president

Hello Everyone!

       First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who came to the Jewish Heritage Night this past weekend at the Coliseum.  Even though the A’s ended up losing, it was still an exciting game and will be remembered as the final Jewish Heritage Night at the Coliseum in Oakland.  

Incredibly, August has arrived and that means it is time to think about the end of vacation trips and the beginning of school for our little ones.  As we know, Judaism highly values education both as a means to understand Torah and as a basis for developing the next generation.  The very act of B’nai Mitzvah is not only reading from the Torah but engaging and understanding the text of the portion and what it means.  For that reason, it is always important for our community never to forget the importance of teachers, students, and support staff in all of our schools.  Just this week, one of the nominees for President underscored that importance because, even though she ultimately did not pick the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, Kamala Harris did select as her VP nominee the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, who happens to be a former public school teacher.  Education can never be taken for granted.  Therefore, this year, when school begins, we can all make a pledge to go the extra mile for our children’s teachers and their classrooms by providing as many of the supplies they requested as possible.  The well educated youth of today is the productive generation of tomorrow.   

On a related note, our Religious School will be starting again on August 25, just a few short weeks away.  The teachers and staff are preparing to welcome the kids back to school and we are in need of volunteers to help get the classrooms ready.  Accordingly, this Sunday, August 11, we will be hosting another volunteer classroom readiness event.  Please come and assist the teachers in making the opening of Religious School for the coming year an unforgettable experience for the Religious School families!  Equally important, the previous day, August 10, TBH will be hosting a movie night at 4:00 p.m.  We will be showing “Young Frankenstein” with insightful commentary from our own Michael Cohen.  There will also be pizza and snacks for everyone who attends.  Please contact Jane Kemp to RSVP.

Also, on September 8th Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the Solano Stroll in Albany and Berkeley.  We and the rest of the Board will be volunteering to help spread the word about our wonderful community, and we encourage all members who are able to do so as well.  Larry will be sending out sign-up sheets as we get closer to the event.

The Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Finally, the next Shabbat Service will be held on Friday, August 16, at 7:30 p.m., hosted as always by our own Rabbi Dean and Cantor Marney.  Family shabbats will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone! 

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Hello Everyone!

As summer reaches the halfway mark, which is generally a break between major Jewish holidays, we still see that Jewish values can be followed any time of year.  Sometimes ordinary people can act in such extraordinary ways we are forced to sit up and take notice.  David’s family witnessed not one but two such acts in just the past week.  In the first instance, David’s son Caleb was having a playdate with friends and went to a bowling alley in Pinole for a nice game of bowling  Because of the global internet disruption, the lanes were closed for an hour and the kids got restless.  Out of nowhere, an extremely kind gentleman came up to them, handed them his member card, and told them they could use it to play as many of the arcade games as they wished until the lanes were open.  Caleb and his friends wound up playing games for an hour and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  In the second instance, while shopping at Target, a young woman came up to Caleb and his sister Hannah and handed them each a dollar, saying she liked to reward nice young children.  Both of these amazing individuals demonstrate the Jewish values of Tikun Olam, helping to make the world a better place.  With no prompting and not even knowing these kids, they still selflessly offered to make their day more enjoyable and fulfilling.  Through the rest of the summer, we can all take inspiration from these episodes and find opportunities to make a stranger’s day more fulfilling and complete.  Essentially, we can all “pay it forward.”

In another example of finding someone who can symbolize Tikun Olam, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, please mark your calendars for several exciting events next month.  First, on Sunday, August 4, the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!) at 1:07 p.m.  The cost is $36/ticket and we’ll have a whole small section set up for TBH!  Later that week, TBH will be hosting a movie night on Saturday, August 10, at 4:00 p.m.  We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.  The very next day, August 11, at 9:30 a.m. the Religious School staff will be hosting its annual cleanup of the classrooms to get the kids ready for the upcoming school year.  We encourage all members to come help out with this important project to make the opening day of Religious School a wonderful experience for our younger members.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, August 2, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Hello Everyone!

As summer reaches the halfway mark, which is generally a break between major Jewish holidays, we still see that Jewish values can be followed any time of year.  Sometimes ordinary people can act in such extraordinary ways we are forced to sit up and take notice.  David’s family witnessed not one but two such acts in just the past week.  In the first instance, David’s son Caleb was having a playdate with friends and went to a bowling alley in Pinole for a nice game of bowling  Because of the global internet disruption, the lanes were closed for an hour and the kids got restless.  Out of nowhere, an extremely kind gentleman came up to them, handed them his member card, and told them they could use it to play as many of the arcade games as they wished until the lanes were open.  Caleb and his friends wound up playing games for an hour and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  In the second instance, while shopping at Target, a young woman came up to Caleb and his sister Hannah and handed them each a dollar, saying she liked to reward nice young children.  Both of these amazing individuals demonstrate the Jewish values of Tikun Olam, helping to make the world a better place.  With no prompting and not even knowing these kids, they still selflessly offered to make their day more enjoyable and fulfilling.  Through the rest of the summer, we can all take inspiration from these episodes and find opportunities to make a stranger’s day more fulfilling and complete.  Essentially, we can all “pay it forward.”

