Or Chadash Newsletter
 November 2012 
Quick Links
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In This Issue
Service Schedule
Kup O' Joe
Donations
Yahrzeits
Rabbi's Message
President's Message
25,000 Mitzvot
Student Cantor's Message
Important Upcoming Dates
In Our Community
Step Up for Israel Film Series
Jewish Family Services
Registration Quick Link
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL REMINDERS
Please note the following updates (post-Hurricane Sandy) to the Religious School Calendar on the following days in November:

*Thursday, November 8 - No School.
*Sunday, November 11 - TBD  - Please know that if our telephone lines are restored, we will have school.  Updates to follow.
*Thursday, November 22 - No School.
*Sunday, November 25 - No School.

Shabbat and Holiday 

Service Schedule


Shabbat Window  


November 9: 7:30 PM Shabbat Experience with OC Book Club : Etgar Keret - Suddenly a Knock on the Door 

November 16: 7:00 PM Shabbat Family Service with 3rd and 4th Grade Participation

November 17: 10:00 AM Bat Mitzvah of Shay Beckman November 23: No Service at Or Chadash.

November 30: 7:30 PM Shabbat Service: The Real Meaning of Hanukkah 

Kup* O' Joe is Back!  


Caffeinated Conversations

   
KOJ

....with Rabbi Forman. Drop-in for a Kup or two and we think you'll return for a refill. This informal gathering/discussion meets on Sunday mornings, from 9:00-10:00AM. No registration required.

All Dates on Sundays

November 18: Topic: The Book of Job: Why the Good Suffer
January 6:TBD
February 10:TBD
April 14:TBD 

Childcare will be provided!

*Kup is Yiddush for Head/Mind
Donations

Click here to make a donation to Or Chadash to commemorate your simcha or memorialize the Yahrzeit of your loved one.  

 

25th Anniversary 

Jeffrey D. Charney

 

Paul & Maureen Weiner

 

 

Oneg

Edward & Cheryl Lifshitz, in honor of Jenna Lifshitz becoming a Bat Mitzvah    

yahrzeit photo

Upcoming Yahrzeits


May the memories of the following individuals be for a blessing:  


November 2
(will be read on November 9) 
Benjamin Cohen
grandfather of Paul Weil
Helen Gordon
grandmother of Robin Lewy
Joan K. Weinstein
mother of Susan Albert

November 9
Selma Bland
mother of Beatrice Abrams
Blanche Margaret Erkkila
mother of Craig Erkkila
Louis Zalaznick
father of Bruce Zalaznick

November 16
Joseph Kass
grandfather of Leslie Hann 
Jerome Marrus
father of Alan Marrus 
Greta Platt
mother of Cheryl Platt 
T. Tony Spitzberg
grandfather of James Kassanoff 
David Topf
father of Alice Schwade 
Herman Weinstein
grandfather of Susan Albert 

November 23
(will be read on November 30) 
Rose Leon
grandmother of Betsy Zalaznick 
Mildred Marrus
mother of Alan Marrus 
Bernard Wolf
stepfather of Leslie Hann 
Ernest H. Zuberer
father of Jean 
Frankel 

November 30
Martin H. Albert
grandfather of Steve Albert 
Charles Gelb
father of Shirl Levy 
Gertrude Heller
grandmother of Dave Lewy and Jim Lewy 
mother of Elizabeth Lewy 
Anna Robbin Smith 
mother in law of Connie Smith 

December 7
Sheila Fisher-Cohen
cousin of Gary Brodsky 
Bessie Kenyon
grandmother of Susan Albert 
Edward Kurlansik
father of Jack Kurlansik 
Shirley Levine
mother of Dan Levine 
Irving Safier
father of Cindy Lehrer 

