January Newsletter

B"H

Temple Beth Or כנסת בית אור

House of Light

sephirot circle

Shabbat Services, January 6, 5:55pm

2745 Elementary Drive, Reno

Click for Directions: Paradise

Autumn @ Paradise

Rabbi's Drash: Dealing with Enemies

Dairy Pot Luck Oneg following services
Come join us and bring something good to eat

Vegetarian, dairy, or fish

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Come welcome Monika Sullivan into the Tribe this Friday!
Monika conversion

Many thanks to Rabbi Meredith Cahn, North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation, and Don Kurzman for participating in Monika's Beit Din, along with Rabbi Beyer.

Shalom Holy Chevre!

TBOR's Wonderful December

Again last month was a BUSY month for all at Temple Beth Or. In December, we had...

Our December Shabbat

Many thanks to our fabulous challah maker.
Isn't this the best chanukiah challah??

Dec. 2011 Shabbat

Shabbat services were warm and included a few new songs, including a piyut (liturgical poetry) by R' Azkari. For those who requested the words to Bilvavi (In My Heart), they are included in this newsletter. Rabbi's drash was about "Sensitizing Ourselves to Holiness," and learning what Yaakov meant by "G-d was in this place and I didn't know it!" Click HERE to see the service.

Adopt-A-Family Success
adop-a-family gifts

THANK YOU to all of you who bought presents, food or donated money for our family of five. Delivering the abundance of gifts to the Children's Cabinet made me proud to be a member of such a generous community - especially in these economic times. (from Barbara Meyer)

NTHI - Night To Honor Israel December 4

Rabbi Beyer led the prayer for the Night at the Atlantis, which raised money for the Jewish Federation from CUFI - Christians United for Israel.

Ice Skating with Hillel and AEPi December 11

Ice Skaging with Hillel

Candle Lighting with AEPi December 20

Chanukah AEPi

Talking About Chanukah
at Rainshadow Charter School December 20

Reb at Rainshadow

Excerpt of an Interview with D Brian Burghart, Reno News and Review

What's it mean in modern times? What are people contemplating when they're lighting the candles? We actually put on our Facebook site, "What one word does Chanukah mean to you?" We had a number of different people with different ideas. For some it's "peace," for some it's that dedication, "the light"-we're in the darkest time of the year, and we're looking forward to the days getting longer and increasing. And it's the celebration of freedom, of religious and spiritual freedom and being able to practice our religion.

Chanukah in Virginia City December 24
Chanukah group

Many old friends and some new ones joined us for our Chanukah party at the Virginia City Fire House. Thanks Gwynn, Monika and Alex for all the work. Also, thank Nicole for hosting the latkes fry.

Hanukah lights

Please join us for our upcoming Shabbat service and our events. Many Blessings to you and your family, reb

Bilvavi בלבבי

In my heart I'll build a space to glorify G-d's honor. In it, I'll place an altar for G-d's splendor. For the eternal light, I'll take the fire of Isaac's sacrifice. To come close to Him, I will sacrifice my soul.

A piyut from "Sefer Chareidim" by R' ElazarAzkari who also wrote Yedid Nefesh (Beloved of My Soul) which is in our Kabbalat Shabbat service.

בִּלבָבִי מִשְׁכַּן אֶבְנֶה לְהַדַר כְּבוֹדוֹ, וּבְמִשׁכַּן מִזְבֵּחַ אָשִׂים לְקַרְנֵי הוֹדוֹ,
וּלְנֵר תָּמִיד אֶקַח לִי אֶת אֵשׁ הָעַקֵדָה, וּלְקָרְבַּן אַקְרִיב לוֹ אֶת נַפְשִׁי הַיְחִידָה

UPCOMING CLASSES

Read Rabbi Heschel's

"The Sabbath" for a Community-wide Class

Temple Emanu-El Feb. 12th 10am
Get the book HERE

Read "You Are What You Hate: A Spiritually Productive Way to Deal with Enemies"

for a 4 session Class with PowerPoints
Feb. 4-25th, Saturday evenings,
TBOR 6:30pm-8pm
Get the book HERE

