February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 Towards a Liberal Religious Theology THE MISSION OF TEMPLE SOLEL IS TO BE A VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE AND ENGAGED REFORM COMMUNITY, GROUNDED IN RELATIONSHIPS AND DEEDS, AND ELEVATED BY SHABBAT AND TORAH. Bishop John Shelby Spong was a prominent liberal Christian theologian and writer whose intelligence and thoughtfulness are readily apparent in his writing. In his later years (he died in 2019), he worked on refining his theology. Many of his beliefs are detailed in one of his last books, Eternal Life: A New Vision. Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell. As I read the book, I greatly appreciated his theological explanations of some ideas that are difficult to articulate. I also found myself agreeing with him on a number of spiritual points. I will share some of his beliefs which caught my attention in a moment. I also found that a number of the traditional Christian dogmas which he had to extricate himself from in order to come to a modern spiritual belief system are conveniently absent for us as liberal Jews. For example, he wrote, “I find myself increasingly unable to tolerate an ecclesiastical hierarchy that pretends to speak for that which is holy in order to diminish that which is human.” In Reform Judaism, we are blessed to have very sage leaders who provide guidance for our movement. Yet, we are not very hierarchically organized; these leaders do not impose doctrine. And our leaders focus on supporting the holy/ human connection. Spong also spoke about his personal movement away from the New Testament belief that only the sinless can save the sinful and away from a belief in heaven and hell. These are not doctrinal concerns for us. Let me share with you some of the modern religious concepts that I feel he articulates well. A lot of these views are not uniquely his, but he shares them as part of his own integrated spiritual perspective. These resonate with me; perhaps they will with you as well. “Human life is interdependent…And the more I give, the more I seem to have to give.” “We are part of God, and God is part of us. The task of faith has become living, loving and being.” “The task of religion is not to make us religious but to make us human/whole/free…The goal of all religion is not to prepare us to enter the next life but to live and love now.” “I have always been a religious seeker. Perhaps all humans are. Not all answers may be there to be found. It is the nature of human life to seek that which is ultimate.” “Religion is ever changing. We are awakening to a sense of oneness with all that is. We need to rethink the word God… We need to grow up and stop the human attempt to see God as the divine parent figure. We are part of who God is. The human ability to claim our God consciousness is the essence of humanity. We can see God in non-personal rather than impersonal terms.” Many of Spong’s thoughts mirror ideas available in modern Jewish theology today, for example in the writings of the neo-Chassidic liberal thinker, Rabbi Art Green. Of course, Spong’s belief that religion should focus on making us better humans in this life (rather than concentrate on the next life) is central to Jewish belief throughout the ages. I do appreciate his movement from an anthropomorphic God to a view that God is totally different than we are. This belief is also articulated by Maimonides and the Chassidic masters. Liberal religious perspectives, like those Spong articulates, provide meaningful spiritual ideas for us today. I would invite you to pick up his book or Rabbi Art Green’s Ehyeh as you continue your own spiritual journey. Rabbi Debbie Stiel
2 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 View Shabbat and B’nai Mitzvah Services by visiting templesolel.org and selecting the “Click here to watch our Streaming services” link at the beginning of each service. New Funds Available for Jewish High School Trips to Israel!!! The Union for Reform Jewish (through their new program called Yallah! Israel) is now providing more funds for Jewish High School trips to Israel. Thanks to a generous commitment from Root One (seeded by The Marcus Foundation) the URJ is now providing a voucher for $3250 toward any URJ high school summer trip to Israel after your teen’s b’nai mitzvah, when they become age-eligible in 10th grade. Teens who already received a $250 NFTY certificate at their bar/bat mitzvah will still be eligible to apply for the additional $3000 Root One voucher, making their total discount the same. If you are interested in one of these URJ Israel trips, and applying for these funds, please email Tara Marcussen at [email protected]. This $3000 voucher can also be used towards the Camp Stein Israel trip. In addition, don’t forget to apply early for the Harold and Jean Grossman Teen Israel Experience Incentive funds of $750 for trips that are 16-21 days. They also have funds available for semester and school year in Israel programs. To find out more about the Phoenix Central Jewish Philathropies’ Grossman Fund go to www.phoenixcjp.org/teenisrael Samuel Cowen Meltzer, son of Dr. Ellen and Dr. Andrew Meltzer will become a bar mitzvah February 18th, 2023 at 10:30AM. Samuel attends Phoenix Country Day School and enjoys playing golf and guitar. Samuels’s bar mitzvah project is collecting clothing and school supplies for Sojourner Center, as well as assisting with Arizona Special Olympics golf! Wise Aging Mini-Series (In-Person) February 8th and 22nd, March 8th and 22nd 10:00am-11:15am at Temple Solel Back by popular demand! Our Wise Aging group is a wonderful opportunity to consider our own experience of aging, learn more about how to age well, and think together about how aging affects our identities, our relationships, and the greater community. The Bureau of Jewish Education’s Linda Levin will lead this new Temple Solel 4-session group on wise aging. Linda is a therapist with almost 40 years of experience. The group is meant for those who are 55 or older, and it will cover the following topics: Stress and Aging, Effective Communications Skills, Keys to Successful Aging, and Pain and Aging. The Mini-Series is $68 for the 4 sessions. The group is limited to the first 15 people who register. See eNUZ link to register and pay. Services start at 6:15
