july 2005 ~ sivan - tammuz 5765

> From the Rebbe
> Gifts of Light
> News from Dor Hadash
> eScrip and more...
> Board News ~ President's Letter
> Community Announcements
> Etz Chaim ~Tree of Life
> Jewish Family and Children's Services
> Donations Make a Difference!
> Newsletter Guidelines

Chevre and Friends...

Announcements:

MISSING - Siddurim - Their numbers are dwindling and we need to have them brought back home. Please check around as you clean up this summer, especially those of you in our past B'nai Mitzvah classes. Please take an extra look around for a borrowed book and return them.

Rabbi Elisheva is on Sabbatical and will return September 15th.
If you need assistance please contact the office at 664-8622.
If you have an emergency, please contact Rabbi George Gittleman at 578-5519.

From the Rebbe

Dear Hevre,

Rabbi Elisheva is on Sabbatical and will return September 15th.

Gifts of Light

MEMORIAL DONATIONS...
LORRAINE & PAUL LICHTMAN, a donation in memory of Dick Goodman
HELENE STEINLAUF-NORWITT, a donation in memory of Rachel Steinlauf
ARIANA ELSTER, a donation in memory of Ida & Hyman Elster
WARREN LEVIN, a donation in memory of Hannah (Helen) Levin

OFFERINGS...
DENISE, MICHAEL & LIORA JACOB, a donation to the synagogue through the Jewish Community Endowment Fund
SOPHIA SIMKOVER & STAN WALLMAN, a donation to Dor Hadash School honoring Joelle Hagen's Bat Mitzvah
RANDY & LIZ HAGEN, a donation to Dor Hadash School honoring Joelle Hagen's Bat Mitzvah
ARIANA ELSTER, a donation honoring Karuna Gerstein's "A Gift for Life" class

THANK YOU...
To DAN WILLIAMSON, for volunteering to cut down the high grasses around the synagogue
To ANNE WOODS, for managing our website
To MICHELLE MARKS, for three wonderful years as Treasurer

News from Dor Hadash

Shalom Chevre,
As I am writing this article, I am looking forward to seeing many of you at Israel in the Garden. If you weren't able to join us this year, do not fret, it will be held again next year. Our participation as a school is one way that we can thank the Bureau of Jewish Education for the financial support that they give us during the year.

Speaking of grants, we received a $600 grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel to fix up our classrooms during the summer. If anyone is interested in helping in that project, please call the office and leave me a message regarding your interest.

The creative, fun and effective Summer Hebrew Intensive is coming up during the last two weeks of August. Debbie Fass will be teaching the class and it is open to any child entering fourth grade and above, and young at heart adults, who are not able to recognize all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and who do not know how to blend the sounds that they make. The Intensive is great because there is so much reinforcement in a short period of time. The dates are August 21, 23, 24 and 28, 30, 31. The time will probably be 4:00 until 5:30. Debbie is a wonderful and gifted teacher and the students have enjoyed her style during the last year. Please contact the office for more information.

You will be receiving a packet for registration in Dor Hadash early in August if you were enrolled in the school this last year. Remember that we will give a discount on tuition for participants who bring in new students. We are especially seeking new students for our wonderful K-1 program with Karen Mitchell.

We are trying to create an 8th grade program that will meet the needs of our students who want to continue at Dor Hadash. Elana Perel is interested teaching part of this class, but we are looking for a talented parent with some theater experience who can help guide our students in a high quality production on a Jewish theme. Let me know if you are interested.

Have a safe and peaceful summer. I will look forward to seeing a growing Dor Hadash student body in September.

B'shalom,
Leslie

"The most direct means for attaching ourselves to G-d from this material world is through music and song. Even if you can't sing well, sing. Sing to yourself. Sing in the privacy of your own home. But sing."
Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav

eScrip and more...

Do you buy GROCERIES??

If you do, than you can participate in the mitzvah of no-cost tzedakkah, because almost every Grocer other than G&G belongs to one of the many no-cost tzedakkah programs. Most of these programs allow you to split your tzedakkah between multiple organizations, so why not spread a bissel to the Ner Shalom/Dor Hadash community?

