Fall 2023
Temple Sholom
On behalf of the entire Temple Sholom community past, present and future, I would like to thank and honor those who have served on the Capital Campaign Committee. You have succeeded in “Securing the Legacy” and “Shaping the Future” for our congregation.
********************************************
Penny Gold and Bob Bondi (co-chairs)
David Amor Maury Lyon
Kevin Satisky Terry Schubach
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Warmest wishes for a wonderful new year in 5784.
As president, I’ve worked with our board and our dedicated committees to make our congregation a safe, spiritual and learning community. As I have grown older, I have realized that I need to spend more time on my physical and emotional well-being. Similarly, our congregation has spent more time on our security plan (see pages 4-5) and our building care (we have a new roof!).
We continue to have a vibrant Sunday School program, inspiring Shabbat services and a community that supports each other in times of joy and sorrow.
Thanks to each of you for your dedication to Temple Sholom.
L’Shana Tova,
Faye
RABBI’S MESSAGE:
The Talmud, in its tractate on Yom Kippur, we are told, “for transgressions between a person and G-d, Yom Kippur atones; however, for transgressions between a person and another, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases the other person.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about the sentiment. It stresses the importance of relationships – how essential they are to us all. On Yom Kippur we endeavor to strengthen our relationship with the Divine, however we perceive Him/Her/Them. But we need to act to heal the relationships with those around us.
I think there’s a flip side to this. For me, relationships aren’t just about saying you’re sorry when you’ve done wrong, but also about recognizing the good in others.
Temple Sholom exists because of the amazing commitment our community has made to the building itself and the people that call Temple Sholom home. I am so thankful for each and every one of you who are reading this message. You are what makes Temple Sholom so special. The synagogue runs on countless volunteer hours and everyone pitching in to do their share of the work. Part of my teshuvah this year is to do a better job thanking each of you personally for all that you do.
Also, I know I’ve made my fair share of transgressions this year – I’m doing my best to make amends for those as best I can too.
Wishing you all a sweet, happy, and healthy new year. Ketivah vachatimah tovah, may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.
B’shalom,
Jennie (she/her/hers)
ETHICS CODE
In July, the Temple Sholom board adopted a code of ethics as a statement of our collective values and our expectations for the behavior of community members. The Ethics code development was encouraged by the URJ. They provided a framework and the committee of our congregation, Faye, Jonah & Nancy, edited it to fit with our congregation’s size and needs. Here is part of the statement from the URJ that began this process. “The URJ has an abiding commitment to maintaining all of our sacred spaces as safe and equitable. We’re encouraging every URJ congregation to use the resources we’ve designed to create and adopt a congregational ethics code.” Please refer to the entire document at the end of this bulletin (starting on page 9).
NAMES FOR THE MI SHEBEIRACH LIST
If you have a name you would like to add to the Mi Shebeirach list for healing, send a note to Penny, chair of the Hesed Committee. We will keep saying the name each week, until we know there’s no longer a special need for this person. We will still ask for names at each service; this is just an additional way to add a name to the list.
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 5784/2023
Rabbi Jennifer Bunde
Keyboard: David Amor • Vocal Soloist: Lucas Wood
All services and study sessions will be hybrid offerings, both in person and on the Temple’s Zoom. If you will be attending services remotely and would like a High Holiday prayer book, please contact Faye (fdschulz@comcast.net).
Selichot Service
Saturday, September 9, led by Guy West 8:30 p.m.
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Friday, September 15th 7:30 p.m.
First Day of Rosh Hashanah
Saturday, September 16th
Morning Service 10:00 a.m.
Tashlich at Picnic Point 1:30 p.m.
Reverse Tashlich* at Lake Storey (meet at the Pavilion)
Sunday, September 17 11:00 a.m.
Kever Avot – Memorial Service at Brookside Cemetery
Sunday, September 17 3:00 p.m
Shabbat Shuvah
Friday, September 22nd 7:30 p.m.
Kol Nidre
Sunday, September 24th 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur
Monday, September 25th
Morning service 10:00 a.m.
