />
• Daniel Stein, Daniel Avrom ben Baruch, 71, was a<br />
simple man who loved his faith and family above all else. A<br />
loving husband, father and most recently grandfather, a role<br />
he embraced and cherished.<br />
• Irving Younger, Yitzchak Chaim ben Menachem, 69, was<br />
a familiar face at Temple, often doing the jobs no one wanted.<br />
When people came into Tree of Life for services, Irv, made<br />
sure everyone felt comfortable and welcomed. He didn’t<br />
know a stranger – everyone was his friend.<br />
Each of these individuals represented the good in humanity,<br />
embraced life and were guardians of their faith. They are a<br />
reminder to all of us that life is so precious and nothing is<br />
promised. May their memory be for a blessing.<br />
We end with hope. It is a poem written by Zev Steinberg<br />
and dedicated to the young boy whose arrive was being<br />
celebrated at the synagogue and whose Hebrew name was<br />
going to be announced that morning. The event did not<br />
obviously take place so Zev Steinberg wonders what the<br />
baby’s name will be. He entitles the piece – What’s your<br />
name:<br />
Little boy, what’s your name – do you have one? Sweet baby,<br />
just eight days, what should we call you? I have heard the<br />
sacred circumcision postponed for jaundiced yellow, but<br />
never before for bloodshed red. Is your name Shalom? We<br />
long for peace in this troubled world. I hope you are Shalom.<br />
Is your name Nachum? Oh, how we need to be comforted in<br />
our grief. I hope you are Nachum. Is your name Raphael?<br />
Our broken hearts and bleeding souls need healing. I<br />
hope you are Raphael. You should have been carried<br />
high into the congregation on Shabbat morning - passed<br />
from loving hands to loving hands - on a cushioned pillow<br />
to receive your Jewish name. Instead your elders fell<br />
and were carried out on stretchers in plastic bags. Their<br />
names on tags. Is your name Moshe? Our unbearable<br />
anguish and rage demands justice. I hope you are Moshe.<br />
Is your name Ariel? We need the ferocious strength of<br />
lions to protect our people. I hope you are Ariel. Is your<br />
name Barak? We need courageous warriors to vanquish<br />
our enemies. I hope you are Barak. The blood on Shabbat<br />
morning was supposed to be covenantal not sacrilegious,<br />
sacramental not sacrificial, sacred not unholy. The tears<br />
were supposed to be of boundless joy not bottomless<br />
sorrow. The cries were supposed to be “mazel tov” not<br />
the mourner’s kaddish. Is your name Simcha? We need<br />
an end to sadness by bringing joy into our world. I hope<br />
you are Simcha. Is your name Yaron? We need an end to<br />
mourning by bringing song into our lives . I hope you are<br />
Yaron. Is your name Matan? We need the gift of children<br />
who will bring a better tomorrow. I hope you are Matan.<br />
So little boy, what’s your name? Take them all if you<br />
will. Take a thousand names. Be peace and Comfort and<br />
Healing. Be Justice and Strength and Courage. Be Joy and<br />
Song and a Gift to the world. Be every good name and<br />
every good thing. And, Sweet baby, take one more name<br />
if you will – because I hope you will be blessed with a<br />
long, blissful, beautiful and meaningful life… I hope you<br />
are Chaim.<br />
Olam Chesed Yeebaneh – God will build a world of<br />
kindness –Enlighten the whole world with His Glory<br />
Do not stand apart from the community – Love your<br />
neighbor as yourself. My God, the soul you have placed<br />
in me is pure; to repair the world in the Kingdom of the<br />
Divine Mother. May we be God’s partners in bringing<br />
more kindness into the world and pushing darkness and<br />
evil back into the hole from which it has crawled out of.<br />
May this be God’s will. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.<br />
50 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
51
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5<br />
CANTOR BOGOMOLNI MESSAGE<br />
After the negative results in the field of agriculture,<br />
the settlers began to establish farms for the raising of<br />
dairy cattle. The farms at the beginning were handled<br />
collectively with negative results.<br />
In 1943, two experts arrived in Sosúa: Mr. David Stern and<br />
Mr. Douglas Blackwood. The first organized a restructuring<br />
of the farms, each of approximately 50 hectares with<br />
their respective water resources. To ensure drinking water<br />
for Sosúa and the farms, the aqueduct in the mountains<br />
(Chocco) was extended. Mr. Blackwood instructed them<br />
in the management and raising of dairy cattle. He quickly<br />
gained the confidence of the settlers, since they realized<br />
that tangible and commercially interesting results could<br />
be obtained.<br />
Each immigrant or settler had according to the statutes of<br />
the DORSA the right to obtain a farm with 15 animals, the<br />
prices were established by the administration. Each month<br />
they had to pay 10 dollars as amortization of the capital<br />
plus a small interest of 3% per year. Each settler was also<br />
entitled to a job in the two small industries: the dairy<br />
