Temple Beth-El of City
Island
ÒYour
Shul by the SeaÓ
_
Tevet – Shevat - Adar - 5768 480 City Island Avenue, City Island, NY Vol 5.1
Happy New Year To All
A Truly Happy Hanukkah! Temple Beth-El of C.I. held its
Hanukkah Concert and Party on Sunday, December 9th.
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!
Photo by Bob Berent
Set for
Sunday, Jan. 27th
Tu BÕShevat, (the 15th
of Shevat), the new year of trees will be celebrated a few days later by
members and friends of Temple Beth-El with a seder on Sunday, January 27th.
This yearÕs seder will be led by our Rabbinic Pastor, David Daniel Klipper. At
our seder, we reflect on JudaismÕs requirement upon
human beings to guard and protect our natural environment.
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 BÕShevat, 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.
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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.) |
RabbiÕs Message
Dear
Shul Family,
ÊÊÊÊÊWe
just celebrated what many said was the best
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.
ÊÊÊÊThanks 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.
ÊÊÊÊA 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.
ÊÊÊÊHanukkah is about miracles and rededication. Miracles can happen when we allow our hearts to open,
and GodÕs spirit to manifest in our lives. In Hebrew, GodÕs 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.
ÊÊÊÊMay 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
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
WienerÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..Rabbi
Mort EllisÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉPresident
Nan KaplanÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉ.Vice President
Stephen SlotnikÉ.ÉÉÉÉÉ.ÉÉÉ.Vice President
P.O. Box l88
City Island, New York 10464
Tel. 718 885- 2231
Visit: www.yourshulbythesea.org
Upcoming Events!!
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.
Yoga / Tai Chi classes continue at 6:15 pm . Marc KaplanÕs exercises will leave
you more flexible and refreshed. Call Marc at 718-885-2445.
7 to 8:15
pm. Led by Rabbinic Intern Aliza Erber.
Tu BÕShevat 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 19th-
20th.
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Temple
Beth-El of City Island
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.
¯
> >Rabbi Shohama
¯
rebshohama@yahoo.com
¯
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is often called the Jewish Arbor
Day. The name of the holiday means ÒThe 15th day of the month of
Shevat.Ó
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 BÕShevat 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 BÕShevat.

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 | ÊÊ6 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 | Ê1 Shevat | January 8 | Joshua Cohen | 13 Adar | February
19
|
|
| Ralph Cohen | Ê4 Shevat | January 11 | Morris Chernoff | 17 Adar | February 23 | |
| Katie Katz | Ê5 Shevat | January 12 | Anna Shafer | 19 Adar | February 25 | |
| Dr. Frederick Gordon | Ê6 Shevat | January 13 | Rachel Bierman | 20 Adar | February
26
|
|
| Arnold Schiffman | Ê9 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.

Temple Beth-El of City Island
480 City Island Ave. – PO Box 188
City Island, NY 10464
Visit our website at