templesholomgalesburg

Summer 2022
Temple Sholom
Monroe & North Streets
P.O. Box 501
Galesburg, IL 60402-0501

Contents:

• Message from President Faye Schulz
• Message from Rabbi Henry Jay Karp
• Shabbat & Holiday Services Schedule, Winter / Spring 2022
• Board News
• Mazel Tov, Todah Raba, and Farewell
• Save the Date
• News, Info, and Links
• Donations

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: “Searching for Awe”

Finding “awe” in one’s life is a moving, spiritual and rare experience. For me, experiencing awe has come through seeing beauty in nature, the joy of friendships & loving relationships and the personal satisfaction of success in a challenge.

At Temple Sholom, I’ve felt the “awe” of being part of something bigger than me. The first time that I challenged myself to lead a service, I was amazed. When I first held the Torah in front of the congregation, I tingled all over. When “our” children complete their B’nai Mitzvot, I am filled with joy to the point of tears. And when we worship together, there are times when the feeling of community overwhelms me.

I hope you’ve had similar experiences in your life and at Temple Sholom. You have been part of my joy and awe at Temple Sholom. Thank you for being a part of this community.

I am looking forward to hearing about your awesome experiences this summer and for years to come.

B’Shalom,
Faye

RABBI’S MESSAGE:

There has been so much going on in the world right now. War, disease, violence, death–it’s like we’ve got our own 21st century four horsemen of the apocalypse. Just a few weeks ago, another devastating and heartbreaking shooting took place at an elementary school. And now we’re being told that there could be an outbreak of monkeypox in the US. The curse of “may you live in interesting times” seems very applicable to today.

As a rabbinical student, I get emails every day from Jewish not-for-profits and social action groups. I also follow a lot of Jewish sites on social media. And whenever anything big hits the national news, I invariably will see an article that is titled, “what does Jewish tradition tell us about _______”

But here’s the rub. Jewish tradition is WAY too big for it to say just one thing.  The popular online library of Jewish texts, Sefaria, has within its library Jewish texts totalling almost 300 million words in Hebrew and translation. (As a comparison, War and Peace has about half a million words, and the entire Talmud only has about two and a half million words.)

Whatever your views on any given situation may be, the odds are that you will be able to find a text that supports your views. If you look at protest signs from the 1950’s and 60’s opposing integration, many of the posters contain verses from the Bible. But I don’t believe that finding validation to one’s opinions is the point of our texts and our faith.

Jewish tradition never says just one thing about a topic. In fact, the first yeshivot in Yavne were designed specifically to be a place of disagreement and debate without division. This is why the Talmud contains so many machlochets, arguments. Instead, in our daily liturgy, we are commanded,  laasok b’divrei Torah, to engage with words of Torah.

What makes us human is the divine spark found within each one of us. That spark that tells us to do what’s right, to be loving and kind, and to pursue tikkun olam, the healing of the world. To be human is to be b’tzelem Elohim, made in the image of G-d.

What makes us Jewish is to be Yisrael, literally one who wrestles with G-d. One who can feel both joy and frustration that our texts can say something completely beautiful and universal (ex: love your neighbor as yourself, Lev. 19:18), and something completely horrible and wrong (ex: stone the rebellious child, Deut. 21:18-21).

Our work as Am Yisrael, the People Who Wrestle With G-d, is to interact with our texts, and, I hope, find meaning and inspiration within them. May those texts instill within us the knowledge to decide what are the right actions for each of us to take in these interesting times, and may those texts imbue within us the fortitude to be strong in our convictions.

May you each feel compelled laasok b’divrei Torah, to engage yourselves with words of Torah, and know that I’m always here as you wrestle with the words of our tradition.

With the Shalom of wholeness and peace,
Jennie

SHABBAT SERVICES

Summer 2022

 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, too (david.bunde@gmail.com or 309-335-7130), as he sends out the weekly reminders.

BOARD NEWS

New COVID-19 Policy for meeting in-person at the Temple 

At its June 7th meeting, the Temple Board approved a new policy for meeting in-person at the Temple, making vaccination optional while leaving in place a requirement to wear a mask; masks can be removed while eating or drinking.

Explanation: This policy recognizes the important value that our services be accessible to as many people as possible. It’s become clear that we will be dealing with Covid for a very long time to come, so the Board felt a need to adjust our policy to a “new normal.” While vaccinations show significant benefit in limiting severe COVID-19 infections, they do not appear to be effective in limiting the spread of the virus in its present form, which can be spread by both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. At the same time, by keeping the mask requirement in place, the policy underscores the importance of protecting the health of our community, since masks protect both the wearer and other people. The Board encourages the wearing of the most effective type of mask (N-95 or KN-94); free masks will be available at the Temple. The Board also encourages all congregants to remain current with vaccinations and boosters for their own protection. The Temple will continue to have services in hybrid so that there is an online (Zoom) option for those who are unable or uncomfortable attending services in person.