Study Session about 12:15
Break about 1:15-2:30
Lay-led service 2:30
Afternoon service (Minchah) 3:00
Yizkor (memorial service) 4:00
Children’s play 5:00
Ne’ilah and Havdalah following children’s play
Motzi to break the fast about 6:00 p.m., following the end of services
*Reverse tashlich–Join environmentally conscious Jewish communities around the world in reversing the tradition of Tashlich. Remove human ‘sins’ (marine debris) from the water in a collaborative waterfront cleanup. It would be helpful for participants to bring trash bags and garden gloves.
SERVICE SCHEDULE
Services are hybrid, with Zoom access.
Date |
Leader |
Oneg |
Tech |
Shamash |
Holiday / Notes |
9/1 |
Schulz |
Cohn/Eberhardt |
Amor |
|
|
9/8 |
Amor |
Jacobs |
Gold |
|
|
9/9 |
West |
– |
TBA |
|
Selichot, 8:30pm |
9/15 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Congregation |
Lyon |
Lyon |
Erev Rosh Hashanah |
9/16 |
Rabbi Bunde |
– |
TBA |
TBA |
Rosh Hashanah, 10am |
9/17 |
Rabbi Bunde |
– |
in-person only |
– |
Reverse Taslich at Lake Storey, 11am |
9/17 |
Karlin |
– |
in-person only |
|
Kever Avot at Brookside Cemetery, 3pm |
9/22 |
Lyon |
Bunde |
Amor |
|
Shabbat Shuvah |
9/24 |
Rabbi Bunde |
– |
TBA |
– |
Kol Nidre |
9/25 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Congregation break fast |
TBA |
TBA |
Yom Kippur, 10am |
9/29 |
Rubin |
H. Lyon |
Lyon |
|
Sukkot; 6:30pm |
10/6 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Fayman |
D. Bunde |
Schulz |
Simchat Torah |
10/13 |
D. Bunde |
Lyon |
D. Bunde |
|
|
10/20 |
Karlin/Raley-Karlin |
Schulz |
Amor |
|
|
10/27 |
West |
West |
J. Bunde |
|
|
11/3 |
Jacobs |
Cohn/Eberhardt |
Lyon |
|
|
11/10 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Karlin/Raley-Karlin |
D. Bunde |
Lyon |
|
11/17 |
Amor |
Gurevich |
Amor |
|
|
11/24 |
Satisky-Schulz |
Satisky |
J. Bunde |
|
|
12/1 |
Rabbi Bunde |
Schulz & Congregation |
D. Bunde |
Schulz |
Teacher’s Shabbat |
12/8 |
Lyon |
Jacobs |
Lyon |
|
Hanukkah |
12/15 |
Rubin |
Bunde |
Amor |
|
Hanukkah |
12/22 |
D. Bunde |
H. Lyon |
D. Bunde |
|
|
12/29 |
Karlin/Raley-Karlin |
West |
Lyon |
|
|
Leaders can find the names to read before the kaddish at the 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.
SECURITY FOR TEMPLE SHOLOM
If you have any questions, please contact Faye or Maury.
MAZEL TOV
Cathy Walters shares that her daughter Theresa has successfully defended her PhD, and has been hired by the University of Southern California as an Assistant Director for First-year Advising. We’re very excited for her and her family.
TODAH RABAH
Thank you to Yana Fayman for cleaning the silver at the Temple for the High Holidays.
Thank you to the people who have so generously agreed to be point-persons for a number of holidays. Their willingness to take on this responsibility provided needed relief for the ritual chair, and will infuse our ritual observance with new perspectives and ideas!
