Back Issues of the Koleynu are posted

below in reverse chronological order.

Scroll down to review them all.

BJC Community Seder

 The Brevard Jewish Community held its Passover seder on Sunday, April 20, 2008. Norman Bossert and Marvin Barg led the seder, ably assisted by Shelley Bossert, and Father Carl Del Giudice, of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

 The potluck event was planned and executed flawlessly by organizers Leslie Chepenik, Anita Goldschmidt, Shelley Bossert, Phyllis Nesbitt and Sybil Stuart. Rave reviews were audible as seder guests enjoyed the luscious meal, and several people requested the recipe for Leslie’s charoset, which, alas, Leslie claims was “just thrown together from what was around the kitchen.”  (At your editor’s house, that scenario would have undoubtedly involved tuna.)

Above: Seder organizers Phyllis Nesbitt, Sybil Stuart, Anna Curtis (honorary), Shelley Bossert, Anita Goldschmidt and Leslie Chepenik.  (Photo by Sue Curtis) 

Letter in Memory of Paul Goldschmidt   

 Editor’s note: Anita Goldschmidt received the following letter, included with a Purim box sent to her by Rivky Zinstein, a former student of Paul Goldschmidt’s. Paul had taught Rivky for two years at an orthodox yeshiva. She is now 19 years old.

Dear Mrs. G.,

 Hi, this is Rivky Zinstein, one of Mr. G.’s former students. When I heard that Mr. G. passed away, the first thing I wanted to do was sit down and write to you. I bought a card and sat down but could not write anything. Once, I decided to take out all the letters and cards Mr. G. had written to me but I still could not write a thing, but now I know why.

 There are no words I can say or write to tell you how sad I am that Mr. G. is not here anymore. He has always been my inspiration in school and he is the reason why I have decided to become a teacher today. Mr. G. was the first teacher I felt I ever had who cared about me as a student. He was always willing to help me with any troubles I had in school and his class was the first place I received an A. He always cared and never let me give up on anything. His class was a place where I felt like a normal student even though I have a learning disability. Everything I have learned in his class has traveled with me throughout my school years.

 I was lucky to have him for both 4^th and 5^th grade. When my mother told me I was going to be in his class I was ecstatic. Even after 5^th grade I would visit his classroom and deliver Mishloach Manos [gifts to celebrate Purim] because of his devotion. He always had a smile on his face and was happy to see me. When I heard he had cancer, it

broke my heart.   I could  not believe  such a great person could have such a horrible thing. When I heard he was in remission it brought my spirits back to life.

When my mother e-mailed me and told me Mr. G. had passed away I was in shock. I wanted to cry but decided Mr. G. would not want that. He always said “life is hard, deal with it.” So instead of staying sad I decided to take everything I learned from him and pass it on so other children can be inspired.

I am proud to say I am becoming a teacher, and that Mr. G. is coming with me. His techniques and equality will stay with me as I teach my students.

 To you, Mrs. G., I want to thank you. Thank you for having the best husband anyone could ask for. He was and always will be my favorite teacher. I do not think there are enough words in the world to express how great he was. You made him the person he was and for that I have great gratitude towards you.

 I remember when I used to deliver Mishloach Manos on Purim, both you and him would open the door with the biggest smiles. Those smiles made me and still make me feel like a million dollars. I am sorry I did not send anything last year. It crushes my heart to see that the last year he was alive was the only year I did not send Mishloach Manos. I won’t let it push me down. I would like to send Misloach Manos to you for 120 more years because to me he is not dead. He is you and you are him, so a part of him is still alive.

I don’t know how to end my letter but to say thank you again for everything. He will always be with me.

Happy Purim!

Rivky Zinstein

Above: Father Carl Del Giudice, Norm Bossert, Marvin Barg and Shelley Bossert at the head table at this year’s Passover seder.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

Telecommunications History

Submitted by Harry Velick

 After digging to a depth of 1,000 meters last year near Paris, French scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1,000 years, and came to the conclusion that their ancestors had a telephone network all those centuries ago.

 Not to be outdone by the French, Britons dug to a depth of 2,000 meters around London, and shortly afterwards headlines in U.K. newspapers announced: “English archaeologists have found traces of 2,000-year-old fiber-optic cable and have concluded that their ancestors had an advanced high-tech digital communications network a thousand years earlier than the French.”

One week later, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported the following: “After digging as deep as 5,000 meters in a Jerusalem marketplace, scientists found absolutely nothing.” They therefore concluded that 5,000 years ago Jews were already using wireless technology.

 Think Your Name is…Unusual?

 Ancestry.com collected the “best worst names” of real, documented people from the U.S. Census Reports. Here are some of them – and yes, they’re real! 

Thank you to Amy Gladstone for providing the source of this riveting information.

• Anna Curtis won first place in the Transylvania County Soil & Water Conservation District’s 2008 7th Grade Speech Contest.  She also went on to a  second place regional win in  Waynesville, NC.

• Michele and Marvin Barg reprised their roles in “The Diaries of Adam and Eve”  on March 6, during an encore presentation to try out Brevard’s American Legion Hall as a potential new home for Brevard Little Theatre.

CALENDAR 

Shavuot:

The holiday marking the giving of the Torah begins on June 9.  

Shabbat Services:

Shabbat services begin at 7 p.m. on Friday evenings at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, located at 4 Brian Berg Lane, on the west side of the Asheville Highway. 

www.brevardjewishcommunity.org.

See our website for up-to-date event listings.

Want Less Snail Mail?

Now that we have a BJC website and the Koleynu is available online, some people may wish to view it from their computers, and stop receiving the paper version. Please let Sue Curtis know if this is the case for you; she will not be offended, and you will be helping to contain costs if you choose not to receive a mailed copy. For those who still like flipping through hard copies (your editor included), we will continue to mail the paper version as always. Our website address is:

 www.brevardjewishcommunity.org.

You can reach Sue at scurtis2@citcom.net, (828) 862-8825, or 781 Cardinal Drive, Brevard, NC 28712.

Chanukah Celebration

 BJC members and friends enjoyed a festive Chanukah party on Friday, Dec. 7, 2007, partaking of latkes and tasty potluck offerings. Marvin Barg and Sue Curtis led the group in singing Chanukah songs after dinner, and Marvin Schoenfeld entertained the group with a reading of “’Twas the Night Before Chanukah”. A big thank you goes to Linda Steinfeld, our expert organizer, for keeping everything humming.

Despite having many teeth extracted earlier in the day, Norman Bossert shared heartfelt comments honoring Pat and Jay White (pictured below) for their many years of service to the Brevard Jewish Community, as President and Treasurer, respectively, and as active and dedicated members.

Above: Irving Hyman, Kay Kadden, Anita Goldschmidt, Marvin and Michele Barg at the Chanukah party. (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 Above: Linda Steinfeld, party coordinator.  (Photo by Anna Curtis)

Above: Al Babich, Norm Bossert and Lowell Steinfeld.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

A Holiday Spirit is in the Air

by Kay Kadden

Editor’s note: Kay wrote this piece in December 2007. While the holidays are over, reminders of the warmth of that season are always welcome.

Stepping into the lobby of College Walk is like entering a winter wonderland. On one side, there is a stately, beautifully decorated Christmas tree with colorful ornaments and strings of popcorn, done by the residents, and on the other side, a menorah, commemorating the Festival of Lights of Chanukah. A spirit of togetherness prevails throughout, a holiday mood, a good feeling on the inside of you.

Garlands of greens with lights adorn the railings upstairs; such a pretty sight. Our Valerie worked so hard to create this spectacle. It is a real treat to walk along the hallways and see what the residents display outside their apartments. There are beautiful poinsettia plans, wreaths and handmade items, some that have been in the family for a long time. They bring back memories of the past, of happy days with family and friends.

 In the elevator lobbies at both ends of the hallways, one can see more decorated trees, some with gift boxes underneath. Some apartment doors have holiday signs and greeting cards displayed on tables, very festive indeed. One anticipates Saint Nick arriving any moment, wondering where to park his sled and reindeer. All that’s needed now is a light dusting of snow to perfect the picture and maybe the smell of freshly cooked chicken soup, too. Have a happy holiday, ya’ll.