This new policy remains subject to change, depending on the local circumstances.

Our Student Rabbi for 2022/23: At its March meeting, the Board approved Jennifer Bunde as the congregation’s student rabbi for 2022/23. Jennie has been serving as a rabbinic intern this past year, with the mentorship of Rabbi Karp.

Bushes: If you notice later this summer that our bushes are gone: The Temple recently had a security audit, and the Board is starting to respond to recommendations made. One of the recommendations is to remove the large bushes around the building, as they are easy to hide behind. We plan to re-landscape with plants that have a much lower profile.

Scholarship funding for Jewish camps: At its March meeting, the Board approved scholarship funding for Jewish camps:  a $200 scholarship per child per year to families sending children to Jewish camps. A maximum of $1,000 will be budgeted yearly.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Temple Sholom/Brookside Cemetery Campaign Committee: The current total of gifts/pledges/bequests to our campaign is $302,052, well above our original goal of $250,000. We are most grateful to all our donors! The campaign will be closing on June 30 of this year, and a full report will be made available within about a month of that. (Scheduled payments on pledges already made will continue until the pledge has been fulfilled.)

MAZEL TOV

To Martin Abraham, for his appointment as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY-Brockport, beginning in mid-June.

To Jennie Bunde for her appearance on Jeopardy: https://www.galesburg.com/story/entertainment/television/2022/03/24/galesburg-il-resident-jennie-bunde-to-appear-on-jeopardy/7134307001/

To Lindsey Weintraub, who received her masters degree in Biological Sciences from Western Illinois University on May 13th and will continue her education at the University of Illinois’s College of Veterinary Medicine this fall.

To Nikki Jacobs and Nathan Inzerillo, daughter and son-in-law of Jim and Hattie Jacobs, who have created a podcast entitled THEATRE COUCH. The theme is cultural diversity in plays. You can see their discussion of “Eclipse” by the Zimbabwean-American actor and Playwright Danai Gurira at this site: https://theatrecouch.buzzsprout.com

To Hollan Wright, granddaughter of Jim and Hattie Jacobs, who graduated cum laude from Western Illinois University with a degree in psychology and has received an assistantship to continue graduate school in psychology.

To Bryn Wright, granddaughter of Jim and Hattie Jacobs, who graduated from high school, received the Lyle Snyder Scholarship, and will enter the nursing program at Carl Sandburg College.

To Eliza Karlin, daughter of Jeremy Karlin and Monica Berlin and step-daughter of Gabrielle Raley-Karlin, who graduated from Galesburg High School and will be attending Kalamazoo College in the fall.

To Nurislam Grimronov, grandson of Susan and Maury Lyon, who graduated from Culver City High School and will be attending University of California-Santa Cruz.

TODAH RABAH—MANY THANKS

from Jennie: Thank you to Penny, Faye, Maury, David B., Gabe, Dean and Adam for all of the time and hard work you have put into teaching our children this year. It is so very appreciated! The kids had a great time and learned so much. Todah rabah!

from Jennie: Thank you to everyone in the congregation for being so loving and supportive of me during my first year as rabbinic intern.  I have loved the experience, and I’m looking forward to next year!

To Maury Lyon for all the work he did making arrangements for and overseeing the replacement of the roof on the Temple.

And for the work that had to be done in connection with the roof leaking in the fall: thanks to Penny, Faye, and Maury for dumping the buckets of water, and to all those who helped move books out of and back into the library.

To Jennie Bunde for being our rabbinical intern this year. Thanks also for all the work she has done in the last two years to set up our Zoom arrangements for hybrid services and meetings, and for being our main tech person during that time.

To Faye Schulz, Maury Lyon, David Amor, Penny Gold for learning how to do the Zoom set up; they will now be taking turns (along with Jennie) to do the tech for services.

To Dean Alexander for arranging and participating in the security audit for the Temple.

FAREWELL

To Cindy and Lindsey Weintraub, who are moving to Champaign, IL. We wish you all the best in your new home!

SAVE THE DATE! 

ANNUAL MEETING: Sunday, July 10, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

DOUGLAS BUNDE’S BAR MITZVAH: Saturday, November 12, 10:00 a.m.

Summer/Fall Festival Schedule 2022 (5782/83)

(Note: festival begins the previous sunset)

Source: http://www.hebcal.com/holidays/

Tishah b’Av                        August 7

Leil Selichot                       September 17

Rosh Hashanah                   September 26

Yom Kippur                        October 5

Sukkot                                October 10

Simchat Torah                    October 18

Hannukah                           December 19

NEWS AND LINKS OF INTEREST

The Lincoln Library in Springfield currently has an exhibit on “Stories of Survival: Object, Image, Memory,” that features a silver purse that Faye Schulz’s grandmother had in Germany, along with Faye’s memories of that purse. The exhibit, which originated at the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, will be up through January 22, 2023. Faye hopes you’ll be able to make a visit! For more information: https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/stories-of-survival-object-image-memory

