Letter from Rabbi Ross Dear TBS Friends and Family,
This Friday, we will have a Musical Shabbat Service with Deb Rogers and this Saturday is our amazing, annual Bingo night.
We will take time to rememberВ theВ Bibas family — Shiri, Kfir, Ariel — as we navigate this painful loss out of Gaza.
Please make a point of attending one of these wonderful events this weekend.
Here’s my weekend column for the Record-Courier.
Last week, during the full moon, Jews marked the 15th day of the month of Shevat, or the holiday of Tu Bishvat. (Jews and Muslims celebrate along a lunar-based calendar, and the next lunar month will mark the beginning of Ramadan. The next full moon will bring the holiday of Purim for the Jewish community.)
This week, Guardians fans will rejoice as they watch their first Spring Training games of the new season. Hope will emerge for an exciting season ahead. In Washington D.C, the cherry blossoms will emerge soon, signifying the first sign of spring. In ancient Israel, this was the time of the first almond blossoms on the almond trees.
A year ago at this time, I was blessed to be on a North American educators mission to Israel and Palestine, where we met with Israeli and Palestinian educators. In the area around Gaza, called the “Gaza Envelope”, red poppies began to bloom. We bore witness to the beauty of the start of spring in the desert, and we bore witness to the traumas on both sides of the war. We now bear witness to the ceasefire, and the slow release of hostages after 500 days of captivity by Hamas.
Here in Northeast Ohio, while we are blanketed by another round of snow, we can notice the start of the flow of maple sap in our maple trees. Pancake breakfasts abound this time year as the sap is harvested and cooked into maple syrup. The harvesting season is shortening each year as spring begins earlier and earlier. Our changing climate is altering the production of maple syrup. (When we went apple picking for Rosh Hashanah at the start of the fall, we also heard from orchard growers that the season is shortening, and running earlier.)
Last week, we held two Tu B’shevat seders to mark this wonderful holiday that celebrates the new year of the trees, one at Hillel at Kent State and one at Temple Beth Shalom. Each gathering was concluded with a taste of maple creams.
Tu Bishvat is similar to Jewish Earth Day, where we can bring environmental awareness to our lives as we taste the fruits at our celebratory meal. Participants spoke about their plans for their gardens this spring, college students spoke about attempts to bring mindfulness to their eating. Young children spoke about tasting new fruits for the first time.
The focus of the seder is to build a loving relationship with trees and nature, so we can fully be present to their gifts in our lives. This loving relationship with nature can then encourage us to feel responsible for nature’s health and wellness. In the Torah reading last week, we read the verse where God tells the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai, the ”all the earth is mine.”
As we encounter the first signs of spring, may we remind ourselves of the precious relationship with nature, with the trees, and with the earth.
вљѕ Play ball!
TBS’ Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class Starting thisВ winter!
Have you wanted to transform your adult understanding of Judaism into a meaningful ritual? We are forming an adult b’nai mitzvah class this fall. We will spend the next 18 months studying together. Each student will read from the Torah, lead part of a group prayer service, and deliver a D’var Torah.
Rabbi Michael Ross and Jean Beasley will be the instructors. Costs will be determined by enrollment.
CLASSES:
-В Jewish Prayer EssentialsВ – structure & meaning of prayers (Fall ’24: Saturday mornings before Torah Study, from 9:00 – 9:45 am)
-В Making Prayer RealВ – the art of prayer (Spring ’25, Saturdays before Torah Study, from 9:00 – 9:45 am)
-В Basic HebrewВ (Winter and Spring ’25, class time to be determined)
-В Torah Reading & ChantingВ (Fall ’25)
-В Spiritual Autobiography writingВ (Fall ’25 or Spring ’26)
TBS Legacy Fund Update
Participation increasing!
I want to thank everyone who are answering the call to join us in owning and preservingВ our building and the Jewish presence it represents. Since last week participation has increased fromВ 29%В toВ 40%, great progress but still looking to get that up toВ 80,В 90,В 100%.
Again, no contribution is too small, and our match is still happening so whatever you give will be doubled. Our total is up to 70% so let’s keep this going.
Contributions can be made by check, stock or right on our website. And if you useВ ZeffyВ to process your credit card you can choose the amount you want for fees all the way down to 0%. Let’s do this!
Thank you and blessings to all,
Larry
Save the Date!В February 22, 2025
Back by Popular Demand!В TBSВ BingoВ Night!
Bingo is always well attended with scrumptious appetizers and desserts. This year will be NO exception!
BingoВ NightВ Donations are still Welcome!
Please reach out toВ Eric ChupackВ ericchupack@gmail.comВ with questions if you plan to donate silent auction items so we can be ready with the supporting marketing (description, quantities, retail value, photo, etc.) for your items.
