The CMI Bulletin
More than a place - We’re a community
SERIES 108 No. 10
MAY 2024
MAY
Nisan - Iyar
SHABBAT ACHREI MOT
Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30
Friday, May 3 5:30 p.m. Oneg 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Family Service 7:00 p.m. Family Pizza Dinner
Join your CMI community for Shabbat Services each Friday evening and Saturday mornings when we have a B’Mitzvah to celebrate!
Shabbat Services
SHABBAT K’DOSHIM
Leviticus 19:1 - 20:27
Friday, May 10 5:30 p.m. Oneg 6:00 p.m. Evening Service
SHABBAT EMOR
Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23
Friday, May 17 5:30 p.m. Oneg 6:00 p.m. Evening Service
SHABBAT B’HAR
Leviticus 25:1 - 26:2
Friday, May 24 5:30 p.m. Oneg 6:00 p.m. Evening Service with Torah Reading
SHABBAT B’CHUKOTAI
Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34
Friday, May 31 5:30 p.m. Oneg 6:00 p.m. Evening Service
It is a custom to invite congregants who are observing a yahrzeit, a milestone birthday or milestone anniversary to lead the blessings at Shabbat Services. The honors are to light the Shabbat candles at the beginning of the service or to recite the kiddush and motzi (prayers for the wine & bread) at the end of services. If you will be observing a milestone simcha or yahrzeit in the weeks ahead and would like to lead one of these blessings on the Friday night of that week, please contact Allan Hillman.
Reserving Friday Night Honors
MAZEL TOV TO OUR APRIL B’NOT MITZVAH
Bat Mitzvah of Molly Lindenbach Saturday, May 4 at 10:30 a.m.
In person & livestream
Mazel Tov to Molly and her family as we celebrate her becoming a Bat Mitzvah!
Services are open to all in the community.
Molly will be reading from Parashat Achrei Mot.
Bat Mitzvah of Kamryn Cohen Saturday, May 11 at 10:30 a.m.
In person & livestream
Mazel Tov to Kamryn and her family as we celebrate her becoming a Bat Mitzvah!
Services are open to all in the community.
Kamryn will be reading from Parashat K’doshim.
Bat Mitzvah of Audrey Miller Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m.
In person & livestream
Mazel Tov to Audrey and her family as we celebrate her becoming a Bat Mitzvah!
Services are open to all in the community.
Audrey will be reading from Parashat B’har.
SIMCHAS
Mazel Tov to William S. Asch, MD, PhD on receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Kidney Foundation. William Asch’s clinical, educational, administrative, and scholarly efforts are centered on solid organ transplantation. While the majority of this effort focuses on kidney transplantation, William provides subspecialty consultative services to the liver, heart, and bone marrow transplant programs. As the Transplant Nephrology Fellowship Program Director, William established the required policies, procedures, and documents required to establish this program, which is accredited through the American Society of Transplantation.
Mazel Tov to Dalton King & Michele Abrams on the marriage of their daughter, Ellen Abrams King to Joshua Ethan Squire.
Mazel Tov to Corey and Sue McDonald - “We are happy to share with our synagogue family the happy news that we have a new granddaughter, Alora Briana Stone, who was born last month in Baltimore to our son Daniel Stone and his wife Aliza Zenilman (and was also welcomed by her big brother Maurice Wallace Stone, aka Moe).
TODAH RABAH
Cohen Family, Ivey Cooley, Sarah Greenblatt, Phil Jacobs, Joel Jacobson, Howard Lurie, Dave Rodnick, Diane Rosen
MAY GREETERS
MESSAGE FROM RABBI ROSS
I was going through my files the other day, looking over old sermons and things, and I came upon this:
“Bring peace to this land, and an end to the sword
wrote Efrat Shiller, of Holon, Israel.
Let’s turn each helmet into a flower pot.
And all the shining brass throw out to rot….
Over the border, schools we’ll build
For Jews and Arabs, where once they were killed.
