May 2022 Newsletter

8 North Earlton Road, Ext., Havre de Grace, MD 21078 

410-939-3170 

admin@templeadasshalom.org 

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What’s Inside? 

May 2021 Calendar of Events 

May Zoom Information & Links 

President’s Message - Mike Gordon 

Religious Practices Message - Melissa Immel 

Welcoming Rabbi Meeka Simerly - Rabbi Search Committee 

Important Message from the TAS Safety & Security Team 

Fundraising Announcement - Terry Weiner 

View our Fundraisers 

Sisterhood & Gift Shop News - Pat Wolkow & Denise Gordon 

Social Committee Message - Susanah Kolstad & Jessica Hurst 

Kehillah MAGNET Message - Joel Yoffee & Sarah O’Donnell 

Virtual Mindfulness & Meditation - May 1 st 

New Member Shabbat - May 13 th 

Tot Shabbat - May 14 th 

Taking Hold of Torah - May 14 th 

Tot Shira Sing-a-Long & Playgroup - May 15 th 

Sisterhood Dinner, Havdalah, & Installation - May 21 st 

Congregational Meeting - May 22 nd 

Lag B’Omer Picnic - May 22 nd 

Daven & Dine - May 27 th 

Sisterhood Year End Garden Party - RSVP by May 27 th 

Special Thanks to Our Monthly Donors 

Mi Sheberakh List - We Pray For Healing 

Recently Passed 

May 2021 Yahrzeits Observed 

Mazel Tov

Temple Adas Shalom’s May 2022 Calendar of Events 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 

1 30 th of Nissan 5782 

Leading Change: A URJ Summit (Day 1) 

9:00-12:00 pm 

Kehillah MAGNET 

10:00-10:45 am 

Mindfulness & Meditation 

3:00-5:00 pm 

ELC Art Show 

2 1 st of Iyyar 5782 


3 2 nd of Iyyar 5782 


7:00-8:30 pm 

Membership Committee Meeting 

4 3 rd of Iyyar 5782 

6:30-7:30 pm 

Kehillah MAGNET Midweek 

Hebrew (Virtual Class) 

7:45-8:45 pm 

Transition Team Meeting 

8 7 th of Iyyar 5782 

Mother’s Day 


9:00 am 

Muffins with Mom 


7:00 pm 

Calendar Meeting 

11 10 th of Iyyar 5782 

6:30-7:30 pm 

Kehillah MAGNET Midweek 

Hebrew (Virtual Class) 

15 14 th of Iyyar 5782 

9:00-12:00 pm 


10:30-11:30 am 

Tot Shira Sing-a-long & 

Playgroup 

16 15 th of Iyyar 5782 17 16 th of Iyyar 5782 18 17 th of Iyyar 5782 

Erev Lag B’Omer 

2:00-3:30 pm 

Adult Ed Committee Meeting 

6:30-7:30 pm 

Last Day of Kehillah MAGNET 

Midweek Hebrew (Virtual Class) 

22 21 st of Iyyar 5782 

9:00-12:00 pm 

Last Day of Kehillah MAGNET 

10:30-12:00 pm 

Congregational Meeting 

12:00 pm 

Lag B’Omer Picnic 

23 22 nd of Iyyar 5782 24 23 rd of Iyyar 5782 

1:00 pm 

Senior Birthday Lunch 

Liberatore’s in Bel Air, MD 

7:00 pm 

RPC Meeting 

25 24 th of Iyyar 5782 

29 28 th of Iyyar 5782 

9:00-12:00 pm 


10:30-11:30 am 

Tot Shira Sing-a-long & 

Playgroup 

30 29 th of Iyyar 5782 

Memorial Day 

Office Closed & ELC Closed 

31 1 st of Sivan 5782 

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Temple Adas Shalom’s May 2022 Calendar of Events 

Thursday Friday Saturday 


Yom Ha’Atzmaut 

7:00 pm 

Countering Active Threat Training (CATT) 

