Library Minyan of Temple Beth Am
November 2017
 The Minyan Monthly
High Holy Days 5778
Following the High Holy Days, members of the planning committee engaged in an extended discussion of lessons to be learned and possible changes for the future, to be passed along to next year’s organizers. Major points on the list that emerged include:
  • Make sure Yizkor allows for congregational singing of Psalm 23.
  • Revisit the Avodah and Martyrology, in particular by assigning a point person to see if there is a way to make them meaningful and relevant.
  • Consider having a different set of Torah holders for each of the three rotations of Kol Nidre. Also consider a brief introduction to the Kol Nidre prayer itself outlining how the three repetitions will proceed and differ from each other.
  • Review the process for assigning honors, and aim to improve communications among the organizers for ark openings, Torah holders, and Hagba & Gelilah.
  • Provide for a ready-to-go backup shofar blower for each service.
— Mayer Brenner
Actions of the Steering Committee
At the September 11, 2017 Steering Committee meeting, the following actions were formally taken, after having been moved, seconded and voted upon:
 
1. Regarding amplification of the Drash so that everyone can hear: Henceforth, the box will be removed from the mike so that it is active for the Drash as long as the Darshan is comfortable with this. Alisa and the day’s Gabbai will alert Darshanim to this situation ahead of time.
 
2. Regarding the Library Minyan's adoption of Siddur Lev Shalem: Gabbaim will [and indeed did] begin using the new siddur on Shabbat Lech Lecha, October 28. They will announce pages in the new siddur only, and there will be a sheet that correlates the location of service elements in the two siddurim available on the table along with the old siddur. 
 
— Susan Laemmle
Report from the Education Committee
These upcoming educational events are open to anyone interested, and all are encouraged to attend. Invite your friends!
 
There will be a Shabbat post-kiddush lecture and discussion on November 11th (Veterans’ Day) entitled “My wife is a Bigamist: Getting Personal on Politics in Israel” featuring Dr. David Breakstone, Deputy Chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive, columnist for The Jerusalem Post, blogger at The Times of Israel and International Vice President of Masorti Olami, the worldwide movement of Conservative Judaism.
 
Dr. Breakstone's presentation will take the following direction: Israel asserts it is the nation state of the entire Jewish people, one in which Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed all Jews would be able to feel at home. Nonetheless, this past June the Israel Government reneged on its pledge to implement a plan to create a pluralistic prayer space at the Western Wall with equal access for all who would wish to pray there, while simultaneously advancing legislation to give a few ultra-Orthodox Jews total monopoly over matters of conversion, thereby denying the modern Orthodox, Reform and Conservative any say over who is a Jew.
 
Dr. David Breakstone, former Chairman of the Masorti/Conservative Movement in Israel and now Deputy Chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive, has been involved with addressing Israeli political issues like these for years. But for him, the matter is also very personal, and he will provide an intimate glimpse into the meaning of all this by sharing family anecdotes relating to marriage, divorce and conversion — at one and the same time, humorous and distressing.
 
Dr. Breakstone is coming to Los Angeles directly from Israel, on the heels of meetings with the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers and members of Knesset on these matters, during the fall session of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors. His talk will provide an up-to-date, behind-the-scenes briefing on where things stand with regard to religion and state in Israel today, and a fresh perspective on the relationship between the Jewish State and Diaspora Jewry.
 
We can also look forward to a Shabbat post-kiddush lecture on December 9th about the Yazidi Genocide by Rabbi Pam Frydman, Coordinator of the “Beyond Genocide Campaign” of the Board of Rabbis of Northern California. The Yazidi people of Northern Iraq have been driven from their homeland and are threatened with genocide. Rabbi Frydman will lecture on the Yazidi people, their religion, history, and persecution. More information can be found in the following Jewish Journal articles:
 
 
 
Future events are in the works and will be announced when the dates have been confirmed. If you have a speaker to suggest, or a topic you think would be of interest to the community, please let the Education Committee know. We love educational and inspirational events.
 
— Anita Happel
Upcoming Events 
 
Nov 4 Torah Club
 
Nov 8 One LA Core Team Meeting at TBA, 7 pm
 
Nov 11 Lecture by Jewish Agency
 
Dec 9 Speaker on the Yazidis
 
Dec 10 The Giving Spirit events this week
 
Dec 30 Eitan Feldman Bar Mitzvah
 
Jan 19 DPL Shabbat Dinners  
DPL Committee
First of all, many thanks to the gracious hosts who opened their Sukkahs for our October 10th potluck dinners: Joel & Fran Grossman, Carl & Tove Sunshine, Leonard & Rebecca Friedman, and Larry & Diane Herman.

Secondly, please save the date of Friday night, January 19th for this year's potluck Shabbat dinners in geographically dispersed locations. These dinners will offer a great opportunity to meet and mingle with Library Minyan members whom you may not know well — and also to tell your favorite joke to a new audience.
 
We will be sending out a separate email in December/early January where you can sign up to be either a host or a participant.

In the meantime, please hold the date open on your 2018 calendars.

— Deborah Blum & Michelle Wolf
 
Upcoming Social Action
On November 8 at 7:00 pm, the TBA One LA Core Team will be meeting at TBA. An update will be given about One LA projects as well as the direction of the TBA One LA Team.

During the week of December 10th, TBA will participate in The Giving Spirit by assembling and distributing survival kits for the homeless. Specific dates and times will be forthcoming.

Please contact Dianne Shershow, dfshersh@aol.com, for more information.

About Our Veterans
In commemoration of Veterans’ Day, 11 November, we are documenting the service of Veterans in Library Minyan families. If one or more of your family members served in the military, and you wish to share some of their stories and/or photos, please send the files to webmaster@libraryminyan.org. These will be posted to the LM website. (Submittals may be edited for content and format.)
 
— Anita Happel
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VISIT US ON SHABBAT
Mishna study 9:20
Tefillot begin 9:45
Temple Beth Am
Dorff-Nelson Chapel
1039 S. La Cienega Blvd, 90035
The Library Minyan of Temple Beth Am, 1039 S. La Cienega Blvd 90035  www.libraryminyan.org