J101 begining again on
Saturdays evenings
6:30-8:00pm
Contact REB for information
redsunrize@yahoo.com

AWESOME MITZVAH PROJECTS

DIAPER DRIVE: My name is Maya Gupta, and I am doing a joint Mitzvah project for my upcoming Bat Mitzvah, with my three friends, Rochel, Chana, and Eleanore. We are doing a Diaper Drive for the Women and Children's Center of the Sierra, which helps women with young children who are in poverty. WACCS gives these diapers for as long as they attend classes to help them get jobs. These women really need help, since some of them are living in their cars, and trying to air-dry used diapers. Please do your share in the mitzvah by donating to our barrels currently placed at Aleph Academy, Temple Emanu-El and NorthTahoe Hebrew Congregation. To See OUR VIDEO CLICK HERE

TALLITOT FOR MEN'S PRISON: Shalom Chevre, We have 17 tallitot made by Barbara Meyer and Ginger Fenwick ready for tzitzit. We need tzitzit tie-ers. Have you ever wanted to know how those wonderful fringes on the corners of a prayer shawl are tied? Please come help us with this worthwhile project. We need your help ASAP to get these tallits to the men in Carson. RSVP to reb at redsunrize@yahoo.com Todah rabbah!

Reno Gazette Journal's FAITH FORUM Asks,

Religion and alcohol: Is drinking alcohol OK or is it sinful, forbidden, negative? Is alcohol in moderate quantities permissible?

Rabbi ElizaBeth's reply:

"Wine Gladdens the Heart, But..."

Alcohol can be positive or negative. Wine is a symbol of joy, and the Psalmist wrote that wine gladdens our heart (Psalms 104:15). Talmud even suggests that rejoicing before G-d requires wine (Pesachim 109a). So, wine is used for special occasions like a wedding and even weekly at Sabbath meal.

On the other hand, ancient literature warns that too much alcohol is a problem. For example, Noah lost his dignity after planting a vineyard and getting drunk. The midrash suggests that someone who drinks one glass of alcohol becomes meek as a lamb. With two glasses, the person feels as strong as a lion and becomes boastful. If the drinking continues to three or four glasses, the person acts like a monkey dancing around, laughing and speaking obscenities without realizing it. Finally, the person who is intoxicated becomes like a pig. Moderation is the key to avoiding such difficulties.

Check out the Faith Forum which appears each Friday in the Local Life Section of the Reno Gazette Journal. The Faith Forum answers a question each week and responses in the paper are limited to 150 words. Rabbi Beyer is featured as the "Jewish" response. In February it will be a full YEAR for the Faith Forum column in the RGJ!

Thank You To Those Making

Recent Donations! We appreciate your support.

In Honor of Temple Beth Or being a "light"
in the Reno Jewish community
from Don and Marilyn Kurzman

In Honor of Barbara Ries' lovely music
and community work
from Anonymous

Rabbinic Discretionary Fund
Mitch and Victoria Ziegler

Adopt-A-Family Contributions
Marilyn Buchenwold
Randee Chaput
Heather Elias

Annette Friedlander
Barbara Meyer
Ken Goldman
The Gupta Family

Dr. Martin Fine
Anonymous

AND A HUGE THANK YOU to Barbara Meyer for
coordinating our efforts for Adopt-A-Family

The Important Work of Donations to
Our General Fund Which Provides
All of Temple Beth Or's Programming
and Outreach to the Community

Sheridan Anderson

Cynthia Brooks

Randee Chaput
Rita Malkin

Barbara Meyer

Allan and Gayle Schwartz
Mitch and Victoria Zigler

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A Warm Welcome to Our Newest Members

Alan and Susan Liebman
Mitch and Victoria Ziegler

Welcome to our Newest Facebook Friends
Eliezer ben Elimelech

Peter Thompson

Friend Us on Facebook!
We now have 133 Facebook friends.
Consider friending us to get latest pics, updates on our events, classes and even the Rabbi's drashes (sermons). It's free. Check out www.Facebook.com

Thank you to our Tallit Makers
for the Nevada Men's Prison
Ginger Fenwick
Barbara Meyer

