It’s time to elect new chairpersons and invite new members for the Library Minyan’s eight Action Committees. These committees enable all the religious services, social events, learning opportunities, web and email information, and financial wherewithal that make the Library Minyan go. It’s easy to take them for granted, but it requires people with ideas, energy, and willingness to serve to keep us vibrant.
I want to invite all of you to consider serving on a committee, or even becoming a chairperson, for the next two-year cycle. In addition to managing their specific committee, the eight chairs plus the Rosh make up the minyan’s Steering Committee. The Steering Committee meets quarterly to consider issues that arise and make plans for improving the Library Minyan. Between meetings, the Rosh consults other members of the committee in order to make necessary decisions.
Current and past members of the Steering Committee form the pool from which the Rosh Minyan is elected. You can see the full text of our Governing Charter, including a summary of each Action Committee’s responsibilities, on our web site: libraryminyan.org/Governance.html.
Plan to attend our next General Meeting, after an ample Kiddush, on December 12. We will review the state of the Minyan, and then invite your suggestions for each of the committees.
Please join me in thanking our current committee chairs:
- Children & Youth — Sandra Lepson
- Ritual — Bob Braun
- Education — Rachel Rubin Green
- Social & Hospitality — Miriam Prum Hess
- Gabbaim & Coordinators — Jerry Krautman
- Membership —Susan Laemmle
- Communications — Sandra Braun
- Finance — Dale Bodenstein
— Carl Sunshine
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Welcoming and engaging kids and their families in Library Minyan is the goal of the Children & Youth Committee, and we on this committee have been thrilled to have increased youth participation and engagement in several ways.
The room lights up as the younger children lead us in Adon Olam each week, and we look forward to having the Shabbat Yeladim kids join us soon as well. The Torah Club teens regularly impress us with their talents and skills, reading Torah and leading services.
During the High Holy Days, Adam Weissman honored us by leading Ashrei, and teens Yaacov Broidy and Daniel Schrager read Torah beautifully. Additionally, we established a children’s play area towards the back of the room, complete with a basket full of board books generously donated by Dale Bodenstein.
In the words of my 94-year old neighbor, a survivor, the sound of Jewish children’s laughter is a blessing and pleasure. The Children and Youth Committee hopes that the minyan is blessed by the sound of children’s laughter for many years to come. Please let us know if you have new ideas for us or want to be part of our committee’s work.
— Sandra Lepson |
Foreign Coins as a Teaching Tool |
Pressman Academy participates in the National Geography Bee, a contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. For several years, I have given a $100 cash prize for the winner. Beginning last year, I added a raffle for all of the contestants, with 100 foreign coins as the prize.
The purpose of the cash prize was to encourage the students to take the contest seriously; the purpose of the raffle was to encourage participation by a wider group of students. Both efforts have been successful. Since most Jewish American kids are less than three generations from their immigrant roots, studying geography helps connect them with those roots.
Several Minyan members assisted me in assembling the raffle coins for January, 2016, but I will need more assistance to maintain the raffle in future years.
I am not seeking coins that are valuable; indeed, the more totally worthless the coins are, the better. Pre-Euro European coins, pre-decimal British coins, older coins that have become worthless through inflation — these are the coins with the greatest teaching value. I want coins that will encourage students to ask: Where is this country? What are these symbols and who are the persons on these coins? And so forth.
I would be grateful for any coins that you can donate to this effort. Write to me at millstones@juno.com.
— Jonathan Friedman |
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On Dec 5 Rabbi Elliot Dorff lectures on Biotechnology & Ethics after Kiddush |
Join Adult B’nei Mitzvah on Dec 19 |
On Saturday, December 19, several long-time and devoted Library Minyan members will celebrate their adult B'nei Mitzvah in the Temple Beth Am sanctuary. This event comes as the culmination of a long period of hard work on their part.
Kol Ha-Kavod!
As is well known, the Library Minyan does not cancel regular Shabbat morning services in the Dorff-Nelson chapel lighly or often. But in this case, after careful deliberation, the Steering Committee has decided to do just that so that friends and family — which doubtless includes most LM regulars — can be there to offer support and take pride.
— Susan Laemmle |
The Diaspora PotLuck (DPL) Team has been diligently planning another exciting round of dinners in geographically dispersed homes to be held on Friday, December 4th. Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to host, be a guest, or help with behind-the-scenes efforts, especially, but not limited to:
Lida Baker & Paul Nisenbaum, Essia & Howard Fredman, Miriam & Herschel Elkins, Rebecca Friedman, Deborah Fletcher Blum, Nina Golden & Jason Rosenbaum, Rachel & Norm Green, Fran & Joel Grossman, Lilia & Gary Herschhorn, Gail Labovitz & Bill Seligman, Alex & Sheldon Linderman, Cathie Lippman & Jules Kamin, Miriam Prum Hess & Mark Hess, Bob Roosth, Kathy & Barry Rosenblatt, Evelyn Steinberg, Carl Sunshine, Jackie Weiss & Jerry Krautman, and Michelle Wolf. Todah!
— Rachel Sisk
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Dec. 6: Packing Giving Spirit survival kits at B'nai David-Judea.
Dec. 10: Continue asssembling kits at Brentwood Presbyterian Church.
Dec. 13: On this Sunday, deliver kits to the homeless.
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Dec 5: Torah Club;
Rabbi Elliot Dorff lectures on Biotechnology & Ethics after
Extended
Kiddush
Dec 12: General Minyan Meeting after Extended Kiddush
Dec 19: Adult B’nei Mitzvah
in TBA sanctuary
Jan 9: Abe Berman's third 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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