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News |
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Shop Amazon.com and Earn Money For
Temple Beth El!
Use Scrip and help Beth El even more
Need books, movies, electronics, or just about
anything else?
Shop and help raise money for the Temple with just one click! It's easy,
quick and completely private. Browse to the
Fundraising Page and start your shopping there. The Temple earns up to
8% of every purchase, at no cost to you! You must place your order through
the link for Temple Beth El to get the credit. Please help us raise funds
for our Temple. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
Raise money for Temple Beth El while you shop!
Heading to Weis or
Giant to go grocery shopping?
Purchase Weis or Giant Gift cards from us before you go.
Temple Beth El Sisterhood makes $5 on every $100 Weis or Giant gift card
that we sell.
This can really add up if we all participate.
Use it the same way that you would when paying cash.
The only difference is that we will make a profit on every gift card we
sell.
Plenty of other retailers to choose from too!
Macy’s, Target, Amazon.com, iTunes are just some of the many cards that
we have on hand.
See flyer in bulleting for listing of gift cards.
We make money on every card we sell!
Jill Steigerwald
610-336-7482
steiger1@msn.com |
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
offers
Summer Program ScholarshipsThe
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley offers scholarships for Jewish
residential summer camping and Jewish teen experiences.
Teen Experience Incentive Grants/Scholarships
are not needs-based and are
available to teens who choose to participate in a variety of Jewish
experiences, ranging from a trip to Israel to a youth group summer
leadership program. The maximum grant is $500 and is impacted by the number
of applicants and the respective costs of the program/experience. The JFLV
is pleased to renew funding for the Jewish Summer
Residential Camp Scholarship. This is a
needs-based scholarship for Jewish children and youth who
desire to attend a Jewish summer residential camp. Eligible camps are those
run by recognized non-profit Jewish organizations. We will coordinate our
financial assistance with that of the applicant’s synagogue (if appropriate)
and the camp. First time campers may also be eligible for the One Happy
Camper incentive of $1000. The camp will have information on that program.
There are separate applications for these two scholarship applications. Both
applications are available online at:
http://www.jflv.org/page.aspx?id=191289.
The application deadline for both scholarships is March 16, 2012. |
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HEY, KADIMA!!!!
Save The Date: January 27-28, 2012 (Friday
after school until Saturday night)
Eastern Pennsylvania (EPA) Kadima Kallah!!!
A Regional Event Just for Kadima (grades 5-7)
Be the hosts to Kadimaniks from all over the region!
Have an amazing time at Beth El in Allentown!
- Sleepover at the synagogue on Friday
Night!
- Great food and snacks
- Phenomenal Programming during the day
Saturday
- Fantastic and Fun event Saturday
night
- Keep an eye on your mail and email
for details, applications and costs!
YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS!!!!
Contact Barbara Sharofsky (regional director) for more information!
267-763-8725
sharofsky@uscj.org |
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Service Honoring Julian Rappaport
The Officers and Board of Directors of Temple
Beth El & The Officers and Board of Directors of the Endowment Foundation
cordially invite you to Shabbat morning services on Saturday, April 7, 2012
Nine o’clock in the morning to honor Julian Rappaport and show our
appreciation for his fifty years of service to Temple Beth El. |
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Mah Jongg News
In our 10th year…
Our Mah Jongg Club dates are all Monday evenings at the Temple.
We will begin to play promptly at 6:45 pm.
Please be there by 6:30 pm to register. We play for about 3 hours.
Please mark these club playing dates on your 2012 calendars:
March 12
May 14
$10 per player donation to Sisterhood
NEW FACES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO PLAY!
Don’t miss out on another year of sisterhood, laughter, and a great bunch of
fun!
Looking forward to playing Mah Jongg with YOU !!!
Call with questions and your RSVP to Ilene Rubel
Phone 610-776-1577 or email Ilene either at her office address or
irubel@aol.com |
Help Wanted :
USY Advisor & Kadima Advisor Positions
USY (TBE Teens Grade 8-12) and Kadima (Grade 5-7) are looking for a
motivated, organized, exuberant adults to serve as their Advisors.
