T H I S S E A S O Na t C h i z u k a m u n o C o n g r e g a t i o n

F a l l 2 0 1 3 | 5 7 7 4

In This Issue: Be Happy in Your Festival Sukkot - Simhat Torah

HaZ’man

Chili Cook-off and Tailgate LunchConcert on the Lawn by

The Rusty Spurs Athletic Games • Moon Bounce • Popcorn • Snow Cones • Cotton Candy

Children’s Character Meet ‘n Greet Face Painting • Art Projects • and so much more!

Register at www.chizukamuno.org • Rain or Shine

Ravens Tickets RaffleSunday, November 24, 1 p.m.

One pair of tickets for Ravens vs. JetsSection 102 • 25 yard line

$5 per ticket • $20 per 5 tickets

Barbeque Registration Sign up online at

www.chizukamuno.org$6 per person / $18 per household

(3 or more)

Pay at the door • $7 per person $21 per household

For more information, call 410/486-6400 or e-mail congregationallife@chizukamuno.org.

See page 11 for our other congregational activities on September 22.

F a l l 2 0 1 3 | 5 7 7 4

Chizuk Amuno Congregation8100 Stevenson Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21208www.chizukamuno.org

Synagogue Office 410/486-6400

Synagogue Fax 410/486-4050

Synagogue E-mail info@chizukamuno.org

Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center 410/486-8642

Krieger Schechter Day School 410/486-8640

Rosenbloom Religious School 410/486-8641

Stulman Center for Adult Learning 410/824-2055

O F F I C E R SPresident Michelle Malis, pres@chizukamuno.orgFirst Vice President Dr. Andrew J. Miller, 1stvp@chizukamuno.orgVice President Jason A. BlavattVice President Sandra MoffetSecretary Michelle HettlemanTreasure Louis E. SappersteinAssistant Treasurer Stephen J. Pomerantz, MD

S Y N A G O G U E S T A F F Rabbi Ronald J. Shulman | x230 rshulman@chizukamuno.org

Rabbi Deborah Wechsler | x231 dwechsler@chizukamuno.org

Rabbi Paul D. Schneider | x226 Director of Congregational Life pschneider@chizukamuno.org

Rabbi Emeritus Joel H. Zaiman | x296

Hazzan Emanuel C. Perlman | x233 eperlman@chizukamuno.org

Ritual Director Dr. Moshe D. Shualy | x243 mshualy@chizukamuno.org

Director of Congregational Education Rabbi Stuart Seltzer | x234 | sseltzer@chizukamuno.org

Head of School, Krieger Schechter Day School Bil Zarch | x226 | bzarch@ksds.edu

Director, Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center Michelle Gold | x238 | gecec@chizukamuno.org

Director, Stulman Center for Adult Learning Judy Meltzer | x287 | stulman@chizukamuno.org

Director, Gemilut Hasadim Service Initiative Miriam Foss | x281 | mfoss@chizukamuno.org

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Coordinator Debby Hellman | x290 | dhellman@chizukamuno.org

Curator, Goldsmith Museum Dr. Susan Vick | x291 | svick@chizukamuno.org

Choir Director, T. Herbert Dimmock

A D M I N I S T R A T I V E S T A F F Director of Congregational Advancement Laurel Freedman | x275 | lfreedman@chizukamuno.org

Synagogue Administrator Jenny Baker | x227 | jbaker@chizukamuno.org

Controller Rick Bernard | x256 | rbernard@chizukamuno.org

Information Systems Manager Bruce P. Yaillen | x284 | byaillen@chizukamuno.org

Cemetery Director Marsha Yoffe | x309 | myoffe@chizukamuno.org

Director of Communication and Member Services Cheryl Snyderman | x300 | csnyderman@chizukamuno.org

Graphic Designer Rachel Levitan | x282 | rlevitan@chizukamuno.org

Chizuk Amuno has a long history of proud service to Baltimore’s Jewish community. Dedicated to strengthening faith in our people’s covenant with God, the purpose of Chizuk Amuno Congregation is to create a sacred Jewish community. Here individuals and families can find meaning for their lives from serious engagement with the texts, wisdom, and celebrations of Judaism. In pursuit of this mission, Chizuk Amuno ascribes to the rabbinic teaching: “The world is sustained through Torah – learning, Avodah – prayer and service, and Gemilut Hasadim – acts of loving kindness.”

HaZ

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T H I S S E A S O Na t C h i z u k a m u n o C o n g r e g a t i o n

Contents2 LaZ’man HaZeh ~ At This Season Happiness Reflects Satisfaction by Rabbi Ron Shulman3 Getting Back in Order by Shelly Malis We Were Chosen for Torah by Rabbi Paul Schneider

4 Be Happy in your Festival Moving Toward Happiness by Katie David5 Brotherhood Brings the “Happy” to the Festival

6 Torah A Bat Mitzvah Letter by Teresa Alpert-Leibman Continuing a Tradition, Adult Bat Mitzvah by Rabbi Debi Wechsler7 The Draw of Ramah by Rabbi Stuart Seltzer8 What I learned about Judaism by Studying Christianity by Carol Berkower, Ph.D.

9 Avodah Sukkot – Simhat Torah Schedule of Services Simhat Torah Honorees Ruthanne Kaufman Arnie Wallenstein

12 Gemilut Hasadim Operation Welcome Home Maryland by Judy Schwartz Building Community by Bil Zarch

14 What’s Nu? • New Shabbat • Sisterhood • Brotherhood • Club Hatikvah • Young Families • Melton • Remembering Mrs. B • Cemetery Updates • Cinema Under the Stars • New Members

On the Cover: Detail of our new bein gavra, Torah cover between readings, donated by Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood. For more information, please see page 14.

2 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

LaZ’man HaZeh ~ At This Season ~ dfd onfl

A number of years ago, the Transportation Security

Administration issued the following instruction to the agents who screen passengers at airports. “TSA’s standard operating procedures do not prohibit the carrying of four plants – which include a palm branch, myrtle twigs, willow twigs, and a citron through the airport or the security checkpoints, or on aircraft. These plants are not on the TSA’s Prohibited Items List.”

I’m not so sure about this. I can picture someone holding their Lulav and Etrog in synagogue, quickly waving the branches in the air and poking the person standing beside them. I guess that’s not the TSA’s concern!

The Torah tells us to rejoice as we take up the branches of beautiful trees which symbolize the earth’s abundance. Grateful for all that sustains our lives, on Sukkot we need to be sensitive to how we make use of our natural resources and aware of how best we share them.