In another example of finding someone who can symbolize Tikun Olam, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, please mark your calendars for several exciting events next month.  First, on Sunday, August 4, the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!) at 1:07 p.m.  The cost is $36/ticket and we’ll have a whole small section set up for TBH!  Later that week, TBH will be hosting a movie night on Saturday, August 10, at 4:00 p.m.  We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.  The very next day, August 11, at 9:30 a.m. the Religious School staff will be hosting its annual cleanup of the classrooms to get the kids ready for the upcoming school year.  We encourage all members to come help out with this important project to make the opening day of Religious School a wonderful experience for our younger members.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, August 2, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Hello Everyone!

We hope everyone is continuing to have an eventful summer.  Plenty of temple members have shared their stories of travel plans and destinations all over the world.  Whether across our beautiful state, or the East Coast, Europe, and many other locations, taking time to explore other parts of the world allows us to appreciate its wonders.  At this time of year, before the start of the major holidays, let us take our inspiration from the ancient Israelites and wander in search of greater meaning.  And be sure to send lots of photos!

In other news, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, please mark your calendars for several exciting events next month.  First, on Sunday, August 4, the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!) at 1:07 p.m.  The cost is $36/ticket and we’ll have a whole small section set up for TBH!  Later that week, TBH will be hosting a movie night on Saturday, August 10, at 4:00 p.m.  We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.  The very next day, August 11, at 9:30 a.m. the Religious School staff will be hosting its annual cleanup of the classrooms to get the kids ready for the upcoming school year.  We encourage all members to come help out with this important project to make the opening day of Religious School a wonderful experience for our younger members.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Hello Everyone!

First of all, we wanted to express our deep thanks for all the volunteers for their time and enthusiasm at the Fourth of July Festival in El Cerrito this past week.  Once again we were able to connect with the community and showcase our congregation.  The kids at the festival loved the new color changing bracelets we got along with spinning the wheel.  Some parents were also interested in learning more (including a few who just returned to California from abroad!) so we may yet see them at our Shabbat services in the near future.  Let us all make them feel welcome.  Just as in ancient Israel, when Jews from all over the diaspora descended on Jerusalem to worship together as one, so we can bring together as many members of our own community to share in the joy and pride of our Judaism.  

In other news, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, please mark your calendars for several exciting events next month.  First, on Sunday, August 4, the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!) at 1:07 p.m.  Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets by this Sunday, July 14.  The cost is $36/ticket and we’ll have a whole small section set up for TBH!  Later that week, on August 10, TBH will be hosting a movie night on Saturday, August 10, at 4:00 p.m.  We will provide more details as we get closer to the date.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Shalom Everyone!

Incredibly it is July already and that means we are all gearing up for the celebration of Independence Day.  Both Israel and the United States celebrate independence days, and fought wars to secure that independence, but with a distinct difference.  Israel had to fight its war the same day it declared its independence, making the 5th day of the month of Iyar the unquestioned date of Israeli Independence Day.  The United States, on the other hand, had a more nuanced start to its war and so there are actually many different possible dates we can choose.  One such date could be April 19, when in 1775 colonial militia fired the first shots against British troops, leading to near certain war.  Another possibility is July 2, when in 1776 the Continental Congress took the formal vote that authorized dissolving the connection with Great Britain.  Indeed, John Adams even wrote to his wife Abigail saying that July 2 would be celebrated for generations to come.  A third possibility is July 4, because that is the date that appeared on the Declaration of Independence itself when it was officially adopted and printed in 1776.   A fourth possibility is July 19, when the Continental Congress authorized the Declaration to be formally written on parchment and preserved as an historical document.  There is even a fifth possibility, August 2, when the vast majority of the delegates actually signed the Declaration.  Five possibilities, all potentially correct, but the 4th was chosen because that is the date everyone sees when they look at the Declaration.  Just goes to show how one simple yet well placed date can create so much meaning for an entire nation.

Now that summer is in full swing, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, this week Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the El Cerrito 4th of July festival on Thursday, July 4.  Larry has a sign up sheet for those who would like to volunteer their time to help spread the word about our congregation.  Please email me or Larry if you would like to help out.  It is always a wonderful time to contribute our efforts to promote TBH and get to know more people in the community.  Next week, TBH will be hosting an Adult Field Trip at John Hinkel Park in Berkeley on Saturday, July 13 to see the Actor’s Ensemble play Much Ado About Nothing.  Anyone who is interested can RSVP with Jane Kemp.  Everyone will meet at the TBH parking lot at 2:00 p.m. and carpool to the event.  And please mark your calendars for Sunday, August 4, when the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!).  Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets.  The cost is $36/ticket.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Hello Everyone!

