OUR LEADERSHIP

TIKVAH TIMES STAFF

• Editor at Large - Alene Schonhaut, Assistant Editor - Madeleine Wolf & Jay Beber - Cover Design & Consultant
• Photography Credits - Jenn Baker, Paolo Cohen, April Herron, Lisa Lupo, Alene Schonhaut & Cheryl Stern
• EDITORIAL NOTE - You can click on any picture or article to enlarge it.

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Rabbi Randy Sheinberg

How Do We Awaken with Gratitude?

• Thanksgiving is not just an annual event for Jews. Every day, every morning (or if you are a teen, every afternoon!), a new day stretches out before us. How do we greet it? Our tradition gives us an answer: with gratitude. The very first prayer Jews are supposed to recite upon waking up is a prayer of thanksgiving:
• Modeh/modah ani lifanecha, ruach chai v’kayam. Shehekhezarta bi nishmati b’khemla, rabba emunatekha…“I give thanks to you, Eternal and living spirit, that you have graciously returned my soul to me, how abundant is your caring/generosity.”
• The translation I provided above is a faithful rendition of the Hebrew. Except for one thing: the words of the actual prayer are in a slightly different order than the translation. The prayer does not say, “ani modah”…”I give thanks”, rather it says “modah ani”...“thankful am I.” The gratitude is supposed to come first; it is supposed to precede everything else that the ego, the “I,” might be concerned with. In other words, we should not start the day worrying about what errands we have to accomplish or what clothes we want to wear. We are not supposed to start by thinking about any of the concerns of the “I,” the ego. Before we even turn to our day, we are supposed to turn to gratitude.
• How do we do this? How do we awaken with gratitude? Perhaps, as you catch your brain beginning to kick into gear, you can stop and say to yourself, “Look, I’m alive!” Or you may want to be more thoughtful about it…before you begin your morning routine, pause for a few minutes and call to mind five or more specific things for which you are grateful. If you feel rushed and unable to take the time to reflect - simply take a few deep, luxurious breaths and experience the miracle of life in the moment and allow that experience to awaken your gratitude.
• Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” is important for our spiritual selves, and it has been proven to improve happiness too. However, these times make it challenging to do so. How do we feel grateful in the midst of this pandemic that has overturned our lives in so many ways?
• Our Torah gave instructions to our ancestors about what to do when they settled the land of Israel. Once their crops and trees had yielded fruit, the Israelites were to go before the priests and present an offering of first fruits, an offering of gratitude for their fortune. Yet that was not all. While they made the offering, they were required to recount their history, telling about both the good and the bad times that preceded that moment.
• At first this seems odd. Why would one speak of hard times when making a thanksgiving offering?
• One answer our commentators give is this: Without the hard moments in our history, we would not be where we are now. Without the curses, there could be no blessings. True gratitude is not simply recognizing the good in our lives; it is also blessing the difficult times and circumstances that enabled us to reach the good.
• We want all blessings and no curses. However, we know life does not work like that. Indeed, that which seems to be a curse could someday lead to blessing, whether we wanted it to be that way or not.
• Let us train ourselves to give thanks for that which feels good and that which, though unwanted, may also lead to good.

Come join us for our Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday November 24th (virtual this year) to strengthen your resolve to continue to practice thanksgiving year-round.

find it all around you!

Temple President

andrea comerchero

Practicing the Attitude of Gratitude

• Gratitude…it seems obvious that sitting down to focus on the positive things in life will have a positive impact on the day. Whether you want to call it a gratitude list or not, I think we should all focus on the positive things in our lives.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
• My list of things that I am grateful for •• My family and friends – for the love, support, and fun we give to each other •• The small joys and pleasures of life – the warmth of the sun, the cool crispness of an autumn day, the smell of coffee in the morning, the laughter of my kids •• My health – I’m not indestructible, but if I exercise and eat well my body works well and I can walk, read, dance, etc. •• The setbacks in life that have made me stronger - each set of challenges teaches me how I can be better
• In addition to my personal gratitude I am also grateful for my Temple Community. I’m grateful that we can provide programs for our entire congregation. I am grateful that we can continue to pray, while not it in our sanctuary, but in our “new” ZOOM sanctuary. Most of all, I am grateful for the wonderful team of staff, volunteers, board members, and congregation that make up our Temple Tikvah Family.
• I would like to take a moment to say a huge thank you to Jay Beber & David Peskin for their technical savvy and hard work in making the high holiday experience so special. Another great big thanks to Yury for helping to record all the music with the Cantor and to the Choir for adding their voices to the service. It truly brought spirit to each holiday. To the Rabbi and Cantor, thank you for providing our Congregation with amazing religious guidance and leadership through these unprecedented times and continuing to connect us through prayer and learning. Thank you to the Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees and all of our committee chairs, Sharon Fricano & Cheryl Stern, and all of our teachers – your support and commitment to Temple is immeasurable. Our programs and our school continue, because of all of you…thank you. I also want to thank Marie, Tony, Julio, and Carlos – you are what makes our building run so smoothly and efficiently – thank you!
• As many of you may know by now, we would like to welcome Rachel Gritz as our new Office Manager, to our Temple Tikvah Family. Rachel will be in the office every day from 9:30am - 3:30pm. We are very excited to have her join us.