Swings we’ll hang from the barrels of guns.
Across revolvers, spiders will spin their runs.
Daddy will sit around and read his paper at ease,
Instead of going up North to fight and freeze
… And when Daddy from the war returns, then
He’ll never don his uniform again;
And on Purim I won’t dress up as a solder as before
Because that thing simply won’t be anymore.”
With wishes for peace for Israel, its neighbors and all.
Rabbi Dennis Ross
Books By Rabbi Ross Available: Sales Benefit CMI Youth Program
Rabbi Ross has generously offered his books for sale with a portion of the proceeds going towards CMI Youth Programs. Rabbi Ross’ most recent book, A Year with Martin Buber, was named a “Top Ten of the Year” by the Academy of Parish Clergy!
For inscribed copies, please email Rabbi Ross.
Annual Cantor’s Concert Fundraiser
Two Cantors and Tevye
“A little bit of this, a little bit of that.”
Saturday Evening, May 18, 2024
6:30 p.m. - Pre-Concert Reception & Havdalah Service
7:30 p.m. - CONCERT
On Saturday evening, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. Congregation Mishkan Israel comes together to celebrate our Annual Cantor’s Concert Fundraiser! This year Cantor G. brings Broadway to CMI! Our performers include Michael Bernardi who starred as Tevye on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof. Our other headliner is Cantor Deborah Jacobson an amazing, dynamic, and wonderful performer who always brings audiences to their feet. Our second Cantor is our one and only Cantor G. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a pre-concert reception, opportunities to make additional donations for exciting gift baskets while mingling with friends, and a beautiful Havdalah service. The Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. This is our major fundraising event of the year! Please save the date and please donate online or when you receive the invitation!
CMI EVENTS
Please note that the Building, Office & The Learning Tree will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.
Supporting Members in Time of Loss: Becoming the Caring Community Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m.
The CMI Ritual Committee, Brotherhood of Men and Women, and Chesed Team invite you to a two-part series led by Rabbi Ross on how CMI members can support each other during inevitable times of loss. In this session, How to Lead a Shivah Service, we will review the particular custom of observing shiva in mourners' homes and will prepare both experienced and aspiring service leaders to lead an in-home shivah minyan when a mourning member requests it. All members are invited to participate, which will be held in the CMI library and on Zoom. In person attendance is encouraged.
Confronting Racism Series 4.0 Eidot Session: Thursday May 2 at 7:00 p.m. On Zoom only
Part 2 of Black-Jewish Relations: A History for Our Times with Cheryl Greenberg, Trinity College Professor of History Emerita, will be a follow up to Professor Greenberg’s talk on Thursday, April 18. All are welcome. For those who did not attend the first session either in person or via livestream, we recommend that you view it on CMI’s livestream. (Please note: on the livestream recording, the introduction begins at the 2 hour, 59 min. mark. Due to issues with sound within the sanctuary, Professor Greenberg's talk begins at 3hrs, 7 min., and lasts 55 min.)
Please register if you did not attend the first session in order to receive the Zoom link
Teacher Appreciation Service & Family Dinner Friday, May 3 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Join us to help celebrate the hard working teachers in our Religious School! The evening will begin with a Shabbat Service where we will enjoy the music of the Oy Street Band and our very own Junior Choir. Following the service, we invite you to join us for a pizza dinner. Please register in advance for the dinner so we can be sure to provide enough for everyone.
Social Action Committee Meeting Tuesday, May 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Join us for the first meeting of the new Social Action Committee. At this hour long meeting, we invite everyone to discuss their ideas and ones discussed with Rabbi Ross, including environmental advocacy, conservation, peace and combating anti-Semitism and more. The Committee members will engage in activities outside areas covered by other Tikkun Olam committees. For information please contact Allan Hillman or 860-878-0826.