Never the less, instructing us to rejoice during Sukkot the Torah encourages us. “And you shall be completely happy.” Knowing the full variety of life’s blessings and burdens this strikes us as a difficult mitzvah to fulfill even as we recognize

it as an important imperative for life. Happiness is a state of mind. It doesn’t

come strictly from pleasure, wealth, or even health. Happiness reflects satisfaction. It results from gratitude and appreciation for the gift and mystery of our lives. Even when we hurt, we can impose onto our day a moment of contentment, or maybe delight. All we have to do is see it either around us or within us. I always counsel individuals who face a personal challenge to look for

such moments. It’s a better way to cope.Our Talmudic rabbis wonder, “How can

someone be commanded to be happy?” Their answer: “with what is suitable for them.” For some of us it may be a physical comfort, for others happiness might derive from the people with whom we spend time. For those of us comfortable today, happiness may be the result of our achievements. For those of us in need or who know pain, our happiness may simply come from the memory of, and hope for, better times.

Sukkot is subtitled z’man simhateinu – the time of our happiness. In this issue of HaZ’man ~ This Season, Katie David and members of Chizuk Amuno Brotherhood share some of what makes them happy at this time of year. Let’s do the same. During this joyous month of holidays, sacred times spent with family, friends, and in community, remember what makes you happy and strive to cherish that satisfaction often in this New Year. L’Shanah Tovah u’metukah,For a good, sweet and happy New Year,

Rabbi Ron Shulman

Happiness Reflects Satisfaction

Happiness is a state of

mind. It doesn’t come

strictly from pleasure,

wealth, or even health.

LaZ’man HaZeh ~ At This Season ~ dfd onfl

Sukkot 5774 | 3

LaZ’man HaZeh ~ At This Season ~ dfd onflGetting Back in Order

by Shelly Malis, President

I love fall – the cool, clear weather, the changing leaves, the opening of school, the start of football season and, yes, even the High Holy Days.

There is an order to fall that I welcome after the frenetic, unscheduled summer. In the fall – at meetings, back-to-school events, football watching parties and High Holy Day services – I have the opportunity to see and spend time with people who have been off doing other things during the summer. It is a time to catch-up, get reacquainted and make plans for the year, the year that runs from September to June.

This year’s fall order is truly unique but I think I like it. The High Holy Days are here before they have a chance to interrupt much of anything.

No getting totally immersed in school and other projects only to have to stop abruptly to prepare for and celebrate the holidays. No trying to figure out where you left off before Rosh HaShanah. But how does one switch gears so suddenly from Labor Day weekend and celebrating the end of summer to preparing mentally and spiritually for the High Holy Days?

Still thrown by the timing of the holiday, I was not completely together for Rosh HaShanah. I am pretty sure that by Sukkot, I will truly be ready to start the year. I will sit in my little sukkah in my back yard surrounded by giant trees and I will be able to think, pray, and really relax. I will be able to be thankful for all of the good things that have happened during the past year and to reflect on the challenges. I will be able to think about and plan for all of the things that I want to accomplish during my last nine months as president of Chizuk Amuno and get ready to hit the ground running.

I really hope it doesn’t rain too much – I am going to need all the time I can get in my sukkah!

We Were Chosen for Torahby Rabbi Paul Schneider

I love Simhat Torah when

every Jew embraces the Torah, when folks who rarely come to the synagogue stand in line

to carry the Torah for one of the hakafot. Somehow, despite all of the bad press on Jewish continuity, we have managed to

inculcate in our people a sense that Torah is to be valued, exulted, and loved.

Sometimes, when we talk about the concept of “the chosen people,” people are confused.

Some Jews misunderstand this to mean that Jews are superior to others. This is not at all what Judaism teaches. Jews are indeed “the chosen people.” We are chosen for Torah.

One can see this clearly stated in the first blessing recited when one receives an aliyah.

We say “asher bahar banu mikol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu et torah-to,” (Blessed is God) who chose us from among all the nations, and who gave us the Torah. It is Torah that makes the Jewish people unique. Torah is our treasure.

So, come to shul on Simhat Torah. Come with your family. Join us as we sing and dance, once again celebrating this enduring and precious gift from God to us. n

LaZ’man HaZeh ~ At This Season ~ dfd onfl

4 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

Moving Toward Happinessby Katie David

“Yabloko s myedom? Can you all think of how to say that in English?”

To the group of preschoolers, this was an impossible question. It was just after

Rosh HaShanah 5773 and they scrunched up faces as they tried to produce the little English they knew. A young boy shouted something. “I’m sorry,” I responded in Russian, “I’m not sure what that means.” “Oh,” he said, crestfallen, “that’s how you say it in Ukrainian. I can say it in Ukrainian, but definitely not English.”

Last year, I spent Rosh HaShanah in Odessa, Ukraine. This was the beginning of the 10 months I would spend researching Odessa’s Jewish community on a Fulbright scholarship. I arrived nervous about asking so much from a community that had been through such an intense history. I was going to be asking them hard questions and I also would need to be invited into their homes, their lives, their community organizations, and their local government. I wanted to give something in return for all that I was asking. One of Odessa’s two Jewish Community Centers needed an English teacher for their Sunday morning religious school program. My first lesson was only a few days after Rosh HaShanah. I went on to teach about Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and every other festival every Sunday until I returned to America this past July.

Many members of the American Jewish community can trace their ancestry back to Ukraine, a good portion specifically to Odessa. In 1900, the city was 40-50% Jewish, numbering 150,000. Odessa served as an important city for the Jews of the Russian empire, including famous Jews such

as writers Sholom Aleichem and Isaac Babel, gangster Mischa Yaponchik, comedian Mikhail Zhvanetskii, and prominent communist figure Leon Trostky, who all spent formative years there. The combined legacy of the Soviet Union, Nazi occupation, and the rocky and complex transition to capitalism after the fall of the Soviet Union greatly affected the Jewish heritage and demographics of the city, not to mention the individual lives of all of its citizens.

These hardships are not the focus of the Jewish community of 40,000 there today. Instead, Odessa remains a Jewish capital while adapting its institutions to the needs of a post-Soviet, urban, and dynamic population. Odessa’s development as a community has served as a model for cities across Europe and the former Soviet Union, thanks to the financial and moral support for Odessa from the Jewish community in Baltimore (Odessa and Baltimore are sister cities) and the extraordinary drive of Odessa’s community leaders. Odessa has not forgotten the tragedies of its past. Instead it honors its legacy by building a community that reflects all of its history. In Odessa’s Jewish museum, the city’s heritage is celebrated and the tragedies that have shaped it are reflected upon. Yet, the last exhibit in the museum is photos, Judaica, and artwork all created and donated by Odessa’s contemporary community. The museum is not chronological, and when I asked the director why, he replied, “Jewish history in Odessa is like American movies, you have to have a happy ending, even if it’s one you didn’t expect!”

The Tishrei festivals make me think of

my personal history and the history of my community. Where will I be next Yom Kippur? Where were my grandparents this time of year when they were children? What was Chizuk Amuno like 50 years ago and where will it be in a few years?