Experience in USY or Kadima is not required, but experience in any Jewish
Youth group is helpful. Love of kids a must. Interest in helping our youth
bond with Judaism is essential. Ability to help the kids set goals, organize
programs & be a liaison w/ the Shul is desired.
USY position: Approximately 10 hours per
month plus convention attendance (optional)
Kadima position: Approximately 5 hours per
month.
These could be paid positions. Nachas from
helping the kids - priceless.
Pass this on to anyone in the Jewish community who you think may fit the
bill. Current member’s parents have been the most successful in these
positions. These are wonderfully fulfilling positions. I will be a great
resource and will help mentor you to become a successful advisor. Recent
college graduates who are entering the workforce and are still in town
should also apply. It is a great way to give back for the youth movements
that shaped their lives.
Contact: Jay Needle 610-434-8749
fourskierz@aol.com with questions or interest. Full job descriptions
available on request.
The kids need YOU! |
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Youth News
On Jan 27 & 28th, TBE was host to the EPA
Regional Kadima Kallah. Twenty seven kids, grades 5-7 from TBE,
Bethlehem, Easton, West Chester, Phoenixville, Harrisburg and Lansdale
spent Shabbat at our shul participating in services, singing, ruach
(spirit), games, snacking and having a wonderful time while enjoying a
totally Jewish experience. They slept at the shul, well some of them
actually slept, and ate all their meals there. For the Friday night
dinner and Saturday lunch, they dined with the Congregation. Thank you
to Sisterhood who prepared and sponored the Saturday night dinner, and
thank you to Bobbi Needle, Lynn Wiener and Phyliss Milburn for reheating
and serving dinner. The kids participated in our Shira Hadasha service,
lead by the Cantor & Rabbi and thoroughly enjoyed it. Most of the
activities were run by the EPA USY Regional Board with assistance from
Molly Haas, our USY Chapter President. Thank you to the synagogue, our
Clergy and the staff for being such wonderful hosts.
As you see elsewhere in this bulletin,
our USY & Kadima chapters are looking for adult advisors. In the
meantime, I am working on arranging a Kadima activity for March. If
anyone wants to volunteer to help, please give me a call.
Six of our USYers attended the EPA USY
Regional Winter Convention which was held in Wynnewood PA. The
Philadelphia & South Jersey USY Regions were included this year due to a
special appearance by the singing group PIZMON, who performed at TBE a
few years ago. The singers worked with the kids during the convention
and performed a show for the public Saturday Night.
Purim will be a busy time for our
local USY chapter. Besides the usual Kidnapping Purim eve event, the
teens will be judging the young kids at the TBE Carnival as well as
having a booth at the JCC Purim Carnival. Watch TBE Listserve and
Shabbat bulletins for future activities. If your kids are not signed up
for our youth groups, please join us as soon as possible and join the
fun.
Thank You
B'Shalom
Jay Needle
fourskierz@aol.com |
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Features |
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IT’S A SIMCHA MAZEL TOV
Pearl Brooks on the
birth of her great-grandson, Asher Mason, born to Lindsay & Drew Schulte.
Jerry Farris on the publication of her story “In Command” will be
published late Spring 2012 in the Hadassah’s special edition book: Thin
Threads: Real Stories of Hadassah Life Changing Moments.
Donna Black on her “special” birthday.
Irwin Greenberg on his “special” birthday.
Arlene & Al Herling on the Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Lauren
Wasserman, daughter of Jan & Mark Wasserman.
Rebecca Levy Stahl, daughter of Linda & Herb Levy, on receiving the
National Unsung Hero Award from Communities in School.
Rusty & Nate Schiff on the B’nai Mitzvah of their grandchildren,
David and Addy Stearns, children of Tammy Schiff & John Stearns.
Marsha & Al Abrams on the birth of their grandson, Matthew Kessler. |
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Tree of Life
The mosaic Tree of Life has found a
beautiful new home in the hallway adjacent to the Social Hall. Leaves on
the Tree commemorate happy occasions in the lives of our congregants and
memorialize loved ones. The rates for leaves on the tree are $600 for
those leaves in the center on the trunk of the tree, and $500 for those
on the branches.
