e-Megillah October 19, 2023

e-Megillah
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Issue #638

Letter from Rabbi Ross

Dear TBS Friends and Family,
After a week that felt like shiva, this week we are slowly resuming our regular activities. Come together “b’yachad” to express your love and support for Israel at Temple Beth Shalom this Friday evening. Let go of the stresses of this hard week and welcome in a time for community, for holiness, for rest.
Chuck Fink and I will lead this musical Shabbat service.
We continue to welcome our interfaith friends and partners to join us as we navigate the heartbreak of the war in Israel.
All are welcome!

Rabbi’s Record-Courier Column:
On Friday afternoon, October 6th, an international group of
more than 25 women scholars and local community leaders visited Temple Beth Shalom in Hudson. Global Ties Akron hosted this group from the State Department, and they explored the role of religion in promoting peace and security. This was a group of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Jews. After the seminar, many stayed for a Sukkot Shabbat dinner with the TBS Hudson community. A smaller group stayed for the service afterwards. Our joy of celebrating the fall festival was amplified by our guests. On Sukkot, we are obligated to welcome guests into our Sukkah, the portable hut, that symbolizes peace and God’s presence. The joy of this celebration seemed like a perfect way to conclude our week-long fall festival as we entered the final day of celebration.
But six hours after the gathering, Hamas brutally attacked Israel. Our joy was ruptured. “Gone is the joy of our hearts; our dancing is turned to mourning.” (Lamentations, Chapter 5:15)
The horrors of that carnage ripped our hearts open: babies murdered, women raped, young people massacred at a rave, children forced to witness their parents capture, people mercilessly tortured.
These events were brought home to my family when we discovered our longtime family friends’ stepmother was kidnapped and is being held hostage along with 198 other hostages in Gaza.
The week that followed was like a shiva minyan – a week-long series of communal gatherings to grieve the loss of a beloved family member. At a shiva minyan, we bear witness to the pain. We sit alongside the mourners, and allow them to share their stories of their family members who have died. All week long, we came to mourn.
At Hillel at Kent State, we gathered informally daily for brief conversations. On Thursday afternoon, we held a vigil for Israel which was attended by more than 115 people. Student leaders and campus leaders spoke about their pain and anguish. Rami Feinstein, Akron’s Israel emissary, spoke of his horror at the violence.  I encouraged folks to take self-care breaks to clear our heads of the news and to place ourselves on social media diets to deal with the enormous overload of stress and anxiety.
On Saturday, 10/14, TBS Hudson, hosted an Israel Shabbat where we came together to process our pain and to offer up our prayers for healing and for the dead on both sides. We sang songs of peace. We had many interfaith supporters and clergy express their sympathy to us all week. Some came in support of our grief to these various communal gatherings. We are grateful for their love and kindness during this troubled time.
Your Jewish friends and colleagues are not OK. Please reach out. Please ask them how they are doing today. We are navigating tremendous loneliness in our pain, as if we are suffering alone.
As I emerge from this shiva week of grief and stress, I hold two images in my mind.
The first is the image of our interfaith guests celebrating Sukkot and increasing our joy. The second is anguish over the terror of Hamas attacks. Both of these images are true.
I am devastated by the enormous civilian loss of life. I know that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people praying for peace right now. I am deeply anxious over the fate of the 200 Israeli hostages held by Hamas. I pray for their immediate return.
This Saturday, in our weekly Torah portion, we read about how “Noah walked with God.” Some of us wonder what this experience of “walking with God” might be like. The prophet Micah, who witnessed horrific violence in northern Israel, had the following teaching:
“You have been told, human, what is good,
And what God requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

FRIDAY EVENING’S ZOOM LINK:
  SHABBAT SERVICE  
Meeting ID: 861 4959 4595, Passcode: shabbat

Religious School Update
Last week we baked challah as the older students discussed the war in Israel. This Sunday we will make challah covers as we continue our unit on Shabbat.

TORAH STUDY & BAGEL BRUNCH at Kent State Hillel
Sat. 10/21 is Homecoming at Kent State. Hillel will be hosting an open house, and I will be leading a special Torah Study about Noah, 10-12:00 pm. Bagel brunch will be served! All TBS folks are warmly welcomed to come on this fun field trip to campus.

NEW CLASS STARTING – Prayer Lab’s “Making Prayer Real”
Last year in the Prayer Lab our Saturday morning group explored the structure of the prayer service and learned some of the metaphors that appear in the prayers. This year, we will explore the art of Jewish prayer, and explore the stumbling blocks that might get in the way of having a meaningful prayer life.
We will read through a wonderful book, by Rabbi Mike Comins with the same name, “Making Prayer Real.” Each week we will read through a short section of the book together.

I am asking everyone to purchase the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. (I will provide handouts the first week or two as folks order this paperback book.)
Here’s the link:
   AMAZON LINK   
Our first session of this new series of classes will be Sat. 10/28 at 9:30. Our second session will be Sat. 11/11.

TBSBrotherhood meetings/events

• Brotherhood  Membership
Annual Brotherhood Membership Dues are due. Membership dues are $36 (double chai) and this year we are adding a sustaining membership level $54 (triple chai). Make checks payable to TBS Brotherhood and mail to 50 Division St., Hudson, 44236 or bring to the next meeting. Please contact treasurer Art Busch, ascyb34@yahoo.com with any questions. Your financial support is much appreciated.
The Brotherhood performs much needed projects for TBS. Even if you cannot participate in Brotherhood, PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION. This will help to complete the many projects planned for 2023-2024 for TBS.

We meet throughout the year in the spirit of friendship and good humor. We sponsor social events, fundraisers and building beautification projects to support and enhance the TBS community. Contact: Mike Miller at mikemillercsi@roadrunner.com

TBSSisterhood meetings/events 

• It is that time of year to consider joining the Sisterhood and supporting us with a dues donation. Please email me, Robin Rosen-Sharp (rrsdvm2@gmail.com) if you need a membership form and and would like to mail your payment. Otherwise you can use this PayPal link:
  TBS PAYPAL LINK   
Please Do Not pay along with your Temple dues as Jonathon has asked us not to do this any longer.
Thanks, Robin Rosen-Sharp

• WRJ Heartland district East region Zoom event, November 4th. We would like to do a watch party, please contact Jean Rhodes by November 1st. You are also most welcome to watch from the comfort of your own home!
Links:
To see information        To register

• Annual Latke Fry Dec 3rd

We love to share good news at TBS!

Please send us your announcements, engagements, weddings, graduations, sports news, kid news, etc. to Harry Berman, e-megillah editor hberman44236@yahoo.com no later than ONE WEEK PRIOR to the next issue. Please include ‘e-megillah news‘ in the subject field.

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•  Y A H R Z E I T S  •

DEATHS IN THE LAST YEAR 

• Fri. 10/20, 7:30 pm: Shabbat B’Yachad – Praying for Peace
• Sat. 10/21, 10-12:00 pm: Torah Study & Bagel Brunch at Kent State Hillel
• Sat. 10/28, 9:30 am: Prayer Lab – Making Prayer Real
• Fri. 11/3, 7:30 pm: Shabbat B’Yachad – Praying for Peace
• Sat. 11/11, 9:30 am: Prayer Lab – Making Prayer Real
• Sat. 11/18, 9:30 am: Prayer Lab led by Rabbi Michael
• Sun. 11/19, 7:00 pm: Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Christ Church Episcopal
• Sun. 12/3, Annual Latke Fry
• Sun. 12/10, 9:00 am-12:00: Religious School Chanukah Celebration

 For more information on temple services and other activities, please refer to the temple website: