ICED COFFEE - Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region

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Great Granddaughter Reflects on Sacramento Hadassah’s Founding Mother

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New Sundance Docu-Series ‘Pushes’ How We Think About Disabilities

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Staff Picks: Favorite Iced Coffee!

Buried Treasure Helps Uncover Family’s History page 4 Evening in Eden Celebrates Kenesset Israel’s 30th Anniversary page 5 Temple Or Rishon Cultural Series Events page 9 Title VI Protection, Peoplehood Among Topics at Jewish Council for Public Affairs Plenum page 10 Road Trip! El Dorado Hills page 12

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Bidding Shalom to Rabbi Shoshanah King-Tornberg page 17 Father’s Day History and Guide page 23

2 | the VOICE | June 2012

Federation: Planting the Seeds to Grow Our Family Tree

Change Your Life -

Fall in Love

by Melissa Chapman

the VOICE is a publication of The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region. Recipients have agreed to make a minimum gift of $18 to Federation’s Annual Campaign. The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region 2014 Capitol Ave., Suite 109 | Sacramento, CA 95811 | Phone: 916.486.0906 | Fax: 916.441.1662 | Email: [email protected] | Website: jewishsac.org Executive Director | Melissa Chapman | [email protected] Managing Editor | Elissa Provance | [email protected] Designer | Kyle Shine | [email protected] Board of Trustees Executive Committee: President, Lisa Kaplan | Treasurer, Ariel Shenhar | Secretary, Alan Steinberg | Immediate Past President, Neil Soskin | JCRC Chair, Barry Broad | Education Chair, Brian Uslan | Treasurer Elect, Jack Mador | Editorial Board: Michael Alcalay, Alcalay Communications | Barry Broad, Broad & Gusman LLP | Cecily Hastings, Inside Publications | Monica Nainsztein, SpanishOne Translations | Laurel Rosenhall, Reporter, The Sacramento Bee | Al Sokolow, University of California, Davis, Professor (Retired) the VOICE is published 11 times annually by Gold Country Media. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Jewish Federation. We are not responsible for the kashrut of any advertiser’s product or establishment. the VOICE reserves the right to refuse advertising or any submissions for publication. The publication of a paid advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate, political party, or political position by the Jewish Federation.

My life changed on August 9, 1999. It was the 24 hours that began with a CIA-style questioning from an El Al security agent and ended with a wild sleep in the King David Hotel, where my great uncle worked as a janitor 50 years earlier. In between, I watched the rhythmic prayers of daveners in the back of an airplane, said the shehecheyanu overlooking the Western Wall, and devoured a falafel on Ben Yehuda Street. It was the beginning of a love affair. While the political landscape was always present, I was able to disappear in surrealist wonderment for 10 days, where all of my priorities and realities were shifting. It may have been the intense heat and sunburn, but I was in a coma I didn’t want to snap out of. The next trip was a year and a half in the making. It involved coordinating two 747s landing on an air force base, securing 23 buses with incredible air conditioning, choosing 26 Federation staff to serve as shepherds, working with 75 Israeli staff to keep the Federation staff calm, and showing 823 members of the Chicago Jewish community the rich, dynamic tapestry that makes up Israel. It was the beginning of an odyssey. Over the next 10 years, I saw an old Ben Gurion Airport receive a secret plane full of new immigrants from Ethiopia, and a new Ben Gurion Airport receive a plane full of Birthright youth from the Former Soviet Union. I experienced the pure silence of loss on Yom Ha’Zikaron and the simple joy of sharing a meal with friends and family. I breathed the salty air of the Mediterranean and drank the crisp waters of the Kinneret. After the first trip, you start to get frustrated when you see the immense vibrancy, dedication, and the uncountable contributions of a people go ignored. You being to understand that the layers of intricacy are much deeper than you ever imagined.

This year, I will make my 19th trip to Israel with the Sacramento Federation’s Community Mission from October 30th-November 8th. I hope you will join me and other community leaders for a journey we deserve to take together. We want you to know the stories and the people— to hear the whispers of history as you walk through the Old City; to understand the complexities of today when you stand in the lush green of the north and see that Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are just an arms length away; to share the dreams of tomorrow while you have coffee with a college student. We want to share the smells of the market— sesame bagelim hot from the oven; vibrant mounds of turmeric cascading into glass jars; sweet freesia mixed with sharp eucalyptus; the dust kicked up by hurried Jerusalemites getting ready for Shabbat. We want you to be proud— to share the love of a country 64 years strong; to find inspiration in others; and to know you always have a place to call home. The opportunity to change your life is here. We promise you will fall in love… for the first time, or all over again.

Melissa Chapman is the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation. For more information about the upcoming mission, visit www.jewishsac.org/mission or contact Melissa at 916.486.0906, ext. 301.

In the May issue of the VOICE, Jim Shaw was mistakenly identified as Dale Shaw in Over & Out: Archiving a 30-Year Career of Broadcasting for the United Nations. Jim is a health benefits broker and consultant. We apologize for the error.

June 2012 | the VOICE | 3

Buried Treasure Helps Uncover Family’s History

In 2001, 23 of Blanche Ginsburg’s family traveled to her grandmother’s home as well as to Terezin and the Pinkas Museum in Prague, which lists the names of nearly 80,000 Jews from Moravia and Bohemia who perished on its walls. Although no Jews live in Petrovice now, the town’s people dedicated a plaque to the seven Jewish families who were murdered. And, in a cemetery in Terezin, a headstone, erected by Anastasia’s niece to memorialize her aunt, says, “Anastasia Vodicka, 77 years old, Died 1/29/43 in Terezin of typhoid, starvation, and a broken heart.” Judy Weiner presented The Buried Treasure at Chabad of Folsom on May 6, 2012.

Blanche Ginsburg’s family travels to Petrovice in 2001 to visit the home of her grandmother, Anastasia Vodicka, who buried family heirlooms before being rounded up by the Nazis in 1942.

A photo of Anastasia Vodicka was constant presence in the childhood home of Sacramento resident Judy Weiner. Her great grandmother, who lived in Petrovice, a village in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), bore nine children and was widowed at the age of 37. She, along with the six other Jewish families from the village, was rounded up by the Nazis. Anastasia and her grandson died in Terezin; her remaining family in Auschwitz. The story could have ended there, but it didn’t. In 1994, more than 50 years after Anastasia’s death, the Vodicka home, which also served as the family business selling shoes, pottery, paper products, and other goods, sold for unpaid taxes to the Synek family, who began remodeling the building. “While digging the flooring, they found a package,” Weiner explains. “The family knew exactly what it was.”

Ginsburg was so moved by the discovery— during her childhood visit she actually ate with the silverware that was found— that she decided to write The Buried Treasure: A Granddaughter’s Memories of a Holocaust Victim. Six years in the making and reflecting research of the Vodicka family tree and Nazi records showing where the family perished and how, the self-published book was finished in 2000 and now is in its fifth printing. The only fictional account of the book, notes Weiner, is trying to assess Anastasia’s motives.

Jewelry that was among the treasures buried in the home of Anastasia Vodicka.

“Maybe to keep it from the Nazis,” she says. “Maybe it was so she would be remembered. And we are remembering and talking about it and educating people. We can’t wrap our heads around six million people but you can hear individual stories and never forget. I’m the one that has to keep it going so people know.”

