Still
a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, the Rabbi reports that his golf game is on
the rocks despite the present of brand new clubs last year. If you will be
visiting Hong Kong, you can be
part of Rabbi Shapiro’s congregation where he will be the rabbi during the
month of March 2002.
The Kona Beth Shalom Annual Meeting
Sunday, September 9, starting at 2 pm
Old Airport Park, Pavilion #3
At the
(northern) end of the Old Airport, just before the end of the runway,
there is a double pavilion (#3), near the restrooms. The KBS Annual
Meeting starts there at 2 pm. The Board of Trustees meeting follows (at
about 2:45 pm). Everyone is invited. Then comes the picnic and music.
We get together at this time to consider how we want our Congregation to
move along in the coming year. We elect our Board of Trustees, and our
Board will then elect our Officers. If you have suggestions or if you are
interested in joining our Board, call Barry Blum (322-6004) and be sure to
come to the meeting.
Our present Board is shown below, with the dates that the positions
expire. The term of any Trustee elected or re-elected now will expire in
5765, in September 2004. New nominations will be accepted at this meeting.
The maximum number of Board members is eighteen (not including the
immediate past president).
1.
Ruth Bernstone *5762
(September 2001)
8.
Barbara Lewis
5763 (September 2002)
2.
Barry Blum
*5762 (September 2001)
9.
Erwin Myhre
5764 (September 2003)
3.
Morty Breier
5764 (September 2003)
10. Janice Rabkin
5764 (September 2004)
4.
Ruth Ader Cawn 5764
(September 2003)
11. Bob Rhée
*5762 (September 2001)
5.
Debera First
5764 (September 2004)
12. Helen Salzberg
*5762 (September 2001)
6.
Joel Gimpel
5763 (September 2002)
13. Ed Sigler
5763 (September 2002)
7.
Lorraine Highkin 5764
(September 2003)
14. Michael Zola
5763 (September 2002)
*
Term is ending now. Trustee is standing for reelection
(immediate past president)
Monday, September 17, at 6:30 pm, and
Tuesday,
September 18, at 10 am
keauhou
beach hotel – kahalu‘u ballroom
Rosh
Hashana marks the time when we
Jews begin our annual process of renewal. We hear the sound of the shofar
announcing the birthday of the world. We can use this special time to renew
and revitalize our connections with our families and friends. New Years
Resolutions have a special meaning for us as we seek inspiration for the
coming years and also use the ten “Days of Awe” from Rosh Hashana to Yom
Kippur to ask forgiveness from people we may have offended. The greeting at
this time is:
L'shana tovah tikateivu (May you be written into the Book of Life).
Friday, September 21, at
6 pm, Kalanikai Pavilion and
Saturday,
September 22, at
10 am, Secret Garden
Shabbat
Tshuvah (between Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur) is the “Sabbath of the
(Re-) Turning.” As is every Sabbath, it is a day of rest,
contemplation and rejuvenation. This particular Shabbat can be the awesome
time to return and reconnect to our heritage and to the gifts we were given
and have only to claim. Rabbi Shapiro
will lead us on both Friday evening and Saturday morning. There will be a
potluck supper after Friday night services. On Saturday morning we will also
celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Ed
Sigler. He recently turned 90 years old. It's never too late! A special
kiddush with bagels and lox will be provided.
Tashlich
is the service conducted at the water’s edge when we throw bits of bread
or lint into the ocean as a symbolic act of casting sins away. After the
Saturday morning Shabbat Service we will walk to the ocean to perform this
simple but meaningful ceremony.
Wednesday, September 26, at
6 pm
Thursday, September 27, at
10 am
keauhou beach hotel - kahalu‘u ballroom
As
the sun sets on Wednesday evening we chant the Kol
Nidre, a prayer written in ancient Aramaic containing a formula
that asks God's forgiveness for any oaths or vows we have made to God that
we have failed to keep. Our greeting changes to L'shana
tovah tikateivu ve teichateimu or Gemar
chatima tovah (May you be sealed into the Book of Life)
because tradition tells us that we have until sundown on Yom Kippur before
the Book of Life is finally sealed for the coming year.
