This page contains articles of interest that have appeared in previous editions of this website. For that reason some of the contact information may not be current.
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On Monday, June 13, approximately 30 members of the congregation gathered in the sanctuary to pray and commemorate the first day of Shavuot.
 According to Marc Schnitzer, chair of TBS’ Ritual Committee and the holiday morning service lay leader, the word shavuoth is Hebrew for "weeks." The singular form, shavuah, means "week" and is derived from the phrase Shavuah tov, "a good week," which we wish each other following Havdalah services on Saturday evenings. The final oth represents the plural suffix for feminine nouns as pronounced by the ancient Israelites. In modern times, the spelling Shavuos, representing the Ashkenazic pronunciation, is also found as well as Shavuot, which reflects the Sefardic and modern Israeli pronunciation of the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost.
“It was a lovely service and Marc did a terrific job, as always,” said Debra Reuben, ritual committee member. “It was also heartening and inspiring to see all those people on a weekday.”
Arnold Gendelman, TBS president, added, “It was wonderful sharing together for such a rewarding and important “remembering” – supporting who we are and what we have chosen to become.”
 The Torah portion for the morning service was from the sedrah of Yithro, which contains the Ten Commandments. Participants rose and together recited the blessings before the reading of the Torah. When the recitation of the Ten Commandments approached, congregants rose again, in commemoration of the B'nei Yisrael standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and recited all ten responsively, the reader reciting them in Hebrew, followed by the congregation responding in English.
As is often the case, the Haftarah portion referred to the Torah when it mentioned the Jewish people's function in spreading the words of Torah throughout the nations.
Giving a historical perspective on the holiday, Schnitzer explained that Shavuoth is one of the three pilgrimage holidays on which the people came to the Temple in Jerusalem to bring sacrifices (the other two being Sukkoth and Passover). It is celebrated on the 6th of Sivan, which is the 50th day of the counting of the Omer. On the second day of Passover, a sheaf or omer of barley was offered as a sacrifice. Wheat is not harvested until later. After seven weeks (7 x 7) two loaves of wheat bread were sacrificed, giving rise to another name for this holiday: Chag HaBikurim, Feast of the First Fruits. We "count the Omer" for 50 days and on the 50th day we celebrate Shavuoth.He continued: As is the case of the other two pilgrimage festivals, a further religious significance has been attached to Shavuoth, namely the commemoration of the time when the Israelites stood at the foot of Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. This gives rise to a third name for the holiday: Z'man Matan Torateinu or the Time of the Giving of our Torah.
As it is typical on Shavuot to eat a dairy meal, some of the congregants joined for lunch at a local vegetarian restaurant following the service.
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A Holocaust Memorial Ceremony was held November 9, 2005 at 7:00 PM, in San Juan at the Capitol Building of Puerto Rico. The Ceremony of Remembrance commemorated the 67th anniversary of “Kristalnacht,” a night of terror that historically marks the start of the World War II European Holocaust. The event also memorialized the May 30, 1972 Massacre in Lod Airport.
Senator José Garriga Picó authored and presented two resolutions that were approved by the State Senate of Puerto Rico honoring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, as well as the Lod airport massacre survivors/families.
Resolution RS 1005 recalls the victims of the 1972 Massacre at Lod airport, and resolution RS 1480 expresses the solidarity of all faiths to the Jewish community of Puerto Rico, and the State of Israel by remembering the tragedy of Kristalnacht.
As Senator José Garriga Picó stated in his invitation to the congregation:
"It is in all our hands to make sure we will never forget neither the victims of the Holocaust nor the victims of other forms of terror. The free citizens of the world cannot forget the victims nor underscore those acts of barbarism. Puerto Rico cannot be an exception. We must strengthen the fight against the Anti-Semitic and Anti-American totalitarian ideas fueled by racism, ignorance, intolerance, bigotry, prejudice and discrimination, breed terrorism. Awareness and remembrance are our best weapons to inoculate our society from the allure that hateful ideologies have on the uneducated and uninformed."
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Re: FW: Holocaust Remembrance May 4th Bayamon
Hi! What a super event for P.R. It should never be forgotten. Please tell Sue & Jim that I am, again, impressed and how much I admire what is done in P.R. by people like you and the Klaus.
Best Wishes to all, Harriet Kaplow
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PASSOVER SEDER 2010
WHEN: Monday March 29, 2010
WHERE: Antonio's Restaurant San Juan's, a premiere fine dining restaurant located in the heart of Condado on Magdalena Avenue.
