Our Congregation

From the Heart With Rabbi Liebowitz

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Dear members,

I hope that you and all your loved ones are well and doing as best as possible given the difficulties we are experiencing with this pandemic. I am aware of some of the challenges that our members are facing along with other members of the community.

As with many of my fellow rabbis I am glad to contribute to the wellbeing of our respective synagogues and temples. I have decided to tithe a portion of my income back to the temple some 10% each month. I am aware of the ongoing generosity of many of our members currently and in times past to keep our congregation solvent. I ask you to consider doing whatever you can with respect to tsedaka, Jewish and communal. Carrie and I have included in our giving backpack lunches for children. In the past few weeks, we are also glad to contribute to American Friends of Magain David Adom (Israel’s version of the Red Cross) for Israel which also has many sufferers and deaths from this pandemic. We also favor the ASPCA. Those commercials have gotten to us! As antisemitism has become more prevalent, we also give to the Southern Poverty Law Center which thwarts prejudice nationwide.

Should you wish to help out in this regard or to help some of our members that I am aware of who are strained financially do contribute to the rabbi’s discretionary fund which is monitored by our president and our treasurer.

I do hope that you have been able to catch up with us through Facebook live services regularly offered on Friday afternoon at 5:30 and our Torah study at 10 o’clock Saturday morning. The latter Torah study is through Skype and you can easily get on my contact list which is ezrabbi. We are preparing for a virtual Bar Mitzvah for Reuben Falcon this mid-May. It too will be offered by Facebook live. Mazal Tov Reuben!

Once more thinking of you and looking forward to the time when we can greet one another in person.

Prayers for our people! Prayers for our nation! Prayers for the world!

B’ Shalom
Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz D.D.

May 2020 Service Schedule

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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 page. Simply go to the page at 5:30 and click on the live video to view. Saturday morning Torah studies will be held via Skype at 10:00 am.

 

Message from Our President

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Dear Friends,

I’ve decided to toss aside my monthly planning calendar. All my previously scheduled plans for the month of May, which included attending three weddings and a couple of concerts, have been postponed. One of the only constants remaining is a reminder to give my dogs their monthly medicine. I imagine most of you are having similar experiences. I’m reminded of the old Yiddish adage “Man Plans, and God Laughs”. Despite our most careful planning, this pandemic is teaching me how unpredictable the Road of Life can be, and how little control of our lives we actually have.

Despite the pandemic and our current restrictions, Temple life and activities continue. Rabbi Liebowitz has and will continue to conduct Friday evening services and Saturday morning Torah studies. He conducted a very moving service for Holocaust Remembrance Day and a special service in honor of Israel Independence Day. I’m looking forward to celebrating Reuben Falcon’s Bar Mitzvah later this month! So, yes, celebrations continue at Temple B’nai Israel!

I wish to express my feeling of gratitude. To Jan, thank you for being the “glue” to keep the office running smoothly. To Sharon Packer, thank you so much for all you continue to do to keep our Temple visible and up to date on Facebook and our website. Courtney LeBauer, your violin playing and singing during Friday evening services has been a beautiful addition. Thank you! And finally, to Rabbi Liebowitz, many thanks for your spiritual guidance and leadership during these challenging times. Your services and words of wisdom are a true inspiration.

I hope everyone is well. I so look forward to seeing everyone again. Please take care.

Warmest regards,

Sandy

 

page5image37179664 page5image37189232 page5image37189648 page5image37190896

Steve putting bees into their new home.

We’ve been passing the time with jigsaw puzzles and gardening.

