Calendar

September - October 2007

5768 High Holy Day Rabbi

Rabbi Daniel Lev

Daniel Lev began serving the Jewish communities in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area 25 years ago.  As both a Rabbi and Maggid (storytelling teacher), he was inspired by his mentors, Rabbis Shlomo Carlebach (z'l), and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, to dedicate himself to sharing the wild joy and earthy delight of Jewishness with everyone.  He uses song, story, Jewish ritual, meditation, and lots of jokes to convey the everyday holiness of Jewish tradition.  Rabbi Lev is also a chronic pain psychologist for the Kaiser community.

To schedule a Monday, Sept 10 counseling session with Rabbi Lev, call Shari: 322-0659.

Wednesday, Sep 12, at 6:00 pm                                                                     Calvary Community Church

Thursday, Sep 13, at 10:00 am                                                                                                                                          

Rosh Hashanah 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 and 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 Hashanah 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 14, at 5:00 pm                           Keauhou Beach Resort – Kalanikai Pavilion

Shabbat Shuvah (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) is the “Sabbath of the (Re-) Turning.” A day of rest, contemplation and rejuvenation, as is every Sabbath, this particular Shabbat is the awesome time to return and reconnect to our heritage and to the gifts we were given and have only to claim. (No Saturday Service.)

Tashlich is the ceremony 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. We will start at 5 pm.

Friday, September 21, at 6:00 pm                                                               Calvary Community Church

Saturday, September 22, at 10:00 am                                                                                                                         

As the sun sets on Friday evening we chant the Kol Nidre, a prayer written in ancient Aramaic containing a formula that asks Gd's forgiveness for any oaths or vows we have made to Gd 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 Friday evening and continue until sundown Saturday 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 Gd. The Yom Kippur service begins at 10:00 am. There will be a break at around 1:00 pm and Rabbi Lev will lead an afternoon discussion session.

Yizkor (the Memorial Service) begins at 4:00 pm when we reconvene. When you send in your Membership Application / Contribution Form, please include the names of family and friends you wish to have remembered so that Rabbi Lev 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 as 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. After the sun has set we will break the fast together with light snacks hosted by the WaKoBeS and Lorraine Highkin in memory of her granddaughter, Talia Miller.

Sunday September 23 　We gather to build the Sukkah.                                                                                        

Friday, September 28 at 6:00 pm

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 at 10:00 am              Helen and Erwin Myhre’s Home,   KAILUA-KONA

Sukkot begins on Wednesday evening, September 26, and continues for a full week. We will celebrate the holiday on Friday, September 28 for our regular Shabbat Eve service and Saturday, September 29 for our morning service in Kailua-Kona at the home of Helen and Erwin Myhre. For directions, please call 325 5140. We will gather under the Sukkah with the traditional lulav and esrog. Bring potluck to share on Friday night.  The Saturday service will include our usual Kiddush.

Sunday, October 7, from 2 – 5 pm                                                                      WaiMEA yMCA TOWN HALL

This is Hawaii’s sixth island-wide Simchat Torah Celebration in North Hawaii. Last year’s celebration was canceled at the last minute because of the earthquake. Everyone from all over the Big Island is invited. Every person attending will receive an aliyah and we will be unrolling and re-rolling our beautiful Torah Scrolls. We’ll have the opportunity to literally dance with the Torahs accompanied by music from Kona’s Traveling Jewish Wedding Band. Bring the children! They will also receive aliyot.  There will be a snack/dessert potluck afterwards.

Other Exciting Events:

There are additional events planned with Rabbi Lev, including discussion groups and educational programs:

Monday, September 10, at 7:30 pm, High Holiday Sing-in with Rabbi Lev at the home of Joel Gimpel and Jan Rae, call 325-4991 for directions. Come practice the tunes and words in preparation for Rosh Hashanah.

Thursday, September 13, following services, Oneg sponsored by Ruth and Jason Kantrowitz in honor of the birth and  naming of their daughter Emma, at the home of  Aviva and Yehudah Plaut, call 322-9860 for directions.