TIME: Doors open at 6:00 PM
The Seder service will be conducted by Cantor Melanie Cooperman.
MENU: In addition of your traditional Seder items, you will be allowed a choice of a chicken, meat or vegetarian main course.
FEE: Non-members $75.00 per person
TBS members $55.00 per person
How to make your reservations or for more information: Call Temple Beth Shalom between the hours of 10:00AM- and 3:00PM
Monday through Friday at 787-721-6333 or e-mail Ana Wagner at tbspr@coqui.net
Tickets can be purchased: by cash, check or credit card
PLEASE NOTE!!! Reservations and payments must be completed by March 25, 2010.
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The "Trash to Treasures" fund raiser was a huge success thanks to Sue
Klau, her volunteers in the kitchen, the pricing committee, and all
the members who donated their valuable items. Glen Patron auctioned
off the special donation of two original ceramic works of art by Shula
Klapper along with hundreds of toys, jewelry, and handwork. Members
enjoyed a lunch of baked salmon patties, salad, and desserts. The
event brought in over $1,000 which was collected by the chief "Cajero"
Moises Rivera (in the silver hat.) Everyone had a great time--wish you
were there!
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We welcome our new off-island members, William and Debra Klein from San Jose, California. William is an attorney and Debra is an early childhood educator at the Alberto L. Schultz Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. The Kleins have two children, Jenna, age 13 and Kevin, age nine. We enjoyed meeting you and hope you'll come back soon!
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As we celebrated Passover, Norma and I thought about the many wonderful folks we met and befriended during our most satisfying sojourn at Temple Beth Shalom. We possess only the fondest memories of our visit with you. In our tradition, we live by the Jewish calendar. And since Passover was the first major Jewish Festival to have occurred since last Simchat Torah when we saw you last, it was not surprising for us to incline our feelings in your direction. We hope that life has been as kind to you as it has to Norma and me this winter. Please extend our warmest wishes to everyone! We look forward to returning to be with you again next October. As you approach the conclusion of your congregational year, our prayers go out to you in appreciation for your many accomplishments. And we hope that the days ahead will be full of blessing.
One more thing! I forgot to tell you how special the web site is. You folks have really done a remarkable job. It is one of the finest congregational web sites I have seen anywhere. Yashar koach! ("May your strength increase!" Or simply: "Congratulations!").
Don Berlin
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple Oheb Shalom,
Baltimore, MD
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All events led by visiting rabbi's and cantors
speech
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By Rabbi Frank Waldorf
The contrast between what I experience in my daily life and what transpires in the world boggles my mind. I live in Newton, reputed to be one of the safest cities in the country. Yet, almost daily, I read about random murders in nearby Dorchester.
I read that the national health care delivery system is in tatters; yet the medical care I and my family receive is thorough and efficient.
Is the world going in the right or the wrong direction? Compared to what I remember of my young adult years (1955 - 1970), it feels like the Zeitgeist is running counter to what I would like to see. Income inequality in the US resembles the bad old days of the Roaring 20s. The anemic governmental response to Hurricane Katrina remains an appalling sore on our body politic. Israel is plagued with the corruption and ineptitude of public officials. Every time I read in the prayerbook, “Bless our country that it may ever be a stronghold of peace and the advocate of peace among the nations,” I shudder at the monstrous policies we have been pursuing in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York.
All of these vague feelings of being ill-at-ease came into a sharp focus the morning of Thursday, April 19. Late April has always been my favorite time of the year in New England. My neighborhood bursts alive with yellow forsythia, white magnolia, and green of the first emerging leaves. The sun arches higher in the sky, bringing earlier dawn and later dusk. The brighter light impels me to reach for dark glasses. The freshness of the air brings the promise of renewed energy and strength.
That Thursday morning, as I was reveling in this annual miracle, I was stunned to read the front page of the New York Times. How could so much be going so wrong at such an auspicious season? The news was awful. The lead story was about the Supreme Court decision giving a fetus priority over the health of its mother. To the left, a photograph of Cho Seung Hui brandishing revolvers. The stories beneath detailed how much officials at Virginia Tech knew about the disturbing writings and behaviors of this troubled student and how laws limit their options in dealing with the mentally ill. Below the center fold, a report about a record-breaking 171 people perishing in a wave of attacks in Baghdad. Finally, the Supreme Court in Iran reversed the lower court convictions of militia soldiers who killed five people whom they considered “morally corrupt.”
