Welcome to Your TI Times 

Weekly Communication of the Temple Israel Family

What' s Happening as of Thursday, August 14, 2008 

High Holy Day Food Drive

High Holy Day Greeting Card

Remember your Loved Ones at Yizkor

Rosh Hashanah Oneg

Escrip Renewal Time

Shabbat on the Bay

Request for Help  

Temple Israel Clean Up Day

Temple Israel of Alameda Foundation

This Weeks Torah Portion

Coming Events

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This Week's Torah Portion

Summary of Parasha Va’etchanan.  Devarim 3:23-7:11  

“I pleaded (va’etchanan) with the LORD at that time, saying, ‘O LORD GOD, You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness… Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan ”[3:23-24]  “But the LORD was wrathful with me on your account… The LORD said to me ‘Enough! Never speak to Me of this matter again!’”[3:26]  

Moses now shifts from retelling the history of the Exodus to summarizing the laws that God has laid out.  “what great nation has laws and rules as perfect as all this Teaching that I set before you this day?”[4:8] “The LORD spoke to you out of the fire; you heard the sound of words but perceived no shape- nothing but a voice.”[4:12]  

Moses describes how God gave them the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets, and warns them to avoid idolatry “since you saw no shape” and “not to act wickedly and make for yourselves a sculpted image in any likeness whatever”[4:15-16]  Moses further warns them not to bow down to the sun, moon or stars, “These the LORD allotted to the other peoples everywhere under heaven; but you the LORD took and brought out of Egypt, that blast furnace, to be His very own people”[4:19-20]  

“Should you, when you have begotten children and children’s children and are long established in the land, act wickedly… I call heaven and earth this day to witness against you that you shall soon perish from the land... The LORD will scatter you among the peoples… There you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, that cannot see or hear or eat or smell.”[4-25-28] “But if you search there for the LORD your God, you will find Him, if only you seek Him with your heart and soul” [4:29] Moses then sets aside three cities of refuge for those who commit accidental manslaughter.  

Moses describes the covenant made at Sinai, here called Horeb, “It was not with our fathers that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, the living, every one of us who is here today”[5:3] (Note that all of the adults who were at Sinai are now dead and most of Moses audience wouldn’t have been born.)  Moses then restates the Ten Commandments as given in Shmot 20 with minor differences.  

“Hear, O Israel !  The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”[6:4-5]  “When the LORD your God brings you into the land…to give you- great and flourishing cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things which you did not fill, hewn cisterns which you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant- and you eat your fill, take heed that you do not forget the LORD”[6:10-12]  

“It is not because you are the most numerous of peoples that the LORD set His heart on you and chose you- indeed, you are the smallest of peoples; but it was because the LORD loved you” [7:7-8]  Know, therefore, that only the LORD your God is God, the steadfast God who keeps His gracious covenant to the thousandth generation of those who love Him and keep His Commandments.” [7:9] “Therefore, observe faithfully the Instruction- the laws and the rules- with which I charge you today.”[7:11]  

The Haftarah this week is Isaiah 40:1-26.  This is Shabbat Nachamu, the first Shabbat after Tish’a B’Av.  It offers consolation after the horrors of the destruction of the Temple .  “Comfort, oh, comfort My People, Says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and declare to her that her term of service is over, that her iniquity is expiated; for she has received at the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. [40:1-2]  

Commentaries on this portion may be found at:  

http://urj.org/torah/

http://www.jafi.org.il/education/torani/nehama/vaet.html

http://www.jtsa.edu/Conservative_Judaism/JTS_Torah_Commentary.xml  

The Torah text may be found at:

http://www.jtsa.edu/x2119.xml

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High Holy Day Food Drive

Temple Israel will once again hold its annual High Holy Day Food Drive from Erev Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur.  Food collected will be donated to the Alameda Food Bank, which exclusively serves island residents in need.   

According to Alameda Food Bank director, Paul Russell, the demand for food right now surpasses all other times in the food bank’s 30 plus year history.  

“Last year, in September, we began to see client participation increase dramatically, and in the first quarter of 2008, we saw double the number of new households registering for food,” he explains.  

 “Over 800 new clients have been added, and we are now providing food assistance to over 4,300 Alameda residents on a continuing basis.  These increases are directly related to the downturn in the economy and rising food prices; realities that place particular hardship on low-income families,” says Russell.     

Earlier this year the food bank conducted an informal client poll to see how people were dealing with the changing economic climate.  Of those surveyed:  

Please bring donations of non-perishable food to the food bank barrels which will be in the temple lobby.  Especially needed are cans of fruits and vegetables. Please do not bring any food in glass containers or food that has been opened and then re-sealed.  

If you have questions, please contact congregants Carol Parker, Neil Rubenstein or Anna Crane, all of whose numbers are in the Temple Directory .

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REMEMBER YOUR LOVED ONES AT YIZKOR

The holiest days of the year are approaching quickly.  It is traditional to bring family members who have passed away into the New Year by honoring their beloved memories at Yom Kippur Yizkor (Memorial) services.  

Each year at Temple Israel we prepare a special Memorial Book for the Yom Kippur Yizkor observance.  In addition to preparing a book for you to take home, we will also read the names of our family members at our Yizkor service.  

As you may know, the Yizkor prayer includes a pledge to do tzedakah on behalf of those whom we remember.  Our tradition understands the acts of tzedakah of the living as being “credited” to those whom we remember. It is one of the ways we have to enlarge the legacy of our loved ones. We ask that you make contributions to the Temple in the spirit of tzedakah in honor of those you are remembering.  The amount you donate is entirely at your discretion.  

