New and exciting changes as our temple ushers in the new year
Just as I used to look forward to the beginning of each new school year, I am now eagerly anticipating the new Jewish year, and the new year in the life of Temple Shalom. We read the Torah over and over again and manage to find new meaning in
it with each re-reading. Likewise, we return from the summer to begin the cycle of both the Jewish calendar of seasons and holy days and our temple calendar of activities once more, and while there is always comfort and familiarity in returning to our temple home, there are new and exciting changes taking place here too.
We warmly welcome Cantor Marnie Camhi to our temple family and look forward to musical experiences in our worship that will elevate us and lift our voices in prayer. Cantor Camhi will be embracing many of the musical customs that we treasure while teaching us new and inspiring Jewish music. Additionally, our students will be learning a wealth of Jewish tradition through music during regular music sessions in both Nursery School and Religious School.
Another new face on our staff is our new Senior Youth Director, Amanda Rein, who will be working with ToSTY, our wonderful senior youth group consisting of dedicated and enthusiastic Jewish teens.
We expect our newly renovated social hall to be complete and ready to use by the time you are reading this. The changes in the room are astonishing, to say the least! The resumption of our monthly Kabbalat Shabbat service on the first Friday of the month at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner, and our annual Kick-Off Breakfast on Sunday, September 7, are perfect opportunities to get a first look at our beautifully redesigned and upgraded space. Watch your temple communications for information about these events and about a special evening event to dedicate the space and recognize those who helped make the project a reality.
Plans are again underway for our adult study series that will take place regularly throughout the year. Watch for information on program offerings and consider enhancing your Jewish IQ!
Our commitment to social action continues with numerous opportunities to engage in tikkun olam, the repairing of our world. There will be “Mitzvah of the Month” projects throughout the year, sponsored by our committees and auxiliaries under the auspices of our Social Action Committee.
Please do what you can to help. We will soon be busily preparing for the High Holy Days and our temple will once again be a flurry of activity. My husband, Bob Lear, and my sons, Aaron and Jonathan, join me in wishing you a year of health, happiness and peace. L’shana tova.
Karen Winograd
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SHALOM
Allow us to suggest that membership in Temple Shalom is a covenantal relationship. The Temple has responsibilities to each and every one of our members, just as every member bears responsibilities to their Temple community. This responsibility includes supporting the congregation financially, finding a way to share your passion and talent with your community and reaching out when others in our community need our help. Together, we have an opportunity and privilege to help shape Temple Shalom as a place where our Jewish memories are made, where our rich and abiding heritage is passed from generation to generation, and a place where we feel the strength and comfort of a community.
JOIN A TEMPLE COMMITTEE
Temple Shalom is primarily run by volunteers who serve as our officers, trustees, and as chairs and members of our committees. Many of our members find great reward volunteering their time and value how the experience brings them closer to others in our community. Many of our committees are actively seeking new members right now including our Facilities, Worship, Youth, Membership and Adult Jewish Growth committees. Make your community stronger and increase your sense of belonging by joining a committee today. See you at Temple!
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Would you be interested in serving your Temple Community by joining a committee or working on a special project? Whether you serve on a committee or plan for a special event or program, we can always benefit from your participation.
Your involvement strengthens our Temple and increases your sense of belonging.
Contact President KAREN WINOGRAD to discuss where you would best fit in.
SEE YOU AT TEMPLE!
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Rabbi Laurence P. Malinger - Annual Report
Fifteen years ago, on this Shabbat weekend, I was ordained as Rabbi in the historic Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio. This annual meeting is my ninth here at Temple Shalom of Aberdeen. Of course, a few weeks ago, we also marked Israel’s sixtieth anniversary of independence as a modern state. There has been much change also here at Temple Shalom as we prepare to mark our forty-fifth anniversary with the renovation of our Social Hall and Multi-Use space. Today and everyday, somewhere deep inside, we are all struggling with the issues of growth and change, with the disappointments of failure, with the awkwardness of being a human being. Today and everyday, we have great dreams that we can't quite seem to fulfill, but oh how we love to try. Today, and everyday, somewhere deep inside, we are all adolescents – struggling with the multitude of changes.
