Dear TBS Friends & Family,
I need to share some difficult personal news with each of you. You might want to have a seat when you read this.
Eight years ago, TBS and Hillel hired me to be the rabbi at TBS as well as the Senior Jewish Educator & Campus Rabbi for Hillel at Kent State. I have loved both jobs. It has been rewarding, soul-satisfying work.
This week, I was informed that Kent State’s Hillel is undergoing a staff reorganization for the fall. Hillel has decided it no longer needs a rabbi or a Senior Jewish Educator after this semester concludes in mid-May. Hillel is concluding its formal partnership with TBS.
This is heartbreaking news for me and my family.
I have told some of my students that I feel like I am walking through a divorce agreement, and the other side gets custody of the kids.
In my outreach to my students, I am encouraging them to maintain their relationships with TBS and me.
My family loves living in NEO, and we are hoping and planning to remain here. I have begun to seek out other part-time work in the area.
I write this on the Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the new moon of Nissan, where our hearts and souls begin to turn towards Passover. I am seeking the seeds of growth that I can plant this spring.
This Saturday, we will explore the start of the book of Leviticus and its connection to Passover as we prepare together for Seder. The book begins with the phrase, “God called to Moses…” What is God calling us to do right now?
EXCITING NEWS – New Book Discussion March 21 Once a month, we will have a discussion about Rabbi Toba Spitzer’s new book, “God is Here.” These discussions will take place from 9:00 am to 9:45 am, with Torah Study following afterwards. While the group is primarily for our adult b’nai mitzvah students, it’s open to our entire community. Please purchase the book in advance of the class: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250764492/godishere/
(Fyi, used copies are available at Amazon for a good discount.) Please read chapters 5 and 6 for Saturday 3/21.
TBS Religious School News
We are now on Spring Break starting Sunday, 3/22 to Wed. 4/8. Our next class will be Thursday, 4/9. All of our TBS Families and Religious School families are invited to our Community Seder on Friday 4/3 where we will have special family pricing.
EXCITING NEWS – Our Jewish Meditation Circle Meets on 3/19 at 7:00 pm!
Our Jewish Meditation Circle will resume its twice a month sessions on Thursday, March 19 at 7pm. During these chaotic times, finding a sense of groundedness can be a challenge. We will learn basic practices together. Our opening session will focus on preparing our hearts and souls for liberation at Passover.
These sessions are for new, beginning students and advanced students as well. All are welcome. Donations are welcome.
All are welcome. Donations are welcome.
Dear TBS Friends,
Attached is the invitation and information for our Community Seder to be held on April 3. Please review and if you plan to attend, complete the reservation slip before March 24 and pay for your dinners on our website. Please note, this year for the first time, children under
17 are free. ALMOST SOLD OUT!RSVP NOW!
ALMOST SOLD OUT!RSVP NOW!
How Do We JEW This?: PASSOVER EDITION!
Passover’s over after two seders, right? Nope!
What do we do to celebrate Passover in our homes?
There’s only ONE WAY to make Charoset, right? Not nearly!
Don’t you need WHEAT to make a decent cake? NO!
HOW DO WE JEW PASSOVER?
Join Chef David Holland and Cantorial Soloist Deb Rogers
as we rev up the TBS kitchen for Passover!
Here’s what’s on the menu:
Charoset, charoset, and charoset!
Decadent flourless chocolate cake for the TBS seder
…and even some Kasher-l’Pesach cookies!
Where: TBS Kitchen and Social Hall
When: Sunday, March 29th, 1-4 PM
RSVP to Deb no later than Sunday, March 22!
for Recipes, Food, Friends, Laughter, and Learning debrogers912@gmail.com
This program is appropriate for all ages.
Under 13? Bring your favorite adults!
TBS Brotherhood meetings/events
• Brotherhood Membership
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 TBS projects planned for 2024 – 2025. Please contact treasurer Art Busch, ascyb34@yahoo.com with any questions. * Please Do Notpay along with your Temple dues.