Yom
Kippur is the most solemn day in
the Jewish calendar. We start fasting at sundown on Wednesday evening and
continue until sundown Thursday to enable us to remain focused and free of
distraction. We own up to our behaviors of the past year and we think about
commitments we made, not just to others, but also to ourselves and to our
God. The Yom Kippur service begins at 10 am. There will be a break at around
1 pm and Rabbi Shapiro will remain to be available for discussions.
At
4 pm we reconvene for Yizkor
(the Memorial Service). When you send in your Membership Application /
Contribution Form, please include the names of family or friends
you wish to have remembered so that Rabbi Shapiro can recite their names at
this time. Many people like to observe the tradition of donating tzedaka
(charity) in the name of their loved ones.
Neilah
is the concluding service for Yom Kippur. We in Hawaii have a profound
responsibility at this time; our congregations are the last on the planet to
perform this service before the Book of Life is sealed for another year. We
get to put in the last word, so to speak. When the sun has set, we will
break the fast together with light snacks hosted by the WaKoBeS
(Wahines of Kona Beth Shalom) and Lorraine
Highkin in memory of her granddaughter, Talia
Miller.
Friday, September 28, at 6 pm, Kalanikai Pavilion
Saturday, September 29, at
10 am, Secret Garden, keauhou beach hotel
KBS
will resume end-of-the-month Shabbat Services to continue throughout the year on the
last full weekend of each month. Volunteers in our community conduct the
different portions of these services. We’re always looking for new people
to share their knowledge with us at these events.
On
Friday evening, September 28, Rabbi
Shapiro will lead the Shabbat Service and then after the potluck he will
lead us in the discussion technique he developed called “Searchers.”
This method enables people to bond through prayer and sharing, discuss a
short text from the Bible and apply it to their lives. He shared this
technique with us last year and we’re looking forward to another
fascinating session this year
Sukkot
begins on Monday evening, October 1, and continues for a full week. Shmini Atzeret starts one week later and Simchat
Torah begins on Tuesday evening, October 9, continuing through
the next day. At the time this Newsletter goes to press, we have not yet
firmed up plans for these holidays, so keep your eye on the West Hawaii
Today KBS release on Fridays. To receive up-to-date news of this and other
events, be sure you’ve given us your e-mail address when you send in your Membership / Contribution Form.
The
Kona Beth Shalom Board of Trustees
It
has always seemed quite remarkable that our small congregation has been able
to get so many things done for so many people each year. The reason this is
possible is that one particular group of folks, KBS’s Board of Trustees,
gets together every month and not only plans these events, but makes them
happen. Ruth Bernstone, Barry Blum, Morty Breier, Ruth Ader Cawn, Joel Gimpel,
Lorraine Highkin, Barbara Lewis, Erwin Myhre, Bob Rhée, Helen Salzberg,
Rosemary Sevilla, Ed Sigler and
Michael Zola were the Board members at the start of 5761. Because
Rosemary Sevilla was on the mainland for most of the year and couldn’t
attend Board meetings, the Board declared the position vacant and expressed
deep appreciation for her contributions to the congregation and community.
This past February, Debra First
joined the Board and in July, Janice
Rabkin was also elected.
We
thank the officers of our Board for doing so much, including Barry
Blum for preparing agendas and chairing the Board meetings, Joel
Gimpel for recording and publishing Board meeting minutes, Ruth
Bernstone and Ruth Ader for
being co-treasurers, Ruth Bernstone
for doing our financial reports, and Morty
Breier as Vice-President for filling in where required. We extend to all
of them our warmest appreciation as we do to the spouses of all our
trustees: Sherrill Cawn, Michael
Bernstone, Gloria Blum, Karen Breier, Jan Rae (Gimpel), Harry Highkin, Helen
Myhre, Harriet Rhée, Bob Salzberg, Helen Sigler, Susanne Zola and Les Rabkin. This congregation could not be what it is today if it
were not for everything that all these folks contributed.
the
Year in Review. Do
you remember?
A
moving and informative Art Show entitled “Biblical
Heroines,” by Holit Bat-Edit,
was presented on September 9, in Hilo.
