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- Events. Highlights of this Weekend and the next few weeks.
- Portion of the Week (With commentary by a noted scholar.)
- Nachas Mazal Tov.
- In Memoriam (Includes funeral and shiva information.)
Anouncements and Upcoming Events
The Shohet Daily Minyan will meet this week at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, on Monday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m., and at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday, August 13th, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Guralnick Chapel. Shabbat morning services on Saturday, August 14th will be at 10:00 in the Goldstine Sanctuary.
ALSO Volunteers are needed to prepare lunches in their homes for Friday, August 20th. If you would be interested please call Carol Steinfeld at 312-751-2337
Volunteers are also needed for our Temple Clean-Up Day on Sunday, August 22nd. Please call the office to express your willingness to lend a hand
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Portion of The Week
Torah Portion:
Annual Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Triennial Deuteronomy 15:1-16:17
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5
This Shabbat’s Torah reading in the triennial cycle begins on p. 789 of the Etz Hayim Chumash. The Haftarah begins on p. 794.
True Power is Compassion
I’ve often marveled at the designation “the Great” in the history books tracing the development of Western Civilization. Consider with me those august individuals who carry that appellation: Alexander the Great, Herod the Great, Charlemagne (which means Charlie the Great), Catherine the Great, Peter the Great. In truth, the only trait that links these people, one to another, is their ruthlessness, their despotism, and the fact that they were responsible for the deaths of many, many innocents. “Great”, apparently, is a term for mass murderers who possess power.
By that definition, Caesar Augustus, Genghis Khan, even Adolf Hitler can be called “great.” But think about what that says about the values of the people who wrote the history textbooks we all used in grade school, high school, and college. The worldview of the guardians of western civilization seem to cherish wealth, power, and force. Little wonder that the world is in the sad shape it is, when the people we glorify are precisely the most ruthless. The standards are paganreveling in raw power and the ability to impose one’s will on other people whether they accept it or not. This is Nietzsche’s ubermentsch (superman) trampling through the annals of human history, glorifying in wealth, power, fame, and beauty.
Even as a schoolboy, I never understood why these people were great. “Terrible” seemed a better title for those who chose to initiate wars of conquest, who ruthlessly suppressed those people under their control, and who made the lives and deaths of humanity the clay with which to sculpt their own memorials.
In its starkest form, we may think we eschew that form of grandeur, but that claim would be a delusion. President Ford, slipping in the polls, attacked Cambodia and his popularity soared. The first President Bush, dropping in popular esteem, created a war in the Persian Gulf and enjoyed a remarkable increase in popularity. Even President Clinton benefited from launching an air attack against Iraq, and his successor has made war a centerpiece of his administration. However “biblical” Americans think their morality may be, the sad reality is that we consider launching assaults that result in human deaths to be “presidential,” and the more mundane and complex tasks of diplomacy and cooperation bores us and seems a sign of weakness.
Not so God. In a remarkable passage in today’s Torah portion, Moses reveals what makes for true greatness. He describes the Holy One as “God supreme and Lord supreme, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe, but upholds the cause of the orphan and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing him with food and clothing.”
How striking! A claim of greatness that has nothing to do with demonstrations of force, with killing, or with intimidation. God’s greatness, says Moses, is based on moral rectitude, fairness, and compassion for the weakest members of societyorphans, widows, and strangers. As the Talmud wisely notes, “with God’s might, you find God’s humility.”
What a role model to hold out to the rest of us! True greatness consists in our using our strength, our wealth, our wisdom and our power to build communities of love, justice and caring, to reach out to those who cannot fend for themselves, to build bridges with all humanity and with all living things, to care for the earth and all who dwell upon it.
Let not the wise glory in their wisdom, nor the powerful in their strength, nor the rich in their wealth, says the prophet Jeremiah. Rather by training ourselves to recognize those attributes as loans, we recognize that they were lent to us for a specific purposenot our own private pleasures but to increase the evidence for God’s love and compassion in the world.
By harnessing our material blessings to concern for our fellow human beings, we make ourselves more godly. By learning that “what I own, I owe”, we can teach ourselves to find contentment not in what can be lost (possessions, looks, power, prestige) but in what is eternalgratitude, camaraderie, love, and fellowship. By mastering the weakness within that causes us to lash out at individuals or to strike at other nations in a reflex to shore up our own sense of decline, we can heed the Torah’s message: true might is demonstrated by humility.
Not by might, and not by strength, but by God’s spirit, will we poor contentious humans hope to bring a measure of healing and peace to this bloodied and battered world.
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson
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Nachas
Olivia Suzanne Freedman, daughter of Jessica and Ross Freedman, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mel and Joyce Freedman & Rabbi and Mrs. Victor and Rose-Miriam Mirelman, & great granddaughter of Mrs. Ferdinande Vanderhoek, was born on Friday, May 14. All are doing well.May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and joy and may she always be a source of naches for her family.