Friday, September 14, at 11:00 am, Rosh Hashanah Study session with Rabbi Lev and Malka Walkover (Rebbetzin) at the home of Shari Berman and Alice Bratton, Potluck, RSVP/directions: 322-0659

Thursday, September 20, at 7:30 pm, yom kippur workshop with Rabbi Lev and Malka Walkover (Rebbetzin) The rabbi and rebbetzin will lead us in spiritual preparation for Yom Kippur.

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

The KBS Annual Meeting will take place prior to Friday night services on October 26 at 4:30pm at the Keauhou Beach Hotel, Kalanikai Pavilion. 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.

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).

the Year in Review -- Do you remember?

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 Mitzvah with us. This year’s Newsletter does not display all the wonderful details of everyone’s activities but does include some of the most momentous occasions we have had the pleasure of celebrating.

What a year this has been! Since our November 5, 2006 Annual Meeting, at which we elected Ruth Glatt and Noah Salzman and reelected Ruth Ader, Lorraine Highkin, Erwin Myhre and Alan Pollak to our Board of Trustees, we’ve had many events to celebrate. Our High Holiday services were led by Rabbi Yossi Carron of Los Angeles, who inspired us with his superb musical talents and his unique ability to reach out and offer pastoral counseling and friendship to many, many members of our community. We built a marvelous Sukkah at Erwin and Helen Myhre’s home and celebrated under it. Simchat Torah was planned at the Waikoloa Elementary cafetorium on October 15, but the formidable earthquake that rocked us made that event impossible. The medical professionals from our congregation rushed to the hospital to help with the ensuing injuries.

We gathered at the end of October for the first of several B’nei Mitzvah that took place in the last year. October was the adult Bar Mitzvah of KBS trustee Paul Janes. Paul led the entire service. Throughout the year, we celebrated the Bar and Bat Mitzvah of local residents and visitors, including: Madison Blau, Sierra Manker, Richard Chamberlin, Justin Garfield and Samuel Luchsinger.

December marked the retirement of Barry Blum as KBS president. Barry served us faithfully for over a decade. Our gratitude to Barry for all his many contributions is boundless. Shari Berman officially took over as president at the Board meeting on December 2.

Chanukah was celebrated with the community on December 17, and the party at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort was a huge success with dancing and merriment.

Lois-ellin Datta, Ruth Glatt and Lorraine Highkin organized a Tribute to Barry Blum on March 9. The event was held at the Kona Outdoor Circle and attended by about 80 people. Ruth Glatt created a wonderful scrapbook for Barry. Alice Bratton prepared the luscious meal. Alan Pollak was the Master of Ceremonies. Many others helped in making the event an evening to remember. There was musical entertainment by a classical group and a special tribute by Rabbi Hanan Sills.

The board decided to institute a program to welcome visiting rabbis and cantors. Rabbi Hanna Sills made a special presentation for the KBS Jewish Studies group at the home of Shari Berman and Alice Bratton in early March. Later in the month, we invited Cantor Kenneth Michael Cohen from Honolulu to lead our Shabbat services. Saturday evening, he graced us with a Havdalah concert at the home of Joyce Schiffer and Peter Luchsinger. Everyone enjoyed the music immensely. Some members of Kona’s Traveling Jewish Wedding Band performed. Joyce Schiffer and friends prepared some lovely savory snacks, which were followed by an awesome assortment of baked goods from Debera First. April services were held at the Schiffer/Luchsinger home on Friday night and the Berman/Bratton home on Saturday morning in anticipation of special services the first week of May. Rabbi Jack Gabriel came from Colorado to lead services and perform in a special concert. On Saturday night, Rabbi Gabriel sang and told stories at the home of Gerald Klaz and Paige Holliday. The evening was memorable for all. Cantor Sarah Zemel joined us for our August services. She led parts of our Friday night service and then conducted an Israeli song sing-along in honor of the 60^th birthday of the nation of Israel.

Once again we observed Pesach with a Seder led by Barry Blum and Shari Berman, attended by over 80 people, at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort. At May 25-26 services, we celebrated the nuptials of Elana Olitsky & Noah Salzman with an oneg and an aliyah. They both read from the Torah.