Temple Emanuel (Davenport) and Congregation Beth Israel (Rock Island) have moved to a new shared location (Beit Shalom Jewish Community) in Davenport. The congregations remain separate, but they share a rabbi as well as physical space. For more information: https://www.jta.org/2021/11/01/united-states/4-cities-2-states-1-synagogue-campus-and-rabbi-the-jews-of-the-illinois-iowa-quad-cities-are-learning-to-share

 Mary Howell shared information about her book My Father Was The Phantom In Hitler’s SS, which she published under the name of “Elizabeth Washington.” She did not learn this about her father until after his death: that as a man enlisted in the US Army, he was trained as a spy, dropped from an airplane into Germany, and picked up by the underground. There he was trained and furnished paperwork as an SS Officer, working for Hitler until the war ended. The book can be purchased from Mary by sending $20.00 to: M. E. Howell,  P.O. Box 827, Macomb, Il 61455. The money is used to put actual copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, into schools. Mary also passed on this interesting story from World War II:  https://fbindependent.com/when-my-daddy-went-to-war-mystery-of-unexploded-shells-p11053-89.htm

Proposals invited for use of the Chai Fund: In 2014, Temple Sholom received a gift of $10,188 from the Chai Foundation. We have drawn on these funds for several projects, using about one-third of the funding. The Temple Board welcomes proposals to use the fund; guidelines below. If you have an idea, you might want to start by discussing it with a board member. Proposals can be send to our president, Kevin Satisky, kevinsatisky@gmail.com.

Mission Statement for use of the Chai Fund: Temple Sholom will use the money from the CHAI gift on initiatives that will invigorate the Temple community. The Temple will give each initiative up to $500. The funds may be used for (but not limited to):

• scholarships for skills/leadership development
• care of the Temple Sholom building and grounds
• programs that bring the Temple community together and support our presence in Galesburg (and surrounding communities)
• tzedakah projects that engage the members of the congregation
• the purchase of religious objects/books, and technological additions and upgrades.

When requesting for funds from the CHAI grant, Temple Sholom members should state how the supported project will realize the mission of invigorating the Temple community.

 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. Make a note of the lock combination (0311) so that you have it when you go to visit the cemetery. 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, Jeremy Karlin.

DONATION RECORD (December 29, 2021 – June 12, 2022)

In memory of Joyce Carlson

Barb Reuter

In support of Temple Sholom

Sara Leblanc

For the Seder

Stephen & Bryce Kidman

For student dinners at the Seder

Dean Alexander & Family

In memory of Alexander Faynov

The Fayman Family

In memory of Ken Grodjesk

Carol Grodjesk

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, Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-050, 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).

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, 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, 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.

Corrections and Additions:  If you have corrections or additions for the new edition of Temple contact list, please send them to Penny Gold.

Winter/Spring 2022
Temple Sholom

Contents:

• Message from President Faye Schulz
• Message from Rabbi Henry Jay Karp
• Message from our rabbinic intern Jennifer Bunde
• Temple Sholom to Offer “Introduction to Judaism” Course
• Shabbat & Holiday Services Schedule, Winter / Spring 2022
• Mazel Tov, Mi Shebeirach, and Todah Raba
• Temple Sholom/Brookside Cemetery Capital Campaign 
• Religious School and Hesed Committee
• News, Info, and Links
• 2022/5782 Festival Schedule
• Donations

Message from President Faye Schulz:
Are We Like Our Ancestors?

What is remembered about the past?

The ancient texts that have survived, archeological sites that have been discovered, and stories of “great” wars and natural disasters can be recalled.

Seldom are individuals remembered, and nations are sometimes forgotten. As I read Torah, I often stumble over the names of the tribes and their leaders. The violent people of the world are written in the history books. There are leaders who are remembered for the actions, words or discoveries such as Gandhi, King Solomon, Confucius, Copernicus, Michelangelo and many more. The rulers who supported amazing building projects and walled cities are remembered.  Sites like Stonehenge, the great cathedrals, the pyramids and the Great Wall of China are admired and studied.

But how about the rest of us?

I like to think of myself as part of a stream. No one notices an individual drop of water, but together with others, I can be a force. I’m part of the stream of the people of Israel and the community of Jewish people in Galesburg.

Each of us is part of our own streams related to our families, our jobs, our politics, our hobbies and our friends. We may not be remembered as individuals, but of a stream of goodness and compassion. That stream can be a powerful influence in the world.

May this be G-d’s will.

Faye Schulz

Message from Rabbi Henry Jay Karp
The Seemingly Elusive Gift of Hope

As I sat down to write this article, I knew that I wanted to speak about the gift of hope and the promise of renewal that comes with a New Year. We Jews get the benefit of celebrating both the Jewish New Year and the Secular one, doubling down on our opportunities for self-renewal! But, as is my custom, I went back into my files and pulled up the article I wrote last year at this time. That article, as I stated in it, was written on December 21^st, the day of the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year; one day earlier than the writing of this article. Its theme centered on darkness & light and the promise of hope; the hope that the time will come when we emerge out of the darkness that enshrouds our lives–the pandemic–and return to a world of light.