A boy, son of Lisa and Jeff Bernstein, grandson of Linda and Barry Newman, was born on Sunday, May 2,2004 at the University of Michigan Hospital. The baby weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces. He, along with mom, dad, and big brother Zachary are all doing very well. The brit milah is scheduled for Sunday, May 9, in Ann Arbor.
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and serenity. May he always be a source of naches for his family and of pride for the Jewish people.
Jack Aleksander Cohen, son of Shana and Michael Cohen, grandson of Janet and Lance Bolonik, and great grandson of Dr. Samuel Bolonik, was born Thursday night, April 8, 2004.
Jack weighs 7 pounds and is 20 inches long. He's doing just fine as are his mom and dad. You can bet that his grandparents and great grandfather are walking on air!
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and may he be a source of pride and joy for his family.
Morgan Reidy, daughter of Tammy and Matthew Reidy, and granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Hai and Carol Solomon, was born at Gottlieb Hospital on Thursday evening, March 18. Morgan weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounc
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and joy and may she be a source of love and happiness for her family and all who come to know her.
The following members of Oak Park-River Forest High School's sophomore class earned a place on the Dean's List (3.50 unweighted grade point average or higher) for the first semester of the year.
Eliezah Dale David Fingerman Brian LibgoberMazal Tov to these students on their outstanding academic achievement. We congratulate the following young people from our congregation, all freshmen at Oak Park and River Forest High School, who earned a place on the first semester honor roll. Honor Roll requires a 3.0 - 3.49 unweighted grade point average. Those with an * in front of their name were on the Dean's List for the first semester, which requires a 3.50 or higher unweighted g.p.a.
*Zoe Bernard Evan Chartier *Elizabeth Grossman *Michael Heiferman *Daniel Kieselstein *Benjamin Landay *Andrew Soffer *Rachel Teitelbaum
The following juniors and seniors earned a place on the 1st semester honor roll at Oak Park-River Forest High School. The honor roll requires an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 to 3.49. Freshmen and sophomores on the honor roll will be published at a later date.
Class of 2005:
Rachel Bernstein
Samuel Bloch
Joshua Fried
Class of 2004:
Hilary Gordon
The following students earned a place on the 1st semester dean's list at OPRFHS. This requires an unweighted g.p.a. of 3.5 or higher.
Class of 2005:
Lindsey Alport
Rona Banai
Brendan Goldman
Ilana Green
Alanna Schloff
Daniel Heiferman
Lindsay Wolfman
Class of 2004:
Gillian Fred
Jamie Morgan
Michael Seidman
Yan Slobodkin
Elmwood Park High School
Class of 2005
Rachel Hilker
Lindsay Wolfman was recently inducted as a junior into the National Cum Laude Society, which accepts only the top 5% of juniors and the top 15% of seniors in high schools across the country. In addition to her academic achievements, Lindsay was selected to the first ever women's varsity lacrosse team at Oak Park-River Forest High School.
Congratulations to these students and their families. Please let us know of other students at other high schools or colleges who have outstanding records or achievements.
Brooke Robbins, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Joel and Heidi Robbins, was born on December 25, 2003. The congregation sends its warmest wishes to her parents and family. May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and joy.
Benjamin Clinger, husband of Carla Berkman Clinger and son-in-law of Gilda and Mainard Berkman, will graduate with honors from Northwestern University this Spring and will be the valedictorian of his class. Mr. Clinger, who completed his undergraduate work in two and a half years, will attend Yale University Law School in the Fall.
Mazal Tov to Leah and Fred Mehl, whose daughter Eve Victoria was born on December 6.
May this child grow up in a world which knows only peace and love and may she always be a source of pride to her parents, family, and the people of Israel.
Lehrer and Redleaf, the law firm of our member Diane Redleaf, were awarded the 2003 Pro Bono Award by the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, at a September 23 luncheon at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.
The firm was recognized for its work on major child welfare reform litigation.
The Lawyer's Committee, like all non-profit civil rights organizations, is struggling to maintain services at this time and needs widespread support.
Congratulations to Diane and her colleagues.
Talia Haley Marcus, daughter of Craig and Karen Marcus and little sister of Nathaniel and Hannah Marcus, was born on August 6, weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz.
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace, joy, and love and may she be a source of naches for her family and all who come to know her.
Maya Lynn Loewenthal, daughter of Emily Hauser and Eran Loewenthal, was born on Wednesday, July 23, at 10:56 p.m. Maya made her debut at 20 inches in length and 9 lbs., 3 oz. in weight.
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace, joy, and love and may she make her contribution to that world.
Congratulations to Barry and Linda Newman, grandparents, and Adam and Lori Simon, parents, on the birth June 11 of Noah Asiel Simon.