Clarification on Book Schmooze

In the Nov. 2007 Koleynu article on the book Nonviolent Communication, the website www. nonviolentcommunication.com is mentioned. Please note that this is the publisher’s website. The author, Marshall Rosenberg, also has a website about NVC: www.cnvc.org, with NVC information, useful links, and a bookstore.

Above: Marv Schoenfeld, Al and Loretta Babich at the Chanukah party. (Photo by Sue Curtis)

Remembering Len Arnold

BJC member George Leonard “Len” Arnold, 79, of Brevard, died on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. Born in London, Ontario, Canada, he lived most of his adult life in New Jersey before moving to Brevard in 1998.

Len worked as a plant accountant and assistant treasurer for several firms in New Jersey and New York, and later held the position of President of the Chesapeake Holding Company.

He was a member of the New Providence Police Auxiliary and Band Parent for the New Providence High School Marching Band, of which he was treasurer. Len played trumpet for several town bands and enjoyed camping with his family in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Predeceased by his first wife of 33 years, Edna (nee Wigle), he is survived by his wife of 17 years, Bernice “Bunni” Gottlieb Fish, two daughters, a son, three step-daughters, and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 at the Connestee Falls Clubhouse in Brevard.

 Excerpted from The Transylvania Times, Nov. 26, 2007.)

Above: Anna and Sue Curtis. (Photo by Michele Barg)

Of Politicians and Placemats

By Sue Curtis

The following excerpt is from one of Norm Bossert’s regular columns in The Transylvania Times (January 17, 2008).

With the battle on for the hearts and minds of voters, most of the candidates have been busy parading their religious righteousness as if, in so doing, we common folk will be too unin-formed to recognize that such is just a device to sway our hearts. Feel good words and small sound bytes may grab our attention, but they lack the one word most people of faith would really like to hear, need to hear… humility.

“These are serious times, and the issues on the table are serious issues. Sound bytes may be all we have, but they simply are not good enough to reveal real character and real solutions.

(Norm then discusses some critical issues such as war, health care and education, and wonders what solutions candidates will offer if elected.)

“I worry that they don’t respect we voters enough. Yes, faith matters to me. But I won’t know about a person’s  real  affection  for  G-D  from  a  thirty second

TV spot. And I won’t vote for a president based on an assumption that we voters are too stupid to know the difference between a sound byte and substantive solutions to real problems.

“Candidates, I’m all ears. We don’t always have to agree, but I want my president to be humble and someone in whom I can have trust. I want my president to be the sort of person who could walk with me, as G-D walked with Moses. So, candidates, talk to me! Tell me the truth! Show me what you really believe!”

I wholeheartedly agree with Norm’s longing for insight into the real person, rather than a carefully arranged appearance. It reminds me of my fondness for North Carolina’s state motto, which I once read on a paper placement in a local restaurant, while waiting for my breakfast. I found it to be great life wisdom.

North Carolina’s state motto is “Esse Quam Videri”, which is Latin for “To be, rather than to seem.” (As inspirational guidance, it is a whole lot more useful than, say, Michigan’s state motto: “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”)

Let’s hope that our political candidates follow Norm’s advice, and allow us to see who they really are, so that we can make our choices based on what is genuine, and not just facade.

Above: Sunny Diamond and Thomas Wallace at the Chanukah party. (Photo by Sue Curtis)

BJC Visitors 

On Nov. 23, 2007, the Koreman family visited for a Shabbat service. Participating in three different Shabbat services was part of eldest son Asher’s preparation for his Bar Mitzvah ceremony, which was held on Dec. 27, at Masada, in Israel. The Koremans reside in Ohio, and vacation in the Cashiers/Highlands area. We hope they return and tell us about their trip to Israel. Oh, and mazel tov to Asher!

Above: Jeff and Tammy Koreman (back row), Eli, Asher and Gabe Koreman (front row). (Photo by Sue Curtis)

Passover Singalong

Submitted by Mal Wormser

“It Gives Us Such Naches!”

 Ø  Marvin Barg appeared in Brevard Little Theatre’s January/February production of the comedy See How They Run, playing the part of Rev. Arthur Humphrey.

 Ø  Renee Bresler performed with the Brevard Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, Feb. 10 at the Porter Center, in a “String Extravaganza” that included students from the Transylvania Youth String Ensemble.

 Ø  Sybil Stuart and Steve Butter performed on Holland America’s Dixieland Cruise in January. Steve played with the Jazzsea Jammers in this, his 9^th year with the cruise, and Sybil sang with the Riverboat Stompers (from Boston), in her 8^th year on the annual voyage.

 Ø  Michele and Marvin Barg performed “The Diaries of Adam and Eve” at Jason’s Main Street Grill on Feb. 16, as members of Brevard Little Theatre’s BLT-To-Go troupe. The one-act play showcased Mark Twain’s humor and insight into the relationships between men and woman, and was part of Brevard’s Valentine Weekend festivities.

Sederisms                   Submitted by Teri Lasky

Ø  A group of leading medical researchers has published data indicating that seder participants should NOT partake of both chopped liver and charoses. It seems that this combination can lead to Charoses of the Liver.

Ø  At our seder, we had whole wheat and bran matzo, fortified with Metamucil. The brand name, of course, is “Let My People Go”.

Ø  Old Jewish men in Miami get hernias from wearing chai’s that are too heavy. This condition is called “chaiatal hernia”.

Ø  If a doctor carries a black bag and a plumber carries a tool box, what does a mohel carry? A bris kit!

Chanukah Celebration

Please join us on Friday night, Dec. 7 for our annual Chanukah celebration. At 5:30 p.m.  we’ll enjoy a potluck dinner followed by some Chanukah songs, games and a brief Shabbat service.  We will also be honoring Pat and Jay White for their longtime service to the BJC.

Please call Linda Steinfeld at 877-6670, to RSVP and tell her what food you’d like to bring. Remember, please, no pork, no shellfish, and no meat and milk mixed in the same dish. Feel free to bring your own menorah for candle-lighting, and some pocket change for dreidel games (with the winner having the option of donating the pot to a charity).

BJC Annual Member Meeting

A new slate of directors/officers was elected at our annual meeting on Friday, Sept. 28:

Leslie Chepenik      President

Sybil Stuart             Secretary

Steve Butter            Vice President

Ken Wallston          Treasurer

Norman Bossert      Board Member

Thank you for agreeing to serve!

President’s Message   By Leslie B. Chepenik

It is an honor and privilege to serve as new president of the Brevard Jewish Community.  Under the guidance and leadership of Norman Bossert, Marvin Barg, and past president Pat White we have come a long way from the Bosserts’ initial ad in the local newspaper asking “Are You Jewish?”

Our challenge now is to sustain our efforts as a community, enlarge our membership, encourage more members to take responsibility for religious events (for example, Friday night oneg; Passover seder, etc.), and increase attendance at our Friday night Shabbat service.

We hope to expand our activities in the future to include special family nights, group discussion of topics especially relevant to Jews and Judaism, special programs to include songs and music, and other programs designed to increase participation in our community.  Please contact me (chepenik@citcom.net; (828) 877-5721) should you have some ideas for a program for Friday night Shabbat.

Thanks to Shelley Bossert, we now have an official website. I invite you to visit it, at brevardjewishcommunity.org, to check out events in our Jewish community or sign up for a Friday night oneg. Also, a volunteer group has been organized to contact members by phone or e-mail about events that may not have been publicized in the Koleynu.

Our Board of Directors, our spiritual leaders, and I welcome and encourage your suggestions, involvement, support, and participation as we continue to ensure the Brevard Jewish Community remains a vibrant part of life in Brevard and Transylvania County. I look forward to meeting you all in the coming year.

Remembering Paul Goldschmidt

Our dear friend Paul Goldschmidt passed away on Sept. 12, 2007 at age 68, after a lengthy duel with cancer. Surviving Paul is his loving wife of 33 years, Anita, and their children.

Born and raised in Winthrop, Mass., Paul was gifted educator, passionate writer, charismatic story and joke-teller, backyard astronomer, self-taught meteorologist, baseball aficionado, and champion Trivial Pursuit player.