February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 3 February Temple Solel Office Closures February 20, 2022 ‘And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’ (Ezekiel 47:12) Dear Solel Family, This month we celebrate the holiday of Tu B’Shevat – one of the four New Years that we experience in the Jewish calendar. Described as the New Year of the Trees, this holiday celebrates the growth and evolution in ourselves and our environments as we begin to come out from the cold and dark of winter and into the rebirth of spring. Just as with Passover, we can mark the holiday of Tu B’Shevat with a seder. In this case, the prescribed order of the meal takes us symbolically closer to spiritual perfection and tikkun (repair) of the world. We typically begin with fruits and nuts that have an inedible shell, such as pomegranates or almonds. These fruits represent the physical world, where we need a strong defensive structure for protection and survival. These are followed by fruits with inedible cores, such as olives or peaches. These represent the physical flesh that conceals emotional truth within it. The third group is the fully edible fruit, like blueberries or figs. These represent the highest level of perfection that we can aspire to in the physical world. The fourth group consists of the ‘fruits’ that we can sense, but not actually consume. These are the concepts of holiness and perfection to which we aspire. This ‘fruit’ could be experienced by donating tzedakah to a worthy cause, like feeding the homeless or planting a tree. We are also encouraged to eat fruits we have not tried before and then to say a shehechayanu prayer. We join these fruits with four glasses of wine. The tradition is to begin with a glass of pure white wine. This represents the pure potential that we find in nature. With each progressive glass, we add more red and less white to the glass, until the final glass is almost pure red with just a drop of white. The red represents nature in full bloom, and so by moving from white to red, we are leaving behind the cold of winter and moving into the full bloom of abundance. We move from potential into actuality, and we see God’s design with full clarity. There are other kabalistic interpretations in the seder as well. The letters contained in the Hebrew word for wine (yayin) equal 70, which is the same as the amount contained in ‘Sod,’ meaning secret. The wine, used with this purpose in mind, is meant to unlock the hidden aspects of the Torah. The four cups of wine are said to represent different spiritual realms, ascending in order from action (asiah) to formation (yetzirah) to creation (briah) to emanation of pure Godliness (atzilut). As we eat these fruits and drink the wine with this intention, we become more connected to our true nature as spiritual beings. Speaking of using wine to create holiness, Purim is coming up next month. We’ll be hosting a megillah reading, a dinner and a spiel on Monday, March 6, 2023. The megillah reading starts at 5:15pm. Dinner is at 6, and the costume parade and spiel will begin at 6:30pm. We are currently looking for ensemble members to participate in an Encanto spiel entitled, ‘We Don’t Talk About Haman.’ You don’t need to have musical experience. Just a willingness to have fun and join together in community. If you’re interested, please email me at [email protected] and I’ll provide all the details. In song, Todd Herzog Cantorial Soloist
FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES Madison & Micah Stiel 1 Michael & Kristina Horowitz 9 Kenneth & Barbara Love 10 Herschel & Melissa Fink 17 Eric & Julie Mininberg 17 Craig & Michelle Ganz 20 Steven & Karen Pine 23 Robyn & Mychael Ginis 23 Jeffrey & Lee Ratterman 24 Marc & Cathy Joseph 30 Debbi & Terry Rochford 34 Nelson & Lisa Lerner 35 Yuri Sayapin & Ludmila Brigadier 36 Louis Gorman & Margaret Kile 42 Abraham & Ina Lieberman 58 Norman & Nancijoy Weissman 61 Sanford & Regina Wlody 62 4 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 The holiday season is over and the new year has begun. We’ve settled back into our classrooms and routines at The Solel Preschool and while the Winter Holidays were fun, February is actually a magical time for Preschool. The source of this magic…our students who around this time of year really start to blossom. They have grown so much since those first days in August. Their personalities flourishing in the comfort of their surroundings and their minds absorbing all the new lessons being taught in their classrooms. They have established bonds with their friends and teachers and are rooted in our Solel Community. This time of year also brings another favorite holiday to our Solel Preschool, Tu Bishvat, known in preschool worlds as the “Birthday for the Trees”. Tu Bishvat occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat and probably began as an agricultural festival coinciding with the celebration of Spring in Israel. While considered a minor holiday it is one that is a very relatable for early education. Young children have a lot to say about trees and nature. They can participate in great classroom discussions about how trees develop, the parts of trees and their importance of trees in the world. Our classrooms circle times are filled with lessons encouraging our young minds to think about why trees are important to us. What do they give us? How do they help our world? And perhaps most importantly, what do we need to do to take care of the trees and the planet? Creative and fun projects fill the teacher’s lesson plans and bulletin boards come to life with the beauty of this holiday celebrating nature. Some classrooms will take part in tastings of traditional fruits, grains and nuts. Together our school will create an Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) collaborative artwork and will take part in planting and nurturing their very own plant. The month of February promises to be a month of growth at The Solel Preschool both in celebration of Tu Bishvat and in the blossoming of our young students. -Jackie Siamon Registration for the 2023-2024 school year has begun…visit our web-site for more information! *Enrollment for the 2022-23 school year has begun at The Solel Preschool. Classes fill up quickly, so if you are interested get your registration in early. Visit www.solelpreschool.org to register for the school year.* What’s New at the Solel Preschool!?
