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A Note FromThe President
By Tom Douglass
CEC Readies For Summer
Friends,
So much is going on that it is sometimes hard to keep up. Even though the winter was a rough one, CEC persevered and we had many wonderful events.
Ryan Flynn did a wonderful job on the Bima after Mother Nature forced us to cancel his Bar Mitzvah the first time around. We finally thawed out and were able to enjoy our second Congregational Passover Seder.
It was another fabulous success with a crowd of 100 people. Rabbi Jack and Cantor Debbye did a great job of bringing the night to life filling our hearts with a spirit filled Seder.
The Matzoh Brie cook-off was a great way to close out the weekend. Rick Recht Shabbat Alive! was another great event that was enjoyed by all who attended.
The Book Club, Sisterhood and Men’s Club were busy with meetings, dinners and events. We have seen our membership grow, despite the recent departure of some of our friends.
Our building has matured and even though as we grow sometimes it struggles to hold us in, it is a wonderful home for us. The traditions that we have had since we started more than five years ago has grown even stronger and developed into a cadence that all of us have grown to love and feel comfortable with. Some of our newer traditions, like the Passover Seder, have started to establish themselves in the hearts of our membership and will continue to grow for years to come.
The Religious School is thriving and has produced more than a dozen Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in the last two years with a dozen more coming up in the future.
As I write this, we are moving towards the summer months and our yearend congregational meeting in June.
We will also be busy in the summer with the Israeli Scouts annual weekend as well as a visit from Rabbi Marshal
Klaven from the Institute of Southern Jewish Living. Funny how time flies. I’ve just come to the realization that this will be my last note to you as
president of the congregation. It has truly been an amazing two years and a real honor to serve as your president.
As a congregation, an extended family, we have accomplished so much. Sometimes it is hard to remember everything that has happened. It
is incredible that our young Congregation is almost six years old and I am humbled by the thought that I have been part of it from its inception.
All that we have accomplished could not have been done without the hard work and dedication of the wonderful board members. I want to take
a minute to thank Ida Fineberg, Aileen Wiede, Ed Gelman, Betsy Rosen, Michael Sterling, Rachel Marler, Don Roufa and of course, my wife, Robyn.
Each and every one of these people helped CEC grow and we would not be the congregation that we are if it wasn’t for their blood, sweat and tears.
The fondest memories I will keep with me of the last two years are all of you and the fun that we have had together. It is an honor that you put your
trust and faith in me and allowed me to guide this wonderful congregation. I can’t wait to see how much we continue to grow in the future and flourish.
Thank you for all of your support, all of your friendship and for inviting me to be a part of your family.
L’Shalom,
Tom
Let’s Remember
During services, we remember loved ones who left us at this time of year. By reciting the Mourner’s Kaddish in their memory, their lives continue to inspire us.
May Yahrtzeits
Mannie Adler
Fred Birns
Jack Lasater
Isaac Mitrani
Isidore Wasserman
Lillian Wasserman
Leo Zanerhaft
Jack (Stanley) Zeckel
June Yahrtzeits
Manya Baramova
Heidi Gold
Vivian Zeesman Levy
Harry Rosen
Marc Turoff
Anthony Wendel
Steven Wendel
ISJL Rabbi To Visit CEC
I S JL Rabbi To Visit Rabbi Marshal Klaven of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) will be our Etz Chaim guest Aug. 7-8. Help us welcome Rabbi Klaven on his first trip to NWA!
We are looking for members to help plan social programming for the weekend. If you are interested please contact Ida at ida@arkrealestate.com or Betsy at rosenfamily@cox.net.
To learn more about Rabbi Klaven and the ISJL please visit its website at www.isjl.org.
From The Rabbi’s Desk
By Jack Zanerhaft
Pondering Circles In Life
I love the shape of a circle. My strong suspicion is that many of us at some point or another took some time to ponder the properties of a bouncing ball, the notion of motion inherent in a car or a baby carriage tire, the roundness of the sun, moon and earth, and the circular path of numerous aspects in our own lives.
