Calendar
October 2005
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Sun
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Mon
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Tue
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Wed
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Thu
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Fri
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Sat
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Oct 1
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Oct 2
KBS Board
Meeting
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Oct 3
Rosh Hashana eve
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Oct 4
Rosh Hashana
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Oct 5
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Oct 6
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Oct 7
Tashlich
Shabbat Shuvah
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Oct 8
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Oct 9
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Oct 10
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Oct 11
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Oct 12
Kol Nidre
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Oct 13
Yom Kippur
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Oct 14
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Oct 15
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Oct 16
Build
Sukkah
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Oct 17
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Oct 18
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Oct 19
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Oct 20
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Oct 21
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Oct 22
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Oct 23
Sukkot
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Oct 24
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Oct 25
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Oct 26
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Oct 27
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Oct 28
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Oct 29
SimchatTorah
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Oct 30
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Oct 31
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Services for Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat Shuvah will be conducted at
The Outrigger Keauhou Beach
Resort
78-6740 Alii Drive
, Kailua -Kona
Services for
Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur will be conducted at
The Calvary Community Church
76-4295 Leilani Street , Kailua -Kona
From Kuakini Hwy drive up Lako Street .
Take the first left turn ( Leilani
St ).
Drive to the end.
Rabbi Yossi Carron
Rabbi Yossi Carron
was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in May 2003.
It was the second most extraordinary day of his life (the first being the birth
of his daughter, Jenny, in 1986). He was born in Brooklyn, attended the High
School of Performing
Arts , graduated from Ithaca
College and moved to California
.
Rabbi Carron had a
successful entertainment company in Los Angeles
for 22 years, supplying music and entertainment
for private events: weddings, charity dinner-dances, etc. He loved singing with
the band and loved being a part of so many simchas. Music remains an integral
part of Rabbi Carron’s life on and off the bimah.
In 1986, he
adopted his daughter, Jenny, as a single father. In 1991, Rabbi Carron was
asked to serve as the cantorial soloist for the High Holy Days for the newly
formed Congregation Kol Ami. Once he began studying to prepare for this totally
unexpected privilege, emotional and spiritual doors began to open. They were
doors he did not know were even there. Five years later, on Jenny’s 11th
birthday, they both left to live for two years in Jerusalem
as he began to study to become a rabbi. He was
ordained at Hebrew Union College-LA in 2003.
To paraphrase the
rabbis, “You are not expected to complete the task, but you Are
expected to try.” Life is full of possibilities, Just
as WE are full of possibilities. Martin Buber teaches that revelation is an
ongoing possibility. In Buber’s references to God and the teachings of Judaism
there is a lesson for all of us: that no matter where we are or who we think we
may be, when we open our eyes to the possibilities around and within us,
miracles happen. Rabbi Carron believes in learning, in the inherent ability of
us all to live kind and ethical lives.
Rabbi Carron, in
addition to lecturing, teaching and leading services in Los Angeles and in
communities around the United States, works within the Los Angeles County jails
with Jewish prisoners, works with interfaith clergy groups and sits on the
boards of “Friends Outside” and of the interfaith Clergy association at the
Men’s Central Jail. Within the jails, he holds classes, leads services and
works privately with the inmates on the teshuvah
necessary for them to rebuild their lives and make some sense of their place in
this world.
His classes and
lectures in the greater Jewish community are infused with the excitement and
responsibility we all are blessed to share through the teachings of our faith.
Some of the areas that Rabbi Carron teaches include a 27 week Basic Judaism
course for adults, classes and lectures on the meaning of our prayers (with an
emphasis on how we might utilize these daily possibilities to enrich each day)
and lectures and seminars on the possibilities within the ancient teachings of
Judaism that have the power to infuse our modern lives with faith and joy and
pride.
His daughter,
Jenny, is a freshman at Boston
University
and is his greatest treasure.
In his teaching
and in his life, he looks to the traditions within Judaism that teach, as Rabbi
Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us, that there is Awe and Creation in every day.
Rabbi Carron is grateful to have been taught that “Im tirzu, enzo agadah.” “If you will it, it is not a dream.” And
life will be an extraordinary adventure.