February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 5 Dear Temple Raker Families, As I was reading this article from Rabbi Sharon Forman, I laughed and nodded my head in agreement. Parenting is one of the most challenging paths to adhere to in our lives. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with children and their families for many, many years, as well as my own. I can tell you there is no one single path; however, instilling Jewish values and being part of the Jewish community will definitely brighten that path called "parenting". Enjoy the article from the URJ, Union of Reform Judaism! How NASA Engineers Helped Me Become a Better Jewish Parent For someone who suffers from motion sickness when scrolling rapidly on a computer screen, I'm not the most obvious space travel enthusiast. Yet "Good Night Oppy," a documentary streaming on Amazon Prime about the two robotic rovers that NASA sent to Mars in 2003, grabbed me by the heart. The robots, "Spirit" and "Opportunity" (aka "Oppy"), were designed to operate for three months, traversing the craterous and stormy surface of Mars. Instead, pulling their own twist on the Hanukkah miracle, they lasted for six and 15 years, respectively. What I did not expect to experience from this movie was a potent lesson in parenting from NASA engineers. Of course, robots are not children, but the engineers take on parental roles, as they dedicate themselves to the welfare of these creations. They don't set out to anthropomorphize the machines, but cameras work best when placed high up (like eyes) on the robots, and the human body becomes a natural template for the robots to operate at maximum efficiency. Even though the robots are identical twins, they display differences in their problem solving and learning styles. The engineers accept that even when endowed with identical hardware, machines and people are individuals. It never hurts for a parent to be reminded of the need to celebrate children for their unique and quirky spirits. At one point in the mission to explore Mars's vast craters, one of the robots confronts a treacherous maze of lethal boulders. The engineers attempt to assist the robot in navigating remotely, but ultimately take a leap of faith and command the robot to utilize its own computer on auto-pilot to handle the rocks. The engineer concedes that the robot can see the rocks better than she can, and reluctantly surrenders her oversight. In Jewish mysticism, there is a concept known as tzimtzum (or divine contraction), when God pulls back from intervening in the act of creation and the lives of humans in order to allow them to have free will. Even 50 million miles away, the engineer desperately wants to assist her creation. Ultimately, she echoes this image of divine retracting by pulling herself back from interfering, and the little robot triumphantly succeeds on its own. Other parenting lessons are illustrated when the viewer witnesses the morning routine carried out by the space program. In the U.S. space program, ground control typically wakes up astronauts by playing music. The scientists who collaborated on the Rover mission maintained this charming tradition when "waking" the robots from their necessary slumber and recharging. They understand the vital role of rest in helping the robots optimize their learning and remain in peak working order. The scientists' enchanting choices for morning playlists serve as an example of the delight we can take in fulfilling mundane tasks, such as dragging our reluctant teenagers out of bed in the morning (if you have an early-rising toddler and are reading this, trust me, this will happen). Sometimes, we are so caught up in the day-to-day worries and obligations of raising our children, that we forget the fun we can have with them just by blasting our favorite songs. The concept of hiddur mitzvah, translated into English, as "beautifying the commandment," requires that we do not simply fulfill a religious obligation by checking off some to-do list of annoying obligations. Instead, we take time and effort to create beauty. A ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) isn't just printed out like a shopping list. Rather, we make it into a piece of art. Likewise, as parents, we can take the mundane activities of raising our children and try to elevate them with flair and joy. Most of all, the little robots sent out to explore Mars and their human "parents" reminded me to encourage my children to look up at the night sky and consider our humble place in a vast, wondrous universe. Of course, our concerns and worries about our children and our lives are consequential. Yet, when we consider the infinite scope of the cosmos, we can regain some much-needed perspective. If our child walks at 15 months and not 12 months, it's fine. If our children take a little extra time to master tasks, or if our child navigates the world in a way that requires modifications or tweaks to accommodate that difference, that's okay, too. At the end of a day on earth, our work is meaningful if we share love with our children who also learn how to love and make this world a kinder, more intelligent, and healthier planet. These are lessons that the Jewish tradition, some imaginative and brilliant NASA engineers, and a few hardworking robots seem to have mastered and can teach us. Reform Jewish Calendar of Major Jewish Spring Holidays 2023 (5783) Purim - March 6-7, 2023 (sunset Monday-sunset Tuesday) Passover- April 5-12, 2023 (sunset Wednesday-sunset Wednesday) Shavuot - May 25-26, 2023 (sunset Thursday-sunset Friday)