May Birthdays

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5/1 Brian Hendrickson

5/1  Rick Tanenbaum

5/2  Marilyn Litoff

5/3  Benjamin Brough

5/3 Susan Goldman

5/3 Sylvia Rex

5/7 Ralph Berger

5/7  David Blumenfeld

5/8  Jay Kaplan

5/9 Andrew Poliakoff

5/9 Alane Russell

5/13 Steve Garrell

5/18 Rebeca Greenfield

5/19 Norma Mortge

5/23 Lianne Wood

5/25 Rex Russell

5/29 Marsha Per

5/31 Robert Lyon

May Yahrzeits

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5/1 Murray Aronson

5/1 Eunice Sperling

5/3 Marion Feinstein

5/3 Hersh Revich

5/3  Solomon Silver

5/4  Phyllis Stauber

5/5  Ida Switzer

5/6  Jonathan A. Fishbein

5/6 Hyman Perlman

5/6 Andrew Teszler

5/8 Alvin Fox

5/10 Louis Reimer

5/10  Jack Tobin

5/11  Jack Steinbrock

5/13  Elizabeth Reemes

5/14  Sara Hecklin

5/14 Marthe Heymann

5/14  Fishel Steinbrock

5/15  Dorothy Brett

5/17  Edith From

5/18  Morris Unger

5/19 Harry Price

5/20 Gussie Levy

5/21 David Packer

5/22 Minnie Perlman

5/23 Ernest Emory

5/23 Simon H. Smith

5/23 Pauline L. Smith

5/23 Samuel Weiner

5/24 Hyman Greenfield

5/24 Jerry N. Hyder

5/24 Susan R. Wise

5/24 Rabbi Max S. Stauber

5/24 Jides Koser

6/26 Pauline Unger

5/27 Barry Goldman

5/27 Elizabeth Nabow

5/29 Mildred P. Gelburd

5/30 Hazel Abelsky

5/30 Yakov Feldman

5/30 Ethel Silnutzer

5/31 Rose H. Smiley

Join Us for Shabbat Services 04-24-20 – 04-25-20

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Please join the Rabbi at 5:30 this evening for service on the Temple’s Facebook page, Congregation B’nai Israel. Steve Gordin and Carl McArn will have music, and below are the words to two of the songs for you to follow along.
Don’t forget Torah Discussion tomorrow morning at 10:00 via Skype.
Stay well.
 

 

The Promise Lyrics: S. Gordin/Music :C. McCarn

There is promise as the sun sets low

The week now comes to its close

The candles are lit and they shine

Inside a feeling of peace at this time

My mind drifts back to the week that’s gone

Things I wished I had said or maybe done

But growth happens no tears need be shed

If I’ve learned to handle what’s ahead

Shabbat is time for me to rest

To extend to my family and to my guests

My time and my ear and what I guess

Should allow me to grow to be my best

I hold the cup now say the prayer

Drink the wine and do I dare

Hold a grudge full of strife

Or be renewed and

refreshed in my life?

It’s Shabbat now

time to praise/time to think

Time to rest/time to grow

It begins now/as the sun

as the sun/ as the sun sets low

 

Believe Lyrics: S.Gordin/ Music C. McCarn

 

This life that I chose or did it choose me

It falls apart and now do I see

That somewhere down the line

I was blinded by ennui

And somehow down the line

I forgot to believe

Sitting in this hole I look out to see

A world outside much to my relief

Birds, fresh air, and the happy buzzing of the bees

And all of this makes me think

Why didn’t I stop before to believe?

 

My fathers fought in wars to be free

Against the odds and against tyranny

Through time and again throughout history

There’s a reason to look outside

ourselves to believe

 

Bridge:

 

So look inside

it’s not that hard

No need to look very far

Deep down inside we know we need

in good times and bad a reason to believe

 

One day the story it will be told

About the time we learned ten fold

That no matter how well off

we think we may be

We’re one heartbeat away beat away from

a reason to believe

A Message from Rabbi Liebowitz

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Dear members,

I hope that you and all your loved ones are well and doing as best as possible given the difficulties we are experiencing with this pandemic. I am aware of some of the challenges that our members are facing along with other members of the community.

As with many of my fellow rabbis I am glad to contribute to the well being of our respective synagogues and temples. I have decided to tithe a portion of my income back to the temple some 10% each month. I am aware of the ongoing generosity of many of our members at this time and in times past to keep our congregation solvent. I ask you to consider doing whatever you can with respect to tsedaka, Jewish and communal. Carrie and I have included in our giving back pack lunches for children.  In the past  few weeks we are also glad to contribute to American Friends of Magain David Adom   (Israel’s version of the Red Cross) for Israel which also has many sufferers and deaths from this pandemic. We also favor the ASPCA. Those commercials have gotten to us! 

As antisemitism has become more prevalent, we also give to the Southern Poverty Law Center which thwarts prejudice nation wide.

Should you wish to help out in this regard or to help some of our members that I am aware of who are strained financially do contribute to the rabbi’s discretionary fund which is monitored by our president and our treasurer.

I do hope that you have been able to catch up with us through Facebook live services regularly offered on Friday afternoon at 5:30 and our Torah study at 10 o’clock Saturday morning. The latter Torah study is through Skype and you can easily get on my contact list which is ezrabbi.  We are preparing for a virtual Bar Mitzvah for Reuben Falcon this mid May. It too will be offered via Facebook live. Mazal Tov Reuben!

This coming Monday, April 27, at 5:30 pm, in honor of Israel Independence Day Yom Ha’atsma’ut, I will be offering a Facebook live with some songs, poetry, and prayer in celebration of the Jewish state.

Once more thinking of you and looking forward to the time when we can greet one another in person.

Prayers for our people!
Prayers for our nation!
Prayers for the world!

B’ Shalom
Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz  D.D.

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