Leil Selichot: Guy West
Rosh Hashanah: Maury Lyon
Yom Kippur: Penny Gold
Sukkot: David Bunde
Simchat Torah: Rabbi Bunde
Hanukkah: Shawn Greathouse
Tu B’Shevat: Susan Lyon
Purim: Jonah Rubin & Michal Ran-Rubin
Passover: Faye Schulz
Shabbat: David Bunde
2023/5784 Festival Schedule
(Note: festival begins at sunset on these days)
Rosh Hashanah Sept 15
Yom Kippur Sept 24
Sukkot Sept 29
Simchat Torah Oct 7
Hanukkah Dec 7 – Dec 15
(last night is Dec 14)
Web site with dates of Jewish holidays:
http://www.hebcal.com/
ONLINE URJ CLASS ON “PURSUING JUSTICE”
The Union for Reform Judaism is offering an online, two-session class on “Pursuing Justice” later this fall. The sessions will cover Jewish teachings about justice as well as the Reform Movement’s tradition of social activism. The class will be held on the evenings of October 25
and November 1. See this link for more information:https://reformjudaism.org/learning/judaism-classes/other-adult-jewish-learning-class/pursuing-justice-union-reform-judaism-0
(Don’t worry about the listed cost–when one person in the congregation signs up, others can participate for no fee.) If you’re interested in participating in the course, contact Penny for information on how the group sign-up will work (pgold@knox.edu).
NEW BOOKS IN THE TEMPLE LIBRARY
Here’s a list of some new books in the Temple library. Links are included for those seeking more information. If you’d like to check out one or more books, please make a note of it on the small yellow-lined pad that has been left on the table in the library.
The Mussar Torah Commentary: A Spiritual Path to Living a Meaningful and Ethical Life, edited by Rabbi Barry H. Block. This book is a collection of essays, one on each Torah portion, exploring the portion in light of one of a particular virtue, such as trust, humility, mercy, simplicity, anger, forgiveness. (The Mussar movement focused on a virtue-based ethics, rather than a rule-based ethics.) https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50475
Prophetic Voices: Renewing and Reimagining Haftarah, ed. Rabbi Barbara AB Symons (CCAR Press, 2023). Includes contemporary commentary on haftarot, and also suggests alternative readings from Jewish texts, biblical to contemporary. https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50553
Stories We Pray: Insights into the Inner-Work of Jewish Worship by Joel Lurie Grishaver (Torah Aura Productions, 2012). After a short introduction summarizing a given prayer, one or more stories (some ancient some contemporary) are told that illuminate a core meaning of the prayer. There is a chapter on almost every prayer in the siddur. https://torahaura.com/stories-we-pray
Songs Ascending: The Book of Psalms in a New Translation with Textual and Spiritual Commentary, 2 vols. by Rabbi Richard N. Levy (CCAR Press, 2017). Contemporary, readable translations of the psalms, accompanied by textual notes as well as a short essay on “Spiritual Applications.” The Hebrew text of each psalm also provided. https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50342
Reform Responsa for the Twenty-First Century: Sh’eilot Ut’shuvot, 2 vols., ed. Rabbi Mark Washofsky (CCAR Press, 2010). Sample topics: A “Proper” Reform Mikveh; Tattooing, B’rachah and Gender, Body Piercing, and Jewish Tradition; A Convert’s Hebrew Name; Presumption of Jewish Identity; A Sex Offender in the Synagogue; Boycotts in the Name of Social Justice; Inheritance: How Much to Leave to a Child? https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50224
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 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, 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, July 23, 2023.
Faye Schulz, President (2024)
Jonah Rubin, Vice President (2024)
Nancy Eberhardt, Secretary (2024)
Maury Lyon, Treasurer (2024)
David Amor (2025)
Bob Bondi (2025)
Jeremy Karlin (2025)
Susan Lyon (2025)
Gabe Raley-Karlin (2025)
Kevin Satisky (2025)
Guy West (2022-2024)
Carol Grodjesk, Honorary Board Member
Jan West, Honorary Board Member
Jennie Bunde, Rabbi, ex officio (2025)
DONATION RECORD
In honor of the ordination of Rabbi Jennifer Bunde
Janice and Dennis Gazer
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.
please bookmark these links
Temple Sholom website: https://templesholomgalesburg.org/
Temple Sholom Google drive:
Many documents related to the Temple are uploaded here, for example: board minutes, Guidelines for B’nai Mitzvah, historical documents, etc.
