E-KI

March 10, 2005         Vol. II No. 10 

Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel

8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027   215.887.8700

 

Torah Time Online

Shabbat Pekudei – Exodus 38:21

Isaiah 66:1

At the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Pekudei, we find our ancestors still concerned, over the building of the Tabernacle, or Mishkan, the physical dwelling place for God on earth.  And we are told in the first few verses of our parashah who the key players are in this endeavor: Moses, Aaron’s sons, and our chief artisans, Bezalel and his assistant Oholiab.  There you have it – the people responsible for the construction of the tabernacle!  Yet, we know that this massive undertaking could not have been completed at the hands of only a few individuals. 

Over 600,000 people contributed to the effort, donating what they could.  Indeed, we know from last week’s portion that the people, men and women, responded to Moses’ call with open-handed generosity, contributing freely.  The outpouring was so great that Moses had to insist that the people contribute no more.  The building of the Tabernacle was no doubt a communal effort to be proud of.

The head craftsman, Bezalel, was certainly a talented artist with a unique God-given talent, but the daunting task of constructing the Tabernacle was one that could not have been achieved by the hand of one man alone, even with the help of many skilled artisans.  This task required a community.  It required the involvement of the entire people. The Tabernacle became a dwelling place for God because it was truly built with a team effort.

Our portion brings to mind Rabbi Tarfon’s well-known teaching in Pirkei Avot,, “Lo alekha hamelakha ligmor, v’lo atah ben chorin l’hibatel mimenah –You are not required to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it. “(Pirke Avot 2:21) 

Judaism teaches that if you want to make your life more meaningful, improve the quality of the life of the people around you. We learn that as we give to others, we ourselves will grow.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Peter Rigler

 

 

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AT KI

 

Worship & Study Opportunities

This Week – Friday, March 11 –Tot Shabbat in the Chapel at 6:00 p.m. – Learn about Purim; Shabbat Evening Service at 8:00 p.m.  in the Chapel.  Saturday, March 12 – Torah Study Havurah at 9:00 a.m. in the Library; Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel, led by the 3^rd Grade in our Religious School.

In the Week Ahead – Friday, March 18 – Westminster Conservatory Youth Chorale will join us for Shabbat Evening Services at 8:00 p.m.  The program includes the  premiere of If Then. . . a composition by Cantor Jonathan Comisar, commissioned by KI.  Listen to the Chorale singing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2003: http://www.frankabrahams.com/Chorale/Shalom%20Rav.mp3.  Saturday, March 19 – Torah Study Havurah at 9:00 a.m. in the Library; Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary; Shabbat service at Rydal Park at 2:00 p.m. 

Coming Up –Thursday, March 24 – Brown Bag Dinner at 6:00 p.m. Purim Megillah Reading and Spiel at 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 22 – Brotherhood Shabbat at 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, with guest speaker, Reverend Keith Hayward of LaMott A.M.E. Church. 

Dayenu! A Family Seder—on Sunday, April 24 at 6:00 p.m. in K/G—complete Passover Seder led by Rabbi Lance Sussman and Cantor Amy Lefko.  Four-course traditional kosher meal—vegetarian available.  $45/adult, $25/children 14 and under.  Reservations must be received by April 10.  checks payable to KI Brotherhood.

Listen to Most recent Shabbat evening sermon – click on this link! http://www.kenesethisrael.org/Sermons/ShabbatService.htm  

Adult Education

News from the Meyers Library— Library hours are: Sunday 9:30-12:15,  Tuesday 4:30-6,  Wednesday 10-3:30, and Friday before 8:00 p.m. services. (You can also visit the bookcarts at the Oneg.) For Adults: Melvyn  Bragg, The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language; Michael Lerner, Healing Israel/Palestine: A Path to Peace and Reconciliation; Anne Roiphe, Married, a Fine Predicament; Joseph Heller, Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man; Thomas Friedman, Longitudes and Attitudes.  For Children: Noah's Ark in Hebrew and English, by Allison Greengard; Jonah and the Great Fish, retold and illustrated by Warwick Hutton; Sammy Spider's First Purim,  by Sylvia A. Rouss, illus. by Katherine J. Kahn; It Happened in Shushan: a Purim Story by Harriet K. Feder, illus. by Rosalyn Schanger; A Seder for Tu B'Shevat by Harlene Appelman, illus. by Chari McLean; Here Come the Purim Players, by Barbara Cohen. illus. by Beverly Brodsky.