December 14
Marilyn Altshuler
mother of Neil Altshuler 
Sylvia Borgman
mother of Estelle Breines 
Harry Breines
father of Ira Breines 
Esther Fish
grandmother of Rabbi Joseph M. Forman 
Joseph M. Fish
grandfather of Rabbi Joseph M. Forman 
Ken Kimberley
friend of Sherrie Mazzocchi 
James Mazzocchi
father in law of Sherrie Mazzocchi 
Isadore Suchow
father-in-law of Hilda Suchow 
Steven D. Weinstein
brother of Susan Albert 
25th Anniversary Donations
Or Chadash gratefully acknowledges the generous donations to the 25th Anniversary Fund received to date from:

Bea and Larry Abrams

Jeff & Christine Berg  

Jeffrey D. Charney  

Rabbi Joseph M. Forman

Stephen & Diana Propper  

Paul & Maureen Weiner 

Gary & Deb Weiss

Bruce & Betsy Zalaznick 

JFS C.A.R.S. Program

Jewish Family Services

Donate Your Unwanted Car to JFS through the CARS program

 

To donate your car, truck or other vehicle

 

Please call CARS at (877)537-4227

 

Representatives are available to assist you.

Rabbi's Message

JMF
Dear Members of Or Chadash,

This past week we have endured the fury of nature, resulting in one of the most difficult weeks in decades for our communities.  I know that some of you - myself included - are without power and hot water, not to mention the peace of mind that comes with a life of the mundane.  Ahh, to have that back.

We are sending out this month's Newsletter that was prepared before and immediately after the storm.  Much of the information contained within reveals itself to be incidental compared with the concerns of those of you still without power, heat, water, internet, refrigeration and any sense of stability.  I share your concerns and hope that we all are soon restored with the amenities we rely upon.

As we consider the religious implications of this week, some have cursed a God who would bring such calamity.  Others are silent in the face of the destruction.  I am filled with sorrow at the losses so many have endured and saddened by destruction I have witnessed and hear about.  The loss of life, property, trees and so much more is overwhelming.

A friend of mine who I have known since my days as a camper at the URJ Kutz Camp in Warwick, NY, is a rabbi in California.  He is a master of the art of prayer, as well.  He has shared his prayer regarding these days of destruction with my rabbinic colleagues.  I wanted to share it with you in the hopes that its words will remind each of us of two things: one, the need for humility in the face of powers beyond us, and two, the need for encouragement that we have strength beyond our imagination to endure such calamity.

I hope each of you are well in these days of challenge.

Shalom,
Rabbi Joe Forman

Eloheinu velohei avoteinu v'imoteinu,
Our God and God of our fathers and mothers,
The flood waters came, wreaking havoc upon our cities, our homes, our rescue workers, our sense of security,
And we turn to You for comfort and support.
Help us to differentiate between floods of destruction
and down-pouring of Your love and comfort.

We know that waters can destroy.
In a world decimated many times before,
having been submerged in waters
from the Florida hurricanes, the Asian tsunami, and ...
each of Biblical proportions,
we remember the destructive abilities of these flood waters.

Recalling now that the world, though filled with Your Glory,
is not equal to Your flawlessness,
we strive desperately, sometimes without success,
to move beyond the impulse to blame You.
Keep us far from apocalyptic thoughts, for we know that You ask us to care for each other, an awesome responsibility.

We also know that we can seek You in the waters.
We recall Your Loving Hand, guiding us in our infancy:
From a barren rock, You brought forth water to quench our thirst,
In the midst of a journey through the wilderness, You showed Miriam a myriad of wells which healed our parched throats,
You guided us through Yam Suf, the Red Sea, moving us past destruction toward new life and new beginnings.
Through Your love, we found our way.

Be with us now, during these deluged days.
Draw us close to those harmed by these waters, hearing their cries, responding to their needs.
Lead us to support those who will fix the cities,
care for the displaced, who bring healing to those suffering.
Though our attention spans seem so short, may we
be slow to forget those who were in danger.
Please bring a warm wind and hot sun from the heavenly realms to help dry up the flood waters.

And may we all embrace at least one lesson spoken aloud by so many who - facing the floods - rushed to pack up their valuables:

That memories of love and of time spent with family and friends are priceless, holy and sacred.
This can never be taken away.
As we rush to meet the challenge of living in this
imperfect world of ours,
May we slow down enough to cherish those who are truly valuable - kadosh/holy - to us.

