PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Recently at my job, I’ve been interacting with young Jews across the country, many seeking Jewish community and support for ritual spaces they can call home. Often, these conversations understandably begin with them asking for clerical support.
Befitting the old joke, I am of two opinions of these conversations. On the one hand, I remind them that Judaism is special in the way we emphasize community over clergy. Unlike our Catholic and many Protestant brothers and sisters, there is no ritual that is dependent on ordained clergy. There is nothing that ten laypeople standing in a room cannot do that they would be able to if only they had a rabbi present.
On the other hand, we are a people who value the learned and dedicated. Our rabbis’ leadership comes from their dedication to study and to care of community. While ten people is sufficient to do any Jewish ritual, a rabbi’s leadership remains invaluable.
Fortunately, in our community I do not have to choose between these opinions. I was so grateful to see so many of you turn out for our annual meeting this summer, showing the dedication of our members to making our community thrive. And though it has been a long time coming, I am very much looking forward to the rabbinical installation this Fall, where we can celebrate the spiritual and communal leadership of Rabbi Jennie.
As we approach a new year, and a very busy season of simchas and holidays, I feel so lucky to be a part of a Temple with such strong community and such dedicated leadership, both lay and rabbinical. This Fall, we will have our High Holiday services, the fall Festivals, a bar mitzvah, the rabbinical installation, the return of Sunday school, and more opportunities to gather, celebrate, play, learn, and be in each other’s company. Please have a look at the upcoming events, stay tuned to your emails, and I look forward to seeing you at Temple!
RABBI’S MESSAGE:
The composer Claude Debussy is credited with saying, “music is the silence between the notes.” The silence between the notes. If music did not have a pause between each tone, it would simply be one loud, discordant noise.
I find the same is true for my life. If I forget to pause now and again, the weight of all my responsibilities, both in my work and personal life, becomes unmanageable, messy, and overwhelming.
I am reminded of this need for a pause every time I say the Shema. When David, the kids, and I used to go to family weekends at OSRUI, I remember that during the Shema, the camp leaders would extend the “sh” sound of the word “shema” to quiet all the children down. That memory has helped remind me that we need to be still in order to hear. We have to learn the practice of silence before we can engage in listening.
The Talmud (Menachot 29a:17) rules that, “Any letter that is not encircled with blank parchment on all four of its sides, i.e., where its ink connects to the letter above it, below it, preceding it, or succeeding it, is unfit.”
As Rav Kook notes, “in other words, the white parchment around the letters is an integral part of the Torah; without it, the Torah scroll is disqualified.” The space is just as important as the words themselves.
We live in a noisy world. And unlike our phones, computers, and tv’s, our brains don’t have an “off” switch. It can be a challenge to lean into the quiet when we are so primed for the next “ping” from our devices.
With the High Holidays approaching, consider taking some time to prepare for the focus and dedication that Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur ask of us. If possible, give yourself some space apart from all the demands of our hectic lives.
Easier said than done, I know. There is a Buddhist concept known as the “Monkey Mind,” and it describes that feeling of our brain never ceasing in its contemplations, jumping from one thought to the next, similar to the way a monkey jumps from tree branch to tree branch. Instead of being present in the moment, it can feel as though your mind is flooded with uncontrollable thoughts which insist on being heard.
Sometimes when we engage in a practice of silence, we can feel the “Monkey Mind” creeping into the stillness. If that happens, we can notice any thoughts that arise, and acknowledge them without judgement, and refocus our attention to the peace of the moment.
More than 2000 years ago, Rabbi Shimon was known to say: all my days I grew up among the sages, and I have found nothing better for a person than silence. (Pirkei Avot 1:17)
As we move into this season of pause and reflection, I hope that the Source of Life and Blessing helps all of us to calm our hearts and minds. And may the stillness we find therein allow us to open ourselves to oneness and peace.