6 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 February Zoom Events Jewish Meditation Tuesday February 7, 2023 February 21, 2023 10:00-10:30 am Lunch and Learn Wednesday February 1, 2023 February 15, 2023 12:00-1:00 pm See eNUZ for links to all events listed. Caring Community News The Caring Committee is building a team led by Arleen Schwartz to visit congregants who are homebound or in a facility. These folks could use a cheery and supportive presence! There will be a training and sharing of best practices for visiting someone in their home, rehab center or hospital. We would like to have a good number of people go through the training, even if those attending can only do home visits from time to time. Join us for a light lunch and training led by Rabbi Debbie Stiel and Arleen Schwartz on Sunday, February 5 at 1pm at Arleen Schwartz’s home. Please RSVP to Tara Marcussen at [email protected] for Arleen’s address. Dottie Braun Cohen Rabbi Stiel Arleen Schwartz Coordinator Spiritual Advisor Team Leader Temple Solel Book Club Greetings, Fellow Book Lovers! We won't meet in February, but you may want to get a head start on reading the next selection, which is longer than usual. On March 21 we will meet for our 6 p.m. potluck to discuss Beach Music by Pat Conroy, author of Prince of Tides and The Great Santini. Jack McCall, an American living in Rome with his young daughter, struggles to find peace after his wife’s suicide. But his sister-in-law arrives and begs him to return home, and two school friends ask him to help track down a third classmate who went deep underground as a Vietnam protester. Jack begins a journey encompassing the past and the present in Europe and the American South, and leads him to shocking — and ultimately liberating — truths. Although Pat Conroy isn't Jewish, the book has a Jewish connection. On April 11 we'll discuss One Mile and Two Days Before Sunset by Shimon Adaf, the first book of the Lost Detective Trilogy. "Yehuda Menuhin, a well-known philosophy professor of philosophy, is dead in an apparent suicide. Meanwhile, the cold case murder of Dalia Shushan, a hauntingly gifted singer ..., appears to be somehow linked to Menuhin. Are poets and killers one and the same? To find out, Elish must embark on a journey in which he confronts betrayal, the quicksilver nature of true genius, and the yawning loneliness of his own life. "Adaf has fun playing with all the old noir tropes — the hardbitten detective moving through the nighttime city, the goons that trash his office and then beat him senseless. Even his Gal Friday is right out of an old Bogart movie: a wisecracking tough chick with a heart of gold and a soft spot for her boss. But layered over the old-time atmospherics is some erudite Jewish content for us to ponder. Dalia was murdered on Tisha B’av, after all. And Menuhin killed himself the day after Yom Kippur. Sometimes, it seems, mere atonement is not enough." --Jewish Book Council. Upcoming dates: May 16, June 20 and July 18 (the last two Zoom only). For information or to be added or removed from our mailing list, email us [email protected]. -Judy Schaffert
February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 7 “Voices” at Torah Study Volunteer Recognition Volunteers are an essential part of Temple Solel. We would like to thank the following volunteers for their time and efforts: Birthday Calls Erica Bonime Knitting for a Purpose Lois Bell Carol Brillman Anne Kanter Jill Loebel Beverly Nathan Margie Rahilly Linda Ribnik Judy Schaffert Beth Sennett Reva Steinberg Nancy Weinstein Yahrzeit Notices Cynthia Marcus Would you like to volunteer at some point in the future? We’d love to have you! Email [email protected], and we’ll add you to our volunteer email list for upcoming opportunities. Thank You! This month in Torah Study we encounter a recurring quirk of the text – the presence of multiple versions of the same biblical story. In Exodus chapter 20, Moses announces the Ten Commandments as a set of ethical rules: “Do not murder, do not steal…” Yet, in Exodus chapter 34, Moses announces the Ten Commandments as a set of ritual obligations: “Observe Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot…” Why does the Torah offer two different versions? As a TV game show host might say, “Will the real Ten Commandments please stand up!” Fortunately, we’re not the first students to notice this quirk. Scholars explain that Judaism began as an oral tradition. In the days before stories were written down, oral storytellers spun multiple versions of Hebraic lore. Artists, mystics, innovators and troublemakers developed many variations of tribal tales. When the time came to compile the written Torah (circa 5th century BCE), biblical editors decided to preserve those variations. Why? One clue comes in the story of the Ten Commandments itself. The Hebrew term for the Ten Commandments is Aseret HaD’varim. It means “Ten Words,” not ten rules. Ten voices, not one. It’s possible that biblical editors preserved multiple versions of many tales in order to teach students to value multiple points of view. The editors wanted to fashion Judaism as a dialogue of faith, rather than a dogmatic faith. In addition, the editors may have wanted to encourage students to be creative and write their own versions, known as “midrash.” Since antiquity, Judaism has believed that creative work draws light into the world. As Moses says when God gives the power of prophecy to the whole community: “Shema Yisrael, let the people listen – and then speak up!” Torah Study meets via Zoom every Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. See eNUZ for Zoom link. Please come! Matthew Kozinets Dear Torah Study Friends, Please join us IN-PERSON at Temple Solel on Saturday, February 25th at 9:00 a.m. Come and enjoy a wonderful reunion with old friends and new faces. The front door of the temple building will open at 8:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served. You may also join us via ZOOM. The link is in your eNUZ. P.S. This class will be the first of four special event classes using an in-person/Zoom hybrid format. The other dates are: March 25 (Vayikra) April 29 (Kedoshim) May 27 (Shavuot)
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February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 9 Snow day at the solel preschool Our amazing women’s Rosh Chodesh Tu B'shevat Seder! Thank you to all those who volunteer their time Knitting for a Purpose! You keep children of our Community nice and warm! (Volunteers listed on page 7)
