Baruch Dayan haEmet: Adrianne Sundheim

February 25, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, we learned last night of the recent passing of Mrs. Adrianne Sundheim, a cherished member of our congregation and wife of Rabbi Frank Sundheim, who served our synagogue 12 years ago or so.  You might remember Adrianne was a dedicated teacher for decades and a potter, and we still enjoy the use of the kiddush cup she made at our Shabbat services.  She was a dear friend of our Rabbi Herzfeld, and he will be one of the rabbis acting in her funeral.  There will be a memorial service for her at Schaarai Zedek on Friday, February 28 at 11:30 am.  May her memory be for a blessing.

 
The young child asked, “Where is Grandma?”
And the adults gasped
Not knowing what to say
Certainly not in the earth
Buried, covered over with soil and small rocks
Certainly not in the heavens
Distant, far off, a fantasy of the imagination.
Much closer than earth, much closer than heaven
Grandma, dear child, is within us all.
In our memories of her kindness and goodness
Memories that are not faint echoes but resonate in us each day
Grandma is in our tenderness with each other, in our loyalty to family
For friends, in our love of our people.
Nothing noble dies with death.
Warm embraces, wise counsel do not
Evaporate into the air.
Grandma is not “where” but “when”
Whenever we gather together to celebrate festivals
Whenever we offer help to the poor, the homeless, the sick
Whenever we defend the innocent
Raise our voice against injustice
Grandma’s influence is present.
Grandma stood for ideas and ideals
Grandma stood for care and concern and comfort of the other. What she stood for we now stand for.
Even as we rise for the Kaddish
In her memory,
In her honor
For her immortality.
Rabbi Harold Schulweis

Chai Lites Submissions Reminder

February 24, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, it’s a short month, so the Chai Lites submission deadline is fast approaching!  Please get your columns, updates, thank-you messages, photos, and anything else you have to share to President and Editor Lorraine Mixter at lorrainemixter@aol.com by Thursday, February 27.

Member-Led Service — Sat Feb 22, 11:00 AM

February 20, 2025 by •

Affiliated with the Union of Reform Jewish Congregations

Lay Services

A morning lay led Sabbath service is now scheduled for:

 Saturday, February 22nd at 11:00 am.

It will be led by Sandi Grinker and Deborah Grinker.

Following services stay for lunch at the Temple . We will be serving lox,  bagels, tuna fish and all the fixings. Please join us for lunch. All are welcome to stay.

Sandi

Zoom is available for those who need it, just contact us for the link.

Shabbat — Feb 14-15

February 13, 2025 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, this Shabbat is all love (why should this one be any different? 😄❤️)!  Rabbi Herzfeld will lead our Shabbat service on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 pm.  You can as always attend with us in our sanctuary or on Zoom.  Our Meryl Crews will be unable to sing with us, but you may be able to sing for her!  She might be able to join us on Zoom, so attend if you can and show what she taught you.

Torah Study is again hybrid, set up at our building and also available on Zoom on Saturday, February 15 at 10:00 am. Contact us for the Zoom link.

Mi Shebeirach — Meryl Crews

February 11, 2025 by • ,

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, one of us needs your healing support at this time.  Our longtime member, cantorial soloist, and friend, Meryl Crews, fell ill and has been hospitalized at Lakeland Regional Health for the last 10-12 days.  Some ways you can support Meryl and her family at this time:

  • Meryl is getting better but has a lot of recovering to do.  She cannot talk right now, but loves you all and welcomes visitors.  
  • Jimmy is spending all of his time with Meryl and would benefit from microwaveable, prepared meals (he needs gluten-free).
  • Your prayers for healing always help.

Dinner with the Rabbi — Fri Feb 14, 5:30 pm

February 11, 2025 by • ,

Dinner with the Rabbi 

Enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld, and the Hosts Arlene Greenberg & Lee Ann Martinez.

Take this opportunity to chat with the Rabbi and his host.

Friday, February 14th at 5:30 pm

   Olive Garden Restaurante

  405 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33880

R.S.V.P. by Thursday, February 13th to:  lorrainemixter@aol.com

Or text or call: 863-409-8509

Arlene, Lee and the Rabbi look forward to dining with you.

February 2025 Chai Lites

January 31, 2025 by • ,

Shabbat Shalom Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, the Chai Lites are complete and ready for you to enjoy in the approaching new month!  Thanks to all of our members who hurried up and submitted the lovely writings, pictures, and other items so that President and Editor Lorraine Mixter could get it drawn up in time.  We love you and look forward to seeing you on Valentine’s Day and throughout the month of February.