Paul was actively involved in the Brevard Jewish Community, Cedar Mountain Rocky Hill Baptist Church community, Brevard Little Theatre, and Cedar Mountain Community.

One of the great joys in his life was his role in the acquisition of the BJC’s first Torah scroll. To honor Paul’s memory, enough donations have already been collected to fully fund the purchase of a Torah breastplate.

Paul was a caring friend and a true lover of life. He will be remembered fondly and greatly missed by all who knew him.

Torah Committee: Mission Accomplished!

Marvin Barg reports that the Torah Committee has completed its mission (at least for the time being), and no further meetings are planned.

We appreciate the time and efforts of our Torah Committee members, who devoted many hours to the research and planning involved in acquiring our Torah, Torah Ark, dedication plaques, rimonim and other items. We are grateful to Shelley Bossert and others who are making Torah covers and new curtains.

We also thank those who contributed to the Torah Fund. At this point, we anticipate only occasional maintenance needs and insurance, which we will be covered by our General Fund. Thus, we will no longer be seeking donations dedicated to a separate Torah Fund.

Above: Paul Goldschmidt with the Torah we borrowed from Temple Beth HaTephila in September 2005. (Photo by Anita Goldschmidt)

BJC Website is Launched

By Shelley Bossert, Webmaster

The BJC website is up and running!  We hope that this new site will serve as a community bulletin board, keeping you up to date between issues of the Koleynu. Web content includes a BJC events calendar, contact information, current and back issues of the Koleynu, and links to sites of interest. Please  visit brevardjewishcommunity.org, bookmark the home page and return on a regular basis.  

If you have an e-mail address, please send a message to Shelley Bossert, Webmaster, from the website link at the bottom of the home page. Your address will be confirmed and added to our mailing list, and used only to notify you of congregational news and events. If you find mistakes, broken links, or have news to share, please feel free to e-mail us with details, questions, suggestions or concerns.

Thoughts on the Anne Frank Exhibit

Editor’s Note: The Center for Diversity Education recently hosted the international traveling exhibit "Anne Frank: A History for Today" in Asheville. The exhibit presented archival photographs and eyewitness accounts detailing events in Europe during WWII. BJC member Kay Kadden offered the following thoughts after viewing the exhibit.

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A visit to the “Anne Frank” exhibit made me realize how lucky I was to have escaped Germany to freedom in the US, and now, to the safe haven of beautiful Brevard and its good people. At the same time, remembering the horror of those years, it opened up wounds in my soul and brought tears to my eyes. When I felt the warm embraces of two friends accompanying me, reassuring me of their love and affection, I felt protected and allowed myself to heal again.

But how can one forget those terrible years growing up under the Nationalist Socialists of Germany during the 1920s and 1930s? A young child can’t comprehend how suddenly her world is changing: having lost her mother at age four, getting a stepmother, losing her playmates who are forbidden to be seen with her because she is Jewish, teachers who completely ignore her or taunt her with nasty remarks, and school chums who follow Hitler’s orders, marching, singing and waving flags. 

What a difficult life it was! Anne Frank lived that kind of life, too. How well I understand how she felt and wrote in her diary daily. I also turned to writing down my feelings and thoughts. There was no one to confide in and one simply had to unburden oneself. Anne and her sister Margot, two innocent young girls, met their deaths in a concentration camp after suffering from typhus fever. Guilty of what? Being Jewish? Will the world learn from history or must we repeat it again, I ask myself. And there are still those who claim it never happened. Let’s create harmony by helping and comforting one another and making it a better world. It’s the only one we have.  –Kay Kadden

Book Schmooze                           

By Sue Curtis

Nonviolent Communication:

A Language of Life, by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., PuddleDancer Press, 2005

I wanted to share this book with you because it is, quite simply, the most satisfying and informative book on communication that I have ever read. Rather than touting trendy techniques, it reaches underneath the way we habitually converse to discover and support the underlying goals of communication.

As author Marshall Rosenberg explains, the words we use in everyday life can invoke hurt and pain toward others and toward ourselves, though often unintentionally.

Even as a boy, Rosenberg had always believed that it is basic human nature to enjoy giving and receiving in a compassionate way. The 1943 Detroit race riots, and the hostility Rosenberg personally experienced just for being Jewish, prompted his preoccupation with two key questions: what happens to disconnect people from their inherently compassionate nature? And conversely, what allows some people to stay connected to their compassionate nature, even under the most trying circumstances?

Rosenberg was struck by the crucial role of language in fostering – or hampering – efforts to stay compassionate. He eventually developed a specific approach to speaking and listening that connects people with others and with themselves, in a way that allows our natural compassion to flourish. Thus, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) was born.

The core of NVC is this: when we focus on clarifying what is being observed, felt and needed rather than on diagnosing and judging, we can better discover our own needs and the needs of others, and work to meet those needs.

The NVC process consists of four components: observing (without judgment or evaluation), stating how we feel when we observe this action, identifying what needs of ours are connected to those feelings, and making a specific request based on those needs.

It can be amazingly difficult to just observe something without labeling or judging it. It’s so habitual to decide that things are “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”, when what we really mean is “I like this”, or “I disagree with that”.

Identifying and expressing authentic feelings is another area that we are culturally conditioned against. We often grow up suppressing feelings, and giving far more weight to thoughts, and “the right way to think” (e.g., “Big boys don’t get frightened”, and “Good girls act nice”).

Rosenberg leads the reader, step by step, through the NVC process with a series of exercises, anecdotes and insightful stories. His writing style is non-academic, fluid, and easy to read, and he provides relatable examples and vocabulary lists to aid in understanding.

NVC is a powerful process, and I have used some portion of it virtually every day since first reading this book.  Remembering that there is an unmet need being expressed has given me different options when faced with intense

communications.    Rather  than  trying  to  problem-solve  or defend, I now realize that what is often more valuable is to listen empathetically to the other person.

For example, on one occasion, two friends each told me their version of an argument. I used to feel compelled to act as judge, or try to ferret out the “truth”, or play mediator, or at the least, take sides (if only in my mind). All of this would give me great personal discomfort, but it seemed like that’s what was expected.

After becoming familiar with NVC, I realized I didn’t need to choose sides or judge. What was being sought was deep listening, and a validation of the feelings and needs each friend was experiencing. Providing that to both friends was far more satisfying to me, and to them, too, I imagine.

I am still on a learning curve, and readily fall back into judgmental language, being only human! But practicing NVC has helped me learn to be more gentle with myself and with others. It gives me a personal sense of peace to read (and re-read) this book, and many of the other titles in the NVC collection.

This book is available through Amazon.com and through Marshall Rosenberg’s website (www.nonviolentcommunication.com), which describes many other NVC publications and resources, as well. I like this book so much, that I bought a spare copy to loan out, so you can also contact me, if you’d like to borrow it.

Ask About It…

 Q: Why do we give presents on Chanukah?

A: The Jewish Book of Why explains this relatively recent practice as a way to counteract the strong influence of the Christmas season and its festivities on the lives of Jewish children, who might otherwise feel “left out”.

Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf, in an Aish.com article, offers the following observations:

“There is nothing bad about presents per se. It’s just that they don’t have any particular significance on Chanukah. In fact, if no one gives or receives even one present on Chanukah, they have not omitted anything central to the holiday.

“Everybody I know, including my own kids, wants to strangle me after reading this. To set the record straight: Yes, I got Chanukah presents when I was a child. And yes, my wife and I give our children a few gifts on Chanukah. Having said that…

“The reason we give presents on Chanukah is because Chanukah just happens to arrive around the same time as Santa. Our Jewish holiday has become culturally overwhelmed by society’s obsession with Christmas presents.

“There is great historical irony in the fact that Chanukah has been so dramatically impacted by a non-Jewish religion and culture. The Jewish people fought to resist one culture and have celebrated that resistance for over 2,000 years. Now we find ourselves adopting the customs of yet another culture to celebrate the victory of Chanukah.

“I wonder what Judah Maccabee would say about that?”

Editor’s Note: I’m not sure, but I’m guessing his kids would still thrill to a small present every day after lighting the menorah.