Rosh Chodesh - Iyar Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Amy Barry, CMI member and Rosh Chodesh participant, will be sharing her gifts with us at our next meeting. A published writer, poet, and certified expressive arts educator, Amy will lead us in a right-brain group writing exercise relevant to the times we are living in that starts at the heart, not the head. Writing experience does not matter. Just a willingness to bring (along with a writing notebook or journal) an open-mind and desire to explore your inherent creativity.
RSVP to Michele Abrams if you'd like to join us. New participants are always welcome!
Plant Sale Pick up Friday, May 10 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Please plan to pick up any pre-ordered plants on the date listed above. If you cannot pick up your plants on this date or between the times listed, please contact the office at 203-288-3877 or email Tamara to set up a more convenient pick up time.
Blood Drive Thursday, May 16 beginning at 9:00 a.m.
The American Red Cross will return to CMI for another blood drive. Each donation can save up to three lives. Please register and enter "Mishkan" to give blood or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment.
Life Is Delicious May 19
Life is Delicious will be in action cooking at CMI and serving at Columbus House.
Please let Aaron Singer know if you would like to participate in any of the following:
1. Shopping – 10:00
2. Set-up CMI kitchen – noon
3. Cooking – 1:00 – 3:30
4. Clean-up – 3:15-4:00
5. Serving at Columbus House – we will leave CMI around 4:00 p.m.
Dinner is served promptly at 5:00 p.m. and concludes by 6:00 p.m.
Spots fill up quickly!
Torah Study - In Person or on Zoom (no password needed) Saturdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25 at 9:00 a.m.
Join Rabbi Ross each Saturday morning as he leads Torah Study in person or on Zoom.
*Please note that Rabbi Steve Steinberg will be leading Torah Study on May 18 in Rabbi Ross’s absence. He will be looking at the early chapters of the Book of Joshua and the question, "Haven't we seen this before?"
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Trope Tutor Needed Do you have training to teach current trope to our B’nai Mitzvah students? If you do and you are interested in becoming a tutor, please contact Cantor Giglio. He will help prepare you and put you in touch with students and their parents who may need a little extra help preparing for their special day.
Religious School Teachers Needed The Religious School is looking for teachers for the 2024-2025 School Year. If you are interested in engaging children in discussions about Jewish values, teaching about holidays and traditions, and helping students learn Hebrew, please reach out to Michelle Goldstein. Previous teaching experience preferred but not necessary.
Birth to 3 Program Initiative CMI is looking to start a monthly Grow With Me group for parents and children birth to three on Sunday mornings. We would like to plan on at least one program in the spring and continue in the fall. We need your help to get this program started. If you are interested in helping to coordinate a playgroup session or lead this initiative, please contact Michelle Goldstein.
2023-2024 Chai Holy Day Campaign
MITZVAH David & Karen Astrachan Scott & Abigail Friedman Carol Schreiber
DOUBLE TORAH Batja Astrachan Roz & Jerry Meyer Ira & Marsha Moses Shirley Scholder David Silverstone Marian Fox Wexler
DOUBLE CHAI Sarah B. Greenblatt James Horwitz & Sandra Allison Hedda Rubenstein & Michael Dimenstein
TORAH David & Allison Cohen John & Frances Gordon Judith Hahn Robert & Ruth Lesser
CHAI Barry & Peggy Berman Dr. Irwin Braverman Rabbi Herb & Elin Brockman Stuart & Hedy Bush Letty & Floyd Caplan David & Julie Chevan Stanley & Roberta Friedman Tamar Gendler & Zoltan Szabo Laura Goldblum John & Susan Hoffmann Bill & Nancy Horowitz Ruth Koizim Joan Lakin Ben Ledbetter, Jr. & Deborah Freedman Leonard & Ellen Milstone Matthew Nemerson & Marian Chertow Madeline Ravich & Scott Gaul William & Elaine Ravich Jeremy Schwartz & Tracy Rabin Jim & Cis Serling Richard & Marie Shaw Aaron Singer & Elizabeth Caspe Mark & Judy Sklarz Corey Stone & Susan McDonald Alan & June Sturtz Andrew Ullman
Thank you to everybody who has already donated to the Chai Holy Days campaign! These generous unrestricted contributions will allow CMI to address some of the financial challenges our congregation has faced. We are grateful to all who help ensure that CMI stays strong now and well into the future.
