Until further notice, services will be at 6:00 via Facebook Live on the Congregation B’nai Israel Facebook page. If you cannot make the “live” service, it will be available to watch any time at your conven- ience. This is the link to the Temple’s Facebook page:
Simply go to the page at 6:00 and click on the live video to view. Saturday morning Torah studies will be held via Skype at 10:00
Dear Friends,
The Farmer’s Almanac dates the “Dog Days” of summer from July 3 to August 11. What are the Dog Days, exactly? They are a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during the summer months of July and August in the Northern Hemisphere.
As such they were thought to be time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat. They were named after the Dog Star Sirius, the brightest of all stars in the sky which is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog.” The name “Sirius” even stems from Ancient Greek seírios, meaning “scorching.” For the ancient Egyptians, the dawn rising of Sirius (known to them as “Sothis”) also coincided the Nile River’s flood season which contributed to the extreme weather of the season. So far so good!
However, unlike the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and Romans were not as pleased by Sirius’s appearance. For them, Sirius signaled a time when evil was brought to their lands with drought, disease, and discomfort. How sadly relevant this is in our afflicted times: economic, civil unrest and Covid-19.
I have a friendship with a local Roman Catholic Priest with whom I break bread some three to four times a year. Buoyant and optimistic, he always looks on the brighter side of life, seeking what good can come out of the bad. He is much like the ancient Jewish sage Ish gam zo, who always said “This too is for the best!” I must admit that I struggle, as I am sure you do as well, with the afflictions that have beguiled us these past five months.
Yes, there are great stories of devotion and caring that punctuate these difficult times. Jews have not been reluctant to question the divine, especially when the innocent are hurt and worse. So, we struggle to be like Ish gam zo, trying not to sound like Pollyanna who said “I could have broken the other leg as well!” We take solace from our history in which the Jewish people down and out so many times rose and persevered again and again.
An old saying has it that “Israel does not believe in the stars (astrology) yet there is a star for Israel.” I pray that the Star Sirius will bode shine with bright anticipation of better days for us and all mankind.
Revising an old folk saying, let us live with this hope:
Dog Days bright and clear
Indicate a happy year; But when accompanied by rain, For better times, our hopes will not be in vain.
Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz, D.D.
BY MARK PACKER
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be observing the High Holidays through Facebook this year. Services will be briefer than normal, each one lasting no more than one hour and fifteen minutes. Instead of requesting the usual number of volunteers, we will be asking fewer people to be present in the sanctuary to do all the readings for any given service; for example, three people for six to nine readings.
For those who will be in the sanctuary, we will be observing strict safety protocols. These include keeping the number of participants to a minimum and screening anyone entering the temple for their medical status and possible exposure to the virus.
To maximize safety, we will request that all participants wear face masks. There will also be regular sanitizing of the sanctuary, high touch areas, and washrooms before and after services.
Despite the challenges facing us, I think we can all look forward to religiously appropriate and spiritually satisfying services this year.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Erev Rosh Hashanah: Friday, September 18 Rosh Hashanah
Day 1: Saturday, September 19 Rosh Hashanah
Day 2: Sunday, September 20
Kol Nidre: Sunday, September 27
Yom Kippur: Monday, September 28
Dear Friends,
It’s been approximately one year since we celebrated Debby’s Bat Mitzvah. The Temple was buzzing with people! We were surrounded by family and friends (many of you) as Debby read from the Torah and completed her rite of passage. Fast forward a year…so much has changed.
Staycation has become a popular buzz word. Boats, swimming pools, bicycles, and camping gear are hot commodities these days. To my surprise, there is even a shortage of canning lids as I found out when I was preparing to can tomatoes. Fortunately, I located some at a local hardware store. Zoom, Facebook Live, Go to Meeting, etc. are the way to meet these days. For those of us who are technically challenged, it’s been a real learning experience.