Once before, a similar sickening feeling had overtaken me. Back in 1966, Beth and I were driving through a beautiful spring countryside in Germany. I asked myself, How can nature dare to show her lovely face in a place where such murderous depravity once prevailed? The answer then as now was the same: Ha-ol-am no-hayg k’meen-ha-go. The world proceeds according to natural law. The immoral acts of human beings occur under the same sun and moon that inspire awe and pleasure. That is such a difficult lesson to absorb!
The words of Rabbi Tarfon (who lived in far more difficult and threatening times than do I) come to mind, prodding me forward: “The day is short. There is much work to be done. The laborers are sluggish. The reward is great. The Master is insistent. You are not obliged to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it.” (Pirke Avot 2:16)
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by Rabbi Waldorf
How strange that a rabbi should feel hesitant to reveal to strangers his self-definition as a religious Jew! But that is how I’ve been feeling of late. So much of what appears in the mass media about religion makes religions appear as trivial. Is it a “religious” sanctification of the Divine Name when 800 Jews gather to break the Guinness Book of Records by blowing their shofarot simultaneously? And what are we to make of mega-churches that are featured on the cover of Time Magazine because they preach that God wants all their members to become wealthy? I am embarrassed when religious spokesmen try to introduce the Biblical story of creation into public school biology classes.
I find it despicable that religious leaders appear eager to meddle in the lives of their neighbors in an effort to achieve their version of a moral society. I find it downright embarrassing that religious spokesmen (They are rarely women!) are in the forefront of blocking same-sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research. Like anti-abortion radicals, I want abortions to be rare. So why do they advocate for abstinence-only sex education rather than to trust teenagers with a more realistic approach? Why is so much energy invested in promoting parental notification rules while blocking the broad availability of contraception and Plan B? How sad that the United States withdraws from AIDS prevention programs that distribute condoms for men and women! Why do churches oppose harm-reduction efforts that have worked so well in Europe such as needle exchanges for drug users? Is it the purpose of religion to make sinners suffer here on earth for their transgressions?
But most troubling of all is how religion continues to be a source of violence and destruction in an already dangerous world. I cringe at the recent imbroglio over the Pope’s quotation of a 14th-Century Christian Emperor Manual II Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire, the Orthodox Christian empire that had its capital in Istanbul. “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”
It is bad enough that the August leader of the Catholic church has to spend so much effort asserting the supremacy of his faith. In his learned disquisition condemning the evils of secular relativism, the Pope glided over the Crusades that came before the offending quote and the century of intra-Christian warfare that devastated Europe afterwards. Earlier this year, at Auschwitz, the Pope gracelessly ignored how The Church’s teachings about Jews made Europe a fertile ground for the Final Solution. All but one of the survivors he met were members of his church. On every side, the Pope is matched by chauvinists arguing vociferously about the superiority of the religions they espouse.
In the Muslim world, the reaction to the Pope’s speech included riots, church burnings, and perhaps even the murder of a nun in Somalia. Where are the Muslim religious voices decrying Muslims blowing up mosques, sending suicide bombers into crowded markets, carrying out ethnic cleansing? Where are the Jewish religious voices pleading with the Israeli government to refrain from destroying the homes and livelihood of innocent Lebanese? Where are the Christian religious voices condemning torture of prisoners, the shooting of abortion doctors? Too often it seems that “religious leaders” want to turn back the clock to a time when church and state were intertwined, minorities were openly persecuted, dissenters burned at the stake.
I had the good fortune to grow up in a now-distant time when social justice was a prominent and honored part of modern religious practice. Catholic and mainline Protestant churches worked hand-in-hand with Reform synagogues to promote civil rights, to fight against the death penalty, and to agitate for better wages for migrant farm workers. In my youth, Jews could still remember relatives who had been labor organizers, socialists, and – gasp – communists. The secular struggle for peace and equitable sharing of economic resources was framed as a modern transposition of traditional Jewish aspirations for a messianic era of tranquility and justice.
Alas, in the last quarter century, other voices, claiming to be religious, have preempted political discourse. My resolve has not been dampened by the changed public mood. I’ll keep promoting my minority view of what it means to be “religious” in a diverse democratic society. I feel encouraged when, occasionally, I read about an evangelical minister who recalls that Jesus identified with the downtrodden segment of society. I love to see that the Temple Sinai Social Action Committee appeared at the State House. May such rare incidents multiply!