The
WaKoBeS and KAHEA
co-sponsored the performance of Gloria
Blum’s musical radio play, “The
Trial of Sarah” as a prelude to the High Holy Days. The play, with Mikel
Estrin’s music orchestrated by Jonathan
Marmelzat, was presented at the Kona Outdoor Circle on September 24, to
a packed house.
KBS
members were invited to celebrate Succoth
at the home of Dr. Michael &
Sandra Kroll, in Lapahoehoe on October 15.
Our
first Art, Antique & Craft Fair
was conducted on October 21 at the Keauhou Shopping Center,
thanks to the hard work of Erwyn
Myhre and Carolyn Blann. By
all standards, including community participation, enjoyment of the process
and money raised for the congregation, the event was a great success. Kona’s Travelling Jewish Wedding Band provided musical
entertainment.
In
October, Joan and Jerry Shapiro
provided a generous donation to KBS earmarked for the KBS Library. As we do not yet have a building in which to house our
library, this donation inspired us to start a virtual library. Members with their own Jewish libraries have
already (and are still asked to) provided lists of their books. The names of
these books will be displayed on the KBS
web site being designed by Marc
“Bernie” Bernstone, son of Michael
& Ruth Bernstone. Persons wishing to read or borrow these books will
then be able to contact those members. Bob
Feldman, Morty Breier, Ruth Bernstone and Barry Blum have been developing this project, and we received
another contribution in January from Mr.
& Mrs. Paul Widem to help finance the work. The web site, www.konabethshalom.org,
will include a History and Description of KBS, Services and Events,
Membership and Donations, President's Page, Virtual Jewish Library, WaKoBeS,
AlteKaKoBeS, Shaloha Cookbook, Shadchen Page, Drushes, Annual Newsletter,
Links, and more.
On
October 22 we conducted our Annual
Membership Meeting at the Aston Keauhou Beach Resort. The members voted
to amend our bylaws to permit non-Jewish spouses and life partners of
members to join as family members and to allow all members all of the
rights, privileges and obligations of membership, including the right to
vote, hold office and serve on the Board.
In
November, Kona’s 2nd Annual Interfaith
Thanksgiving Service was conducted at the Hongwongi Mission in Kealakekua. Barry & Gloria Blum provided a presentation on behalf of KBS. Morty
Breier presented on behalf of the New
Thought Center.
In
December, KBS and KAHEA jointly hosted what may have been the largest
gathering of Jews ever seen in Kona when we conducted our annual Chanukah Party at the Aston Keauhou Beach Hotel. The WaKoBeS
sponsored this event, and were assisted by Lorraine
Highkin, Gloria Blum, Ruth Glatt, Ruth Ader, Erwin & Helen Myhre, Karen
Breier and many more. Kona’s
Traveling Jewish Wedding Band provided the music as everyone danced the
hora! Jacqui Marlin and Holit
Bat-Edit read the Chanukah story; the children played with dreydles,
there were latkes galore (though maybe not enough), and other treats. See
Karen’s WaKoBeS Report (below)
for more details.
Rabbi
Jack Frankel of San Francisco led the Shabbat morning service on December 23. Elyse
Silverberg, the president of Kehillat
Beijing, visited us for that service and shared some of her experiences
with us from the People’s Republic
of China, and what it’s like to run a Jewish congregation there
(sounded similar to here). Her husband manufactures sportswear. In case
you’re wondering about the models in the photos showing off that
sportswear at Wal-Mart, they’re the members of Kehillat Beijing.
The
New Millennium started most
auspiciously with the wedding of Una
Greenaway & Leon Rosner on January 1 at their home and
coffee farm. Dr. Barry Blum &
Gloria Blum officiated, Kona’s
Traveling Jewish Wedding Band entertained, and everyone agreed that it
was an absolutely beautiful day, in every way.
At
our Friday evening Shabbat Service in February, Debera First introduced us to an upcoming course on Kabbalah,
and the program started formally under KAHEA’s auspices on February 23.
Debera will resume these classes in October. Call her at 327-1333 for
details.