Wrapped in wet and decomposed cloth were silverware, jewelry, and other family heirlooms that Anastasia had buried before being taken on November 8, 1942. The Syneks gave it to the Sochovs, neighbors who contacted Weiner’s mother, Blanche Ginsburg, who passed away December 2011. Ginsburg had visited Anastasia when she was 9 years old and remained in contact with her neighbors. “When my mother heard about it, she said it was like her grandmother speaking to her,” Weiner exclaims.


Part of the buried treasure was silverware that Blanche Ginsburg used as a child.

Blanche Ginsburg steps through the doorway of her grandmother’s home.

were missing a traditional type of service began joining and many maintain dual membership to this day. Soon, enough funds were raised to purchase the original KITC home on Morse Ave. in Sacramento. The Mazer’s son was the first Bar Mitzvah there and their daughter, Stephanie, now 29, was the first baby to be named. Marty and Bonne’s daughter, Judith, was the first Bat Mitzvah. In 1982, Rabbi Yosef Polstein, an Orthodox rabbi who came to Sacramento to teach at Shalom School, needed a minyan. Before long, the minyan exceeded 10 Jews and Shabbat services began in the home he shared with his wife, Bracha. “It became obvious that we should start a shul,” explained Trudy Mazer, who, with her husband, Elliot, became part of the group that frequented the Rabbi’s home, along with fellow founders and early members Martin (z”l) and Bonne London, Harry and Karen Weiss, Rivkah Isseroff and Art Huntley, Marshall and Lois Gollub, Charlie and Aileen Nadler, Charles Roll, Judah Jacobson, Oscar Morvai, Simone Monnier-Clay and Bill Clay, and Arnold and Carol Feder. “A dozen or so families with a more traditional leaning were approached to be part of an organized minyan, which gradually grew into Kenesset Israel Torah Center (KITC). We were going to be Torah based and a traditional gathering of people to study and learn and practice Torah Judaism.” Three decades later, KITC celebrates its 30th anniversary with an Evening in Eden on June 10, 2012 with live and silent auctions; wine, beer, and culinary tastings; live music by Midtown Jazz; and a retrospective honoring special guests Rabbi Stuart and Nancy Rosen, who served at KITC for 17 years. “Being in Sacramento was a wonderful experience,” Rosen, who now lives in Chicago Nancy, said. “Sacramento was a great place to raise children and I forged a lot of friendships. I look forward to reuniting with everyone.” Building KITC was an organic process, beginning with Rabbi Polstein, and then a more formalized one, with support from the Jewish Federation, which provided housing on the Wyda Way campus for the Rabbi and his wife; space in the office kitchen; and use of the living room for Shabbat services, holidays, and social events (if additional men were needed for the minyan, gentlemen from the Einstein Center were recruited and willingly accepted to participate in the services, said Mazer). Gradually, families who

Orthodox,” Mazer explained. “It’s because most people who are members and active came from varied backgrounds themselves. The community at large is comfortable having an Orthodox presence. There is a commitment to having us exist.” For more information about Kenesset Israel Torah Center or Evening in Eden, visit www.kitcsacramento.org.

Spiritual home to approximately 75 families, KITC provides education for adults, teens, and children, including several Judaic scholars who have presented at Shabbatons. The synagogue also advocates for Israel, with many young adults traveling to Israel for a year of study after completing high school and/or during college. And, Mazur noted, during the first 30 years, many happy life cycle events have been celebrated and solemn events supported with members of the congregation and the community at large. Certainly, the synagogue has seen its share of highs and lows. Highs, said Mazur, include two Torah dedications; conversions and weddings; the 30-year tradition of cholent at every Shabbat Kiddush; and the establishment of a kosher eruv, erected to encompass the area around KITC, Mosaic Law Congregation, and Chabad.

Circa 1982, from left, Gerson Stauber, Elliot Mazer, Art Huntley, Simone Monnier-Clay, Sherry Shapiro, and Rivkah Isseroff. Seated: Trudy Mazer and Stephanie Mazer, the first baby named at Kenesset Israel Torah Center.

Lows, of course, include June 1999, when KITC was one of three Sacramento-area synagogues firebombed by white supremacists, who were later convicted on arson and a series of violent hate crimes across California. “We shared our devastation with two other shuls and the community— both Jewish and nonJewish,” Mazur recalled. Construction of a new building began in 2003 and a dedication ceremony was held 2006. Other challenges include those of any small synagogue— a limited number of resources, both financial and human, attracting a rabbi to a small Jewish community, and recruiting volunteers. Even with those challenges, Mazer said, “Out of this small community have come so many young adults who have fostered a Jewish lifestyle at KI— rabbis and other learned people carrying on our traditions to the next generation.” KITC also knows it has the support of the community. “One thing that has made KI so vital is there is no judgment against people who are not 100 percent


Great Granddaughter Reflects on Sacramento Hadassah’s Founding Mother

Sarah Cohen Berman had a love of Zionism. She, along with her four siblings, emigrated to the U.S. from Lithuania in 1892, when she was 11 years old. She was a strong woman with a love of learning, who was driven to be a leader by her parents and their parents. When she arrived in Sacramento from Minneapolis in 1930 with her husband Alexander Berman, she became Sisterhood President, an educator, and a lay leader dedicated to Zionism. “She wanted to be sure she did something while in Sacramento,” explains her great granddaughter Devorah Samuels of Sacramento. She certainly did. In 1932, Berman started the Sacramento Chapter of Hadassah, the national Women’s Zionist Organization that Henrietta Szold began just 20 years prior. The Chapter is celebrating its 80th anniversary with A Tribute to Our Past, Present, and Future on June 3, 2012. Marlo Dewing, Co-President of the Chapter with Marcy Silliman, says, “This year, we decided to link the past with what we are doing now and in the future. We want to acknowledge all of the women who have contributed so much to Hadassah over these 80 years.” For Samuels, the occasion is a significant one since she is the fourth of five generations of Sacramento Hadassah Chapter members. The Hadassah family tree began with Sarah in 1932; followed by Zetta Goldberg Berman, who married Sarah’s son William; Jessie Berman Yoshpe, Samuels’ mother; Samuels’ herself; and finally, Samuels’ daughter, Wendy, a freshman at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who became a Life Member when she was born. (Samuels’ son Joel, a senior at Northwestern University, is an Associate Life Member.)

Sacramento Hadassah Chapter founder Sarah Cohen Berman.


“In the early days,” notes Samuels, “it was all about nurses who wanted to establish a Jewish State and to give care. The focus of every effort was to raise awareness and funds to help build a medical facility. They had dinners, dances, fashion shows, raffles, events with the male associates, and donor luncheons that honored families.”

