SINAI NEWS

November/December 2009 • Cheshvan - Tevet 5770

Shabbat & Holiday Schedule In this issue

Rabbi’s Corner, 2
Shabbat Vayera Nov 28 Torah Study 8 am
Young Families
Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Nov 6 Minyan Katan 5:30 pm Cantor’s Notes, Reflections 3
6th Grade Dinner 6 pm Shabbat Vayishlach
Family Shabbat Service 7 pm Genesis 32:4 - 36:43 Lifelong Jewish Learning 4
Dec 4 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm
Nov 7 Torah Study 8 am School Events, 5
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Dec 5 Torah Study 8 am
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Adult Learning
Shabbat Chayei Sara President’s Message 6
Genesis 23:1 - 25:18 Shabbat Vayeshev
Nov 13 Shabbat Service Celebrating Genesis 37:1 - 40:23 Brit Nashim, 7
Dec 11 Minyan Katan 5:30 pm
Israel 6:15 pm ACC Campership Concert
Chanukah Dinner 6 pm
Nov 14 Torah Study 8 am Chanukah Service 7 pm
Morning Minyan 9:30 am
November Calendar 8
Justin Weil Bar Mitzvah 10 am Dec 12 Torah Study 8 am
Morning Minyan 9:30 am December Calendar 9
Shabbat Toldot What’s Greening at Sinai 10
Genesis 25:19 - 28:9 Shabbat Miketz
Nov 20 Shabbat Service w/ Scholar in Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 Brotherhood, 11
Residence 6:15 pm Dec 18 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Women of Sinai
Nov 21 Torah Study 8 am Dec 19 Torah Study 8 am Social Action, Bar Mitzvah 12
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Young Families Havdalah & Mitbach Sinai, Personals, 13
Potluck 5:00 pm Shabbat Vayigash Chanukah Dinner
Genesis 44:18 - 47:27
Shabbat Vayetzei Dec 25 Shabbat Service 6:15 pm News from Emet VeShalom 14
Genesis 28:10 - 32:3 Chinese Food Dinner 7:30 pm
Nov 27 Shabbat Service & Sanctuary/ Mah Jongg Friend’zy 15
Social Hall Door Dedication 6:15 pm Dec 26 Torah Study 8 am
Morning Minyan 9:30 am Rachel Baum 16
Sinai Make a Difference 17
Donations 18
Seniors Havurah 19
Meet the Sinai Staff 20
Yahrzeits 21

Rabbi David B. Cohen • Cantor Rebecca Robins • Rabbi Emeritus Jay R. Brickman
Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning Sherry H. Blumberg, Ph.D., R.J.E.
Director of Administration Karen Lancina • Program Coordinator Jen Friedman • Sinai News Nicole Sether
Congregation Sinai • 8223 N. Port Washington Road• Fox Point, WI 53217
414.352.2970• 414.352.0944 (fax)• www.congregationsinai.org
Page 2 November/December 2009

Rabbi’s Corner
Friday night, November 27th, a set of new doors for
the sanctuary and social hall will be dedicated. This last phase
of the renovation and addition project will be dedicated to the
memories of Jay Lieberman and his son Larry Lieberman, may
their memories be for a blessing. The beautiful stained glass
doors were made possible by a gener-
ous gift from Joan Lieberman.
The door’s crea-
tion was the result of a
long process of collabora-
tion with internationally
known stained glass art-
ists, David and Michelle
Plachte-Zuieback. Resi-
dents of Northern Califor-
Larry Lieberman nia, David and Michelle vis-
ited Sinai three years ago to
meet with the design committee for the renova-
tion and expansion. Over the past year, Susan
Solvang, Anne Ghory Goodman, Patti Levy and Chip Mann
have worked closely with the artists and with the donor to
achieve an artistic outcome in keeping with the unique feeling
of our foyer.
The doors were chosen because the current doors,
when closed, are nearly invisible. If you do happen to see that
there are doors there, there is no sense of what might lay be-
hind them – in one case the sanctuary and the other the so-
cial hall. We wanted to find a way to subtly signal the differ-
ence between the two rooms, one of which is the center of our
prayer life, the other the focus of our celebrations.
In addition to the stained glass, the artists and de-
sign group chose a number of scriptural
citations for the doors. The social hall
doors feature the words from the third
chapter of Kohellet (Ecclesiastes), “To
everything there is a purpose and a time
for every experience under heaven.” The
sanctuary doors include,
among other quotes, the Ara-
maic phrase from the Talmud,
“Where heaven and earth
touch.” Jay Leiberman
The doors will be mag-
nificent, they will function as a way to designate
the purpose of the sanctuary and social hall.
What’s more, the symbolic stained glass and the
words from our sacred writings will make them a
most compelling teaching tool.
We look forward to celebrating the dedi-
cation of the doors with
you at Shabbat ser-
vices, Thanksgiving
weekend.
Rabbi David Cohen
Artists: David and Michelle Plachte Zuieback

The Young Families Committee (with children through second grade) invites you (and older
siblings) to join us for a Fun-filled Potluck "Schtick" Dinner, Havdallah, Songs and Crafts on
Saturday, November 21, 5-7 pm at Congregation Sinai.

Come with a family "Schtick" (song, craft,

humorous skit, or other idea) to share with
the group.

RSVP at http://youngfamilieshavdallahpotluck.eventbrite.com

Questions?? Call Mark or Carmel Sweet, 962-8196 or msweet4@wi.rr.com.

A-F please bring pasta * G-K side dish * L-Z dessert

November/December 2009
Cantor’s Notes
Shabbat at Sinai
Following the month of Tishrei,
packed with the joyful holidays of Rosh
Hashanah, Sukkot and Simchat Torah,
and the introspective observances of
S'lichot and Yom Kippur, comes the
month of Cheshvan. Our sages refer to
the month of Cheshvan as Mar Chesh-
van, or 'bitter' Cheshvan
because it is absolutely
free of holidays. While for
synaoguge leaders across
the world, perhaps the bit-
terness of Cheshvan is
sweetened with a bit of
rest from holiday planning,
preparing, leading and
celebrating - for all of us,
Cheshvan can provide an
opportunity to look again to
Shabbat as a measure of
peace and comfort, joy and
sweetness.
For every person, Shabbat is
rich with opportunity. Opportunities to
pray, to eat, to study, to dance, to sing,
to relax, to refresh...the possibilities of
what Shabbat can bring to our lives are
endless, as we can each make Shabbat
the experience we want it to be for our-
selves and our families. At Sinai, we're
taking a new look at Shabbat prayer,
and providing a variety of Shabbat wor-
ship opportunities each month, to help
you find an easy way to make Shabbat
prayer a meaningful part of your Shab-
bat experience.
Each month, on the first Friday
of the month (check the Sinai News and
the website for a few exceptions), we'll
gather for a festive evening of family
Shabbat worship. At 5:30, we'll gather
for Minyan Katan. This short and lively
Shabbat experience is for our youngest
congregants, through 1st grade. Bring
your parents or grandparents and sing
Sinai
Office
Holiday
Hours
and play with us as we welcome Shabbat
in story and song. At 6:00, we'll gather
our families for Shabbat dinner with their
children of similar ages, followed by our
7:00 PM service. This family-friendly ser-
vice is great for children, their grandpar-
ents, parents, and friends. Join us in
prayer, song and story for a
fun and energy filled Kabba-
lat Shabbat.
On the third Shabbat of the
month, join us for Shabbat
Limud, A Shabbat of Learn-
ing. Come worship and learn
with us at 6:15 PM. Each of
these services will feature a
speaker, sermon, text study
or other learning experience
to help enhance our Shab-
bat prayer with the gift of
learning. Check out our cal-
endar for topics!
On the fourth Shabbat of the
month, at 6:15 PM, join us for Shabbat
Tikkun haNefesh, A Sabbath of Healing
the Soul. While our weeks can be filled
with the hectic goings on of everyday life,
Shabbat is an opportunity for us to rest,
be refreshed, and reflect on the quiet
and calm that we can find in Shabbat.
Take an opportunity to find a few mo-
ments of quiet and reflection with us
through music, meditation and reflection.
Through our Shabbat prayer, we will
seek, together, some healing of our
souls.
Perhaps one of these worship
frameworks will enable you to enhance
your Shabbat experience, and find a bit
of sweetness in the month of Cheshvan.
We so look forward to celebrating Shab-
bat with you, and praying together. Shab-
bat Shalom!
Cantor Rebecca Robins
November 26 closed
November 27 closed
December 24 closing at noon
December 25 closed
December 31 closing at noon
January 1 closed
Page 3
Reflections
Ashkenazim do not eat rice
on Passover. Although Biblical law
prohibits only the eating of leaven,
rabbis interpreted the swelling of rice
and beans as similar to the leavening
process. This
scrupulous
interpretation
of the law was
provoked by
historic perse-
cution suf-
fered at the
instigation of
the Church.
Being stricter
in observance would hopefully en-
courage God’s intervention on our
behalf. In the more liberal world of
medieval Islam, there was fruitful in-
teraction with Arab poets, which led to
beautiful new hymns for our liturgy.
Dialogue between Maimonides and
Arab philosophers provoked creation
of his masterpiece work, Guide to the
Perplexed. Sephardim are generally
less strict in the observance of Jewish
law. With resurgence of traditional
practice in Reform Synagogues, we
are well advised not to go overboard
in detail, but be guided by the exam-
ple of our more casual Sephardic
forebears.
Rabbi Jay Brickman
Minyan Katan
We Sing Shabbat,
We Sing Shalom!
November 6, 5:30 PM
December 11, 5:30 PM followed by
the Chanukah Dinner!
Join us for a short & lively
Shabbat experience for our youngest
congregants, through 1st
grade. Bring your parents or grand-
parents & sing & play with us as we
welcome Shabbat in story & song!
Next Date – December 11, 5:30 PM,
followed by the Chanukah Dinner!
Page 4 November/December 2009

Lifelong Jewish Learning

Primary Grades Elementary Grades
Young children can learn to honor their parents, While the fifth commandment does not clarify how
especially the father, by not sitting in his place at the table we are to honor our parents, Jewish commentators suggest
in the home, nor in the synagogue, if that if a person carries out the first four commandments,
the father has a special place he likes the fifth commandment will follow naturally. In the Talmud
to sit. (Yoreh Derech 240:2) In addi- discussion centers on how a child honors the parents, and
tion, the the major thrust is that the
names To HONOR our parents child act in a manor to
t h a t As some of you may know, my Mother has been please the parent by fulfill-
children really declining in health and her ability to cope with time, ing the Mitzvot, honoring
call par- money and living in general. It is a problem that many of us God, not
e n t s who are Baby Boomers face. As she is less and less able to cursing,
c a n cope, she depends more and more on me; the parent and a n d
s h o w child roles become confused and sometimes reversed. A c e l e -
respect fellow congregant at Sinai is facing a similar situation, and b r a t i n g
a n d she suggested that we have a course or learning session on S h a b -
honor. Our sages suggest the Jewish texts that might give us a Jewish way to handle b a t .
that “my mother” or “my fa- what we, the children acting like par- Children
ther” is appropriate when ents, could use to “honor” our par- this age
speaking about the parent. ents who are now like our children. I o f t e n
To show honor by naming was very moved by the thought and like to
the role is one way to keep have chosen to incorporate the ques- p l e a s e
honoring a parent, even tion into this bi-monthly article. parents, so the discussion
when they are old. The initial commandment is is appropriate for today.
in Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father
and mother that you may long en-
Teens
dure on the land that the Eternal has Adults
During this age, assigned you.” There are many dis- In several places in
when teens and young cussions about what it means “to our Psalms and prayers we
adults are separating from honor.” There are no easy answers, honor may vary with ask God not to forget us
the parent and establishing the individual who honors and the one who will receive the when we are old. For me,
their own identity, it is espe- honor. We do know that the Hebrew root of honor is Kaf that has always been a re-
cially important for the com- Bet Dalet, and it can mean honor, and “heavy.” It can be a minder that I should not
mandment to be considered. heavy burden “ to honor” someone. Conversely, struggling forget my parents as they
And this is the time when to maintain an elderly parent’s dignity and honor can be a aged. Keeping in touch,
contrasting the other men- great teacher and a great gift. whether weekly or monthly,
tion of honoring parents can I hope that these reflections here, and the sugges- reaching out to them, learn-
be explored. In Leviticus 19 tions for educating our children and ourselves will prove ing about them as people,
the commandment reads useful and thought provoking. These are only a beginning not just parents was a way
“You shall fear/be in awe of in the short space of an article. I invite you to write and to of honoring them. With the
your mother and father.” add your ideas and suggestions. death of each parent our
Dr. Sherry Blumberg
First, the mother is men- chance to learn his or her
tioned before the father, sec- stories is lost. So asking
ondly, the word Kaf, Bet and listening to their per-
Daled is changed to Yud ceptions about their lives is
Resh Alef, to fear or be in awe a way of honoring them.
of. Perhaps there are different times to place mothers and Adults can grow by comparing the story of the parent to
fathers first. Perhaps, it is the Torah teaching us that both their memories of the event. And when the roles reverse,
roles are important. In addition, today’s preference is usu- finding ways of calling them “my mother or my father” and
ally to translate Yud, Resh Alef as “awe.” As a person remembering that when we were helpless, they did try to
strives to separate, they will learn how much the parent has care for us in the best way they knew how is a way to honor
done for them, and then usually they can be in awe of the them. As they listened to our needs and wants when we
parent. were little, so too, we can listen, and find patience.
November/December 2009 Page 5

Upcoming School Events Adult Education

Exciting Programming in Addition to our Regular Sunday/Thursday program- The goals of Congregation
ming includes: Sinai’s adult learning programs are:
To encourage learners to experience
Sunday, November 15, 10:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m. a wide variety of Jewish topics; to
K4-2nd Grade Family Education Program: L’Dor Va Dor deepen and intensify a Jewish adult’s
A multigenerational exploration of honoring our parents, grandparents and children. knowledge, skill, value and interest in
Judaism; and to challenge the adult
Thursday, December 3, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. learner to think and feel deeply about
6th Grade Family B’nei Mitzvah Program Jewish life and learning. We strive to
be a learning congregation that in-
Sunday, December 6, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. spires the learning of our young by
3rd Grade Parents Education Program: Siddureinu (Our Siddur) modeling the learning of their parents
and grandparents.
Sunday, December 13 When you study as an adult
it is of your own choice. Congregation
Whole School Chanukah Play
Sinai offers a wide variety of courses.
More details to follow…
And, because of the many require-
ments on adults (work, family, com-
munity) some of the courses are of
short duration. Other courses are on-
going. We encourage you to choose
the courses that fit your time and in-
terest. We hope you will stretch your
You are invited to join us for our Family Shabbat Service on mind and soul and try things that may
surprise you.
Friday, November 6th at 7 p.m.
November’s courses are:
“I hope you have children just like
you: the Torah’s Take on Judaism’s
Our Sixth Graders will lead their First Families” with Rabbi David
leadership. Our young people bring a Cohen
November 3, 10, 17, 24, 7:30 pm
special energy and excitement that you
should not miss! Sunday Mornings Ethics Discussions:
“Jewish Business Ethics”
Sunday, November 8, 10:30 am with
Rabbi Cohen, David Cobb and others
This family friendly service is GREAT for all ages! Scholar in Residence: Dr. Rachel
Join us at 5:30 p.m for Minyan Katan. Baum “Jewish Identity in a Time of
Mixed Marriage: Are We Still a
Tribe?”
November 20-22
December’s courses are:
Mazal Tov… “Our Covenant, Our Life Cycle and Our
People” with Cantor Rebecca Robins
To our Consecration Students and Families of 2009! December 1, 8, 22, 7:30 pm
The December Dilemma: “Parenting
Harrison Gollin, son of Patricia and Andrew Gollin Jewish Children in December”
Sunday, December 6, 10:30 am
Elijah Laber, son of Elaine Palmer-Laber and Eron Laber
Sunday Morning Ethics Discussion:
Malcolm Lile, son of Sandy Saltzstein and Darrin Lile “War and Peace” with Dr. Blumberg
and special guests
Gabriel Newman, son of Amy and Dan Newman December 20, 10:30 am
Don’t miss the ongoing Senior’s
Cecilia Parkes, daughter of Monica and Joshua Parkes Havurah: November 23
Alexander Stelzer, son of Brenda and Marc Stelzer To sign up:
http://www.eventbrite.com/rss organ-
izer_list_events/266742216
Page 6
President’s Message: Message from Rosh Hashanah
Shabbat Shalom. I am Judi Ket-
ten and I am honored to stand before
you this evening as president of Congre-
gation Sinai.
When Rabbi Cohen told me
that I was to speak tonight, I knew this
could be my most important opportunity
to reach a large part of our community
who may not often come to synagogue
throughout the year. Well, my hope is,
that after tonight, you will want to come
back more often. So I sat and thought,
hoping that my words would inspire,
motivate, maybe entertain and defi-
nitely move you to action and personal
change.
Then the Rabbi
tells me, Judi, not to cause
you any undue stress, but
many of the congregants
who do not know you,
might judge the job that
you are doing by your
words tonight.
So, I want to re-
mind you, I am not the
Rabbi, and I am no compe-
tition for his ability to teach
and to move people as he does so
beautifully with his words. For those of
you who do know me, you know that
stepping forward to accept responsibil-
ity is part of my being AND I cannot
separate my Judaism from who I am. So
I stand here tonight to speak from my
heart and share with you my dream for
Sinai
In May I began my first term as
president, chairing a Search Committee
that successfully completed its mis-
sion. We have officially split the job of
Synagogue Administrator into two very
strong part-time positions, director of
administration, and program coordina-
tor.
If you have met our two new
professionals, Karen Lancina and Jen
Friedman, you already understand how
fortunate we are to have such compe-
tent, experienced and energetic
staff. Karen utilizes her excellent tech-
nical business administration skills, as
well as her leadership, communication
and interpersonal skills that the position
requires. Jen exudes enthusiasm, and
she will be primarily responsible for co-
ordinating simchas, membership en-
gagement, public relations and facilities
usage. What an outstanding team! Not
to boast, but the innovative staffing ar-
rangement has attracted the attention
of other area synagogues, who, rumor
has it, refer to us as the successful
“Sinai model.”
Following the rabbi’s sermon
on health care, I want to speak about
the health of our synagogue. I want to
reassure everyone that our congrega-
tional future is in good hands and that
our Board can be counted on to bring
the vitality and quality of Jewish life for-
ward at Congregation Sinai. Our staff
and our Board of Trustees
are working together so we
don't lose sight of our shared
mission and purpose. We
create and initiate as indi-
viduals, but we collaborate
and reflect as a team.
Yes we do have a
creative, tenacious board of
Directors. I am continually
grateful to them for sharing
their precious time and tal-
ents. We have had the unenviable task
of struggling to maintain a fiscally re-
sponsible budget in these unforeseen
and terribly trying times. We appreciate
each of you who continue to support our
congregation. As Rabbi Cohen has re-
minded us, we are a covenantal com-
munity, not a contingent one; we sup-
port our synagogue even at times we
may not personally need it, just as oth-
ers supported it when we have needed
it. And this is even more important
when the economy is as challenging as
it is currently.
The Board of Directors does
more than worry about finances; they
also help maintain the momentum of
congregational life. Here are a couple of
examples of our current projects.
We recently approved a creative pro-
posal to bring young members, under
the age of 35, into our congregation to
insure a strong future. We are continu-
ally looking for innovative ideas to bring
new families to our congregation. We
need each of you to be a personal emis-
sary for our Sinai. New membership is
critical, and, as always, we warmly wel-
November/December 2009
come all new members into our spiri-
tual community; we are an intimate
congregation that can extend its warm
embrace to all.
For several years our congre-
gation has been working on creating a
user-friendly, exciting web site. It be-
gan with the dedication of Jim Sa-
linsky, and this year Sandy Saltzstein
made it all happen. I have to thank
her for her tenacity and her genuinely
hard work. The new congregational
web site is launched and improve-
ments are still being made. This was
all accomplished with a generous grant
by the Bader Foundation. Please
check out our new fresh look at
www.congregationsinai.org.
We all know these are excep-
tionally challenging times. We are fo-
cusing on renewing energy through our
many exceptional volunteers. We need
each and every one of you. I am pas-
sionate. I work to be organized. I need
each of you. There are opportunities
for one-time volunteer efforts to help
plan a congregational program, as well
as the chance to serve on committees,
committees that go beyond just talk, to
actually accomplishing. Our social ac-
tion committee is following up on its
amazing past year with new programs
and volunteer opportunities in the
wider Milwaukee community.
My own experience has taught
me that Sinai is open to anyone, on
any level, anyone who wants to help
out. We are unusually inclusive. I’ve
also learned that the deeper your in-
volvement, the more meaningful and
even spiritually uplifting. Call me. I
want my phone ringing off the hook
and my inbox to be full! The more con-
gregants that are involved, the
stronger the tapestry of our synagogue
life.
Whether Judaism is a legacy
you inherited from your parents and
grandparents, or something you’ve
come to later in life; no matter where
you might be in your Jewish journey,
we want to extend a hand and em-
brace you. There is a special place for
each of you in our diverse and inclu-
sive Sinai family. As the Ner Tamid, the
eternal light, shines brightly over the
Page 7
President’s Message: Message from Rosh Hashanah continued
ark, we commit to keeping the light on
for each of you.
I am sure I speak for everyone
here when I express our thanks and
gratitude to Rabbi Cohen and Cantor
Robins along with our melodic choir for
an eloquent and beautiful service.
Also, a huge thank you to Dr. Sherry
Blumberg, Jeni Goldbaum, Annie Gold-
ing and the school volunteers, as well
as, staff, and our volunteers who have
worked so hard to make these High
Holy Day services possible; especially
B’rit Nashim means
“Covenant of Women.” We are a group
of women who meet one evening each
month, for programs of Jewish and
personal content. We also have an
annual Shabbat retreat during the win-
ter. Our group, which started about 14
years ago, was formed as a Jewish
women's spirituality group, designed to
be a forum for women to gather to
share common interests and to build
the foundation of a community of
women within the larger community of
Congregation Sinai.
We have, in fact, formed close
personal bonds and grown into a true
"covenant" of women who support
each other in all areas of our
lives. The only requirements to join
B’rit Nashim are that you are a woman,
a member of Congregation Sinai, and
that you are looking for a group of
There's nothing like a Camp-
fire Sing-A-Long!
Do you love camp? Do you
love to sing? How about
singing at camp?? Join
the Cantors of Wiscon-
sin, Rabbi Cohen and all
your friends for an amaz-
ing night of Shirah! On
December 5, at 5:30 PM
we'll gather at Congrega-
tion Sinai to bid farewell to Shabbat,
and raise some money for kids to have
my dear friend Stacy Schwab, who con-
tinues to lend her organizational skills
to make sure all is where it should be,
when it should be. It is an amazing
amount of shared work to orchestrate
everything that needs to be done. We all
appreciate every volunteer’s dedication.
We all look forward to the fu-
ture of the coming year and to ensuring
the vitality of our community. In my
heart, I feel the challenge to maintain
and strengthen this generation and the
next generation’s connection and com-
Brit Nashim
women who are committed to each
other. There is no cost to be a member
except for any expenses that might in-
cur from the projects we undertake.
Our members take turns lead-
ing or planning the meetings; sharing
our diverse talents, interests, ideas
and experiences with one an-
other. From time to time, we also bring
in outside presenters. Some examples
of our past activities include sessions
on: Jewish artists and writers, ecology
and its relationship to Judaism, cooking
sessions, including making rugela, ge-
filte fish, and sushi; book discussions;
crafts, such as making our own books,
dream catchers and felted purses; and
putting together the congregation’s Cha-
nukah packages for Sinai’s college stu-
dents and blankets for SDC. And of
course, we always have food! One high-
light in our experience as a group, is our
ACC Campership Concert
a chance to spend the summer at Jew-
ish Camp.
This evening is FREE for you to
come and rock at! All ages
are welcome - camper or
camper-at-heart!
Won't you con-
sider bringing a small con-
tribution to help send an-
other kid to Jewish camp
this summer and to give
them the camping experience you
love? COW will divide all monies raised
November/December 2009
mitment to the Jewish people and the
Jewish State. I invite each of you to be
part of my dream.
On behalf of the entire Sinai
Board of Directors, Michael and I wish
you Shanah Tovah. May we all be re-
newed for a good year; a year of health,
happiness and shalom throughout Is-
rael and the rest of our world. Shabbat
Shalom and Shanah Tovah!
Judi Ketten
annual winter Shabbat retreat. This is a
time when we get away from our daily
routines to rejoice together. We always
plan meaningful and enjoyable activities
however, we find that it is really not the
activity that we are doing, but rather the
fact that we are together that mat-
ters. For, most importantly, we have
become trusted friends.
Each fall, B’rit Nashim is open
to new members. We find that this is a
great opportunity to get to know addi-
tional women, who bring wonderful new
energy and input to
our "covenant." We invite you to join
us. Potential members can come to our
open meeting Monday, November
9th. For further information, please
call Toby Colton at 351-5205 or Joanne
Roberts at 351-6486.
between JCC Camp In-
terlaken, Ramah Wis-
consin and the ACC
(American Conference
of Cantors) URJ Camp-
ing Initiative.
For more infor-
mation, call or email Cantor Robins.
Can't wait to sing with
us? RSVP at http://
campsingalong.eventbrite.com
See you there!
 November 2009
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
No School Aleph Bet Yoga 8:45 am Bible Study 9:30 am Conversational Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
Adult Hebrew 6 pm Hebrew 2:30 pm Women 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Rabbi Brickman Class 6:30 pm 3-6th Grade Classes 4 pm Lunch & Learn 12 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm Executive Committee Minyan Katan 5:30 pm
Meeting 7 pm 6th Grade Shabbat
Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm Dinner 6 pm URJ Biennial-Toronto
Family Shabbat Service 7 pm

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am Brit Nashim 7 pm Aleph Bet Yoga 8:45 am Bible Study 9:30 am Finance Committee Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am Adult Hebrew 6 pm Meeting 7:30 am Women 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Sunday Roundtable 10:30 am Rabbi Brickman Class 6:30 pm Conversational Lunch & Learn 12 pm Justin Weil Bar Mitzvah 10 am
Mini-U 5 pm Beit Midrash 7:30 pm Hebrew 2:30 pm Shabbat Service 6:15 pm
3-6th Grade Classes 4 pm
URJ Biennial-Toronto Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm

15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Brotherhood Coffee 9 am Mitbach Sinai 6 pm Finance Committee Bible Study 9:30 am Brotherhood Spirituality Scholar in Residence: Rachel Scholar in Residence: Rachel
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am Meeting 7:30 am Mah Jongg 7 pm Group 7:45 am Baum Baum
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am Aleph Bet Yoga 8:45 am Conversational Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
K4-2nd Grade Adult Hebrew 6 pm Hebrew 2:30 pm Women 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Family Ed 10:30 am Beit Midrash 7:30 pm 3-6th Grade Classes 4 pm Lunch & Learn 12 pm Young Families Havdallah &
Affirmation 11 am Board Meeting 7 pm Shabbat Limud Potluck 5 pm
Mini-U 5 pm Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm Service 6:15 pm

22
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am
Affirmation 11 am
Mini-U 5 pm
23 24 25 26 27 28
Bible Study 9:30 am Thanksgiving Office Closed Torah Study 8 am
Aleph Bet Yoga 8:45 am Office Closed Shabbat Tikkun HaNefesh - Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Seniors Havurah 1 pm Sanctuary/Social Hall Door
Adult Hebrew 6 pm Dedication 6:15 pm
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm

29 30
No School
Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm
 December 2009
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T

1 2 3 4 5
Alef Bet Yoga 8:45 am Bible Study 9:30 am Conversational Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
Adult Hebrew 6 pm Hebrew 2:30 pm Women 9:30 am Sukkot Service 9:30 am
Beit Midrash 7:30 pm 3-5th Grade Classes 4 pm Lunch & Learn 12 pm Campership
6th Grade Family B’nei Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Sing-a-long 5:30 pm
Mitzvah Ed 7 pm
Executive Committee
Meeting 7 pm

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Brotherhood Coffee 9 am Alef Bet Yoga 8:45 am Bible Study 9:30 am Finance Committee Erev Chanukah Chanukah 1st Candle
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am Adult Hebrew 6 pm Meeting 7:30 am Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am Beit Midrash 7:30 pm Conversational Women 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
3rd Grade Family Ed 10 am Hebrew 2:30 pm Lunch & Learn 12 pm
The December 3-6th Grade Classes 4 pm Minyan Katan 5:30 pm
Dilema 10:30 am Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm Chanukah Service 7 pm
Affirmation 11 am
Mini-U 5 pm

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Chanukah 2nd Candle Chanukah 3rd Candle Chanukah 4th Candle Chanukah 5th Candle Chanukah 6th Candle Chanukah 7th Candle Chanukah 8th Candle
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am Finance Committee Bible Study 9:30 am Brotherhood Spirituality Through the Eyes of Torah Study 8 am
All School Chanukah Meeting 7:30 am Mah Jongg 7 pm Group 7:45 am Women 9:30 am Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Program 10 am Alef Bet Yoga 8:45 am Conversational Lunch & Learn 12 pm
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am Adult Hebrew 6 pm Hebrew 2:30 pm Shabbat Limud
Affirmation 11 am 3-6th Grade Classes 4 pm Service 6:15 pm
Mini-U 5 pm Board Meeting 7 pm

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Chug Ivrit 9:30 am Mitbach Sinai 6 pm Alef Bet Yoga 8:45 am Bible Study 9:30 am No School Office Closed Torah Study 8 am
K4-6th Grade Classes 10 am Seniors Havurah 1 pm Office Closes at 12 pm Shabbat Tikkun Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Sunday Roundtable 10:30 am Adult Hebrew 6 pm HaNefesh 6:15 pm
Affirmation 11 am Beit Midrash 7:30 pm Chinese Food Dinner 7:30 pm
Mini-U 5 pm
Adult Hebrew 7:15 pm

27 28 29 30 31 1 2
No School No Adult Ed Classes Bible Study 9:30 am No School Office Closed Torah Study 8 am
Alef Bet Yoga 8:45 am Office Closes at 12 pm Shabbat Service 6:15 pm Morning Minyan 9:30 am
Page 10 November/December 2009

What’s Greening at Sinai

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with
the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people
happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. ...I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” Anne Frank

Our six-sided Sukkah Garden achieved its goal of
beautifying Sinai’s Sukkah. Despite an attack of a rather
nasty tomato blight that wiped out our gorgeous tomato
plants in literally one night, we had gourds aplenty for the
students in grades 3-6 to harvest and string up inside the
Sukkah. We also were able to use the corn stalks for
“schach” on the roof. A heartfelt thank you to all who hauled
dirt, planted seeds, and weeded and watered through the
spring and summer. A special thank you goes out to Naomi
Cobb for her vision and amazing gardening talents. We look
forward to sharing this process together as a community next
spring.
In other Greening of Sinai Committee news, the com-
mittee presented stainless steel, reusable water bottles to
Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Robins on the first day of Sunday
school to use on the bimah in place of plastic water bottles.
We hope the Rabbi and Cantor use them in good health! We
are continuing to work on ways to reduce garbage and insure
that all rooms at the synagogue have recycling bins. If you
have an idea for a Greening project, want to join the Sukkah
garden project next year, or be a part of the Greening of Sinai
Committee, please contact Deb Schermer @
deb.schermer@gmail.com. The Greening of Sinai Committee
is charged with raising awareness of environmental issues
and helping Sinai become as “green” as possible. We want
to hear your ideas, interests and musings.
Tip of the month: How Do I Junk Junk Mail?
A few facts and figures to consider:
· 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water
were used to produce U.S. mail for just one year
· In 2005 over 114 billion pieces of bulk advertising
mail were sent out in the U.S. (a 15% increase from
2000)
· The average adult spends 70 hours a year dealing
with junk mail.
· 50% of all U.S. mail is discarded unopened.
How can I get off those lists?
1. Contact the Direct Marketing Association to be re-
moved from many companies' mass marketing
mailing lists for up to five years. Learn how at
www.dmachoice.org/MPS/proto1.php.
2. Call the following companies directly to ask to be
removed from their mailing lists: Val-Pak Coupons
(1-800-676-6878), America Online Discs (1-800-
827-6364), and Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweep-
stakes (1-800-645-9242).
3. Every loose-leaf bundle of business or supermarket
fliers must be delivered along with an address post-
card. Locate this address card - the cards usually
have an advertisement and a photograph of a miss-
ing child (ADVO is the most common). Mail the ad-
dress card to the address printed on the card and
ask to be removed from their mailing list. Your letter
carrier's routine is to give each house a bundle of
fliers so, once you stop receiving the address card
(s), tape a "No Bulk Mail" sign inside your mailbox.
You can also opt-out online at www.advo.com/
consumersupport.html.
Deb Schermer and Karen Schudson
The Greening of Sinai Committee

A 5th grader hangs his gourd in the Sukkah. Naomi Cobb helps a 3rd grader harvest a gourd.
Page 11
Brotherhood Coffees
Just in......don’t miss the first brotherhood coffee of
the season....Sunday, November 15th, 10:30 am-Noon.
Join us for "Dinner on a dime". Four of Sinai's frugal spend-
ers will present their list of "10 favorite restaurants!” Each
list will focus on cost, quality of food, and general atmos-
phere of their favorite dining spots in the Milwaukee
area. Expect a diverse list of choices and good discussion
from Damien Jaques, Michael Waxman, Marc Kartman, and
a surprise female participant who will extol the virtues of
"eating green". Free coffee, bagels, juice, coffee cake, etc.
will be served. Come early, stay late, and enjoy some
mouth watering , pocket friendly discussion on "Dinner on a
dime" ! No RSVP needed. See you Sunday morning No-
vember 15th!
And don’t miss December’s brotherhood coffee
"Why Big Bird is a Mensch", Sunday, December 6 at 10:30-
Noon. Milwaukee Public Television General Manager Ellis
Bromberg tells us how MPTV's programs and related ser-
vices reflect the station's unique mission and values state-
Thank you to all who baked or contributed to this year’s Break the Fast. Over 240 hungry congregants
enjoyed a traditional Kiddush with homemade kugels and desserts. Nobody went hungry.
The tables were plentiful thanks to all of your hard work. Laura
Women of Sinai News
On October 14th I attended a luncheon for the organi-
zation Planned Parenthood. I felt proud to be a Jewish
woman that afternoon. I was surrounded by two of Sinai’s
past Presidents, two former administrators, a fellow yoga
student, our current President and many congregants. It felt
like a true community. There were 400 women who attended
this luncheon and so many came from Milwaukee’s Jewish
Community and specifically Congregation Sinai. Again, I felt
proud to be amongst such a group of strong women.
This past month, our weight watchers group had its
first potluck dinner. Members brought either an entrée or a
dessert to share. There was a huge bowl of butternut squash
soup (2 points/serving), two styles of vegetable quesadillas,
portabella mushroom sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms, and
pumpkin fluff. (The pumpkin fluff was to die for). We shared
recipes and enjoyed a social evening together. Our group
donated food to a local food pantry as part of the National
Lose for Good Campaign thus making our group weight loss a
tzedukah project.
The weight watchers group will be starting a new
session on November 10th, come join this healthy lifestyle.
Yoga continues in the sun filled Worship and Learn-
ing Space on Tuesday mornings at 8:30. At a recent session,
Susan shared a variety of stretches that could be used while
traveling. During this upcoming holiday and travel season,
consider coming to yoga and learning the neck, back and leg
November/December 2009
ments.
Ellis has been General Manager of Milwaukee Public
Television, which operates Channels 10 and 36, since
2000. He has a joint appointment at MATC, which is licensee
of the stations, as the college’s Dean of Television and Video
Production.
Ellis has spent more than 30 years in public broad-
casting, 10 years as Station Manager of WILL-TV in Cham-
paign, Illinois, and before that in programming and news man-
agement positions at the PBS stations in Albany and Bingham-
ton, New York. Early in his career he was also editor of
the Binghamton Jewish community’s weekly newspaper.
A native of New York City, Ellis earned his M.A. in Jour-
nalism from the Ohio State University, and his B.A. from the
State University of New York at Binghamton. His wife, Mel, is
the principal of her own consulting company, WaterShed Inter-
national. Their daughter, Kyra, is an actress in New York
City. The Brombergs live in Glendale.
stretches to make travel on cramped airplanes more comfort-
able.
Mah Jongg usually meets on the last Wednesday of
the month but due to Thanksgiving and the winter break
schedule we will be meeting on November 18th and Decem-
ber 16th at 7:00.
New members are always welcome. There will be a
second community Mah Jongg Friendzy on December 6th.
Please see the attached flyer for information and registration
material.
The new membership letters are out with an en-
closed dues envelope. Please consider joining the Women of
Sinai at either the Chai level of $36.00 or as a Woman of
Valor which is a $72.00 contribution. Your dues continue to
support many activities for our B’nei Mitzvah students as well
as our younger students. We also support Ritual events
throughout the year including the Break the Fast, (this year
we fed over 240 congregants), Koach, where we feed 150
retirees and other events. Your dues also helped to purchase
the beautiful Ner Tamid which hangs in our new Worship and
Learning Space.
Stay well and warm,
Laura Waisbren
Page 12 November/December 2009

Join Social Action at Congregation Sinai

Congregation Sinai has a long and extensive history
of Social Action.
• Over the years, congregants have been providing meals to
the Interfaith Meal Program.
• The Synagogue and Tzedakah fund have been providing
paper goods and support for the Bethesda summer meal
program which serves several thousand people during the
summer months.
• Congregants have participated in the Solar Cooker Project
in Darfur. http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/donate/
solarcookerproject.htm
• B’nai Mitzvah students and Religious school classes have
held food drives, clothing collections, toy and sports equip-
ment drives, and much more for their favorite causes and
have gone on school-organized social action activities into
the community.
• Our Rabbis have spoken on a myriad of topics from the
Bimah.
• Panels, workshops and lectures have been held.
Last year and this, the Social action committee is
continuing this tradition of engagement in community and the
furthering of social justice causes in Milwaukee.
• Our collaboration with the Social Development Commis-
sion’s Family Shelter has resulted in 4 interactive events at
the Shelter, including this past October 18th. Look to our
website and e-news for photos. Congregants have also led
numerous knitting, beading and dance sessions at the Shel-
ter.
• Congregants have donated clothing, diapers, bed linens,
winter coats, hats & gloves, back packs & school supplies,
art supplies & coloring books, toys & games and toiletries to
the Family Shelter in our monthly barrel drives. Thank you
all for your donations.
• The Greening committee spearheaded a Sukkah garden,
harvested it for decorating the sukkah, has reviewed clean-
ing supply use in the Temple, explored ways of reducing our
footprint…and more
• The Social Action pages of Sinai’s Web site is expanding –
and will contain more ways to learn about what we are doing
and what you can do.
• We are planning our first panel of the year – news to follow
in future newsletters.
So, join us and help determine Sinai’s path into So-
cial Action. Just contact Idy Goodman at igood-
man2@mac.com/ 414-351-3386 or Tom St. John at
tsj@ffsj.com /414/964-8537.

SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE MAGNETS ARE HERE!

The magnet enclosed with this newsletter lists the items that Congregation
Sinai will be collecting monthly for donation to the SDC Family Shelter. We
hope that this magnet will help your family remember what to collect for the
shelter each month. Your participation and donations are greatly
appreciated by the residents of the shelter.

Bar Mitzvah
Justin Weil
Justin Jerome Weil will become a Bar Mitzvah on November 14th, 2009. Justin is the
son of Monica and Jeffrey Weil, older brother to Jessica and grandson of Judi z”l and Richard
Kahn.
Justin attends 7th grade at the Whitefish Bay Middle School. Justin is a self pro-
claimed “sport nut”. He plays Whitefish Bay soccer, Junior Dukes Basketball, runs cross
country, and plays Whitefish Bay Little League baseball. Some more of Justin’s hobbies are:
skiing, video games, fantasy sports, watching T.V., playing trumpet, being with friends, and
riding his bike/scooter.
Justin is looking forward to spending his special day with his family and friends. He wishes
his “Gumma” could be here as well, but he knows she was very proud of him and his accomplishments.
Justin and his parents would like to give special thanks to Rabbi Cohen, Cantor Robins and Linda Ross for their sup-
port and guidance as we prepared for this special day.
Page 13 November/December 2009

Mitbach Sinai Personals

Mitbach Sinai brings a group of congregants together at 6 Welcome to New Members:
p.m. on the third Monday evening of each month to socialize and cre- Lynn & Mike Falender, Lisa Farber, Patricia & Andrew
ate in the kitchen. Under the expert guidance of congregant Jill Wein- Gollin, Pip & David Lowe, Susan & Trip Stern
shel, a professional, culinary school-trained chef, food-loving adults — Mazel Tov to:
from teens to 70-somethings — craft delicacies for Congregation Sinai Steve and Anne Kravit on the marriage of their
events. Launched recently, this group is poised to grow in number daughter Alison to Tim O'Brien
and direction and your ideas are welcome. Join us soon for an eve-
ning of connection and conviviality in the kitchen. Condolences to:
Check synagogue calendar to confirm Mitbach Sinai Janet Fishman on the death of her husband Marvin
dates, in case of holiday or other conflicts. Please bring a Fishman.
donation of $5-$10 to cover the cost of ingredients. For more And Leslie, Susan and Mark on the death of their
information contact Jill Weinshel at jillgw2@hotmail.com father.
Dr. Larry Polacheck on the death of his mother,
Dorothy Polocheck

Chanukah Dinner & New Member Blessing

Friday, December 11, 2009
Join us to celebrate the first night of Chanukah with dinner & dreidels, menorahs &
music and & lots of latkes!

6:00 PM Congregational Chanukah Dinner

$12 adults, $10 children under 12, $5 children 4 and under
Maximum $45 per family

7:00 PM Family Shabbat & Chanukah Service

RSVP at http://chanukah2009.eventbrite.com

Design-Your-Own Chanukiyah Contest!

Don’t Forget the Design-Your-Own Chanukiyah Contest! Bring your homemade Chanukiyot (Chanukah
menorahs) with you to dinner, and the winning families will be announced at the end of services. A spe-
cial prize will be awarded. Don’t forget: A chanukiyah has eight candle holders for each night of chanu-
kah and one shamash, or helper candle that is higher than all the other candles. (That’s 9 candles to-
tal!) Be as creative as possible!
Page 14
News from our sister congregation in Israel
For Congregation Emet veShalom Nahariya
Kehillat Emet VeShalom, the only Progressive synagogue in
Nahariya and the Western Galilee, is pleased to send you this
update on what we have been doing as well as a High Holy
Day message from Rabbi Horowitz.
Kabbalat Shabbat
Our Kabbalat Shabbat services continue each week
at 6:30 pm, with a large and engaged congregation. We invite
you to join with Rabbi Horowitz and our congregation when
you are next in Israel – help us welcome the Sabbath Bride!
New *Betty Sokolovsky Memorial Video Library
Betty Sokolovsky, her husband and three children
left Argentina and made aliyah to Israel in 2002. A beloved
member of Emet veShalom, she struggled with cancer, and
unfortunately died in 2007. In her memory, a gift was made
to create the Betty Sokolovsky Memorial Video Library.
This will allow our congregation to stock videos that assist us
in learning Hebrew, share interesting movies at our movie
nights in multiple languages, and enrich the learning opportu-
nities for our children. To celebrate the opening of the library,
a movie night was held in Betty’s honor on September 12. As
is our custom for all social events, each participant was
asked to bring an item of nonperishable food, such as flour,
rice, or honey, that can be included in a gift basket of holiday
food for the needy.
Youth
Our Youth have been very active, sending children of
many ages to camping programs and Israeli Progressive
Movement Youth Activities. We look forward to another suc-
cessful year of growing our programs for the young members
of our congregation.
Community Programs and Activities
Many participants in our community programs and
activities enjoyed the end of the Year Party at 108 Weizman
Street. Many activities were held during last year, many of
which were made possible with the generous funding of the
Federation of Northern New Jersey.
Message from Rabbi Horowitz: The Beginning of the Year
Now the Days of Awe, Rosh Hashannah and Yom
Kippur are approaching. These are days of renewal and re-
pentance.During Rosh HaShanna we listen to the shofar. Eve-
ryone perceives its calls with his ears, but those who really
listen to it listen with their hearts. The difference between
listening with the ears and listening with the heart is clear.
The one who listens only with his ears is like a person who
hears the noise of a plane flying overhead, or the voice of a
street vendor selling goods he doesn’t need. These sounds
go in one ear and out the other.
This is not the way the heart listens. The Mishnah
says, “If someone happens to be behind the temple and lis-
tens to the shofar and his heart is focuses on it, he has ful-
November/December 2009
filled the mitzvah."
Often during the year our conscience tries to pre-
vent us from acting negatively, but we ignore its dictates.
Now at Rosh Hashannah, we have the opportunity to say to
our conscience, “Here we are!” Man is born pure, and the
purpose of his life is to remain thus, but life takes us in other
directions. Teshuva tries to return us to the state in which we
were before we turned away.
The first day of Rosh Hashannah is the first of the
New Year, of a new account that we open, of new behavior
that is much better than the way we conducted ourselves
during the past year. This day is the beginning of the ten
days of repentance which conclude with Yom Kippur.
Only a person who follows the commands of Rosh
Hashannah and Yom Kippur can have faith that he is cele-
brating these two festivals correctly and that the Days of Awe
will not pass in a normal routine.
We are grateful that our congregation, the only Re-
form synagogue in Nahariya and the Western Galilee, is
flourishing and going from strength to strength! We offer the
community an opportunity to participate in an egalitarian
and pluralistic Judaism and the freedom to express Judaism
as one chooses. We extend an invitation to you to visit us
when you are in Israel. Celebrate Shabbat and holidays with
us! Visits to our community and contact and support from
our friends abroad are very meaningful to us.
On behalf of the leadership and members of Emet
veShalom, we would like to wish you a Happy, Healthy and
Peaceful New Year. May you, your family and friends have a
year of goodness and may Israel and the entire world find
peace.
Rabbi Israel Horowitz Sharon Mann
For Congregation Emet veShalom Nahariya
Mark your calendars for a family learning adventure
you will not forget!
Sinai Family Retreat at OSRUI Camp
January 15-17, 2010
“Will the real Freedom Fighters please stand!”
Reserve your place now, space is limited
Call or email Jdanz@congregationsinai.org
 Mah Jongg Friend’zy

Sunday December 6, 2009

1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun
Surlow Community Hall
2020 W. Brown Deer Road
Cost $15

~Join us for an afternoon of social play and sisterhood~

Community Wide Mah Jongg Event and Raffle
Co-Sponsored by the Sisterhoods of
Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Emanu-
El B’ne Jeshurun, Congregation Shalom, Congregation Sinai, Temple Menorah,
Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha and KOACH
Bring non-perishable food donation for the Jewish Community Food Pantry.
Proceeds of this event will benefit KOACH- an education and social program for adults.

Please direct any questions to one of our sponsors

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Send your reservation and $15 payment made out to
Mah Jongg Friend’zy by December 1st to:

Mah Jongg Friend’zy

CEEBJ, 2020 W. Brown Deer Rd.
Milwaukee WI, 53217
Name- ______________________________________________________________________
Phone-______________________________________________________________________
Address/ZIP_________________________________________________________________
Please make a table for me. I am a ____Beginner _____Intermediate _____Fast player
I have a foursome, please seat me with _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____ Check ___MasterCard ____VISA
Credit Card # ________________________________________ Exp. Date _____________
Signature____________________________________________ Three digit code_______
Total amount enclosed $___________________
 CONGREGATION SINAI
SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE
DR. RACHEL N. BAUM

WHO ARE “OUR PEOPLE”: JEWISH

IDENTITY IN A TIME OF MIXED
MARRIAGE OR…ARE WE STILL A TRIBE?

Friday night, Nov. 20: The Tribe Outdated? Challenges to Jewish

Identity in the 21st Century
Services 6:15, Dr. Baum will speak during services

Saturday Luncheon and Talk, Nov. 21: Jewish Identity in the

Shadow of the Shoah: What post Holocaust thinkers teach us
about Jewish identity
Luncheon at 12, $18.00 members, $25.00 non-members
Dr. Baum will speak after the lunch

Sunday morning, Nov. 22: Our People in the 21st Century:

The Challenges and Opportunities of Intermarriage
10:30 in Worship and Learning Space

Dr. Rachel Baum is the coordinator of the Jewish Studies

major at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She earned
her doctorate at UWM in English and wrote a dissertation on
the Holocaust. She has been a very popular teacher in Modern
Jewish thought and Jewish identity issues. A published author,
she also is the advisor to the Hillel Milwaukee.

Please RSVP to http://rachelbaumatsinai.eventbrite.com

or Jdanz@congregationsinai.org
Page 17 November/December 2009

Sinai makes a difference!

On Sunday, October 18th, Sinai Congregants and cluded: Children’s arts and crafts, pumpkin decorating , blan-
grades 4, 5, and 6 spent a meaningful morning at the SDC ket making, assembling toiletry kits, dancing and installing
Family Support Center Emergency Shelter. Activities in- shelving.
Page 18
Donations received as of October 7.
Andy Brickman Museum Fund
In memory of David Colburn
Stephen Colburn
In memory of Mary Fishman
Janet and Marvin Fishman
Barbara Eiseman Memorial Fund for
Spiritual Growth
In honor of the marriage of Jan
Rosenberg and Marty Barnes
Gloria Krasno
Miriam Miringoff Kitchen Fund
In honor of Amitay Ginsberg becoming a
bar mitzvah
In honor of Dr. Dick Lernor’s birthday
In memory of Judy Posner and Peggy
Jacobson’s mother
In memory of Paula Simon’s father
Judi and Michael Ketten
In honor of Judi Ketten
Linda and Shep Mollick
Tzedakah Fund
In memory of Max Fershtman
Naomi and Mort Soifer
In memory of Esther Larkey
Jay Larkey
In honor of Dr. Paul Loewenstein’s
birthday
Karen and Neil Wahlberg
In memory of Irving Malawsky
Lois Malawsky
In memory of Charlotte Schwartz
Dorothy Schmidt
In memory of Abraham Tepps
Anna Tepps
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund
In appreciation
Meredith and Bill Feldman
Family of Dorothy Hindin
Avrum and Dannette Lank
For making the High Holy Days
memorable
Bernice Fagan and family
Donations
With gratitude for grandson’s baby
naming
Keith and Joanne Roberts
In memory of Andy Cherniack
Marcia and Gerry Cherniack
In memory of Thomas Hassel and
Beverly Hassel Manburg
Toots and Mannie Hassel
In memory of Joseph Ghory
Ward Ghory
In honor of Mrs. Jerry Kahn’s birthday
Bettie and Dave Meltzer
In honor of Rosalie Kahn’s 80th birthday
Ann Pereles
In honor of Drew Kaufmann’s bar
mitzvah
Mary and Jamie Kaufmann
In memory of Gertrude Kerns
Joan and Pat Kerns
In memory of Louis Kaufman
Jody Kaufman Loewenstein
and Paul Loewenstein
In memory of Lottie Lubar
Lubar Family Foundation
Marianne and Shel Lubar
Esther and Robert Sametz
In memory of Jim Muchin
Toots Hassel
In memory of Jonathan Resek
Donna Resek
In memory of Sara Shafton
Barbara Shafton
In memory of Michael Shapiro
Donna Resek
Beth and Ron Shapiro
In memory of Jeffrey C. Siegel
Joan Lubar, Isaac and Charlotte
Siegel
Cantor’s Discretionary Fund
In appreciation
Meredith and Bill Feldman
November/December 2009
Michael Kahn
Avrum and Dannette Lank
For making the High Holy Days
memorable
Bernice Fagan and family
In honor of Drew Kaufmann’s bar
mitzvah
Mary and Jamie Kaufmann
Robert Grant Marks Youth Fund
In memory of Jerome Marks and
Robert Grant Marks
Brynn and Jerry Bloch
Passport to Israel Fund
In memory of Amour Gershan
Jill and Bob Gershan
In memory of Milton Katz
Deb, Moshe, Cyd and Gabe
Katz
Contributions made to the Temple
In memory of William Dinkes
Jamie Berger and family
In honor of Sue Freeman’s birthday
For Manny Hassel’s speedy recovery
For Mort Newald’s speedy recovery
Marian Brill
In memory of Paul Gratch
Harvey, Laurie, Cere, Anna
and Maddie Shovers
In memory of Miriam Kahn
Goodman-Bensman White
fish Bay Funeral Home
In honor of Rosalie Kahn’s birthday
Bunny Fried and Sally
Reinee
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mandel
In honor of Bob and Sandy
Meldman’s granddaughter’s bat
mitzvah
Dr. and Mrs. Mort Soifer
In honor of the marriage of Dr. and
Mrs. Al Meyers grandson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Goldstein
 Page 19 November/December 2009

Donations, continued
In honor of Dorothy Schmidt’s 80th In memory of Jean Golper and Dr. Paul Loewenstein
birthday Margery and Irvin Becker
Ethel and Ben Stern In memory of Racine Meyerowitz
In memory of Andee Bram’s mother Dorothy and Al Meyers
In memory of Charlotte Schwartz Linda and Bill Ross
Maureen Eichenbaum In memory of Charlotte Schwartz
In memory Louise Friedlander Dorothy and Al Meyers
In honor of Tom St. Johns birthday Jean and Ted Friedlander
Jeanette and Bruce Music Fund
Peckerman In memory of Dr. Abram Levine In memory of Albert Cherniack
Joan C. Levine Gerald Cherniack
Landscape Fund
In memory of Maureen Kahn In memory of Fanny Padway In honor of Cantor Robins
Richard Kahn The Padway family Linda and Shep Mollick

In memory of Donald Mandel
Caroline and Bill Schulhof
In memory of Kurt Meyer
Ilse Brauer
In memory of Jim Phillips’s father
Jean Pereles-Strouse
Jacob M. Fine and Family Library Fund
In memory of Harry Brauer
Ilse Brauer
In memory of Edward Rosenburg
Marcia and Gerry Cherniack
In memory of Ida Rugowitz
Harriet and Howard Weiss
In memory of Florence Waxman
The Waxman family
Chesed (Caring) Fund
In memory of Andee Bram’s mother
Barbara and Ariel Friedlander
Lieberman Memorial Arts Fund
In memory of my beloved husband, Jay
Lieberman and son, Larry Lieberman
Joan Lieberman
Prayer book Fund
In memory of David Orenstein and
Ruth F. Orenstein
Marlene and Bert Bilsky
In memory of Sandra Rotter
Robert Schlossmann

In memory of Sam Butlein In memory of Ishmael Bratt Social Action Committee

Jayne and Eric Butlein Rosalee and Herb Bratt In memory of Jim Katz
Dean and Laurie Segal
In memory of Robert Fishkin In memory of Carl Diamond
Pauline Zarne Joni Ansfield and family

Floral and Oneg Fund In memory of Esther Gliber

In memory of Bessie Becker Jody Kaufman Loewenstein
● SENIORS HAVURAH ●

“Who exactly is a senior?” A thriller that shuttles from

It depends on who you ask: AARP considers any-
one of 50 to be a senior. Others say 65. Some
even say 65 is the new 45. We, on the other
hand, refuse to label. Instead, we use the fol-
lowing definition: A senior can be anyone, of
any age, who values the wisdom that accrues
over decades of living. If you appreciate good
conversation, peppered with penetrating in-
sights, the Seniors Havurah is for you. Every
fourth Tuesday of the month.
Rome to Jerusalem and Back
again, in search of "Titus's Last
Mistake." If you love novels
that blend history with non
stop action, this one is for you!
Upcoming Book Review: The
Last Ember on November 22
at 1:00 p.m.
November/December 2009
Meet the Sinai Staff
Karen Berk Lancina:
I moved to Milwaukee in July, 1993 and while preparing to relo-
cate from the Chicago area, I started researching the Jewish
Community and the synagogues in Mil-
waukee. It was very important to me to
find a place where I would fit, feel com-
fortable, be at home, and have a sense of
community. Sinai was, and is, one of
those places for me. Since then, I’ve held
several professional positions in, and
around, the Milwaukee area, met my hus-
band and my stepson, got married,
bought our first house and had twins. One
of the constants throughout my life in
Milwaukee is and continues to be Sinai.
Based on my past career in Benefits and Human Resource Man-
agement, I became the Director of Administration in September,
2009 to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Synagogue,
manage the Synagogue’s financial operations and the facility.
So, the next time you are in the building, please stop by and in-
troduce yourself. I’ll look forward to meeting you and helping you
in any way I can.
Jen Friedman:
Shalom! I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful Sinai com-
munity in a professional capacity as Program Coordinator. My
husband Ari and I have been members of Congregation Sinai for
six years. We, and our three children, believe we have found a
true home at Sinai for learning, community and spirituality. As
the daughter of a reform rabbi in Boston, I
grew up in synagogue life and have always
found great comfort within these walls. For
the last fifteen years I have been immersed
in the Milwaukee Jewish Community pro-
fessionally and through an array of volun-
teer opportunities. My experience as Re-
gional Director for the Wisconsin B’nai
B’rith Youth Organization and President of
the Milwaukee Section of National Council
of Jewish Women, have provided me the
necessary planning, organizational and
outreach skills to fulfill my role as Program Coordinator at Con-
gregation Sinai. I am greatly looking forward to assisting you in
planning your next simcha, event or program at Sinai. I want to
hear your wonderful ideas and help you bring them to life! Is
there a program or an interest group you would like to see at
Sinai? Together we can make it happen! If you know someone
who has not heard about our exciting and vibrant Sinai commu-
nity, I would be proud to tell them about our gem of a congrega-
tion. There is no reason to be the best
kept secret – let’s share it! Please stop
in and say hello.
Ilene Wasserman:
A Milwaukee native, I have spent my life
involved in the synagogue and Jewish
community. After graduating from UW-
M, I worked in public accounting, the
private sector, and for the last 4 years in
Page 20
the non-profit Jewish community. I have been the bookkeeper at
Congregation Sinai for the past two years and have enjoyed
every minute of it. My husband Jeff and I have a son in college
in Portland, OR. Please come and say hello.
Karen Hintz:
I was hired October 2008 as the secretary to
Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Robins. Before
coming to Congregation Sinai I was the Ex-
ecutive Assistant to the CEO, CFO and Princi-
pals at MLG Commercial in Brookfield for 8+
years. I have 3 adult children who are pur-
suing very different lives. My daughter lives
in Mexico and teaches English. I have one
son who is a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force.
He is part of the crew on a RC-135 and his is
job is Airborne Maintenance Technician. My
youngest son is a senior at UWM majoring in
Finance. He plans to pursue his master’s degree at Creighton
University on Omaha, NE. My interests are taking care of my
home and garden, Mexican culture and cuisine and studying
yoga and meditation.
Jeri Danz:
Congregation Sinai has been home to me
for many years. My parents were among
the founding members of the temple so
now I feel I have come full circle working
here. I am the school assistant and thor-
oughly enjoy those I work with and for. I
really enjoyed seeing my kids, Nicholas
(26), Jordan (23) and Rebecca (19) at-
tend the same synagogue I grew up
in. Milwaukee has always been home to
me except for my college years at UW-Eau Claire, where I met my
husband, Michael of 31 years. I earned my degree in Social
Work and worked at the Arthritis Foundation for many
years. When I am not at the Temple, I also have another part-
time job at the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Rela-
tions. I look forward to meeting you all.
Tim Tyler:
I started working at Congregation Sinai on October 14th, 2008
as the Head Maintenance/Custodial person. One thing that I
extremely enjoy about working with and
for the congregation at Sinai is that I was
welcomed in as part of the Sinai fam-
ily. Everyone that I came in contact with
during my first year here at Sinai has
welcomed me in with open arms. Prior to
coming to Sinai, I had no knowledge of
the Jewish faith, and now I understand
more, but am still learning. I, myself, am
American Indian and like any family, am
open to answering questions on my faith
and traditions. I look forward to meeting those that I have not
and working for Sinai for many years to come.
Dick Kaeppel:
For 36 years I served as the head custodian here at Congrega-
November/December 2009 Page 21

Meet the Sinai Staff continued

tion Sinai. After a very brief period away, I
have returned to Sinai in a part time capac-
ity. I come in to help with Hebrew School and
Religious School, Friday Shabbat Services,
B’nei Mitzvah and Saturday morning Torah
Study and Minyan. I keep coming back be-
cause I love the people and the kids. After all
of these years, I have come to know so many
of you through your lifecycle events. My wife
Sharon knows that I think Congregation Sinai
is truly a special place and I enjoy my time
here. Come say hello any time!
Tracey Hassinger:
For the past ten years, I have been an ac-
tive addition to the Sinai community as the
ever-present Kitchen Matron. You have
probably seen me bustling about during
Friday services, providing those endless
goodies. Or perhaps on the weekends,
along with my mother, Cheryl, offering a
lending hand for a congregational event.
Please know that your needs are her pri-
mary concern to better serve the temple.
So, introduce yourself and get to know us!

November Yarhzeits
November 6, 2009 Ateret Cohn Shirley Glick Ann Derengowski
William Cobb Sarah Fleder Carl Greenfield Joseph Falk
Joan Frazer Bertha Goldberger Nancy Hindin Bertha Feld
Mary Ghory Melvin Goldberger Carol Ikenn Helen Fisher
Howard Gordon Bertheld Hefter Meyer Lebed Herbert Kahn
Marvin Heifetz Jean Heilbronner Mildred Levy Joshua Kestelman
Margaret “Peggy” Juda John J. Higgins Mollie Lipschultz Samuel Lipschultz
Roger Katz Joseph Hoffman Zelda Margolin Arnold Miller
Dorothy Lubotsky Miriam Hool Albert Ostermann William A. Padway
Lillian Peck Arthur Koven Dorothy Pollak Kisa Peskina
Herbert Polacheck Norman Leib Peter Pumpian Harry Schwartz
Samuel D. Saffro Marilyn L. Look Hod Schudson Rita Teplin
Ann Shafton Oscar S. Meyer Abraham Schwedelson Irene Warschauer
Martin Siegel Elizabeth Newald Alfred Shovers Joann Weber
Cora Skinner Fred L. Raffel Edward Stillman Michael Weinberg
Richard Teweles Kenneth Ross Cecilia Warschauer Bessie Weiss
Howard James Seesel Jr. Willie Weiss Richard Werner
November 13, 2009
Anna Sherman Ardis J. Zarem
Saul Arbit November 27, 2009
Alan Bromley November 20, 2009 Allan Berger
Lee Cherniack Louis Eisenberg Loretta Cohn
Bernice Cohen Bessie Fleishman Helen Cook

December Yarhzeits
December 4, 2009 Allan Bein Elayne Staller Joan Prince
Dorothy Brickman Jack Blutstein Sadie Stern William Rofes
Fred Feld David Cooper Delbert Wile Dr. Alex Sigal
Michael Fleysh Ruth Diamond Goldmann Anita Feld Silbar
December 18, 2009
Theodore Friedlander, Sr. Florence Frank Bess Urich
Aaron Bram
Janette Manheim Fannie Gershan Ann Urkofsky
Rose Cooper
Mae Miles Pauline Goldstein
Toni Ettenheim December 25, 2009
Joanne Mendeloff Misaqi Duane Hill
Jack Freeman Lawrence Ball
Beatrice Muchin Lena Brown Jacobs
Arthur Goldstein Bee Brill
Mark Roth Judi Kahn
Ian Ikenn Benjamin Fagan
Lew Sangor Barbara Kantor Kaplan
Laurie Ikenn Harry Feldman
Lillian Schwartz Laurence Luff
Arthur Levin Bessie Kahn
Nathan Shlimovitz Edwin “Ted” Ostermann
Stanley M. Ottenstein Anne Klein
Dr. John David Silbar Ethel Sedlet
Zelma Ottenstein Manuel Padway
Alan Shor
December 11, 2009 Alfred Padway Esther Soifer
Anders Solvang
Sidney Atinsky Judith Kerns Pence Rabbi Cary David Yales
 Congregation Sinai
8223 N. Port Washington Road, Fox Point, WI 53217
Member of the Union for Reform Judaism
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Board of Trustees, 2009-2010

Judi Ketten President
Marc Kartman Vice President
John Mann Vice President
Nick Padway Vice President
David Cobb Treasurer
Sandy Saltzstein Secretary
Marlene Lauwasser Past President
Patti Levy Past President
Jim Salinsky Past President
Susan Fishbach Fundraising
Jenni Goldbaum Youth Education
Idy Goodman Social Action
Hugh Hoffman Finance
Ruth Lebed Rofes Outreach
Steve Moglowsky Finance
Bobbi Rector Israel
Tom St John Social Action
Beth Shapiro Communications
Susan Solvang Gift Shop
Jim Stillman Brotherhood
Mark Sweet Young Families
Laura Waisbren Women of Sinai Congregation
Jill Weinshel Celebrations

Do we have any Harley riders in our

congregation who want to take a weekend
ride with other members? Do you like to
brew your own beer? Does game night at
Sinai pique your interest?

Sinai's Membership Committee is looking for your input! We would

love to put together special interest groups but need to know what
you want! If you have any suggestions or want to get involved,
please email sellerbrock@wi.rr.com with your ideas.
Carrie Ellerbrock and Elyse Cohn, Membership Co-Chairs