Reflecting on history, one can easily give up on figuring out what it all means. It is easy to stare blankly when asked these questions. Yet, the children I taught in Odessa eventually could answer that “yabloko s myedom” means apple and honey. The community of Odessa could figure out how to answer the question “What will become of our city?” after each monumental historical event. I am not sure where I’ll be next year at this time. No one can be sure where our community will be one generation from now. However, as we dip our apples in honey, as we gather branches for our sukkot, and as we sit around the table with our families, we should all be happy in our celebrations. Most importantly, we must have faith there will be happy endings for our families, our congregation, our community, and Jewish communities around the world, even if it’s an ending we don’t expect. n

Katie David graduated from Rosenbloom Religious School, Chizuk Amuno’s Netivon high school program, Pikesville High School, and Colgate University with a degree in History and Russian Studies.

This fall, she will work in Washington, DC as a research assistant for a small NGO. Besides her love of all things Soviet and post-Soviet, Katie enjoys the Baltimore Ravens, Paper Moon Diner, and Harry Potter. 

Sukkot 5774 | 5

Brotherhood Brings the “Happy” to the FestivalFor over a decade, Chizuk Amuno’s Brotherhood has steadfastly supplied lulav and etrog sets in order to enhance congregants’ Sukkot celebrations. This year, they also sold ready-to-assemble sukkah kits. As we immerse ourselves in the happiness of the holiday, we ponder, “How did Brotherhood’s focus on Sukkot come about? “Why do they do it?” HaZ’man ~ This Season sat down with Jeff Snyder, Marvin Spector, and Michael Moranz to get their story.

Many will remember

that – for decades – Rev. Dickstein would take orders for lulav and etrog sets from Israel. About 20 years ago, once the annual orders reached 60 or 70 sets, it became too difficult for him to assemble so many sets on the morning of Sukkot, as was his practice. He needed help. Marvin Spector was a regular at services and was recruited to help with this project. Over the years, the number of orders continued to grow. That, along with age, made it increasingly difficult for Rev. Dickstein to handle the larger quantities, so Marvin took on more responsibility for the project. Eventually, he also needed help. Michael Moranz was a regular at services (are we seeing a trend here?) and would arrive early. So he was the obvious shoe-in as the next lulav/etrog set project co-chair.

About 10 years ago, Brotherhood took over sole responsibility for taking orders,

sourcing the etrog and components to the lulav, assembling the lulavim, and making sure all orders are filled. In contrast to Rev. Dickstein’s list committed to memory each year, the advent of Excel and Windows

Office has made the entire process much simpler – from lists of buyers to paid-up orders to labels for the etrog boxes.

For the past several years, the number of orders has hovered around 100. Due to the volume, many people are needed for assembly. It is not only a tradition, but has become a labor of love for Brotherhood members who participate annually, as well as the few new men who join in each year. It is a great opportunity to learn how to assemble a lulav and at the same time experience the camaraderie within our Brotherhood.

About 12 years ago, the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), of which our Brotherhood is a member club, launched a sukkah kit project that inspired our chapter

to provide this wonderful service to our congregants. An enthusiastic team designed and created their own kits for sale, which included purchasing the necessary lumber, tarps, and fittings and cutting the lumber to

the proper sizes. Profits from the sukkah kit sales were to support our USY chapter. As it turned out, the kits were expensive and cumbersome. There was a lot of work involved in transporting, building, deconstructing, and storing each sukkah. The logistics to the project became overwhelming and enthusiasm faded.

Since then, Jeff Snyder has searched for an easier, less expensive option so more people could participate in the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah. He finally found the right kit, which creates a 10’ x 10’ enclosure, is extremely easy to put up and take down, and is fairly small to store. The Brotherhood is eager

to share these kits with the congregation. Having an easy-to-assemble sukkah kit

makes it more likely that others will perform the mitzvah. And similarly with the lulav/etrog sets – with an abundance in the Sanctuary on Sukkot, many people will have the opportunity to shake the lulav, recite the b’rakhot, and experience the mitzvah firsthand. Brotherhood is happy to facilitate these mitzvot and help to bring “happy” to your festival. n

If you purchased a lulav/etrog set from Brotherhood this year, please note that they will be available for pick-up on Tuesday, September 17 from 4-6 p.m. in the Esterson Auditorium. The sukkah kits can be picked up on Sunday, September 15 at noon.

T o r a h v r u ,

6 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

Continuing a Tradition, Adult Bat Mitzvahby Rabbi Debi Wechsler

Over the course of

my years here at Chizuk Amuno, one of my favorite rabbinic responsibilities

has been teaching the Adult Bat Mitzvah class, together with Hazzan Perlman. It is an inspiration to learn with an accomplished group of women and to see how their lives are transformed by serious study of Judaism. For some, it is the first time that they are studying Hebrew and Judaism. For others, it is a continuation on their journey. For all, it is a wonderful experience of sisterhood and growth through Torah and applying the insights learned to our own lives and that of our families.

The Adult Bat Mitzvah class is a two-year

program of study. In the first year, time is spent learning and mastering Hebrew reading and becoming familiar with the Shabbat service and the siddur. In the second year, time is spent with Hazzan Perlman learning the Torah and Haftarah trope, and with the rabbis studying the holidays and the lifecycle.

Since its inception at Chizuk Amuno in 1988, 120 women have participated in this program. If you are interested in joining the next Adult Bat Mitzvah class, please contact Rabbi Wechsler to save your space. 

In his Mishneh Torah, Maimonides teaches: If a parent wished to study Torah, and she has a child who must also learn – the parent takes precedence. The parent must not ignore her own study, for just as it is a mitzvah to educate the child, so too is the parent commanded to teach herself. n

A Bat Mitzvah Letterby Teresa Alpert-Leibman

Ten years ago a group of women joined together as strangers and blossomed into

an intimate community of sisters. At our first session, Rabbi Weschler asked each of us in the room to introduce ourselves and explain why we wanted to become adult Bat Mitzah. Each of us had our own reasons – the time is right, the kids are grown and out of the house, more “me time,” wanting to learn and understand what it means to be Jewish, and how to incorporate Jewishness into our lives.

This two year commitment (meeting once a week) is the best investment that I have ever made in building relationships – I have devoted time to learn more and grow into my own personal relationships with God, rituals, prayers, and my community. This was profoundly different than becoming a Bat Mitzvah at 12 years of age with a group of girls – we all wore white dresses and recited passages of history about the Spanish Inquisition to an audience of proud parents and friends. Being raised in an Orthodox family, the concept that a girl would read from the bimah was not a reality and one that, in 1970, I didn’t challenge. Over 40 years later, Shabbat morning, August 14, 2003 is a date that I will never forget. I approached the bimah with my Bat Mitzvah sisters collectively, forever entwined in our spiritual journey together.

We have celebrated 10 years of life together and all of its lifecycle events, rollercoasters and carousels. Our homes and hearts are open for each other and we are each other’s

greatest fans. Thanks to the support of our clergy and the synagogue community, we have been able to maintain our sisterhood and continue to learn

together about each other and ourselves through our own Jewish lens.Some of us are wearing bifocals,L’Shanah Tovah! n

Teresa Alpert-Leibman is married to David, uses all of her frequent flyer points to visit her daughter Rachel and soon to be son-in-law, Daniel, in Colorado. She resides in Owings Mills and is employed

by Lifebridge Health, Rubin Institute of Advanced Orthopedics.