Hadassah now has two university hospitals in Jerusalem with outpatient clinics all over Israel. The newly built 19-story Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower is being dedicated this year. The next generations followed in Sarah’s Zionist footsteps. Zetta Goldberg Berman was an “independent-minded intellectual,” according to Samuels. She, too, was active in Sisterhood at Congregation B’nai Israel and the community. And Samuels beams with pride when talking about her mother Jessie Berman Yoshpe, who passed away in 1996. “You should see my mom’s resume,” she says. “She was involved in Zionist activities from the youngest of ages. The torch was passed. My mom made her life’s effort Hadassah. She was outspoken about American-Jewish affairs and she was part of the Jewish and general community.” In fact, the Sacramento Chapter submitted Yoshpe as its nominee for the national Hadassah Leadership Award. The letter, dated May 24, 1987, reads, “Jessie is that special woman in our chapter who embodies the Hadassah leader and her commitment to Judaism and Zionism is deep and abiding; her devotion to Hadassah is passionate and compelling.” It also recognizes her roles as Vice President of both Fundraising and Membership; her assistance with publicity, including the Chapter’s publication; and her activities with Sacramento’s United Nations Children’s Fund, Jewish Federation, ORT, and the National Council of Jewish Women. “My mom would have loved to know that I have made a connection with Hadassah,” Samuels says. “And Sarah would be proud to know all that has occurred since founding the Chapter and all of the hard work and efforts put forward by assisting this wonderful organization.” A Tribute to Our Past, Present, and Future is June 3, 2012 at Zocalo Restaurant. For more information contact Alice Cartwright at [email protected] or 916.489.0225.



response to questions posed by the audience and moderated by former Federation President Bill Slayton.

by Len Feldman Temple Or Rishon brought two former White House officials and a beloved actor to town as part of the synagogue’s ongoing Cultural Series. Paul Begala and Ari Fleischer dueled over the economy, Israel and foreign policy, and electoral politics before an audience of more than 350 on April 16, 2012. Begala, who served as counselor to Democratic President Bill Clinton, and Fleischer, who was the spokesperson for his Republican successor, George Bush, exchanged good-natured barbs and straightforward political analysis in

While Begala declared that his business as a political consultant is to help shape outcomes of elections, not predict them, he opined that President Barack Obama would win re-election. He added that the President’s biggest problem is the economy and no president since Reagan has been re-elected with unemployment greater than 7%, about 150 basis points below where it is now. But Begala stated there were countervailing forces that would help Obama win, noting, “Every time I look at the economy, I think President Obama can’t win. But every time I look at the Republican challengers, I think the president can’t lose.” Fleischer countered that he viewed Obama as a president who early in the political game has given up trying to lead. He decried the focus on the “Buffett” rule and stated that the President is fixated on it at the same time the nation is reeling under record deficits “as far as the eye can see, with Medicare going broke.” Fleischer asserted that the nation already has the most progressive tax system in the world and derided the Buffet rule as “designed to focus on the aberration.” Echoing a GOP stable argument, he added that the nation has a spending problem, not a taxation problem.

by Shalom Aleichem, interspersed with songs from Fiddler on the Roof performed by Cantor Linda Kates and pianist David Kates. Following his storytelling, when, as he said, “I can no longer hide behind Shalom Aleichem,” the 82-year-old actor recounted his journey from Kansas City, Kansas to the University of Chicago and his decision to pursue acting. Raised in an Orthodox family, Asner described everything from his military service, the odd jobs he once held, his parents’ reaction to his first show, and what became his trademark falls off several stages during various productions. Entertaining questions from the audience, one of which asked about the life of a celebrity, Asner responded with the much-touted philosophy: “When people stop asking for my autograph— that’s when I should worry.” Elissa Provance contributed to this story. For more information about Temple Or Rishon’s Cultural Series, contact 916.988.4100.

“It’s both a tax and spending problem,” Begala shot back. “We have to pay for stuff. If you consume government services, you should pay for services.” Both also asserted that their own party and its presidential candidate were the better friends to Israel.

Cantor Linda Kates performed selections from Fiddler on the Roof during Stories, Songs, and Schmooze.

On May 7, 2012, actor Ed Asner, best-known for his Emmy-winning role as Lou Grant on the Mary Tyler Moore show, mesmerized the audience during Stories, Songs, and Schmooze: A Fiddler Inspired Night with Ed Asner and Friends. Asner performed selected readings

Temple Or Rishon Rabbi Alan Rabishaw shares a laugh with Emmy-winning actor, Ed Asner.


Title VI Protection, Peoplehood Among Topics at Jewish Council for Public Affairs Plenum

A group of American Jewish leaders said communal organizations should respect the First Amendment even as they move to protect students from alleged anti-Semitism in the context of the campus Israel debate. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), made up of Jewish Community Relations Councils from across the country, adopted this resolution May 6, 2012, at its annual plenum in Detroit. The resolution lays to rest an eightmonth long debate within JCPA over the appropriate use of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prevents discrimination on the basis of race, religion, and national origin. But the newly adopted policy is likely to deepen existing divisions between JCPA and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which advocates a vigorous use of the law.


In 2010, at the behest of several Jewish organizations, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights extended the definition of Title VI to include religious groups with “shared ethnic characteristics.” Since then, the Jewish organizational world has been split on the application of Title VI. ZOA, for instance, has filed complaints at Rutgers University and at the University of California, Irvine, alleging that the schools failed to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitic behavior at anti-Israel events. But JCPA and some of its member organizations have expressed concerns that excessive use of Title VI could create a backlash against Jewish students who may be seen as quashing free speech on campus. In addition to JCPA’s own resolution on Title VI, the plenum heard a counter resolution,

sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Northern New Jersey. That proposal hewed closely to JCPA’s own policy paper, but it was void of language trumpeting free speech. The New Jersey JCRC resolution was written with the input of Susan Tuchman, a board member who also serves as the legal director at the ZOA. The counter-resolution was rejected, JCPA leaders said. JCPA’s own resolution was edited at the plenum to remove controversial wording, which stated that the indiscriminate application of the law could “potentially alienate both Jewish and non-Jewish students from the rest of the Jewish community and significantly [harm] the Jewish student community on campus.” The JCPA Annual Plenum brought together 14 national and 125 local Jewish community relations agencies from May 5-8, 2012. In addition to Title VI and its application, speakers, including Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren and Michigan’s Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representative Mike Rogers, addressed a variety of topics, including Jewish unity, education, the crisis in Sudan, energy, and the future of Judaism. Oren, the first Israeli Ambassador to visit Detroit in a generation,

called for renewed focus on Jewish peoplehood. Stressing that Israel is “the nation state of the Jewish people,” Oren said that “the great task of our generation is to preserve our unity.” Using an historical lens, Oren said that throughout history, one word could be used to describe the Jewish people: mespuchah [family]. However, that unity has become fractured, especially in the debates over Israel. “Peoplehood must not be taken for granted, it must be nurtured and strengthened and invigorated… We face daunting challenges, but with the Jewish people united and behind us, we can overcome all of them.” Oren acknowledged that peoplehood is a two-way street, requiring more sensitivity from Israelis about the diversity of American Jewish life and the impact of Israeli policies on world Jewry. “When we can see each of us as integral to k’lal Yisrael, all of Israel, we stop seeing Israelis as an other and instead as part of a whole,” said Oren. “At stake is not individual Israeli policies or the right of American Jews to criticize these policies, but our unity.” Sources: Forward, May 7, 2012; JCPA.


ROAD TRIP!

El Dorado

HILLS

Spiritual Leader: Dr. Dale Wallerstein, Cantorial Soloist Number of Families: 35 Special Programs: Kabbalat Shabbat services, holiday observances, religious education for youth and adults, B'nai Mitzvah training and services, life cycle events (not requiring ordained clergy), and social events.

Cozmic Café: Offers its organic menu with seating available in a goldmine. Housed in one of Placerville’s oldest and most beautiful

historic treasures, the Pearson’s Soda Works Building, established in 1859, in the heart of California's Gold Rush country. The Cozmic, as it is known

What to See:

The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region serves Sacramento and several outlying counties. We’d like to bring our community closer with Road Trip!, a monthly feature that highlights what makes the areas we serve so special. This month, we visit El Dorado Hills and Temple Kol Shalom, your Jewish family in the Foothills!