Other Events:
There will be
additional events for us while Rabbi Carron is here, including discussion
groups and educational programs. To receive up-to-date news of these and other
events, be sure you’ve given us your e-mail address when you send in your Membership / Contribution Form. Also
keep your eye on the West Hawaii Today KBS releases each Saturday and visit our
website at www.konabethshalom.org.
Congregation Kona
Beth Shalom’s Annual Meeting
SUNday, SEPTEMber 18, from 3 – 6 pm Pavilion
#3, Old Airport
Park
The KBS Annual
Membership Meeting starts at 3 pm. Everyone is
invited. We’ll consider how we want our Congregation to move along in the
coming year and elect Trustees to our Board. If you have suggestions or if
you are interested in joining our Board, call Joel Gimpel (325-4991) and be
sure to come to the meeting. The KBS
Board of Trustees Meeting follows when we finalize plans for Shabbat and
the High Holidays. A potluck barbecue tops it all off.
Our present Board is shown below with the
dates that the trustees’ terms expire. Terms are for three years. Nominations
will be accepted at this meeting. The maximum number of Board members is
eighteen (not including the immediate past president). So far, Vivienne
Aronowitz and Marilyn Klein Anderson have been nominated for the positions that
will be vacated.
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Name of Trustee Term expires
1. Ruth Ader 5767
(2006)
2. Ruth Bernstone** 5767 (2006)
3. Michael
Bernstone* 5766 (2005)
4. Barry Blum 5768 (2007)
5. Debera First 5768 (2007)
6. Tony Franken* 5766 (2005)
7. Joel Gimpel* 5766 (2005)
8. Shari Berman 5768 (2007)
9. Erwin Myhre 5767 (2006)
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Name of Trustee Term expires
10. Alan Pollak 5767
(2006)
11. Barbara Lewis* 5766 (2005)
12. Paul Janes* 5766
(2005)
13. Lorraine Highkin 5767
(2006)
14. Una Greenaway* 5766 (2005)
15. Bob Rhée 5768
(2007)
16. Helen Salzberg 5768 (2007)
17. Sandy Wexler** 5768 (2007)
18. Michael Zola***
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* Term ending now and trustee standing for reelection. **Trustee resigning. ***Immediate past president.
the Year in Review
Our Congregation
is blessed with enormous wealth in the form of members who work hard to support
our activities and also who care about their commitment to Judaism enough to
choose to celebrate their Bar and Bat Mitzvot with us. This year’s Newsletter
is somewhat abbreviated and does not display all the wonderful details of
everyone’s activities, but it does include some of the most momentous occasions
we have had the pleasure of celebrating.
Among the most
significant and joyous events we can celebrate are the Bar and Bat Mitzvot of our children (and even of the adult members
of our community). During this past year we celebrated with:
Shari Berman on November 27, 2004,
Julie and Renee Sebag on December 25, 2004,
Ben Plaut on
May 7, 2005,
Jacob Salzberg
on July 23, 2005, and
Garnett Puett
on August 20, 2005.
Yasher
Koach to you all!! You are inspirations
to all of us!
Varieties of Jewish
Experience
This
program that takes advantage of visitors to Kona who are willing to share their
talent, wisdom or experiences with us, continued this past year with four
events on three occasions.
On
December 1, 2004, pianist Rabbi Moshe
Cotin offered his "Chronicles" Concert at the home of Leon Hyman & Alex Walter, including
historical commentary and music beautifully performed.
On
December 15, 2004, Morris Baker, our
congregation’s first spiritual leader, spoke to us about the founding of
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom. Immediately afterwards, Daniel Lasker, Professor of Jewish Studies at Ben Gurion
University, spoke to us about Maimonides at the home of Erwin & Helen Myhre. This was on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Maimonides
passing.
On
June 21, 2005, Margit Buchhalter Feldman,
Holocaust survivor and educator, spoke eloquently at the home of Erwin & Helen Myhre about her
experiences growing up in a shtetl in
Hungary . In concluding she asked us a powerful question:
“Where was the rest of the world when the Holocaust was beginning and why
didn’t anyone at least tell the Jews in Eastern Europe
what was happening?” She then charged us with
the responsibility to not be quiet when we see this occurring again, wherever
and in whatever form it may reappear.
