© 1999 - 2000 Congregation Beth El and Fuzzland Enterprises © 1999 - 2000 Congregation Beth El and Fuzzland Enterprises

Online Bulletin - Adar I - Adar II 5760
March 2000

Nisan - Iyar 5760/May 2000 Calendar
Iyar - Sivan 5760/June 2000 Calendar
Presidents' Message From the Rabbi's DeskPurim Schedule
Rabbi's Book Signing Leagrams Men's Club Report
Bnai Mitzva Casino Night Equipment Needed By Synagogue
Donations Hebrew School Report Sisterhood Report
Mishloah Manot Nursery School Tree of Life
Oneg Shabbats General Reminders Notice

NEXT BULLETIN DATE: March 15, 2000

PRESIDENTS' MESSAGE

CONGREGATION GENERAL MEETING SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2000, at 7:30 P.M.

The next Congregation
Board
Meeting is March 26, 2000.

Due to the snowfall in February, the Temple incurred some extra expenses, so we do appreciate your diligence in paying your dues in a timely fashion.

On Saturday evening, April 8, and on Sunday morning, April 9, we will have a rummage sale. Please bring clothing and toys that are still in good condition. You may drop them off in the coatroom at the Synagogue. Please contact Judy Mansbach if you are able to help on Thursday evening, Saturday evening and/or Sunday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

We want to wish good luck to our entire upcoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah students.

Much of our phone squad is communicated through e-mail. If you have an e-mail address please send it to Judy Yoblick.

Join us for Friday evening (7:30 p.m.) services and Saturday morning (9:30 a.m.) services. We are here for you when you need a minyan are you here for us when we need you?

Spread the word, and come visit us at http://congregationbethel.faithweb.com

We are available for phone calls as follows:

Judy Yoblick
  • Monday - Thursday, and Sunday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • via e-mail at any time
Aaron Mansbach
  • Monday - Thursday, and Sunday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m
Happy 2000 to everyone!
Judy Yoblick and Aaron Mansbach
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Purim Schedule

Megillah Reading Monday, March 20, 2000 at 7 p.m.

PURIM CARNIVAL
Monday, March 20, 2000, at 5:30 p.m.
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LEAGRAMS

Sisterhood Leagrams are sent out for all occasions. It's just a phone call and $2.00 away; call the synagogue for more information.
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Rabbi's Book Signing

To publicize his new book, Contemplating the Holocaust, Rabbi Rosenberg will be having a book signing and discussion at the Barnes and Noble Route 1 South in North Brunswick on Wednesday March 1, 2000 beginning at 7pm. Any merchandise purchase at the dedicated register will benefit Congregation Beth El.
By the way, if you buy books online, why not buy them through Barnes and Noble? Send us e-mail for the web address.

Every purchase you make in this way will benefit the synagogue and the nursery school, by the donation of a percentage of the proceeds. It's a great way to support our congregation!
Alan Cooper
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FROM THE RABBI'S DESK



Purim affords us an opportunity to join together as a community to thank God for our continued survival as a nation. Please join with us for the merriment and togetherness enjoyed during the Purim festivities.

Question: What is the origin and significance of the Festival of Purim?

Answer: Prime Minister Haman decided to annihilate all the Jews in the 127 provinces controlled by Ahasuerus. He cast lots to select the month and day. Hence, the name "Purim" which means lots cast by Haman. Advised and instructed by Mordecai, Esther interceded on behalf of her people and exposed Hamans plot to the King. In a rage of anger, the King ordered Haman to be hanged and allowed the Jews to defend themselves against anyone who sought to destroy them. The 14th day of Adar (this year, Adar II) (the day after the date set by Haman) was fixed by the sages for the Festival of Purim.

Question: Why is the eve of Purim observed as the Fast of Esther?

Answer: Esther had fasted and declared a public fast, as is recorded in the Megillah.

Question: Why is the Megillah unscrolled and folded back, like a letter, before it is read? (This is not done with other scrolls.)

Answer: This is to remind us of the official letter dispatched by Mordecai and Esther, proclaiming both the deliverance of their people from Hamans evil plot and the Feats of Purim.

Question: Why is the name of God not even mentioned once in the Megillah?

Answer: To teach us that the hand of God is ever present in the history of man, even when we fail to be aware of it.

Question: Why are noises made to block out the name of Haman during the Megillah reading?

Answer: Exodus 17:1 "For I will utterly block out the remembrance of Amalek from under the Heaven." The name of Haman has to be blotted out because he was a descendant and prototype of Amalek.

Question: Since women are exempt from positive commandments dependent on fixed time, why are they then obligated to hear the Megillah?