TEMPLE SHOLOM ETHICS CODE (adopted July 9, 2023)
Part 1: Introduction
Temple Sholom is a strong, self-reliant Jewish congregation in Galesburg, Illinois, welcoming all who identify as Jewish and their families in an inclusive and accepting community. We are proud of our centuries-old Jewish presence in Galesburg and dedicated to continuing a positive, engaged Jewish presence in the larger community. We are affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and committed to the intellectual openness, dedication to social justice, and respect for individual difference central to the Reform tradition. We are committed to maintaining regular worship services, active Jewish learning, and passing on Jewish identity and values to our children. Our purpose is to nurture meaningful Jewish lives in keeping with the religious practices and ideals of Reform Judaism.
Together with our Statement of Values and Priorities (adopted March 7, 2018), this code of ethics sets forth the principles and expectations for adherence to standards of conduct for our clergy, congregants, staff, visitors, and guests, whether participating in a Temple Sholom activity that is in the building, online, or offsite.
Part 2: Code of Ethics
Exemplify Holiness (K’DUSHAH)
Temple Sholom welcomes all who wish to engage with our sacred community.
- We embrace everyone without regard to religious background, age, ability, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status.
- We strive to make all who participate in our community feel a sense of belonging with the expectation that their ideas and concerns can be openly stated and responded to with respect.
Honesty (YOSHER)
Temple Sholom expects all who engage in our community to conduct themselves in an honest manner.
- We promote open and honest communication that allows for addressing differences constructively.
- We protect the confidentiality of privileged information, either about an individual or the synagogue, and do not disclose it without permission. For example, this includes personnel information such as employment status, compensation, and performance review, as well as personal information about an individual’s health, financial status, or family matters.
- We respect the efforts of others and do not take credit for their work.
- We recognize, respect, and protect the intellectual property rights of our synagogue and others. We obey copyright laws governing the use and distribution of published materials.
Honor (KAVOD)
Temple Sholom values acting with integrity.
- We act solely according to the synagogue’s best interest and that reflects our core values when acting on its behalf.
- We refrain from using one’s synagogue position for personal advantage or benefit. For example, we refrain from hiring or firing, rewarding or punishing staff, members, or volunteers, and awarding or denying contracts based solely on personal considerations.
- We conduct financial matters related to synagogue involvement with complete honesty.
- We are bound by sacred obligation to uphold financial agreements made with the synagogue. If a change in personal circumstances occurs, we will inform those charged with managing synagogue finances and make appropriate arrangements.
- We conduct employment practices and related decision-making in an ethical and legal manner. We establish and enforce the appropriate policies and procedures to protect the employees of the congregation, such as fair employment policies, grievance reporting, and conflict resolution procedures.
- We foster an environment and policies that promote respect for every individual in our congregation and our community regardless of: ancestry, age, disability (mental, physical or emotional), genetic information, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, financial means, or political affiliation.
Compassion (RACHAMIM)
Temple Sholom embraces the fundamental value of performing acts of lovingkindness (g’milut chasadim).
- We treat others with respect, dignity, fairness, and compassion.
- We refrain from derogatory speech and slander, whether in person or on social media.
- We oppose bullying, including any unwanted behavior that degrades, humiliates, or oppresses another. Verbal, physical, or written bullying, whether in person or online, is never acceptable.
- We do not tolerate sexual harassment, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical, written, or visual conduct of a sexual nature.
- We do not tolerate acts or behaviors that exploit the vulnerability of another, take advantage of a power imbalance, compromise one’s moral integrity, or create an intimidating, offensive, abusive, or hostile environment.
- We strive to protect those who appear to be the victims of abuse or neglect, including spousal abuse, child abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and other types of domestic violence.
Justice (TZEDEK):
Temple Sholom believes everyone entering our sacred space has the right to feel safe and respected, and that we are morally and ethically responsible for one another. Our methods for doing so will be detailed in the “allegations of unethical procedure” section below.