Safeway, Whole Foods and about 30 other markets belong to the eScrip program. You just go on-line to www.eScrip.com and register. If you are a current subscriber please take a moment to make sure you renewed your Safeway commitment and that your credit/debit card numbers/expiration dates are up to date. Once you sign-up your credit/debit cards and Safeway Club card your contributions are automatically noted at Safeway and any other merchant non- Grocer member of this program.

Oliver's and about 9 other markets belong to the Communitysmart Card program. Oliver's shoppers please note this major change!! To join this program you can: instantly join by asking for a card at Oliver's checkout counter; call COMMUNITYsmart at 568-4995 or go on-line to www.communitysmart.com. When you check out at one of the participating merchants, you slide your Communitysmart card just like a debit card to get credit for your transaction. This program requires that a certain minimum be spent but then we receive a greater rebate (for Oliver's you need to spend $25 for a rebate of 5%).

Albertson's shoppers can participate by connecting your blue and white Preferred Savers card to Ner Shalom by going to www.Albertsons. com or using a tan and white Community Partners card Michelle can provide you.

Raley's users just need to obtain a Raley's partner's card from Michelle and activate it through their website (Raleys.com). Using the card without activating it for Ner Shalom will leave those rebates in suspense.

Not sure where you stand with all these programs? Give Michelle Marks a call at 778-6346 or e-mail her at Steven.Marks@prodigy.net and let her help you make a difference today.

Recycling.... Don't forget to continue to save all your spent laser and inkjet cartridges this summer!!
We can do tikkun olam (repairing the world) and give some tzedakkah at the same time if we recycle. I hope to have our first shipment off in the next few weeks and will let you know what your efforts meant to our world and local community.

Board News ~ President's Letter

Gateway to Shavuot:
On Sunday June 12, counting the 49th day of Omer, members of Ner Shalom assembled.

Fifty days after leaving the bondage of Egyptian slavery, the Israelites were given the Torah and together they saw the Divine Spirit. That was the first Shavuot. What more appropriate time to deal with our business issues and discuss a bissel/bit of Torah?

Together we showered gratitude and praise on our outgoing Board Members, Treasurer Michelle Marks and Vice President Liz Hagen. Michelle has helped us understand our financial position and create realistic budgets for the past three years. She's been the one to manage all moneys coming in and going out amongst many other tasks. Liz served as co-Vice President her two years on the Board, one year, when there was no president. She has also been the Chairperson of the Education committee during that time and will continue doing so this coming year. For our meeting she also provided a feast of delicious foods with fresh brewed coffee and cold minted water to drink. We wish we could give Michelle and Liz diamonds to go with the sparkles of gratitude.

Toward making our meeting l'shem shamayim, for a holy/transcendent purpose, we broke into small groups facilitated by Sally Churgel. A line from the current week's Parashat Naso was taken for discussion:
I will place My Sanctuary among you; and My Spirit will not reject you. I will walk among you, I will be G!D unto you and you will be a people unto me (Lev. 26:11).

We pondered the questions of what we believe is our personal task as Jews, our task as members of Ner Shalom, and what we believe is the task of Ner Shalom to the members and to the greater community as a whole. We invite you to consider these questions.

Speaking of tasks, is it your time to step up to leadership in the service of your Jewish community? There are positions open on the Board, including the vacancy for Vice-President. I invite you to call me to discuss the possibility of your filling any of these positions. I, Ariana Elster, joyfully remain President for one more year. Anna Ghandour remains Secretary for one more year. Michele St. Clair was nominated and elected Treasurer and we are honored to have her join our Board. Nina Carson, Ari Kimiti, Molli Nagel, Mark Cohen, and Claire MacElroy remain on the Board.

Barbara Lesch-McCaffry and Lizbeth Hamlin-Haims are stepping down from the Personnel Committee. We love you and offer heart- felt thanks for your dedicated and excellent work. Anna Ghandour will take over as head of this committee.

Small meetings are in the planning stage to be held this summer where we will expand on the questions raised above. We request that you attend one of these meetings to participate in values based community building and decision- making.

As I write this I feel held by the love and support of our community. While we face many complex and difficult problems I am optimistic that we will survive. This is because we do have something uniquely special in our Jewish community that is l'shem shamayim, holy and transcendent, and that is each one of you!