Stories of Our Lives – Israeli Women Remember Egypt: Two Literary Perspectives – Lecture by Dr. Deborah Starr of Cornell University on Monday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Sholom.  Program is free and open to all women.  Information: Dr. Elsie Stern (erstern@sas.upenn.edu/ (215) 238-1290 ext 507).  Sponsored by Penn’s Center for Advanced Judaic Studies and the Kehillah of Old York Road.

Adult Ed Classes - Tuesday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. - Job, the Story of a Simple Man with Beverly Cohen. Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. – “What Does It Mean to Be a Jew?  What Is the Essence of Judaism” – Rabbi Ruth Sandberg.

Lunch ‘n’ Learn – about the Torah portion of the week with Rabbi Sussman on Thursday, March 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m.  Call the Clergy Office  by noon on Wednesday, March 16, for reservations and information.  If you would like to receive e-mail reminders about Lunch ‘n’ Learn, call the Clergy Office (215) 887-8702.

Lunch and Learn for Senior Adults –on Thursday, March 24, from noon to 2:00 p.m.,  at KI.  Catered kosher lunch.  Welcoming remarks by Rabbi Sussman.  Transportation available.  New monthly program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service  STAR/NORC – Services to Area Residents/a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Program.  No charge but reservations are required by March 16.  Information/reservations – Michele Kramer (215) 673-7741 x227.

WRJ Book Review Redux – rescheduled from February 24!  Rabbi Sussman will review Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America on Thursday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m.  Everyone is welcome.  $3 per person.  Admission for WRJ members is free.  Reservations by March 24: Joan Kamen (215) 947-5926.  Sponsored by WRJ/Sisterhood.

Caring for Ourselves, Caring for Others – Second Edna S. Tuttleman Symposium on Jewish Women on Tuesday, April 5, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Adath Israel, 250 N. Highland Road, Merion Station, PA.  Keynote speaker: dr. Terri Apter, psychologist and author.  To register or for more information: www.jfcs.org/events or call (215) 732-6634.  Sponsored by the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia.

Cultural Opportunities

Israeli Folk Dancing –-with Don Schillinger, RAK-DAN Israeli Dancing, on Mondays from 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm. in the Rothschild Auditorium.  Program runs  through May 23.  $7/adult and $4/student (under 21) per session.  [Note: no sessions on March 21, April 25, or May 30.]

Temple Judea Museum – “Boris Schatz (1866-1932): His Circle and the Beginning of the Bezalel Art School” and “Ephraim Moses Lilien: Printmaker.”  Exhibitions run through April 29.

Cooking with Andrew Schloss – Monday, March 28, at 7:00 p.m. in the K/G Kitchen.  Learn how to cook like a pro!  Space is limited. Advance reservations are a MUST.  Send $15/person (payable to KI Sisterhood) to KI, Attn: Michele Gusdorff, 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027.  RSVP by March 21 and include your phone number.

A Capitol Art Ramble – Some seats available for April 7 bus trip to Harrisburg, tour of the Governor’s Mansion, Capitol Building, and John Harris Mansion.  $90/person (Friends of the Temple Judea Museum) or $100 (guests and non-members of Friends).  Mail checks (payable to KI, attn: A Capitol Art Ramble) to KI, 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA   19027.  Information:  (215) 887-2027.

WRJ/Sisterhood Annual Interfaith Luncheon – Sounds and Songs of Our Heritage on Tuesday, April 12.  Cantor Lefko will present a musical dialogue at 11:00 a.m. followed by question and answer session.  Complimentary luncheon at 12:30 p.m.  All neighboring churches, synagogues and KI members are invited.  Reservations – Mickie Levin (215) 698-0314.

Cultural Council 60+ – Trudy Rubin of The Philadelphia Inquirer  on Thursday, April 14. Lunch at 11:30 a.m.  KI member luncheon fee is $8.00 with a reservation by April 6, $10.00 for guests and member reservations after April 6.  Send checks to KI, Attn: Cultural Council.  Information:  Doris Parker, 215-886-9267.  Sponsored by the Rosenau Fund.  