Sukkot 5774 | 7

The Draw of Ramahby Rabbi Stuart SeltzerBrigadoon, Brigadoon,

Blooming under sable skiesBrigadoon, Brigadoon, there my heart liesLet the world grow cold around us,Let the heavens cry aboveBrigadoon, Brigadoon, in thy valley,

there’ll be love!

One of my favorite Broadway musicals is Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon

about a legendary Scottish village whose music draws two typical American tourists into its enchanted atmosphere. Brigadoon has a singular mysterious and magical quality: it appears on the Earth for only one day every hundred years. And if an outsider wants to stay in Brigadoon, the person has to fall in love with someone from the village. Whether a person stays or not, the experience always changes them.

Camp Ramah reminds me of the village of Brigadoon, magical, transformative, fleeting. Like Brigadoon, Ramah appears for a short time and is rich with powerful, rewarding experiences: the beauty of reciting the morning service with your friends and counselors among the silent, attending trees; the wild, spontaneous ruah of Friday night singing and dancing in the hadar okhel, dining hall; hitting a home run on the ball field and hitting a home run with a beautiful grace after meals, high fives all around; the grab-bag of “shabbat-a-grams” exchanged with your friends; discovering that you can really live without electronics, that the depth and joys of face to face conversation are far better that relating to screens; the gratification and surprise of knowing so much more Hebrew at the end

of the summer – not by study, by living with it.

This past summer, after several wrong turns, I finally made it to Camp Ramah in the Poconos. (Like Brigadoon, strangely, Camp Ramah did not appear on my GPS). Like our American tourists in the play, I was drawn into the campgrounds by lively

Israeli music booming from loudspeakers. On the field in front of the hadar okhel everyone – campers and staff – participated in spirited and lively modern Israeli hip-hop, not one teenager was playing it cool. Nicole Schechter, a graduate of Rosenbloom Religious School (RRS) and Netivon who just received her PhD in psychology, helped lead the dancing. Like Nicole, most staff members have been through Ramah as campers and want to give to younger Ramah kids the kinds of experiences they had at Ramah. (Adina Golob, another RRS graduate, is a counselor at Ramah in New England for the second year.)

In the dining Hall, I saw a counselor assigning Seth Hudes a Torah reading for the coming Shabbat. How proud and grateful I felt because Seth, who had just learned how to read Torah this past year at RRS, was being honored with a Torah reading.

I wandered from table to table to see all of the Ramahniks from Chizuk Amuno: Molly Sugarman, Paul Hudes, Ezra Glazer, Hannah and Ilana Harrow, Sam Sugarman, and Yaeli Lowenberg. I asked them how it was going this summer and each, enthusiastically, mostly in turn, told me about his or her Ramah highlights:

chilling with friends, playing sports, broadcasting for Ramah radio, leading Havdalah, performing in the Hebrew play, kosher cookouts over an open fire. Camp Ramah is fun, being Jewish is fun.

I was visiting during Ramah’s second session. Gillian Blum, who attended first session (along with Danielle and LeAnne Garten, and Hannah Walberg) later told me she enjoyed the Hebrew and Judaics because they complemented the things she learned at Krieger Schechter. She said, “It was all lots of fun but I also had a chance to

learn how to take care of myself and make tons of new friends. And even though I missed my family, I still had the best summer of my life.”

Ethan Swartz who (along with Matthew Hudes and Paul Hudes) attended Camp Ramah in the Rockies (Ramah’s new outdoor adventure camp) returns there every summer because of the people. “The reason why I love Ramah so much is the community. The people make the camp the great place it is.”

Just like in the village of Brigadoon, where love abounds, our Ramahniks fall in love with the place and the friends they make there. And as soon as camp ends, the kids start counting the days until that magical place called Ramah appears once again.

Camp Ramah, Camp Ramah, there my heart lies! n

8 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

What I Learned About Judaism by Studying Christianityby Carol Berkower, Ph.D.

Do Jews and Christians worship the same God? How do our views compare on

revelation and repentance, suffering and death? What do we talk about when we talk about Israel? Raised with a solid Jewish education and many Protestant friends, I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t recall ever having asked these questions, and until two years ago I couldn’t have offered anything but the most superficial (and inaccurate) answers, passed down like old clothes from a distant relative: Jews value action, Christians value belief; Christians worry over their eternal soul while Jews emphasize this life over the afterlife; Christian prayer is an essentially private affair and fundamentally different from Jewish communal davenen.

That was before I found my teachers, a pair of theologians whose tales of two religions that diverged from a single, shattered source weave a story far more complex and colorful than anything I’d imagined. Catholic scholar Dr. Rosann Catalano and Reconstructionist Rabbi Ilyse Kramer, both faculty at the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies, teach a course that might be described as a journey through two thousand years of religious interpretation and argument - argument made all the fiercer by the common origin of Christians and Jews.

The course, which explores the theological conversations that define Jews and Christians in light of their sacred texts and traditions, has run for three years at Chizuk Amuno, and with so many questions and so much history to cover, there’s never a shortage of new topics. Jewish teachings

are echoed throughout the Christian gospels, and the manner in which each gospel refracts its Jewish content reveals much about its particular time, setting, and audience. By applying techniques of text

study familiar to anyone who has read the Talmud, we can begin to decipher the rich tapestry of metaphors and allusions - many of which refer back to Jewish sources - within early Christian texts.

As for prayer, have you ever wondered what actually happens in church during Easter and why that holiday has been a catalyst for Christian persecution of Jews over the centuries? Dr. Catalano provides a guided tour of Holy Week, down to the sights and smells accompanying the daily prayers and rituals that culminate in Easter Sunday. What radical document produced by the Second Vatican Council overturned a thousand years of Catholic dogma concerning Judaism, what does it really say, and why does it still seem radical nearly fifty years later? I could have read Nostra Aetate on my own in English (worth doing - just Google the title and download it from the Vatican), but without Dr. Catalano as my guide, I would never have been able to

probe its deeper Latin subtext.As we dig deep and explore the diversity

of thought and practice that characterizes both religions, and as we find commonality in the most unexpected places (try

translating the first line of the Lord’s Prayer into Hebrew), our sense of the other as fundamentally different falls away. At the same time, the trust we develop enables us to probe the real differences that define us. In the words of Rabbi Kramer, even more than an awareness of our similarities, it is this “step into the otherness…that moves us to another plane of understanding,” one in which “our arguing becomes sacred because of

what we teach and learn from one another.”Which is why, as in all worthwhile

journeys, the greatest revelation is internal. To participate in a conversation between religions is to constantly ask oneself: What do I believe? What distinguishes my religion of birth (or choice) from the rest? Just as individual threads must be woven against others to form a discernible pattern, answers to these questions emerge when we engage each other in sacred argument. Exploring the world through another’s eyes, we see ourselves more clearly. n

Carol Berkower is a Ph.D. biochemist and science writer. She lives in Baltimore City and is the mother of Laura and Micah Loveland, who attend Krieger Schechter Day School. After decades of talking

about it, she is finally learning to play the concertina.