And that fact is critical for us as Jews. It's good we've grown up from childhood because Judaism is not a religion for kids. Of course, we have to teach our children about Judaism and help them see its importance but in the end, kids just don't get it.
But, it is also clear to me that Judaism is not a religion for grown ups either. When we stop growing, when we reach a point where we're not interested in change any more, when we have stopped struggling with the world and stopped dreaming greater things, when we stop wanting to scream out: "Hineni", here I am, by being ourselves, Judaism begins to lose its purpose.
So, no matter whether we're celebrating the 1st anniversary of our bar or bat mitzvah, the 30th anniversary as I will this week (you do the math), or the 107th, Judaism demands of us that we still see ourselves as growing, changing, struggling, developing, learning and, oh yes, rebelling. It is our job here at Temple Shalom to enable you with the tools necessary in order to struggle with change successfully. We do so through the basic pillars of Jewish survival – Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut Chasidim.
TORAH
Temple Shalom is committed to providing educational opportunities for all members throughout the generations. Our Religious School, directed under the skillful guidance of Elisa Juros, is exceptional. We have programming for students from Kindergarten through Seventh grade. Then, in addition to our Religious School, Mrs. Juros also runs our Hebrew High School program, MORESHhA, an educational program for students in grades eight through twelve. As your rabbi, I had the privilege in teaching the Seventh Grade covering the subjects of Sacred Texts, Jewish Ethics and Values, and the Holocaust. In the middle of the winter, I also taught the Sixth Grade students in a special program of B’nai Mitzvah studies. In addition, I taught the Confirmation class as well as our Siyyum program, our 11th/12th grade classes. This past year, we celebrated with 17 students and their families as they marked their becoming b’nai mitzvah. We rejoiced with 12 students and their families as they marked their Confirmation on Shavuot.
We beamed with great pride as we commended 7 students and their families as we recognized their graduation from our Hebrew High School program. We are truly blessed in the direction and guidance that Elisa Juros, our Director of Education, provides with the cooperation of the Board of Education under the chair of Betsy Kimmish. We are also indebted to Dorothy Lake, vice-chair of the Board of Education who has assisted above and beyond in so many ways. All of this is our formal educational programs, but there are more.
As your rabbi, I am faithful to the meaning of my title, that of “teacher.” It is with great joy that I lead the Tuesday morning Bible Study class under the sponsorship of our Sisterhood and the Shabbat morning Torah study class. This year we introduced the New Women’s Torah Commentary as we strive to look at alternatives in biblical scholarship. I also do some teaching in my visits to the residents of The Willows of Holmdel, Pleasant Valley Adult Day Care, and Madison House of Matawan. Our Sisterhood runs a great Temple Tots program for our pre-school students and their families, to introduce the aspects of the different holidays. And, of course, there is more.
One of the jewels of Temple Shalom is the Temple Shalom Nursery School. We are honored that Cindy Terebush leads as our Nursery School Director. We have maintained our reputation that Temple Shalom Nursery School is the place to be. Through Cindy’s leadership, our students have participated in some amazing tzedakah projects; our parents have had more opportunities to interact in the classroom; and our teachers have been challenged to maintain exceptional standards. I publicly extend my gratitude to each member of our Nursery School staff who truly care for each of our students as well as to the members of the Nursery School committee under the leadership of Judy Shapanka.
This past year saw an extensive Adult Education program with an underlying theme of Israel’s 60th Anniversary. Our commitment to Adult Learning on the 3rd and 4th Thursdays of each month in addition to other opportunities is always an active learning process. Thanks to Sisterhood, Brotherhood, Caring Committee, Outreach Committee, and Adult Jewish Growth for sponsoring and leading educational programs. Special thanks to all members who either led study sessions and/or participated. We also had five women lead the congregation in worship and study as they celebrated their Adult B’not Mitzvah on September 29, 2007. In addition, through the generosity of Anna and Norman Katz and the leadership of Sharon Steinhorn with Annette Weinstein and the Scholar-in-Residence committee, we were treated to an exceptional educational experience with Rabbi Gary P. Zola for our annual scholar weekend.