Answer: Because they, as well as the men, were delivered from the evil decree of Haman.

Have a wonderful Purim!!
BShalom
Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg
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Donations Received

Condolences
to Fran Pellmar on the loss of her father Harry Freilich. Frans father passed away on January 19th at the age of 103. He was a Talmudic Scholar and was greatly admired for his gentle manner.
Donation
from Fran Pellmar in memory of her father Harry Freilich.

Donation
from Miriam Davis in memory of her husband Edward Irving Davis.
Donation
from Ben Eisen in memory of his mother Jeanette Eisen.

Donation
from Robert Suskind in memory of his mother Anne Suskind.

Donation
from Dorothy Trachtenberg in memory of her mother and father, Ada and Henry Kaufman.

Donation
from Jayne & Steve Sklon in memory of her mother Anne Horowitz.

Donations
from Carolyn and Meyer Stafsky in memory of his aunt Anna Osnowitz and her mother Fannie Zucker.
Donation
from Martin Duyk in memory of his father Irvin Duyk.
Donation
from Aaron Mansbach in memory of his father Harry Mansbach.

Donation
from Millicent Brussel in memory of her father Sam Friedman.

Donation
from Doris and Martin Duyk in memory of their son Robert Jon Duyk.

Donation
from Gloria and Jerry Bitkower in memory of her mother and father, Sally and Jack Leff.

Donation
from Gloria Davidson in memory of her mother Anna Greenstein.
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HEBREW SCHOOL NEWS

Time is marching on!! We have a lot of fun activities planned for this month. Friday night family services is on March 3rd. The children do a wonderful job conducting services, and it helps to reinforce all they are learning in Hebrew School. Please make sure your child has the mandatory number of attendances for both Friday night and Saturday morning that are required to achieve a completion certificate. Saturday morning family services will be on March 11th. Kiddush following services will be sponsored by the Hebrew School.
The Purim Carnival will be held on March 20 at 5:30 p.m. Services and the reading of the Megillah will follow. Children and parents are encouraged to come in costume. There will be carnival games (run by Kadimaniks), and the kitchen (thanks to Sisterhood) will offer hotdogs, knishes, and Hamentashen for your dining enjoyment.
Shabbat Across America will take place of March 31, 2000. The Hebrew School will be singing songs and participating in the service.
A big toda raba to Dori Daus for substituting the 4th grade class for the months of January and February.
Cindy Raiman Board of Education


ADDITIONAL HEBREW SCHOOL NEWS

We are happy to announce that Stacey Loewenstein, a graduate of our own Hebrew school, will be teaching the 4th grade class beginning Tuesday, February 29, 2000. Mrs. Berg will continue teaching the Bar/Bat Mitzvah class. Mairov Schron is recuperating after being involved in an automobile accident and will hopefully be returning at the end of March.
On March 14 the Hebrew school will be having a joint session from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. They will be baking Hamentashen with Dori Daus for Purim!
On March 16th the 7th grade only will be going to Jewish Family Services. See Alan Coopers article below.
On March 23rd we will have another joint Hebrew School session, which will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m., in preparation for the Shabbat Across America services on Friday, March 31.

S. Sharon Baer
1st Vice President
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SISTERHOOD NEWS

On Tuesday, February 8, we went to Gary Alexander's Karate in Edison for a demonstration on self-defense. We all had a great time and learned a lot.
On Sunday, February 27, we had our Torah Fund Luncheon at 12:00 p.m. We honored Mikki Uman and Judy Mansbach.
Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, we will not be holding our Women's League Service this yearbut we will definitely have a very special one next year.
Please see the flyer enclosed in this Bulletin about the Purim baskets we are doing.
Tuesday, April 4th is our next meeting. We will be making Elijah cups for Passover. Please come and join us!
Ilene Klempner, Sisterhood President
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MEN'S CLUB NEWS


I personally would like to congratulate the dinner-dance committee for their help and hard work in making the Rabbis Anniversary affair a great success. A big thank you to Sylvia Greenberg, Karen & Ken Harmelin, Ina Morgenthal, Jayne Sklon, Ed Bloom, Stuart Weiner and Jeff Baer.
REMINDER: Dont forget softball season is coming up. Call Scott Raiman at 732-463-8642.

Artie Greenberg, Mens Club President
EQUIPMENT NEEDED BY SYNAGOGUE:
A congregant brought to our attention that a donation list should be placed in the Bulletin for those interested. For those wishing to make a donation in honor or memory of a loved one, the synagogue is in need of the following items:
  • Freezer for the Kitchen
  • Computer Monitor (15" or larger)
  • Computer Desk
  • Fax Machine (plain paper)
  • Outside lighting along walkway

Please contact Judy Mansbach via the synagogue.