Sukkot 5774 | 9

Av o d a h v s u c g

During the Festival of Sukkot we are completely immersed in the rituals, objects and foods of the hag, holiday. Many themes are

associated with Sukkot, including the joys of community, awareness of our environment, hospitality and the welcoming of guests, thanksgiving to God as we celebrate our lives and all that sustains us, including the physical and spiritual sustenance we seek.

On Sukkot we place ourselves into the sukkah, the temporary dwelling space that we call home for a little over a week. As we commemorate our ancestors Exodus from Egypt and their wilderness wandering, we pause from the routines of our lives at the beginning of another year and reflect on all that we cherish and appreciate.

Erev Sukkot, Wednesday, September 18Dinner and Designs 5:30 p.m. Kadimah Kick-off – for 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders

Minhah 6:00 p.m. Erev Sukkot Service 6:15 p.m. Candle Lighting 6:52 p.m.

First Day of Sukkot, Thursday, September 19Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m. Family Service/ Young Families of Chizuk Amuno Sukkot Celebration 10:30 a.m. Kiddush Luncheon in the Attman Family Sukkah co-sponsored by Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood, following services

Minhah/Ma’ariv 6:15 p.m. Candle Lighting 7:35 p.m.

Second Day of Sukkot, Friday, September 20Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m. Sukkot Story by Rabbi Paul Schneider Kiddush Luncheon in the Attman Family Sukkah co-sponsored by Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood, following services

Oneg Shabbat/Minhah 6:00 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 p.m. Candle Lighting 6:48 p.m. New Shabbat 7:30 p.m.

First Hol HaMoed Sukkot Shabbat, September 21Shabbat Morning Service 9:15 a.m. Reading of Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, led by our madrikhim, B’nei Mitzvah tutors Family Service 10:30 a.m. Torah for Tots 10:30 a.m. Bar Mitzvah of Alexander Rubin Kiddush Luncheon, following services

Study Session 5:30 p.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv 6:30 p.m. Havdalah 7:32 p.m.

Second Hol HaMoed Sukkot Sunday, September 22 Shaharit 8:30 a.m. Community Sukkot Tailgate Bash 10:00 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv 6:15 p.m.

Third Hol HaMoed Sukkot Monday, September 23 Shaharit 7:00 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv 6:15 p.m.

Fourth Hol HaMoed Sukkot Tuesday, September 24 Shaharit 7:00 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv 6:15 p.m.

Fifth Hol HaMoed, Hoshanah Rabbah Wednesday, September 25Shaharit 7:00 a.m Minhah 6:00 p.m.

Erev Shemini Atzeret Service 6:15 p.m. Candle Lighting 6:40 p.m.

Shemini Atzeret, Thursday, September 26 Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m. Yizkor Memorial Prayers Family Service 10:30 a.m. Kiddush Luncheon, following services

Erev Simhat Torah, Thursday, September 26Minhah 6:00 p.m. Minyan Erev Simhat Torah Service 6:15 p.m. Family Erev Simhat Torah Service 7:00 p.m. …celebration and dancing with our Torah Scrolls, for all ages All families new to our schools will be called up for an aliyah. Candle Lighting 7:24 p.m.

Simhat Torah, Friday, September 27Festival Morning Service 9:15 a.m. Young Families of Chizuk Amuno 10:00 a.m. Kiddush Luncheon in honor of our Simhat Torah honorees, Ruthanne Kaufman and Arnie Wallenstein, following services Minhah 6:00 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 p.m. Candle Lighting 6:37 p.m.

Celebrating Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simhat Torah

10 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

Ruthanne KaufmanKallat Torah

Ruthanne’s family became members at Chizuk Amuno in the early 1970’s. In

2006, while attending daily minyan and reciting Kaddish for her parents, Ruthanne discovered a world that she had never imagined existed. As time progressed, she transformed from a once a year High Holy Day attendee to a minyan and Shabbat regular, avid learner, and dedicated volunteer. Her fluency with the prayers grew as her knowledge of Hebrew progressed and it allowed her to take a more active role in services, ultimately leading the entire Shaharit, Minhah, or Ma’ariv, and Shabbat preliminary service – so far.

Ruthanne joined the adult Bat Mitzvah class, Dr. Shualy’s Torah reading class, and attends classes provided by the Stulman Center. Her first experience chanting Torah before the congregation was intensely spiritual and has inspired her to tackle all five books. To date, she has chanted over one fourth of the Torah and has read in every parasha. Ruthanne is an active member of Sisterhood and has served on the board of Club Hatikvah – including president. She currently sits on the Ritual Committee and the Congregational Life Committee and sings with the Community Choir.

Ruthanne is a long-time volunteer at the Maryland Zoo and a new volunteer at Art with a Heart. She was a board member of the Maryland Society for Medical Laboratory Sciences, currently sits on the board of the Baltimore Green and Just Alliance, and will be the next president of Hadassah’s Tikvah group.

Just as the members of the daily minyan became her family and Chizuk Amuno became her second home, the entire community has grown stronger due to her presence here. It is said that still waters run deep. We appreciate Ruthanne and her quiet disposition, which conceals her passionate, caring, and committed energy. Kol HaKavod Ruthanne.

Arnie WallensteinHattan Bereishit

Arnie Wallenstein has a long family history with Chizuk Amuno. He became

a Bar Mitzvah at the Eutaw street location, just as his father, Leonard, had. Both studied under the tutelage of Hazzan Weisgal. At the Stevenson Road location, Arnie attended religious school and was confirmed. Growing up watching his father serve as president of the Chizuk Amuno School Board, Arnie saw how important and fulfilling it was to volunteer and serve our Jewish community. Arnie and his wife, Barbara, have been married for 44 years and

raised their two children, Randi and Matt, at Chizuk Amuno. He sits on the House Committee, serving as chair for several years. In addition, he served on Chizuk Amuno’s Board of Trustees. During that time, he has used his expertise in the building industry to assist with all maintenance and construction projects that have occurred at our expansive facility. His input and expertise have been

invaluable as we continuously maintain, improve, and renovate our campus. Arnie is the President of Artisan Renovations, Inc.

and also serves on the Board of Directors of The League For People With Disabilities. A kind and considerate individual, Arnie brings warmth and good cheer to every project and discussion. He’s always willing and creative, bringing his flair for style and design to all that he does. We thank him for his

many years of dedicated service.

On Thursday evening, September 26 and Friday, September 27, Simhat Torah, we

will conclude reading the Torah and begin reading it anew. The honor of being called

to the Torah for the concluding aliyah of the year and the honor of being the first aliyah of the new reading cycle are considered very precious on Simhat Torah. Reflecting the

loving relationship of God and the Jewish people through Torah, the congregants called upon for these honors are referred to as Kallat (Bride) Torah and Hatan (Groom) Bereishit.