Shana Tova
Please join us midday on Oct. 26th (exact time TBA) for the official installation of our Temple’s Rabbi, Jennie Bunde. To help us mark this occasion, we’ll have a light lunch, honored guests, and a performance of Jewish music from around the world by the band Kol Shira.
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 5786/2025
All services are hybrid (Contact Jonah for the Zoom). If you will attend remotely and need a High Holiday prayer book, contact Faye.
Selichot Service
Saturday, September 13th, Guy West leading 8:00 p.m.
Reverse Tashlich* at Lake Storey (meet at the Pavilion)
Sunday, September 14th 10:00 a.m.
Shabbat Service
Friday, September 19th, led by Maury Lyon 7:30 p.m.
Children’s High Holiday activity (baking, putting out machzorim, changing torah covers)
Sunday, September 21st 10:00 a.m.
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Monday, September 22nd, led by Rabbi Bunde 7:30 p.m.
First Day of Rosh Hashanah
Tuesday, September 23rd, led by Rabbi Bunde
Morning Service 10:00 a.m.
Tashlich and kids’ Shofar activity at Picnic Point 1:30 p.m.
Shabbat Shuvah
Friday, September 26th, led by David Amor 7:30 p.m.
Kever Avot – Memorial Service at Brookside Cemetery
Sunday, September 28th, led by Jeremy Karlin 3:00 p.m
Kol Nidre
Wednesday, October 1st, led by Rabbi Bunde 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur
Thursday, October 2nd
Morning service 10:00 a.m.
Study Session about 12:15 p.m.
Break about 1:30 p.m.
Lay-led service 2:30 p.m.
Afternoon service (Minchah) about 3:15 p.m.
Yizkor (memorial service) about 4:00 p.m.
Children’s activity about 5:00 p.m.
Ne’ilah and Havdalah 5:30 p.m.
Motzi to break the fast about 6:00 p.m.
*Reverse tashlich: Join environmentally-conscious Jewish communities around the world to reverse the tradition of Tashlich. Remove human ‘sins’ (marine debris) from the water in a collaborative cleanup. It would be helpful for participants to bring trash bags and garden gloves.
Names to be added to our memorial list? If you would like to add to the list of names read aloud during our Yom Kippur Yizkor service, please contact Maury.
SERVICE SCHEDULE
Services are hybrid, with Zoom. Contact Jonah for the Zoom.
| Date |
Leader |
Oneg |
Tech |
Shamash |
Holiday/Notes |
| 9/12 |
Jacobs |
Jacobs |
Lyon |
|
|
| 9/13 |
West |
none |
|
|
Leil Selichot, 8pm |
| 9/19 |
Lyon |
Schulz |
D. Bunde |
|
|
| 9/22 |
Rabbi |
Lyon |
|
Lyon |
Erev Rosh Hashanah |
| 9/23 |
Rabbi |
none |
|
Lyon |
Rosh Hashanah, 10am |
| 9/26 |
Amor |
West |
Amor |
|
Shabat Shuvah |
| 9/28 |
Karlin |
none |
none |
|
Kever Avot; 3pm,
Brookside Cemetery |
| 10/1 |
Rabbi |
none |
none |
Gold |
Kol Nidre |
| 10/2 |
Rabbi |
break-fast potluck |
D. Bunde |
Gold |
Yom Kippur; see schedule for details |
| 10/3 |
Schulz |
Gold |
J. Bunde |
|
|
| 10/10 |
Gold |
Bunde |
Lyon |
|
Sukkot |
| 10/13 |
Rabbi |
Rericha |
J. Bunde |
Schulz |
Simchat Torah |
| 10/18 |
Rabbi/Zack |
Bunde |
D. Bunde |
Schulz |
Zack’s Bar Mitzvah; Sat morning, 10am |
| 10/24 |
Rubin |
Karlin/Raley-Karlin |
Amor |
|
|
| 10/26 |
Rabbi installation; details TBA |
| 10/31 |
Lyon |
Cohn/Eberhardt |
J. Bunde |
|
|
| 11/7 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Rubin |
Lyon |
Raley-Karlin |
|
| 11/14 |
Karlin/
Raley-Karlin |
Geraci |
D. Bunde |
|
|
| 11/21 |
West |
Lyon |
Amor |
|
|
| 11/28 |
D. Bunde |
Rubin |
J. Bunde |
|
|
| 12/5 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Schulz or Rericha |
Lyon |
Gold |
|
| 12/12 |
Jacobs |
Satisky |
D. Bunde |
|
|
| 12/19 |
Amor |
H. Lyon |
Amor |
|
Hanukkah |
| 12/26 |
Lyon |
Bunde |
J. Bunde |
|
|
| 1/2 |
Satisky-Schulz |
Cohn/Eberhardt |
Lyon |
|
|
| 1/9 |
Gold |
West |
D. Bunde |
|
|
| 1/16 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Jacobs |
Amor |
M. Lyon |
|
Leaders can find the names to read before the kaddish at on our Google Drive.