We
celebrated the Bat Mitzvah of Fern
Kane at our February 24, Shabbat Service. Fern read her portion from the
Torah in Hebrew, and her husband, Larry,
explained it (in English). Jacques
Sebag assisted with additional reading, Kawika
Sebag read the Haftorah portion, and Morty
Breier presented Fern with a carved koa-wood plaque from the
congregation. At the reception hosted by Fern and Larry, Kona’s
Traveling Jewish Wedding Band and Julie
and Robert Sebag provided musical entertainment. Fern graciously
presented the congregation with a donation to underwrite the cost of
printing the next edition of KBS’s
Shaloha Cookbook, to be edited again by Karen
Breier.
That
was also the first occasion when we used our new Aron HaKodesh for Saturday morning services. Here’s the story:
In
1985, when we acquired our Torah Scroll from the Jewish Federation we needed
an Ark (Aron Kodesh) to store and display the scroll. The
Jewish Congregation of Maui loaned us their old Ark. Among the folks who
put it into shape was our congregation’s cabinet-maker-in-chief, Joe
Rosner.
This
Ark served us well over the years but it was beginning to show its age. Two
years ago, we asked Morty Breier to prepare a design for a new Aron Kodesh. Because the
Ark would have to be moved in and out of whatever area we used as our
Sanctuary we thought that the new design should be more easily
transportable, somewhat like the original Ark of the Covenant that was
carried in and out of ancient synagogues.
For
last year’s High Holidays, Erwyn Myhre lined the Ark with velvet cloth. Earlier this year, Morty
Breier and Joe Rosner completed plans for the new Aron Kodesh. Joe then built
the new Aron Kodesh for us incorporating the old Ark. Koa-wood used for the
project was donated by Morton Bassan.
The beautifully carved Tablets of the Law were removed and placed on the
doors of the new Ark. The top half of the new Aron was first used at our
December 2000 services. In February, the top and the bottom were put
together for Fern Kane’s Bat Mitzvah. In May, Morty added carved plaques with KBS’
logo onto the bottom cabinet doors. We expect that the final touches on the
Ark, including wooden railings and finials, will be in place in time for
this year’s High Holidays. It is already a masterpiece!
The
main funding for this project was bequeathed to Kona Beth Shalom by a man
who had been part of Kona’s Jewish Community for many years but who wished
to remain anonymous.
In March, Debera
First and her mother, Florence
Mandel, donated new Gates of
Prayer Siddurim to the Congregation in honor of the first birthday of Leo Schlesinger, Debera’s grandson and Florence’s great
grandson.
The
KBS Men’s Club, dubbed the “AlteKaKoBeS”
held its first meeting on April 2. “Alte” means in this case, sage or
wise. “Ka” refers to “kane” (men). “KoBeS” refers to Kona Beth
Shalom. The group’s purposes and objectives include the promotion of
fellowship and service to the congregation and community. The group is
prepared to meet again at any time, as soon as they find a reason to do so.
On
April 7, we conducted our Community
Seder at the Aston Keauhou Beach Hotel. As in years past, Barry
Blum and Michael Zola teamed
up to conduct the service. The evening was a great success thanks in a large
part to the meticulous preparations for the event by Ruth Ader, Lorraine Highkin, Jan Rae, Karen Breier, Mark Cohen, Erwin
& Helen Myhre, and Michael
Zola’s office staff, Gwen and
Lee. Joel Gimpel, Mikel Estrin, Gloria Blum and
Barry Blum provided special music.
On
May 23, The Varieties of Jewish
Experience Series collaborated with the Cutting
Edge Symposium to present an evening with Rabbi
Gideon Yehuda Sorokin of Tiburon, California and Cantor Vladimir Zeev Zagotsky at the Holuakoa Café in Holualoa. The rabbi spoke about the current
situation in Israel regarding Jewish-Arab relations. Cantor Zagotsky offered
a concert of music in Hebrew, Russian, English and Italian. Judy Olson, Joel Gimpel, Barry Blum and Matt Binder, of Kona’s
Traveling Jewish Wedding Band, accompanied him.