В В В В В В В В В ————————————————————————————-В В
TBSBrotherhoodВ В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В meetings/events
• The Brotherhood is excited to host this year’s Bingo fundraiser on 2/22/25.
Bingo is always well attended with scrumptious appetizers and desserts.В This yearВ will be NO exception!
• Brotherhood Membership
The Brotherhood performs much needed projects for TBS. Even if you cannot participate in Brotherhood,В PLEASE CONSIDERВ MAKINGВ A DONATION.В This will help to complete the many projects planned for 2024 – 2025 for TBS.В Please contact treasurer Art Busch,В ascyb34@yahoo.comВ with any questions. *В PleaseВ Do NotВ pay along with your Temple dues.В
• 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. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available!
Contact: Mike Miller at:В mikemillercsi@roadrunner.com Thank you for your support!
TBSSisterhoodВ В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В meetings/events
• You’re Invited! To Robin Selinger’s Sisterhood Shabbat Dinner. Feb 28, 2025 at 6:30 pm, 533 Overlook Drive in Kent. Robin will supply a main dish (chicken) and matzo ball soup, along with water, wine, and grape juice.
We need to bring challah, appetizers, desserts, side dishes, salads, vegetarian dishes, and any soft drinks or other beverages that you would enjoy. When you choose a slot, please leave a comment indicating what you plan to bring. Please complete sign-ups byВ Feb 21.В Thank you!
Sign-up genius link:В http://tiny.cc/shabbatwithrobin
• Join the Sisterhood and support us with a dues donation. Please email me, Robin Rosen-Sharp (rrsdvm2@gmail.com) if you need a membership form andВ would like to mail your payment. *В PleaseВ Do NotВ pay along with your Temple dues.В В
• Upcoming meetings and events are currently being planned and scheduled by the Sisterhood. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available! Thank you for your support!
Temple Beth Shalom Website NotesВ andВ Links
*Receive our weekly e-newsletters!
Please email yourВ First Name,В Last Name, andВ Email AddressВ В
to:В hberman44236@yahoo.com
В В PAST NEWSLETTERSВ В В В PW:В TBSHudsonВ В
Past e-Megillahs can be found on Media > e-Megillah Newsletters page
В В SHABBAT SERVICEВ В В В ID:В 861 4959 4595,В PW:В shabbatВ
Available when noted onВ theВ Upcoming EventsВ schedule
В В TORAH STUDYВ В В В ID:В 844 3145 6155,В PW:В tbstorah
Saturday Prayer Essentials andВ Torah Study
В В KENT HILLEL SHABBATВ В В В Candle-lighting, Service/Community Discussion, FREE Dinner (*Registration isВ REQUIREDВ and will close each week on Thursday at 2:00pm)
В В KENT HILLELВ В В Providing a comfortable atmosphere for socializing, studying, or connecting spiritually for students В В В В ZeffyВ В В В В We can now useВ ZeffyВ for Dues, Fees, and Donations.
Temple Beth ShalomВ does notВ pay a fee
Please send us your announcements, engagements, weddings, graduations, sports news, kid news, etc. to:В e-megillah editor,В hberman44236@yahoo.comВ no later thanВ ONE WEEK PRIORВ to the next issue.
Please include ‘e-megillah news‘В in the subject field.
We are looking for Volunteers to help our Temple
Activities to match your interests and abilitiesВ are still available!
В В D E A T H SВ I NВ T H EВ В L A S TВ Y E A RВ В
Jane Litt  • Jack Scanlon
A monthly yahrzeit list of TBS family loved ones will now be published in the e-megillah
as well as read during Shabbat services.
В В F E B R U A R YВ В Y A H R Z E I T SВ В
Audrey Gardner Alberty  • Dr. Walter Bouscher  •  Samantha Costea
Richard Allen Draper  •  Ruth Ersoff  •  Samuel Ersoff
Diana Greenberg  •  Sala Gutman  •  Andrew Koller
Florence Rubino  •  Jerry Tavens  •  Simon Telesman  •  Lori Vishnea
If you have names to add, please send them with their yahrzeit date to:
Laurie Frankino, Ritual Chair, atВ lfrankino@gmail.com.В
В В В В В T B S
Fri. 2/21, 7:30 pm:В ShabbatВ ServiceВ –В in-person only
Sat. 2/22,В 7:00 – 9:30 pm:В BingoВ Night -В By popular demandВ -В at TBS
• Upcoming meetings and events are currently being planned and scheduled by the Sisterhood. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available!
Temple Beth Shalom
В our building and the Jewish presence it represents. Since last week participation has increased fromВ 29%В toВ 40%, great progress but still looking to get that up toВ 80,В 90,В 100%.
To Robin Selinger’s Sisterhood Shabbat Dinner. Feb 28, 2025 at 6:30 pm, 533 Overlook Drive in Kent. Robin will supply a main dish (chicken) and matzo ball soup, along with water, wine, and grape juice.
