        A Truly Happy Hanukkah!

   Temple Beth-El of C.I. held its Hanukkah Concert and Party on Sunday, December 9^th.

   Once again, this annual event was truly a great success. A full house of adults and children were entertained by Matt Fried, songwriter and guitarist plus Akiva Wharton, percussionist, along with Alan Dattner on harmonica along with our own Rabbi Shohama Wiener.

   Singing, dancing and playing with dreidels were the order of the day.

   After the concert, everyone enjoyed latkes, thanks to Irwin & Sandra Hoberman, Lorraine Greenspan, Bob Berent and all the others who helped in the kitchen.

   A very special thanks goes out to the Stark family for their gift this season that made this celebration possible and especially joyous!

Text Box:

Photo by Bob Berent

Our festive mood on this Rosh Hashanah of trees recalls the praise of the Land of Israel, for on this day the strength of the soil of the land is renewed. With reference to the fruits of the trees and the produce of the soil, the Torah praises the Land of Israel: "A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey" (Devarim 8).

For the first several years, Dr. Nathan Graber had tended our garden and encouraged us to celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of Trees. He has done marvelously well, both with the garden and at the seder he conducted. Then Bob Berent, our former president, took over the helm for the past few years. And now, new warmth and insight will be brought to our annual, festive observance by our Rabbinic Pastor, David Daniel Klipper.

Please note: Dress is casual and reservations for the seder are preferred. Bring your favorite fruit, wine or tree product or call for your food assignment. Vegetarian dishes are also welcome.

(Contact Bob Berent at 718-885-3098 with your RSVPs.)

Rabbi’s Message

Dear Shul Family,

We just celebrated what many said was the best Hanukkah party ever held at our shul.

The turnout was fabulous, including many new faces of all ethnicities. We are truly an inclusive place

for Jewish spirituality and those who want to share in it.

Thanks again to the Stark family for sponsoring a great concert, and to Irwin and Sandra Hoberman

for the delicious latkes. A number of people asked when we will have another event like it.

We are always eager to please, so if you would like to (co)sponsor an event, please be in touch with

our President, Mort Ellis, 718 885-2820.

A special part of the celebration was the lighting of the Menorahs led by Rabbinic Pastor Intern Aliza Erber,

who has brought Bar and Bat Mitzvah classes for all ages to our shul. It is never too early or too late to enhance

your Jewish education. Hebrew is the gateway to unimaginable depths of connection to our ancestral heritage.

If you are interested, call Aliza at the BeYakhad Center, 914 761-5114.

Hanukkah is about miracles and rededication. Miracles can happen when we allow our hearts to open,

and God’s spirit to manifest in our lives. In Hebrew, God’s spirit is called the Ruach HaKodesh,

the Holy Spirit. Ruach also means wind. So Ruach HaKodesh is the sense we can feel of holiness flowing,

blowing through life.

May the joy and spirit of Hanukkah, the Ruach HaKodesh, sustain us as we move into the winter season,

allowing us to appreciate the gifts of this time of year.

Love and blessings,

Rabbi Shohama

_________ ______ ________

The Written Word is published bi-monthly by

Temple Beth-El of City Island

An All-inclusive and Welcoming Congregation

Shohama Wiener……………………………..Rabbi

Mort Ellis……………………………President

Nan Kaplan….…………….……….Vice President

Stephen Slotnik….…………….……….Vice President

P.O. Box l88

City Island, New York 10464

Tel. 718 885- 2231

Visit: www.yourshulbythesea.org

Upcoming Events!!

All Fridays: Shabbat Services begin at 7:30 pm followed by a Kiddush. We welcome fresh fruit or a simple dish to share.

Friday, January 11: Kabbalat Shabbat. Welcome the Sabbath with music and prayer led by Rabbi Shohama Wiener. 7:30 pm.

Saturday, January 19: Spirituality Service and Torah Study workshop at 10:30 am. Since this is

Shabbat Shira – Shabbat of Song, everyone is encouraged to bring instruments if they have one.

Come and share your understanding in a comfortable, musical and accepting group led by Rabbinic Pastor Intern Aliza Erber .

Friday, February 1: Kabbalat Shabbat. Welcome the Sabbath with music and prayer led by Reb David Daniel Klipper. 7:30 pm.

Thursdays:

Yoga / Tai Chi classes continue at 6:15 pm . Marc Kaplan’s exercises will leave you more flexible and refreshed. Call Marc at 718-885-2445.

B’nai Binah Classes (for Adult Bar & Bat Mitzvah) on Thursday: January 10^th, 24^th, and February 7^th and 28^th.

7 to 8:15 pm. Led by Rabbinic Intern Aliza Erber.

Tu B’Shevat Seder: Sunday, January 27 at 2 pm. Come and celebrate the New Year of Trees at this seder led by Reb David Daniel Klipper.

You are most cordially invited to attend:

Saturday, February 23: Spirituality Service and Torah Study workshop at 10:30 am. Again, we urge you to come and share your understanding in a comfortable, musical and accepting group led by our Rabbinic Pastor Intern Aliza Erber.

Stay Tuned for Info on our congenial and Kosher Passover Seder: Passover starts on the weekend of April 19^th- 20^th.

Temple Beth-El of City Island

“Your Shul by the Sea”

Dear Friends,

The seminary where I serve as President Emerita, that ordained both me and Cantor Elaine, is having a fund raising concert on Sunday eve Jan 13th in NYC.

See their flyer just above.

The lead singer, Rabbi David Paskin, is a gifted musician and story teller. He composes and plays folk-rock style music with heart and soul.

I hope that you will join Alan and me at this concert. Our shul has been offered a special rate of $30 per ticket.

(Tickets may be purchased at the door, but

they would like a list of people expected to attend.)

Also, I may be able to reserve a block of seats so we can sit together.

Please let me know by email if you are planning to attend, and the names of those in your party. It promises to be an enjoyable evening.

In the meantime, blessings for a happy, healthy holiday season and start to the New Year.

Ø > >Rabbi Shohama

Ø rebshohama@yahoo.com

Tu B’Shevat

is often called the Jewish Arbor Day. The name of the holiday means “The 15^th day of the month of Shevat.”

There was a belief that at this time the sap began to flow again within trees. This date was a reassurance that the harshmess

of the winter was gone and that spring was just around the corner.

The Jewish mystics used to celebrate a Seder on Tu B’Shevat that featured fruits from the land of Israel,

grapes being among them.

Today, many follow the custom of having trees planted in Israel on Tu B’Shevat.

YAHRZEITS

YAHRZEITS If you would like to have a name read at services that is not on this list, please call Robert Berent (718 885-3098)

prior to that Friday afternoon if you cannot attend services that evening.

For the months of Tevet, Shevat and Adar I & II 5766

Coincides this year with :

Edith Belenky	23 Tevet	January 1	Sarah Polirstok	6 Adar	February 12
Max Kessler	23 Tevet	January 1	Harry Holzberg	10 Adar	February 16
Rebecca Gilbert	27 Tevet	January 5	Isaac Polirstok	10 Adar	February 16
Simon Ginsberg	27 Tevet	January 5	Ray Schindler	10 Adar	February 16
Sarah D. Peterson	1 Shevat	January 8	Joshua Cohen	13 Adar	February 19
Ralph Cohen	4 Shevat	January 11	Morris Chernoff	17 Adar	February 23
Katie Katz	5 Shevat	January 12	Anna Shafer	19 Adar	February 25
Dr. Frederick Gordon	6 Shevat	January 13	Rachel Bierman	20 Adar	February 26
Arnold Schiffman	9 Shevat	January 16	Joseph Hammersmith	22 Adar	February 28
Esther Robinson	10 Shevat	January 17	Mollie Rudashefsky Fread	23 Adar	February 29
Jacob Samuel Katz	14 Shevat	January 21	Noel Berke	25 Adar	March 2
Samuel Hoffman	15 Shevat	January 22	Samuel Dicker	26 Adar	March 3
Bessie Molder	15 Shevat	January 22	Sarah Silverstein	29 Adar	March 6
Jacob Shafer	15 Shevat	January 22	Bertha Ginsberg	5 Adar II	March 12
Babetta L. Hollander	16 Shevat	January 23	Belle Gordon	7 Adar II	March 14
Morris Brown	23 Shevat	January 30	Leon M. Karpf	16 Adar II	March 23
Larry Birkner	24 Shevat	January 31	Fred Paulis	17 Adar II	March 24
Ruth Birkner	24 Shevat	January 31	Florence Shafer	20 Adar II	March 27
B. David Berent	25 Shevat	February 1	Herman Irwin Graber	22 Adar II	March 29
Louis Fridkis	30 Shevat	February 6	Samuel Peterson	23 Adar II	March 30
Saul Gerald Chale	5 Adar	February 11	Warren Hoberman	27 Adar II	April 3
Paul Robbins	5 Adar	February 11

Memorial Plaques for your departed loved ones are now available. $250 for Members; $350 for Non-members

Please contact Violet Ellis (718-885-28208) if you would like to order plaques.

T h e W r i t t e n W o r d

All Fridays: Shabbat Services begin at 7:30 pm followed by a Kiddush. We welcome fresh fruit or a simple dish to share.

Thursdays:

B’nai Binah Classes (for Adult Bar & Bat Mitzvah) on Thursday: January 10th, 24th, and February 7th and 28th.

“Your Shul by the Sea”

B’nai Binah Classes (for Adult Bar & Bat Mitzvah) on Thursday: January 10^th, 24^th, and February 7^th and 28^th.