WaKoBeS
Report
Another
great year for the WaKoBeS! We started the year with our High Holiday
wonderful, round raisin challahs baked by Ruth
Ader and Ruth Bernstone. Helen Myhre and Lois-ellin
Datta supplied challas for the rest of the Services. Elyse Burkhalter and Jan
Fradenburg prepared the apples and honey for the traditional treat after
the Shabbat Services. Our "Break the Fast" after Yom Kippur was
again hosted by the WaKoBeS and Lorraine
Highkin in loving memory of her granddaughter, with lots and lots of lox
and bagels and all the trimmings. Ruth
Bernstone baked four honey cakes. Other goodies were prepared by Gloria
Blum, Jan Rae and even Marshall Blann.
Our
Chanukah Party was attended by close to 200 people (we were prepared for
125). We are grateful to KAHEA for the decorations. Ruth
Glatt and Ruth Ader were
there early to put them up when the steady stream of guests started
arriving. Holit Bat-Edit and Jacqui Marlin presented the Chanukah story while all the candles
were glowing. Lorraine, Jan Rae
and I kept the food moving on and off the tables while the talented Gloria
and The Traveling Jewish Wedding Band entertained and the children spun
the dreidles. It got a little hectic but we learned a few valuable lessons
and gained much wisdom for future Chanukah parties. Please join us this year
for another fun event.
We
made a donation to KAHEA to help them purchase some much-needed bookshelves
and a small computer table. KAHEA invited the WaKoBeS to a breakfast
reception of yummy treats and to their Hebrew and Torah classes. It was a
sweet and informative morning. Thanks to Sharona
Lomberg and all of the KAHEA ladies. Holit
Bat-Edit has been successful in her showings of her project of "Biblical Heroines" sculpture, video and CD ROM. Way to
go, Holit!
Thanks
to WaKoBeS hosts, Ruth Ader, Una
Greenaway, Jan Rae and The Dome
Home (my home) for hosting our meetings this past year. A special thanks
to Lois-ellin Datta for writing our informative and exciting
newsletters.
A
big thank you to all of the challah queens and a king: Ruth
Ader, Ruth Bernstone, Helen Myhre, Lois-ellin Datta, Renee Sebag, Una
Greenaway, me, Lorraine's freezer supply and to Jerry
Klaz. It's this kind of participation that makes us such a haimish
congregation.
I
would like to thank all the WaKoBeS for contributing their time, energy and
love so that we can continue to support KBS activities and our sister
WaKoBeS. It has been a joyful experience to serve as the WaKoBeS president
for the past five years. I wish the best to my newly elected successor, Una
Greenaway Rosner.
Karen Breier
Other
News
We
learned from Erwyn Myhre that Tony Franken is eager to carry articles that were to be offered at
the KBS Antique Show, at his new store, Tropical
Trading (tel: 326-9775). Located at 74-5599 Luhia, #F6, Kailua-Kona,
below and behind Emma’s Flowers and Sound Wave Music in the old industrial
area, the store is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. Besides
antiques and collectibles, Tropical
Trading will be able to carry other items for us such as candles,
mezzuzot, menorahs and other Judaica. Stop by and visit when you’re in the
neighborhood.
Would
you believe there are Jews up in North
Hawaii? In fact there are many! This past Spring
Sarah Nealy, Alan Axelrod, Karen Rosen and
Nina Perrell organized a Passover Seder that was attended by over 50
people. They are planning a Kohala
Chanukah Festival for Sunday, December 9, which will include Chanukah
music, latkes, music and Israeli dancing. If you want more information about
Jewish activities in North Hawaii call Sarah
Nealy at 889-6337 or Alan Axelrod
at 889-5587.
If
you’ve attended any recent performances by Kona’s
Traveling Jewish Wedding Band, you may have noticed a new guitarist, Matt Binder. Matt and his wife, Lynn Beittel, moved here from the Bay Area last year having worked
as journalists and videographers for the Bay Area Holocaust Oral History
Project. They are available to produce Oral
Histories for families and individuals here in Kona. They have already
done some lovely video of the Band and of couples married by Barry and
Gloria. If you would like further information about this opportunity,
contact Matt at 322-3992 (mattbinder@aol.com).
Newsletter 2001