Of course, none of the events, observances and celebrations during the year would have been possible without the dedication and service of our Board of Trustees, the members of the WaKoBeS (the women of Kona Beth Shalom) co-chaired by Jan Rae and Ruth Ader, the AlteKaKoBeS (the wise not-so-old men of Kona Beth Shalom) co-chaired by Erwin Myhre and Alan Pollak, and the many other volunteers who gave so much of their time and energy to our Congregation.

Yasher Koach to you all!! You are inspirations to all of us!

——————————————— Y ———————————————

Mahalo and Todah Rabah

We 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. Then in August of 2006, the Torah was rededicated at the hotel.

Mahalo to Yehudah Plaut for maintaining the KBS website. Many thanks to Judi Steinman for her extensive committee work. Thank you to Mike and Ruth Bernstone for their prayer book donations.

The KBS leyners

Thank you to all of the people who chanted Torah for us this past year on the High Holy Days and Shabbat: Marilyn Anderson, Shari Berman, Richard Chamberlin, Paul Janes, Barbara Lewis, Elana Olitsky, Aviva Plaut, Ben Plaut, Yehudah Plaut, Noah Salzman and Neil Soicher.

HEBREW AND TORAH STUDY (HATS)

Activities include a Hebrew School program for children and adults and Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation classes, also for children and adults. Classes are conducted in Waimea and in Kona (Holualoa) as the need dictates. We thank Neil Soicher for his many years of service in both Waimea and Kona. This past year, a group that began with 15 adults studied Hebrew at the home of Shari Berman. This was part of the National Jewish Outreach Program. NJOP provides us with free materials. We will start a 5768 group in November. This is free and is very much geared to learning to read prayers more fluently. Please look for this in your e-mail updates. Call Shari Berman at 322-0659 for information. Private Hilo group, call: Judi Steinman, 987-8752.

KBS Jewish Studies Group

Established in the summer of 2005, Kona Beth Shalom has a small study group made up of approximately twenty adults and teens. In March, Rabbi Hanan Sills made a presentation for our group that ended in a Havdalah service.

WaKoBeS (Wahines/Women of Kona Beth Shalom)

Contact Jan Rae (325-4991, janiamone@aol.com) or Ruth Ader (325-0008, rader36@yahoo.com) for more information on activities and get-togethers.

AlteKaKoBeS (“Wise Men”/Kane of Kona Beth Shalom)

Contact Ernie Knapp (714 423-0601, ebkeze@aol.com) for information.

North Hawaii Chavurah

Contact Vivienne Aronowitz in Waimea (885-3217, aronowitz@gmail.com) for information.

homelani cemetery

With the deepest humility and with a commitment to honor the memories of our departed ancestors, we have purchased a section of the Homelani Cemetery in Hilo to use as a Jewish Cemetery. As Jews, although the specifics of our practices may differ, we commit ourselves to the respectful care of those sacred grounds and the trust that has been bestowed upon us. It has or will have physical boundaries, a mechitsa, that sets it off from its surroundings, making it holy for Jews. It is considered consecrated ground where Jewish burial practices and customs are observed. It is owned by our Jewish community through the auspices of KBS and it has rules and regulations governed by the KBS Board of Directors and the Cemetery Committee. Just as synagogues preserve Jewish continuity in life, so do Jewish cemeteries preserve Jewish continuity after life has ended.

Jerry & Judy Rothstein are the only individuals who are interred there at this time. There are spaces for eighteen more burials. Any members of the congregation who wish to purchase burial plots in advance will be able to do so. Jewish individuals and their family members who are not KBS members may also purchase plots although the cost will be higher. Advance purchases will be less costly than last minute arrangements. Burial in the cemetery is restricted to individuals who are Jewish and their family members who may or may not be Jewish.

You may contact Dr. Barry Blum (tel: 808 322-6004, or e-mail: drblum@aloha.net) for more information.

Thank you to Barry who along with his wife, Gloria Blum, attended a chevra kadisha conference this past summer to familiarize themselves with the various customs of burial arrangements. We appreciate the information they have shared with us. We also thank Marilyn Anderson for her tireless phone calls and negotiations with the cemetery.

judaica

If you would like to purchase a kosher mezuzah scroll prepared by Rabbi Druin, the sofer who restored our Torah, please contact Judi Steinman