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Seminary students discussing aspects of Reform Judaism with Sue Klau.
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I was Barbara Gottesman when I joined Temple Beth Shalom in 1969. My two middle kids went to religious school there; my daughter was the Temple's first Bat Mitzvah; that was in the old building on Ponce de Leon. My son was bar mitzvah in the present building, before it was remodeled. Harry and I were married at the Temple on June 8th, 1983. I became Barbara Tasch Ezratty. Harry also joined the Temple in '69. His kids went to TBS religious School too. You can read all about our temple experiences in the TBS Anniversary Journals. As presidents, we had to write all about them. Hope this answers all your questions. Barbara
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THE TBSPR RELIGIOUS SCHOOL INVITES
ALL MEMBERS AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
TO JOIN US FOR OUR TRADITIONAL
Tu b'Shvat CEREMONY.
DEDICATED TO THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF
SARAH PEISCH.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2008 AT THE
BOSQUE SAN PATRICIO
WE MEET AT THE TEMPLE AT 9:00 AM
TO TRAVEL TOGETHER.
FRUITS, NUTS, AND REFRESHMENTS SERVED AT THE SITE.
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Beth and Frank Waldorf are grateful for the safe arrival of their fifth grandchild, Lucy (Leora) Kittner Waldorf, the first child of Ellen Rachel Waldorf, born Sunday evening, February 6 corresponding to Monday, Shevat 28. At birth, Lucy weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces, was 20 inches long, and scored 9 on her Apgar. Lucy is in memory of Beth's paternal grandmother, Lucille Hakenjos Ruttenberg [1880 - 1973]. Kittner was the middle name of Frank's father, Sigmund [1904 - 1959], and Sigmund's mother's maiden name. Mother and child are at home and doing well.
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Dear Friends at TBS,
I would like to thank each and everyone of you for sharing such a special moment with me on my 18th birthday. I feel really happy because I have been with you all my life in the Temple, which I consider to be my second home with my extended family. We have prayed together and shared good times. I will continue my education in Judaism as long as I can at the Temple.
Thank You for all presents you brought me. I am very thankful for the greetings cards and Sunshine Cards I appreciate them very much. To this day I cannot even begin to show my gratitude for what all of you at Temple Beth Shalom have done for me and how you've helped me grow.
May Adonai bless you all and keep us joined together so that we may share many glorious moments together as a big family.
Sincerely,
Luis Sanchez Abbou
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Temple Members win in March 2005 Karate Competition!*
* First Place went to Ed Rodriguez for Kata
* Second Place went to Lynne Schwartz Rodriguez for Kata
* Third Place went to Ariana for Kumite
Congratulations Ed, Lynne, and Ariana!
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I had a marvelous time at Disney World! Beth and I visited at the invitation of our Gotbetter granddaughters, Amelia, 4, and Sarah, 6. We hadn’t spent much time in the park since our own children were teens. I loved the Buzz Lightyear target practice ride so much that I insisted that we stand in line for it twice. What a thrill I felt to accompany Amelia, barely tall enough for the more strenuous roller coasters, while her mother gratefully remained on terra firma. The Haunted House, with its lugubrious human guides, a favorite years ago, is virtually unchanged. I was positively impressed with the diversity among cast members (even though most of the patrons were Caucasians). I admired the obvious effort to accommodate visitors in wheelchairs, who were around in abundance.
For all the fun and pleasure, I came away with a distinct distaste. I could almost tolerate the relentless efforts to sell a vast array of souvenirs. We weren’t even tempted to purchase the photographs at the end of every thrill ride. But what really turned me off were the three different Disney shows we saw in separate venues but with a single theme: “Dig deep into yourself. Find your dream; and it will come true.” Obstacles toward fulfillment were portrayed as evil looking witches, demons, and goblins, whose demise and disappearance were never really explained.
In one particularly egregious sequence, Donald Duck was chastised for not believing that dreams come true. Under the bright afternoon sun in front of the Magic Kingdom castle, Mickey and Minnie lead the audience in several chants of “I believe in my dream.” Three beautiful princesses and three handsome princes arrive to dance at the dream party. Suddenly a threatening Disney witch rises from below the stage. She declares that she and her cohorts will frustrate the dreams and rule the world. After a brief chase scene, she is banished from the ball. Donald sees the light enough to announce that he now believes that dreams can come true.
