3.14.2010

28 Adar, 5770

Upcoming Events

March 26

Shabbat Tzav

March 30

Passover Community Seder

Community Seder

On the day of the second Seder of Pesach, Tuesday, March 30, at 6:00 PM the Community Seder will begin in the social hall. All are invited. Please bring a dish to pass. This will be a fleishig meal, so bring no dairy. Rhoda Silverberg is keeping tabs on who brings what in order to coordinate the meal. To find out what others are bringing and let her know what you are bringing, call her at 368-5168.

Mid-Year Congregational Meeting Approves Rabbi

The congregational meeting held on Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00 PM unanamously approved hiring a student rabbi for the High Holidays. Eleven member units voted (7 by proxy). The cost will be 45% of our unallocated estimated income; last year the cost was 36% of the estimated unallocated income. While dues collection and trust income are both significantly down this year, an anonymous doner has offset much of this shortfall through increasing his donation. "We should all be grateful," commented Larry Lawson, President.

The Next Service is Tzav

This service will be held on Friday evening of March 26 at 7:30 PM. There will be an Oneg afterward. Bring some food if you wish.

Vayak'hel

The Vayak'hel Shabbat service was held on Friday, March 12 at 7:30 PM. Because Rick Weinberg was absent, Larry Lawson led the service and read the Torah portion. Rhoda Silverberg lit the candles. Harvey Golubock had the aliyah. This was the occasion of the "unveiling" of the new leaf on the Tree of Life celebrating Rhoda Silverberg's 80th birthday. The leaf, engraved by the W. E. Baum of New Jersey, was made with large dark ornate lettering to replicate the earlier leaves; it replaced the temporary one given her on her actual birthday. At the Oneg, Harvey Golubock led the Kiddush and Sarah Nichols led the Motzi. There were a variety of desserts and a vegetable primavera with Kosher noodles.

Pitt Cultural Festival

The annual Cultural Festival was held in the University of Pittsburgh Commons on Saturday, February 27 starting at 6:30 PM. Temple Beth El had a table with a poster session on Ethiopian Jews. Larry has cooked a Kosher version of Doro Wat, a spicy Ethiopian dish. It was served in the food area.

Purim in the Snow

The Purim and Shabbat services were held together in the social hall Friday, February 27 at 6:00 PM. Rhoda Silverberg lit the candles. Rick Weinberg led a short Shabbat service. After that service Kimberly Weinberg led us in reading the Megillah. Everyone got at least one turn including the children. The dinner featured Pesce Al Cartoccio and a Broccoli Olive salad using recipes for Purim from Chabad. Rhoda Silverberg brought devilled eggs. Julie Carr, the Weinbergs and the Nichols families contributed trays of crudites maccaroni with cheese, fruit salad and other goodies. Before the service the men helped clear the parking lot with large shovels in the snowstorm. This seemed to bring about good spirits. The lot had been cleared twice before that day, but the snow continued to fall. Michael Klausner disappeared in the snow and Larry Lawson could not find him to drive him the the service. He later said he walked home; "These things happen," Michael commented.

Another Small Thing: Presentation to a Sunday School Class

On February 15 at 1:00 PM, Larry Lawson gave a presentation on Jewish Traditions to the Duke Center United Methodist Church's Sunday school class. The class, led by Iva Hausler, toured the Temple and learned about the traditions associated with the various objects there.

Small Things and New

On the weekend of the 16th of January Rabbi Teitelbaum, the sofer who had overhauled all our Torahs eight years ago, repaired one which had split in half at a service this last year. This was the smallest of the three Torahs in the central portion of the Ark and is the Torah most often used for services. Rabbi Teitelbaum was visiting Olean where he gave instruction to members of the Sunday school and overhauled the Torahs at Temple B'Nai Israel.
 
On the 19th of January, Larry Lawson gave a presentation to the Kiwanis Club of Bradford on the "Cycle of the Jewish Holidays" as part of their lunchtime speakers series. The talk had 18 digital slides and is available to anyone who wants to see it or use it. I bet you didn't know that Pesach was the New Year until around the year 359 CE.
 
On the 21st of January, the pump that supplies hot water heat to the sanctuary was replaced. The pump failed during the cold spell of the previous week causing some small anxiety. All is well now. Although the pump is largely worn out, plans have been made to eventually repair it and set it aside as an emergency spare to prevent future anxiety. There are two pumps in the heating system. One supplies the sanctuary and the other supplies the social hall.
 
Last month a dehumidifying system was installed in the sanctuary to stabilize the humidity. This system has substantially reduced dampness and should help over time to preserve our Torahs.

Life in the Stetl

Grant Nichols reminds us that he has gotten Tops Foods to provide Kosher L'Pesach groceries. He asks that you check at Tops first before buying food for Passover to encourage Tops to continue carrying Kosher food.

Hyman Goodman, still a member, is now 99 years old; he misses going to dinner with Ray Galle and hearing from the rest of us. He lives in Pittsburgh, but he has a Bradford phone number. Give him a call.

Anna Yaworski takes a bite out of the Sukkah doughnut.