AVODAH
This past year, we transitioned into the new siddur, Mishkan Tefillah, in December, 2007. Our hard working Worship Committee, under the guidance of Ed Miller, are always evaluating and thinking of ways to help each and everyone of us develop a spiritual connection during our worship services. They oversee each of our worship experiences from Friday Shabbat services, which include our Kabbalat Shabbat program; our Shabbat morning services, with B’nai Mitzvah celebrations and other simchas; our holy days and festival services as well as special liturgical events. Ed Miller has been a true partner with me and I greatly appreciate his support and encouragement. I also thank Andrew Goldner who served as High Holy Day Coordinator and performed exceptionally.
The past year, with many challenges and changes, I was blessed with the support and encouragement of Margo Wolfson. She helped create the beautiful music of our Youth Choir, coordinated the Family Music program with the presence of Rick Recht, and assisted me at every Service of Peace, Comfort and Healing. In addition, she provided CDs and other support materials to assist everyone who wanted to chant Torah/Haftarah or wished to learn some aspect of the worship experience. I cannot thank her enough for everything she does to make Temple Shalom such a great congregation. In addition, I thank Steve and Jo Ann Kairys and the Caring Committee for their dedication in creating an environment and support programming where we can seek solace with the challenges of our lives.
We are fortunate to have Pam Momyer here at Temple Shalom for her expertise with our choir allows all of us to enjoy the richness of spiritually she and they present to us. I offer a special thanks to Pam Momyer for her assistance of gathering local choirs once again to celebrate the spiritual music of our community. We are also indebted to Karen Feeny who diligently assists us as the organist every Shabbat morning as we celebrate B’nai Mitzvah.
GEMILUT CHASADIM
Temple Shalom’s success is dependent on its many volunteers and supporters. We try to share our gratitude with our volunteers often and we celebrated with our auxiliaries on special Shabbatot throughout the year. A special thanks to Carla Zimmerman for her assistance in many volunteer activities and leading the way in creating a Temple Library we all can be proud of. Sisterhood, Temple Shalom’s Women of Reform Judaism, and the Temple Shalom Brotherhood serve our congregation as well as the greater community. They prepared programs for our members, baked hamentashen for the children, collected items for our service men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, hosted carnivals and games for the holidays, had phenomenal social events, hosted educational breakfast programs, and so much more. I am personally indebted to the leadership and guidance of Suzanne Silverman and Gary Enoch, who served as presidents of these two exemplary organizations. Their guidance and support helped all of us maintain a congregation that helps each and everyone of us have a personal connection to our Reform Jewish community.
This year saw a change in advisors for our youth programs. Ally Kanofsky lead our Young Evrem program (students in grades 6-7-8). We have some work to do in this area, but I am confident that we are on the correct path. Our senior youth group, ToSTY has been fortunate to have the guidance of their advisor, Peter Asch. We extend him a mazel tov on his upcoming wedding to Aggie and thank him for all of his dedication. Thanks to Gillian Friedman for her leadership as president. In addition, we are blessed with a vibrant Youth Committee under the guidance of Evan Ross.
We continued our dedication of helping the greater community in our “Mitzvah of the Month” program under the guidance of our Social Action Committee led by Lenore Robinson. Each committee sponsored a mitzvah program for a month and encouraged our congregants to assist them. We had a successful program and I look forward to more congregants becoming involved.
Our Membership Committee, under the co-chairs of Lauren Fryefield and Annette McGillicuddy, have been working diligently to help our current members develop a stronger connection to our congregation as well as share this great community with potential members. We know that their endeavors are working as our membership has stabilized and more of you are getting involved. I look forward to re-creating some opportunities for more congregants to reconnect to one another. An exceptional program was the family and congregational activity, Building Jerusalem with Legos! A fun time was had by all. Our congregation has made a concerted effort to have a greater presence in the community which includes our participation in the community Mitzvah Day program. In addition, we participated in the Adult Kallah at Camp Harlam, guided by Larry Berkowitz and Susan Solow. We also had a fabulous Family Shabbaton overnight in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and look forward to a full weekend retreat in the coming year. I thank Melissa Glick for all of her hard work and support to making this happen. We are also grateful to our Publicity Committee for helping get Temple Shalom’s presence into the greater community and especially Bonnie Smolen for the new, vibrant designed SHALOM, our Temple newsletter.