Oneg responsibilities include: providing the food for the oneg, setting it out in the social hall, and cleaning up afterwards. (Beverages are kept in stock at the temple.) If you cannot attend services the evening you are assigned for the oneg, please switch with someone for another night, rather than just dropping off the food ahead of time. Thanks!
Need to switch?
If you cannot lead the service or provide the oneg, please find someone to switch with. Inform David Bunde of the switch.
COMMITTEE NEWS
The Community Connections (aka Fun) Committee:
A new committee was created by the Temple Board earlier this year. The committee members (Rabbi Jennie Bunde, Penny Gold (co-chair), Jim Jacobs, Hannah Lyon (co-chair), Elianna Sigman, Guy West) have worked to identify goals for the committee, and to start planning activities. The two main goals of the committee are: to foster connections with the Jewish community (broadly defined), and to foster connections between the Temple community and the larger western Illinois community. The committee made a presentation at the Annual Meeting in July and asked those at the meeting to fill out a survey indicating preferences for activities. The results were very helpful to the committee for identifying events for the upcoming year. Here is a list of what has been planned or is in the works:
Mah Jong night (done May 31, 2025)
Movie night, “Crossing Delancey” (done July 21, 2025)
Blood drive in conjunction with ImpactLife (September 29-October 12)
Movie night, (TBA early November)
Book drive to benefit the Knox County Jail/Hill Correctional Center (timing TBA)
Shabbat potluck/service in a congregant’s home (early 2026)
A second blood drive, depending on the success of the first (timed to Passover 2026)
Brookside Cemetery tour (spring 2026)
We welcome comments about these activities and also welcome suggestions of other possibilities. Please send your thoughts to the two co-chairs: Hannah Lyon and Penny Gold . And if you would like to see the results of the survey done at the annual meeting, you can find it on our Google Drive.
MAZEL TOV
Elianna Sigman is going to have two connected photography exhibitions up for the month of September. The coffee shop Sullivan Taylor Uptown in Macomb will be showing her work “Fairytale,” a collection of landscapes from California and West Central Illinois that have a whimsical and adventurous vibe. Next door, the wine bar The Wine Sellars will be showing her connected collection “Dark Fairytale,” a set of work including nighttime photography, hot air balloons, dark carnival style portraiture, and fire photography. Please come check it out and support an artist new to our community.
There are many celebrations in the Rericha family: Katarina completed her conversion. (Welcome to the tribe!) Also, James started Kindergarten and Tobias turned one.
UPDATING THE MI SHEBEIRACH LIST
Following the discussion at the Annual Meeting, the Ritual Committee has decided to refresh the Mi Shebeirach list each year after the High Holidays. Members of the congregation who wish to have a name put on the list, whether someone who was listed previously or someone new, can contact the Chair of the Ritual Committee, who will compile and maintain the list to be kept at the Temple. Names added will remain on the list for the rest of the year. As in the past, people will still always be invited to mention a name during services. To add a name to the list, contact David Amor, Ritual Committee Chair.