Every night I take a deep breath, I remember all that happened during the day – the good, the bad, and everything in between. I am grateful for my life, my health, and for all of you…GRATITUDE

temple - at - large

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd 2020

Every Vote Counts!

SISTERHOod

President - Phyllis Richards

• Even in the midst of the turmoil that is besetting our country due to Covid-19 and the political situation, Sisterhood continues to find positive ways of moving forward. I am filled with gratitude for the guidance of the Sisterhood Board which continues to smooth the path for me as president.
• There is much to be grateful for in Sisterhood…We are happy to welcome Ellen Aronoff to our Sisterhood Board as Corresponding Secretary and we are delighted to welcome and give a one-year complimentary membership to our new members: Leslie Faulkner, Rachel Lefkof, and Rachael Gilkey.
• We will be having a ZOOM General Meeting on November 10th. A virtual fun event is being planned with Mainstage. More details to follow.
• To fulfill our goal of helping Temple Tikvah in these challenging days, we are grateful for the participation of our congregants in the Simcha Greetings Project. A recent list for November through February has just been mailed. This is such an easy way to say Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary to Temple members. We are thankful for those who continue to support this project. Please contact the office if you need this list.
• While we must put oneg cake and flowers donations on hold we are continuing to sponsor Shabbat Simchas, a way of honoring a special event or memory. Your name and honor or memory will be part of the Bimah Officer's Friday Night Announcements. Look for the flyer in the Weekly Update.

Sisterhood reminds everyone to Vote...Sisterhood thanks the Veterans who protected our country...Sisterhood urges celebrating Thanksgiving by reflecting on the positives in life.

brotherhood

President - Marc Gold

B’yachad...Together

• November traditionally has been a very busy month for everyone. Temperatures start to dip and maybe you begin to wear that warmer jacket you have in the closet. Maybe, you courageously ventured to a mall and found a sale or found a nice one on Amazon and begin to show it off. Good for you!
• This month we also recognize and celebrate three holidays: Election Day, Veteran’s Day, and of course Thanksgiving! Perhaps you get a day off, maybe you don’t; yet the spirit and excitement of these three events are always present.
• However, Thanksgiving is the day families get together to show gratitude towards others and one another, besides enjoying a festive meal. This is also a good time, to join together to discuss how everyone can be good to one another.
• In our Temple, Brotherhood always recognizes and proactively comes together to give to others. Every year, Temple members indeed show gratitude by donating food during the High Holy Days for the needy. Brotherhood has made it their mission to actually be the Arm of the Temple to physically donate the food to a pantry at the South Baldwin Jewish Center. Whether or not it is one or two or even three cars, we caravan cans and packaged foods in November. I am always amazed by the appreciation and smiles we get when we pull up and begin to unload. It is such a good feeling doing this mitzvah and we look forward to it every year.
• Brotherhood thanks the men who have already joined and participated this year and would like to to ask those who have not to please consider joining us. Don’t forget we meet on the first Wednesday of each month, but if you cannot join us, you still can support us by becoming a member.
• By the way, Brotherhood is planning a ZOOM…MEMBERS ONLY MEN’S TRIVIA NIGHT. This will be an opportunity for us to get together and have fun. More details to come soon.
• Also, do not forget to check out On The Marc Sports Talk hosted by me, Marc with a “c” every Thursday at 4pm on ZOOM. The ZOOM link comes out every Wednesday in the Temple’s Weekend Update. All are welcome.
• So, in closing…vote on Election Day, then honor our Vets on Veteran’s Day, and then give thanks and gratitude before you feast on Thanksgiving…followed by deciding how you will attack Black Friday.