I also thank Mitchell Friedman and the members of the Facilities Committee who oversee the Temple physical plant. They are committed to creating a synagogue building that we all can be proud of. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees and this committee in the renovation and rededication of our Social Hall.
LEADERSHIP, STAFF, AND FAMILY
The leadership of the Unionfor Reform Judaism speaks of a “Brit Kodesh – a Sacred Partnership” between the lay leadership and the professional staff. I have been most fortunate in having this relationship with our president, Karen Winograd. This has been a year filled with many challenges; yet, we have worked hard to do what is best for Temple Shalom. The partnership between Karen and Susan Solow, Executive vice-president, has created a strong bond of leadership that will benefit all of us. I also thank our vice-presidents, Paul Robinson and Elliot Olschwang for their dedication as well. Thank you to Jay Glick who served as treasurer and Diane Allen as Secretary. I also thank Michael Silverman for his commitment and support as Immediate Past-President.
Our lay leadership guides all of us and accepts the responsibility that comes with it. We also acknowledge our exceptional staff for they help support our congregation and run the operations each and every day. Stephanie Pinck, our Office Manager as well as Sheila Philips and Lisa Prepon-Bernstein, our support staff, help all of us in many ways and I thank them for all of their assistance. We are most fortunate to have them as part of the Temple Shalom family. Our custodians, Carlos and his wife, Natalie, Javier and Jesse, help maintain our building and are most helpful in many ways.
I am honored to work with a great, professional team. Stephanie, Elisa, and Cindy work with me to address the needs of Temple Shalom and more often than not, we have fun doing so. We all look forward to welcoming a new member of the team and strengthening our commitment to serving you as we all struggle with change and the great opportunities it offers us.
I am honored to having served as your rabbi for these past nine years. I am blessed in the support and encouragement that I receive each and everyday from my family. I recognize that often they are forced to accept my absence and my late hours, but I also appreciate Temple Shalom’s understanding when I need to be away to spend time with my family. Thank you to Samantha, Alyson, Joey and David for everything. In addition, thank all of you for sharing with us the celebration of Alyson’s Bat Mitzvah ceremony. We could not have imagined doing this without our Temple family.
I began with our struggles with our eternal adolescence. There aren't parents in the world who can answer all of their adolescent's questions. All they can do is to be there, at times distant to allow for growth, at times as close as close can be for their child to hold on tight, with an assurance to their Bar or Bat mitzvah, their new adult still finding his or her way, that even though they may shed some tears, there is a better day coming. In the meantime, they tell them to enjoy their dreams, live to the best of their abilities, enliven their eyes through appropriately cautious creativity and try to make their dreams reality. That is what God tells us every day, grab on to this world, love it, enjoy it and find a way to make our mark.
Just like the adolescent who turns his back on his parents imagining he can do better without them but knowing deep inside that his life would not be complete without them, so do we, in our successes, in our struggles, in our doubts, in our questions, in our celebrations, in our being true b'nai Yisrael, children of Jacob, the wrestler with God, so do we know that, even if we stray, even if we become educated to the point at which it all seems silly, even if we turn to our peoplehood as the ultimate purpose of Judaism, even if we replace the Divine with every idea or action or commitment we can find, it is simple, our lives would not be whole without God.
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President Karen Winograd - Annual Report
Do what is good and right in the sight of the Eternal. (Deuteronomy 6:18)
A synagogue is a multi-faceted entity. Our tradition tells us it is a house of prayer, a house of study and a house of assembly, filling many needs for many people. Temple Shalom has continued this year to fulfill its mission and serve as an important part of the Jewish and communal life of many of our congregants.
Over this past year, Temple Shalom has continued to stabilize in size with a small net decrease in member units from the prior year. As reported last year, temple leadership has worked hard over the last several years to control our operating costs while still providing vital services. Given an uncertain economy, we will need to continue to be mindful of expenses while keeping membership in Temple Shalom affordable.