Temple Kol Shalom Established: Nearly 25 years ago as Congregation B’nai Harim in the Placerville/Camino area. The name changed to Kol Shalom after another Sacramento-area congregation decided to use the original name. Vision: Temple Kol Shalom provides a Jewish family in

the Foothills. As a caring community, we meet diverse needs for Jewish practice and study, spiritual growth, and social responsibility. Home: Shabbat services are held on Friday nights at the Spiritual Center for Positive Living in Cameron Park, and Sunday School is held at Golden Hills School in El Dorado Hills.


Marshall Gold Discovery Park in Coloma: Features a museum, many original and restored buildings, and costumed volunteers. Wineries: Too many to list! Visit http://www. eldoradowines.org/ wineries.html. Apple Hill: More than 50 farms and ranches, including fruits and other produce, wineries, and vineyards.

Where to Eat: Cafe Majaic: Built in 1855, Adam Lohry’s historic brick buildings in Lotus have been a general store, post office, blacksmith shop, barber shop and a bed & breakfast. Depending on the seasons and available fresh ingredients, a selection of three to six daily menu “specials” as well as a menu consisting of appetizers, salads, soup, entrees, and desserts are available.

Youth are an integral part of Temple Kol Shalom.

locally, is considered a progressive hub for the Sierra Foothill community. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.


The Talmud describes eight levels of tzedakah, with number eight being, “Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.” As the Sacramento Region’s central address, this is what Federation has accomplished through its Community Development Grants program, funded through the generosity of an anonymous donor (that, by the way, fits with level seven: “Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity”). The most recent funding, awarded this Spring by Community Development Grant Committee members Steve Orkand (Chair), Leslie Gray, Judy Lewis, Roz Levy Weintraub, and Wendy Zlotlow, supports a Civil Discourse curriculum led by the Jewish Community Relations Council; a Shabbat Dinner and Study Program organized by Congregation B’nai Israel’s 20s-30s group, Sababah; a Shabbat music program at Congregation Beth Israel in Chico; a Women’s Torah Project with the Chico Havurah; Teen Camp Counselor Training at Chabad of Roseville; and a Camp Gan Program at Chabad of Solono. When looked at collectively, the depth and breadth of these grants is impressive. Over the years, almost every synagogue and Jewish organization has benefited from grants totaling nearly $200,000 and the work performed because of the financial support received has covered a variety of programs and efforts. Take a look at how Federation has helped to plant the seeds to grow our family tree.

Children/Teens/Families

Bible Raps with Matt Bar (Congregation Beth Shalom, Sacramento with Mosaic Law Congregation) Bibilodrama (Congregation Beth Shalom, Sacramento) Camp Avodah (Chabad of Roseville) Camp Gan Israel (Chabad of Solano) Camp Leadership Development Training (Congregation B’nai Israel) Camp Shelanu Music Curriculum (Congregation B’nai Israel) Kulano (Congregation Beth Shalom, Modesto) Mommy & Me (Chabad of Sacramento) Shalom Gan K’Tan (Temple Or Rishon) Teen Adventures (Jewish Federation) Women of B’nai Israel Family Fun Sunday (Congregation B’nai Israel)


Education

B’nai Mitzvah Endowment Program (Jewish Community Foundation of the West) Community Speakers’ Series (Jewish Federation) Compassionate Listening (Congregation Beth Shalom, Sacramento) Elder Abuse Education Forum (National Council of Jewish Women) Expect Respect (National Council of Jewish Women) Growing Our Curriculum, Our Staff, and Our Community (Yachad) Havdalah Outreach (Yachad) Jewish Community Relations Council’s Civil Discourse Project (Jewish Federation) Jewish Speakers’ Series (Temple Or Rishon) Kesher L’Yisrael (Congregation B’nai Israel) Kol HaNefesh Visiting Scholars Program (Congregation Bet Haverim)

Outreach (Yachad) Speaker Series (Chabad of Folsom) Tzor Kesher Academy (Kenesset Israel Torah Center) University of California, Davis, Academic Lecture Series (Congregation B’nai Israel)

Holocaust

Eleanor J. Marks Holocaust Essay Fund (Congregation B’nai Israel) Holocaust Education Workshops (Central Valley Holocaust Educators’ Network) Holocaust Memorial Evening (Chabad of Roseville) Sacramento 2nd Generation Holocaust Speakers’ Bureau (Central Valley Holocaust Educators’ Network)

Jewish Life Dance Shabbaton (Jewish Federation) Jewish Experience (Chabad of Davis)

Jewish Headstone Repair & Signage (Commission for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries) Jewish Resource Library (Chabad of Folsom) Living Legacy (Chabad of Folsom) Markers for Unmarked Graves (Home of Peace Cemetery) Sephardic Jewish Festival (Congregation Beth Israel) Sing Unto G-d a New Song (Congregation Beth Israel)

Seniors

Freilache Menschen (Temple Or Rishon) In Stitches (Congregation Bet Haverim) Keeping Traditions Alive in the 21st Century Kitchen (Albert Einstein Residence Center)

Shabbat/Holiday Programming

Chanukah Open House & Menorah Lighting (Chabad of Roseville) Door L’Dor: Pesach and High Holiday Initiative (Hillel)

Got Shabbat and Got Shabbat 2 (Hillel) Hillel @ High Altitude (Hillel) Home Sukkot Project (Congregation Beth Israel) How is This Seder Night Different From All Others (Hillel) Passover Auburn (Chabad of Roseville) Sababah Shabbat Dinner and Study Program (Congregation B’nai Israel) Shabbat Family Education (Congregation Beth Israel) Singles’ Shabbaton (Kenesset Israel Torah Center) Teen Shabbat (Kenesset Israel Torah Center) Traveling Jewish Theater (Congregation Beth Shalom, Sacramento)

Social Justice

Inclusivity Project (Chico Havurah) Social Action Mission to New Orleans (Jewish Federation) Stop Human Trafficking Initiative (National Council of Jewish Women) Visiting Rabbi/Social Action Project (Chico Havurah)

Social Services

Employment Workshop (Mosaic Law Congregation) Grief Support Group (Mosaic Law Congregation) Indegent Burial Fund (Jewish Family Services) Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month (Mosaic Law Congregation with Congregations Beth Shalom & B’nai Israel) Jewish Recovery Outreach (Chabad of Folsom) Mezzuzot for All (Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities) Northern California Beshert Project (Mosaic Law Congregation) Transportation to Sacramento Events (Congregation Beth Israel) Warmline (Jewish Community Services) Yad B’Yad (Sacramento Area Jewish Educators)