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Pew Seats
A limited number of pew seats are still
available. If you made a pledge of $10,000 or more ($5000 for single
members) to the capital campaign, you may become a pew seat holder by
committing to an additional $125 per seat per year over annual dues. Please
contact the synagogue office for more details. |
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Keruv
Keruv means “Bringing Closer.” Another word from
the same Hebrew root (krv) is kerovim, family.
The Temple Beth El Keruv Committee was formed in the fall of 2005 with Henry
Luftman as Chair in order to better address the needs of our interfaith
families. Click here for more detailed
information about this very important Temple effort.
The Keruv Committee warmly welcomes new
members, programming suggestions and feedback on its efforts. We invite you
to contact Henry or Pat Luftman (610-966-0167) or
luftman@ptd.net to become involved in
this program. |
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Please Let us Know!
We Need Your Help
The synagogue is
not always notified when congregants are admitted to the hospital.
HIPAA laws prevent hospitals from
releasing the names of patients.
If you know of a friend or relative
in the hospital, please E-mail or phone the Temple so that the Rabbi and
Cantor will know.
Another way of
notifying the Rabbi or Cantor is to give the hospital our code which is
017.
A member of the Temple staff phones the local hospitals every day to
check if any of our members are in.
Our Rabbi and
Cantor also make many visits to members who are in hospitals,
rehabilitation centers or nursing homes. Please notify the temple
office when you or someone you love is in one of these facilities (or is
ill and homebound.)
When admitted through Emergency Room,
please have your family member or friend notify the Temple Beth El office. If you have lost
a relative, please notify the Temple office so you will receive Yahrzeit
notification. |
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Burn the Mortgage Campaign
You are cordially invited to help us "Burn
the Mortgage." Join fellow members who share your passion for Temple
Beth El as we work hand in hand to ensure the future of Conservative Judaism
and our synagogue for many years to come.
We welcome the opportunity to speak with
any interested congregant. A new pledge may be added to your previously paid
pledge and/or commitment to equal a larger gift, perhaps one that will
enable you to dedicate a plaque on our beautiful glass donor wall in the
temple lobby. Please contact Amy at
mahol@aol.com or Rance at
ranceb1@gmail.com to discuss your participation. |
Religious School Director
Position Opening at Temple Beth El:
Temple Beth El's E. G. Scoblionko Religious
School is currently searching for an ideal candidate to fill the
position of Religious School Director. This part-time position will
become available starting on May 1st, 2012. Interested applicants are
requested to forward their resume and cover letter to Peter Fisher,
School Vice President and Search Committee Chair, c/o Michelle Rohrbach,
Synagogue Administrator. Please mark your envelope "Personal &
Confidential" and all applications will be handled in the strictest
confidence. |
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Save the date:
The weekend of April 27, 2012
Temple Beth El Scholar in Residence
Dr. Eitan Fishbane.
Come join us for a fun weekend, and discover what you may have always
wanted to know about Jewish mysticism.
For more information
click here. |
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Sisterhood
Wine Sale Pick-up: Sunday, March 25
Donor Dinner: Wednesday, May 23
More info can be found on the
Sisterhood main page! |
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Men's Club
We are in the process of planning our calendar
for this year. We are looking for ideas for brunch topics and
events. If there is something you would like to see, just email me at
.
Visit the Men's
Club Page for more information. If you haven't already, make sure to
return the Membership form that you received in the mail. If you've
misplaced it, you can download it
here.
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Shira Chadasha
Come and feel the spirit of Shira Chadasha
(music Shabbat), on Friday, March 30, 7:30 p.m. Sing along with the
beautiful music (and the Rabbi's guitar) and give Shabbat a real
welcome. |
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Save these dates for Shabbat
Dinners: March 2 – Shabbat Across America
March 30 – Cultural Weekend
April 27 – Scholar In Residence Weekend
June 29 - Outdoor Service following dinner
Dinners: 6:00 pm Services: 7:30 pm
At 7:10 pm, all families with young children are invited to join the
Rabbi and Cantor for Shabbat Songs, a story and cookies! |
Celebrating a March Birthday?
Join us for Shabbat services on Saturday, March 31st, 2012 and be
honored by your fellow congregants.