Below are gifts that we received at the time of press.
ADDITIONAL GIFTS:
Michele Abrams & Dalton King Peter & Randi Alpert Brenda Arovas Astmann Family Karen Baar Barnett - DiBenigno Family Betsy Hahn Barnston Phyllis Bausher
Richard & Alice Baxter The Berdon Family David Berkowitz & Anne Watkins Bruce & Tansy Birenbaum Elaine Blumenthal Len Brin Wayne & Andrea Chorney James Cohen & Frances DeToro Marvin & Arlene Cohen Matthew & Michele Cohen Robert Cole
Ivey Cooley
Jack Crane
Rochelle Cummings David & Stacey Eldredge Len & Stephanie Farber Jack & Harriet Fast The Finkel Family
Leah Glaser & Stephen Amerman Roxanne & Steven Glaser Saul & Sonya Goldberg Martin Gordon
Neil & Marlene Greenberg David Greisen & Jessica Bell
Herbert Hershenson
Allan Hillman & Penny Marcus John & Susan Hoffmann
Robert Homer & Susan Fishbein Joel Jacobson Priscilla Jencks Cindy Kissin & John Jacobson Alvin Klevorick & Susan Bender Wendy Kohli & Philip Bennett Meir & Barbara Kryger Ruth Lambert & Henry Harrison Jeremy Leven Howard Lurie
ADDITIONAL GIFTS CONT’D Barbara Marcus Irene Miller
Nancy Moss-Racusin Robert & Susan Nobleman Nancy & Marc Olins Andrew & Maryann Postman
Shirley Pripstein Eleanor Rachleff-Serow Howard & Susan Rashba
Marilyn Rittner
Diane Rosen Jeffrey & Alyse Sabina Karen Scholder Jim & Barbara Segaloff Jim & Cis Serling Joan Shapiro & Luther Turmelle Michael & Gale Silverberg Ana Sirota Marsha & Ben Snaider Rabbi Howard Sommer & Dr. Linda Waldman Pearl Spodick Rabbi Steve & Caryl Steinberg Jeanne Steiner & Will Rosenblatt Cheryl Tenin Marc Wallman & Cynthia Carr Bertrand & Martha Weisbart Jim & Sue Wildes Randy Wingate & Tanya Bilchik Nancy Yedlin & Peter Blasini
Recent Donations
TARGET AREAS - immediate use funds General Fund The Astmann Family Betsy Barnston in memroy of JACK D. BARNSTON The Berdon Family in memory of JEAN BERDON The Berdon Family in memory of NANCY BERDON Noel & Iris Chernosky in memory of LOUIS CHERNOSKY Marvin & Arlene Cohen in memory of AARON COHEN Jane Farrington in memory of JULIET DRABKIN Howard Lurie in memory of MICHAEL HOZER Nancy Moss Racusin in memory of AARON RACUSIN Diane Pacetta-Ullmann in memory of THOMAS J. ULLMANN Linda Prosco in memory of RHODA KORFF Henry & Berta Samson in memory of LOIS WEINER Jane Shapiro in memory of MARCELLE FRIEDMAN Jane Shapiro in memory of WILLIAM FRIEDMAN Richard & Marie Shaw in memory of JENNIFER SHAW The Weiner Family in appreciation of RABBI BROCKMAN The Weiner Family in appreciation of CANTOR GIGLIO
“…who donates much to charity becomes the richer for it…”
Zohar, iii, 110b
Cemetery Fund Larry & Stuart Lazaroff in memory of ARNOLD LAZAROFF Melissa Saxe Rich in memory of SONYA SAXE GLASER
Hunger Fund Irma Bachman in memory of MARVIN COHEN The DiPietro Family in memory of LEAH BEECH Roberta & Dana Friedman in memory of ELIAS FRIEDMAN Roberta & Dana Friedman in memory of HELEN SANDERS Aaron Singer & Elizabeth Caspe
