May 7 , 2008

Our monthly Bulletin is now available online at http://www.shaarai.org/forms/bulletin.pdf., under the Contact Us/Participate With Us tab, or the Calendar tab in News/Events above.   We will continue to send the paper Bulletin every month, but for those who wish to see more details about items below, or who find online access more convenient, just click!

Thursday, Shabbat, Sunday, AJG, Talmud study, food bank, events in May, day camp, genealogy, Mitzvot

Thursday evening, May 8, Israeli food festival in the social hall, 5:30, followed by Seeds of Sun concert in the sanctuary, 7 p.m.  Israeli 60th Birthday tee shirts will be on sale!

Friday, Shabbat eve service at 7:30, with Israel experiences of our congregants. 

Saturday morning, Torah study at 9 a.m.; Shabbat morning service and Bat Mitzvah of Nicole Liss, 10:30.   In the evening, a mini Israeli film festival, followed by Havdalah.

Sunday morning, Passport to Israel!  Join the Shaarai Shomayim Religious School on a passport trip through Israel. Visit the wonderful cities of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, S’fat and the Negev. Experience the tastes, sounds, and art of Israel while learning many new things about the country! The plane will be landing in Israel promptly at 9:15 in the Shaarai Shomayim Social Hall and the program will end with a service led by our 7th grade class including Israeli music from our own youth choir, Chavrei Hashir! Dismissal is at 12 noon.  Everyone invited!

Monday night Adult Jewish Growth session on May 12.  “Understanding the Elements of the Shabbat Evening, Morning, and Weekday Rituals Using the New Prayer Book, Mishkan T'filah," at Rabbi Paskoff’s home, 7:30-9 p.m. The series will run through the middle of May.

Talmud study on Tuesdays at noon.  Bring your lunch.

We are collecting food and money for the seriously low Lancaster County Food Bank.  When you come to the Temple over the next several days, please bring a bag of non-perishable food items.  These will be taken to the Food Bank following our last Israel birthday event.  Checks payable to the Lancaster County Council of Churches --note Food Bank in the memo line--- may be sent or dropped off at the Temple office.

More events in May:

Sisterhood Shabbat will be celebrated on May 16.

Brotherhood breakfast with Gil Smart on May 18.

End of year picnic and last day of Religious School, May 18.

Confirmation of the class of 5768/2008 on May 23

Please see your May midmonth for details of all events.

Please send in your registration form for Shaarai Day Camp, June 16-20.  This is a great week for children up through 7th grade.  If you have questions or need another form, call the Temple office, 397-5575.

The Jewish Genealogy Center is open and ready for business!  This is a fantastic opportunity to delve into your background.  Rhea Starr says Alan’s patience and persistence is phenomenal, she was ready to give up.  David Stameshkin gives his enthusiastic endorsement to the search.  Material available includes books and maps donated by Tamsin Wolff and Alan Levine, and access to the Jewish Genealogy website.  The Center will be open by appointment by contacting Alan Levine at 392-3509 or roots@shaarai.org.  All research will be done and materials will remain in the library.  Regular hours may be established in the future.

Contributing to our Mitzvah closet/crib and filling your family Tzedakah can are two ways of fulfilling the commandment to perform Mitzvot. Our crib collects new or gently used infant and toddler toys, clothes, furniture, and baby toiletries for Milagro House. PLEASE DO NOT BRING LARGE ITEMS SUCH AS FURNITURE TO THE TEMPLE; CONTACT MILAGRO HOUSE DIRECTLY TO ARRANGE FOR DELIVERY TO THEM. The closet collects items for Ross Elementary School uniforms, and school items, grown-up toiletries, and non-perishable food for the county food bank. 

Other collections in our office lobby include Turkey Hill Moo Money caps, aluminum pop-top tabs, education points from food labels, and DOLLARS FOR DARFUR.

The ARZA website http://arza.org keeps you up-to-date on all the latest news in the Reform movement.

For news about The Pluralist Weekly Highlights of Religion State in Israel, click here: Visit IRAC on the RAC website!

TIKKUN OLAM E-MAIL ALERT

MARCH 3, 2008

JEWISH WAR VETERANS

Background

          On Wednesday and Thursday, March 5th and 6th, the Jewish War Veterans are having their Capitol Action Days in Washington.  They have several key legislative goals, which meet the Jewish mandate of justice, justice you shall pursue.  They include:

        O Expand outreach and intervention programs directed at homeless veterans.  Veterans make up a disproportionate share of homeless people, representing roughly 26% of the homeless.  This is on the rise, including homeless female veterans; 

        O  A major overhaul of the disability ratings process to provide wounded service members comprehensive and fair disability ratings and benefits prior to their medical separation or retirement from active duty;

         O  A Total Force Approach to the Montgomery GI Bill.  There have been no significant upgrades to the Montgomery GI Bill since prior to 9/11.  A weak GI Bill harms recruiting, hurts transition to civilian life, and denies the nation the time-tested benefits of a better educated, higher-paid workforce with military experience.

       O  Disabled Veterans Tax fairness – For thousands, even tens of thousands of disabled veterans, VA decisions on their appealed claims can take years to resolve.  Jewish War Veterans (JWV) is asking Congress to enact “look back” legislation to remove the three-year statute of limitations for filing amended tax returns for veterans who have not received timely disability determinations from the VA;

        O  Mandatory Funding for VA health care system, plus an upgrade to polytrauma and specialty care services for vets with multiple trauma injuries, traumatic brain injury, and eye injuries;

Jewish Values and Welfare

        Since the earliest days of our nation’s history, Jews have served in the armed forces. While these measures are brought to our attention by Jewish War Veterans, they will better the lives of all of those who have fought for our country. As a movement, the Union for Reform Judaism has expressed profound concern about the current use of our military, but we have always affirmed our nation’s obligation to adequately provide for those who have served.

Action Needed  

       While you probably are not able to go to Washington on March 5th and 6th, you can contact  Senators Casey and Specter and Representative Pitts supporting some or all of the above positions.  We do not have specific bills to state but a general comment about your support for fair and increased support of our veterans can be made.  Contact information follows. 

          In addition, for more information go to www.jwv.org. 

  Contact Information:

          Sen. Robert P. Casey

          B-40 Dirksen Senate Building

          Washington, D.C. 20510

          202-224-6324, Fax: 202-228-0604

or      Harrisburg Office

         555 Walnut Street, First Floor

         Harrisburg, PA 17101

         717-231-7540

         Sen. Arlen Spector

         711 Hart Senate Office Building

         Washington, DC 20510

         202/224-4254

         Rep. Joe Pitts

         420 Cannon House Office Building

         Washington, DC 20515

         202 225-2411, 202 225-2013 (fax),

or      Lancaster County Court House

         50 North Duke Street

         Lancaster, PA 17602

         393-0667, 393-0924 (fax)