Humor from the Internet 

Submitted by Phyllis Nesbitt

During a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting. The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up. The rabbi, learned as he was in the Law and commentaries, didn’t know what to do. His congregation suggested that he consult a housebound 98-year-old man who was one of the original founders of their temple. The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual temple tradition was, so he went to the nursing home with a representative of each faction of the congregation.

The one whose followers stood during the Shema asked the old man, “Is the tradition to stand during this prayer?” The old man answered, “No, that is not the tradition.” The one whose followers sat said, “Then the tradition is to sit during Shema!” The old man answered, “No, that is not the tradition.” Then the rabbi said to the old man, “But the congregants fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether they should sit or stand…” The old man interrupted, exclaiming, “THAT is the tradition!”

Words to Ponder

The Washington Post holds an annual contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. Some past winners are:

1. coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5.  negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

6. lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

7. gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

8. flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

9. balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

10. rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

11. pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

12. oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

13. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

14. circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

“It Gives Us Such Naches!”

• Brevard Little Theatre’s September production of Fiddler on the Roof featured BJC members Sandie Kaye playing a perfectly kvetching Yente, Max Bernson as the venerable Rabbi, Ann Strother as Shaindel (Motel the Tailor’s mother), and Renee Braun as a villager.

• Sue Curtis performed with Womansong, an Asheville-based women’s community chorus, at the Porter Center on Oct. 20, in a concert to benefit two Brevard organizations: SAFE and Free Rein.

• Sybil Stuart and Steve Butter made their second appearance in concert with their band, The Sylvan Gems, on Nov. 10, at College Walk. Steve plays clarinet and soprano sax, and Sybil sings.

BJC Annual Member Meeting

The BJC’s sixth annual member meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007 at 7 p.m., before our Shabbat service and our Sukkot celebration.

At our brief annual member meeting, we will vote for directors, review our financial status and conduct any other business brought up by the membership. You are considered a BJC member, with voting privileges, if you attend one service or meeting per year, and complete a Registry Form.

If you can’t attend, please complete a proxy (included in this Koleynu issue on Page 7) and give it to someone who will be in attendance, or mail it. This will help us to fulfill our bylaw requirements and protect our non-profit status.

This year, our slate of directors/officers is:

            Leslie Chepenik       President

Sybil Stuart               Secretary

            Steve Butter             Vice President

Norman Bossert      Board Member

            To be named          Treasurer

Nominations will be sought and accepted from the floor before a vote is held.

President’s Message

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members, officers and volunteers of the Brevard Jewish Community for their support and cooperation which made these past few years a success. I have enjoyed myself and I could not have done it without you. I’m sure you will give the same support to our new President and her officers.

Sincerely, Patricia White

Wanted: BJC Treasurer

We are seeking a Treasurer to fill Jay White’s spot. The Treasurer keeps track of the BJC’s finances (including donations and expenditures), writes checks, prepares an annual budget for board approval, presents a financial update at the annual membership meeting,  and helps decide issues that come before the BJC board.

If you are willing to take on this key role, please contact Leslie Chepenik at 877-5721.

Break the Fast

Following the closing Yom Kippur service we have traditionally held a community Break the Fast. Attendees are asked to bring a vegetarian or dairy dish (no red meat, poultry, or shellfish, but other fish is ok).

To RSVP, please call Ann Strother, at (828) 877-5864.  Phyllis Nesbitt is also taking calls at 884-9266, or e-mails at phylclaire@citcom.net.  

Sukkot

Sukkot is a seven-day holiday of thanksgiving that commemorates the divine miracle of the Jews’ survival during their forty years of wandering in the desert.  The word “Sukkot” (plural of sukkah) means “huts” or “booths”, and  refers  to  the temporary dwellings in which the Jews lived before reaching the Promised Land.

Sukkot traditions include decorating a sukkah with cards, ornaments or gourds, eating meals in a sukkah, and donating goods, time or funds to the needy.

Sukkot begins at sundown on Wednesday, Sept. 26. We will celebrate Sukkot at our Shabbat evening service on Friday, Sept. 28.

This year, during Sukkot, we will once again erect our sukkah, under the trees just beyond the edge of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church parking lot. Feel free to stop by at any time to put up a decoration, have a snack, or just stand in the sukkah and contemplate the things for which you are thankful.

Simchat Torah

A translation of “Simchat Torah” is “rejoicing in the law”.  It is the holiday that marks both the end of Sukkot and the completion  –  and beginning  –  of the twelve-month cycle of Torah reading.

Tradition calls for us to complete the reading of the five books of Moses on Simchat Torah, and on the same day immediately start all over again, creating a continuous circle of study.

A joyous occasion, it is often celebrated by dancing with the Torah in circles around the synagogue.

This year, Simchat Torah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Oct. 3. We will celebrate the holiday at our Shabbat evening services on Friday, Oct. 5.

Torah Committee News

Chairman Marvin Barg provides the following update from the Torah Committee.

Our Torah now has its first ornaments. Thanks to the generosity of Bunni Arnold and family, our Torah is now adorned with sterling silver finials (in Hebrew, rimonim). Thanks to the efforts of several people, including a personal search in New York City by Phyllis Nesbitt, an internet vendor (www.silverheaven.com) was found who had what we wanted at a price within our budget.

The order was placed the week of August 6, the rimonim arrived the following week, and they were placed on the Torah for the first time on August 17, just before Friday night services. Everyone at services that night saw and admired them, and they are sure to add elegance and beauty to our Torah services during the High Holy Days.

Torah Welcoming Ceremony

On May 26, 2007, an enthusiastic crowd officially welcomed our new Torah to its home. The event began with a processional around the parking lot of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Marvin Barg chanting and many of the participants carrying the Torah for a portion of the parade. The ceremony included a Sabbath morning worship service and a festive meal arranged by Leslie Chepenik.

Many thanks to Marvin Barg and Norman Bossert for conducting the ceremony, to Leslie Chepenik for taking RSVPs and arranging the wonderful repast, and to all who participated in this historic event in the life of the Brevard Jewish Community.

Above: Pat White and Pat White.

Below: Lowell and

Linda Steinfeld

 

Above: Leslie Chepenik

What Does the Torah Mean to You?

At the Torah Welcoming Ceremony, Sue Curtis asked several members to respond to a question.  Here are some of those responses.

Norm Bossert – “Well, to me a Torah, it’s a central symbol of being Jewish. To me, it represents a decision to have a permanent community, here and in Brevard, and its purchase says that we’re going to be around for a long time. It represents a commitment from a lot of people. So for me, Torah is all about commitment; it’s all about deciding that we’re going to stay a Jewish community for a long time.”

Paul Goldschmidt – “It’s a connection with the past, and I remember my grandfather whose position in our synagogue was to make sure that the reader made no mistakes and to correct them. He always sat in the first seat of the first row and I sat next to him. And I did that for years with him, all through my teenage years. And it also solidifies us as a congregation; having a Torah is a road to the future that we know we’re going to be here a long time. And all of that happened in one day. It’s rather amazing and exciting.”

Shelley Bossert – “I was, I think, the first person who brought the issue of the scroll up, because without a scroll, you can’t do a Saturday morning Torah service, and the Torah service is truly the heart of what Judaism is all about. We call it a Tree of Life because it is; and it’s a Tree of Life to them that hold fast. If you read it, if you pay attention to it, if you use it as a byword in your life, then it has meaning and can do good things. Without it, you don’t have any of those things and I don’t think a Jewish community can survive without something as important as that.”

Above: Norm Bossert and Marvin Barg

Above Left: Paul Goldschmidt.

Marvin Barg – “To me, the fact that we have a Torah in our community now means that we have the potential to grow religiously and as a community.”

  Herb Seifter – “It certainly makes us feel connected to Jews in history and it really makes you conscious of where we came from and hopefully where we’re going to go. I like it; I feel good about it.”

 Kay Kadden – “It gave me tremendous pride to be able to witness something like this, especially given where I came from.”

 Anna Curtis (age 12) – “I think it’s cool because usually when we go to the other temples, it’s like ‘Wow – they have a Torah’, and it’s all big and cool, and now we have one too, and that makes us official. And the yad’s cool, too – we like the yad.”