Bidding Shalom to Rabbi Shoshanah King-Tornberg Rabbi Shoshanah King-Tornberg joined Congregation B'nai Israel in Sacramento in 2009, arriving from Albany, New York. Rabbi K-T, as she has become known, also was the PJ Library Coordinator for the Jewish Federation. Rabbi K-T is leaving Sacramento at the end of June to join Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette Hill, Penn., a suburb of Philadelphia. the VOICE sat down with Rabbi K-T to reflect on her time in Sacramento and to check in on her plans for the future. the VOICE: What did you find when you joined Congregation B'nai Israel (CBI)? Rabbi King-Tornberg: I was really attracted to the Sacramento community because of its warmth. The people at CBI were genuine and down to earth. I was excited to be part of a community where I could make connections. Professionally, I was very lucky to find a congregation that was building innovative programming and a higher vision of education in the congregation and the community. Teachers were asking, "Are we engaged, connected to the community, and accessing Judaism?" and "Where are we in our Jewish identity?" I felt I was joining a community that was engaging in new ways of partnering with me. The most gratifying part was Rabbi (Mona) Alfi's leadership, her ingenuity, and her willingness to try new things. She would say, "Good idea. We'll make that happen." There was also a tremendous volunteer culture. People came out to do things. the VOICE: What have been your greatest accomplishments? Rabbi K-T: The best work is done collaboratively. I created a robust education program with tremendous lay leadership, with new curricula, and an engaged early childhood program. I also launched Kesher High School and solidified the camp program (Camp Shelanu) into a yearly program. Ardyth Sokoler (PJ Library Director) taught me about how to look at how a partner looks at an issue and what I can take to the next issues. This was high impact work. When I led a parenting class for PJ Library, I came into a new place as a rabbi. I was able to teach people

but not be part of a congregation. I made a connection because I'm in the same place in my life as a parent. Jewish teaching is hard because you have to be an expert but parenting is such a moving target. I was prepared but had more permission for not knowing everything. I got to learn with this community and learn from their experience. the VOICE: What do you see as the strengths of the community? Rabbi K-T: There is new leadership in the community. The synagogues are strong and there is a really strong social justice culture. I also appreciate the collegiality among the rabbis and educators. SAJE (Sacramento Area Jewish Educators) has been moving toward greater professionalism. Educators are unsung heroes but I have not felt that here. the VOICE: What are the benefits to partnerships in a small Jewish community such as ours?

developed. I really loved my time at B'nai Israel. My new congregation's approach to education is similar— thinking creatively, outside the box, and a grander vision of education for the congregation. the VOICE: What will you miss? Rabbi K-T: The people! Also the sunshine and it's a great town for kids. Just the spirit of California— laid back and less formal than other parts of the country. I will also miss being in the Capital. I just did a weekend of advocacy through a Jewish lens with the kids. Sacramento is the helm of political life. People here are genuine of spirit and down to earth. the VOICE: How do you hope the Congregation and the community will remember you? Rabbi K-T: Warm, passionate, professional. That I cared about kids, that I did smart things for programs, and that I enriched people's experience of Judaism.

Rabbi K-T: I think one thing I've appreciated is the partnership between me and SAJE members. We are a group of colleagues who support one another to build the best educational community we can without being competitive. And PJ Library. I thought I loved PJ before! When we invited PJ to programs, they came out in droves. People walked through the door who may never have walked through, not because they may become B'nai Israel members but those who may want to are supported just like those who belong at Mosaic Law or Beth Shalom or Or Rishon would be. Everyone will find the right people. In partnering, we become a community that serves the gamut of Jewish needs. We can create anything when we partner. the VOICE: What are you immediate plans? Rabbi K-T: We are moving to Lafayette Hill, Penn., a suburb of Philadelphia. I'm moving from a community with six synagogues to one with more than 50! I will be the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning at Congregation Or Ami, which has about 400 families. It seems to be a warm congregation that is interested in innovation and breaking down silos. My focus will be more on education and not many rabbinic responsibilities. My predecessor did some innovative programs and I'm looking forward to continuing what she's

Rabbi Shoshanah King-Tornberg.


When Hollywood producers came knocking on model Angela Rockwood’s door to pitch a reality show about life in a wheelchair, Rockwood told them it shouldn’t be just about her but about her three best friends as well, one of whom is Mia Schaikewitz. An Atlanta native who grew up in an observant Jewish home and attended Hebrew Day School, Schaikewitz stars with Rockwood, aspiring model Tiphany Adams, and rock star Auti Angel in Push Girls, a docu-series premiering on the Sundance Channel June 4, 2012.

An athlete and rising star on her high school swim team, Schaikewitz was paralyzed at age 15 from Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM), a congenital condition that she describes as similar to an aneurism. “This was back in the 90s when nobody did MRIs so it was hard to diagnose,” the now 33-year-old Schaikewitz explains. “My mom pushed for it and that’s one reason I strive to create awareness about it. I had no role models to show me I was going to be okay. I always felt a strong mission to be that for others.”

Push Girls allows her to do just that by following the everyday lives of Schaikewitz, Rockwood, Adams, and Angel in Los Angeles. “You never know what will happen in life,” notes Schaikewitz. “It shows how we deal with things and how our chairs factor into it. Sometimes you think you can’t overcome things, but you can. I’d love to open people’s minds about a world they’ve never experienced and have never been educated about so they see a world like ours.”

Push Girls from left: Mia Schaikewitz, Auti Angel, Angela Rockwood, and Tiphany Adams


Adds Peggy Blincoe, Co-Chair of the Jewish Federation’s Committee on Inclusion and Disabilities with Deborah Gonzalez, “This new series sounds like it is really trying to show positive images of people with disabilities, portraying what they can do instead of what they can’t.” The actress explains that the show wants to change what might be the audience’s negative thought process— pity, thinking the women are secretly miserable— and portray them in a positive light where challenges are overcome. One of Schaikewitz’s story lines is her attempt to return to swimming. “The emotional aspect of getting back in the pool is more emotional than the physical aspect,” she explains. Judaism is front and center on the show, where Schaikewitz talks about looking for love and finding a Jewish mate.

While Push Girls has a Jewish star among the show’s ensemble cast, you might find other television shows with an Israeli flavor. That’s because several shows have been imported from Israel. Check them out!

Homeland, based on Israel’s Hatufim, is a psychological thriller about three Israeli soldiers who finally return home after being prisoners of war in Syria for 17 years. For the U.S. version, CIA agent Claire Danes is introduced and the prisoner of war is taken hostage in 2003 in Iraq. Showtime. Premiered October 2, 2011. Second season premiere is September 30, 2012.

“Judaism has always been a huge part of my life,” she says, noting that her father’s side of the family has all become Modern Orthodox. “I’m interested in growing my Judaism. It’s a huge part of my identity and future. I’m locked in on having a Jewish family with Jewish values and looking for a Jewish husband who wants to be more religious. I know it’s important for me to keep my identity.” The University of Florida graduate who studied Telecommunications and Production says that being in a wheelchair has actually helped her accept being Jewish in a majority non-Jewish world.

Coming Soon: The Arbitrator (Ha-Borer) is a Sopranos-like crime saga, which Showtime plans to make into a pilot. Traffic Light is a sitcom based on Ramzor, about a group of guys in various stages of relationships and their urges to revert to “primordial guydom.” Fox. February 8, 2011-May 31, 2011.

“Being different is awesome,” she says. “I wear my Judaism more proudly.” Push Girls strives to break down the barriers and change how the world perceives people with disabilities. Schaikewitz is thrilled to be part of that mission, saying, “I rather find a cure for ignorance than walk again.” The Sundance premiere of Push Girls is June 4, 2012 at 10:00 pm Eastern time.

In Treatment (B’Tipul), with Gabriel Byrne as a 50-something psychologist and his weekly sessions with patients, as well as those with his own therapist at the end of the week. HBO. Debuted on January 28, 2008, as a five-night-a-week series. On March 30, 2011, HBO announced it would not continue the show in its existing form but the network was talking about possibly continuing in a different format.

The first Israeli series to be broadcast in high definition format, Pillars of Smoke is heading into its second season in Israel. It is a mystery set in the rural Golan Heights area that follows the police investigation into the disappearance of a cult form the area. NBC. Premiered in 2009.

Tall and Greenbaum is an ABC comic drama that follows two best friends who create videos for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other occasions. The odd couple does its best to help each other manage their business and complicated personal lives, sometimes with disastrous results. The Naked Truth on HBO follows officers investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl from a prominent family in the pressure cooker atmosphere of an explosive high-profile case that has implications not just for the family of the victim, but for the cops themselves and the political infrastructure of the city.