8:00 pm 

Finance Committee Meeting 


7:45 pm 

Candle Lighting 

7:00 pm 

Family Shabbat & Eye Level Torah Service 

Rabbi John Franken & Mike Mullis 


Parashat Kedoshim 

12 11 th of Iyyar 5782 

7:00 pm 

Board Meeting 

13 12 th of Iyyar 5782 

7:52 pm 


7:00 pm 

New Member Shabbat Service 

Rabbi John Franken, Mike Mullis & the 

Temple Adas Shalom Choir 

14 13 th of Iyyar 5782 

Parashat Emor 

9:30-11:00 am 

Tot Shabbat 

10:30-12:00 pm 

Taking Hold of Torah 

19 18 th of Iyyar 5782 

Lag B’Omer 

7:30 pm 

Choir Rehearsal 

(Mike’s Home) 

20 19 th of Iyyar 5782 

7:58 pm 


7:00 pm 

Shabbat Torah Service 

Rabbi John Franken & members of the Temple 

Adas Shalom Choir 

21 20 th of Iyyar 5782 

Parashat Behar 

5:00-8:30 pm 

Sisterhood Dinner, Havdalah, & Board 

Installation 

26 25 th of Iyyar 5782 27 26 th of Iyyar 5782 

ELC Noon Dismissal 

8:04 pm 


6:00 pm 

Daven & Dine Service 

Naomi Walton, Mike Mullis, & members of 

the Temple Adas Shalom Choir 

28 27 th of Iyyar 5782 

Parashat Bechukotai 

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May Service Zoom Information and Links 

Temple Adas Shalom 

FAMILY SHABBAT & EYE LEVEL TORAH SERVICE 

Friday, May 6th 

Live Streaming starts at 6:45 pm; In-Person service starts at 7:00 pm 

https://zoom.us/j/85758681892 * Meeting ID: 857 5868 1892 

Password: Shabbat22 

NEW MEMBER SHABBAT SERVICE 





TAKING HOLD OF TORAH 

Saturday, May 14th 

Live Streaming starts at 10:30 am; In-Person class starts at 10:30 am 


FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBAT TORAH SERVICE 





DAVEN & DINE 





Did you miss a Shabbat? Visit our Virtual Experience page to view our recording 

archive. 

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President’s Message 

Michael Gordon 

In case you haven’t noticed, these have been very busy times. The Rabbi 

Search team has passed milestone after milestone, leading up to the 

Board offering the job to Rabbi Meeka Simerly. She has accepted the 

offer. 

The Focus Groups worked with half the congregation and are 

completing the analysis phase. The congregational vision for the future is 

taking shape. 

The Board has decided to tackle the bookkeeping and membership 

management issues that have existed for a long time. We will be 

migrating off the inadequate Rakefet software and outsourcing 

bookkeeping to a company named Kesef which is servicing 100 

synagogues. Membership management will be moving to a cloud-based 

system name ShulCloud which is in use by more than 1,000 temples. You 

will be hearing a great deal more about these initiatives over the next 

several months. 

The activities mentioned above are a fraction of what is happening at 

Temple Adas Shalom. The remainder of this newsletter will give you a 

taste of the many good things taking place. 

The mid-year congregational meeting is Sunday, May 22, at 10:30 AM; 

along with religious school and a picnic, you can spend the whole day at 

the Temple. You will get updates on the many activities mentioned in 

this newsletter. 

Shalom, 

Mike Gordon 

Temple Adas Shalom President 

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Religious Practices Message 

Melissa Immel & Mark Wolkow 

Dear Friends, 

It's hard to believe that we haven't been "panim el panim" face-to-face for 

nearly two years, except primarily through a computer screen. It was 

refreshing to finally see so many friends in person during the Second 

Night Seder, catered by our very own Chef Extraordinaire, Robin Way. 