 Phyllis and Doug Nesbitt to Relocate

Long-time members Phyllis and Doug Nesbitt will be relocating to Santa Rosa, California in the near future, to be near family and friends. We will miss them greatly. Phyllis has been an active presence in the BJC. She has been our Correspondence Secretary, sending donation thank you notes, and get well and condolence cards on behalf of the Brevard Jewish Community. She has frequently helped organize and run BJC events such as seders and Break the Fast celebrations. Additionally, as a professional photographer, her pictures have contributed greatly to the pages of this newsletter.

We thank Phyllis for her many contributions to the Brevard Jewish Community and wish her and Doug the best of luck on their house sale and upcoming move. And we expect them to stay in touch!

Who’s Doing What

With Phyllis Nesbitt about to relocate, it’s an appropriate time to review who, in addition to our board members and lay leaders, takes care of some of the BJC’s ongoing responsibilities. 

• Correspondence Secretary: Sybil Stuart will be in charge of sending out donation thank you notes, condolence and get well cards on behalf of the BJC.

• Liaison with Sacred Heart: Leslie Chepenik will be the contact person for facilities arrangements with the church.

• Rituals Coordinator: Marvin Barg ensures that religious preparation for services is complete, and answers questions about religious appropriateness (e.g. whether a certain food is appropriate to bring to a particular occasion).

We thank these volunteers for their commitment and efforts in keeping these vital areas running smoothly.

“It Gives Us Such Naches!”

• Congratulations, once again, to Pat and Jay White’s grandson, Patrick Rybarczyk, math teacher at A.C. Flora High School in Columbia, SC. On June 2, Patrick led his team of “mathletes” to another victory, this time winning the national title. The team, nicknamed “Carolina Doom”, defeated more than 70 teams in their division, including some international competitors from Canada, Colombia and Turkey at the American Regions Math League National Championship at Penn State University.

•  Max Bernson portrayed “Grandpa” in the White Squirrel Festival play “Wee White Critters”. The play depicts the true story of how Brevard’s white squirrel population began, when two white squirrels owned by young Barbara Mull made their way into the forest. The White Squirrel Festival occurs each year over Memorial Day weekend.

JFS Planning Activities

Based on the results of a survey that included Jewish community members from Asheville, Henderson and Brevard, the Asheville Jewish Community Center decided to proceed with creating a Jewish Family Services program.

The mission of Jewish Family Services of WNC is to provide programs and services to educate, support, and strengthen individuals, families, and the community in a manner consistent with the Jewish values of social responsibility, respect, and caring for one another.

Some planned priorities include transportation and elder care for older adults, parenting classes, and referrals to social service agencies, counselors and support groups.

If you would like to be involved in the JFS in its planning stages, your participation would be welcomed. Please contact Alison B. Gilreath, JFS Director, at (828) 253-0701, extension 106, or e-mail her at Alison@jcc-asheville.org.

Memorials and Torah Donations

Beginning with this issue of the Koleynu, the format for listing memorials, honorees and Torah donations will change. Each new one will now be listed in a single issue (versus four consecutive issues). In addition, donor names will now be included with the names of those being remembered or honored. This change will make record-keeping much easier for your Editor, who appreciates your understanding.

Hard Lox Jewish

Food Festival

Got a taste for matzo ball soup, corned beef, potato latkes and rugelach? You can satisfy those cravings at “Hard Lox - Asheville’s Jewish Food Festival”. This year’s event will be held on Sunday, October 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Like last year, the location is Battery Park, which is adjacent to the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. 

Anne Frank Exhibit 

The Center for Diversity Education will host the international traveling exhibit "Anne Frank: A History for Today" at the Biltmore Square Mall, 800 Brevard Rd., Asheville, from September 30 to November 9. The exhibit presents archival photographs and eyewitness accounts detailing events in Europe during WWII. The exhibit is open to the public from 3 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12:30 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. A donation is suggested at the door.

 For more information, to schedule a group tour, or to volunteer, call the Center for Diversity Education at (828) 232-5024 or e-mail info@annefrank-wnc.org. They are especially in need of volunteers who witnessed or survived the Shoah. The exhibit’s website is www.annefrank-wnc.org.

One Rosh Hashanah morning, the Rabbi noticed little Adam was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the synagogue. It was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the Rabbi walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, “Good morning, Adam.”

 “Good morning, Rabbi,” replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. “Rabbi Resnick, what is this?” Adam asked. “Well, it’s a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.” Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Adam’s voice was barely audible when he asked: “Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur service?”

 Instructions for Proxy Form

 If you can’t attend the BJC annual meeting on Sept. 28, please mail this proxy to 781 Cardinal Drive, Brevard, NC 28712, or give it to someone who will be attending. Photocopies are fine.

Article on BJC and Sacred Heart

 On April 27, an article about the BJC’s cordial relationship with Sacred Heart Catholic Church appeared in The Catholic News & Herald. Local correspondent Kathleen Healy Schmieder interviewed Father Carl Del Giudice, Norman Bossert, Marvin Barg and Sue Curtis for the article. Entitled “Two Faiths, Common Ground”, the piece highlights the respect and interaction between our two communities, despite the differences in our faiths.

 Noting our shared seders, and the Torah Ark and handcrafted cross (a gift from BJC’s Al and Marty Marinoff) that reside in Father Carl’s study, Kathleen writes: “If there is a lesson to be learned from the unity found between the Catholic and Jewish communities in Brevard, it can be seen in the reverence paid to the beliefs and traditions of each faith.”

 Memorial (Yizkor) Service Form

 If you wish to have a family member or friend’s name mentioned during the Memorial Service, please complete this form and mail it to Norm Bossert as soon as possible.  

Torah Welcoming Ceremony

 Six years ago, a simple query – “Are you Jewish?” – jumped off the classified pages of The Transylvania Times to become the Brevard Jewish Community. Within weeks of its inception, the BJC began growing, attracting people from the greater Brevard area, Hendersonville, and even Black Mountain.

 From the first organizational meeting attended by thirteen people, the BJC has grown to its current family of over one hundred, supported, in large part, by the kindness and generosity of friends from local churches, the Jewish communities of Asheville and Charlotte, and the United Jewish Communities Southeastern Region.

 We invite BJC members, supporters and friends to join us in a sacred event, a Sabbath morning worship service, during which we will formally inaugurate our new Torah – the Five Books of Moses – and its beautifully hand-crafted Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark).

This Sabbath service will feature a reading, chanted in Hebrew, from the weekly Torah portion, followed by a brief commentary. The service will take place at Sacred Heart Catholic Church starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 26. Weather permitting, we will begin with a Torah processional from the parking lot into the Fellowship Hall. (In case of inclement weather we will assemble immediately in the Fellowship Hall). After the service we invite you to join us for a light repast. Please RSVP to Leslie Chepenik at (828) 877-5721 or chepenik@citcom.net by May 20.

 Ambassadors to Russian Scientists

 Leslie and Ken Chepenik were among those who hosted five Russian epidemiologists visiting the United States as part of Brevard-based Scian Institute’s project to facilitate international collaboration on handling large-scale disasters, particularly pandemics.

 The scientists and hosts were treated to a taste of Brevard culture, with bluegrass music by local musicians Paul Elwood and Mike Guggino at Quotations Coffee Café. Paul Elwood also treated the audience to Brevard’s first (and possibly last) performance of Velcro Tap-Dancing.

Shavuot – The Giving of the Torah

 Shavuot, the holiday that celebrates the momentous occasion when the Jewish people were first given the Torah, begins on May 23 this year.  It seems very fitting that our own historic Torah event occurs so near to this date.

Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, and is also known as the Festival of the First Fruits. Historically, it celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Linking the two events allowed Shavuot to retain its significance when Jews became increasingly urbanized and less attuned to agricultural cycles.

 It is customary to stay up the entire first night of Shavuot and study Torah, then pray as early as possible in the morning. Another custom is to eat a dairy meal at least once during Shavuot. There are varying opinions as to why this is done; some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with "milk and honey."

 The Book of Ruth is read at this time. Suggested reasons for this also vary, such as that the story of Ruth and Boaz takes place in the spring, at harvest time; that Ruth was the ancestor of King David, who was born and died on Shavuot; and that, since Ruth expressed her loyalty to the Torah by converting to Judaism, it is proper to read about her life on the holiday of the Torah.