Be safe and stay well, and please wear a mask!

social action

Elaine Brooks, Judy Kirschner & Elaine Weiss

• The title of our column this month is a prayer that observant Jews recite daily upon awakening. In this month of our national Thanksgiving holiday, the prayer can remind each of us, no matter what our religious beliefs, to start each day thankful for all we have, even in the most difficult times.
• We are grateful for all the ways in which the Temple Tikvah Community has continued to thrive and support members during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our leadership has taken full advantage of modern technology to keep everyone connected and allow virtual participation in the full range of services and programs we usually enjoy on site.
• In the area of Social Action Programming, a fine example was the Lunch and Learn on October 17th. The speakers were Julie Schweitert of Immigrant Families Together and Rosyara Pablo Cruz, an immigrant from Guatemala. They discussed The Book of Rosy, which they authored together. The book chronicles the agonizing decision of a mother to flee intolerable violence, all that befell her and her two children on the journey north, and the terrible suffering this family experienced when the children were separated from their mother once they were in ICE detention. Thanks to Susan Louis and Lisa Lupo for arranging this event.
• Our Social Action Shabbat was on October 23rd. We were delighted to welcome a speaker from the INN's Center for Transformative Change to join us. Temple Tikvah has a long association with the INN in Hempstead, an organization dedicated to serving the hungry and homeless of Long Island. In 2016 the INN launched the Center for Transformative Change (CTC) in an adjacent facility to serve as a resource center where guests of the soup kitchen can receive assistance to improve their life circumstances and/or become self-sufficient. We learned about the amazing variety of services the CTC offers, from finding affordable housing to obtaining ID documents to computer training and access to internet-based resources. Thanks to Elaine Weiss for contacting the CTC and following through on arrangements for the Shabbat.
• November 11th is Veterans’ Day. This year donating goods has become much more complicated and visiting facilities probably impossible, however veterans’ organization will all be grateful for monetary donations. And let us not forget that the INN also serves many veterans. You can make a donation by simply just clicking on the LINK below.

• Last yet NOT least, if you have not yet voted and are looking for last minute information on ways to vote just click on the LINK below.

However, You Decide to Vote - Always Remember: Your Vote is Your Voice - Now More than Ever!

MAZEL TOV!

caring community

Sharon Kahn & Helene Schonhaut

If You See Someone without a Smile, Give them One of Yours - Dolly Parton

• As Thanksgiving approaches, it is another time during the year to pause and reflect on what we are thankful for. With gratitude, The Caring Community acknowledges the additional volunteers who participate in our endeavors to reach out to the Congregation to let them know...we care. It is an honor that you allow us into your lives to achieve the goal of making a positive difference. Our door is open to those who want to come join us. We are looking forward to again having our in-person meetings on the third Monday of the month as soon as possible.
• With additional gratitude we repeat an edited prayer we presented to you last Thanksgiving…

IN GRATITUDE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES • Many served our country in years gone by - to them, we are indebted for the freedoms we enjoy today. Others continue in service at this time around the world. We are thankful for their many sacrificial acts on behalf of our great nation. Bless each of these men and women. Instill in them pride in their service, ever increasing love of country, and enduring devotion to their sacred calling. Grant to each of them good health, loving families, and abiding faith in You, O God. Instill in all of us gratitude to our military, and the husbands and wives, giving partners, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters of all who serve. They too sacrifice for our beloved country, here and abroad. Let us all find inspiration in these men and women. May we all stand ready to defend our country and the principles on which it stands. Bless the United States. Bless us all with your choicest blessing, the blessing peace…AMEN

• If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul….Rabbi Harold Kushner
• PLEASE NOTE: The Creative Writing Group’s next meeting will be via ZOOM on Tuesday, November 17th at 7:30pm. The Evening Book Club will be meeting on November 18th at 7:30pm via ZOOM to review The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis & The Afternoon Book Club will meet on December 3rd at 1:00pm also via ZOOM to review Ten Years Gone by Jonathan Dunsky.