TORAH WORDS

by Rabbi Reuven Taff

The dictionary defines nostalgia as “a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one’s home or homeland, or to one’s family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.” The Torah reading of B’ha’alotcha has always been nostalgic for me. You see, it was my father’s Bar Mitzvah portion, my fatherin-law’s Bar Mitzvah portion, and also is the Bar Mitzvah portion of two members of my congregation for whom I have great admiration and respect, Dr. Robert Zeff and his son, Dr. Karl Zeff. The Torah portion deals with, among other things, the commandment to light the menorah, the seven branched candelabra. After the sanctification of the Dwelling Place for G-d, G-d spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Aaron and have him light the menorah so that the seven lights shall cast light.” Light has always been a metaphor that captures for us a certain positive and uplifting feeling. One of my favorite quotes is from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross who wrote, “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” Many of us can relate to that quote. I love that quote and when I think about my dad, Cy Taff, and my father-in-law, Jack Finkelstein, I remember fondly how they both sparkled and shone through their menschlekeit; they were both warm, wonderful people whose love for family, synagogue, and people was sincere and heartfelt. And whenever I hear Bob Zeff or his son Karl


chant the Haftorah for B’ha’alotcha, I become nostalgic, especially toward the end with the words, “Not by Might, Not by Power, But by My Spirit, Says the Lord!” [Zech. 4:6] The Haftorah speaks of the Prophet Zechariah’s vision of the golden menorah in the Jerusalem Temple. And we all know that similarly, a Menorah was present at the miracle of Chanukah. The vision of the Prophet explains to us that it’s not with our individual power from where our successes come, but with the spirit of the Almighty. May all of us remember to reconnect ourselves to our Jewish roots, to G-d, and to the values of our Torah. If we make that effort, I am convinced that our own personal lights will shine ever brighter.

Federation invites area rabbis to submit Torah Words for each isse of the VOICE. Rabbi Taff is the spiritual leader of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento.

Giving the Gift of Life

of time on the Maintenance Committee when the new Temple was build about eight years ago. Eventually, I became President.” Lightman, an optometrist who has been involved with Gift of Life for several years and has helped register nearly 200 potential donors, says, “What a mitzvah it can be to be a living donor.” An avid runner who has completed several marathons, Barchas began feeling symptoms in the fall 2011, while jogging with his son in Truckee.

Andy Barchas

When an attendee at April’s Jewish Heritage Festival approached the Gift of Life bone marrow registry table organized by Sacramento resident Dr. Janis Lightman, she mentioned that someone from the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation (NTHC) was in need of a bone marrow donor. That ‘someone’ is Andy Barchas. A resident of Truckee from 1997-2008, Barchas now lives in Berkeley with his wife Karen and 23-year-old son, Kevin, an aspiring filmmaker. His 25-year-old daughter, Laurel, is a University of California, Berkeley, graduate student in Biology. Soon after he was diagnosed in February with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Dr. Fred Ilfeld, Chair of the NTHC Caring Network and a personal friend of Barchas, disseminated a letter to the congregation, informing them of their former congregant’s plight and to ask that they consider registering with Gift of Life. “Having served on the Board with Andy and watched his effort, his caring, and his complete devotion to NTHC, I was in awe of the hours and the energy he put forth for our Temple,” Ilfeld’s letter reads. All told, Barchas provided a decade of service and came to know his fellow congregants well. “I got involved with NTHC by sending my kids to religious school,” Barchas says. “I got more involved and before I knew it, I was the Chair of the Religious School Board, I taught Torah and Ethics at the Religious School, and Chaired the Ways and Means Committee. I also spent a lot

“I got out of breath,” he recalls, “but I figured I wasn’t in good shape because I hadn’t been training. I came back to Berkeley and found if I climbed a couple of flights of stairs— 20 feet from the ground floor to the top— I was short of breath. It didn’t get worse, but for several weeks, the symptoms were there.”

platelets. Barchas just completed his second round of chemotherapy at Kaiser Oakland and is looking at all of his options, which include a bone marrow transplant (if he is in remission and a match is found through the registry) or additional chemotherapy. “This whole experience has changed me in profound ways,” he notes. “I’m focused on staying positive and getting the most out of every day. And I appreciate the importance of relationships more than I ever have.” To register with Gift of Life on behalf of Andy Barchas, visit www.giftoflife.org and click on “Personalized Giving.” Scroll down to “Andy's Jewish Caring Circle.” The $54 fee can be defrayed from contributions for those registering who feel they cannot afford it. National standards dictate that donors of bone marrow or stem cells must be between the ages of 18 and 60.

X-rays didn’t reveal anything, so Barchas’ doctor ordered a blood test, which did show an anomaly in his white blood cell count as well as severe anemia. He then ordered a bone marrow biopsy. “I knew something was probably seriously wrong,” Barchas says, recalling the moment. “I even said to my wife, ‘I bet I have leukemia.’” Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is where immature white blood cells (“blasts”) found in bone marrow do not mature; rather, they remain and clog up the bone marrow, reducing the production of healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and


ADVICE : summer camp!

Socks, Sun Screen, Shower Caddy:

What to Pack When You Send Your Kids to Camp by Monica Shapiro 25 days. 24 days. 23 days. 22 days. 21 days. One sock. Two socks. Three socks. Four socks. Five socks. Whether counting down to camp or up to the number of socks you need, getting ready for camp involves a lot of counting. The trick is to make sure you count the correct number of items so that your child doesn’t run out of clothes, but not so many that your child is not strong enough to carry his or her own luggage. As a mother of three kids who attend camp and as a staffer at Camp Ramah for the past five years, I have learned a few things about packing lists and about what actually happens to your kids’ clothing once they arrive at camp. If your child is detailed and organized, he or she may be the rare child who unpacks luggage, wears clean clothes every day, and puts dirty clothes in the laundry for the wash. The rest of the kids at camp, however, do no such thing. With that in mind, here are some tips: 1.

The Shapiro kids from left, Rebeka, Avi, and Esti.


Pack with your kids, not at night once they are asleep. I have lots of stories of kids who don’t like the clothes that were sent or who don’t know what is in their luggage. Upon arriving at camp they open their bags, clothing gets strewn about, and suddenly they have no clothes and don’t know which are theirs. Similarly, when the bunk’s wash comes back all mixed together, the children don’t know which items are his or hers (don’t forget to label them for this reason, too).

2. Put like kinds of clothes together in gallonsized zip lock bags, especially for an unorganized child. At camp, each bag goes

into a drawer or on a shelf, and when your messy child needs underwear: voila, look in the underwear bag. Need a pair of socks? Look in the socks bag. (A side benefit of this is that the zip lock bags are helpful for bringing home all of those art projects, stones, leaves, food wrappers, and twigs collected at camp.) 3. Be a parent, not your child’s best friend. While fashion may be important to a teen, having the appropriate clothing is more important. A hike in flip-flops makes for a disaster. A day working outside in a string tank top leads to sunburn. And expensive jeans come back with many “unauthorized” holes. Feel free to make sure your child looks good and fashionable, but also make sure he or she is safe and assume nothing will come home intact. 4. Here are some items that may not be on the camp’s list: stamped and addressed envelopes to anyone you want your children to write to (knowing that they probably won’t); easy to apply sun screen, such as the spray bottles or the packages of wipes; and a shower caddy or similar container that makes it easy to carry and contain hygiene products into the bathroom (shoe boxes fall apart). And remember: when you pick up your children on the last day of camp, the first words out of their mouths are likely to be, “Can I go back next year!” In addition to being a Camp Ramah staffer and packer extraordinaire, Monica Shapiro is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

The History of

Father’s Day It’s been 40 years since Father’s Day was made a permanent national holiday. It only took about 60 years to make it so. Take a look:

And here are some gift ideas for the Jewish dad who may have everything:

Great Jewish Men: Profiles of more than 150

How to Raise a Jewish Dog: The (make-believe) Rabbis of the (fictional) Boca Raton Theological Seminary have developed the essential dogtraining program for raising a Jewish dog.