factory (C.I.L.C.A. - Compañía Industrial Lechera, C. por A.)<br />
and the livestock meat products factory. These two small<br />
factories functioned initially as cooperatives.<br />
In 1945 approximately 700 people lived in Sosúa, mostly<br />
immigrant single men. Many manage to leave the United<br />
States: some, unable to adapt to the environment and the<br />
management of a farm, others (especially professionals)<br />
looking for a higher education and a better standard of<br />
living.<br />
In 1947 another group of immigrants arrived from<br />
Shanghai, China. What a trip! From Europe to China and<br />
from China to Sosúa. They were approximately 35 people.<br />
The Benjamin, Strauss, Rothenberg, Floersheim and Hecht<br />
families were among them.<br />
The year 1950 is considered the last year of Jewish<br />
immigration to Sosúa. The last two families that were<br />
accepted as settlers were the Reuter and the Neuman<br />
families, both from Israel.<br />
Although Sosúa was planned as a refuge for Jewish<br />
immigration of at least 2,000 people only 800 arrived.<br />
As we said, after 1945, many went to the United States or<br />
Mexico and also a few returned to Germany. The problems<br />
of the first years - however - were overcome and Sosúa<br />
progressed and expanded in every way.<br />
Sosúa in those days, maintained a theater, a movie theater,<br />
a synagogue, a hospital with excellent service and a school.<br />
The latter very soon gained a very good reputation thanks<br />
to its director, the unforgettable Dr. Robischek, outstanding<br />
doctor of Vienna, known for his works of investigation in<br />
the bacteriological field in addition to a solid connoisseur<br />
of the Jewish sources.<br />
Pioneers cannot forget the “Oasis” or the Cafehouse, or<br />
Kneipe, or Taberna, a meeting point for friends. There<br />
they played cards, adjusted the last prices of CILCA, drank<br />
Dominican coffee or simply met people to chat over a little<br />
bit of tea.<br />
There was also the celebration of the Jewish holidays:<br />
Hanukkah, Purim and Passover. In the cultural sense,<br />
the settlers remained faithful to their European culture,<br />
mainly German and Austrian. It is interesting to note<br />
that despite the fact that almost all the immigrants from<br />
Sosúa were expelled from their home countries, under<br />
discriminatory and extremely humiliating conditions, they<br />
always maintained the cultural ties that bound them with<br />
the traditions and customs of their countries of origin. In<br />
Sosúa you could hear phrases like: “cooked or not-cooked<br />
at 12.30 we are going to eat” or, “in my country, Germany,<br />
things were like that”, etc. In the religious aspect, it could<br />
be said that the colonists were liberal traditionalists, with a<br />
strong tendency to assimilate to the environment. Children<br />
from the communities of Santo Domingo and Sosúa under<br />
the circumstances of the first years, many immigrant men<br />
married Dominican women and formed, in the cultural and<br />
religious sense, mixed marriages. The interesting thing is<br />
that these marriages, exposed from the point of view of<br />
the Jewish tradition, to a strong assimilation to the gentile<br />
environment, were able to preserve in their children and<br />
even in their grandchildren traits of the Jewish tradition<br />
and culture. In the first 30 years, some families managed<br />
to make some capital and sent their children to the United<br />
States to receive a better education. The majority of these<br />
children never returned to settle in the country again.<br />
Tourism in Sosúa ... Tourism (especially German) and<br />
foreign investment -especially in real estate- has changed<br />
the face of this town founded by Jewish settlers 80 years<br />
ago. Sosúa is today one of the picturesque villages in the<br />
northern part of the country, whose life is closely linked to<br />
modern tourism (all inclusive).<br />
52 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
The Jewish Community of Sosúa today ... Today there is<br />
little left in Sosúa of what it used to be. The remaining<br />
Jews, about fifteen families, maintain a small and beautiful<br />
synagogue. Next to it, there is a well-designed museum<br />
describing the origin of the arrival to the country, with<br />
photos of the SHOÁ survivors and their primitive life. They<br />
have their separate cemetery very well taken care of, in the<br />
Way of Llibre with about one hundred tombs of immigrants<br />
that rest forever in that land, descriptive tombs of a<br />
sacrificed and fruitful life. From June 1996 to May 1997,<br />
Rabbi Manes Kogan (Hillcrest Jewish Community Center,<br />
Jamaica, NY), the rabbi then of the Jewish Community of<br />
Santo Domingo and the first ordained Conservative Rabbi<br />
in the history of the DR, took charge of Jewish education<br />
and activity in the Community of Sosúa. At the beginning of<br />
May of 1997 a religious ceremony was realized where three<br />
beautiful girls (Shiara Strauss, Yifat Milz and Erika Benjamin)<br />
became Benot-Mitzvá.<br />
In January 1997, our hazzan Gastón Bogomolni, then a<br />
19-year-old Argentinean boy, recommended by Rabbi<br />