Sukkot 5774 | 11

Game Day Schedule ChangesSunday, September 22Morning MinyanMinyan will begin at 8:30 a.m. rather than 9:15 a.m. in order to facilitate the attendance of minyan participants to both the dedication of the chapel walkway and the Sukkot Tailgate Bash, both of which begin at 10 a.m.

Rosenbloom Religious School RRS will dismiss students at 10 a.m. so that the children and their families can enjoy the festivities at the Sukkot Tailgate Bash. The admission fee for RRS students and their families will be covered by the school.

Derekh Amuno

DedicationSunday, September 22, 10 a.m.

Join us as we dedicate our new walkway,

Derekh Amuno ~ Pathway to Faith.

This project has been made possible through

the generosity of Leslie M. Berman

and members of the Chizuk Amuno community

who purchased bricks during this initial phase.

Additional pavers will be available for sale

for $250 beginning October 1. Sukkot DecorationsCome help Sisterhood decorate the Sanctuary bimah

for Sukkot – Tuesday, September 17.

Attention 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders!Dinner and Designs in the SukkahWednesday, September 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Chizuk Amuno Kadima for their kick-off Sukkot program and dinner! Bring your creativity and carpentry skills – we’ll be decorating one of the Chizuk Amuno sukkot and then rewarding ourselves with a relaxing dinner and dessert in a sukkah. Please contact our Kadima Youth Advisor, Zack, to RSVP and for more information about Kadima membership and programs, zkaye@chizukamuno.org. This program is free for Chizuk Amuno Kadima members.

Interview Outfits Unlimited (I.O.U.) Clothing Drive

,

Please drop off cleaned, gently worn professional clothing on hangers and accessories for men and women.

Volunteers will be on hand in the Louis A. Cohen Family Chapel Lobby to accept donations and help unload cars. Receipts will be available.

Volunteers are needed to transport items. Donations take place on weekdays and Sundays.

If you drive a SUV, van, or truck and would like to do a mitzvahplease contact Miriam Foss.Questions? Call Miriam Foss, mfoss@chizukamuno.org or 410/486-6400, ext. 281.

A service initiative made possible by the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Gemilut Hasadim Endowment Fund

Sunday, September 22 • 9 am. - Noon

C H I Z U K A M U N O S I S T E R H O O D ’ S S E M I - A N N U A L

Sunday, September 22, 9 a.m. - noonChizuk Amuno Parking Lot

All electronic and paper material to be recycled—no land� lls used.

$10 for up to 5 bags/boxes of paper to be shredded; $10 for a trunk-full of electronic items with a cord or battery.No HAZMATS, no light bulbs, no refrigerants. Flat panel TVs accepted at no charge. Older CRT TVs are $15 extra.

Used cell phones with charger will be donated to CHANA.

Questions? Please contact Marcia Scherr, 410/484-2480, or marcia@marciapscherrcpa.com

Shredding and eCycling Event

Feel Like Getting Your Hands Dirty?Join us at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 22, in the Jared Scott Levy Memorial Garden.

Attention New Students: Tradition! Tradition! This Simhat Torah we will introduce a new tradition at Chizuk Amuno. On Thursday night, September 26 at 7 p.m., during Simhat Torah services, all new students entering our Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center, Rosenbloom Religious School, Krieger Schechter Day School, Netivon and Achshav, and the Stulman Center for Adult Learning are invited to come to the bimah for a beautiful ceremony in honor of this sweet beginning.

Jewish tradition sees the start of one’s Jewish education as a “sweet and joyous” occasion. Joining together on the bimah with all our new learners, under the canopy of our beautiful giant silk tallit, at the Torah, reciting a b’rakha – it is an awesome way to begin the journey.

You are a valued member of our community and we hope you’ll join together with us to pray, sing, dance, and celebrate.

12 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

Operation Welcome Home Maryland, July 4, 2013by Judy Schwartz

I have never been more proud to be a member of the Chizuk Amuno family.

On July 4, 27 men, women, and children from our congregation volunteered at BWI airport to welcome home US soldiers from their overseas deployments. For many of our volunteers, this was their first time participating in this important project. They did not know what to expect or what was expected of them.

Red, white, and blue was the dress code, some accessorized with American flags, many with tissues; everyone wore a welcoming smile. As the servicemen/women exited customs they were warmly greeted with boisterous cheers, energetic handshakes, and comments ranging from, “Welcome home!” to “Thank you for your

service!” Many of our first-time volunteers were struck by the number of very young soldiers and the number of women in uniform. As we joined the other volunteers in the welcoming line offering handshakes and high fives to the soldiers walking past, several of our Chizuk Amuno volunteers admitted to feeling farklempt from the experience (and I’m not just referring to our female volunteers). Everyone asked when the next opportunity to participate in OWHMD was scheduled and some agreed to be available for the off-hour events that take place between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

As Bob and I were leaving the airport we were stopped by a group of soldiers outside the USO office. They explained that they could hear our cheers as they waited to be

processed through customs but had no idea what was happening on the other side of the doors. Some were so astounded by the crowd and the enthusiasm of the volunteers that they found it difficult to look directly at us for fear of being overcome by emotion. Without exception they offered us their most sincere thanks for welcoming them home. It was a wonderful way to spend the Fourth of July! n

Judy Schwartz (pictured front and center, holding a flag) is a 4th generation Chizuk member, past-president of Sisterhood, and active Chizuk Amuno student and volunteer. She is married to Bob Schwartz, the mom to two daughters, and a grandma. As a clinical social worker (retired), community involvement comes naturally to her.    

Sukkot 5774 | 13

Building Communityby Bil Zarch

What a gift I have been given to have spent this past year with the Krieger

Schechter community. Words cannot express the joy that I get every day walking into school and greeting every student by name with a handshake and boker tov – good morning. Learning about our students has been so eye-opening. While most would not think this morning ritual is overtly Jewish, in my opinion it is one of the most obvious ways in which we show our children what it means to be part of a Jewish community.

The concept of hakhnasat orhim – welcoming guests – is a Jewish value that is important to instill in our children from a very young age. As the leader of this school community, it is my job to be a role model for the type of behavior that we expect from our children. The introduction of the handshake symbolizes something much deeper than the actual activity. When a school community is mission driven, as KSDS is, its members must not only talk the talk, but they have to walk the walk. The notion of the handshake is part of that “talk” and that “walk.”

The administration at KSDS is constantly talking about the values that we want to instill in our children. The social-emotional piece of our curriculum is of paramount importance. It is so important to our team that we are investing a great amount of time, energy, and resources in creating a full scope and sequence of the social-emotional curriculum. One unit delves deep into the concept of “respect.” When a student arrives in the morning, I expect that we will shake hands, look each other in the eye, and greet each other. All three parts are integral to the process. There has been many a time that I

have stopped a child and said “Let’s try again” or “Can you look me in the eyes?”