It was a hard article to read as the COVID deaths in the U.S. have more than doubled (from 325,006 on December 21, 2020, to 831,943 on December 22, 2021) and worldwide deaths have more than tripled (from 1,703,576 on December 21, 2020, to 5,391,388 on December 22, 2021). It was a hard article to read as we find ourselves struggling with the Delta variant and facing the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant, as we watch hospitalizations skyrocket and hospital Intensive Care Units literally overflowing. The arrival of the light which will drive back the darkness appears to be, perhaps interminably, delayed.

We talk a lot about so many suffering from “COVID Fatigue” but I think that many of us are also suffering from “Hope Fatigue,” for all our hoping to see an end to this crisis has gone unanswered. How long can we keep hoping for something that simply refuses to materialize? It is only natural to reach a breaking point of hope.

It is at times like this that I am reminded of something that the Chafetz Chaim, one of the greatest Jewish ethicists, said. When asked how he had such an impact as a great sage and leader of the 20^th century Jewish world, he answered: “I set out to change the world, but I failed. So, I decided to scale back my efforts and only influence the Jewish community of Poland, but I failed there, too. So, I targeted the community of my hometown of Radin, but I achieved no greater success. Then I gave all my effort to changing my own family and I failed at that as well. Finally, I decided to change myself and that’s how I had such an impact on the Jewish world.”

Even during these dark times of Delta and Omicron, and what seems like a never-ending plague, when our hoping for a better world feels like a futile effort, we still can keep our hope alive if we but direct it inward, focusing on our own personal hopes for a new year of self-renewal. If we cannot make the world a better place, we can still make ourselves better people. We can start by hoping to be better and then striving to make that hope come true. If we do so honestly and sincerely, then like the Chafetz Chaim, our quest for self-improvement can be contagious, inspiring others to seek their better selves. If enough of us hope to be better people in the year ahead, and strive vigorously enough toward that goal, the cumulative effect will be that together, we will make the world a better place as well. We may not be able to eradicate COVID, but we can lead the way on how to live most fully and fulfillingly in our COVID world. If we model lives of caring and helping, in which we realize that by lifting up others, we lift ourselves to heights otherwise unattainable, we can transform our world into a place were “community” is more than a geographic description; a place where “community” means people coming together in unity to make each other’s lives as blessed as humanly possible. These are hopes worth holding onto. These are personal hopes that can change the world.

Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!

God Bless & Protect Us All!

Rabbi Henry Jay Karp

Message from our rabbinic intern Jennifer Bunde
What We Know and Don’t Know 

These last six months have been a deep learning experience for me. I have loved being the rabbinic intern for our shul. I have grown in confidence on the bimah, and I hope it has started to show. I am excited to be continuing as your student rabbi next year too. As I’ve been reflecting on my internship this year, it has brought to mind a diagram I once saw at a workshop:

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In any given situation, what we know or don’t know can fit into one of these boxes. The top two boxes are easy–they are the ones where we already have an awareness of our knowledge. But the bottom two boxes? Those are so intimidating because that’s where ignorance lies. We can only learn about what we don’t know when someone else teaches us.

Now in my fourth year of rabbinical school, I’ve studied Talmud, Torah, Hebrew, liturgy, history–and I still feel like a total beginner. So you can imagine how nervous I am at the prospect of teaching an “Introduction to Judaism” course in the coming year. But I’m excited at the same time. As hard as I have studied, there is so much that I don’t know! And that’s just the stuff that I know I don’t know. My goal for teaching an “Introduction to Judaism” class is to provide a broad introduction to members of the community (both the Temple community and people in the wider community who are interested in learning more). Some who take the class may be interested in converting, and some may just want to learn more about Judaism, and of course you all are welcome to participate too! I know that many people receiving this newsletter are from out of town, and you’re more than welcome to Zoom in to the class!

Along with everyone else, I’ll be learning about what I don’t know and what I don’t know that I don’t know. It’s a process, and the beautiful thing about Judaism, like most things in life, is that we can never know it all–not by a long shot! For more information in the class, see the notice below.

Happy (Solar) New Year, and may the joy of learning something new never fade.

Jennie Bunde

Temple Sholom to Offer “Introduction to Judaism” Course

This course, developed by the Union for Reform Judaism, is a multi-session course for adults interested in exploring Jewish life through the lens of Reform Judaism. It encourages students to explore a modern take on Jewish life, and to engage with Jewish values, celebrations, and spirituality. Questions are encouraged and multiple perspectives will be explored.

The course is open to all, including Jews who want a meaningful adult Jewish learning experience, individuals considering conversion, interfaith couples, and spiritual seekers. The program welcomes people from all backgrounds and is LGBTQ-friendly. Topics will include holidays, life cycle celebrations, core beliefs, prayer, the Bible and other sacred texts, history, antisemitism and the Holocaust, Israel, the North American Jewish experience, and the diversity of the Jewish people today.