It's also exciting to see Mike Mullis and the Choir share the bima with 

Rabbi again. Please stay tuned for more details regarding a special event 

planned to say farewell to Rabbi John Franken, who has helped lead us 

through this pandemic. Together, we will send him off with smiles, 

gratitude, and well wishes for the next chapter of his journey. 

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to my next chapter as RPC Chair. I am 

exceedingly grateful for Mark Wolkow's leadership, as he served as 

Chair or Co-Chair of the RPC for nearly eighteen years. I also want to 

thank him for his friendship and mentorship, as I served with him as Cochair 

for the past six years. I wish Mark all the best in his new role as our 

Temple President. I can't think of anyone more qualified to lead us into 

the future. 

Please be sure to visit our calendar for the latest events. 

Hope to see you soon! 

Melissa Immel 

(Soon-to-be) RPC Chair 

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Welcoming Rabbi Meeka Simerly 

Rabbi Search Committee 

On behalf of the Rabbi Search Committee, Melissa and I are pleased to 

announce that Rabbi Meeka Simerly has accepted the position of Rabbi 

of Temple Adas Shalom. 

Rabbi Meeka, as she likes to be called, is a 

Cantor and a Rabbi. She was born in 

Haifa, Israel, and currently lives in Wayne, 

NJ, with her husband, Dave, and their dog, 

Oreo. They love the outdoors and are 

excited to move to our “neck of the 

woods.” 

Rabbi Meeka’s tentative start date is 

August 15, 2022, and she is currently 

looking for a home in our community. She 

loves engaging children and adults, is very involved in her community in 

New Jersey, and is looking to engage with our temple community and 

the Harford County community as well. 

She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Wayne Township Interfaith 

Council, promoting acceptance, appreciation, and love among people 

from different religious, racial, and national backgrounds. 

All those who have met and interacted with Rabbi Meeka are excited to 

welcome her to our community. Melissa and I will share news in the near 

future about events for congregants to attend to meet and welcome 

Rabbi Meeka and Dave Simerly. 

Your Temple Adas Shalom Rabbi Search Committee 

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TAS Safety & Security News 

Pat Wolkow 

Our Congregation has been offered a virtual lesson/discussion via Zoom 

for “Counter Active Threat Training.” 

Countering Active Threat Training (CATT) is a comprehensive training 

program to counter an active threat event developed for faith-based 

institutions and houses of worship. 

Course objectives are as follows: 

• identify and explain the steps to survive an active threat incident; 

• understand how to prepare for an active threat event; 

• know how to respond to law enforcement’s arrival; 

• commit to action during an active threat event. 

This training is open to all adults, and there is no cost. 

Register in advance for this meeting: 

https://securecommunitynetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUocuGupz4vEtZAcohsMKjJ1mCAeb2mqeFl 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing 

information about joining the meeting. 

Pat Wolkow 

Security Team Leader 

Looking for volunteers, committed to our safety to join our team! 

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Fundraising Announcement 

Terry Weiner 

FlowerPower is getting close to ending and benefits the schools. If you 

haven’t looked at the catalog, go to www.flowerpowerfundraising.com and take a 

look at what they have to offer. I know that many of the congregants that 

ordered last time were quite pleased with the quality of the plants they 

received. Fundraiser will close on May 15 th . 

The Panera fundraiser has been a great success, and there are a few strips 

left. Each strip is $10.00, and you have a choice of all bagels (6 coupons with 

three bagels each) or the variety strip (6 coupons with three bagels, two cookies, one 

brownie, one baguette, one focaccia loaf, and one ciabatta loaf). Half of the cost of the 

strip goes to the synagogue. The office has additional strips if you are 

interested in purchasing some. 

The auction is shaped up to be quite extraordinary! We raised over $6,000 

for the Temple and we are grateful for all that participated. 