2025/5786 Festival Schedule
(Note: festival begins at sunset on these days)
Rosh Hashanah Sept 22
Yom Kippur Oct 1
Sukkot Oct 6
Simchat Torah Oct 13
Hanukkah Dec 14 (last night is Dec 21)
Web site with dates of Jewish holidays:
http://www.hebcal.com
ACCESS TO BROOKSIDE CEMETERY
For security reasons, car access to Brookside Cemetery is controlled by having a locked gate at the entrance, but you can always walk in through the smaller gate to the side. Please make sure the gate is closed after you exit, with the padlock re-locked. If you have any questions, please contact one of the cemetery trustees: Bob Bondi, David Amor, and Jeremy Karlin.
Names to be added to our memorial list? If you would like to add to the list of names read aloud during our Yom Kippur Yizkor service, please contact Maury Lyon,.
Interested in Joining the Temple as a Member?
Temple Sholom welcomes all to attend services (including the High Holidays) and other events without formal membership. But of course, we would also be delighted to have you as a member. As an inclusive Temple, our membership ranks are open to all, we do not have any minimum membership dues, and no member will be turned away due to lack of ability to pay. For those who are able, we ask members to contribute 1% – 1.5% of their household’s gross annual income. Rather than making inquiries about members’ income, we prefer that you make the judgment yourself. As a congregation we are committed to welcoming all who wish to join our community, regardless of financial means, so if a contribution in this range would be a hardship to you, just contribute what you can. To submit an annual contribution, one sends a check (made out to Temple Sholom and marked “annual contribution”) to our treasurer at: Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501. Some members pay in full early in the fall; others prefer to pay in monthly or quarterly installments.
Temple Officers and Board Members, voted in at the Annual Meeting
Jonah Rubin, President (2026)
Gabrielle Raley-Karlin, Vice-President (2026)
Nancy Eberhardt, Secretary (2027)
Maury Lyon, Treasurer (2026)
David Amor (2027)
Bob Bondi (2027)
Susan Lyon (2027)
Kevin Satisky (2027)
Shawn Greathouse (2026)
Jim Jacobs (2026)
Hannah Lyon (2026)
Faye Schulz (2026)
Guy West (2026)
Leanne Trapedo-Sims (2027)
Jovi Geraci (2027)
Jan West (honorary)
Rabbi Jennie Bunde, ex officio (2026)
Welcome to new board members Leanne Trapedo-Sims and Jovi Geraci. Thank you!
DONATION RECORD
In memory of Jeremy Gold Amor
Penny Gold and David Amor
In support of Temple Sholom
Avram and Doreen Lyon
Don’t see your name? If you have made a donation but do not see your name on this list and/or have not received an acknowledgement by mail, please let Nancy Eberhardt know. Sorry in advance for any slip ups!
Making a donation to Temple Sholom? If you would like to make a donation to Temple Sholom, please send your check to: Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501, identifying the nature of the gift (e.g., in memory of, in honor of, or for the speed recovery of a particular person). Maury will notify Nancy Eberhardt, who takes care of correspondence concerning such gifts (e.g., notifying the family of the deceased that a gift has been made in memory of that person).
Give to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
The Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund was established by the Temple Sholom Board in 2024, at the time that Rabbi Jennie Bunde was engaged as our rabbi. A regular part of most congregations that have ongoing clergy, this fund is intended to provide Rabbi Jennie with the means to provide tzedakah on behalf of the congregation to individuals and charitable organizations in times of need, both in the congregation and in the larger community. It can also be used to help the rabbi with professional expenses, books and other materials used to further her professional development. The Temple does make a contribution to the Fund each year, but the hope and expectation is that gifts from congregants and friends of Temple Sholom will also help to build the fund.