Part 3: Short version addressing allegations of unethical behavior
Temple Sholom Ethics Code will be made available to all congregants, staff, and clergy. The Code will also be published on the Temple Sholom website. The Code, and Addressing Allegations of Unethical Behavior document, will be updated as appropriate. Examples contained in the Code are not all-inclusive.
THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES DELINEATE HOW ALLEGATIONS OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR BASED ON THE TEMPLE SHOLOM ETHICS CODE WILL BE ADDRESSED.
- The synagogue president will also serve as the chair of the ad hoc Ethics Committee for receiving and addressing allegations of unethical behavior. The president will also select a minimum of two additional committee members drawn from members of the congregation based on the following qualities: integrity, leadership, independence, and ability to handle challenging situations. The synagogue president, if unable to serve, shall appoint a member of the Executive Committee to serve in that capacity. Members of the Ethics Committee must recuse themselves if an allegation pertains to them in any way.
- An allegation of unethical behavior, oral or in writing, should be directed to the synagogue president or rabbi. In order to initiate an Ethics Committee process, the person who received the allegation will share the information with the president. If the complaint is received verbally, the rabbi or president will be responsible for writing up a summary of the complaint as a precursor to constituting the Ethics Committee. If the allegation pertains to the president or rabbi, that person must recuse themselves.
- If an allegation of unethical behavior pertains to a member of a professional organization with its own code of ethics such as the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), American Conference of Cantors (ACC), Association of Reform Jewish Educators (ARJE), National Association for Temple Administration (NATA), or Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the Ethics Committee will determine whether to handle the allegation or refer it to the appropriate organization.
- Where an allegation raises the possibility of imminent and substantial harm to the person(s) of concern, legal obligations will take precedence and supersede any procedures otherwise delineated by this Code. The synagogue president or rabbi may take such action as deemed appropriate.
- The Ethics Committee will decide on a process that includes information gathering, deliberation, and resolution based on the particularities of each allegation that is received. All efforts will be made to resolve matters as promptly as possible.
- Everyone involved in an Ethics Committee process is expected to comply with all Ethics Committee requests to assist in information gathering. All steps, from an initial allegation of unethical conduct to ultimate resolution, will be documented in writing by the Ethics Committee.
- Confidentiality will be maintained throughout any Ethics Committee process to the extent practicable and consistent with thorough assessment and restoration of the matter.
- All attempts will be made to protect those who make an allegation of unethical behavior from retaliation.
- Ethics Committee processes will balance the Jewish principles of judgment (din) and compassion (rachamim). All allegations will be responded to with sensitivity and compassion. Judgment will be withheld pending completion of a full evaluation. During information gathering and/or consideration of a resolution for an ethics violation, the committee shall bear in mind that, as a sacred community, healing and reconciliation are important goals to achieve.
Fall 2024 Buletin
September 15, 2024 by templesholomgalesburg • Uncategorized Tags: Bulletins, Temple Bulletin •
Fall 2024
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
I’m so honored to have been chosen by you at the Annual Meeting to be the next president of Temple Sholom. The confidence you are placing in me is humbling.
I have a tough act to follow! If you see Faye in the coming weeks, please thank her for her incredible service. During her tenure as president, the Temple oversaw an unprecedented fundraising campaign to secure our future, the hiring of our first local Rabbi in years, the continued vibrancy of our Sunday school (which rivals that of larger congregations in Peoria and the Quad Cities), and the continued vibrancy of our Jewish community.
Of course, none of these accomplishments happened alone. Those of you who spearheaded, organized, or even just supported these initiatives are all part of this success. I hope you will extend the same level of generosity (and perhaps an extra measure of grace) to me, as I step into the roll.
As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on where our Temple is, both to appreciate its successes and on where you’d like to see it go in the future. If you’d like to get involved in planning any of the Holidays or get more involved in any aspect of the Temple, please get in touch! There’s always more to do!
I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you and, together, continuing the legacy of our Temple and community.
L’Shanah Tova (Happy New Year!)