The budget that will be presented for approval at this annual meeting includes a moderate increase of 3% in most dues categories. Additionally, various committees and departments have undertaken efforts to reduce their operating expenses for next year.
Over this past year a number of changes, upgrades and innovations have taken place or are in planning stages and are worth noting:
SOCIAL HALL
In November, at a special congregational meeting, a proposal to renovate our existing social hall was approved. In addition to much-needed upgrades of the ceiling, lighting, floor and wall coverings, a movable partition will be installed to allow one or two additional meeting spaces within the existing space. In this way, multiple functions or meetings can take place simultaneously, creating much more flexibility in the existing space.
Thanks to the generosity of Brotherhood, Sisterhood, individual donors, and a portion of the funds generated by our annual High Holy Day Appeals, the balance of the cost of the project can be adequately covered by our Building Fund while still leaving ample funds to handle the building’s ongoing needs. This project will be undertaken without having to assess the congregation.
We expect work to begin tomorrow, June 2, and to be completed prior to the High Holy Days. We are indebted to the efforts of many of our congregants for their work on this project, and we especially thank Gregg Sonnenfeld for his time and dedication to seeing this project to fruition. Our Immediate Past President Mike Silverman has served as overall coordinator, and I am very grateful to him for his hard work.
MEMBERSHIP
We should be proud that our Temple has a reputation for being a warm and welcoming place to someone who walks into our building for the first time. Many new members have told us that this characteristic of Temple Shalom led them to affiliate with us. Our Membership Committee helps foster this plus the integration and retention of our members.
Some of the innovative efforts of our Membership Committee this year have been aimed at integrating those members who are past their first year of affiliation but are perhaps still on the periphery of Temple life. Activities included a fall picnic at a local park for people who have been members for two or three years and a very successful community-building activity in March where many families whose children are in afternoon Religious School (grades 4 through 7) spent a Saturday evening constructing the ancient city of Jerusalem out of Lego pieces.
A new level of affiliation was honored at a Shabbat service this past year. In addition to our practice of recognizing our Chai (18 year) and Silver (25 year) members, we paid tribute to our Double Chai (36 year and over) members who have demonstrated the commitment to lifelong synagogue affiliation that helps Temple Shalom remain the viable and vibrant Jewish community to those who follow them.
COMMUNICATIONS
We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented group of volunteers who work on all aspects of communicating and publicizing what Temple Shalom is and what it does both within our own community and outside. Our website (www.templeshalomnj.org) has been improved, and we recognize that this may the main portal through which unaffiliated Jews learn about our congregation. Beginning with the March/April issue, the Shalom has been re-designed from cover to cover and is a readable, interesting publication which we can look forward to receiving. Finally, many of our activities, from our Religious School Mitzvah Mall to our display of four pieces of the AIDS quilt, have been the subject of feature articles or pictures in the local secular and Jewish press.
FACILITIES
A building such as ours, which dates from the sixties, has many needs that require regular upkeep and maintenance. Over this past year, the Board of Trustees has approved the allocation of funds to replace aging and malfunctioning air conditioning units, to purchase a large storage shed to help alleviate the shortage of storage space within the building, and to remove and/or prune trees to prevent any potentially hazardous conditions.
CLERGY
Rabbi Malinger has completed his ninth year with us, and this year, in addition to his role as our spiritual leader, he, along with Samantha, took on the role of proud parents as their oldest child, Alyson, became a Bat Mitzvah in the presence of family, friends and the entire Temple community. Amid the excitement of planning for this simcha, Rabbi Malinger has continued to lead us in prayer and in teaching to learners of all ages, to reach out to congregants in his pastoral role, to work with our young people at camp, and to represent Temple Shalom and Reform Judaism to the greater community.
As you are aware, Cantor Cohen will be concluding her tenure at Temple Shalom at the end of this month. There are many congregants who are grateful for her participation in meaningful moments of Jewish life for themselves and their loved ones. We thank her for her years of dedication to Temple Shalom and wish her the best in her future endeavors. Cantor Cohen will be honored at the Oneg Shabbat on Friday, June 20. Please join us that night to wish her well.