R.S.V.P. to the office at (610) 435 – 3521 and let us know you will be
there! |
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Shabbat Youth Services
Hey kids! Shabbat is a special time for
getting together to pray, sing, and be with your friends at Beth El! Did
you know that our Temple has Shabbat services just for YOU?
Tell your parents that you want to
come and Celebrate
Shabbat with your friends! We’ll see you there!
More information can be found here. |
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Jewish Healing Service
We will hold a healing service on Thursday
March 1, 1-2 PM, in the Temple Beth El Chapel. We will be creating a
safe space to bring our pain and our questions and our yearning. This
one-hour service will include music, silent meditation, traditional prayers
and Torah study. For more information, please contact Rabbi Re’em or Cantor
Wartell at (610-435-3521). |
Wanted! Oneg/Kiddush Sponsors!
Sponsoring a Saturday Kiddush luncheon or Friday night Oneg Shabbat
is a special way to support our Congregation. This is a wonderful way to
honor a family or friend’s birthday, anniversary or other life cycle
event, commemorate the Yahrzheit of a loved one or even just to make our
Shabbat experience more enjoyable.
We always welcome contributions to the Kiddush Fund. Please contact
Melanie May, Life Cycle Event Coordinator for more information at (610)
435-3521 or
email Melanie. |
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SHOP TALK
Passover is coming!!!
Let us help you with your Passover needs!
Shop our gift shop for Passover seder plates,
Matzah holders and covers, hostess gifts
And most important
AFIKOMEN GIFTS!!!
Gift shop hours:
Sundays and Fridays 10-12
Tuesdays 4-6
Or by appointment.
See you at the shop!
Andy and Jill |
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Minyan
The daily minyan is one of the foundations of
our congregation. At morning minyan men and women gather to pray, to hear
Torah read and to recite Kaddish on the Yahrzeit of a beloved one or while
they are in mourning. Friendships grow out of the minyan.
We need 10 people each day to make the minyan.
If you can commit to coming one day a week, more or less often, you will be
performing an important mitzvah.
Minyan meets on weekdays and holidays at 7:45 a.m. and
on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. Come daven with the Rabbi. He’ll be
very happy to see you there. |
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Chesed Committee
The Chesed Committee has reinvigorated the
synagogue's "sick & welfare" group.
The new name for the volunteer group is EZRA
and it will be maintained under the umbrella of the Chesed Committee.
The group's focus is matching congregants in need of some assistance with
others in our Temple family who are willing to lend a hand. For example,
some of these needs include preparing and delivering meals, visiting a
congregant who is stuck at home, helping to run errands with congregants and
bringing a congregant in need of a ride to services.
If you might be interested in receiving these types of assistance or you are
willing to be on the Ezra list of potential helpers please contact:
Stu Horowitz sphlcsw@yahoo.com or
Ruth Nathanson rnathans@rcn.com
Read more about the
Chesed Committee.
Sherri Bassner and Rich Morse, Co-Chairs
chesed@bethelallentown.org |
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Administration |
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Temple Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday :
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The Temple office closes at 3:00 p.m. for
Shabbat now that Daylight Standard Time is in effect. |
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Provide-a-Ride We are organizing a "Provide-a-Ride" service to help congregants who
wish to attend services on Friday evenings but cannot drive at night.
Many of our older congregants who wish to observe a yahrzeit, or to just
enjoy sharing Shabbat services with their Beth El family, can no longer
drive at night. We are in the process of compiling a roster of
congregants who attend Friday evening services, even if only
occasionally, and would be willing to make it possible for a fellow
congregant to attend with them. Please call the Temple office at
610-435-3521 to register as a driver if you can provide this valuable
service.
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Endow a Tree at Beth El Memorial Park
Honor or memorialize our loved ones by
endowing a tree for $1000 at Beth El Memorial Park. A permanent marker
will be erected by the tree chosen.
Contact Ivan Schonfeld at 610-395-8770.
Other items also available to endow. |
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Interfaith Policies
As an egalitarian conservative synagogue, Temple
Beth El warmly welcomes interfaith families.
Click here
for more information about our current policies. |
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