WaKoBeS
(WAHINES Women OF KONA BETH SHALOM)
The WaKoBeS have done their usual good job for the year. Chanukah
was wonderful. Passover was a success and we are now planning for the High
Holidays.
Mahalo and Todah Rabah
We wish to thank the Outrigger
Keauhou Beach Resort for their long-term commitment of support for our
Congregation. Way back in 1985, it was at the original Keauhou Beach Hotel that
we dedicated our precious Torah just after it arrived here from Westminster
Synagogue in England
where it was restored after having been
discovered in a warehouse in Prague
, Czechoslovakia
. Even before that, our congregation met at
this wonderful local hotel, courtesy of their manager. After moving around to
different locales during the 90s, we returned in January 2000 and have been
happy to gather there ever since. Whenever visitors come to Kona, we never
hesitate to encourage them to stay there. They are always guaranteed a warm
local reception from the friendly staff and a comfortable stay.
We also want to thank
the Calvary Community Church and Pastor David Rees-Thomas for their
gracious offer of hospitality this year when we observe Kol Nidre and Yom
Kippur. We commend them for observing the mitzvah of welcoming the stranger, in
this case, us, into their holy sanctuary during this sacred time in our
calendar.
HEBREW AND TORAH STUDY (HATS)
Waimea Children’s Group
Neil Soicher’s Waimea class met most Wednesdays between September
and May 2005, usually with five to six students attending. Jacob Salzberg was the Bar Mitzvah from that class. The class met
at the home of Sara & Charles
Salzberg for the first half of the year, and at the home of Sharon & Tony Barrett for the
second half. Classes resume on September 14 at the home of Sharon &
Tony.
Kona Adult Education Group
The
class met through the spring of 2005 on Wednesday afternoons with prayer book
Hebrew along with some modern vocabulary as the focus. In the fall of 2004, Harriet Lopez, Alice Bratton and Sandy Wexler spent time working on the
blessing before the Torah reading for their aliyah at Shari Berman’s Bat Mitzvah. In the
spring of 2005, loyal regular Harriet
Lopez moved to the Mainland and classes went on hiatus for a while. Things
picked up again in May with Sandy Wexler
back in the group. In June, we decided to try coupling the class with a Jewish
Studies group. On the first and third Saturday mornings of June we met at
Sandy’s and followed basic Hebrew study at 9:30 am, with a discussion of the
week’s Torah portion following at 10:30. Richard
Chamberlain came all the way from the other side to join us. On June 18, David Weinberg, a Jewish studies
professor from Wayne State University in Detroit
, led us in discussion. In July, we moved to Shari Berman &
Alice Bratton’s house and welcomed a
dozen people, half adults and half children. Most recently, Yehudah Plaut led a discussion on “Why
Jews Think the Way We Do.” The group plans to meet on convenient Saturdays in
the future. We have created a Yahoo Groups site called KBSJewishStudies where you may look for relevant announcements. Go
to “http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KBSJewishStudies/”. Shari Berman is coaching Marilyn
Anderson on her Bat Mitzvah portion and welcomes other interested parties
to join us for basic Hebrew reading and review on Thursday afternoons at 1 pm. Call
Shari at
322-0659 for information on this and all other HATS activities.
In Memoriam
Jerry & Judy Rothstein. Jerry, a 1958 graduate in sociology from Brooklyn
College , and Judy, a graduate of Smith
College , moved to Hawaii
in 1970. For the next 35 years they tirelessly
served our island as “citizens doing citizens’ work.” At every event worthy of
attendance, they were there together “doing” and thus giving of themselves.
They had a unique and amazing ability to multiply their efforts by getting
others involved, fighting the good fight. They were tireless in organizing and
bringing others along; whether it was to stand up and testify at public
hearings, to write that letter to the newspaper or congressman, to pick up
trash along the highway, or to support the Library book drive. Along the way
they raised two beautiful children, Natan, the Big
Island ’s first Bar Mitzvah – now living in Israel
, and Ann – who still lives in Hawaii
. Jerry & Judy were founders of Congregation
Kona Beth Shalom, were leaders of the New Thought Fellowship and were dear
friends to those who knew them.