Bi-weekly sessions will begin on January 23, 2022 and will continue for eighteen sessions; students can begin without committing to the full slate of classes. The class will be held in person at Temple Sholom (for those who provide proof of full vaccination) and students can also participate online through Zoom. There is no cost to attend the course, but students are asked to purchase the URJ textbook ($35.00). The course will be led by Jennifer Bunde, rabbinic intern at Temple Sholom, who is in her fourth year of rabbinic study at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California. For more information about the course, contact Jennie at jennifer.bunde@gmail.com or 309-335-7969. 

Welcome to those new to the area!

Several newcomers to the area just missed the deadline for the fall bulletin, so a belated welcome to:

Jonathan Lynne is Director of the School of Management and Marketing, Western Illinois University. Jonathan’s family is on the way from England to join him here.

Martin Abraham is Professor of Engineering Technology, Western Illinois University. Martin’s wife Nancy, is living in Florida.

David Braverman recently joined Western Illinois University as Vice President for Student Success and is living in Macomb. David’s wife Mindy Chang is a Professor of Communication at Western New England University and their son is a sophomore majoring in Computer Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.

Shabbat & Holiday Services Schedule, Winter / Spring 2022

Services are hybrid, with some people present at the Temple and others attending by Zoom. Contact TempleSholomGalesburg@gmail.com for Zoom info.

Need to switch? If you cannot lead services on the date listed, please find someone to switch with. Also let David Bunde know about the switch, as he sends out the weekly reminders: david.bunde@gmail.com or 309-335-7130.

Oneg: If you would like to “host” the Oneg Shabbat, please let Faye Schulz know, fdschulz@comcast.net.  You can bring the oneg to services, or you can drop off any time some cookies, nuts or dried fruit that can be easily put out for those attending in person. All dates in January & February are available.  Thanks!

Mazel Tov

To Stephen Lee and Bryce Kidman on their marriage, November 22, 2021; Stephen is now Stephen James Kidman.

To Maury and Susan Lyon on the October 2, 2021 birth of their new grandchild, Isadora Annabelle Lyon, daughter of Gabriel and Alex Lyon.

Zack, JJ, and Darrell Bunde on their first summer OSRUI.

Mi Shebeirach

For Bryce Kidman, who will be undergoing a leg amputation on January 23, 2022.

Todah Rabah

from Jennie Bunde: Thank you to Penny, Faye, Maury, Hannah, Gabe, Jeremy, Dean, and David for all of your hard work and dedication in teaching religious school. I really appreciate all that you do! You make learning fun for all the children of Temple Sholom.

Many thanks to Jonah Rubin for all the work he has put into the new Temple website. It’s the nature of websites that they are readily adaptable to new information and needs, but that means continuing attention from the person in charge. Thank you Jonah! The addition of all the pages in support of the Capital Campaign has been an especially big job. Do take a look at the site if you haven’t already: https://templesholomgalesburg.org/

Temple Sholom/Brookside Cemetery Capital Campaign 

A full update on the campaign will be sent out in January, but here’s a brief preview: The campaign is going very well! We have recently met our original goal of $250,000, and the Board has approved raising our goal to $275,000. We are enormously grateful for the support we have received from members, former members, children (now adults) who grew up in the congregation, former rabbis, Knox students who were involved in the Temple, and other friends of the congregation.

Photos for the Website: Thanks to all those who sent photos in this summer, we have a nice array on the website. But we can use more! New photos as well as ones from your files would be most welcome. Please send to Jonah: jsrubin@knox.edu.

Religious School: Religious school will resume on Sunday, January 9th, when we’ll be joined by a new teacher, Knox sophomore Adam Gadiel. Welcome Adam!

Hesed Committee

Once a year we put a reminder in the bulletin about the Temple’s Hesed Committee. If you know of someone who might need assistance, or if you could use some help yourself, contact Penny Gold, who will follow up from there, pgold@knox.edu. Examples of the kinds of help we can provide:

• Dinner meals for a period of time when someone is ill, or for a family where a new baby has been born.
• Rides to services for those who can’t drive.
• Visits to someone who is ill or in a nursing home.
• Participation in daily services during shiva, and providing food at the home.
• Welcoming newcomers to the community.

News, Info, and Links (Please feel free to send material of interest to bulletin editor Penny Gold, pgold@knox.edu.)