WRJ Theater Trip – Movin’ Out at the Merriam Theater on Sunday, May 22. This dance musical, which won a Tony in 2003, is choreographed by Twyla Tharp and features 24 of Billy Joel’s classics.  $128/person includes brunch (at KI at 10:30 a.m.), transportation (bus leaves at noon) and a seat in the orchestra for the 1:00 p.m. show.  Send checks payable to WRJ (with WRJ Theater Trip on the memo line and envelope) to KI.  Deadline: March 15.  Questions:  Barbara Bronstein (215) 673-1435.

Save the Dates for Silver Simcha – Celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Rabbi Sussman’s ordination and the occasion of his receiving an honorary doctorate from HUC-JIR in New York with a special Shabbat Evening Service on Friday, April 8, and a festive evening dinner and entertainment (The Savoy Company with a program of Gilbert & Sullivan) on Sunday, April 10.  Proceeds will benefit the programs at KI.

Save the Date for Mother’s Day Brunch – sponsored by the Brotherhood on Mother’s Day, May 8, at 10:00 a.m.  Cantor Amy Lefko is the guest vocalist.

Preschool and Religious School

New Students - Do you know someone who might be interested in KI’s Preschool or Religious School?  We are enrolling now for next year.  Please contact either Kathy Goldenberg at (215) 885-2425 or Rabbi Stacy Rigler at (215) 887-8704.  We are always happy to speak with and welcome prospective students and their families. 

Help Set Up for the Purim Carnival – Saturday, March 12, from 12:30 p.m. until we’re done!!  Stay for an hour or all day!  RSVP to Fran (215) 887-8704.

Special Purim Community Time – Sunday, March 13, at 10:45 a.m.  Join our senior staff as we act out the story of Purim and parade in our costumes.  Community Time is followed by an early dismissal at 11:30 to the Purim Carnival.

 

Purim Carnival – Sunday, March 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Come and have lots of fun!  Please invite members of the community to share our KI spirit.

 

Social Action Opportunities

Bone Marrow Registration and Blood Drive – on Sunday, March 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Beth Sholom Congregation.  You can join the National Donor Program Registry and/or donate blood at the same time.  Be one of Helene’s Heroes; this drive was organized by local resident Helene Daniels, who received a life-saving bone marrow transplant four years ago.  For information or to make an appointment, call (215) 517-6663.

Mitzvah Day is coming – Save Sunday, May 1, to join your fellow KI members in serving our community.  Watch for more information about mitzvah opportunities on that day.

Cook for Sharing Is Caring –Help assemble meals in the K/G kitchen for clients at Newman Senior Center (Klein Branch JCC) from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on March 29 (last Tuesday of the month).    Information:  Gladys Segal (215) 635-5815. 

 

Ways To Get Involved

Shabbat Pulpit Flowers --You can now sponsor the Shabbat pulpit flowers in honor of a birthday, anniversary, baby naming, safe travel, recovery from illness, or any other happy occasion. You can also sponsor the flowers in memory of a recent passing or a Yahrzeit anniversary.  An acknowledgement will be listed in the weekly Shabbat folder recognizing your generosity. Please make your check for $45.00 payable to: "WRJ Sisterhood," and mail to, Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, Attn: WRJ/Sisterhood-Pulpit Flowers.  Questions: Michele Gusdorff (215) 782-1446. Your information must be received at least one week in advance to be listed in the Shabbat folder.

Membership News—KI’s Membership Committee is looking for current members to partner with our new members and help them become integrated into the KI family. This is a great chance to discuss with new members all the cultural, religious and social action opportunities available at KI. If you are interested in participating, or just want to join the Membership Committee to share your love of KI with prospective members, please call Andy Brookman at (215) 887-0777.

Sharing Our Simchas – Share your happiness with our congregational family.  Consider underwriting our beautiful Oneg Shabbat.  Contact the Administrative Office, (215) 887-8700, for further details.

Sisterhood Gift Shop – will be open on Sunday mornings during Religious School hours and by appointment.  Call Joan Kamen (215) 947-5926 or Administrative Office (215) 887-8700.