Ernest &
Gearetta Wefelmeyer, two visitors to the Big
Island from Minneapolis
. We never met this senior couple but we mourn
their passing and have faith that in their final resting place in Israel, their
spirits will have met and come to make peace and friendship with Jerry &
Judy Rothstein who passed in that same automobile collision.
Sarah Rosenberg. Sarah was the student body
president at Kealakehe
High
School . She was an athlete. She was involved with the West Hawaii
4H organization since
she was 7. An inspiration to her classmates, friends and family, Sarah had
chosen to be an organ donor when she got her license and as a result, a man on Oahu
in dire medical
condition received Sarah's liver and has recovered from the transplant. A woman
in Jacksonville received Sarah's kidneys.
The Rosenberg family is establishing
several scholarships in Sarah's name. “Sarah was happiest when she was helping
people -- specifically children," Phil Rosenberg said. "We wanted
everyone to know that what Sarah enjoyed doing, what she loved doing, was
helping others and she will continue to do it."
Mildred Sigler. Beloved mother, grandmother and friend, Mildred
passed away on ___ in ___ New York
. Marrying her sweetheart Ed after he was
discharged from the Army, they moved to upstate New York
. After moving to Kona in the 1980s, the Siglers
were active in our congregation for many years. The couple returned to New
York State
for several years and returned to Kona in 19__.
When Ed became ill in 2001, Mildred was his strength and support. She
maintained a positive outlook on life even after Ed’s passing and insisted on
remaining here to enjoy her life with friends. Even after becoming ill herself
and returning to New York for surgery, she came back to her beloved Kona. Earlier
this year, Mildred returned to New York
for the final time.
Leona Salzano. Jan Rae's mom, fondly called the "Dragon
Lady," passed with Jan at her side on June 1, after a long illness. Leona,
the first female mail handler employed by the U.S, Postal Service and a welder
in the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II, had her name in many ships. Two
of her recipes, "The Dragon Lady's Blintzes" and "The Dragon
Lady's Rum Balls" appear in the New Millennium Edition of the KBS Shaloha
Cookbook. Leona raised four successful daughters: Fran Irizarry, Jan Rae (Joel
Gimpel), Karelle (Tony) Reitano, and Michelle Keappock. She is also
survived by seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
May their memories always be a blessing
for their friends, their families,
and for all of us.
A Pur
Verter from the Congregation’s President
I am
impressed with how our congregation continues to grow.
We
have more students now, young and older, and have celebrated more than a few Bar
and Bat Mitzvot thanks to our educational programs. Bar/Bat Mitzvah means that
individuals are making the public commitment to take upon themselves the
obligations of being a Jew in the world; this is a powerful statement. Our
community can take pride in their intentions.
We are
growing into the northern reaches of our island. The North Hawaii Chavurah led
by Vivienne Aronowitz just
celebrated their one year anniversary. Friends and families who cannot easily
come down to Kona gather in Waimea for education and fellowship regularly. Neil Soicher teaches the HATS program
there. Our Simchat Torah celebrations in Waimea or Waikoloa bring together Jews
from all around the island.
Once a
month observance of Shabbat is not enough even in Kona as Sandy Wexler discovered. Now, Shari
Berman & Alice Bratton are hosting the
in-between Shabbat Chavurah get-togethers at their home.
More
individuals are reading Torah, including Barbara
Lewis, Aviva Plaut, Shari
Berman, Yehudah Plaut and Neil Soicher. Maybe
one reason for this is that Alan Pollak
so cheerfully offers blessings to each and every aliyah. More individuals are
leading services, including Judi
Steinman & Paul Janes.
Our
Shabbat musical accompaniment has grown with Yehudah Plaut adding his sweet guitar accompaniment to Joel Gimpel's virtuoso violin during
our services.