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Happy Birthday

Nicole Appel, 1/8

Gail Ferrell, 1/25

Anniversaries

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Yahrzeits

Selma Appel, mother of Nicole, 1/6/03

Samuel Kurzman, father of Don, 1/29/42

Nettie Kurzman, mother of Don, 1/22/72

Stanley Silvers, father of Marilyn Kurzman, 1/20/66

Phillip Brustein, father of Marilyn Roberts, 1/5/02

Hebrew Month

of Tevet

began Dec. 25th
at 7:20 17/18 am

Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer
(REB)

Learn More
About Judaism - Take J101

Currently, we're studying the fascinating topic of prayer.

Join us Saturday evenings 6:30-8pm

For information
775-322-5542

REVIEW TEMPLE BETH OR ONLINE!

Follow this link to Great Nonprofits, where you can submit a review of TBOR and its HHD services.

Thanks for taking the time to do so!

Great Nonprofits

Talmud Study

Mondays 12-1pm Place: TBOR

Click HERE to see last week's class
about Chanukah

Come & learn!

Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing!

a program of Moving Traditions Innovative Program for Adolescent Jewish Girls

Temple Emanu-El's "Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing!" group is up and running. The group remains open to any and all Jewish middle school girls in Northern Nevada - email group facilitator Susannah Skyer Gupta if your daughter/grand- daughter/niece/neighbor is not yet on her list.

http:www.roshhodesh.org www.movingtraditions.org

RSVP 775-327-4743, suzskyer@gmail.com, or look for Susannah Skyer Gupta on Facebook.

What is the "reward" of Tzedakah?

Click here to donate to Temple Beth Or in multiples of $18. Why 18? It's the number for chai (Hebrew letters chet and yud) which equals life. Every Hebrew letter equals a number. Jews often donate in multiples of $18. L'chayim - "To Life!" Donate to honor someone or in someone's memory.

(וזורע צדקה שכר אמת (במשלי י״א

"He who sows tzedakah has a 'reward' of truth" (Proverbs 11).

פירוש: ששכר זריעת הצדקה היא מדת אמת
This means that the attribute of truth is the (G-d-given) reward for sowing tzedakah.

According to the Tanya, Iggeret Kodesh, epistle 6

The Targum and other commentaries read "secher" as "payment of a reward," can be understood to mean that the individual who sows charity receives a true reward, i.e., an everlasting reward, rather than a reward that consists of truth. ChaBaD translation

When will Moshiach come? When the last coin is gone from the purse. Sanhedrin 97a. According to the Tanya, this can be fulfilled on a spiritual level by being as humble as the destitute. Iggeret HaKodesh, end of epistle 10.

Dues for 5772 / 2012

Dear Chevre,

Thanks to so many of you who have paid your annual dues. Those help keep Temple Beth Or alive and well. Many of our members pay dues at or around High Holidays, which are coming up later this month. The cost is $550 for a family or $360 for individual. Many sincere thanks to those of you who donate regularly to Temple Beth Or. Please continue to give generously.

Your donations support our on-going work, such as classes (bnei mitzvah education for children, Talmud for adult learners and a Judaism Class for those new or returning to Judaism), meetings with our partners (Hillel and Elko), our High Holiday Music group, outreach to our community, visiting those who are ill or dying, feeding those in need, providing resources to homeless and much more.

If you are not personally able to do these mitzvahs, then you are supporting those who work on them. In the heavenly sphere, your donations are counted towards the good work, as if you had done the mitzvah.

Many blessings to each of you, reb

See our E-NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Torah portion done by G-d Cast

Temple Beth Or is an evolving group dedicated to Jewish values and learning. We support chevruta study (partner or small group study) and "experiencing" G-d, not just learning about G-d. Friday night Shabbat services are musical, filled with ruach (passion) and the food is sweet. We'd love to have you join us. Ongoing partners include Nevada Hillel (Jewish student group at UNR) and the Jewish Community of Elko County.

For more information, contact Susannah Skyer Gupta, Membership, suzskyer@gmail.com

For information on Jewish Renewal https://www.aleph.org/