If you are planning a gift to Temple Sholom, please consider making it to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. It could be in memory of a loved one, an expression of thanks for a life milestone, or any other reason, even just to support the fund. Checks should be made out to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund (NOT to Rabbi Jennie personally) and sent to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501.
Happy Tree of Life Donations
Donations may be made in recognition of a variety of events, for example: in honor of a happy occasion (anniversary, birth, bar/bat mitzvah, birthday, etc.), or in honor of an individual or family. Donations may be made by an individual or a group, and may be made at three levels: a leaf ($200), an acorn ($500), and a stone ($1,000). A leaf can be engraved with four lines of text with 20 characters in each line, plus a brief fifth line (often a date). Acorns and stones are larger than leaves and can accommodate more text. Sample wordings can be found by looking on the Happy Tree of Life. If you want to make a donation, you can send your gift, along with specification of wording, to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501
Memorial Plaques:
If you would like to purchase a memorial plaque ($250), send your donation and desired wording to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501. You will find samples of what to include on the plaque by looking at ones already on the memorial board.
Gift Shop:
Gift shop offerings have been pared back to candles (Shabbat, memorial, Hanukkah) and mezuzot. The easiest times to access the case are Friday evenings before or after services. For access at another time, contact Faye Schulz, 335-7192.
Fall 2025 Bulletin
September 17, 2025 by templesholomgalesburg • Uncategorized Tags: Bulletins, Temple Bulletin •
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Recently at my job, I’ve been interacting with young Jews across the country, many seeking Jewish community and support for ritual spaces they can call home. Often, these conversations understandably begin with them asking for clerical support.
Befitting the old joke, I am of two opinions of these conversations. On the one hand, I remind them that Judaism is special in the way we emphasize community over clergy. Unlike our Catholic and many Protestant brothers and sisters, there is no ritual that is dependent on ordained clergy. There is nothing that ten laypeople standing in a room cannot do that they would be able to if only they had a rabbi present.
On the other hand, we are a people who value the learned and dedicated. Our rabbis’ leadership comes from their dedication to study and to care of community. While ten people is sufficient to do any Jewish ritual, a rabbi’s leadership remains invaluable.
Fortunately, in our community I do not have to choose between these opinions. I was so grateful to see so many of you turn out for our annual meeting this summer, showing the dedication of our members to making our community thrive. And though it has been a long time coming, I am very much looking forward to the rabbinical installation this Fall, where we can celebrate the spiritual and communal leadership of Rabbi Jennie.
As we approach a new year, and a very busy season of simchas and holidays, I feel so lucky to be a part of a Temple with such strong community and such dedicated leadership, both lay and rabbinical. This Fall, we will have our High Holiday services, the fall Festivals, a bar mitzvah, the rabbinical installation, the return of Sunday school, and more opportunities to gather, celebrate, play, learn, and be in each other’s company. Please have a look at the upcoming events, stay tuned to your emails, and I look forward to seeing you at Temple!
RABBI’S MESSAGE:
The composer Claude Debussy is credited with saying, “music is the silence between the notes.” The silence between the notes. If music did not have a pause between each tone, it would simply be one loud, discordant noise.
I find the same is true for my life. If I forget to pause now and again, the weight of all my responsibilities, both in my work and personal life, becomes unmanageable, messy, and overwhelming.
I am reminded of this need for a pause every time I say the Shema. When David, the kids, and I used to go to family weekends at OSRUI, I remember that during the Shema, the camp leaders would extend the “sh” sound of the word “shema” to quiet all the children down. That memory has helped remind me that we need to be still in order to hear. We have to learn the practice of silence before we can engage in listening.
The Talmud (Menachot 29a:17) rules that, “Any letter that is not encircled with blank parchment on all four of its sides, i.e., where its ink connects to the letter above it, below it, preceding it, or succeeding it, is unfit.”
As Rav Kook notes, “in other words, the white parchment around the letters is an integral part of the Torah; without it, the Torah scroll is disqualified.” The space is just as important as the words themselves.