Rachel Ellen Lieb, daughter of Liz and Dan Lieb and granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. David and Shirley Lieb, was born on Saturday, June 7, 2003. Mother and child (and Dad and grandparents too!) are doing well.
May this child grow up in a world that knows only peace and love.
Natalie Laskin Saltzman, daughter of Laurel and Peter Saltzman, and little sister of Veronica and Emanuel Saltzman, was born on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 about six weeks before her family was expecting her.
Natalie may be small (3 pounds, 14 ounces), but she's in great shape, Dad informs us; "crying plenty, breathing on her own, and quite hungry. She's also quite a little beauty."
Jonah Austin Black, Son of Courtenay Harris-Black and Stephen Black was born January 18, 2003. 8 lbs., 14 oz. -- 20 inches. Jonah and his parents are all doing well.
Liana Rubin Bare, daughter of Helen Rubin and Joanna Bare and granddaughter of our members Drs. Phyllis and Howard Rubin, was born on January 1, 2003.
May she be a source of joy and fulfillment for her entire family and may she grow up in a world that knows only peace.
Michael David Baren, son of Gerolyn and Chuck Baren and grandson of Phyllis and Sheldon Baren, was born today, January 29, 2003.
May he be a source of joy and fulfillment for his entire family and may he grow up in a world that knows only peace.
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In memoriam
Condolences to Dr. Judith Grobe Sachs on the passing of her father, Arthur Grobe.
We mourn the death in Hendersonville, North Carolina on Saturday, June 26, of Elaine Beverly Mann (nee Fierman), mother of Jolaine Orlin. The funeral will be this Thursday, July 1, in North Carolina.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death early today of longtime member Seymour Pielet, husband of Evelyn Pielet. Funeral services will be held at the synagogue on Wednesday, April 28, at 2:00 p.m. with interment at Jewish Waldheim Cemetery. Plans for shiva will be announced at the funeral.
May his family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death on April 24,2004, of Belle Watman, mother of Karen Dale. The funeral will be at the synagogue on Monday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. After interment at Jewish Waldheim Cemetery, the family will be sitting shiva at the River Forest home of Richard and Karen Dale.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death Rose Finkel, aunt of Karen Dale, and sister of Belle Watman and the late Albert Watman.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death on Saturday of Gloria Charnes, wife of Alvin Charnes. Funeral services were held Monday, March 29, at 1:00 p.m. at the synagogue May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in Folkestone, England on March 5 of Dorice Garafolo, mother of Sally Grossman and grandmother of Sarah Grossman. May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death today, February 18, of George Koch, father of Judith Crown. Graveside services at Westlawn Cemetery will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 20, 2004 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund at West Suburban Temple Har Zion or a charity of the donor's choice.
May his family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death of Barbara Adler, mother of our member Susan Adler. A service will be held at Weinstein Family Services,1300 West Devon Avenue, in Chicago Thursday, January 22, 2004, at 10:00 a.m. The family will receive condolence calls at the home of Karen Marder-Adler, 4144 North Hermitage Avenue, 2nd floor, in Chicago, on Friday from noon until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Area Family & Aging Services, 7730 Sheridan Road, Kenosha, WI 53143 or to the Illinois Academy of Criminology, P.O. Box 134, Lemont, IL 60439.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
We mourn the death in Los Angeles, November 24, 2003, of Alan Gross, brother of Harvey M. Gross. May his family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in Wisconsin on November 16 of Alice Engler, mother of Amy Jacobs, and mother-in-law of Steve Jacobs. May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death early Tuesday morning, November 18, of George Sachs, age 93, father of Dr. Edward Sachs. Funeral services will be held at West Suburban Temple Har Zion at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 20, with interment in the temple's section of Glen Oak Cemetery in Hillside.
The family will observe the period of Shiva at the home of the deceased, 200 Wyndemere Circle in Wheaton, through Sunday, November 23, except for Shabbat.
We mourn the death on October 24 of Babette (Bobby) Ecker, longtime member of both our congregation and Oak Park Temple.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death today of our longtime member Mrs. Beatrice Bloom, mother of Jerome Bloom. The graveside service will be tomorrow, September 17, at 2:00 p.m. at Jewish Waldheim Cemetery. Shiva will be observed at the family residence, 2201 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago, tomorrow and Thursday, from 7:00 -- 10:00 p.m.
May her family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday, August 17, of Lucee Schloff, mother of Dan Schloff. The family is observing the period of shiva in St. Paul.
May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing
We mourn the death Sunday, August 17,2003, of our long-time member Dr. Harold Blumenthal, husband of Dr. Doris Blumenthal, and father of Steven, Robert, and David Blumenthal.
May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of Leon Mirelman, father of Rabbi Victor A. Mirelman, on Friday, July 25.