Business is not business “as usual”. Temple functions are being conducted differently, as we’re being forced to make difficult decisions. We continue to offer virtual Friday evening services and Saturday morning Torah studies. The Sisterhood reluctantly cancelled this year’s Annual Bake Sale for the first time in 54 years.
Planning is underway for the High Holidays. Rabbi Liebowitz and the Board have been engaged in discussions while seeking advice from the URJ and other organizations. Considering the current impact of Covid 19 and the predictions for the next few months, High Holiday services will be conducted virtually. This was a tough decision to make, but the right one, in order to protect the health and safety of our Temple community. On the bright side, the Rabbi and Ritual Committee are working diligently to ensure the services are spiritual, musical, and enlightening. Stay tuned for more information in the near future.
Please stay safe and healthy!
Warmest regards,
Sandy
8/2 Ruben Falcon
8/4 Arleen Siegel
8/4 Carter Smith
8/6 Joan Barnet
8/6 Lynn Stauber
8/11 Sandy Smiley
8/17 Ben Stauber
8/24 Thomson Halley
8/24 Mark Lurey
8/24 Tina Lyon
8/25 Jennifer Orseck
8/26 Kim Pickett
8/27 Daniel Falcon
8/29 Ina Minsky
8/30 Ray Frye
8/10 Mary Helen & Gerald Smith
8/15 Alane & Rex Russell
8/16 Ina & Mike Minsky
8/19 Carter & Louis Smith
8/22 Lori & Rob Axelrod
8/25 Lianne & Dave Wood
8/29 Louise & Steve Garrell
8/31 Arden Levy & Mark Lurey
8/1 Freida Anderson
8/1 Toba Mary Segal
8/1 Linda S. Ungvarksy
8/2 Herb Moglin
8/2 Fannie E. Poliakoff
8/2 Fannie Yoffe
8/3 Maurice H. Freedman
8/4 Sidney Kirshman
8/5 Estelle D. Kaplan
8/8 Mayer J. Price
8/9 Henry B. Barnet, Jr.
8/9 Pauline H. Bernanke z
8/9 Chayim E. Levoitz
8/11 Luevina M. Powers
8/13 Samuel Feinstein
8/13 Meyer Poliakoff
8/13 William A. Poulson
8/14 Eva Geller
8/14 Leo Gunther
8/14 Mitchell R. Price
8/14 Fannie Simon
8/15 Max Greenwald
8/15 Jennie Novey
8/15 Sara Simmons
8/16 Samuel Fox
8/17 Bea Adelman
8/18 Ben Barbarash
8/18 David Sher
8/21 Ida Koshak
8/21 Max Lessner
8/22 Fannie R. Cohen
8/22 Edward Shane
8/23 Calvin Fuller, Jr.
8/23 Frank Hendrickson
8/23 Sam Hyman
8/23 Gert Klein
8/23 Miriam Levine
8/23 Rachel L. Michel
8/23 Rebecca Schaefer
8/23 Irving Zeiger
8/24 David Adelman
8/24 Harold Bronstein
8/25 Leon Britanisky
8/25 Sylvia Leader
8/25 Ralph Tanenbaum
8/25 Dorothy Wimpy
8/27 Rose Gilpin
8/29 Rose Levine
8/31 Fannie Taffet
Your purchase benefits Congregation B’nai Israel, Pauline L. Smith Sisterhood To order honey, visit www.orthoney.com/SPA or www.honeyfromtheheart.org.
Order online by July 22nd to avoid a $5.00 per jar shipping surcharge.
If you are unable to order online, complete this order form and mail or bring it with your payment by July 10th to
Add $4.00 shipping to APO/FPO military addresses, $18 shipping to Canada and $28 shipping to any other country.
Until further notice, services will be via Facebook Live on the Congregation B’nai Israel Facebook page. If you cannot make the“live” service, it will be available to watch any time at your convenience. This is the link to the Temple’s Facebook Site.
Simply go to the page at 6:00 p.m. and click on the live video to view.
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