In the nighttime version of the Disney pageant, a long, colorful series of film villains is projected onto screens of water spray. When the water is turned off, they simply evaporate so that the jubilant company can sing lustily through a grand finale of dreams realized.
The solidly middle class audiences seem to drink in the positive, up-beat message. Triumph belongs to the committed dreamer. All obstacles can be overcome. Perhaps the brains behind the Iraq War prepared for their planning sessions with a weekend at the Disney fantasy factory. Dream of regime change. March into Baghdad where you will be received has heroes. Don’t sweat the details. Razzle dazzle will produce shock and awe. The “vision thing” is all you need to achieve victory. The “wishful thinking society” is very appealing.
How about mentioning some controversial dreams: the desire of gays and lesbians to marry and create families; taking effective steps to end the genocide in Darfur, controlling guns or drunk driving? Alas, the Disney goal is the draw family groups back year after year for ten-day “adventures” in their sanitized realm of make-believe. They cannot afford to disturb the equanimity of their guests. Only a bland, banal message of easy success fits their commercial bill. Is such a message good for America? Could we talk about taking responsibility about the quality of life on this planet? Where is the appeal to duty, honor, sacrifice? They can’t afford to hint at hard work, perseverance, confronting moral ambiguity. They’d break the spell if they appealed to the voyeur to repair the world or share resources with those who suffer nearby. “Let them eat cake.” is the advice from an entertainment elite that dares not challenge its audience. Offer them bread, circuses, and souvenirs. “A sucker is born every day.”
RABBI FRANK WALDORF
Comment from the Editor (Ada Szeto): I have to admit that the Disney World shows are pretty schmultzy. But I also think of some wonderful animated Disney classics like Lion King, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast. Even though the lessons are sugar coated, they do convey moral messages including duty, honor, sacrifice, and responsibly. I believe that there are benefits to teaching our children moral values with allegorical tales
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By: Gloria Waldman
And we were all successfully led out of Egypt and delivered to Puerto Rico!
A warm and welcoming atmosphere, some 70 participants, good cheer, the engaging and wise Rabbi Laurence Rubinstein who “worked the room” as he surprised congregants and guests by unexpectedly calling on us as he strolled around the tables, children hoarding little coquis ( ok, not children, just my grandson, Benjamin…) and the star of the Seder--the Matzo—that almost didn’t arrive, but of course did- thanks to our intrepid President Arnie Gendelman, who schlepped to Pueblo and brought back plenty of unleavened bread for all!
As always for me, a returning Temple Beth Shalom member after being away some 15 years, and I assume for everyone else, it is a joy to celebrate together and see dear faces of our Puerto Rican “family,” old friends Bea and Robby, Shula and Stan, Pat and Ron, Norma, and particularly for me, Bill Topp, and to once again greet new faces for me, Michael and Ada, Mariana and Noe and their families. I was also surprised by one of the “tourist” participants, Jack Zenaya, who graduated with me from Taft High School in the Bronx, 43 years ago, but who’s counting…
So on behalf of my husband Norman, his son David, our 2 grandchildren, Zack and Ben, and my sister Rhonda…a Zezen Pesach to all!
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My premier appreciation goes to the TBSPR Web Team. In order of their appearance: Nancy Varga-Gendelman and Dr. Ada Szeto, Developers; Michelle Persons, Editor; Rob Tobin, our tbspr.org Web Master; Alan Hirsh, Visual Arts; Jonathan Lam, URJ Master Web Builder; Jill Peltzman and Christopher Fabien, URJ Web Builder technical support.
“Going Live” is the term used to announce your web site accomplishment to the world. We are living in the process of development and construction. There will be many changes and improvements made after the debut of this first version, but it is clear we are on our way to mission accomplishment.
None of this project could have been accomplished without the charismatic, confident and conscientious efforts of our TBSPR Web Team and the guidance, training and support of the URJ Web Builder team. It is an extraordinary joint effort between hands-on and high-tech excellence.
A first for TBSPR, we hope you enjoy the site, visiting often to learn about the events and changes we are all about in Puerto Rico. We invite you to contribute photos, information about events, articles, and notices of interest to the members and supporters of the congregation past, present and future.
With my very special thanks,
Arnold J. Gendelman, President
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