Jewish men of distinction drawn from a wide range of professions. Includes Abraham and Moses; Rashi and Maimonides; Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern; as well as many distinguished contemporary figures.

1913: A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress. 1916: President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father’s Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. 1924: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge recommended that the day be observed by the nation, but stopped short of issuing a national proclamation. Two earlier attempts to formally recognize the holiday had been defeated by Congress.

Jewish Lawyer’s Creed: “Justice only Justice shalt thou pursue.” Enough said.

Happy Father’s Day! Nosh Basket: Complete with babka, black and whites, and, of course, coffee. 1957: Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus “[singling] out just one of our two parents.”

Money Clip: This one quotes the Yiddish proverb, “With money in your pocket, you are wise and your are handsome and you sing well too.”

1966: President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. 1972: The day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law. Source: Wikipedia.


out & About

Guests admire the new Sam Len Hillel House during the Grand Opening Gala on May 6, 2012. Hillel at Davis and Sacramento is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation, which contributed $100,000 to Hillel’s Capital Project.

Congratulations to Shalom School’s 6th-grade graduating class. Back row from left: Lior Morgenshtern, Piper Gold, Zachary Gonzalez, Donovon Horst, Charlie Carl, Alon Pavlov, Max Glenn, and Uriel Herszage. Front: Stephany Pavlov, Elliott Raskin, Theo Gress, Edina Goore, Leah Ezekiel, Samantha Small, and Rebeka Shapiro. Not pictured: Ofek Suchard and Adi Lubart. Shalom School is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation.

Congregation B’nai Israel celebrated its 12th Annual Wine and Food Festival on May 5, 2012 with nearly 250 attendees who gave generously to benefit the synagogue as well as its Caring Community Fund. The event was Co-Chaired by Mark Koenigsberg and his spouse Robb Layne.

From left, Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, Legislative Seder organizer Gary Cooper, and Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield joined colleagues, staffers, and friends on April 18, 2012 for the 47th Annual Senator Herschel Rosenthal Capitol Passover Seder.

Albert Einstein Residence Center Board President Gary Cooper shares a moment with Estelle Opper at Einstein’s 30th anniversary celebration on April 22, 2012.


From left, keynote speaker and Sacramento City Councilmember Jay Schenirer with Janet Ulmer and Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools Dave Gordon at the annual Superintendent’s Luncheon, sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council, a program of the Jewish Federation.

Staff Picks:

ICED COFFEE

“I’ll have a decaf coffee.” “I’ll have a decaf coffee.” “I’ll have a double espresso.” “I’ll have a decaf cappuccino.” “Do you have any decaffeinated ice cream?” “I’ll have a half, double decaffeinated half caff with a twist of lemon.” “I’ll have a twist of lemon.” “I’ll have a twist of lemon.” “I’ll have a twist of lemon.” “I’ll have a twist of lemon.” Scene from LA Story, with Steve Martin, 1991.

Two decades since LA Story parodied our obsession with coffee, we are more obsessed than ever. In honor of summer, Federation staff share their favorite iced coffee drink— and no decaf for this crowd! As you’ll see, one of us gets her brain freeze from a different kind of jolt.

Melissa Chapman, Executive Director

Elissa Provance, Communications Director

Ardyth Sokoler, PJ Library Director

Jennifer Morrison, Campaign Associate

Adriane Herring, Office Administrator

FAVORITE ICED COFFEE: Iced quad venti non-fat, fourpump white mocha (6 pumps is just too sweet!).

FAVORITE ICED COFFEE: Iced caramel latte.

FAVORITE ICED COFFEE: Diet Coke from a fountain. The carbonation is part of the enjoyment.

FAVORITE ICED COFFEE: Tall iced coffee with one pump of liquid sugar and a little half ‘n half.

FAVORITE ICED COFFEE: Tall, iced, non-fat vanilla latte.

BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE: Thankfully there are so many places!

BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE: Starbucks

BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE: Starbucks HOW LONG THE CAFFEINE BUZZ LASTS: Never long enough. BEST PLACE TO BE SITTING WHILE ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE: Sitting in traffic. Makes the drive far more tolerable! IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR REAL NAME, WHAT NAME DO YOU USE?: I always say Melissa but get back a cup for Michelle or Martha.

BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE: Peets HOW LONG THE CAFFEINE BUZZ LASTS: Long enough to dilate my eyes for a while. BEST PLACE TO BE SITTING WHILE ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE: Across from a girlfriend on a Sunday morning. IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR REAL NAME, WHAT NAME DO YOU USE?: My name gets mispronounced so often I don’t even know what it is. My family calls me Lee (apparently they don’t know my name either) so that’s what I use.

HOW LONG THE CAFFEINE BUZZ LASTS: Just enough to give me a slight boost of energy and to turn on my creativity.

HOW LONG THE CAFFEINE BUZZ LASTS: About two hours, but at this point, I’m not sure I would call it a buzz. It’s more like a support.

BEST PLACE TO BE SITTING WHILE ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE: Sitting? I rarely have time to sit and enjoy my drink!

BEST PLACE TO BE SITTING WHILE ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE: In the car, alone, while driving.

IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR REAL NAME, WHAT NAME DO YOU USE?: When ordering a Diet Coke, there’s a high degree of anonymity.

IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR REAL NAME, WHAT NAME DO YOU USE?: I always use my real name.

BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE: Nugget Market’s coffee bar HOW LONG THE CAFFEINE BUZZ LASTS: A good hour. BEST PLACE TO BE SITTING WHILE ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE: Sitting outdoors, alone, people watching. IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR REAL NAME, WHAT NAME DO YOU USE?: I usually give my real name but once in a while, they’ll ask me to repeat myself so I’ll use one of my sisters’ names because no one ever hears Adriane for some reason. I guess Eva or Natalie is clearer.



CALENDAR

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEXT ISSUE OF the VOICE WILL BE OUR SUMMER ISSUE, WHICH WILL HIT HOUSEHOLDS IN JULY. IF YOU HAVE AUGUST CALENDAR LISTINGS, PLEASE SUBMIT THEM BY JUNE 8TH FOR INCLUSION IN THIS ISSUE.

Recurring Events Sundays

Men’s Tefillin Club. second Sunday of every month to lay Tefillin, learn some Torah, and enjoy a great breakfast! 9:0010:00 a.m. Chabad Jewish Community Center, 302 B South Lexington Dr. Folsom. For more information, contact 916.608.9811 or visit www. JewishFolsom.org. May 20, 2012. June 18, 2012. Jewish Genealogical Society of Sacramento. City Directories with Glenda Lloyd. The value of city directories and published local listings that date from the early 1800s. 7:00 p.m. Albert Einstein Residence Center, 1935 Wright St. Sacramento. For more information, visit www.jgss. org, e-mail mortrumberg1@ earthlink.net.