Nursery School Fund Michael & Erika Forte in memory of ABBY PERLMAN
Religious School Scholarship Fund Elaine Blumenthal in memory of MORRIS STROMFELD Social Action Fund Barbara Marcus in memory of KALMAN FIBEL
ENDOWMENT FUNDS - invested to generate annual income for specific purposes
Robert E. Goldburg Peace & Justice Fund Martin Korn & Sylvia Betcher in memory of DAVID S. KORN Barbara Marcus in memory of KALMAN FIBEL
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund Karen Kimball & Family in memory of MAGDA SCHNEIDER
Yahrzeits
Marvin Baltimore Jack Dudley Barnston * Leah Beech Pam Brockman Glenna Brody Louis Bruskin Thomas F. Button * Emanuel Buxbaum * Charlotte A. Cahn * Alice Chorney * Judith Adler Cole Matilda Lublin DeFeo Violet Farber * Rabbi David J. Forman Norman Gans * George A. Ginsburg * Florence Glassberg Gertrude Goldberg Fannie J. Goodman * Mildred Groves Regina Heller * Daniel Kahn Emanuel Kapel George Kasden * Seymour Kasper Fannie Korman * Bernard Krug Abraham Krug Arnold Lazaroff Ruth Levine Leonard Louis Levy Beatrice Lynes * Sarah Machol * Valentine Naphtali Charles O'Brasky Everett Orzack Benjamin Matthew Rosoff * Rachel Rotkopf Harry Schneer Irving Shelnitz Rose Sklarz Robert Smith Morris Steinklein * Elizabeth Stone Bernice Drew Tropp Sherman Weiner Dr. Arthur M. Yudkin *
May 3
Morris H. Alderman Stanley H. Arffa Clara Glass Berke * Abraham Allen Bortner Alex Brown * Pamela Rosoff Burrows * Estelle Davis Stanley Lewis Engerman Joyce Lesnie Feller Henrietta Proctor Forman Rozika (Rose) Frankenberger Lillian L. Freedman * Helen Goldman Sybil Gordon Corey Brand Hobbs Herman C. Jacobs George Kaplan Koskl Khait Hova Lehtman Barnett Levine Alan Charles Lichtenstein * Shandl Litvak Jonathan Seth Lurier * Henrietta M. Mann * Max Joseph Merritt Norman Osach Lisa Shoshana Ostfeld-Johns * Maury Popowich Charles Rifkin * Serah Riva Rifkin * Anna S. Rosenfeld * J. Yale Rubin * Milton Rubinstein Libby R. Rudnick Rosa Sagal * Edward Schwartzman * Fred D. Schwarzkopf * Isaac William Serow * Norman Shapiro Abraham Sheftel * Sarah Silverman Burton Sonnenfeld Dao Kim Lien Stevens * Milton Stitelman Aaron Stolzman * Carolyn Ullman Strauss * Joseph Ticotsky Moshe Tziferman Dr. Arthur Weil * Howard Weiner Constance N. Williams Lillian Zellman
May 10
Erna Ackerman Abraham J. Alderman Samuel Bailey Frances Bell Arnold Berman Harry V. Blegen Sarah Dombeck Block * Irving Blumenthal Ms. Randi Brandt Jack Breslav * Shirley L. Bruskin Philip Casher Clare Casher Freda Chauser * Zlata Cohen Florine Davis * Carol Feder Esther A. Fishman * William Friedman * David A. Gittleson * Annette Gold Arnold Moise Goldstein * Charles M. Grannick, Sr. * Joseph Hanina Sidney E. Hilcoff * Morris Kamens * Irene Kanter