And so, as we head into May and June and beyond, all of us are experiencing and juggling various types of cycles. As an institution, CEC is putting the finishing touches on its fiscal and calendar year even as it prepares a budget for the upcoming months, plans for the next set of High Holidays, and plans for an extended period thereafter. Likewise, the Religious
School winds down an academic cycle even as we know a new and continuing curriculum awaits in the fall. We were blessed recently with a healthy number of B’nai Mitzvahs, and now we come to a point on the circle where we will have some space between simchas. Still, we see around the bend, a substantial cadre of students in an upcoming, foreseeable time, being readied for their big day. True to our theme of cycles, we know that some families will be moving away and yet, soon, other new families will rotate into our sphere of membership. For Debbye and I, our year of scheduled clergy visits comes to a close but it is not a stopping point, as we sit with our lay leadership, calendars in hand, already planning when we will meet again.
As the mega epic narrative of our holy text unfolds every Shabbat, we find our ancestors stepping slowly ever closer to the Promised Land. The chronological conclusion of actually arriving at the destination of the journey is interrupted in our circuitous pattern of Torah portions by Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but is thankfully resumed at the time of Simchat Torah, where we predictably start again at Genesis. A fledgling summer beckons, and we realize that like the symbolism of the perfect circumference of a wedding band, our lives, our loves, and our commitment to our tradition, to Judaism, and to our synagogue, truly has no beginning and no end.
Zeh Gal-gal Ha-cha-yim. This is the circle of life.
Etz Chaim Donations
Please consider Etz Chaim in your charitable giving. Donations are tax deductible and can be made to thank or honor a friend or relative, remember loved ones and friends, celebrate a special occasion. Support Etz Chaim’s mission and commitment to growing a thriving Jewish Community in NWA or to leave a legacy.
Donations can be made to following funds:
• Building Fund
• General Fund
• Simcha Fund
• Torah/Siddur Fund
• Memorial
• Memorial Wall Fund
• Religious School Fund
• Arts Alive
• Rabbi Discretionary Fund
• Mark Yekelchik Scholarship Fund
Prayer books can be donated to thank or honor a loved one, commemorate a Yahrtzeit, celebrate a birthday or anniversary and the list goes on. A bookplate will be inscribed with your message and placed inside the cover of a book. You can donate the Mishkan T’Filah Prayer Book or the Kol Hanoar Children’s Siddurim. Each book can be donated for $36.
Also include:
• which prayer book you are donating
• donated by:
• inscription for book plate
• please send acknowledgement to:
Please send your donations to: Congregation Etz Chaim, PO Box 477, Bentonville, AR 72712
Recent Giving
Mark Yekelchik Fund
• A donation was made to the Mark Yekelchik Scholarship Fund in honor of Wynnie Hoodis’ Tikkun Olam Award by the Rosen Family.
• A donation was made to the Mark Yekelchik Scholarship Fund in Memory of the yahrzeit of Mark’s father, Harry Yekelchick, by the Novick Family.
• A donation was made to the Mark Yekelchik Scholarship Fund in Memory of the yahrzeit of Mark’s mother, Lillian Yekelchik, by the Novick Family.
Religious School Fund
• A donation was made to the Religious School Fund in Memory of the yahrzeit of Mark’s mother, Lillian Yekelchik, by the Novick Family.
• A donation was made to the Religious School Fund in honor of Rabbi Jack’s FOJ Class and his patience and humor in teaching by the Stuckey Family.
• A donation was made to the Religious School Fund in honor of Rabbi Jack and Debbye and Ryan’s Bar Mitzvah by the Flynn Family.
General Fund
• A donation was made to the General Fund to thank Congregation Etz Chaim for warmly welcoming their son, David, while he is interning in Bentonville by Larry and Lynn Schwartz.
Torah/Siddur Fund
• A donation was made to the Torah/Siddur Fund in Memory of Ethel Sklar by the Rosen Family.