Consequently, over this past year, the Temple has been involved in a process to find a new Cantor. At this annual meeting, you will be asked to approve a contract for Cantor Marnie Camhi to serve as Cantor of Temple Shalom, beginning in July 2008.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to the other members of our professional staff, our Educator, Elisa Juros, and our Nursery School Director, Cindy Terebush, for their dedication to our children, from our youngest ones to our high school students. Love of Judaism and appreciation of a Temple community begins at the earliest ages, and the number of students who began at Temple Shalom in the Nursery School and are continuing through to graduating from our Hebrew High School is a tribute to the success of our educational programs.
I am very appreciative of our office staff, Stephanie Pinck and Sheila Phillips, and have enjoyed working with them this year. They serve in numerous functions, including as our ambassadors to the community, and they do it very well.
Brotherhood and Sisterhood have been indispensable parts of our Temple community and have contributed in ways too numerous to mention. Their efforts, and the personal connections built through them, fosters Temple membership, and their hard work benefits the Temple through their financial support of so many aspects of Temple life.
It has been a privilege to work this year with the Board of Trustees and with the chairs of the many committees and projects at Temple Shalom. The time spent on congregational work can be considerable and challenging at times, but I hope that everyone who has devoted their efforts to the business of our Temple community can feel that their work has been valued and that they have added to the vitality and life of Temple Shalom.
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Brotherhood - Annual Report - Gary Enoch
This was an amazing year for Brotherhood, with fundraising, donations and programming all near recd le vels. With our $15,000 donation to the social hall renovation leading the way, our financial support reached quite a few areas of Templeneed. Just as important, we brought forth one of the busiest calendars in the long history of Brotherhood and Men’s Club. In 10 months Brotherhood hosted, or co-hosted 17 events for a wide Templeand community audience including Men, Women, Children and Families, featuring a variety of activities that assisted, educated, engaged and entertained.
In addition to perennial Temple favorites like the Chanukah Party, and the Matzoh Brei Olympic Breakfast, we did a major expansion of the Courtyard Sukkah, added the well received MRJ Men’s Seder to the calendar, reworked the Brotherhood Shabbat Service and brought back the Family Baseball outing. Even with all our own events, Brotherhood continued our commitment of service and assistance to the TempleShalomcommunity by helping other Templegroups as we have in the past.
Very little of this could be accomplished without the hard work of The Brotherhood Board: Our Elected Officers: Elliot Olschwang IPP, Howard Scheines EVP, Sam Shapanka VP, Bruce Rubinstein Treasurer, and Meyer Slobotsky Secretary. Our Past Presidents: Hy Rosenberg, Ron Shapiro, Jack Szafran, Jay Weiss and Harry Weisz. Our Trustees: Steve Altman, Phil Devinsky, Mitch Friedman, Bill May, Eric Menaker, Al Prelutsky, Evan Ross, Ted Roum, Howard Spitzer, Steve Surowitz, Steve Wattenberg, Harvey Waxman, and Charles Wolfson.
On behalf of the Brotherhood Board, thank you to those who supported our fundraising efforts, and the volunteers who assisted us with our programs throughout the year. You are all special people, and without your support Brotherhood could not do what we do. Below is a recap of the past year, and with your help again, we hope to do even better in 2008-2009!
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Brotherhood Donations |
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Brotherhood Volunteering |
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Brotherhood Programs |
| Social Hall Reconstruction |
$15,000 |
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High Holiday Sanctuary Turn Around |
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Brotherhood Members Breakfast-Learn Poker |
| Family Concert |
500 |
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Kickoff Breakfast |
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FBI Protect Against Cyber Crimes-Breakfast |
| Sukkah Expansion |
450 |
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High Holiday Ushering |
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Art Auction Fundraiser |
| Nursery School:Build a Dreidel Project |
250 |
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HolidayFood DriveTruck |
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Career & Business Coach-Breakfast |
| RACYouth Trip |
216 | | | |