BNAI MITZVAH

BAR MITZVAH OF SEAN AND RYAN GOLDMANN Brenda Goldmann is proud to announce that on March 17 & 18, 2000, her sons Sean and Ryan will both make their Bar Mitzvah.
Sean is a 7th grade student at Herbert Hoover Middle School, where his favorite subject is computers. Among his hobbies, he enjoys playing in his treehouse, watching television, playing video games and hanging out with his friends. His ambition in life is to own a computer design company and be a billionaire. Seans favorite food is McDonalds.
Ryan, also a 7th grader in Herbert Hoover, enjoys his computer class. His favorite activities are talking on the telephone with his friends, going on-line, and hanging out at the mall with his friends. Ryan hopes to become a football player, and eating a sub makes him happy.
Brenda invites the congregation to celebrate with them at Friday night services and the Oneg following, and on Saturday morning with the Kiddush following.
BAR MITZVAH OF YAAKOV ROSENBERG Rabbi Bernhard and Charlene Rosenberg proudly announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son Yaakov on Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25, 2000.
Yaakov is a 7th grader at Pesach Raymon Yeshiva in Edison, New Jersey. Yaakovs favorite subjects are math and gemara. He enjoys all sports, especially baseball. Yaakov plays drums in his spare time, and his favorite food is pizza.
Yaakov plans to go to medical school and become a neurologist. He has two older sisters, Ilana and Ayelet, and one younger brother, Ari.
Rabbi and Charlene invite the congregation to celebrate with them on Friday night and Saturday morning.

MISHLOACH MANOT

The week leading up to Purim will be special for the Hebrew School children!
On Tuesday, March 14, they'll be baking hamentaschen with Dori Daus, the Director of the Nursery School. Then, on Thursday March 16, the Hebrew School 7th grade class, together with Kadima, will be participating in a special Purim activity. Instead of class that night, they'll be getting involved with Mishloach Manot !
Mishloach Manot is the giving of gifts of food that is traditional to Purim. In cooperation with JFVS - the Jewish Family and Vocational Services of Middlesex County - the kids will make gift bags of goodies - including the delicious hamentaschen they'll have helped to make - to be distributed to the Jewish needy in our area. These include the elderly, the homebound, the poor and the sick.
We'll be meeting at the temple at 5.45 p.m. that Thursday. We'll arrange transportation to the offices of JFVS on Franklin Ave., Edison (in Fords) where, from 6:00 until 7:00 they'll work, assembly-line style, stuffing cookies, juice, fruit, candy and so on into bags they will have decorated. They'll attach a little card to each bag to show it came from Congregation Beth-El. Then, at 7.00, they'll be joined by other children who are involved through JFVS with other Tikkun Olam projects, for a discussion of their experiences. They'll finish up with a "Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae" party, before being brought back to the temple by 8.40 p.m.
So, kids - make sure you come!
You'll be helping Jews who need this and will really appreciate it! You will be doing a Mitzvah for Purim; and ... you'll have a great time! Parents - please leave a message for Alan Cooper at the temple to let me know if your children will be coming on Thursday. The telephone number is 985-7272. Thanks, and Chag Same'ach !

Alan Cooper
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Nursery School

Be sure to check up on the exciting activities at our Nursery School!

TREE OF LIFE

Do you have a simcha you would like to memorialize and add to the synagogue's Tree of Life? The birth of a child or grandchild; a Bar/Bat Mitzvah; a wedding, your own or a family membersall make wonderful occasions to do so. Call the synagogue for more information. I will order the leaf for you, and Artie Uman will install it.
Judy Mansbach
CASINO NIGHT!!!
JUNE 3, 2000. MARK THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR!!!
We will be holding a Casino Night from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Please join the casino committee. We need your help (and participation, of course) to make this night a success. Call Devora Schiff at 732-249-0330.

Devora Schiff, Chairperson
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ONEG SHABBATS

Do you have a birthday or anniversary coming up, or a new baby or grandchild, or just want to celebrate the Sabbath? Why not sponsor an Oneg Shabbat? Call the synagogue for more information and to make all the arrangements.
Joan Gottlieb
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REMINDER

Anyone who has not remitted payment for their sponsorship of an Oneg Shabbat, please send it to the synagogue as soon as possible.
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REMINDER

Supermarket Gift Certificates are available. Congregation Beth-El makes a 5% profit on every dollar they sell and everyone needs to buy food!!! Please call the synagogue for more information.
Gloria Bitkower, Jayne Sklon, and Judy Mansbach
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REMINDER

Please hand in your articles for the Bulletin by the 15th of every month or it will not appear!
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