Two Jewish congregations in our region (Rock Island, IL and Davenport, IA) have recently moved out of their long-time buildings into a building in Davenport that they now share, along with the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities. This article explains the move: https://www.jta.org/2021/11/01/united-states/4-cities-2-states-1-synagogue-campus-and-rabbi-the-jews-of-the-illinois-iowa-quad-cities-are-learning-to-share

from Mary Howell, an interesting story from WWII: https://fbindependent.com/when-my-daddy-went-to-war-mystery-of-unexploded-shells-p11053-89.htm

from Penny Gold: I recommend a podcast segment from Ira Glass’s This American Life. The episode is called “The Weight of Words,” and it’s the first 7 minutes that are of particular interest, where Ira talks about how he’s never understood the notion of why it matters for humans to “love God.” The experience of saying the Kaddish is part of the story. You can read a transcript at this link, but I highly recommend listening to it. I found it moving to hear parts of the Kaddish recited on NPR. https://shortcut.thisamericanlife.org/#/clipping/741?_k=wepc56

Save the Date!

Sunday, January 16, 11:00 a.m., TU BISHVAT SEDER, led by our rabbinic intern, Jennie Bunde; all members of the congregation are invited to attend. Details of how we will do the sesder will depend on the circumstances with Covid in mid-January. More information will come when we get closer to the date. In keeping with our current Covid protocols, anyone attending in person needs to be fully vaccinated.

2022/5782 Festival Schedule

(Note: festival begins the previous sunset)

Tu B’Shevat                  Monday, January 17

Purim                           Thursday, March 17

Passover                      Saturday-Saturday, April 16-23

Yom HaShoah              Thursday, April 28

Yom HaZikaron             Wednesday, May 4

Yom HaAtzma’ut           Thursday, May 5

Lag BaOmer                 Thursday, May 19

Shavuot                        Sunday, June 5

Tish’a B’av                    Sunday, August 7

Donations (September 1, 2021 to December 28, 2021)

In support of Temple Sholom

Jonathan Lynne

In memory of Khaya Taymanova

     The Fayman Family

In memory of Eugene Endicott

     Carol Grodjesk

In memory of Yeva Faynova
The Fayman Family

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, Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-050, 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).

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, 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, 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.

Corrections and Additions:  If you have corrections or additions for the new edition of Temple contact list, please send them to Penny Gold, pgold@knox.edu.

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. Make a note of the lock combination (0311) so that you have it when you go to visit the cemetery. 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, Jeremy Karlin.

Summer 2021

Temple Sholom

Monroe & North Streets

P.O. Box 501

Galesburg, IL 60402-0501

President’s Message

I became President of the Temple a year ago. A major achievement during my presidency is that the Temple made the decision to get internet service. When I said this to my son, he said I was “off the rails.” And in a town like Galesburg, so full of trains, being off the rails doesn’t seem like a good thing. But it’s not simply about having internet at Temple Sholom. It’s about our community and holding it together. About allowing it to reach all of those who are part of our extended community, no matter where they live. Over the past year we have been able to hold Shabbat services on-line. We have been able to continue our Jewish education, celebrate a Bar Mitzvah, and be together (virtually) over the Holidays. As restrictions slowly lift, we are beginning to see each other in person and combine our old traditions with new ones. We are working towards a new normal that will allow us to continue to be a community going into the future. I am excited to see more of us in person as our communities open back up to a new “normal.”

As I look forward, we are in the beginning stages of planning a capital campaign that hopefully will provide financial stability for our congregation for years to come.

Thank you for supporting me as the President and the Temple with all of your hard work, openness, and kindness. Thank you for being part of keeping all of us “on the rails.”

Kevin Satisky

RABBI’S MESSAGE:

What a Difference a Year Makes

As I sat down to write this article, I reviewed my message to you from last year at this time.  Last year, we were in the throes of the pandemic.  We were forced to have to reconfigure our lives in so many ways.  What before we considered normalcy was thrown out the window as we had to make peace with a totally new reality in which the way we lived our lives had to be curtailed and reconfigured; in which our continued health and life could no longer be taken for granted, and every choice we made was nothing less than an existential one.

What a difference a year makes!  Today many, if not most, of us have been fully vaccinated.  If so, the medical effects have liberated us from face masks and social distancing.  We can travel.  We can dine in restaurants and go to the movies.  We can hug each other!  Life is beginning to return to some semblance of what, before the pandemic, we considered to be normal.

While we may be moving back toward something akin to normal, will life ever again be for us truly normal?  I don’t think so.  Actually, I hope not.  For there is nothing like an existential crisis to help us to look at life, the world around us, and the people we cherish through new eyes.  Eyes of a greater awareness and a deeper appreciation.

As a rabbi, so often throughout the years I have sought to remind my congregants to count their blessings.  Especially living in a nation like the U.S.A., our lives tend to be filled with countless blessings.  But there is a problem with living lives in which our blessings overflow.  That problem is that when we enjoy so many blessings, we tend to take each and every one of them – or at least most of them – for granted.  But after living the year we just endured, wondering whether or not we would fall victim to that dreaded disease and if so, what toll would it take on us and would we survive, we are no longer free to take our blessings for granted.  If COVID has taught us nothing else, it should have taught us to take nothing for granted.  With almost 171 million cases worldwide, over 34 million of them in the U.S.A. alone, and with over 3.5 million deaths worldwide, over 605,000 of them in our nation, no longer are we free to take our manifold blessings for granted.  That, in and of itself is yet one more blessing we can add to our bounty of blessings; a keener awareness of how blessed we truly are.