As always, there is the ShopwithScrip.com program. Some serious money is 

to be earned, and half of that comes back to you, with TAS getting the other 

half. If you haven’t signed up, do yourself a favor and get on the bandwagon! 

For details on how to sign up, contact me, and I will send along the cheat 

sheet to take you to step by step through the process. It is perfectly safe - 

the company has been in business for over 20 years, and the folks there are 

wonderful to deal with. If you are uncomfortable giving out your bank 

information, there is always a credit card. Those who have been using this 

website love it! And they also have an app that makes it easy to order from 

- RaiseRight. 

Finally, the schools will be having a bowlathon on May 22nd at Harford 

Bowling Lanes in Aberdeen. Various congregants donated monies to make 

this cost-free to the first 30 kids who signed up. Consider sponsoring a child 

with a donation tied to the number of pins they knockdown. If you don’t 

know anyone that is enrolled, contact Sarah or DaNae to find out who needs 

sponsors. 

Keep your eyes on upcoming emails regarding these events. Your 

participation helps make us stronger and, as Mike Gordon always says, 

Sustainable! 

Terry Weiner 

Fundraising Chair

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Sisterhood & Gift Shop News 

Pat Wolkow & Denise Gordon 

TAS Sisterhood – Women supporting women and their community 

NEWS: 

• Regional Area WRJ Event - First ever! 

Hosted by TAS Sisterhood Wednesday, August 10th at 6:00 pm - 

Welcoming Sisterhoods from Baltimore Hebrew, Har Sinai-Oheb 

Shalom, and Beth Emeth Congregations. More details are forthcoming. 

EVENTS: 

All our Sisterhood dates have been posted on the Temple Calendar and 

appear in bright pink. Covid still plays havoc on our plans, so please keep 

informed the best you can. 

May: 

Sisterhood Havdalah Service & Insallation Ceremony - Saturday, May 

21 st at 5:00 pm 

Special Honorable Naming for Amy Schoenberger - of Blessed Memory 

(WE NEED VOLUNTEERS - Contact Susannah Kolstad or Denise Gordon) 

June: 

The Best Place to Bee Year End Event - Sunday June 5 th 

(NEED VOLUNTEERS) 

We are BUSY, but not too busy to chat with you! Please email us 

at: Sisterhood@templeadasshalom.org 

MEMBERSHIP: 

$42 for renewal, $36 for new members. You can pay via check to Denise 

Gordon or via PayPal: Ladies Auxiliary Harford Jewish CTR. 

We are members of WRJ; check out the regional activities they offer: 

https://wrj.org/our-community/wrj-districts/mid-atlantic 

TEMPLE ADAS SHALOM GIFT SHOP OPERATING SCHEDULE: 

Email denise or Pat at giftshop@templeadasshalom.org 

Friday – May 6 th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm or by appointment before Friday Night Services. 

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Social Committee Message 

Susannah Kolstad, Co-Chair 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our End of Passover Pizza and Movie 

Night, where we shared pizza and watched the animated film, The Prince of 

Egypt. Thank you also to those who volunteered to help us with the event. We 

cannot do these wonderful events without your support. We appreciate all of 

you so much. 

This month we will have two fabulous events to celebrate with our 

community. 

First, we will celebrate our newest additions to our Congregation with our 

New Member Shabbat on May 13th at 7:00 pm, followed by an Oneg. Those 

who are new members being honored, please get in touch with Stephen 

Markesmer at membership@templeadashsalom.org. 

Second, directly following the last day of Religious School and after the 

Congregational Meeting, we will be having a Lag B’Omer Picnic and Field 

Day on Sunday, May 22 nd starting at 12:00 pm. We will have a catered 

Mediterranean lunch (Registration and Tickets Required) and field games, a bouncy 

house, 50-50 raffle, and more. 

We will be holding our LAST Shira Sing-Along and Playgroup on May 15th 

from 10:30-11:30 during Religious School for birth through preschool-age kids. 