Blessings,
Ariana

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD

President - Ariana Elster 824-5609
e-mail: aelster@comcast.net

Vice President - Your name here

Secretary - Anna Ghandour 584-4829
e-mail: huskyanna@yahoo.com

Treasurer - Michele St.Clair 433-8090
e-mail: msaintc@comcast.net

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Education - Liz Hagen 829-3031
e-mail: lizhagen@earthlink.net

Finance - Michele St. Clair 433-8090
e-mail: msaintc@comcast.net

Religious Practices - Ari Kimiti Wang'oo 239- 9615
e-mail: kimitiwangoo@yahoo.com

Building Maintaince - Mark Cohen 792- 4368
e-mail: mcsax420@netscape.net

No-Cost Fundraising - Michelle Marks 778- 6346
e-mail: steven.marks@prodigy.net

Personnel - Anna Ghandour 584-4829
e-mail: huskyanna@yahoo.com

Membership - Sally Churgel 823-0541
e-mail: churgel@pacbell.net

Newsletter - Pam Pepper 588-8824
e-mail: twinsushilover27@yahoo.com

Publicity - your name here

Website - Anne Woods
e-mail: rainywoods@yahoo.com

Rabbi: Elisheva Sachs Salamo 664-8622

Dor Hadash Education Director: Leslie Gattmann
e-mail: lgatttmann@msn.com

Cantor: Bella Bogart

Office Manager: Carol Vanek 664-8622
e-mail: shalom@sonic.net
Office Hours: Tues.-Fri. 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM

Community Announcements

Jewish Reconstructionist Federation West Coast Region website: www.jrf.org/westcoast

Ongoing Toy and Book Drive for Free Clinic
Donations of gently used toys and/or books can be brought to Free Clinic on ongoing basis at 421 E. Cotati Avenue, Suite C, or call 792-1932.

Creativity Kabbalah with Izzy Green & Michael Gest
Summer meetings of the Ner Shalom study group will occur in a private home in Sebastopol. Click onto our website for more information. nershalom.org

Executive Director position at the Jewish Community Free Clinic needed.
For more information, email us at www.jewishfreeclinic.org or call 792-1932.

ASK JCI & R
JCI&R has information to share regarding socializing, schmoozing and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and families. Please call us for referrals to:
. Social happenings and synagogue chavurot
. Support groups for families
. Services for LGBT seniors
. Adoption questions
. Parents of LGBT Jews "PFLAG"
. Scholarship fund for children of LGBT parents
. LGBT organizations and projects in Israel
. Volunteer leadership
. Complementary DVD: Out of the closet and into the Streets of Tel Aviv, a peek at freedom and acceptance in the Middle East

For more information about connecting to Jewish life, call JCIR 415/777-4545 or local toll-free in the Bay Area 877-777-JCIR (5247) or e-mail Info@JewishNfo.org

Jewish Community Information and Referral is a service of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma counties. Visit our websites www.JewishNfo.org and www.jholidays.org

Etz Chaim ~Tree of Life

Donations Make a Difference!

Donations to Ner Shalom Make A Difference!

*Building Repair Fund
*Dor Hadash School
*Etz Chaim (Tree of Life)
*General Fund
*Music Fund
*Rabbi's Discretionary Fund
*Teen Fund
*Tikkun Olam Fund
*Written Word/Torah Fund
*Waldman Challenge Fund

Honor some one; remember an event or a special person. Donations (minimum of $6 {1/3 Chai} per listing) will be listed in the Gifts of Light section of the next newsletter. Send the donation to the office with the appropriate designation or call the office at 664-8622 for more information. Your generous support of Ner Shalom is greatly appreciated.

Memorialize the memory of a loved one with a Yahrzeit Plaque on our Wall of Remembrance. The cost of a plaque and inscription is $200 Please contact the office at 664-8622 for more information.

Newsletter Guidelines

*1. Deadline will be at 2:00p.m. on the first Friday of every month (unless arrangements have been made with the editor of the newsletter.)

*2. All submissions should be sent to the editor via e- mail with the subject heading: NL submission.

*3. Editor will change, edit, or delete any or all portions of submission(s) as deemed necessary without prior approval of the author.

*4. Editor is not responsible for retrieving submissions from other sources. It is the responsibility of the author to submit all necessary components to the editor by the deadline.