STAY SAFE & STAY WELL

lifelong learning

Meryl Root

In Our Beit K’neset - House of Assembly We Celebrate Gratitude

• Lunch & Learn - We welcome Michael Craig Palmer, photographer via ZOOM to speak to us about Eric Mendelsohn's Synagogue Architect with a Vision at our Lunch & Learn on Saturday, November 7th at 11:00am. (Please note the time is ½ hour earlier than usual.) Please consult the Weekly Update for the Zoom link information to join us. We look forward to seeing you there.
• Eric Mendelsohn's Synagogue Architect with a Vision by Michael Palmer - Between the years 1946 and 1953 the American, German-Jewish architect Eric Mendelsohn designed seven synagogues in the Midwest, four of which were actually built. Mendelsohn’s synagogues were a crowning conclusion of his career. In his book, Eric Mendelsohn’s Synagogues in America, photographer Michael Palmer records in detail these four Mendelsohn synagogues located in Saint Paul, Saint Louis, Cleveland, and Grand Rapids. Palmer will employ his photographs as the foundation for a discussion about Mendelsohn, his Jewish identity, and his architectural mission. Palmer will also explain how the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 affected Mendelsohn’s plans and how Mendelsohn sought to create radically new architectural solutions for American houses of worship that uniquely met the functional, social, and spiritual demands of their respective, diverse Jewish communities.

• Torah Study: Shabbat Morning Torah Study continues most Saturdays at 9:00am via ZOOM, with Rabbi Randy Sheinberg. We are now at the beginning, once again of Genesis, also called B’reishit. We will re-read the stories of our ancestors and see how they, even with their imperfections, are still an inspiration to us today; even in these very challenging times. No experience or prior knowledge is required. All are welcome. The ZOOM link will be published each week in the Weekly Update.
• Hyperlinks: All ZOOM information and links are available in the Weekly Updates. Please look to the flyers at the bottom of the Updates for Lifelong Learning Resources with live hyperlinks to a variety of things to do. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them with me at lifelonglearning@templetikvah.org.

Please continue to remain safe & well…

with gratitude

donations

• CARING COMMUNITY FUND: Gloria & Larry Konstan in honor of Andrea Comerchero, David Peskin, Jay Beber, Cantor C., and Rabbi Randy for making the High Holidays so wonderful and meaningful!
• MUSIC FUND: Sandy Portnoy in honor of the marriage of Melissa & Charles Massey
• RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND: Bob & Randi Bader and Family in appreciation of Rabbi Sheinberg’s support & comfort to our family • Terry (Hood) Curiale in appreciation of the High Holy Day Services • Yvette Greiff in memory of Helen Bader • Cantor Kat Hastings in memory of Kathryn Stinchcomb • Carol & Stanley Weinberg in appreciation of the High Holy Day Services
• SIMCAH FUND: Joyce Braun Stone & Family in appreciation of the beautiful Rosh Hashanah Services • Tatyana & Dmitry Baron in honor of Victor & Alexandra's B’nai Mitzvah
• TEMPLE TIKVAH MEMORIAL FUND: Deborah Abramowitz in memory of Daniel & Sylvia Lerner • Sharon Adler in memory of Celia Kornhauser and Carole Feith • Carolyn Alexander in memory of Florence Williams and Florence Alexander • Ann Arkin in memory of Milton Arkin • Robert Bader in memory of Jacob R. Kramer, Emanuel Kramer, Harold Bader, Gussie Wexler, and Leslie Bader • Marian & Seth Baskin in memory of Harry Baskin • Lorraine & Lester Bertan in memory of Helen Bader and Anna Appel • Arnold & Sylvia Bloch in memory of Judson Schiebel • Bernice Bloch in memory of Charles Margolis • Brotherhood in memory of Arthur Skurnick • Marc & Andrea Comerchero in memory of Aaron Comerchero • Maxine Feingold in memory of Helen Bader • Joel & Gayle Feinstein in memory of Mary Malkin • Merle Fishkin in memory of Brian Fishkin • Michele & Marc Gold in memory of Norman Reiss • Stephen & Barbara Goldberg in memory of Samuel Goldberg • Martin & Susan Goldschmidt in memory of Herbert Goldschmidt • Lori & Mark Gordon in memory of Betty Gordon and Herman Gordon • Yvette Greiff in memory of Helen Bader • Alice Gross in memory of Helen Bader • Phyllis & Joe Horne in memory of Natalie Spector and Judy Serebnick • Lois & Richard Howard in memory of Henrietta Feitell, Lawrence Feitell, and Helen Bader • Charles Hyman in memory of Sophie & Jacob Hyman and Iris Hyman • Toby & Steve Israel in memory of Jules Beers • Mimi Kahn in memory of Helen Bader • Elaine Lasner in memory of Theresa Reisman, Harry Schechtman, and Nathan Reisman • Stephen & Cheryle Levine in memory of Lewis Levine • Andre & Susan Louis in memory of Irving Bassuk and Michele Simelane • Jamie Mackta in memory of Helen Bader • Sylvia Mackta in memory of Helen Bader • Joyce & Joel Mensoff in memory of Sidney Fingerhut and Bess Mandell • Michael Newman in memory of Manuel Gutierrez • Karla & Orlando Osuna in memory of Harry Brooks and Martha Steinberg • Lori & Don Panetta in memory of Harry and Michael Schoener • Sandra & David Peskin in memory of Helen Bader • Sheila Pollack in memory of Carol Reiner • Steven & Sandy Reisman in memory of Theresa Reisman and Harry Schectman • Phyllis Richards in memory of Helen Bader, Hyman Glick, and Sam Soloshatz • Joan & Irwin Robinson in memory of Helen Bader • Barbara & Dr. Milton Rosenberg in memory of Henry Rosenberg • Salli Rosenberg in memory of Sarah Wilkes • Suzanne Rosenberg in memory of Molly Smiley • Barbara Rosenthal in memory of Shirley Snyder • Meryl Root in memory of Jeanette Quinn • Jaynie Rudick in memory of Ervin Rudick • Marjorie & Stephen Shoenholz in memory of Helen Bader • Rosalyn Schwartz in memory of Harold Schwartz • June & Jack Schwarz in memory of Molly Birenbaum/Weiner • Barbara Silberman in memory of Lisa Freeman • Janet & Barry Spool in memory of Helen Bader • Neela & Ken Weber in memory of Sidney Weber • Gerty Wolf in memory of Ronald Wolf, Rose Wolf, Lt. Solomon, and Dorothy Weisser • Jack & Linda Zaffos in memory of Sal Zaffos •• and •• Barbara Massey in memory of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg – to honor her life of dignity, her contributions and accomplishment to our lives, and her great respect for women and for the rights and laws of all Americans
• SPECIAL EDUCATION FUND: Sisterhood in honor of Pamela & Gerson Sabel’s 50th Wedding Anniversary on October 31st
• YOUTH ACTIVITIES FUND: Gerty Wolf in memory of Shirley Snyder