Manes Kogan, took the full time reins of this Community<br />
and began to carry out continuous Jewish activity for the<br />
first time in the history of the Community. Among these<br />
activities were: religious services, Jewish education for<br />
children (from 6 to 16 years old), talks with adults about<br />
the tradition and history of the Jewish People, teaching of<br />
Rikudei-Am (Israeli dances), teaching of Shirei Am (Jewish<br />
Folk songs), preparation for Bar and Bat-Mitzvah, etc.<br />
Gastón organized the community, from forming a directive<br />
until finding the solution to the administrative system. The<br />
difficult task of calling volunteers to collaborate with the<br />
task that involved everyone equally was also organized.<br />
Gastón also took charge of the Museum, took seminars<br />
to become its director and organized it. He also tried to<br />
reorganize the material in the oral archive, interviews<br />
with immigrants who were still alive. As a result of this<br />
work he helped to recover the kidnapped files belonging<br />
to the DORSA. Between the low social status and the low<br />
cultural life (without cinemas, without theaters, etc.),<br />
Gastón decided to organize a series of cultural activities<br />
through the Jewish Community, and thus provide in<br />
some way, culture to the small town of Sosúa and its<br />
surroundings. Among these activities were: “Concert of<br />
Jewish and Argentine music in Purim”, “A great miracle<br />
happened there”, (puppet work for Jánuka), “The Fiddler<br />
on the Roof”, (performed by the children of the community<br />
and presented at a Resort-Hotel), among others. After an<br />
arduous and hard work, unique and enriching, and once the<br />
Jewish life and a smile returned to the Jewish community<br />
of Sosúa, Gastón moved to the Jewish Community in Santo<br />
Domingo to continue the task and legacy that Rabbi Kogan<br />
who moved to the US. The leaders of Sosúa and Gastón kept<br />
in touch while he was now in the capital of the country.<br />
More than a few times Gastón made the effort to try to<br />
get some new leader or in his absence a madrich (Youth<br />
Counselor) to continue the important task that had been<br />
carried out in the Caribbean Jewish Colony. Unfortunately,<br />
many of the parents had already moved to the capital so<br />
that their children would receive a higher education and of<br />
a better level.<br />
Years went by, Gastón Bogomolni had already moved<br />
aside from the Dominican reality by moving to Barcelona<br />
in 1999. A new leader loomed over Santo Domingo but<br />
there was no connection with the Sosúa Jews. Those who<br />
were once teenagers had already become older and life<br />
moved them to the same universities outside Sosúa or the<br />
country, the most advanced of age began to be more tired<br />
and the community went back to ground zero. However,<br />
in 2006-2007, the old board of the directors chaired by<br />
the strongest hearts of the community, Ivonne Milz, Joe<br />
Benjamin and Edith Myers, decided to invest money to<br />
obtain a more arranged museum. So it was that after the<br />
effort of professionals left the museum has never seen<br />
before. Hazzan Gastón had being back several times in the<br />
last 20 years to visit the community of Sosua, has lectured,<br />
concertized, taken university students, etc. In spite of what<br />
many researchers tried to predict that: “The assimilation<br />
and the circumstances in which the Colony was created<br />
would, by themselves, gradually disappear Jewish life in<br />
the community”, Hazzan Bogomolni continues in touch<br />
with all the leaders of the community and is now acting as<br />
a consultant to once again get a new spiritual leader for<br />
the Jews who remained there, including the new ones who<br />
immigrated in the last 20 years. Bogomolni has also created<br />
a whatsapp group with all the 20+ students, whom many<br />
live here in South Florida and a reunion will be set soon too.<br />
A great miracle happened then, and with Hashem’s willing,<br />
a greatest miracle will happen today too!<br />
Click here to check out Pictures of the Jewish Colony of<br />
Sosua<br />
(If you would like to help to give light and life back to<br />
the Jewish Community of Sosua, please contact me<br />
cantorbogomolni@btbrc.org)<br />
Happy Chanukkah!<br />
Cantor Gastón Bogomolni<br />
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
53
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For more information, please contact us at<br />
Miami@afmda.org or 561.835.0510.<br />
We proudly acknowledge the generous support of<br />
our Corporate Partners<br />
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54 <strong>BETH</strong> <strong>TORAH</strong> <strong>TIMES</strong>
Winter Edition <strong>2018</strong>/2019 l Kislev 5779<br />
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ADDRESS<br />
Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus<br />
20350 NE 26th Ave,<br />
North Miami Beach, FL 33180.<br />
CONTACT<br />
Email: info@btbrc.com<br />
Main Office Phone: 305-932-2829<br />
WWW.BTBRC.ORG i facebook.com/<strong>BETH</strong>.<strong>TORAH</strong>