In addition to other administrators, some parents have positively remarked to me about the change they have seen in the way that their child interacts with adults. The handshake is the deliberate step in the way we “walk” here at KSDS. Students who feel more than a peripheral connection to the adults that they interact with daily are likely to entrust those adults to help them navigate more difficult times.

Our students are a link in the chain that is our thousands of years of Jewish history. The concept of community has always been something that our Jewish people have valued. At Sinai, Moshe knew the significance of gaining the trust of the kahal – community. An important tenet of KSDS has always been the notion that we are a community school that inspires young Jewish minds. The handshaking ritual is just one of the many inspiring moments at KSDS! n

14 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

What’s Nu? New Shabbat“And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you…” —Ezekiel 36:26

Friday September 20, 7:30 p.m.Celebrating Sukkot, we’ll gather for our monthly

contemporary Friday night service with guitar music. This month Josh Bender joins Rabbi Shulman to create the special spirit of New Shabbat in song, reflection, and special Sukkot moments.

Come enjoy an upbeat Shabbat celebration of prayer, song, and insight with your family and friends. Using a special prayer book that includes Hebrew transliteration and English reflection, everyone is welcome to join in New Shabbat.

Participants describe New Shabbat asUplifting and Joyful • Moving and Spiritual • Powerful and Beautiful

Sisterhood CelebratesOn this past Shavuot, Sisterhood was proud to

present the new bein gavra, the cover for the Torah between readings. This gift was made in honor of the 125th anniversary of Chizuk Amuno Sisterhood, which took place in 2011. It is now available to be used when requested and will be on display in the Hofberger Chapel between uses. The artist, Judy Levin, of Memphis, TN beautifully interpreted the thoughts presented by the committee and brought the pomegranates’ theme representing, hiddur mitzvah, beautification of a mitzvah, to life.

Thank You Ace UniformsChizuk Amuno Congregation and the housekeeping

and maintenance staff are grateful to Buddy Finkelstein and Ace Uniform Company for generously donating and caring for the staff uniforms.

Buddy and his family have been affiliated with Chizuk Amuno for four generations. Supplying our staff with proper uniforms, free of charge, has been a family project for many years. We thank them for their thoughtful and generous spirit.

Our next New Shabbat will take place on Friday, October 18. Dates for upcoming New Shabbat Services are November 8, December 20, January 10, February 7, March 21, April 4, May 9, and June 13.

As a club affiliated with the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), we fulfill the needs of men like you. FJMC consists of over 250 clubs with over 20,000 members in Conservative/Masorti synagogues around the world. We come together as a brotherhood to get involved in Jewish living and help address family and community concerns, in a spirit of camaraderie and fun.

Together, we sponsor blood drives; visit the sick; lead shivah minyanim; build sukkot; and engage in serious discussions about the changing roles of men in an increasingly egalitarian world. We cultivate volunteers and train leaders; help to find jobs for those in need; sponsor parent-child activities and athletic events; help families learn to make Shabbat, read Hebrew, commemorate Yom HaShoah, and put on tefillin. We help raise needed funds for our synagogue, our community, and the global Conservative/Masorti Movement.

All these activities were started by men like you - some activities occur regularly; others are available for you to innovate and lead. We welcome men of all ages, from those with young families to those whose families are fully grown, and everything in between. Come join us and let your unique passion be a catalyst for change.

Just remember:• Involvement in our Brotherhood helps us be better role

models for our children.• Being active in our Brotherhood serves the needs of

our congregation and leads to greater involvement in our synagogue.

• Our Brotherhood’s programs, resources, and initiatives enable us to address the critical issues that we, as men, experience in our lives.For more information about Brotherhood, or to join

in any of our activities, please contact Dr. Gary Brager, Brotherhood President, garybrager@yahoo.com.

Brotherhood has a Place for You!

Sukkot 5774 | 15

Remembering a Special Lady at Goldsmith Early Childhood Education Center (GECEC)

It is with sadness that we mark the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Sydnee Burgunder (Mrs. B), who began her tenure at our preschool over 30 years ago. She was a warm, loving, caring teacher and co-worker who had an impact on all the children and families with whom she worked.

Mrs. B was the resident party girl among the preschool staff – she was very funny and that made her the right person to plan all the staff holiday gatherings. Due to her sunny disposition, she was also the perfect chair of our Sunshine Fund, which recognizes milestones among GECEC faculty.

Lisa and Brad Burgunder, Sydnee’s son and daughter-in-law and GECEC parents, established the Mrs. B Library Fund within our Samuel A. Levin Library. With the addition of generous donations from friends and family, the fund has surpassed $2,500, which will be used to create a library shelf in her memory. We will also place a display case in the GECEC lobby which will feature rotating exhibits made by our students.

We will continue to expand the Samuel A. Levin Library with proceeds from the Mrs. B Library Fund. If you would like to mark a milestone event in your family – a graduation, birthday, birth of a baby, etc. – you may contact the preschool office, 410/486-8642. There is a minimum of $15 contribution in order to dedicate a book.

Club Hatikvah Shabbat 2013

On Shabbat morning, July 13, Chizuk Amuno celebrated its annual Club Hatikvah’s Shabbat. Members and friends of Club Hatikvah participated in all aspects of the service.

Ruthanne Kaufman led the preliminary service and Dr. Antony Rosen led Shaharit and the Torah Service. We were honored to have Rabbi Shulman lead Musaf. Members receiving aliyot were Carol and Gilbert Davis, Norma and Theodore Surosky, Ethel and Col. Irvin Klein, Dorothy Yankellow, and Marilynn and Martin Kinstler. Other members who participated were Bruce and Barbara Lewbart, Elaine Tobias, Walter Lamm, and Marion Straus. Members and friends of Club Hatikvah who read Torah were Gilbert Davis, Margot Zipper, Lynn Tucker, Eileen Yoffe, Ruthanne Kaufman, Sheila Sandbank, and

Dr. Moshe Shualy. The Haftarah was chanted by Ben Kreshtool. Club Hatikvah member Wesley Wilson taught us about both the Torah portion and the Haftarah. Words of greeting and thanks were offered by Carol Davis, Club Hatikvah President. Following services, the congregation enjoyed a Kiddush luncheon hosted by and in honor of Club Hatikvah.

Club Hatikvah is Chizuk Amuno Congregation’s social club dedicated to providing our members with outstanding monthly dinners, entertainment, and warm fellowship. We are open to all members over 50 in our Jewish community. To become a member of Club Hatikvah and partake of good times and good deeds, please call Carol Davis at 410/833-7673.

Young Families Jumpstart the New Year “More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.”  - Ahad Ha’am 

What better time and place to nurture our young families’ community than on Shabbat here at Chizuk Amuno? Our community-building efforts revolve around Shabbat morning with Torah for Tots, Family Service, Open Gym Play, and a Kiddush. Families enjoy an uplifting musical prayer experience together, followed by the opportunity for parents to relax and connect with other parents during Kiddush and while the kids play together

in the gym. Join us any Shabbat morning!  The Young Families of Chizuk Amuno creates engaging

programming for families with children birth through fourth grade. Programming for this year includes several holiday/Shabbat family celebrations as well as a few special evenings out just for the moms and/or dads. Please be sure to join us at our first event of the year, our Sukkot celebration on Thursday, September 19.