Sydney R. Kauffman * Helen Kerber Nettie L. Kleiner * Harry Knapp Anna Kronick Jeanette Lambert * Linda Brook Lazaroff Henry Leventhal Abraham Levin Ida Levine * Herman M. Levy * Rose P. Montlick * Paula Olanik Natalie Olderman Joseph Oppenheimer * Stephen E. Ronai David Rosenberg * Regina Rosenberg * Samuel Rothchild * Alan Lewis Schiff * Phillip Shapiro Sidney Saul Silverberg * Esther Smith Belle Cohen Spodick Samuel A. Stone Lillian B. Strauss * Fanny Swimmer Toby Swimmer Aaron Swimmer Charlotte Lefkoff Tenin Gertrude Turkel * Helen Hess Van Daelen * Harry Weller Cerf Wolfe * Rabbi Marjorie Yudkin Norman Zelin * Lee Zimmerman Marilyn Zuckerman
May 17
Murray Alpert * Isabel Baltimore John J. Bolton * Necia Biscoe Bush Seymour Byer Carl Cassin Lottie Chorney Salvatore M. Dattilo Fay Finkel Katherine Goodman * Mandell Paul Greenberg * Harold "Bub" Hahn, Jr. * Nellie May Karlsruher * Judith Koch Sadie Korzenowitz William Krug Bruce Lehman Mildred Molly Levine Barbara Jean Miller-Cimmino Alissa Newett Dr. Lawrence Klempner Pious Gregory M. Proctor Harvey Rodnick Babetta Rosenberg * Kathryn Klee Gips Ross * Arthur Morris Ross, Jr. * Marvin Schaefer Ruth Schein Dr. Susan Spencer Isaac Swimmer Seymour Wilensky
May 24
Jack Abrams Karen Aqua Harry C. Blegen Dennis B. Bornick Morris Braverman Herman A. Bruson * Peter Esposito Samuel Faiman Gussie Fox * Elise Galasso * Julius (Larry) Germaine Esther Germaine Betty Baskin Gleicher Louis Goldberg * Bertha V. Gompertz * George J. Greenberg * Kate Harrison * Rose Hartenstein * Marcia Jacobs * Elizabeth Karp * Harvey Lawrence Koizim * Albert A. Lappin * Virginia Millen * Bernard David Miller * Alice O'Brasky Dr. Louis O'Brasky * Minnie Ominsky Frank L. Porzillo Stanley T. Prosco * Norman Rashba Ruth Rodnick Max Scheps Fenmore R. Seton * Irving P. Spivack Jules Victor Stone Carol Stone Joanne Tepp Jane Silverman Waife Samuel J. White * Abraham Zakar Julia Zakar
May 31
* Memorial Wall Plaque
IN MEMORY OF
Marvin L. Cohen Dr. Leonard Farber Lois Weiner
Stephanie Farber on the loss of her husband, Leonard Farber Barbara Marcus on the loss of her son, Daniel Jared Marcus
IN SYMPATHY TO
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THE CONGREGATION MISHKAN ISRAEL BULLETIN
April 2024 Series 108 No. 9
THE CONGREGATION MISHKAN ISRAEL
785 Ridge Road, Hamden, CT 06517
Phone: (203) 288-3877 Fax: (203) 248-2148
http://cmihamden.org
Rabbi Dennis Ross x236 rabbiross@cmihamden.org
Rabbi Emeritus Herbert N. Brockman, Ph.D. D.D. x238 cmirabbi@cmihamden.org
Cantor Arthur Giglio x244 cantorg@cmihamden.org
Steven Jacober, Executive Director x241 sjacober@cmihamden.org
Michelle Goldstein, Religious School Director x237 mgoldstein@cmihamden.org
Jennifer Verrier, Early Learning Director x246 jverrier@cmihamden.org
David E. Silverstone, President president@cmihamden.org