• 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: mikemillercsi@roadrunner.com Thank you for your support!
TBS Sisterhood meetings/events Sisterhood Game Night April 18
Hello to all. Wendy Hess has done an awesome job getting donations and many of you have already donated, but if you haven’t yet there is still time to add items. This promises to be fun and a good fundraiser. We have fine art, designer jewelry and clothing, theatre tickets, and more. Gift cards from a shop you support are more than welcome. I can pick these items up or they can be dropped off at TBS and I will take them from there. If you need a donation letter printed on TBS stationary please let me know.
redtailsky@mac.com
(440)292-6421
Aviva
Julie Lakas Take care of yourself, and if you can, someone else too. ~ Stephen Dubner
• Come learn and play mahjong! Mondays at 1:00 PM at TBS.
This is for those who want to learn and those who know how to play already.
Aviva Julie Lakas
• It’s that time again to support sisterhood with your membership dues. Please contact Robin Rosen-Sharp at Rrsdvm2@gmail.com for a membership form. Please DO NOT send dues with your Temple dues or to the Temple Zeffy account. Robin can provide you with a Zelle link if you want to pay online. Thanks for your support!
Thanks, Robin
• 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 Notes and Links
*Receive our weekly e-newsletters!
Please email your First Name, Last Name, and Email Address
to: hberman44236@yahoo.com
PAST NEWSLETTERS PW: TBSHudson
Past e-Megillahs can be found on Media > e-Megillah Newsletters page
KENT HILLEL SHABBAT Candle-lighting, Service/Community Discussion, FREE Dinner (*Registration is REQUIRED and will close each week on Thursday at 2:00pm)
KENT HILLEL Providing a comfortable atmosphere for socializing, studying, or connecting spiritually for students Zeffy We can now use Zeffyfor Dues, Fees, and Donations.
Temple Beth Shalom does not pay a fee
ISRAEL DONATIONS Donations to support Israel can be made at
Cleveland Federation
News & Special Announcements!
TBS BOOKKEEPER NEEDED!
TBS SEEKS PART-TIME BOOKKEEPER
As we thank James Field for his years of service as TBS Bookkeeper, we seek a new part-time bookkeeper to replace him effective June 30.
Basic duties include: • Make deposits and pay bills, which are primarily done online. • Record all transactions in QuickBooks software. • Issue preprogrammed reports from QuickBooks including monthly profit & loss and fund balance statements and annual dues invoices. • Input annual budget created by Treasurer/President into QuickBooks. • Along with Treasurer check communications on Accounting@tbshudson.org email. • Work with Treasurer to monitor financial position.
If you are interested, or know someone who might be interested in this position, please contact Co-Presidents Mark Schildhouse or Larry Terkel for further information at markschildhouse@gmail.com or Larry Terkel at larry@larryterkel.com.
Meal Train for Wendy Cooley
Dear TBS Family,
Wendy Cooley is at home recovering from spine surgery. She and Ralph would greatly appreciate some help with meals. A Meal Train has been set up that can be accessed using this link. https://mealtrain.com/vk6y38
Thank you for showing that TBS is a caring community!
Randy Herman
Caring Hearts
Our religious school students are encouraged to offer donations to our local Hudson food pantry during the months of March and April. Donations will be collected in a marked bin in the social hall until April 30th. Currently the pantry is in need of the following items:
FYI: During Passover, the bin will be relocated to the board room.
Information about the Hudson Food Pantry:
The food pantry is part of the Hudson Community Service Association which notes its mission is to promote the general welfare of our neighbors living in the Hudson City School District Boundaries.
Thank you very much!!
Kim
Challah Bake!with Deb Rogers!
Come join the Women of TBS for a Challah Bake with Deb Rogers!
When: Sunday, March 22, 9:30 AM (will likely last until 1:30 or 2)
What: Learn to prepare, braid, and bake challah! Deb will entertain us while we wait for the dough to rise, and we’ll enjoy lunch provided by the Women of TBS during the final rise after braiding. We’ll each go home with a challah and Deb’s prized Challah recipe!