Please return this form to the Temple office by Monday, September 22, 2008 in order that the names of your loved ones may be included in the Memory Book.  Although you may receive Yahrzeit cards during the year from the Temple , please note that it is still necessary for you to complete this form.

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High Holy Day Greeting Card

Rosh Hashanah begins this year on Monday night, September 29.  Again this year, a congregational High Holy Day greeting card will be sent to all members and friends of Temple Israel .   

For a minimum donation of $10.00, your name can be included in a card wishing all your Temple Israel friends a sweet new year while helping the Temple at the same time!  You are saved the work of signing your name, addressing envelopes, and licking stamps, and the Temple will have increased revenues for  special High Holy Day programs.  To have your name included in this special Rosh Hashanah greeting, fill out the form below and return to Alison Harris, c/o Temple Israel , 3183 Mecartney Rd. , Alameda , CA   94502 by September 15.

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Rosh Hashanah Oneg

On Monday evening, September 29, we will join together to celebrate the beginning of the High Holy Days. It is the tradition at Temple Israel to welcome the New Year with a reception after the erev Rosh Hashanah service where we can all exchange holiday greetings with one another.  

In order to make this special event a success, we need the participation of the entire Temple Israel family.  We are asking each of you to bring something to share with your fellow congregants as follows:

   Last name beginning with:

A - D: Sliced apples and honey

E -S:  Cookies or sliced, unfrosted cake

T– Z:  Fruits and/or nuts

Please bring enough for six to eight people.  You may bring it when you arrive for the service, or leave it in the kitchen earlier in the day.  

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Escrip Renewal Time - Please Continue to Support Temple Israel

If you did not receive this mailer or have already tossed without seeing the postcard, please visit www.escrip.com and click on the "renew today" button so we don't lose any contributions from you. 

Renewals are due by November 1st.  Thank you for taking this action today.

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Temple Israel ’s Adult Education presents

Shabbat on the Bay

Friday, September 19^th, 7 – 9 pm

Come Celebrate Shabbat aboard a 43 ft sailboat!

Marlene and Keith Dines have graciously offered to host a Shabbat service and Oneg Shabbat on their sailboat Wind Symphony. Services will be led by Cantor Pamela Sawyer.  

There is limited seating on the boat; only spaces for 12 adults. If you are interested in joining this wonderful way to welcome Shabbat, please email Mindy Myers at mindy@noteniks.com to reserve your space. Seating reservations are on a first come/first served basis.  

Please come to Ballena Bay Marina, at the end of Ballena Blvd (in the West End of Alameda) to meet the boat. Please arrive at 7 pm sharp! The boat will motor the bay outside the marina, and pass Alameda point.  

Remember to dress warmly.  

There will still be services that night at 7:30 pm at Temple Israel for people unable to attend the Shabbat cruise.

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Can You Help?

I am looking for a place to stay in Alameda, for a room to rent in Alameda or nearby. I am looking for a possibility of either renting a room with a family/individual, or to stay with somebody who would want to help in this way, when on my side I can be helping with cleaning/cooking/looking after the house/ help looking after elderly/children/ teaching Hebrew. I am 28 years old, speak Hebrew, Russian, English, some German. I have experience working as a nurse, tutor (English and Hebrew) , translator & administrative assistant.

Alina Tsvet

If interested, send an email to alinajerusalem@yahoo.com

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Temple Israel Annual Cleanup Day 

September 21^st  

Come join us on Sunday, September 21st as we clean up the Temple and Temple grounds in preparation for the High Holy Days.  

Work will include pruning and weeding, window washing, repainting the TI sign, cleaning out gutters and downspouts, and other items that are in need of attention. We also wecome suggestions for projects.  

We will begin at 10am and expect to finish by 2 pm. All ages are welcome and in order to properly plan the day we would appreciate an RSVP to wzensius@sbcglobal.net.

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Temple Israel of Alameda Foundation

The Foundation is happy to report that its contribution to the 2008-2009 Temple budget will be $15,000. The Foundation grant is equivalent to seven new families joining the Temple without any cost for services to those families.   

It is clear that continued growth of the Foundation's assets is crucial to the financial stability of the congregation.  We need more congregants to include the Temple Foundation in their estate planning.  Many of you will say that your means are not great enough for estate planning, but that may not be true.  If you own a house in northern California , your estate is large enough to need estate planning.  If every congregant left the Foundation 1% of their estates, the Temple would become financially stable.  1% should not adversely affect your heirs and will save estate taxes.   

If your heirs are financially self-sufficient, more of your assets might easily be used for philanthropy.  If your assets are more substantial, you might want to consider other estate planning choices which will have positive tax benefits for you now, e.g., gifts of appreciated stocks or property, charitable lead trust, or charitable remainder trusts.  You can also name the Temple Foundation as full or partial beneficiary on life insurance policies or retirement accounts.  Naming the Foundation beneficiary of an IRA might reduce the size of one’s estate so that it is below the taxable limit.  

The Foundation was established in 1995 with a $10,000 bequest from the estate of Diana Garfinkle, one of the original founding members of our congregation.  Our assets have grown to $299,554, and we have contributed $52,500 to the Temple annual budgets between 2002 and 2008.  This year’s grant raises that figure to $67,500.  As the Foundation grows with future bequests, the amount granted to the General Fund will grow proportionately.  

The Foundation Board has prepared an information sheet with suggested wording to add the Foundation to your will or trust; it also contains the relevant identification information.  It is available here or at the Temple office.  We encourage you to speak with your financial and legal advisors to work out estate planning solutions which will benefit you as well as the Temple .    We know that many of us are at the limit of spending for our current life styles or fear we may outlive our resources.  We are asking you to consider a donation from our assets when you no longer need them.

Information Sheet

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TI Times Email Address

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