2025FebChai Lites

Host Dinner with the Rabbi February 14 or March 14

January 31, 2025 by • , ,

Dinner with the Rabbi is Back

Be the Host and enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld.

You choose the restaurant (from the many options in Winter Haven, or your home)

February 14th  or March 14th  

Restaurant of your choosing

The Rabbi is looking forward to dining with you and getting to know you better.

Sign up to host the Rabbi by contacting

Lorraine Mixter at: lorrainemixter@aol.com

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Jacki Korn

January 29, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, it is with great sadness that we tell you of the passing of our friend, Jacki Korn.  Jacki had a long journey through illness and recovery and passed on January 27.  We are grateful for the time we had with Jacki and our Mah Jongg players cherished good times with her over the years.  Please keep your thoughts with her devoted husband, Irv, as he travels to family out-of-state where Jacki will be laid to rest.  May Jacki’s memory be for a blessing.

Mourner’s Kaddish for Everyday
By Debra Cash

Build me up of memory
loving and angry, tender and honest.
Let my loss build me a heart of wisdom,
compassion for the world’s many losses
Each hour is mortal
and each hour is eternal
and each hour is our testament.
May I create worthy memories
all the days of my life.

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Donald Maize

January 28, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, we are sad to share with you that we lost one of our newest friends, Mr. Donald Maize.  Mr. Maize came to us in July 2023 with an open heart and we wish we had more time to know him.  This world released him to eternity on January 24.  President Lorraine Mixter will be leading his service with his family on tomorrow, January 29 at 11:00 am in the Temple Beth Shalom section at Rolling Hills Cemetery in Winter Haven.  Please come if you can to say goodbye to Mr. Maize and give support to his family and Temple Beth Shalom; it will be a mitzvah and a kindness.

 

 

There are stars
whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves have disintegrated
and are no more.

 

 

And there are people
whose scintillating memory lights the world after they have passed from it.

 

 

These lights –
which shine in the darkest night – are those which illumine for us the path.

 

       —Hannah Senesh

 

Yesh kokhavim
she’oram magi’a artzah rak ka’asher heym atzmam avdu v’eynam.

 

 

Yesh anashim
she-ziv zikhram me’ir ka’asher heym atzmam eynam yoter bitokheynu.

 

 

Orot eyleh –
ha-mavhikim bi-kheshkat ha-laila – heym shemarim la’adam et orot ha-derekh.

 

  יֵשׁ כּוֹכָבִים

שֶׁאוֹרָם מַגִּיעַ אַרְצָה רַק כְּאַשֵּׁר הֵם עַצְמָם אָבְדוּ וְאֵינָם

יֵשׁ אֲנָשִׁים

שֶׁזִּיו זִכְרָם מֵאִיר כְּאַשֵּׁר הֵם עַצְמָם אֵינָם יוֹתֵר בְּתוֹכֵנוּ

אוֹרוֹת אֵלֶּה

הַמַּבְהִיקִים בַּחֲשֵׁכַת הַלַּיְלָה –הֵם שֶׁמַּרְאִים לָאָדָם אֶת אוֹרוֹת הַדֶּרֶךְְ

«‹ 3 4 5 6›»

From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

Elul is Calling

Elul is Calling jemerman

Rosh HaShanah
Photo of a man blowing the shofar
During the month of Elul, we are invited to listen deeply. Each weekday morning, we are invited to hear the cry of the shofar, marking the beginning of our spiritual journey toward the High Holy Days.

D’varim Haikus 5785

D’varim Haikus 5785 jemerman

Torah Study
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Haikus about the weekly Torah portions.

Where Have All the Jewish Movies Gone?

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Film
Photo of a woman holding a movie slate in front of her face
I’ve been reviewing film and TV here at URJ for nearly a decade and have never seemed to lack for Jewish cinema to cover. Recently, I had the realization that the year was nearly half over, yet I hadn’t written a single movie review.

Superman Can Inspire Us to be Jewish Heroes

Superman Can Inspire Us to be Jewish Heroes jemerman

Arts and Culture
Photo of a man ripping his shirt off like Superman
Superman embodies aspects that many of us strive to emulate: strength, compassion, honesty, and doing the right thing under all circumstances. So when James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, was announced as the writer and director of "Superman," the first movie set in the new DC Cinematic Universe (DCU), I was intrigued.