Our
Congregation’s outreach into our local communities is growing. Judi Steinman & Paul Janes have
organized a regular program of donations to the Hawaii Island Food Bank. Paul has
also been serving as one of Hilo Medical
Center
’s chaplains,
an experience that he is discovering is transforming his life. Kona’s Traveling Jewish Wedding Band
has been representing our congregation at Kona’s Thanksgiving Eve Interfaith
Worship Services. Barbara Lewis has
been representing our congregation at the Memorial Day Service at the Veterans
Cemetery
. Josh Green was elected as Representative to Hawaii
’s State Legislature. Our website continues
to grow, reaching out to the whole world, thanks to Yehuda Plaut.
Our
growth has extended even to Portland, Oregon where earlier this year, our
grandson Zachary Joseph Chaim was born to Michelle “Katie” Blum & Mike Puckett,
and we are all so happily grateful and proud!
I
cannot tell you how gratifying it is to me when I come to services and see “the
regulars” who show up month after month helping to get things set up, bringing
the books, the Aron HaKodesh, the Torah, the wine, the challah, the potlucks,
and most of all, their shining spirits. If I mention just a few names, I might
be accused of ignoring others so I beg your forgiveness if I missed someone,
but I cannot hold back from thanking Aviva,
Yehudah, Ma’ayan & Ben Plaut, Alan Pollak, Erwin & Helen Myhre, Michael
Jakl, Ruth & Mike Bernstone, Joel Gimpel, Shari Berman & Alice Bratton,
Judi Steinman & Paul Janes, as well as Ruth Ader, Ruth Glatt, Lorraine Highkin, Moshe Rapaport, Debera First, and Jan Rae. And I could not do a mere
part of what I do without the assistance, support and love of my love and my
wife, Gloria Blum.
With
this growth we may be getting closer to the maturity we require for
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom to have our own home. The logistics of running our
services, our schools and simchas are
becoming more complex. We will have to move ourselves in the middle of our High
Holidays because NBC Broadcasting needs our space to cover the Ironman
Triathlon. Even though the good people at the Keauhou Beach Hotel did inform us well in advance, this caused
considerable stress as we searched for an alternative locale. The good news is
that we rediscovered our good friends at the Calvary Community Church. They welcomed us into their sanctuary
with wide open hearts. But is the mere desire for convenience enough to lead us
to find a permanent home for our congregation? Could it be as lovely as the
Keauhou Beach Hotel setting? Could it be as convenient? And are their enough of
us to do all that is required to find, or build, run and maintain and
financially support a place of our own? Soon, maybe soon.
Barry
We look forward to 5766 being a good year
for all of us.
On behalf of all the members of
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom,
we
wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year --- L'Shana Tovah Tikateivu!!!
That's the news, folks. This
is the story of your Congregation, Kona Beth Shalom.
If you like what you read
about here, then join us for the coming year.
If you have new ideas, share
them with us.
Send in your Membership Application / Contribution Form
now
We are not
complete without you!
CONGREGATION
KONA BETH SHALOM
Membership Application / Contribution Form
5765 (Sep. 2004 - Sep. 2005)
Your
name:________________________________________________________________
Name
of Spouse or Partner:___________________________________________________
Children
under 18, with names and dates of birth:__________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________ e-mail:_________________
Town:
_________________________________
State :___________
Zip:_______________
Home
phone:_________________ Work phone:_______________
Fax:________________
please please print all the above clearly
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Membership
Contribution:
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Suggested Non-Member
Contribution:
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Sustaining
Membership
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$360
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High
Holiday Services only
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$50 per person
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Family
Membership
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$250
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High
Holiday Services (Kama'aina)
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$25 per person
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Single
Membership
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$150
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Children under 18
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complementary
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At Yizkor, please remember the following
persons:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Yizkor
Contribution $18 (or any amount): $ _________
Hebrew
and Torah Studies (HATS)
Children’s Hebrew
Education Program: $
_________
Building
Fund Contribution: $ _________
Total enclosed: $ _________
Please make your check payable to Congregation Kona Beth Shalom and mail it along with this
Application to:
Michael Bernstone
68-3840 Lua Kula St. #E 204
Waikoloa ,
HI 96738
No one will be turned away from Services
for inability to pay.
Please call Barry Blum (322-6004) or
Joel Gimpel (325-4991) if you have any questions.
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