Congregation Beth Shalom|Newsletter May 2008

Previous newsletters are here. May 2008 / Nisan-Iyar 5768
Adopt a Corner of CBS Our building is slowly but surely getting the overhaul it needs to support our growing family. However, there are many ongoing projects that don't require us to hire professionals to handle, but are too much for staff to maintain. If we each took one small piece that was important to us and made a commitment to oversee and maintain, our synagogue would look its best for ourselves and guests we invite from the community. Examples include: Library Classrooms Stage Kitchen Youth Lounge Playground Foyer Parking Lot Silver polishing Storage area Sanctuary Surrounding grounds Rose Garden pruning Sukkah There are many other opportunities. Just look around and see what you want to adopt. Let the office know so that if more than one family chooses to adopt an area we can communicate and let the families coordinate efforts. Religious School News Dear Families, The year has flown by as usual, and I hope more learning happened than just what is in the text books. This was our first year with Kelly Villalobos as our Enrichment Teacher. We are currently finishing our Shabbat boxes that will provide your family with everything you need to celebrate Shabbat each week in your home. Kelly also gave our children an opportunity to explore different media of art while socializing with their friends. Thank you, Kelly, for priceless learning! I also want to thank the rest of our staff for their commitment to Jewish learning. Thank you to our graduating senior, Becca Brotslaw; our enthusiastic team teachers, Heather Doyle & Taunya Schwimmer; our lifelong learner, Laura Skolnick; our newbie puzzle queen, Celia Angel; our teen treasure, Tom Banuelos; and our own Shimon Omer, Rabbi Gould. Thank you to our dancing queen, Lara Brotslaw, for keeping Israeli dance alive. Also, thank you to all our substitutes and volunteers for making each day count! I have some sad news to share, too. We are losing a very special family this year. The Schwimmer Family, Taunya, Steve, Sari, and Hunter, are moving back to Minnesota to be closer to their family. Although I can't argue with their reasons, they will surely be missed. In a short five years in our CBS family, the Schwimmers have taught Religious School, baked endless cookies for our community Hanukkah Party, donated fish for the Purim Carnival, loaded the truck for our art auction, and so much more. I am so grateful that Petco landed your family in Modesto, even if we don't get to keep you. My family will suffer a great loss, but we have gained lifelong friends. Thank goodness that Northern California will continue to be Steve's Petco territory -- so don't be caught shopping the competition, because he will find you. Shop where the Pets Go! We, the Religious Education Committee and Rabbi Gould, are exploring a new vision for our education program. We will soon be asking past, present, and future religious school parents for your input on the purpose and goals for our children's Jewish education. Be prepared, because we want to hear from YOU! Thank you for everyone's help and support during this personally difficult year for me. It definitely takes a village to raise a child and to run a shul. Our family Shabbat services will continue all throughout the year, on the first Friday of every month. And ... don't forget that our end of the school year Family Fun Day and Lunch is Sunday, May 18! Shalom to ALL! Marlene Gonsalves Religious Education Director Remember, half of every subscription to J- will go to Congregation Beth Shalom. See your Bulletin for details.	Oneg Shabbat Hosts May 2 -- Hall & Rosen families. May 9 -- Johnson, Rubin, & Rubin-Smith families. May 16 -- Bar Mitzvah of Austin Kassels. May 23 -- Bat Mitzvah of Eva Brotslaw. May 30 -- Greenwald-Gonella & B. Israels families. Thank you for participating. Please remember to include fruit as an alternative dessert. Thank You Thank you to Elsa McCoy and Lyn Rabinovitz for their help with mailing the April bulletin. We are always looking for volunteers to help with the bulletin. Please call the CBS office if you are available. Thank you to Mary Drabkin for the donation of a new comfort-height toilet for the ladies room. Thank you to the Concert Committee for another wonderful season and to the Micheli Family for the loan of their digital piano for the Perla Batala concert. Our Community second Seder was a wonderful event with just about 90 people. Thanks to the work of everyone who made it come together, especially Tammy Kempner and Joyce Gandelman for preparing the dinner. Thank you also to their helpers, Ann Johnson, Marlene Gonsalves, and Celia Angel. Many, many thanks to all of my wonderful helpers who assisted me last Sunday morning so efficiently with the Cafe Shalom strudel baking. To be sure, I was overwhelmed with help and pleased that you all enjoyed the experience as much as I did. There is no substitute for good help! Thanks to Judy Gesson, Joann Betschart, Dianna Herrera, Emily Roysden, Miraim Bermann, Susan Levy, Nancy Bronstein, Laura Biewer, Celia & Barbara Angel. I must add a special note to a family who really "rose to the need." Special thanks to all the Filgases, especially Todd, who saved the day by salvaging our strudel dough and making everything come out beautifully. Thanks to Bergen, Morgan, and Griffin as well, who all participated! In all, we made 243 pieces of strudel to sell. Another special thanks to Victor Messonier, who is so helpful and a pleasure to work with. -- Judy Israels "Get Well" Information Needed If you know of a congregant who is ill or in the hospital, please help us include them for calls, visits, and the speedy recovery list by letting the office staff know. Please remember that hospitals are not permitted to share information with the public, including the synagogue. Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program Thank you for your past support and we hope that more of you will think of recycling your used ink jet cartidges by placing them in the recycling bin in the foyer. Scrip News We carry O'Brien's, Gottschalks, Richland Market, and Starbucks. These are in stock and available for purchase. Safeway and Macy's If you shop at Safeway or Macy's, we ask that you consider registering your store cards with escrip. Every time you make a purchase, you generate a percentage of your purchase for CBS. SaveMart If you shop at SaveMart, please register for a SHARES card. Forms are available in the foyer or call the CBS office and we will mail one to you. If you have any questions on any of these programs, please call the CBS office at 571-6060.