Jonah
RABBI’S MESSAGE:
The book of Ecclesiastes is one of our lesser-read books of the Tanakh, though most of us are familiar with the words from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, verse 1: “A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven.” But the verse that speaks to me today is from chapter 1, verse 9: “Only that shall happen which has happened, only that occur which has occurred; There is nothing new beneath the sun!”
Strange quote for me to reference, I know. But to me, it feels as though we are living in “unprecedented” times. And I have been noticing an almost universal feeling of uncertainty in the world. What a challenge as we move into the High Holiday season!
Ecclesiastes helps me to remember that we, all of us, are the descendants of those who overcame “unprecedented” times throughout history. We have been through times of great change before and come out on the other side. Case in point: 70 years ago, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel sent a telegram to President Kennedy saying, “the hour calls for moral grandeur and spiritual audacity.”
I won’t go so far to say that the world today is history repeating itself, but we are all looking at the current state of affairs through the lens of our understanding of the past. The uncertainty we feel was felt by our ancestors as well. The changes they saw in their lifetimes were but steps in humanity’s journey to perfect tikkun olam, of healing the world.
And so, as we move into the Days of Awe, I invite you to take a moment to remember the duality that imbues our lives. We are always modulating between states of constancy and change. The words in our machzorim, our High Holiday prayerbooks, don’t change from year to year, but we do.
How we respond to the ancient texts evolves as our life experiences accumulate. The world has gone through periods of great change before. And change is never easy, but I believe that humanity has the potential to keep improving. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know that humanity has gone through times of great turmoil before and come out the other side to a kinder and more gentle world.
I am wishing you all a shana tova, a good and sweet new year. May blessings, love, and joy surround you.
Gmar Hatimah Tovah
Rabbi Jennie (she/her)
NAMES FOR THE MI SHEBEIRACH LIST
If you have a name you would like to add to the Mi Shebeirach list for healing, send a note to Gabe, chair of the Hesed Committee, by either email or text message. We will keep saying the name each week, until we know there’s no longer a special need for this person. We will still ask for names at each service; this is just an additional way to add a name to the list.
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 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, and Jeremy Karlin.
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 5785/2024
All services and study sessions will be hybrid offerings, both in person and on the Temple’s Zoom site. If you will be attending services remotely and would like a High Holiday prayer book, contact Faye.
Selichot Service
Saturday, September 28th, led by Guy West 8:00 p.m.
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, October 2nd 7:30 p.m.
First Day of Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, October 3rd
Morning Service 10:00 a.m.
Tashlich and kids’ Shofar activity at Picnic Point 1:30 p.m.
Shabbat Shuvah
Friday, October 4th, led by Jeremy Karlin and Gabe Raley-Karlin 7:30 p.m.
Reverse Tashlich* at Lake Storey (meet at the Pavilion)
Sunday, October 6th 11:00 a.m.
Kever Avot – Memorial Service at Brookside Cemetery, led by Jeremy Karlin
Sunday, October 6th 3:00 p.m
Kol Nidre
Friday, October 11th 7:30 p.m.
Yom Kippur
Saturday, October 12th
Morning service 10:00 a.m.
Study Session about 12:15
Break about 1:15-2:30
Lay-led service, led by Maury Lyon 2:30
Afternoon service (Minchah) 3:00
Yizkor (memorial service) 4:00
Children’s activity 5:00
Ne’ilah and Havdalah following children’s activity
Motzi to break the fast about 6:00 p.m., following the end of services
*Reverse tashlich–Join environmentally conscious Jewish communities around the world in reversing the tradition of Tashlich. Remove human ‘sins’ (marine debris) from the water in a collaborative waterfront 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 Lyon.
SERVICE SCHEDULE
Services are hybrid, for Zoom access please contact the Temple.
Leaders can find the names to read before the kaddish at 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.
Information on adult study events
Saturday, September 14th, 7pm: Kol Nidre and Demon Bowls. Beginning with Havdalah, we will spend this study session exploring the legal and magical roots of Kol Nidre. For those interested, we will be creating demon bowls after the text study. Please let Rabbi Jennie know in advance if you are staying for the demon bowl craft, to ensure she has enough supplies.