We live in a noisy world. And unlike our phones, computers, and tv’s, our brains don’t have an “off” switch. It can be a challenge to lean into the quiet when we are so primed for the next “ping” from our devices.
With the High Holidays approaching, consider taking some time to prepare for the focus and dedication that Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur ask of us. If possible, give yourself some space apart from all the demands of our hectic lives.
Easier said than done, I know. There is a Buddhist concept known as the “Monkey Mind,” and it describes that feeling of our brain never ceasing in its contemplations, jumping from one thought to the next, similar to the way a monkey jumps from tree branch to tree branch. Instead of being present in the moment, it can feel as though your mind is flooded with uncontrollable thoughts which insist on being heard.
Sometimes when we engage in a practice of silence, we can feel the “Monkey Mind” creeping into the stillness. If that happens, we can notice any thoughts that arise, and acknowledge them without judgement, and refocus our attention to the peace of the moment.
More than 2000 years ago, Rabbi Shimon was known to say: all my days I grew up among the sages, and I have found nothing better for a person than silence. (Pirkei Avot 1:17)
As we move into this season of pause and reflection, I hope that the Source of Life and Blessing helps all of us to calm our hearts and minds. And may the stillness we find therein allow us to open ourselves to oneness and peace.
Shana Tova
Please join us midday on Oct. 26th (exact time TBA) for the official installation of our Temple’s Rabbi, Jennie Bunde. To help us mark this occasion, we’ll have a light lunch, honored guests, and a performance of Jewish music from around the world by the band Kol Shira.
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 5786/2025
All services are hybrid (Contact Jonah for the Zoom). If you will attend remotely and need a High Holiday prayer book, contact Faye.
Selichot Service
Saturday, September 13th, Guy West leading 8:00 p.m.
Reverse Tashlich* at Lake Storey (meet at the Pavilion)
Sunday, September 14th 10:00 a.m.
Shabbat Service
Friday, September 19th, led by Maury Lyon 7:30 p.m.
Children’s High Holiday activity (baking, putting out machzorim, changing torah covers)
Sunday, September 21st 10:00 a.m.
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Monday, September 22nd, led by Rabbi Bunde 7:30 p.m.
First Day of Rosh Hashanah
Tuesday, September 23rd, led by Rabbi Bunde
Morning Service 10:00 a.m.
Tashlich and kids’ Shofar activity at Picnic Point 1:30 p.m.
Shabbat Shuvah
Friday, September 26th, led by David Amor 7:30 p.m.
Kever Avot – Memorial Service at Brookside Cemetery
Sunday, September 28th, led by Jeremy Karlin 3:00 p.m
Kol Nidre
Wednesday, October 1st, led by Rabbi Bunde 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur
Thursday, October 2nd
Morning service 10:00 a.m.
Study Session about 12:15 p.m.
Break about 1:30 p.m.
Lay-led service 2:30 p.m.
Afternoon service (Minchah) about 3:15 p.m.
Yizkor (memorial service) about 4:00 p.m.
Children’s activity about 5:00 p.m.
Ne’ilah and Havdalah 5:30 p.m.
Motzi to break the fast about 6:00 p.m.
*Reverse tashlich: Join environmentally-conscious Jewish communities around the world to reverse the tradition of Tashlich. Remove human ‘sins’ (marine debris) from the water in a collaborative cleanup. It would be helpful for participants to bring trash bags and garden gloves.
Names to be added to our memorial list? If you would like to add to the list of names read aloud during our Yom Kippur Yizkor service, please contact Maury.
SERVICE SCHEDULE
Services are hybrid, with Zoom. Contact Jonah for the Zoom.
Brookside Cemetery
Raley-Karlin
Leaders can find the names to read before the kaddish at on our Google Drive.
Oneg responsibilities include: providing the food for the oneg, setting it out in the social hall, and cleaning up afterwards. (Beverages are kept in stock at the temple.) If you cannot attend services the evening you are assigned for the oneg, please switch with someone for another night, rather than just dropping off the food ahead of time. Thanks!