Our programs offer a great way to meet other families, share Shabbat and other holidays, and be welcomed into the greater Chizuk Amuno Congregation community. For more information about Young Families of Chizuk Amuno, a schedule of this year’s events, and a listing of Torah for Tots services, please visit our website or you can contact Jodi Wahlberg at YFofCA@chizukamuno.org.

Melton Takes Adult Learners Places They’ve Never Been Before

It’s difficult to believe that a field trip to a funeral home could be lauded as informative, educational, and – yes, fun! But it is possible in Baltimore, and maybe only in Baltimore. In August, 15 Melton students visited Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. as part of their Life Cycle course in the Melton program. Funeral directors Matt Levinson and Eliza Feller guided us on a tour of the facilities that took us behind the scenes and answered our many questions.

While some students were initially hesitant about this tour, at the conclusion everyone agreed that the visit had done much to assuage their fears and superstitions.

Earlier this year, our Melton students visited the mikvah, another experience that enhanced and deepened their appreciation of our Jewish heritage and its beautiful teachings and traditions. If you have not yet taken Melton, ask one of our 900 graduates why you should. We look forward to welcoming you.

Cinema under the StarsOn Wednesday, August 21, over 100 people attended

a showing of Arranged, an outstanding film about two young female schoolteachers in Brooklyn, one an Orthodox Jew and the other a Muslim of Syrian origin. Both are going through the process of having marriages arranged through their respective religious and traditional customs. Rochel and Nasira are strong, intelligent, beautiful women who treasure their independence while respecting and maintaining their deep religious and cultural convictions.

Freshly popped corn, drinks, candy, and healthy snacks were available for all – a marvelous evening under the stars. But if you missed this showing, all is not lost. This film, along with many others, is available for you to borrow from the Stulman Center for Adult Learning at no charge. We have Israeli, Mexican, French and American films, old favorites from Barry Levinson and Woody Allen, and many more.

We know we’re not Netflix, but perhaps we can serve you anyway. Come see what we have to offer.

16 | HaZ’man ~ This Season

B’rukhim Habaim Welcome to Our New Members

ohtcv ohfurc

We are happy to welcome those who have most recently chosen to join our Chizuk Amuno family. If you have friends or family who may be interested in joining Chizuk Amuno, please call our Director of Communication and Member Services,

Cheryl Snyderman, 410/486-6400, ext. 300.

Sarah and Michael Bohn

Stephanie and David Brecher

Kathryn David

Allissa and Dr. Jonathan Dunn

Cindy and Glenn Easton

Gail Letzter and Daniel Farkas

Reut and Dror Friedman

Susana Deustua and Jay Frogel

Maggi Gaines

Michael Hantgan

Linda Lebovic

Laura and Elli Lieberman

Rachel and Gregory Mogilevsky

Henriette Van Praag and Robert Rushlow

Melanie and Scott Shapiro

Jennifer Heller and Joel Turner

Rachel Schapiro and Jordan Weinstein

Ellen and Jeffrey Weiss

Nathan Weiss

Debbie and Jason Witow

Club HatikvahC h i z u k A m u n o C o n g r e g A t i o n ’ s

Over 50 ClubJoin us for 2013-2014!

Sunday, October 6, 6 p.m. Flamenco Guitar and a Flamenco Dancer

November 17 Ellen Katz will present the life and music of Jerry Herman, composer and writer of Hello Dolly, Mame, and Milk and Honey

December 8 A lecture and videos by Ken Meltzer on cantor and opera star Richard Tucker

March 2 Tim Hall, magician and mentalist extraordinaire

April 6 The Musical Artists Theatre will present

My Fair Lady.

June 1 Mexican Dance Troupe Bailes de mi Tierra

For membership/reservations, please contact Carol Davis, President, 410/833-7673 or carolgildavis@aol.com, or Leonard Fox, 410/484-6260 or foxel@verizon.net.

Arlington ConstructionAn undeveloped portion of Arlington Cemetery was

recently sold to a developer who is constructing a low-rise senior housing building. This is similar to the structure that was built almost 10 years ago on another piece of unused land off of Northern Parkway. The current construction will continue into next spring with plans to finish by April. The only entrance to this property will be from Wabash Avenue. There will be no access to this new building from our Arlington gates. In addition, Chizuk Amuno will construct a new office/garage combination building early next year.

Interfaith Burials at Garrison Forest CemeteryA number of changes to the congregational bylaws

were discussed and voted upon at our Annual Meeting this past June. One of the proposed changes that passed will allow spouses in and children of interfaith marriages to be buried in Garrison Forest Cemetery.

Section C has been reserved for those families who wish to bury a family member (spouse or child) who is not of the Jewish faith. The Jewish family member may also be buried along with their non-Jewish spouse or child in Section C.

Garrison Forest Cemetery is located in a lovely setting in Owings Mills off of Garrison Forest Road. Only Chizuk Amuno members may buy lots in this cemetery. For more information, please contact Marsha Yoffe, Cemetery Director at 410/486-6400, ext. 309 or myoffe@chizukamuno.org.

Sukkot 5774 | 17

The Sisterhood Judaica shop is ready for Sukkot!

We have fun games, books, and stickers for your sukkah. We have etrog holders and new challah covers. 

We also have special gifts to share when visiting sukkot with friends and families. 

We are happy to help with your celebrations.Regular Hours:

Sunday ~ 9:15-11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday ~ 10 a.m.-Noon and 2-6 p.m.

Friday ~ 10 a.m.-NoonOr shop by appointment:

call Anne King, 410/303-7716 or 410/484-5813, or Edna Crystal 410/653-3495.

Join our new Shalom Squad! Be a greeter or a host. Be a friendly face, help with page numbers, or lend a personal touch.

For details, please contact Sheila Sandbank,

grandmasheilax2@hotmail.com or 410/484-5016, or

Fran Glushakow Gould, Franny1912@yahoo.com.

We look forward to joining with you in this wonderful mitzvah!

American Red CrossBlood Drive

Tuesday, October 1 • 2 - 8 p.m.Join your fellow congregants for our Blood Drive sponsored by CAC Brotherhood.

To schedule an appointment, please call the Brotherhood, 410/486-6400, ext. 298.

Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends Shopping DayTuesday, October 22

Purchase your ticket at the Sisterhood Judaica Shop and Sisterhood gets to keep all of the proceeds from the ticket sales. With your purchase of a $5 ticket, you will get a 25% discount in Boscov’s stores in PA, NJ, MD, or DE. For further information, call Lynne Lichtig at 410/526-4192.

Non Profit Org.US PostagePaidBaltimore, MDPermit No. 544

Hanukkah 5773 | 1

TIME SENSITIVE M ATERIAL please deliver promptly

8100 Stevenson Rd. • Baltimore, Md 21208www.chizukamuno.org