Cost: Sisterhood Members, $15. Non-Members/Guests, $20. Julie Lakas Take care of yourself, and if you can, someone else too. ~Stephen Dubner
• Important Dates – Details below
Sunday, March 22 – Got Sneakers Collection Kick off
Sunday, April 12 – Good Deeds Day, register by April 5
Monday, April 13 – Social Action Organizing meeting, 5 pm
Saturday, June 6 – Akron Mitzvah Day 1 & Cleveland Pride
Sunday, June 7 – Akron Mitzvah Day 2
TBA – Cemetery Clean Up in April or May
• Got Sneakers?
Beginning this weekend, the Social Action Committee is kicking off our used sneaker collection. Donated sneakers will be refurbished for re-use or will be sent to a recycler who will extract as many materials as possible for reuse or sent to a waste-to-energy program. Our goal is to keep sneakers out of landfills and repair, reuse or recycle them. For sneakers in good condition, we receive a small amount of money to fund future Social Action causes.
Please bring your used sneakers to the bin marked as Got Sneakers in the Social Hall.
Note: athletic-wear only – no other type of shoe, boot or slipper. Rubber cleats are acceptable, but not metal cleats. Please deposit them attached as a pair by tying them together with the shoelaces or binding them with a rubber band. Adult and kids’ sneakers are welcome.
• Collecting Funds for Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry through Passover
The Social Action Committee is continuing its request for donations to the Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry through Passover. Donations may be made online using the form at their website: https://kosherfp.org/donate-2/ On the donation page please enter Temple Beth Shalom-Purim in the “Message Box,” so the TBS donations can be tallied. Similarly, please indicate Temple Beth Shalom-Purim on donations made by mail to their address at: 2004 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio 44121. In addition to welcoming those who need food assistance to the pantry, food deliveries are made to those with limited mobility. There are also opportunities to volunteer to pack food boxes for delivery. Please email cheryl.butensky@gmail.com
• Collecting Items for Hudson Food Pantry
TBS has stepped up to fulfill a need of the Hudson Food Pantry. Your monthly donations of laundry detergent have been truly appreciated by our neighbors in need. Let’s keep up the momentum! We are asking for three TBS families to donate 2 large detergents — liquid, powder, or pods — each for a total of 6 per month. Families can sign up for a single month or multiple months. The detergents can be dropped off at TBS when open, i.e. Friday services, Saturday study sessions, Sunday school, etc. To sign-up to help go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4FABAF2EA3FE3-61572875-tikkun or scan the QR code:
The pantry has also made a special request for body wash, deodorant and hand sanitizer. These items can also be dropped off any time during the month and there is no sign-up for these items.
For more information about the pantry, see http://www.hudsoncsa.org/food-pantry. For questions about the donation process, please contact Michelle Draper at mldraper@yahoo.com. Thank you!
• Good Deeds Day 2026 Sunday, April 12, morning and afternoon volunteer opportunities across the Cleveland area.
Join the Federation’s Jewish Volunteer Network to make a difference in our community as part of Good Deeds Day, a global day of volunteerism. Since 2007, Good Deeds Day has united millions of volunteers from 108 countries for service opportunities that benefit people and the planet.
Register online by April 5 at www.jewishcleveland.org/news/blog/good_deeds_day_2026/.
Some TBS members will be helping with the Hebrew Cultural Garden clean-up, so join us for that or any other opportunity that moves you.
• Next meeting
The Social Action Committee will meet on Monday, April 13 at 5 pm in the TBS Boardroom. All are welcome. Please text or call Eric Draper, 216-630-6075, for more information and to be added to the Social Action communication.
• Cemetery Clean up
Date and location to be announced for April or May. The Federation provides all tools, supplies and H2O.