Need to switch?
If you cannot lead the service or provide the oneg, please find someone to switch with. Inform David Bunde of the switch.
COMMITTEE NEWS
The Community Connections (aka Fun) Committee:
A new committee was created by the Temple Board earlier this year. The committee members (Rabbi Jennie Bunde, Penny Gold (co-chair), Jim Jacobs, Hannah Lyon (co-chair), Elianna Sigman, Guy West) have worked to identify goals for the committee, and to start planning activities. The two main goals of the committee are: to foster connections with the Jewish community (broadly defined), and to foster connections between the Temple community and the larger western Illinois community. The committee made a presentation at the Annual Meeting in July and asked those at the meeting to fill out a survey indicating preferences for activities. The results were very helpful to the committee for identifying events for the upcoming year. Here is a list of what has been planned or is in the works:
Mah Jong night (done May 31, 2025)
Movie night, “Crossing Delancey” (done July 21, 2025)
Blood drive in conjunction with ImpactLife (September 29-October 12)
Movie night, (TBA early November)
Book drive to benefit the Knox County Jail/Hill Correctional Center (timing TBA)
Shabbat potluck/service in a congregant’s home (early 2026)
A second blood drive, depending on the success of the first (timed to Passover 2026)
Brookside Cemetery tour (spring 2026)
We welcome comments about these activities and also welcome suggestions of other possibilities. Please send your thoughts to the two co-chairs: Hannah Lyon and Penny Gold . And if you would like to see the results of the survey done at the annual meeting, you can find it on our Google Drive.
MAZEL TOV
Elianna Sigman is going to have two connected photography exhibitions up for the month of September. The coffee shop Sullivan Taylor Uptown in Macomb will be showing her work “Fairytale,” a collection of landscapes from California and West Central Illinois that have a whimsical and adventurous vibe. Next door, the wine bar The Wine Sellars will be showing her connected collection “Dark Fairytale,” a set of work including nighttime photography, hot air balloons, dark carnival style portraiture, and fire photography. Please come check it out and support an artist new to our community.
There are many celebrations in the Rericha family: Katarina completed her conversion. (Welcome to the tribe!) Also, James started Kindergarten and Tobias turned one.
UPDATING THE MI SHEBEIRACH LIST
Following the discussion at the Annual Meeting, the Ritual Committee has decided to refresh the Mi Shebeirach list each year after the High Holidays. Members of the congregation who wish to have a name put on the list, whether someone who was listed previously or someone new, can contact the Chair of the Ritual Committee, who will compile and maintain the list to be kept at the Temple. Names added will remain on the list for the rest of the year. As in the past, people will still always be invited to mention a name during services. To add a name to the list, contact David Amor, Ritual Committee Chair.
2025/5786 Festival Schedule
(Note: festival begins at sunset on these days)
Rosh Hashanah Sept 22
Yom Kippur Oct 1
Sukkot Oct 6
Simchat Torah Oct 13
Hanukkah Dec 14 (last night is Dec 21)
Web site with dates of Jewish holidays:
http://www.hebcal.com
ACCESS TO BROOKSIDE CEMETERY
For security reasons, car access to Brookside Cemetery is controlled by having a locked gate at the entrance, but you can always walk in through the smaller gate to the side. Please make sure the gate is closed after you exit, with the padlock re-locked. If you have any questions, please contact one of the cemetery trustees: Bob Bondi, David Amor, and Jeremy Karlin.
Names to be added to our memorial list? If you would like to add to the list of names read aloud during our Yom Kippur Yizkor service, please contact Maury Lyon,.
Interested in Joining the Temple as a Member?