Baruch Ata Adonai, Hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol.
Blessed are You, O God, who differentiates between the truly
Valuable and everything else.
   -- by Rabbi Paul Kipnes 
President's Message
Jeff Berg
Dear members of Or Chadash,

As part of our 25th Anniversary Commemoration, we have been asking everyone to catalog their mitzvahs with a goal of reaching 25,000.  While I know we all can find lots of opportunities daily to perform mitzvot, the 25th Anniversary Committee believes that as congregation, we can pull together to perform a congregation-wide mitzvah to create a really big impact.  So as with Mitzvah Day in the past, we hope to create a new tradition this year.
 
With Hanukkah fast approaching, the 25th Anniversary Committee is reaching out to Hunterdon Youth Services, more affectionately known as the Sand Hill Youth Home in Raritan Township, to help make the holidays special.  As most everyone knows, the Reform movement has created a tradition of not exchanging gifts on the 6th day of Hanukkah known as Ner Shel Tzeddakah, Candle of Righteousness.  On the 6th night, instead of exchanging gifts, we donate the cost of gifts that day to a charitable organization.  I know many of you are like my family who have done this night of charity in our own homes, but this year we wanted to show the collective power of Or Chadash.
 
If we join together with a common goal to support one charity, we know the difference we can make.  Our congregation has a history of making big impacts like our annual food drive on Yom Kippur that I spoke about last month as well as this past month's successful Mitten Mitzvah.  With everyone pitching in, we were able to donate over 130 pairs of gloves, hats, scarves, and jackets to the needy in our community.  Thanks to everyone who contributed.  Now for Ner Shel Tzeddakah, our goal is to pool Or Chadash's collective resources to help allow the children at Hunterdon Youth Services to have a wonderful and bountiful holiday. We are a generous congregation, and I know together we can make a difference.
 
Please be on the lookout for an email in this regard in a couple of weeks and consider making the Ner Shel Tzeddakah tradition a blessing our congregation can be proud of.

Shalom,
Jeff Berg 
25,000 Mitzvot for Or Chadash's 25 Years

As part of our 25th Anniversary Celebration, we would like to engage together in 25,000 acts of Tikkun Olam & G'milut Chasadim: acts of repairing our world and loving kindness. Each and every one of us can contribute. No act is too small (or too big for that matter)! Please help us realize the goal of reaching 25,000 mitzvot performed this year by helping us tally your mitzvot.

Click here for a list of examples of a mitzvah.

Click here to make your pledge of how many mitzvot you and your family will make in the next year.

Over the course of this year, you can log onto our tally form which will be on the front page of the Or Chadash website and enter the number of mitzvot you would like to add to our total.  There is also a section on the form to tell us more about the mitzvah you perform.  We will use that information to send emails throughout the year to highlight all of the good we are doing throughout our community. 

Click here to enter your mitzvot as you complete them!

Thank you for your help in meeting our goal of 25,000 Mitzvot in celebration of 25 Years at Or Chadash! 
Student Cantor's Message
Kathy Gohr
As I am sitting in my home waiting for the hurricane to pass, I am reminded of how vulnerable we really are.  I am also reminded of the power of the universe, as we are all at the mercy of the coming storm.  Humbled by the sheer  forces of nature, we pray that we may be spared without realizing that it is by divine design that the sun continues to rise each morning, and our eyes open as we wake to appreciate the beauty of yet another day.  The rain which is responsible for the coastal flooding is essential to life itself, indeed many pray for rain to fall as part of our daily prayers.  As I am sitting at my computer saving this document often just in case the power goes out, may I be reminded of just how precious each moment is every day.  
 
As we gather together with our families weathering the weather, may we be grateful for the roof over our heads, and the protection of the walls around us.  I am honored to be a part of a community that has done so much to help those who are less fortunate, who share their gifts willingly with those in need.  I am reminded of a passage from the Pirchei Avot - a collection of quotes from the ancient sages that says, "Mitzvah goreret Mitzvah,  one mitzvah leads to another." These words have been set to music many times through the years, and one could almost suggest that the sages had Or Chadash in mind as the inspiration for this ideal.