• Pride in the CLE June 6 – Pride in the CLE is an annual event celebrating the city’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community, put on by the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland and held in Downtown Cleveland. The LGBT Center strives to ensure Northeast Ohio is afforded a Pride event that not only celebrates our LGBTQ+ community but also advocates for the equitable and just treatment for ALL in our community. For the day’s activities, see https://lgbtcleveland.org/pride/
• Akron Mitzvah Day June 6-7. Volunteer opportunities are being finalized. Mitzvah Day in Akron was started by Temple Israel in 2002 and is a two-day effort committed to helping different agencies in and outside the Akron community by collaborating with other faith-based organizations in the Akron Community. Stay tuned for more information.
•Disaster Rebuilding Opportunity in Augusta, Georgia As announced at Friday services, I am traveling to Augusta, GA in early June to help with rebuilding efforts in a low-income community that was hit hard by Hurricane Helene in September 2024 and is still recovering. This work is through NECHAMA, a Jewish disaster relief organization.
If you or someone you know are interested in joining the effort, please reach out to me for more details.
Volunteers will be helping with tasks such as drywalling, painting, and installing flooring. Basic housing accommodations are available at a nearby church if needed. Volunteers from all backgrounds and walks of life are welcome (not just Jewish folks), and no prior experience is required. Tools, PPE, and training are all provided.
Currently, I plan to spend 4–5 days volunteering, plus a couple of travel days—about a week total, but have some flexibility on dates. Plus, there are additional deployment dates in April, May, and June for projects in Augusta, GA and in New Bern, NC. Here is a FAQ for these deployments, volunteer FAQ sheet.
If you have a moment, I highly recommend checking out NECHAMA’s origin story History of NECHAMA — it’s truly inspirational.
Eric Draper, 216-630-6075
TBS Lending Library News!
Passover will be here soon. The TBS library has great books for both children and adults explaining the Jewish holidays past and future. Please take out books of your choice.
These holiday books and hundreds more are available to borrow and enjoy. We have a large donation of children’s books arriving today. Information will follow next week.
Thank you for your continued donations.
All the best, Bill Riter AJL wrriter@yahoo.com
We love to share News & Announcements at TBS
Please send us your announcements, engagements, weddings, graduations, sports news, kid news, etc. to: 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.
We are looking for Volunteers! •Help our Temple •Assist with events and gatherings
•Match activities to your interests & abilities •Participate in Brotherhood & Sisterhood •Support & Enhance the TBS community •E-Megillah Creative Desktop Publisher
D E A T H S I N T H E L A S T Y E A R
Marika Andro • Tom Beasley • Frances Berman • Linda Schulman
A monthly yahrzeit list of TBS family loved ones will now be published in the e-megillah
as well as read during Shabbat services.
M A R C H Y A H R Z E I T S
Abraham Babich•Bessie Brunstein Jacob Brunstein • Rose Butensky Louis H Cremer • Mary Newman Field Wriggberto Camara Furtado • Martin Goldberg Lucy Greenberg • Susan Louise Hall William Ross Kannel • Kyle Lafferty Irvin Liberman • Floyd Miller • Pamela Schultz Judith Tavens • Virginia Wilson
If you have names to add, please send them with their yahrzeit date to:
Thursday March 19, 2026
• Upcoming meetings and events are currently being planned and scheduled by the Sisterhood. Announcements will be posted as soon as they are available!
Mondays at 1:00 PM at TBS.
Temple Beth Shalom
Challah Bake! with Deb Rogers!
On the donation page please enter Temple Beth Shalom-Purim in the “Message Box,” so the TBS donations can be tallied. Similarly, please indicate Temple Beth Shalom-Purim on donations made by mail to their address at: 2004 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio 44121. In addition to welcoming those who need food assistance to the pantry, food deliveries are made to those with limited mobility. There are also opportunities to volunteer to pack food boxes for delivery. Please email 
As announced at Friday services, I am traveling to Augusta, GA in early June to help with rebuilding efforts in a low-income community that was hit hard by Hurricane Helene in September 2024 and is still recovering. This work is through NECHAMA, a Jewish disaster relief organization.
Passover will be here soon. The TBS library has great books for both children and adults explaining the Jewish holidays past and future. Please take out books of your choice.