We sing Jewish songs that will appeal to young children. We will be meeting in 

the Chapel in the school wing and having playtime afterward in the Chapel or 

playground. 

We are always looking for additional support through volunteers and 

donations of funds and supplies. Monetary donations can be made online at: 

https://tashjc.corecommerce.com/social-committee-fund.html. 

Here is a list of our Upcoming Social Events: 

PJ Pancake Breakfast with PJ Library - June 12 th from 9:00 - 10:30 am 

Sock Hop and Ice Cream Social - July 23 rd from 7:00 - 9:00 pm 

Congregational Picnic and Outdoor Movie - August 27 th 

Apple Picking - September 11 th 

Sukkot Potluck Dinner - Date TBD for October 

See you all there! 

Susannah Kolstad and Jessica Hurst 

Co-Chairs, Social Committee 

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Kehillah MAGNET Message 

Joel Yoffee & Sarah O’Donnell 

Hello Temple Adas Shalom Community. 

We want to thank everyone for participating in a fun-filled year of learning! Please note 

that our last day of religious school is Sunday, May 22, 2022. Please don’t forget to sign 

your child up for the 2022/2023 school year! 

FUNDRAISING: 

Our Flower Power Fundraiser is ongoing! If you are a gardener at heart or simply 

looking to take on a spring project, please use this fundraiser to purchase your 

supplies. Flower Power will accept orders until May 15th, but early orders will begin 

to ship on April 1st in the order received. 50% of all sales, excluding sales tax and 

shipping fees, go towards our school! Thank you in advance for your support! 

Fundraising Website: http://TempleAdasShalom.fpfundraising.com 

MIDWEEK REMINDER SCHEDULE: Midweek (for Hebrew learning only) will 

be held via Zoom and occur on Wednesdays from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Just 1 

hour! 

FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS & INFORMATION: 

Tot Shabbat: Once a month (typically on a Saturday morning), Kehillah MAGNET 

hosts a Tot Shabbat service for children seven and younger. This service is a 

wonderful way to introduce our little ones into the synagogue through stories, 

music, and play. Our upcoming service will be held in-person in the sanctuary 

on Saturday, May 14 th , starting at 9:30 am. I can’t wait to see you there! 

Family Shabbat: Our very own Mike Mullis will lead services geared towards 

families on the first Friday of every month (October through May). Family Shabbat 

is a great way to enjoy the company of friends, relax after a long week and 

provide a further understanding of Hebrew learning! The next family service will 

be on Friday, May 6 th starting at 7:00 pm. 

Tot Shirah: One Sunday morning a month (during Religious School), Temple 

member Susannah Kolstad will be leading a half-hour-long session for babies and 

toddlers in which families can sing fun Jewish/ seasonal songs. The song session 

will last from 10:30 to 11:00 am, followed by half an hour of playtime and 

socialization for parents/guardians! The next Tot Shira will be on Sunday, May 

15 th ! 

Kehillah ONEG: Every Sunday that Religious School is in session, Kehillah 

MAGNET will be offering donuts to all students, families, staff members, and 

prospective families that would like to check out the Religious School. Please tell 

all your friends interested in joining our school to contact Sarah O’Donnell 

at principal@templeadasshalom.org. 