When we once again meet after the storm passes, let us sing these words in celebration of our commitment as a congregation to the completion of 25,000 mitzvot in the coming year.

Bles-sings,

Kathy Gohr 

Important Dates to Remember
November 13: 7:30 PM Step Up for Israel - Creation of a State

November 18: 9:00 AM Kup O' Joe: The Story of Job - Why the Good Suffer

November 18: 11:00 AM Temple Tots

December 16: 11:00 AM Hanukkah Celebration

In Our Community


Refuah Sh'leima (Get well) to...

Fred Bernstein, father of Melissa Pickell  

Seth Parkoff, brother in law of Leslie Hann
Eileen Berkelhammer

Raoul Rabiner, father of Betsy Zalaznick
Pat Wolf, mother of Leslie Hann
Evelyne Hersch
Don Corey, father of Faith Fuhrman

 

Todah Rabbah...
Emily Christensen and her family for ushering at the Friday, November 16 service.

Michael Harvey, Rachel Beckman, Sam Weiss,  Amanda Albrecht and their families for ushering at the Saturday morning, November 17 service.

Mazel Tov...

National Merit Semifinalist, Erika Lewy 

 

National Honor Society Inductees:

Paul Graybeal 

Matthew Harvey

Danielle Tyler 

  

 

In order to help us be a more caring community, please share your lifecycle events with Rabbi Forman


  

Feel free to click on a hyperlink to send a note and let someone know you are thinking about them.

 

Step Up 4 Israel Film Series - Film 2
Tuesday, November 13 at 7:30 PM at Or Chadash


Research Project at CUNY seeks Volunteers

DOES THIS DESCRIBE YOU?
A Jewish married couple between 25-45 years old; married 3-11 years; one or more children between 2.5 to 10 years old without any developmental disabilities; OR one child (2.5 to 10 years old) who is diagnosed with autism within the past 6 months to 8 years. If so, I would like to
invite you and your spouse to participate in a research study about your religious beliefs, ritual practices, community context, marriage, parenting, coping, and daily life. This study involves completing different survey measures and an interview session that should take 1
to 2 hours for each person. Each couple will receive $50 in cash for their participation in the study. If interested please email Frances Victory @ [email protected] or call (917) 583-6172 for more information. This project is affiliated with CUNY Graduate Center.
Bat Mitzvah - Shay Beckman

Shay Beckman will become a Bat Mitzvah on November 17.  She is the daughter of Mark and Nancy Beckman and sister to Taylor and Reed. Shay is a seventh grader at J.P. Case Middle School.  She enjoys reading, writing, and field hockey. Shay's mitzvah project included running in a 5k race in Ivyland, PA.  She raised money for the Cornelia DeLange Foundation in honor of her cousin who was born with this syndrome. Shay's Torah portion, Toldot, deals with sibling rivalry. Shay is looking forward to celebrating her Bat Mitzvah with her friends and family.
Lifelong Learning

Jewish Life
JCC Place to Be


Jewish LIFE www.ssbjcc.org

Click on the Jewish LIFE page or call the JCC 908-725-6994

Click here for the complete season guide.
Jewish Family Services

Jewish Family Services

JFS is a non-profit, non-sectarian social service agency whose mission is to preserve and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life based on Jewish values.

 

Betty and Arthur Roswell

Mental Health Counseling Center

Holocaust Survivors Assistance
Refugee Assistance

Special Needs Programs
Family Mentoring

Senior Support Services
Family Life Education

Information and Referral Emergency Assistance

AmeriCorps
Ohr Tikvah
Career Services

 

For more information contact:

Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties

150-A West High Street, Somerville, NJ 08876

908-725-7799     [email protected]     www.JewishFamilySvc.Org 

Healthy Holistic Healing - Clinton, NJ