As we approach the coming summer, may we revel in the sun shining on our faces and our bodies enwrapped in its warmth.  May we savor the taste of fresh air as we spend so much of our time outdoors after a year of sheltering at home.  May we be filled with the love and joy of our reunions with family and friends whose hands we have not touched for these all too many months.  To see those we care about eye-to-eye, to be in their physical company, hopefully will never again be something we take for granted, but we will cherish, every single moment we share their company.

Have a Joyful, Restful, Wonderful, Summer, Filled with an Attitude of Gratitude for All our Many Blessings, and a Fuller Awareness of the Presence of God in Our Lives!

Rabbi Henry Jay Karp

RABBINICAL INTERN’S MESSAGE

It somehow seems appropriate that as I am writing this, my first newsletter message as rabbinic intern, that we are reading Numbers during our weekly Torah readings.  The Hebrew word for the Book of Numbers is Bamidbar, meaning “in the wilderness.” And that’s kind of how I feel right now – that we’re in uncharted territory.

It’s going to be a time of change and shifting roles and expectations, and I plan on doing my best.  But as with anything new, there’s bound to be some growing pains as we adjust.

My goals, both as a rabbinic intern here, and for my future rabbinate, are to strengthen the Jewish community and widen the leadership base.  My hope is to try some new things – which means I’ll be failing a lot – most things don’t succeed on their first try, but if we’re lucky, we’ll find some successes too.

During this crazy pandemic, a phase I have often heard and even more often used, is that we should give everyone “an extra helping of grace.”  And by that, I mean that the way we survive (what I hope is the end of) COVID 19 and make our way back to normalcy, is that we need to give a little extra patience, a little extra kindness, a little more benefit of the doubt than we gave to people before.  For myself, I feel like COVID has shortened my fuse, and I need to work that much harder to remind myself to be as kind and understanding as possible.  The pandemic has been really rough for many of us, and we all could use an extra helping of grace.  Most Hebrew/English dictionaries translate “grace” to chen/חן. But חן has a meaning much closer to “favor” or even “loveliness.” Instead, the attribute that I am aiming for is rachamim/רחמים meaning “compassion.” I love that the root for רחמים, is ר ח מ the same root for the word “womb.”  Rachamim, for me, means strengthening my mothering attributes.  In a tradition steeped in masculine imagery, I love drawing on the feminine aspect of G-d as I work on improving myself.

At some point or other during the pandemic, I think most of us have felt that we are stumbling around in the wilderness, bamidbar.  I’m not here to lead us to any promised land, nor do I have any expectations of trying to do so.  Instead, I hope to bring as much rachamim as I can to my role as rabbinic intern, and walk with you as we make our way through the wilderness together.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer, and I look forward to seeing and talking to you all soon. Much love,

Jennie Bunde

OUR RABBINIC LINE-UP FOR 2021/22

Three people will be serving Temple Sholom in rabbinic roles in the 2021/22 year: Rabbi Henry Karp will be continuing as our rabbi, but will be coming for just four visits during the year; Rabbi Reni Dickman will be returning to lead us in High Holiday services; and rabbinical student (and member of the congregation) Jennie Bunde will be doing a rabbinic internship from July 2021 through June 2022. A rabbinic internship is part of the program of the Academy for Jewish Religion-California, where Jennie is entering her 4th year. The role of the intern is similar to that of rabbinical students from URJ who have served our congregation in the past. The main difference is that AJRC interns have a local mentor (often a full-time rabbi at the congregation) who advises and consults with the intern. Rabbi Karp will be the main person serving in this role for Jennie, with Rabbi Dickman serving as mentor for the High Holidays.

MAZEL TOV

To Maury Cohn, who has been hired as the Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, a 1-to-2-year position that begins in September.

To Maury Lyon, for re-election to District 205 School Board and David Amor for re-election to the Knox County Board. Maury was also re-elected to the position of Secretary of the School Board, and David to Vice-Chair of the County Board.

To the family of Dan Rudman, for the recognition of Dan as one of the nine Paul Harris Fellows for 2020 named by the Rotary Club. For each Fellow, $1,000 is donated to Rotary International in their name.

To Rebecca Watson, on her graduation from Galesburg High School; Becca will be attending Texas A&M in the fall.

TODAH RABAH

To Maury Lyon, for mowing our large expanse of grass.

To Faye Schulz and Jonah Rubin for tending to the grounds of the Temple, including picking up leaves and weed-whacking.

To all those who have taught our children Hebrew this year, even though religious school was in hiatus because of pandemic restrictions: Faye Schulz, Maury Lyon, David Bunde, Susan Lyon and Penny Gold.

To Jonah Rubin, Gabe Raley, Jim Jacobs, and Faye Schulz for checking the building every week, running the water and making sure that everything is secure.

