July 2014
MAZEL TOV
A huge Mazal Tov to all our graduates and their families. We have watched with great joy as they have grown from very young children, beginning elementary school, celebrating their B’nai Mitzvot with their families and community, and now moving into a new and exciting time in their lives and in the lives of their families. Each of them has brought a unique voice to our island community, has demonstrated strength and creativity in meeting challenges, and we know will bring our chavurah and their families great joy and nachis as we say, “Mazal Tov!” to —Ben Cowan and Mitchell Stahl who both graduated from Bainbridge High School and will be attending Pitzer College and University of Southern California respectively;
- to Sam Jabloner, who will be continuing his studies at the University of Washington;
- to Hallie Rosner, who just completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Oregon in Eugene;
- to Talia Weiss, who just completed her BA at Dartmouth and will be moving to New York City to work at a life sciences consulting firm.
And “Mazal Tov!” to Sue Steindorf and David Cowan, Robyn and Eric Stahl, Ellen Brown and Matt Jabloner, Robin Simons, and Sam and Lisa Weiss for raising such wonderful kids and for all you and they have accomplished.
Also to Bill and Sharon Rutzick on the arrival of TWO grandchildren Joseph (parents Rebecca & Jason) and Uri (parents Daniel & Shuli). What wonderful additions to the family.
Congratulations to Chavurim Nancy Travis on opening her restaurant inside fellow Chavurim Sue Steindorf-Cowan’s yoga studio! Sukhi Kitchen is open Monday through Friday and offers soup, salad, and snacks — all vegetarian, all wonderful, almost all organic. Soup is served hot over lunchtime (11:30 – 1:30) and food is available “grab and go” on the honor system anytime the yoga studio is open. Click www.sukhikitchen.com to get on her mailing list for specials.
JLC GRADUATION
What a beautiful setting for the JLC graduation & shabbat this year.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”4″ gal_title=”JLC Graduation 2014″]
ANNUAL MEETING REPORT
To be posted soon.
TIKKUN OLAM ANNUAL REPORT
5% of our budget plus donations to the Tikkun Olam Fund.
This year we continued with many of our recurring projects –
• #1 being Super Supper. Working with a budget of $25 – $30 per Super Supper event (the last Monday of each month), Denise Brown with occasional help from others works with Seabold Methodist church and Port Madison Lutheran to make & serve supper at Eagle Harbor Congregational church for whoever would like to attend. The budget is funded through generous donations from our members. This year’s 2013 – 2014 membership application included a footnote to the optional Super Supper contribution line noting that funding is self-supporting (not membership funded). The program received over a third more in donations from prior years. A portion of excess funds will be forwarded to InterFaith Council Super Supper fund to cover costs for compostable plateware. The program now uses stainless flatware supplied by Eagle Harbor Congregational Church (host site for the meals).
• The Shir Hayam CROP Hunger Walk Team raised $1910 – the total for the walk was approximately $38,000, (20% going to the Helpline Food Bank)
• We also partnered Helpline to support their Project Wishbone Thanksgiving project. We donated boxes overflowing with Thanksgiving dinner supplies for families including grocery gift cards to buy turkeys.
With the balance of the Tikkun Olam fund ($696) was divided & donated to each of the following organizations:
• Island Time Activities – A Bainbridge Island organization whose mission is to promote independence and empowerment for people with intellectual disabilities through social networking, community involvement, and personal skill development. www.islandtimeactivities.org
• The International Rescue Committee (IRC) – they respond to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and help people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. www.rescue.org
• The Holocaust Museum – A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. It’s educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors. The Museum provides a powerful lesson in the fragility of freedom and the need for vigilance in preserving democratic values. With unique power and authenticity, the Museum teaches millions of people each year about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide. www.ushmm.org
KUGLETTES GETTING READY FOR HIGH HOLIDAYS
Dearest Kugels and Kugels-to-be!
We’re going to try and get a ‘jump’ on High Holidays this year! We will be learning new-ish songs (many we heard from Stephanie last year and kind of hummed along). There will certainly be some repeats from last year and prior years, like our dear Leonard Cohen set. One special new addition, suggested by our own Sharon Rutzick, is Matisyahu’s ‘One Day’. You’ll like it, I know….
Our first meeting will be at Linda Golden’s house on Tuesday, July 8th at 7:00 p.m. For copies of the music or more information about joining Kugelettes please contact Cay Vandervelde at cay.vandervelde@gmail.com.
THE KVETCH REVIEWS BOOKS
Barbara Kingsolver has written quite a few books, some I’ve enjoyed and some I didn’t wish to finish…Flight Behavior is an exceptional tale, blending environmental concerns and family interactions with a sympathetic depiction of the life in the Appalachian region of Tennessee.The environmental issues involve the migration of Monarch butterflies, and the changes in climate that affect the butterflies and also the entire mountain area (and the planet). This is a compelling weaving of topics done with a deft touch…a very satisfying read.
A very different read is The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker….yes, it’s fantasy; however, it’s based in the lower east side of Manhattan in the early part of the 20th century and plunks the reader right in the middle of all that energy and history. Here’s a quote from the New York Times review:
“Impressive….Combines the narrative magic of The Arabian Nights with the kind of emotional depth, philosophical seriousness, and good, old-fashioned storytelling found in the stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer….history, magic, and religion braid together in old New York’s tenements.” There…..they’ve said it all!
NOW GO READ!
YIDDISH & LADINO TIDBITS
Let’s Get to Know and Keep Alive Our Languages
We all know that Yiddish (the language many of our parents spoke when issues were “Nicht for the Kinder”) is a hybrid of Hebrew and medieval German, and was at one time the international language of Ashkenazi Jews (our ancestors from Central and Eastern Europe).
LADINO (also known as Judeo-Spanish Judezmo, Dzhudezmo or Spaniolit) however, is the spoken and written Hispanic language of Jews of Spanish origin. Ladino did not become a specifically Jewish language until after the Jews were expelled from Spain and Portugal in 1492. They continued to speak Ladino in the communities and countries to which they emigrated. Though reflecting the grammar and vocabulary of 14th and 15th century Castilian Spanish, Ladino folded in words from other languages, such as Hebrew, Turkish, Persian, and Balkan dialects, and in the 19th century, Italian and French.
July’s Ladino Words to Keep Alive:
asetuna – olive tree
beraxa – blessing
Abastado – almighty, omnipotent, God
chay – tea
din – religious law
kal – synagogue
kavo – honor
mazalozo – happy
karpus – watermelon
Reading idea: Ladino Reveries, Tales of the Sephardic Experience in America, Hank Halio. Published by the FASSA
Thanks to: www.sephardicstudies.org/quickladino.html and www.orbilat.com/Languages/Spanish-Ladino/Ladino-Vocabulary.htm