10 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 Public Health and Jewish Ethics –4 Part Mini-Series Who should decide what to do when an adolescent is pregnant? How do I know the vaccine information I read is honest and accurate? When is relief of suffering ending a life? Who decides? How do we decide when to stop spending on healthcare? This mini-series on public health and Jewish ethics will be presented by Rabbi Stiel, Rabbi Linder, Dr. Michael Yudell, Judy Schaffert, Dr. Steve Slogoff, and Dr. Fred Schwartz. We will meet in-person at the Temple. Steve and Fred are both emeritus medical educators and practitioners who have practical experience in the aforementioned areas. Michael is a public health ethicist and Vice Dean of the College of Health Solutions at ASU. Judy is a retired attorney and a wonderful teacher. Rabbis Stiel and Linder have taught about Jewish Medical Ethics and will bring in the Jewish perspective. Please plan to join us. We will be offering one session a month in February –May. The dates for the class are Wednesdays February 15, March 15, April 12 and May 3 from 6:30pm-7:45pm. Finding Strength After the Loss of an Adult Child We now have a grief support group for those who have lost an adult child. This group is an opportunity for an open, honest, and, most of all confidential, platform of support. Together the group will learn from each other. Susan Charney, a psychotherapist in the community, will run these sessions. The group meets on Zoom on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 5:00-6:15pm. There is no cost to join, but donations to the Temple are appreciated. To sign up and get the Zoom link, send an email to Tara Marcussen at [email protected] Dr. Hava Tirosh-Samuelson Guest Speaker at Shabbat Services, Friday, February 17 In Connection with the Holiday of Tu B’Shevat- “Jewish Environmental Spirituality: What It Is, and Why It Matters Now More than Ever?” Humanity is going through a major ecological crisis that threatens the future of human life on planet earth. Human activities brought about the crisis that will impact not only humans but many other forms of life. Is Judaism relevant to the ecological crisis? If so, how? How have American Jews addressed the ecological crisis? What is Jewish environmental spirituality and to whom does it matter? Professor Hava Tirosh-Samuelson will answer these questions by discussing the emergence of environmental awareness among American Jews, the leading Jewish ecotheologians, and the major Jewish environmental organizations. We will see how Jewish environmentalists today have articulated a distinctive environmental spirituality. Dr. Hava Tirosh-Samuelson (Ph.D. Hebrew University, 1978) is Regents Professor of History, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism, and Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at ASU. Among her many publications, Tirosh-Samuelson is the author of Religion and Environment: The Case of Judaism (2020), and the editor of Judaism and Ecology: Created World and Revealed Word (2002); she is the editor-in-chief of the Library of Contemporary Jewish Philosophers (2012-2018), a set of 21 volumes that features leading Jewish thinkers today.
February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 11 Temple Solel Endowment Foundation Securing Our Future | February 2023 Almost a native, but not quite, Nelson Lerner and his family moved from Houston, TX to Phoenix, AZ when he was only 9 months old. You can do the math; he is 64 now. As a member of a prominent family at Temple Beth Israel, he participated in one of the Phoenix Jewish education programs known as Hebrew High where he sat behind the future love of his life, Lisa G Udelman, sister of Solel past president, Randy Udelman. In Lisa’s words, Nelson has always been a good student, driven and above all “Brilliant.” When their Jewish education ended, both Nelson and Lisa lost touch for many years, although their families remained friendly. Then Kismet: A last-minute invitation for Nelson to the wedding of Lisa’s friend reunited the pair. Sitting together during the wedding banquet led to their own romance, wedding, and creation of their future. Nelson and Lisa married on February 14, 1988. As the “New” Lerner family developed their lives together, they became members of Temple Chai where their kids had their Jewish education. Many years later and to the blessing of our congregation, Nelson and Lisa became members of Temple Solel in 2006 and started planting very deep roots. One of these roots landed Nelson as the chair of the re-formed Temple Solel Endowment Foundation in 2017. At this time, Temple Solel was paying a mortgage to Mutual of Omaha Bank, where Nelson happened to work in the Wealth Management Department. In 2018, he had the “Brilliant” idea: If the Foundation bought the mortgage from the bank, then Solel could pay The Foundation back in the form of a lease creating friendly debt. Since the Foundation works for the benefit of the Solel Congregation, Temple Solel is basically paying itself for the mortgage. With the help of Board Member Andy Abraham and the entire temple board, this new plan was enacted. Under Nelson’s presidency the Foundation also reached it’s first $1M and has continued climbing to a bigger and better future for Temple Solel. In honor of Nelson’s work with the Temple Solel Endowment Foundation and the anniversary of Nelson and Lisa Lerner on February 14, please consider a donation to the Temple Solel Endowment Foundation in the form of a cash or legacy gift. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 602-628-8705 or [email protected]. Robert Siamon, President Temple Solel Endowment Foundation The Temple Solel Endowment Foundation (Foundation) The Foundation is separate and distinct 501(c)(3) from Temple Solel that has been formed and organized to raise, invest, and manage funds through endowments and gifts for the sole purpose of financially supporting the activities, programs, practices, and growth of Temple Solel. If you are interested in the work of the Foundation, please contact Foundation Board President Robert Siamon at [email protected]. Fighting Antisemitism Today Special Guest Speaker Paul Rockower Friday, March 3 6:15 Shabbat Evening Service Paul Rockower, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Phoenix, will share how the JCRC uses diplomacy and public diplomacy to help fight antisemitism, and safeguards the Jewish community through building communal relations and communal coalitions. He will also address how we can be strategic when dealing with antisemitism. The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix manages crisis communications, conflict management and rapid response for the Jewish community, and other vulnerable communities, across the Valley of the Sun. It conducts advocacy, interfaith outreach, and community bridge-building on behalf of the Jewish community. The JCRC helps manage the network of relationships for the Jewish community with different faith and ethnic partners, media, civic leadership, and with law enforcement. Paul Rockower was formerly the Executive Director of Levantine Public Diplomacy, an independent public diplomacy organization. He has managed State Department public diplomacy programs in dozens of countries around the world, including many countries in conflict. Rockower has worked with multiple Foreign Ministries, including Israel, India and Taiwan.