Upcoming Events At CEC
May 11 — Sisterhood Yoga (time and place TBD)
May 14 — Shabbat evening service with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 7 p.m.
May 15 — Shabbat morning Service with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 10 a.m.
May 15 — Torah Study followed by Havdallah with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 4:15 p.m.
May 16 — Rabbi Jack and Debbye to visit Religious School
June 11 — Shabbat evening Service with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 7 p.m.
June 12 — Shabbat morning Service with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 10 a.m.
June 12 — Torah Study followed by Havdallah with Rabbi Jack and Debbye at 4:15 p.m.
June 13 — Yearly Congregational Meeting at 10 a.m.. CEC Members Only.
Membership News
Welcome New Members
Stanford Mommaerts-Browne
Prospective Members
Do you know somebody Jewish who is new to the area or has been here for a while and wants to become part of CEC? If you do, please contact our membership chair, Rachel Marler at nrmarler@yahoo.com. It is our goal at CEC to warmly welcome and involve all Jews in our area.
2009-2010 Dues Reminder
A kindly reminder that our current 2009/2010 fiscal year is quickly coming to an end on June 30!
All membership pledges that were made in the past 10 months helped us create our past year’s operating budget and will go a long way to ensuring that we start our next fiscal year on a healthy financial footing.
If you have any questions as to the amount you have pledged and committed to CEC or the amount that you have already paid for the 2009-2010 CEC fiscal year, please contact our hard-working treasurer, Ed Gelman, at pokerstuded@yahoo.com. It is only with your financial support that CEC can continue to grow and prosper.
Simchas
Congregation Etz Chaim is thrilled to celebrate all of your simchas with you and your family.
Please contact our president, Tom Douglass, to schedule all of your celebrations, events, etc. We want to make sure that your day is special and this will eliminate any calendar conflicts.
Harrison Paull Heading To Liberia
Cadet Harrison Paull has been selected to represent the United States Air Force Academy as a member of a three-cadet team investigating war crimes during the recent Civil War in the African nation of Liberia. The program is known as; POINT to POINT, it is a Research program administered by the U.S. Military Academy. Harrison and his team members will conduct interviews with Liberian Government officials, Citizens of Liberia and United Nation Security Forces while in country. Upon returning to the United States, Harrison will have a short 10 day Leave at home with his parents. Then he will return to USAFA for the last session of Basic Cadet Training were he will assume his responsibilities as Cadet/Lieutenant Colonel in charge of Manpower.
Israeli Scouts Caravan
The Israeli Scouts caravan will be visiting us again this year. They will arrive Saturday, July 10, around lunchtime and leave on Monday morning, July 12. Tentatively, the scouts will perform at Fellowship Bible Church on Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers on Saturday night, at Pinnacle Hills Promenade during Sunday brunch and at the Boys & Girls Club on Monday morning. There will be a late afternoon pool party on Sunday for the scouts. A huge thank you goes out to Tarnya Eshel who will, once again, be coordinating and organizing the
events for the weekend, as well arranging housing for the scouts. Eight scouts need to be placed, and so far only four families have volunteered. If you would like to help with the planning and/or if you are able to “house” a Scout, please contact Tarnya at tarnyaeshel@aol.com.
Five-Year Anniversary Book
Our wonderful five-year anniversary book, The Story of a Congregation, is now available for purchase. The book tells how Congregation Etz Chaim was born and it is full of special moments, cherished memories and wonderful pictures.
The book is available in two sizes: the smaller version is 10 x 8 and the larger version is 13 x 11. Both hardcover books are made with premium paper and come with a dust jacket. If you would like to buy your own copy and own a “record” of CEC’s history, just go to http://www.blurb.com/user/EtzChaim.
Year-End Congregational Meeting
Please join us at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 13, for our Year-End Congregational Meeting. We will talk about our past fiscal year and look ahead to the upcoming year. We will also be thanking our outgoing Board Members as well voting on a new board including: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three at-large positions.