Joel Yoffee , Kehillah MAGNET Religious School Committee Chair 

Sarah O’Donnell, Kehillah MAGNET Principal 

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Linda & Stuart Needel 

Julie Sang 

Gregory & Felice Repas 

March 2022 – Donors 

BUILDING FUND 

Jill & Brian Schorr 

Elise & Michael Woods 

In memory of Arlene Zweibach 

BUILDING FUND L’DOR V’DOR 

Melissa Immel 

Mark & Patricia Wolkow 

Rayna & David Richardson 

Jill & Daniel Young 

Debbie Rose Delaney 

Anonomous Donor 

Dr. Jeffrey & Francene Cohen 

Arthur & Denise Gordon 

Jayne Klein 

Jayne Klein 

Jayne Klein 

Jewish Communal Fund 

Robert & Barbara Lynch 

Marilyn Ross 

Dr. Howard & Sandy Schapiro 

Mark & Patricia Wolkow 

In memory of Wally Lyons 

HJC GENERAL FUND 




In memory of Andrew Klein 


In memory of Barbara Keyser 




KEHILLAH MAGNET RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND 

Frank & Randi Chancey 

In memory of Judy Fine & Jimmy Chancey 

Jessica & Daniel Hurst 

In honor of the Purim Carnival to help cover costs 

David & Natasha Pollock 

Jewish Communal Fund 

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND 

Did you know you can donate online? Please visit our website at 

https://harfordjewishcenter.org/tzedakah/ to select from a number of funds 

available to donate to. 

EAGLE PROJECT DONATIONS: 

Jacob Mullis is requesting some much needed financial assistance with his eagle project this year. 

Jacob is assisting Temple Adas Shalom with rebuilding/replacing the broken shed outside next to 

the playground, and needs to raise about $1,000 for it. 

This shed has housed our Purim Games for the last 10 years and has not taken well to the elements 

over this time. Sadly a lot of our Purim Games were destroyed and this is a much needed project for 

us here at Temple Adas Shalom . Anything you can do to help him raise these funds would be greatly 

appreciated. 

Call Michele Mullis directly to find out how you can contribute to this mitzvah today. 

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Adam Bornstein 

Andy Fridberg 

Barbara Chancey 

David Cadet 

Eric Babcock 

Evie Ciuchta 

Fred Belkin 

Gerry Murphy 

Glen McCain 

Mi Sheberakh * We Pray for Healing 

Gloria Joslin 

Harriet Colman 

Heather Mullis 

Irvin Paul 

Jerry Silverman 

Kathryn Werde 

Katie Gainor 

Len Cohen 

Melissa Cohavi 

Recentlty Passed 

Michael Schneck 

Beloved son of Zita Schneck and brother of Howard (Debbie) Schneck. 

Merry Chancey 

Natalie Litofsky 

Patricia Marsksamer 

Patricia Trimble 

Paula Mullis 

Philip Chancey 

Rabbi Fred Natkin 

Rob Kinneberg 

Terry Weiner 

Joanne Hurwitz 

Beloved wife of mother of Rayna (David) Richardson, and grandmother of Sarah, Jacob and Adam. 

May 2022 - Yahrzeits Observed 

Syd Bernstein May 01 Esther Kushner May 13 

Ida Richman May 02 Paula Stein May 14 

Robert L. Gwaltney May 03 Jacob David Graff May 15 

Helen Vogel May 03 Sally Altman May 16 

Tillye Getz May 04 Pearl Feldstein Spergel May 19 

Nathan Golbin May 05 Suzanne Gordon May 20 

Karen Avra Ruskin May 05 Netta Gillespie May 21 

Anna Greenberg May 06 Samuel Nathanson May 21 

Margie Tannenbaum May 07 Gustave Charles Zader May 22 

Nina Schiff May 08 Jack Stein May 23 

Norman Cogan May 09 Julius Goldberg May 24 

Shelly Shuman May 10 Marilyn Gordon May 25 

Fannie Hutner May 11 Harry Schneck May 25 

Nathan M. Siegel May 12 Sylvia Posner May 27 

Jimmy Chancey May 13 Leo Spergel May 29 

Mazel Tov – Birth of Lucas Frederick Wood 

Mazel Tov to Karen & Fred Wood on the birth of their son, Lucas Frederick Wood 

and to his grandparents, Mark & Pat Wolkow and Sandy & Fred Wood on this joyous 

occasion. 

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Temple Adas Shalom 

8 North Earlton Road, Extension 

Havre de Grace, MD 21078 

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May 2022 Newsletter

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