And happy summer!  This past Thursday we celebrated the beginning of the new season with the summer solstice.  On this wonderful day we experienced the longest day of the year, with the sun not fully setting until after 9:00 p.m.!  Even after a long day at work, we can come home and still enjoy time outside, which hopefully everyone was able to do.  Yet sadly, the solstice also marks the time of year when the days start to get shorter again.  We likely will not notice it for a while but nature is already preparing us for the time in September when the nights will once again be longer than the days.  This constant cycle of increasing and then decreasing daylight reminds us to not take our opportunities and advantages for granted.  We are blessed with so much in our lives and we should appreciate and utilize all that we have before the next turn of the seasons occurs.

And as summer begins in earnest, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, next month Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the El Cerrito 4th of July festival on Thursday, July 4.  Larry has a sign up sheet for those who would like to volunteer their time to help spread the word about our congregation.  Please email me or Larry if you would like to help out.  It is always a wonderful time to contribute our efforts to promote TBH and get to know more people in the community.  One week later TBH will be hosting an Adult Field Trip at John Hinkel Park in Berkeley on Saturday, July 13 to see the Actor’s Ensemble play Much Ado About Nothing.  Anyone who is interested can RSVP with Jane Kemp.  Everyone will meet at the TBH parking lot at 2:00 p.m. and carpool to the event.  And please mark your calendars for Sunday, August 4, when the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!).  Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets.  The cost is $36/ticket.  

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Shalom Everyone!

We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend celebrating Father’s Day!   Like Mother’s Day before it, this is a day specifically set aside for those wonderful parents even though we should be celebrating their contributions and exploits every day!  And just like Mother’s Day, the themes of Father’s Day echo throughout Judaism and the Torah.  From the first father Adam through the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to the kings of ancient Israel,  all the way to the modern era, the perplexities of achievements of fatherhood are given much attention in Jewish custom.  And as shown many times in the Tanach, though fathers are not perfect and can mess up many times throughout their lives, they still provide a critical role in forging the bonds that keep families and communities together.  The joke is that Mother’s Day is one day and Father’s Day is one day but everyday is children’s day.  In reality, we can and should celebrate our amazing mothers and fathers every hour for all the hard work they do for all of us.  

As we look ahead to the summer, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this summer, with interviews scheduled for the fall.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we start to hear from our candidates.

Also, next month Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the El Cerrito 4th of July festival on Tuesday, July 4.  Larry has a sign up sheet for those who would like to volunteer their time to help spread the word about our congregation.  Please email me or Larry if you would like to help out.  It is always a wonderful time to contribute our efforts to promote TBH and get to know more people in the community.  And please mark your calendars for Sunday, August 4, when the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!).  Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets.  The cost is $36/ticket.

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

Shalom Everyone!

First of all, thank you to all of our members for attending the membership meeting this past Sunday.  It is always wonderful to see the congregation come together and plan for a new year with so many possibilities and opportunities.  We also elected a new Board of Directors, with most of our previous occupants graciously agreeing to continue in their positions.  We would, however, like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Board member, Samantha Golden, one of our Religious School parents.  Our new Board is already planning events over the summer and extending into the next year.  And as always, the Board would love to hear from you about any ideas you may have for how to improve the Temple for the upcoming year.

As a reminder, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this summer, with interviews scheduled for the fall.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we get closer to summer.

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel

We hope y’all had a nice longer break this last weekend in May.  This past Monday we celebrated Memorial Day, which these days is often just an excuse to have a day off but it has much deeper significance.  Created in the wake of the Civil War, Memorial Day was meant to honor the sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of Union veterans who died to preserve the Union and the future of the United States.  Some enterprising citizens, especially women, used the occasion to raise funds for erecting monuments to commemorate the lives lost and the participation of particular army units in key battles during the conflict.  The United States now has hundreds of memorials dedicated to nearly all of the wars fought by its armed forces.  Mirroring that tradition, Israel also has a day of observance, Yom Hazikaron, when citizens of Israel honor those who sacrificed for the preservation of their nation.  Interestingly, Yom Hazikaron is tied with Yom Haatzmaut, Israeli Independence Day.  Unlike the United States, which started the tradition after preserving the nation, Israel linked the tradition with the creation of the nation.  Either way, it is a crucial time to commemorate and always remember those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so that a nation might live.

And as we head toward summer, we will soon be having our annual membership meeting, where we plot out our direction for the year.  This is also the time to elect a new Temple Board of Directors, so for those who wish to make a difference in our community, we highly encourage you to consider joining the Board for next year.  Our Board is always on the lookout for members who have ideas for the future of the temple and the ability to carry out that vision. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children.  And please mark your calendars for June 9 starting at 1:00 p.m. as the date for our annual membership meeting.  All Temple members are of course invited.

And as a reminder, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year.  We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this summer, with interviews scheduled for the fall.  The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement.  We will provide more updates as we get closer to summer.

Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September.  Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School for the last two sessions of the year, on June 2 and June 9, at 9:30 a.m.   Thank you everyone!  

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for others, what am I?

And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel

~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel