Shalom chaverim! It will be an honor to serve as Rosh Minyan for the next two years. I am joined by Steering Committee members Bill Seligman (Ritual), Norm Green (Finance), Anita Happel (Education), Carl Sunshine (Communication), Diane Herman (Social), Allan Kokin (Gabbai), Jerry Krautman and Jackie Weiss (Membership) and Sandra Lepson (Youth), and together, we are committed to the warm and embracing Library Minyan community.
The Steering Committee will work, over the next two years, to build on the foundation and success of the Library Minyan. Whether it is the weekly Shabbat services, Yomim Hanoraim and Chagim, social action and tikun olam, education, or social programs like the DPL meals, we look forward to providing opportunities for all members to participate in the various aspects of the Minyan. If there is an area in which you would like to be involved, don’t hesitate! Please feel free to speak to any of us on the Steering Committee about joining our efforts. We welcome your contribution and participation.
Michael and I joined the Library Minyan 21 years ago when we moved to Los Angeles. Like many of you in the community, our now three generation family has joyfully celebrated s’machot — births, a wedding and b’nai mitzvah — with the Library Minyan. And we have also relied on your caring support during our times of loss. We are grateful for the existence of this vibrant kahal and the larger Temple Beth Am and Pressman community. On behalf of the Steering Committee, we look forward to going from strength to strength.
— Melissa Berenbaum
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On December 16, 2017, my mother, Rabbi Michael Berenbaum, and I were given the privilege to present her book Remembering Rohatyn to members of the Library Minyan. The publication of the book was a culmination of over a decade of work and, more importantly, represented the realization of a lifelong goal — to pay tribute to the people who saved her.
Growing up in a town not far from Lviv (then called by its Polish name, Lvov), my mother was an only child and her native language was Polish. When the Russians arrived in 1939, she was forced to learn Russian-language songs in kindergarten. Two years later, her mother urgently called out to her. My mother thought she was angry because she’d been discovered — she was cutting up her mother’s wedding dress to use as doll dresses. Unfortunately, the reason her mother called out was to tell her that Poland had been invaded by Nazi Germany.
For the next several years, my mother was in the Rohatyn Ghetto, in hiding at times with her parents and at times on her own. Once, while caring for a young Ukrainian child on her own, she was forced to pose as a Christian in church.
By the time the dust had settled after the war, my mother was brought out of Poland by a guardian, her parents and most of her other family having been killed. She would have been killed too if it weren’t for the assistance of the Jews of Rohatyn. Remembering Rohatyn is a tribute to them.
A speaker of seven languages, my mother oversaw the translation of the Rohatyn Yizkor book with the authority of the Rohatyn Society, which published it in Israel in 1962.
Remembering Rohatyn includes that translation, biographies of those who contributed to that book, and new memoirs and articles, as well as speeches and photos from a 1998 visit to Rohatyn by a small group of survivors and their families.
The name of the person who edited is given as Leah Zahav. This is a pseudonym. For a brief moment, my mother came out of hiding at the Library Minyan to talk about the book in person. I hope she’ll be able to release the book under her own name soon. To protect her, I am abbreviating my own name below as the writer of this small tribute.
— Meyer S.
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Social and Hospitality Wrap Up |
As I end my four year term as Chair of the Social and Hospitality Committee of the Library Minyan, I would like to extend my hakarat ha’tov — special thank you — to the people who chaired all of the subcommittees under Social and Hospitality. It has been an honor to work with them and to watch their hard work create a warm and welcoming community within the Minyan.
I am thrilled that Diane Herman has agreed to take over as Chair of Social & Hospitality. As a fairly new Minyan member, she understands first-hand the importance of welcoming the stranger and the strength of community. Diane and her husband Larry have quickly volunteered and jumped into leadership roles within the Minyan and become integral parts of our community. I hope you will all give Diane your support.
The DPL (Diaspora Potluck) Committee has been co-chaired in the past year and a half by Deborah Blum and Michelle Krotinger Wolf. Together with their committee, they have organized Shabbat potlucks both large and small as well as our annual Shavuot picnic. The combination of small and large events enables us to meet people whom we’ve seen across the room in shul but have not had the opportunity to get to know. I urge you to attend the various DPL events and expand your community within the Library Minyan.
Our Chesed sub-committee has been chaired throughout my tenure by Batya Ordin. Batya is always there to help Minyan members during difficult times. She, together with her subcommittee, have truly been supportive angels in our community.
Carl Sunshine has single-handedly expanded the number of enhanced kiddushim at Library Minyan by encouraging us to celebrate simchas or commemorate yahrzeits. This give us all a wonderful opportunity to stay, schmooze, and get to know one another.
It has been a privilege to work with each of the chairs, who have carried the heavy weight of strengthening our community. Thank you!
— Miriam Prum Hess
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Purim in the Library Minyan |
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On Wednesday evening, February 28, TBA will be celebrating Erev Purim at the Pico Union Project beginning at 6:30 pm.
The Library Minyan will host its usual full Megillah Reading for all ages in the Dorff Nelson Chapel, to which members of TBA and of the larger community are most welcome.
The Reading will begin at 7:00 pm.
On Thursday, March 1, the Library Minyan will once again co-sponsor a Purim Seudah with TBA. Time and precise location in the shul to be announced.
Following the Megillah Reading on Wednesday evening, the Annual Operation PB&J (but with no peanut butter!) will take place at TBA. (It is also taking place at Pico Union.)
Join in the opportunity to fulfill the Purim mitzvah of Matanot L'evyonim by assembling survival kits for the homeless and making sack lunches. The following day you will have a chance to meet the homeless as you give out the kits, or you can deliver them to organizations that provide social services. Please contact Dianne Shershow with questions or to sign up: dfshersh@aol.com or 323-314-3549. |
Thank you to Susan Laemmle & John Antignas, Kathy & Barry Rosenblatt, Dale & Mark Bodenstein, and Frumi & Benjamin Gluck — generous hosts of the January 26 Shabbat dinners. It turned out to be a great event. Everyone said they had a wonderful time. Don't worry if you missed it; there will be another one next year!
Our next event will be the upcoming DPL Shabbat lunch at the lovely home of Abby & Larry Harris on February 24, right after services, just a few blocks from shul. Please put the date on your calendar and stay tuned for more information!
Looking ahead: the 2nd Day Shavout Picnic will take place on Monday, May 21 at La Cienega Park.
— Michelle Wolf & Deborah Blum
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At this time of year, I prepare a financial report to document our outgoing and incoming funds. Most expenses go to Temple Beth Am to cover the co-sponsorship of the kiddushim. Members have been most generous this year and because of these donations and the hard work of Carl Sunshine, our Kiddush Chairperson, we have all enjoyed many tasty and friendly kiddush lunches.
Here is a breakdown of our finances for 2017:
| Beginning balance as of 1/1/2017 |
$ 7,730 |
| Income |
15,711 |
| Donations to co-sponsored kiddushim |
13,844 |
| Miscellaneous donations |
1,867 |
| Expenses |
13,668 |
| Co-sponsored kiddushim |
12,785 |
| Speaker honorarium |
250 |
| Purim Seudah |
270 |
| Thank you to TBA kitchen help |
80 |
| Luchot |
284 |
| Ending balance as of 12/31/17 |
9,773 |
Thank you to all of our donors. If you need a reminder on how to donate to the Library Minyan, click HERE.
— Dale Bodenstein, Treasurer |
| Feb 3 |
Co-sponsored Kiddush
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| Feb 10 |
Elishai Shapiro's Bar Mitzvah
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| Feb 24 |
DPL Shabbat Lunch at Harris home
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| Feb 28 |
Megillah Reading in the Library Minyan
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| March 1 |
Purim Seudah
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| March 3 |
Shai Bernat-Kunin's Bar Mitzvah |
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VISIT US ONLINE
VISIT US ON SHABBAT
Mishna study 9:20
Tefillot begin 9:45
Temple Beth Am
Dorff-Nelson Chapel
1039 S. La Cienega Blvd, 90035
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