Mondays

Monthly discussion group led by Rabbi Melamed (Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Shalom) on the second Monday of every month at the KOH Library & Cultural Center, 2300 Sierra Blvd. Sacramento. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Discussion ranges from ancient Judaism to current American politics. Free. For more information, contact 916.484.7333 or jacks. [email protected]. Derech L’Chaim JACS (Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others). Every Monday morning. 2nd Floor Card Room, Albert Einstein Residence Center, 1935 Wright St. Sacramento. 10:3011:30 a.m. JACS is based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous with a Jewish focus. Completely confidential and anonymous. Please contact 916.591.8608 before attending for the first time. Jewish Book Club at Temple Or Rishon. Every fourth Monday at 7:00 p.m. 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. All are welcome. For our reading list, go to www.or-rishon.org, select Programs for All Ages, then Book Club. For more information, contact Alison Braverman at 916.988.7110 or [email protected].

Loaves and Fishes. The third Monday of each month, the Jewish community serves lunch to the homeless at Loaves and Fishes. 1321 North C St. Sacramento. Volunteer at 7:30 a.m. to help prepare food or at 10:45 a.m. to help serve. For more information, contact [email protected].

Tuesdays

Baby and Me. Program for families with children birth to 2 years. Art, singing, movement, and fun! Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact Marcia at 916.988.4100 or educator@ orrishon.org. Israeli Dancing. For more information about dates and venue, join Israelidancesacsubscribe@yahoogroups. com or contact Jeanette at 916.799.7213. Rabbis’ Monthly Lunch and Learn. Rabbi Alfi explores issues in Contemporary Judaism. First Tuesday of the month. Join us with your lunch at Congregation B’nai Israel, 3600 Riverside Blvd. Sacramento. Noon-1:00 p.m. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Rabbialfi@ bnais.com.

Wednesdays

The Jessie Yoshpe Hadassah Study Group. Pray Tell: A Hadassah Guide to Jewish Prayer. Books may be purchased by contacting 800.880.9455. $20.99/members, $29.99/non-members. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. 9:4511:00 a.m. KOH Library, 2300 Sierra Blvd. Sacramento. For more information, contact Soni Meyer at 916.383.5743. Shalom Gan K’ton. For children 18 months-5 years. Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. 10:00 a.m. $50/10 sessions with scholarships available. For more information, contact educator@orrishon. org.

Thursdays

David Lubin Lodge, B’nai B’rith. Third Thursday of each month. 8:00 p.m. Albert Einstein Residence Center Eatery. 1935 Wright St. Sacramento. For more

information, contact Bernie Marks at 916.363.0122. Jewish Women’s Support Group. Talk about lifestyle issues with other women in a safe non-judgmental atmosphere. Lead by Zalia Lipson. Chabad of Roseville, 3175 Sunset Blvd., Suite 104A. Roseville. 6:45 p.m. $40 per session. For more information or to register, contact 916.624.8626 or ZaliaL@aol. com.

Fridays

Gan K’Tan. Program for young children 18 months-5 years and the adults who love them. Sing, play, create, listen to, and taste all the wonders of being Jewish, along with preparing for Shabbat. 10:00 a.m. $10/class. Enrollment and fees required. Scholarships available. Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. For more information, contact Marcia at 916.988.4100 or [email protected]. Monthly Bazaar. A variety of items available for sale including cosmetics, clothing, and collectibles. 3:30-5:00 p.m. Stay for Shabbat dinner. Albert Einstein Residence Center, 1935 Wright St. Sacramento. For more information or to RSVP, contact 916.972.9555.

Havdallah, Saturday 7:30 p.m.; workshop, Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Luncheon and afternoon session: $20, Concert: $10/ adults, $4/children 12 and under. All events are free to Kol HaNefesh sponsors. Congregation Bet Haverim, 1715 Anderson Rd. Davis. For more information, contact Jane Rabin at [email protected].

silent auction and lunch. Open to the community. Registration 7:00 a.m. Shotgun start 8:00 a.m. $30/person includes lunch and one raffle ticket. Teal Bend Golf Club, 7200 Garden Highway, Sacramento. For sponsorships, registration, or more information, contact Caren Zorman at president@ mosaiclaw.org.

June 3, 2012. Hadassah Sacramento 80th Anniversary and Tribute to Our Past, Present and Future. 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Zocalo Restaurant, 1801 Capitol Ave. Sacramento. $25/person vegetarian lunch, dessert, and program. For more information or to RSVP, contact Alice Cartwright at 916.489.0225 or [email protected].

June 7, 2012. Mosaic Law Congregation Leisure League. Lunch, entertainment with Ben Glovinsky, and ice cream. $5/person/$10 after June 1, 2012. Mail check to Mosaic Law. Noon. 2300 Sierra Blvd. Sacramento. For more information, contact Frank Gumpert at 916.483.2596 or [email protected].

June 3, 2012. CBS Music Festival. Show off your musical talents or just enjoy the musical abilities of others. Solos and duets encouraged. Sign up in advance. 4:006:00 p.m. Congregation Beth Shalom, 4746 El Camino Ave. Carmichael. For more information, contact 916.485.4478 or office@ cbshalom.org. June 4, 2012. 1st Annual Mosaic Law Best Ball Tournament. Includes raffle,

June 7, 2012. Shalom School Class of 2012, 6th-Grade Graduation. 7:00 pm. 2320 Sierra Blvd. Sacramento. For more information, contact 916.485.4151 or visit www. shalomschool.org. June 10, 2012. Evening in Eden at Kenesset Israel Torah Center. 6:00-9:00 p.m. 1165 Morse Ave. Sacramento. For more information, contact Rena Haberfeld at 916.804.7429 or [email protected].

June 10, 2012. Israel in the Gardens. All day event at Yerba Buena Gardens. Featured performers Balkan Beat Box, Efrat Gosh and the Peatot; the Voca People; Sol Tevel; and special guest the UC Berkeley Marching Band. 750 Howard St. (enter from Mission, between 3rd & 4th Sts.) San Francisco. For more information, visit www. jewishfed.org/event. June 13, 2012. Freilache Menschen with photographer Jill Macdonell, who specializes in capturing candid pictures of the homeless, Executive Director of St. Francis House, Faith Whitmore. Free. Noon. Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. RSVP at 916.488.4100. For more information, contact Rina Racket at 916.333.1812. June 17, 2012. A Night of Comedy Benefitting the Chabad Jewish Community Center, featuring comedian Mark Schiff. Auction, live music, hors d’oeuvres, no-host bar, and desserts. 6:30-8:00 p.m. Hampton Inn and Suites, 155 Placerville Rd.,Folsom. For more information, contact 916.608.9811 ext. 101 or info@ jewishfolsom.org.

Tot Shabbat. Services, Singing, Storytelling, and Oneg for all children, including all who are young at heart. Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact Marcia at 916.988.4100 or [email protected]. Saturdays

Saturdays

Taste of Torah. Every second Saturday. Come join us as we learn, laugh, sing, and “taste” the Torah. Free program for families with young children and children of all abilities. Temple Or Rishon, 7755 Hazel Ave. Orangevale. 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact Marcia at 916.988.4100 or [email protected].

EVENTS June 1-June 3, 2012. Kehillah Kedoshah: Growing Sacred Community. Kol HaNefesh’s Annual Spring Shabbaton featuring visiting scholar Rabbi Shawn Zevit. Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday 7:30 p.m.; Torah study, Saturday 9:00 a.m.; Shabbat services, Saturday 10:00 a.m.; luncheon and afternoon session, Saturday 12:30-2:30 p.m.; concert and


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