It is noteworthy that the holiday is called the time of the giving of the Torah, rather than the time of the receiving of the Torah. The sages point out that we are constantly in the process of receiving the Torah; that we receive it every day, but it was first given at this time. Thus it is the giving, not the receiving, that makes this holiday significant.

 Shavuot is a joyous time, since it is the moment at which G-d and Israel entered into a figurative marriage with each other, the hopeful springtime of their relationship.

 Sources: Judaism 101 (www.jewfaq.org), Myjewishlearning.com, and The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred J. Kolatch.

Passover Seder

 This year’s BJC Passover seder was held on Tuesday, April 3, and was ably led by Norman Bossert and Marvin Barg. Many thanks go to Leslie Chepenik, Linda Steinfeld and Phyllis Nesbitt for all their time and efforts in organizing the seder, coordinating the potluck and setting the beautiful tables. Some seder photos appear below and on the next two pages.

Above: Shelley and Norm Bossert, Marvin and Michele Barg at the head table. (Photo by Sue Curtis)

Above: Kay Kadden, Linda Steinfeld, Judi Bernson, Shelley Bossert (behind), Phyllis Nesbitt, and members of Sacred Heart setting up for the seder.  (Photo submitted by Phyllis Nesbitt)

Above: Jimmy Harris, Judi and Max Bernson, Dick and Nancy Thompson at the Passover seder.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 Asheville Jewish Community Center – You Belong Here!

 Brevard Jewish Community members – did you know that the Asheville Jewish Community Center sends out a monthly newsletter and a weekly e-news bulletin with information about events and programs happening in the Asheville and western North Carolina communities? The JCC’s publications are a great way to access news of Jewish life in the mountains, and they’re free! You don’t have to be a JCC member to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in your region, you just need to sign up for their mailing list.

 To be added to the JCC’s mailing list, send an e-mail to steven@jcc-asheville.org, with “mailing list update” in the subject line, and provide the following information:

• Name of each household member

• Mailing address

• Telephone number

• E-mail address for each household member

 You can view articles, event calendars and postings about a wide range of Jewish activities in and near Asheville by checking out www.jcc-asheville.org.

 If you don’t have internet access, you can get on the print newsletter mailing list by calling Natalie Kramer at (828) 253-0701.

Torah Planning Committee

 The Torah Committee continues to work toward finalizing the remaining details of the Torah welcoming ceremony and ark preparations, such as finials, an eternal light and donor plaques. We are grateful to Marvin Barg, Norm and Shelley Bossert, Pat and Jay White, Paul and Anita Goldschmidt, and Leslie Chepenik for devoting their energy and expertise to these endeavors.

 Following is an updated Torah donor list, per Sue Curtis’s records. If you have donated to the Torah fund and your name is not shown below, please contact Sue at (828) 862-8825, or scurtis2@citcom.net.

 Bunni Arnold

Marvin & Michele Barg

Leslie Chepenik

Mike, Sue & Anna Curtis

Sunny Diamond

Nikki Dietzel

Jean Dworkin

Alice H. Gamson

Paul & Anita Goldschmidt

Linda & Albert Gross

Barbara & Paul Grossman

Irving M. Hyman

G. Kay Kadden

Shirley Krause

Baris & Estelle Lampert

Donna Leven

Albert & Martin Marinoff

Phyllis Steinman Nesbitt

Valerie Osborne

Norma & Albert Pasternack

Audrey Rubin

Sybil Saloman

Dr. Sanford Schwartz

Bobbi Seeman

Erica Staas

Lowell & Linda Steinfeld

The Straus Family

Sybil Stuart & Stephen Butter

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Patricia & Jay White

The Family Store Exhibit

 The Family Store, a History of Jewish Businesses in Downtown Asheville, 1880-1990, is currently on exhibit through May at Pack Place in Asheville. In June, the exhibit will again go up throughout downtown Asheville, as it did last fall, with the twelve exhibit panels in different storefronts around town. A map showing the locations of the panels will be included in the exhibit brochure, which will be available in June at Pack Place and other downtown locations.

 Above: Pam and Matt Levy, Marvin and Joyce Schoenfeld and Anna Curtis at the Passover seder.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 A History of NC Jewish Summer Camps

Submitted by Will Grossman of the JHFNC

As parents pack their kids for a summer of Jewish camping, they’ll be following a long North Carolina tradition. This year the legendary Camp Blue Star near Hendersonville celebrates its 60^th anniversary. Camp Judea, also near Hendersonville, claims nearly half a century of building Zionist youth.

Jewish summer camping in America traces to the 1890s. In its early years it shared the American movement’s obsession with Native American culture, as still can be seen in some camp names. In the 1920s Jewish educational camps proliferated that sought to inculcate in city youth a healthy regard for nature and its spiritual bounties. As a counter to assimilation, Yiddish, Zionist and religious movements formed their own summer camps, notably the Conservative Ramah camps in the 1940s.

North Carolina bears out this history. Camp Osceola, owned and directed by Rabbi George Solomon of Savannah, opened about 1926. The Rabbi wrote that the camp was a “place where the Jewish boy can not only feel thoroughly at home with Jewish influences, but at the same time be developed in the manly sports and activities.” In the same year Rabbi Samuel Wrubel, director of Camp French Broad for boys in Brevard and Camp Dellwood for girls in Waynesville, spoke of the “sustaining qualities of sportsmanship, courage, initiative, responsibility and comradeship.”

 Today’s camps bear Zionist names. Herman Popkin and his brothers Harry and Ben, Zionist youth activists, founded Camp Blue Star in 1948, the year of Israel’s birth. Located on 740 Blue Ridge acres, Blue Star counts tens of thousands of alumni including Stuart Eizenstat and Ben Bernanke. Camp Judea, which began as a program at Blue Star, purchased its 118 acres in 1961 and became one of five camps of Hadassah’s Young Judea movement. Camp Judea’s mission is for the children to have a “FUN summer that enhances that camper’s Jewish identity and love for Israel.” And just across the state line in Clayton, Georgia, is Ramah Darom, the southern site of the Conservative movement’s camping system. Founded in 1997, it seeks “to inculcate young people with the values, philosophy, rituals and practices of Judaism.”

 Note: This story is from Down Home: Jewish Life in North Carolina, a multimedia project of the Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina. To learn more about the Down Home film, book, museum exhibit and school curriculum visit www.jhfnc.org.

 This year’s seder is for BJC members and their invited guests. The meal will be a “coordinated” potluck: guests will be asked what category of food they’d like to bring, so we can ensure a variety of offerings and review any questions about appropriateness for Passover (e.g. no dairy, no leavened items). There is no charge for the seder, which will be led by Marvin Barg and Norman Bossert.

 Leslie is also looking for volunteers to help with setting up the seder plates and cleaning up. Please call her to volunteer; your help will be greatly appreciated.

 Linda Steinfeld and Phyllis Nesbitt are also helping to coordinate the seder. Each will be out of town for a time, so if you can’t reach one, please call another:

Leslie Chepenik: 877-5721,chepenik@citcom.net (out 3/31 to 4/9)

Linda Steinfeld: 877-6670 (out 3/13 to 3/25)

Phyllis Nesbitt: 884-9266, phylclaire@citcom.net (out 3/19 to 4/1).

Our Torah's New Home!

 The Torah ark is finished and in place! Made of beautiful mahogany and expertly crafted down to the smallest detail, the work was completed by carpenter Joe Doyle, with help from Mike Westerly, Steven McCall and Joe Kondratick. The Torah was installed in its new home in Father Carl DelGiudice’s study on February 20.

 We thank Joe Doyle and his team for the superb workmanship and care they invested in building the Torah cabinet. We greatly appreciate Jimmy Harris’s contribution of hardware and supplies used in building the ark.

Our gratitude also goes to Father Carl and the members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for providing such a special and honored place for our Torah, the most important symbol and guiding wisdom of the Jewish faith. Their continued support and friendship means so much to all of us. 

                                   (continued)

And we are most thankful to our BJC Torah Committee for seeing this project through to fruition. Members of the Torah Committee are Marvin Barg (chair), Norm and Shelley Bossert, Paul Goldschmidt and Jay White, with Pat White attending most meetings as well.