The Congregational Meeting is open to all CEC members who are in good standing.
Book Club Announces Selection
The Women’s Book Group will meet again on Monday, Sept. 20. Rickey Costrell will lead the discussion of The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time by Judith Shulevitz. We hope you will read this thought-provoking book during the summer and share your views with us. All women of Etz Chaim are invited. Time and place to be announced later. Please contact Evie Adler at evieadler@yahoo.com with any questions.
Community Outreach Announces Donation
The Community Outreach Committee is proud to announce our first donation in support of the underpriviledged in Benton County. We were able to help a young pregnant woman in Bentonville end an abusive relationship on April 14 by providing her with a $300 deposit on a new apartment for her and her two small children. Working through The Office of Human Concern, we were able to provide a much-needed resource that no other agency in the area currently provides. The recepient had to show real need and meet certian criteria so we know the money was well spent. The best part about this donation is that it is perpetual: If the woman leaves the apartment, the money can be “recycled” through the OHC and used to help another person. We will continue to offer this kind of support through the OHC as our budget allows. Your donations to the Community Outreach Fund and the profits from programs like Lox Boxes and Crown Challahs make a real difference in the lives of people right here in our neighborhood.
Thank you all so very much for supporting our efforts! If you’d like to know how to get involved in the committee, please contact Steve Crowell at spcrowell@yahoo.com.
Celebrates Passover With Seder
Thank you to ninety-eight members and guests who attended the second annual Congregation Etz Chaim Community Seder last month. It was a joyous and inspiring event, and participation by such a large number of Etz Chaim families was indeed gratifying. Special thanks go to the following who tended to the many details required to make the seder a
success: Rabbi Jack and Debbye Zanerhaft, Ida Fineberg, students of Congregation Etz Chaim Religious School, Holiday Inn of Northwest Arkansas Hotel and Convention Center staff, and the Seder Committee – Evie Adler, Tina Brandt, Betsy Rosen, Eileen Roufa, and Susie Sterling.
Religious School News
Dear Parents,
What a crazy, but wonderful Religious School year we have had. This was definitely the most challenging due to the weather. It’s hard to believe that we only have a handful of classes left before our summer break. It is at this time that I fondly look back to all the special visits, events and happenings that we’ve had at Religious School. We’ve had visits from Rabbi Jack and
Cantor Debbye, Molly Glazer from the ISJL, and the RS school students and parents from Joplin, Mo. In March, we had a great visit from Rabbi Jack and Cantor Debbye. The day was complete with a fun song session and the 3rd/4th class started a new tradition with some “Ask the Rabbi” time, which quickly turned into a “Try to Stump the Rabbi” session. In April, we
had a fantastic visit from Molly Glazer who led a Friday evening Shabbat Service and taught all the classes about the Holocaust. All the students colored butterflies that I will be sending to the Houston Holocaust Museum. The Matzoh Brie Teacher Appreciation luncheon was incredible. Thank you to Mark Levine for arranging the day. Not only did we have a chance to have some wonderful food, but my heart was truly touched by the outpouring of thanks (and great hugs) by students and parents alike.
I can’t close this letter without thanking the wonderful teachers for this year. What your children have learned is a direct product of these incredible adults who give of their time so willingly. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to Shelley Levine, Carol Stuckey, Helene Carter, Ryan Malashock, Wynnie Hoodis and Steve Crowell. I also want to send a huge thank you to all of the parents who have brought snacks, substituted, helped with all our special events and always said “yes” without any hesitation when they were asked to help with anything and everything.
Thank you for making my job so easy and my second year as Religious School director a wonderful one. I truly love what I do and it always amazes me to see how the students grow and change and all that they have learned by the end of the RS year. With that being said, I am happy to say that I will once again take on the role as RS director. I know that next year will be the best yet and I can’t wait to see all your children flourish as they continue to connect with their Jewish identity.
Sincerely,
Robyn
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