A Note of Gratitude

On behalf of the Hochrad, Freeman & Rothman Families…We would like to thank our Temple Family for all of their love, support, kindness, and generosity during this very sad and challenging time. COVID may have changed some things, but not the warmth and caring that we have for each other. We felt it....Debbie & Herb Hochrad

in loving memory

*NOVEMBER's CALENDAR

• Sunday, November 1st – Religious School
• Tuesday, November 3rd – ELECTION DAY
• Wednesday , November 4th – Brotherhood Meeting
• Thursday, November 5th – On the Marc Sports Talk at 4:00pm & Meditation from 7:00pm – 8:00pm
• Friday, November 6th – Shabbat Service / Kristallnacht Commemoration at 7:30pm
• Saturday, November 7th – Torah Study at 9:00am; Junior Congregation at 9:30am; and LifeLong Learning at 11:00am
• Sunday, November 8th – Religious School
• Tuesday, November 10th – Sisterhood General Membership Pop Culture Trivia Night at 7:30pm
• Wednesday , November 11th – VETERANS DAY
• Thursday, November 12th – On the Marc Sports Talk at 4:00pm
• Friday, November 13th – Meditation at 6:45pm & Family Service at 7:30pm
• Saturday, November 14th – Torah Study at 9:00am; Tikvah Tots/Grandparents Event at 10:30am
• Sunday, November 15th – Religious School
• Monday, November 16th – Caring Community Meeting
• Tuesday, November 17th – Writing Group Meeting at 7:30pm
• Thursday, November 19th – On the Marc Sports Talk at 4:00pm & Meditation from 7:00pm – 8:00pm
• Friday, November 20th – Shabbat Service at 7:30pm
• Saturday, November 21st – Family Havdalah at 5:00pm
• Sunday, November 22nd – Religious School & Religious School Committee Meeting at 9:45am (need confirmation)
• Tuesday, November 24th – Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at 7:00pm
• Thursday, November 26th – THANKSGIVING
• Friday, November 27th – Tikvah Tots Shabbat at 6:30pm & Shabbat Service at 7:30pm
• Saturday, November 28th – Torah Study at 9:00am

* PLEASE REFER TO THE WEEKLY UPDATES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE VIRTUAL INFORMATION *