Temple Sholom welcomes all to attend services (including the High Holidays) and other events without formal membership. But of course, we would also be delighted to have you as a member. As an inclusive Temple, our membership ranks are open to all, we do not have any minimum membership dues, and no member will be turned away due to lack of ability to pay. For those who are able, we ask members to contribute 1% – 1.5% of their household’s gross annual income. Rather than making inquiries about members’ income, we prefer that you make the judgment yourself. As a congregation we are committed to welcoming all who wish to join our community, regardless of financial means, so if a contribution in this range would be a hardship to you, just contribute what you can. To submit an annual contribution, one sends a check (made out to Temple Sholom and marked “annual contribution”) to our treasurer at: Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501. Some members pay in full early in the fall; others prefer to pay in monthly or quarterly installments.
Temple Officers and Board Members, voted in at the Annual Meeting
Jonah Rubin, President (2026)
Gabrielle Raley-Karlin, Vice-President (2026)
Nancy Eberhardt, Secretary (2027)
Maury Lyon, Treasurer (2026)
David Amor (2027)
Bob Bondi (2027)
Susan Lyon (2027)
Kevin Satisky (2027)
Shawn Greathouse (2026)
Jim Jacobs (2026)
Hannah Lyon (2026)
Faye Schulz (2026)
Guy West (2026)
Leanne Trapedo-Sims (2027)
Jovi Geraci (2027)
Jan West (honorary)
Rabbi Jennie Bunde, ex officio (2026)
Welcome to new board members Leanne Trapedo-Sims and Jovi Geraci. Thank you!
DONATION RECORD
In memory of Jeremy Gold Amor
Penny Gold and David Amor
In support of Temple Sholom
Avram and Doreen Lyon
Don’t see your name? If you have made a donation but do not see your name on this list and/or have not received an acknowledgement by mail, please let Nancy Eberhardt know. Sorry in advance for any slip ups!
Making a donation to Temple Sholom? If you would like to make a donation to Temple Sholom, please send your check to: Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501, identifying the nature of the gift (e.g., in memory of, in honor of, or for the speed recovery of a particular person). Maury will notify Nancy Eberhardt, who takes care of correspondence concerning such gifts (e.g., notifying the family of the deceased that a gift has been made in memory of that person).
Give to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
The Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund was established by the Temple Sholom Board in 2024, at the time that Rabbi Jennie Bunde was engaged as our rabbi. A regular part of most congregations that have ongoing clergy, this fund is intended to provide Rabbi Jennie with the means to provide tzedakah on behalf of the congregation to individuals and charitable organizations in times of need, both in the congregation and in the larger community. It can also be used to help the rabbi with professional expenses, books and other materials used to further her professional development. The Temple does make a contribution to the Fund each year, but the hope and expectation is that gifts from congregants and friends of Temple Sholom will also help to build the fund.
If you are planning a gift to Temple Sholom, please consider making it to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. It could be in memory of a loved one, an expression of thanks for a life milestone, or any other reason, even just to support the fund. Checks should be made out to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund (NOT to Rabbi Jennie personally) and sent to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501.
Happy Tree of Life Donations
Donations may be made in recognition of a variety of events, for example: in honor of a happy occasion (anniversary, birth, bar/bat mitzvah, birthday, etc.), or in honor of an individual or family. Donations may be made by an individual or a group, and may be made at three levels: a leaf ($200), an acorn ($500), and a stone ($1,000). A leaf can be engraved with four lines of text with 20 characters in each line, plus a brief fifth line (often a date). Acorns and stones are larger than leaves and can accommodate more text. Sample wordings can be found by looking on the Happy Tree of Life. If you want to make a donation, you can send your gift, along with specification of wording, to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501
Memorial Plaques:
If you would like to purchase a memorial plaque ($250), send your donation and desired wording to Maury Lyon, Treasurer, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-0501. You will find samples of what to include on the plaque by looking at ones already on the memorial board.
Gift Shop:
Gift shop offerings have been pared back to candles (Shabbat, memorial, Hanukkah) and mezuzot. The easiest times to access the case are Friday evenings before or after services. For access at another time, contact Faye Schulz, 335-7192.