12 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 We appreciate the thoughtfulness of those who support Temple Solel by remembering and Contributions honoring their friends and loved ones through their generous contributions. 2022-23 CANTORIAL SOLOIST DISCRETIONARY FUND • In appreciation of Todd Herzog from Jeffrey Horwitz • In memory of Sarah Roberta Seltzer from Bertram & Betty Feingold • In memory of Leo Kastner from Leon & Lucia Wall • In memory of Judith Giller-Leinwohl from Lynn & Malcolm Leinwohl • In memory of Ellen Gold and Sandra Harte from Richard Harte 2022-23 CARING COMMUNITY FUND • In appreciation of The Caring Committee, who brought me excellent meals after my surgery. from Marcia Feinstein • In memory of Fred Levey, Dorothy Levey and Mort Balon from Leonard & Robin Balon • In memory of Judith Giller-Leinwohl from Lynn & Malcolm Leinwohl • In memory of Terry Paul, beloved sister, and Morrey and Peggy Levinson, beloved parents. We love and miss you. from Marshall & Cheryl Levinson • Congratulations to David Greenbaum on your re-Bar Mitzvah. You performed superbly. Love Kaitlin and Jim Eckler 2022-23 EDWARD AND CELIA LINDER INTERFAITH •Congratulations to Sydney and David Linder on your marriage! from Robert & Eve Danoff 2022-23 ENDOWMENT FUND • In memory of Virginia Glascock from Avery Crossman • In memory of Ida Lamden from Richard & Frances Lamden 2022-23 GENERAL FUND • In memory of Jerry Weiss from Allen & Rita Cohen • In memory of Donald Motzkin from Allen & Rita Cohen • In memory of My mom, Nat Muntz and my dad, Stan Muntz from Barbara Kish • In memory of Jerry Weiss from Barry & Joyce Brown • In memory of Aviva K Gross from Benjamin & Danielle Gross • In memory of Stanley Garner from Francine Garner • In memory of Dr. Fred Benderoff from Howard & Paula Donsky • In memory of Sylvia and Harry Ginsburg from Howard Ginsburg • In memory of Mollie Wechter from Ira & Myrna Wechter • In memory of Thelma Kurzweil from Jodi, Ted and Jackie Amendola • In memory of Melissa Sue Barron and Betty Mink from Judith Gold • In memory of Ben Kane from Larry & Fern Kane • In memory of Stanely Garner from Lauren Garner • In memory of my sister, Susan J Robbins from Lawrence & Simma Robbins • In memory of Michael J Bell, Morris Lasik, Evelyn Lasik and Bessie Levinson from Lois Bell • In memory of Rosilyn Koritzinsky, sister of Marilyn Teper from Marvin & Barbara Chassin • In memory of Harry S Lewis from Marvin & Barbara Chassin • In memory of Leonard Glazier from Michael Glazier & Jody Brown • In memory of Sarah Levy from Mimi Gleekel & David Levy • In memory of my father, Harold Colb from Norman & Nancijoy Weissman • In memory of Rosalyn and Sam Bloom from Peter & Mary Ann Bloom • In memory of Lillian Shapiro from Phylis & Gary Bolno • In memory of Cynthia Shultz from Raymond & Valda Sachs • In memory of Rosalie Spiegel from Richard & Judith Spiegel • In memory of Sandra Harte from Richard Harte • In memory of my sister, Ellen Gold from Richard Harte • In memory of Mortimer B Keats from Roy & Susan Keats • In memory of Freda Keats from Roy & Susan Keats • In memory of Rose Haber from Ruth LeGrand • In memory of Gerhardt Shumaker from Samuel & Joan Weissman • In memory of Ruth Fields from Steven & Shari Cohen • In memory of Benjamin Altwarg from Ted & Sharon Gordon • In memory of Jerry Traister from Teresa Traister • In memory of Mila Neimark, my mother from Yuri Sayapin & Ludmila Brigadier • For the speedy & complete recovery of Jill Loebel from Seymour & Harriet Achtman 2022-23 JIM WAXENBERG YOUTH FUND • In memory of Stephen Field from Marney Field 2022-23 ONEG FUND • In honor of our wedding anniversary from Leonard & Eleanor Harris 2022-23 RABBI LINDER'S DISCRETIONARY FUND • In appreciation of Joshua's Bar Mitzvah from Jeffrey Horwitz • Healing prayers for Leon. From Lucia Wall • Hope that Chanukah will bring enlightenment in the coming year. from Noel & Anne Fidel • In honor of Rabbi Linder from Stephen & Jeanne Winograd • In honor of the marriage of your son, David. from Eugene & Shirlee Cohen • In honor of Jeff and Patsy Parker. Happy Anniversary. Let giving and receiving inspire each other. from Steve Shobin • In memory of Lillian Alpert from Arnold Alpert • In memory of Donald Motzkin from Eugene & Shirlee Cohen • In memory of Don Levy from Eugene & Shirlee Cohen • In memory of Jerry Wiess from Eugene & Shirlee Cohen • In memory of Harry Raznick from Inalou Raznick & Mel Epstein • In memory of Judith Giller-Leinwohl from Lynn & Malcolm Leinwohl • In memory of Rose Duboe from Marshall & Lesley Lustgarten • In memory of Ellen Gold and Sandra Harte from Richard Harte