May his family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death on June 16 of our longtime member Frances Stern. Funeral services for Mrs. Stern will be held in the synagogue's Goldstine Sanctuary on Wednesday, June 18, at noon, with interment at Westlawn Cemetery.
May her family be comforted among all the mourners of Israel.
We mourn the death May 5, 2003, of our member Dr. Sheldon Krasnow, husband of Joan Krasnow. Funeral services were held at the synagogue on Thursday, May 8, at 10:00 a.m.
May his family be comforted among all the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in Buenos Aires this Morning, March 20,2003, of Suzanne Mirelman, mother of Rabbi Victor A. Mirelman. Funeral services will be March 21.
May her family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death in New York City on Saturday, March 15,2003 of Paula Lerner -- Chaya bat Shmuel HaCohen -- mother of Dr. Allan Lerner.
May her family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing
The congregation mourns the death today(February 21,2003) of our member, Ruth Goetz. The funeral will be on Tuesday, February 25, at 1:00 p.m. at West Suburban Temple Har Zion. Interment will be at Oak Ridge Jewish Cemetery in Hillside.
May her family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
Louisa Kaberon, mother of our former member Abby Eddy, died last night (February 16). Funeral services will be held at Congregation Etz Chaim, 1710 South Highland Avenue, in Lombard, at 2:00 p .m. on Tuesday, February 18.
May her family and friends be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death on December 6, of longtime member Evelyn Berkun, wife of the late Norman Berkun. The funeral will be held at the synagogue on Monday, December 9, at 1:00 p.m., with interment at Waldheim Cemetery.
May her family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death on December 4 of longtime temple member, Helen Zaritz, wife of the late Simon Zaritz, and mother of Ben Zaritz and David Zaritz.
May her family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death of our member, Alexander Liberman, on Saturday, November 2. A graveside service will be held at Shalom Memorial Park on Monday, November 4 at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements for shivah will be announced at the funeral. May his family be comforted among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the sudden death of Jeffrey Abrams, brother of our member Richard Abrams. He leaves his wife Joan, daughter Samantha, and son Jonathan.
The funeral will be at Congregation B'nai Emunah, 9131 Niles Center Road, Skokie, on Monday, October 14, at 1:00 p.m. Shivah will be observed after the interment on Monday and on Tuesday, October 15, at the home of William Abrams, 9558 Gross Point Road, Apt. 609, Skokie.
May his family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
We mourn the death October 2, 2002 in Emporia, Kansas of Louis Fritzemeier, father of Mary Zavett. The funeral will be on Sunday, October 6, in Emporia. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
The congregation mourns the death on Friday, August 23, of Leo Roth, father of our member Ricky Roth. The funeral will be held at Anshe Emet Congregation, 3760 North Pine Grove Avenue in Chicago, on Monday, August 26, at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at Shalom Memorial Park. The family will observe the period of shiva at the home of Ricky's sister in the Wrigleyville neighborhood. Call Ricky for information and directions.
May family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death on August 18 of Gertrude Rukin, grandmother of our member Mrs. Kelly Oxer. May her family and friends be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death of Minnie "Mickey" Lieb, mother of Dr. David Lieb. A graveside service will be held at Jewish Waldheim Cemetery on Wednesday, August 21, at 2:00 p.m. Following the interment, the family will receive condolence calls at the home of Dr. and Mrs. David and Shirley Lieb, 1108 North Linden Avenue, Oak Park.
May her family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jersualem. May her memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death on August 7 of James O'Brien, father of our member, Mary Jo Levin. May his family and friends be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing
The congregation mourns the death of Margarita Redin Vozak, mother of our member, Frank Vozak, on August 3, in Alton, Illinois. May her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May her memory be for a blessing.
The congregation mourns the death of Dr. Mark Neil Goren, son of our members Dr. and Mrs. Marvin and Irene Goren, and brother of Alene Goren-Taylor and Carole Gore.
May family and friends be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be for a blessing.
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Update information provided by Harvey Gross
We welcome guests to attend our services and our events, including our daily minyan. We encourage all Jews to belong to a synagogue. Please call Fred Oskin at the Temple office at (708)366-9000 for further information about membership or upcoming events.
Join us for Shabbat services: Friday evenings at 6:30 and Saturday mornings at 10:00.
For further information contact the Temple office.
Dr. Victor A. Mirelman, Rabbi; Fred Oskin, Administrator; Alicia Gejman, Principal; Bev Applebaum, Pre-school Director.West Suburban Temple Har Zion, 1040 N. Harlem, River Forest IL. 60305 Voice:(708)366-9000 Fax: (708)366-9006, E-mail: foskin_wsthz @ sbcglobal.net (without spaces).
Return to West Suburban Temple page
This page maintained by Leonard Grossman who has his own totally unrelated pages.
Updated 8/8/2004 9:11:51 PM
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