 Above: Marvin Barg, Joe Kondratick, Joe Doyle, Father Carl DelGiudice,  Michele Barg, Jay White and Pat White (seated) in Father Carl’s study.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 The official inauguration of our first Torah will take place as part of a Shabbat morning service. This event is open to all members of the Brevard Jewish Community and invited guests. The service will start, weather permitting, with a procession with the Torah from the parking lot into the fellowship hall.

 The Shabbat service that follows will focus mainly on the reading of the Torah. An Oneg Shabbat will follow immediately at the conclusion of the service. We plan to have the Oneg catered, but volunteers will be needed to set out the refreshments and clean up. Please call Leslie Chepenik at 877-5721 to help.

Torah Contributors Plaques

 Torah ark plans still to be completed include the production and mounting of plaques to recognize Torah fund donors. Following is a donor list, per Sue Curtis’s records. If you have donated to the Torah fund and your name is not shown below, please contact Sue at (828) 862-8825, or scurtis2@citcom.net.

Al Babich

Marvin & Michele Barg

Mike, Sue & Anna Curtis

Nikki Dietzel

Jean Dworkin

Alice H. Gamson

Paul & Anita Goldschmidt

Linda & Albert Gross

Barbara & Paul Grossman

Irving M. Hyman

G. Kay Kadden

Shirley Krause

Donna Leven

Albert & Martin Marinoff

Phyliis Steinman Nesbitt

Norma & Albert Pasternack

Audrey Rubin

Sybil Saloman

Dr. Sanford Schwartz

Lowell & Linda Steinfeld

The Straus Family

Sybil Stuart & Stephen Butter

Patricia & Jay White

Challah from Poppies

 Phyllis Nesbitt reports that Poppies Gourmet Market in Brevard will make challah bread every week for those who call to order ahead, according to owner Randy. Poppies’ phone number is (828) 885-5494.

Chanukah Celebration             By Pat White

 On Dec. 15, 2006, BJC members enjoyed a Chanukah celebration, with a potluck dinner, menorah-lighting, and holiday songs.

 For many, the highlight of the evening was when Marvin Barg surprised and amused us with his stirring renditions of the old favorite, “O Dreidel” in various musical styles, including blues and country!

 Above: Linda (savoring the menorah light effects) and Lowell Steinfeld at the Chanukah party.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 Chanukah Presentation at College Walk

 On December 3, 2006, Norman Bossert and Marvin Barg gave a Chanukah presentation at College Walk. Irving Hyman introduced them, and Kay Kadden was also part of the program. Norman and Marvin talked about Chanukah traditions, sang, played guitar and fielded questions.

 New JCC Website Launched

 The Jewish Community Center of Asheville has launched their new website. Log onto www.jcc-asheville.org to check out the JCC Community Calendar and upcoming events. A special feature of their homepage is “Jewish Asheville” a separate calendar and website which features community activities and programs at various Asheville Jewish organizations.

Above: Marvin Barg, Irving Hyman, Kay Kadden and Norman Bossert at College Walk. (Photo by Phyllis Steinman Nesbitt)

 BJC is Part of NC Jewish History

 Editor’s note: I received the following email from Leonard Rogoff, Research Historian for the JHFNC, and Koleynu recipient.

“The Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina appreciates receiving the Brevard Jewish Community newsletter. It provides information for our multimedia project, “Down Home: Jewish Life in North Carolina.” We are also filing copies for our Jewish Heritage Collections, which will be deposited in a university archive.”

The Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina is dedicated to preserving and sharing the historic and cultural heritage of the Jews of North Carolina. “Down Home” is one of their projects. For more information, visit their website www.jhfnc.org, or contact Will Grossman at (919) 668-5839.

 The Birth of NC Jewish Communities

Submitted by Will Grossman of the JHFNC

 Did you know that from one temple in 1876, North Carolina now hosts some 40 congregations and havurot [small groups of individuals and families who celebrate, learn and pray together]?

(continued)

Temple of Israel in Wilmington lays claim to being the state’s oldest, with synagogues following in Goldsboro (1886), Statesville (1892), Tarboro (1892) and New Bern (1906). All but Tarboro, which was demolished in the 1970s, are still standing.

Typically, Jews first organized a cemetery or benevolent society, purchase a burial ground, and then formed a congregation. Thus, Wilmington had a burial society in 1852, a cemetery in 1855, and a congregation about 1867.

 With the arrival of East European immigrants after 1880, the number of congregations grew to 22 in 1927. These shuls began in a house or a room above a store. Public halls were rented for holidays. In many communities Germans and Russians, Reform and Orthodox Jews met under one roof either by blending their worship styles or by holding separate services. Then as now, arguments broke out over English worship, the service length, the use of music, wearing hats, or the choice of prayer book.

When Jewish numbers grew large enough, communities split into Reform and Orthodox congregations. The Raleigh Hebrew Congregation spawned Beth Or and Beth Jacob (now Beth Meyer) before World War I. Differences between German Reform and Orthodox Jews lessened as Orthodoxy yielded to Conservatism and classical Reform Judaism grew more traditional. Today congregations in small agrarian towns are often struggling, and synagogues have closed in Wilson, Weldon, Lumberton and Tarboro.

Sunbelt centers like Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Raleigh, Durham and Winston-Salem are drawing retirees, professionals and entrepreneurs. Jewish capital construction is growing rapidly, most notably at Charlotte’s Shalom Park. New havurot and congregations have formed in college towns, retirement centers, resort areas, and the exurbs [areas beyond the suburbs] of large cities.

 Above:: Katzen Family Seder, Winston-Salem, NC. (Photo provided by Will Grossman)

BJC Members in the Performing Arts

• Michele Barg appeared in the dual roles of Blanche and Mrs. Pitkin in Brevard Little Theatre’s production of Broadway Bound in January and February. Marvin Barg was Stage Manager.

• Anna Curtis has been cast in the role of Jasmine in Brevard Academy’s spring musical, Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. Performance nights will be May 3 and 4, 2007.

 “It Gives Us Such Naches!”

• It’s a boy! Mazel tov to Phyllis and Doug Nesbitt, proud new grandparents of their first grandchild. Huter Lee Caplan was born on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006 to parents Richard and Shonelle Caplan, in NYC.

• Congratulations to Pat and Jay White’s grandson, Patrick Rybarczyk, a high school math teacher in Columbia, SC. Patrick led his team of “mathletes” to a win at Princeton University’s invitational event in Dec. 2006.

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Passover

By Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein (Aish.com)

 I've noticed that every new hi-tech contrivance, ostensibly meant to make our lives easier, instead seems to place yet another new demand on our rapidly declining available time.

 A case in point: my new smart phone. It's a calculator, camcorder, digital camera, game console, global positioning satellite navigation system, internet surfer, mobile telephone, MP3 player and personal information manager (PIM). But mostly, it drops e-mail right into my pocket, so that I am available 24/6 to be contacted, queried, corresponded to, criticized and spammed.

 Tethered as we are to the multiple leashes of work, relationships and social obligations, when are we supposed to catch our breath? Whatever happened to the notion of setting aside time to pay attention to our spiritual selves, our families and our friends? Where is self-actualization and fulfillment supposed to fit in?

I got the answer when my adult son was rushed to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis. He's a strapping 6 feet tall, and when he's not studying Torah, he can more than hold his own on the basketball court. To see him doubled over, holding his belly in agony and writhing in pain was more than my wife and I could handle. As the emergency unfolded, my cell phone rang, flashed and vibrated merrily on, oblivious that I had more important matters on my mind.

 It took the better part of three days before my son would leave the hospital, during which time I all but completely ignored my trusty Treo. To my great surprise, the world survived completely intact.

 When I was finally back to my normal, out-of-breath and out-of-my-mind self, it struck me like an epiphany: I needed to do this more

often! I needed free myself from the shackles of 21st century servitude and tend to the really important matters of life.

 Then it dawned on me that I had just discovered Passover.