February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 13 Donations received after December 2022 will be printed in the next issue Friday and Saturday Shabbat Services are available via StreamSpot on your home PC! Go to www.templesolel.org and click on the button to stream services on either day to join us! Did You Know??? Contributions (Cont’d) A New Take on the Book of Esther At Rosh Chodesh Wednesday, February 22, 2023 6:30pm-7:45pm Socializing, Learning & Blessing the New Month The women* of Temple Solel celebrate the beginning of each Hebrew month with a special Rosh Chodesh evening. This month we invite you to read an insightful chapter about the biblical character, Esther. We will then discuss the piece together. To register and receive a scan of the Esther chapter, please RSVP to [email protected] You are invited to bring a friend and a dish to share for our potluck dinner. We will meet in the Temple library. *We use an inclusive definition of “woman” and “female” and welcome trans women, genderqueer women and non-binary people. • In memory of Jerry Weiss from Sinai Mortuary • Wishing your family the Happiest Hanukkah! from Andrew & Ann Abraham • In Thanks to Rabbi, for lending us the Torah for Brody's Bar Mitzvah, and for welcoming the Miles Family(ies) so warmly from Jeremy & Dawn Miles 2022-23 RABBI STIEL DISCRETIONARY FUND •In appreciation of Rabbi Stiel and Rabbi Linder from Justin &Michelle Beckett •In honor of the birth of your grandson. Mazel Tove! from Allison & James Collins •In honor of your new grandchild from Karen & Marvin Leff •In honor of being a new grandma. Mazel Tov! from Leon & Lucia Wall •In honor of the birth of your grandson. from Seymour & Harriet Achtman • In memory of Jennie Millman from Malcolm & Jane Jozoff • In memory of Ellen Gold and Sandra Harte from Richard Harte • In memory of Jerry Weiss from Samuel & Judith Josephson • In thanks to the Rabbi, for lending us the Torah for Brody's Bar Mitzvah and for welcoming the Miles family(ies) so warmly from Jeremy & Dawn Miles 2022-23 SOCIAL ACTION FAMILY PROMISE FUND • In honor of Marvin Chassin's 75th birthday from Stewart & Sharon Levine • In memory of Udell Duboe from Marshall & Lesley Lustgarten 2022-23 SOLEL PRESCHOOL PARENT ASSOC FUND • In honor of Florence and Marty Marchildon from Christopher Marchildon 2022-23 TEMPLE SOLEL HARDSHIP RELIEF FUND • In memory of my brother, Bernie Weinberg from Frank & Rebecca Weinberg 2022-23 TZEDAKAH FUND •A donation was made from Elliot Springer New Members! David Podkameni and Monica Lourenco with their son, Noah Jeffrey and Morgan Burg with their son, Jack Jeffrey and Lindsey Stern with their children, Raya, Tabitha and Joseph Jodi Baygood and her daughter, Kaya David and Jennifer Book If you have a simcha, new birth, or achievement to share in our Mazel Tov section, please send it to Pathfind[email protected] Our Temple Family
14 February 2023 / SHEVAT—ADAR I 5783 Yahrzeits Kaddish will be recited on Erev Shabbat on the following dates: Those We Have Lost in the Past Year… Have you lost a loved one in the past year and would like to have their name read each week during the Friday night Erev Shabbat Service? Please send your request via email to office @templesolel.org and we will add them to the list Ben Malley Betty Hertz Richard MacMillan Jerry (Maurice) Germaine Evelyn Weiss Blanche Katz Frances Solon Milton Polayes Mae Rovins Edith Guyer Harry Gurland Roberta White Ruth Brownstein Gusssie Siporin Alan Epstein Lawrence Jacob Leebove Irving Freidenreich Ruth Lippman Julia Y Seligman Shirley Zatulove Evelyn Jacobs Sylvia Polayes Joe G. Moss W. Louis Coppersmith Tova Bat Moshe Adolf Berkovics Jean Adleman Larry Silverton Jay Cooper Lillian Weitzenkorn Shirley Goldberg Bennett Goldberg Frank Amendola Shirlee Matisoff Ruth Carter Lidawer Nancy Fishman February 03, 2023 Sidney Dickstein Helen S. Feingold Harry Rudin Miriam Hait Rabbi Albert Plotkin Benajamin Jacob Friedman Miriam Hait Adeline Levitan Harry Smith Hyman Steinberg Rebecca Miller Steve Futterman Sam Rifkin Francis Miller Sutta Bartick Fay Raboy Henry Krumholz Ann Bernstein Ethel Seeskin Leah Suckle Saralee Lober Irene Stein Edythe Smith Joseph L. Sherman Bernard Zweig Sandra Rosen Bernard Miles Saul Cohen Ben Goldwasser Belle Bloom Gertrude Levine Harold Feingold Mel Engel Henry Reuss Kenneth Mark Gerst q Bernard Slaton Donna Mahler Bernard Greenberg Stanley Dickman Henry W. Sayrs Carolyn Becker Ethel Sill Paul Seifferlein Al Bookspan Betty O. Weinstein February 10, 2023 Sue Koslow Meyer Cohen Brian Richard Feldman Harriet Miller Sylvia Cohen Sam Woloshin Becky Epstein Joan Kreisler Marion Splaver