SERVICE SCHEDULE

Services in June through August are bi-weekly; no Oneg Shabbat until further notice. We are currently doing hybrid services, with some people present at the Temple and others at home, all connected with Zoom. Services are at 7:30 p.m. Central time. All are welcome to attend—distance is now no barrier: You can join us on Zoom. For login information, please email us.

A full schedule of High Holiday services will be sent out in late August.

Need to switch?

If you cannot lead the service, please find someone to switch with.  Inform David Bunde of the switch, too (david.bunde@gmail.com), as he sends out the weekly reminders.

Save the date!

Temple Sholom Annual Meeting

Sunday, July 11, time TBS

Summer/Fall Festival Schedule 2021 (5781/82)

  (Note: festival begins the previous sunset)

Source: http://www.hebcal.com/holidays/

Tishah b’Av                      July 18

Leil Selichot                     August 28

Rosh Hashanah                 September 6

Yom Kippur                      September 16

Sukkot                               September 21-27

Simchat Torah                  September 29

Hannukah                          November 29-December 6

DONATIONS

(from December 29, 2020 to June 6, 2021)

In memory of Joyce Carlson

     Barb Reuter

In memory of Michael Fayman

Faye and Chuck Schulz

Jim and Hattie Jacobs

In memory of Dan and Sue Rudman

     Jim and Hattie Jacobs

In honor of Susan and Maury Lyon’s 45th wedding anniversary

Jim and Hattie Jacobs

Memorial plaque for Jack Charles Feldman

     Michel Feldman

Happy Tree of Life leaf

     Sam and Yana Fayman, in honor of the birth of our granddaughter, Maya Garber, 11/28/20

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 Penny Gold 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, Box 501, Galesburg, IL 61402-050, 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 Penny, 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).

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, 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, 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.

Corrections and additions:  If you have corrections or additions for the new edition of Temple contact list, please send them to Penny Gold, pgold@knox.edu.

Proposals invited for use of the Chai Fund: In 2014, Temple Sholom received a gift of $10,188 from the Chai Foundation. We have drawn on these funds for several projects, using about one-third of the funding. The Temple Board welcomes proposals to use the fund; guidelines below. If you have an idea, you might want to start by discussing it with a board member. Proposals can be send to our president, Kevin Satisky, kevinsatisky@gmail.com

Mission Statement for use of the Chai Fund: Temple Sholom will use the money from the CHAI gift on initiatives that will invigorate the Temple community. The Temple will give each initiative up to $500.  The funds can be used for (but not limited to):

• scholarships for skills/leadership development
• care of the Temple Sholom building and grounds
• programs that bring the temple community together and support our presence in Galesburg (and surrounding communities)
• tzedakah projects that engage the members of the congregation
• the purchase of religious objects/books, and technological additions and upgrades.
• When requesting for funds from the CHAI grant, Temple Sholom members should state how the supported project will realize the mission of invigorating the Temple community.

Access to Brookside Cemetery

Because of problems in the past with people dumping trash inside the grounds of Brookside Cemetery, the cemetery association installed a combination lock on the gates. In order that all legitimate visitors are able to access the cemetery, here are instructions. Please make a note of the lock combination so that you have it when you go to visit the cemetery.

Pull your car up close to the gate, to be out of traffic on Linwood Road.  Use the small pedestrian gate to the left of the main gate to enter the cemetery. The lock is on the inside of the main gate. The combination tumblers are on the bottom of the lock, protected by a removable weatherproof rubber cover. The combination is 0311. Once the combination is set, depress the shackle and then pull or you will feel the lock open. To open the main gate, remove the lock and swing open the horizontal bar. There are two vertical rods seated into holes in the middle of the driveway. Lift up the rod holding the left gate, pull the gate inwards and set the rod into the hole on the left side of the driveway. Do the same with the right gate.  Pull your car into the cemetery to park.

Please make sure to close the gate after you exit, reseating the vertical rods, replacing the horizontal bar and re-locking the lock.  To lock the padlock, depress the shackle to the closed position and while holding the shackle, spin the tumblers to a different number. Replace the rubber protective cover.

You can also just leave your car pulled into the entry and visit the cemetery on foot, but you will then need to be careful backing into Linwood Road when you exit.

We are sorry that the bad practices of a few have made this process necessary. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know by contacting one of the cemetery trustees: Bob Bondi, David Amor, Jeremy Karlin.

please bookmark these links

Temple Sholom website: http://www.templesholom.co/

Note: Our website is undergoing a major reworking, and will go public this summer with a new address. We will send out the new URL when the site is completed.

Temple Sholom Google drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_mE-prG2xSfJO6mv-KIrGafORzr1qZt_

Many documents related to the Temple are uploaded here, for example: board minutes, Guidelines for B’nai Mitzvah, historical documents, etc.

E-mail address for people currently active at Temple Sholom:

templesholom@googlegroups.com