 The Torah paints a rather bleak picture of Jewish existence in ancient Egypt. They were forced into slavery, starved, beaten, had their children taken from them and they were compelled to do "avodat perach" -- ruthless work. Some rabbis explain ruthless work as being descriptive not just of the quality of the labor they performed, but also the quantity. They were not only worked hard, but also constantly, to such an extent that they weren't even provided the time to allow themselves the luxury of thought. They were too busy to think straight. Worse still, they became accustomed to their pitiful existence, accepted it and thought their miserable lives to be "normal."

 Perhaps, had they been able to contemplate their own terrible conditions, they could have cried out in heartfelt prayer to the Almighty who may have hastened their redemption. Pharaoh violated the very humanity of the Jews by taking away their ability to introspect, the first required step of spiritual growth and self-actualization.

 Like it or not, we're ruthlessly on call to someone for something all the time. And, we call it "normal."

 The 21st century is certainly a marvelous time in which to live. Space exploration, computer-ization, the taming of vicious diseases are all truly amazing feats. But we also suffer more burnout, mental exhaustion, attention deficit disorders and high blood pressure than ever before. They are no doubt the effects of our own hi-tech servitude. Like it or not, we're ruthlessly on call to someone for something all the time. And, we call it "normal."

(continued)

Well, on Passover everything comes to a halt. It begins with the destruction of the chametz, leavened foodstuffs, our daily bread. What could be more symbolic of the mundane, ordinary and routine than a piece of bread? We scour our homes and clear every morsel. The "normal" is simply unacceptable for eight days each year. Then we turn off our cell phones, close our places of business and sit down to a Seder with all the time in the world to discuss the Exodus experience. And, while many of us cringe at the seeming never-ending questions our kids can annoyingly ask the rest of the year, on this night they're encouraged to ask the four questions, along with any others they might have.

 As for the rest of Passover, the simple commandment prohibiting us from eating leavened foods automatically creates a huge paradigm shift for a whole eight days whereby our regular routines go out the window. We are free of fast food restaurants. Free from the mundane obligations and vicissitudes of life. Passover is freedom indeed, from the spirit-stunting routines of modern life.

 The fact is that each and every week we've simply got to take a day off just to catch our breath. That day is Shabbat. But in order to "clean house" and truly free our inner selves from the overwhelming clutter of life lived in the fast lane, we need the extra-strength, paradigm shifting power of Passover. 

Submitted by Teri Lasky 

1. Jewbilation (n.) Pride in finding out that one’s favorite celebrity is Jewish.

2. Matzilation (v.) Smashing a piece of matzo to bits while trying to butter it.

3. Bubbegum (n.) Candy one’s mother gives to her grandchildren that she never gave to her own children.

4. Chutzpapa (n.) A father who wakes his wife at 4:00 a.m. so she can change the baby’s diaper.

5. Disoriyenta (n.) When Aunt Linda gets lost in a department store and strikes up a conversation with everyone she passes.

6. Jewdo (n.) A traditional form of self-defense based on talking one’s way out of a tight spot. Also what bagels are made of.

7. Mamatzah Balls (n.) Matzo balls that are as good as your mother used to make.

8. Rosh Hashana-na-na (n.) A rock ‘n roll band from Jewish Brooklyn.

9. Feelawful (n.) Indigestion from eating Israeli street food, especially falafel.

10. Impasta (n.) A Jew who starts eating leavened foods before the end of Passover.

11. Shofarsogut (n.) The relief you feel when, after many attempts, the shofar is finally blown at the end of Yom Kippur.

12. Trayffic Accident (n.) An appetizer one finds out has pork.

13. Torahfied (n.) Inability to remember one’s lines when called to read from the Torah at one’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

14. Déjà Nu (n.) Having the feeling you’ve seen the same exasperated look on your mother’s face, but not knowing exactly when.

15. Mishpochadots (n.) The assorted lipstick and make-up stains found on one’s face and collar after kissing all one’s aunts and cousins at a reception.

16. Dis-kvellified (v.) To drop out of law school, medical school or business school, as seen through the eyes of parents, grandparents and Uncle Sid. In extreme cases, simply choosing to major in art history when Irv’s son David is majoring in biology is sufficient grounds for dis-kvellification.

High Holy Days                                                  By Pat White

 How proud we all are to be a part of BJC High Holy Day services which Norman and Marvin conducted so beautifully. The music was outstanding. Having a guest entertain with the cello was more than I ever expected. The Break the Fast was an epicurean delight. Everyone pitched in: serving, cleaning up and sharing recipes. The comradeship was a joy. What I remembered in my childhood doesn't nearly compare to the warmth that we all shared in the Fellowship Hall of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 

 One cannot help but see the delight in Kay Kadden's face when she came away from her first experience at the altar with our new Torah. So many beautiful people made it all happen. So many, in fact, that Jay had to make five pots of coffee for the Break the Fast. We're growing! Please accept my personal thanks to each and everyone who helped to make it all happen.

Patricia White

BJC President

Above: Norm Bossert and Marvin Barg at Rosh Hashanah, with our new Torah.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

 New Appointment

 Mal Wormser has graciously consented to be the chairperson in charge of setting up the Fellowship Hall for services and holidays. Thank you, Mal!

BJC Annual Meeting

 The fifth annual meeting of the Brevard Jewish Community was held on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006 at 7 p.m. Our same slate of directors/officers will retain their positions:

            Pat White                  President

            Herb Seifter              Vice President

            Jay White                  Treasurer

            Sue Curtis                 Secretary

            Norman Bossert      Board Member

 Jay reviewed the financial statements for last year. Pat commended the Torah Committee and expressed her appreciation for their hard work and contributions toward the research and selection of the Torah.

 Marvin Barg updated the group on the status of the ark-building project. Marvin also noted that generous contributions toward the ark will cover its cost completely, without depleting the Torah fund. This will leave us a maintenance reserve for the future.

Above: Michele Barg, Mal Wormser, Anna Curtis and Marvin Barg assemble the sukkah, October 2006.  (Photo by Sue Curtis)

Torah Ark Update

 After securing and reviewing several bids for construction of the Torah ark, the Torah Committee selected local craftsman Joe Doyle to build the cabinet. Joe is now in the process of wood-working, and construction is underway.

 Jimmy Harris, owner of Harris Ace Hardware in Brevard, confirmed his pledge of support for Torah ark-building hardware and supplies in the following letter.  

 Sukkot

 Our sukkah was once again tucked beneath the sheltering pines of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church parking lot during Sukkot. Many thanks to the crew who erected, decorated and disassembled the sukkah.

BJC Members in the Performing Arts

 Maps of the Holy Land Exhibit

 An exhibit of Maps of the Holy Land is on display from October 20 through January 2007, at the Rosenzweig Gallery, which is housed in Judea Reform Congregation in Durham, NC. This is the first public exhibition of the maps, which date as far back as the 15th century. Admission is free and open to the public. For directions to the gallery, see the website: www.jhfnc.org.

“It Gives Us Such Naches!”

• Norman Fink received the Summit Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The award recognizes Norm’s lifetime contribution to philanthropy, to his community, and to his profession.

• Pat and Jay White have been blessed with the arrival of a new great-grandson, Malachi Stephen Rybarczyk.

• Paul and Anita Goldschmidt were among those residents who helped Cedar Mountain win the honor of being named a “Community of Promise” by WNC Communities. Of 53 participants, only three communities received the award, which reflects efforts to improve and enrich community resources and quality of life. 

• Anna Curtis’s “Citizenship in America” essay was selected as first place among all sixth-graders in Transylvania County, in the VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen contest. She and the other winners will be honored at a dinner on December 11, 2006. Her essay is included on page 4 of this Koleynu.

Hard Lox Happenings                           By Sue Curtis

This year’s Hard Lox Café – oops, I mean “Hard Lox – Asheville’s Jewish Food Festival” – was a delight. The event was so packed that finding parking was very challenging, as was navigating the crowds to see what tasty edibles and interesting Judaica were available. The wait for latkes and hamantaschen was well worth it, and Anna and I even got to participate in an Israeli folk dance lesson. With so many people clamoring for authentic Jewish food, I hope some ambitious restaurateur will be inspired to open a real Jewish restaurant in Asheville. The demand is certainly there! I dream of chopped liver, lean corned beef, deli rye bread, matzo ball soup, latkes, hamantaschen…mmmmmmmmm.

Citizenship in America                         by Anna Curtis