Sarah Varon Clara Linhart Goldye Schuller Marvin Hatfield Nettie Kaner Fannie Ostrov Selma Golub Walter Hass Allison Hagerdon Ruth Rice Leila Shaw Franklin Furman Louis S. Hoffman Edward Linder Robert Schuller William O. Tatcher Phyllis N Robbins Frederick Joseph Scherr Michael Levitan Sena Zinn Sol Goldberg Zelda Koplin Bohm Pearl Rifkin Ralph Rosenbaum Ruth Fein Carole Silverman David Schwartz Jack Stotsky Jules Hertz Lena Rabinowitz Max Kroot Marvin Polakof Ms. Deana Katz February 17, 2023 Arthur D. Ehrenreich Arlene Hartzberg Amelie Huth Nestor Roos Ronald Shellow Mannie Schwartz Sophie Gold Edward Schachter Nathan Shafran Dorothy Matlock Bruce Berg Lillian Slogoff Senta P. Glash Kenneth Mark Gerst Mildred Gorman Belle Hecht Karla Karrar Allen Yudell Meyer Greenberg Shari Lewis Dean Lewis Emanuel Kant Vivian Kantor Nathan Wechter Phyllis Benowitz Irving Schwartz Celia Weinstein Amy Warshaver Lezberg Daniel Epstein Louis Reitman Elizabeth Kant Abe Kaufman Den Davis Ruth Press Eli Perlo Esther Goldman Isaac Strickstein Anna Margaret Weber Jack Charney Sarah Hoffman Kenneth Dickstein Lena Fishman February 24, 2023
Current Resident or Non Profit Organization US Postage Paid Scottsdale AZ Permit No. 24 Issued monthly Volume 22 - Issue 6 Visit our website - Dated Material - via this QR Code Torah Portions/Candle Lighting Times February 3 / B’shalach / 5:43 pm February 10 / Yitro / 5:50 pm February 17 / Mishpatim / 5:56 pm February 17 / T’rumah / 5:56 pm Temple Solel Gift Shop News Return Policy The temple will cheerfully accept any returns for store credit only. Thank You! Our Gift Shop is one of the best-kept secrets in the valley. Come and see what we have to offer—items change with the Jewish holidays and seasons. We have Bar and Bat Mitzvah presents, amazing tallitot from Israel at different price points, and much more. Don’t forget baby gifts, wedding presents and even a beautiful mezzuzah. We also have jewelry to meet your every want and need and lovely hostess gifts. The Gift Shop is open several times during the week. Please call the temple office at 480.991.7414 before you stop in so that we may be able to assist you. Rabbi John A. Linder [email protected] x.122 Rabbi Rabbi Debbie Stiel [email protected] x.131 Rabbi Todd Herzog [email protected] x.136 Cantorial Soloist Rabbi Maynard W. Bell Rabbi Emeritus Administrative Staff Peter Pishko [email protected] x.124 Executive Director Tobee Waxenberg [email protected] x.123 Director of Raker Rel. School Noni Clark [email protected] x.125 Controller Joan Giannini [email protected] x.127 Office Manager Linda Irish [email protected] x.163 Preschool Director Jackie Siamon [email protected] x.135 Preschool Assistamt Director Sonya Placencia [email protected] x.135 Preschool Billing & Office Asst. Alberto Mena [email protected] x.129 Facility Manager Vojo Stanisic [email protected] x.129 Custodian Mason Marks [email protected] x.121 Engagement Specialist Jesse Edwards [email protected] x.120 Religious School Coordinator Tara Marcussen [email protected] x. 126 Clergy Assistant Executive Committee & Trustees Rae Rader...............................................................................................................President Eve Danoff ....................................................................................Executive Vice President Doreen Feldberg………………………………………………… Immediate Past President Phil Hawkes........................................................................................................... Treasurer Becky Lieberman ....................................................................... Vice President - Education Leon Gavartin..........................................................Vice President - Facilities and Security Perry Simons.........................................................................Vice President - Development Phyl Bolno.............................................................................. Vice President - Membership Michael Yudel.......................................................................Vice President - Social Action Trustees Dottie Braun-Cohen Risa Jacobson Laura Miller Gary Horowitz Jennet Kirkpatrick The Temple Solel Endowment Foundation (Foundation) The Foundation is separate and distinct 501(c)(3) from Temple Solel that has been formed and organized to raise, invest, and manage funds through endowments and gifts for the sole purpose of financially supporting the activities, programs, practices, and growth of Temple Solel. If you are interested in the work of the Foundation, please contact Foundation Board President Robert Siamon at [email protected].