Saturday, October 12th, around 12:15 (after Yom Kippur morning services). Text study on the 13 Divine Attributes of Mercy, as explained in the 16th century work, The Palm Tree of Deborah.
Sunday, November 10th, 7pm: Movie screening about small town Jewish Life. Exact film TBD. Potluck during screening and discussion afterwards.
Tuesday, November 19th, 11am: Interfaith panel discussion at Monmouth College. Details TBD.
Sunday, November 24th, 2pm: TALK FOR A CHANGE. This is a URJ initiative aimed atbringing communities together to have open conversations, even around difficult topics. Using URJ discussion topics, we will create a culture of constructive, respectful dialogue and engage others with curiosity, even when we have different points of view.
Sunday, December 15th, 7pm: Journeys into Judaism: Key Jewish Moments. Building on last year’s story sharing event, we invite members of the Temple Sholom community to share times in their lives that defined their identity as a Jewish person. Please bring a dessert to share.
Exact times and locations for each event will be shared via email.
Details of each event can be found at: https://templesholomgalesburg.org/2024/08/30/adult-education-events-fall-2024/
TODAH RABAH
Many thanks to the people who volunteered to clean our Torah scrolls! In order to take advantage of the expertise of sofer Neil Yerman, who was here for two days to supervise us, we worked intensely for several hours each day. The work was hard but satisfying, and having many hands at work meant that we could complete the cleaning of both scrolls. Thanks to these folks, both members and friends of our community, who volunteered on one or both days: David Amor, Rabbi Jennie Bunde, Danielle Fatkin, Yana Fayman, Penny Gold, Deb Katchen, Hannah Lyon, Susan Lyon, Gabe Raley-Karlin, Michal Ran-Rubin, Jonah Rubin, Faye Schulz, Troy Treash.
Thank you to Faye Schulz, Richard Gurevich, and Maury Lyon for cleaning up the parking lot.
WELCOME
From the Rericha Family: Baby Tobias was born on August 8 at 12:44 pm. Weighing 7lb 11oz and measuring at 19 inches. We both are doing really well and look forward to Tobias and James meeting each other soon!
We’d also say a special “thank you!” to all the members who sent well wishes and baby presents to us in anticipation of Tobias’ arrival. I have sent out some thank you notes, so hopefully everyone gets their letters soon. We are so thankful for all the love and support everyone has given us!
James also starts his official year of preschool in the middle of August! He is so excited to go back to school.
FAREWELL
Sherry Wintory, wife of Mike Wintory, former treasurer of the Temple, died in April. Here is the obituary from the Register-Mail: https://www.galesburg.com/obituaries/pils0875925
ONLINE RESOURCE
From Veronica Aristeguieta: Creative Judaism is a YouTuber who does short videos sharing Talmudic interpretations of each parshah focusing on the silly and absurd things in Talmud.
https://youtube.com/@creativejudaism?si=gDFoEr1Gpj0TLRIB
2024/5785 Festival Schedule
(Note: festival begins at sunset on these days)
Rosh Hashanah Oct 2
Yom Kippur Oct 11
Sukkot Oct 16
Simchat Torah Oct 24
Hanukkah Dec 25 – Jan 2
(last night is Jan 1)
Web site with dates of Jewish holidays:
http://www.hebcal.com
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, July 14, 2024
Jonah Rubin, President (2026)
Gabrielle Raley-Karlin, Vice-President (2026)
Nancy Eberhardt, Secretary (2025)
Maury Lyon, Treasurer (2026)
David Amor (2025)
Bob Bondi (2025)
Jeremy Karlin (2025)
Susan Lyon (2025)
Kevin Satisky (2025)
Shawn Greathouse (2026)
Jim Jacobs (2026)
Hannah Lyon (2026)
Faye Schulz (2026)
Guy West (2026)
Jan West (honorary)
Rabbi Jennie Bunde, ex officio (2025)
DONATION RECORD
In memory of Jeremy Gold Amor
David Amor and Penny Gold
In honor of Avram Lyon and Doreen Okang’s wedding
David Amor and Penny Gold
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.