Previous newsletters are here.

May 2008 / Nisan-Iyar 5768

Adopt a Corner of CBS

Our building is slowly but surely getting the overhaul it needs to support our growing family. However, there are many ongoing projects that don't require us to hire professionals to handle, but are too much for staff to maintain. If we each took one small piece that was important to us and made a commitment to oversee and maintain, our synagogue would look its best for ourselves and guests we invite from the community. Examples include:

Library
Classrooms
Stage
Kitchen
Youth Lounge
Playground
Foyer
Parking Lot
Silver polishing
Storage area
Sanctuary
Surrounding grounds
Rose Garden pruning
Sukkah

There are many other opportunities. Just look around and see what you want to adopt. Let the office know so that if more than one family chooses to adopt an area we can communicate and let the families coordinate efforts.

Religious School News

Dear Families,

The year has flown by as usual, and I hope more learning happened than just what is in the text books. This was our first year with Kelly Villalobos as our Enrichment Teacher. We are currently finishing our Shabbat boxes that will provide your family with everything you need to celebrate Shabbat each week in your home. Kelly also gave our children an opportunity to explore different media of art while socializing with their friends. Thank you, Kelly, for priceless learning!

I also want to thank the rest of our staff for their commitment to Jewish learning. Thank you to our graduating senior, Becca Brotslaw; our enthusiastic team teachers, Heather Doyle & Taunya Schwimmer; our lifelong learner, Laura Skolnick; our newbie puzzle queen, Celia Angel; our teen treasure, Tom Banuelos; and our own Shimon Omer, Rabbi Gould. Thank you to our dancing queen, Lara Brotslaw, for keeping Israeli dance alive. Also, thank you to all our substitutes and volunteers for making each day count!

I have some sad news to share, too. We are losing a very special family this year. The Schwimmer Family, Taunya, Steve, Sari, and Hunter, are moving back to Minnesota to be closer to their family. Although I can't argue with their reasons, they will surely be missed. In a short five years in our CBS family, the Schwimmers have taught Religious School, baked endless cookies for our community Hanukkah Party, donated fish for the Purim Carnival, loaded the truck for our art auction, and so much more. I am so grateful that Petco landed your family in Modesto, even if we don't get to keep you. My family will suffer a great loss, but we have gained lifelong friends. Thank goodness that Northern California will continue to be Steve's Petco territory -- so don't be caught shopping the competition, because he will find you. Shop where the Pets Go!

We, the Religious Education Committee and Rabbi Gould, are exploring a new vision for our education program. We will soon be asking past, present, and future religious school parents for your input on the purpose and goals for our children's Jewish education. Be prepared, because we want to hear from YOU!

Thank you for everyone's help and support during this personally difficult year for me. It definitely takes a village to raise a child and to run a shul.

Our family Shabbat services will continue all throughout the year, on the first Friday of every month. And ... don't forget that our end of the school year Family Fun Day and Lunch is Sunday, May 18!

Shalom to ALL!
Marlene Gonsalves

Religious Education Director

Remember, half of every subscription to J- will go to Congregation Beth Shalom. See your Bulletin for details.

Oneg Shabbat Hosts

May 2 -- Hall & Rosen families.
May 9 -- Johnson, Rubin, & Rubin-Smith families.
May 16 -- Bar Mitzvah of Austin Kassels.
May 23 -- Bat Mitzvah of Eva Brotslaw.
May 30 -- Greenwald-Gonella & B. Israels families.

Thank you for participating. Please remember to include fruit as an alternative dessert.

Thank You

Thank you to Elsa McCoy and Lyn Rabinovitz for their help with mailing the April bulletin. We are always looking for volunteers to help with the bulletin. Please call the CBS office if you are available.

Thank you to Mary Drabkin for the donation of a new comfort-height toilet for the ladies room.

Thank you to the Concert Committee for another wonderful season and to the Micheli Family for the loan of their digital piano for the Perla Batala concert.

Our Community second Seder was a wonderful event with just about 90 people. Thanks to the work of everyone who made it come together, especially Tammy Kempner and Joyce Gandelman for preparing the dinner. Thank you also to their helpers, Ann Johnson, Marlene Gonsalves, and Celia Angel.

Many, many thanks to all of my wonderful helpers who assisted me last Sunday morning so efficiently with the Cafe Shalom strudel baking. To be sure, I was overwhelmed with help and pleased that you all enjoyed the experience as much as I did. There is no substitute for good help! Thanks to Judy Gesson, Joann Betschart, Dianna Herrera, Emily Roysden, Miraim Bermann, Susan Levy, Nancy Bronstein, Laura Biewer, Celia & Barbara Angel. I must add a special note to a family who really "rose to the need." Special thanks to all the Filgases, especially Todd, who saved the day by salvaging our strudel dough and making everything come out beautifully. Thanks to Bergen, Morgan, and Griffin as well, who all participated! In all, we made 243 pieces of strudel to sell. Another special thanks to Victor Messonier, who is so helpful and a pleasure to work with.

-- Judy Israels

"Get Well" Information Needed

If you know of a congregant who is ill or in the hospital, please help us include them for calls, visits, and the speedy recovery list by letting the office staff know.

Please remember that hospitals are not permitted to share information with the public, including the synagogue.

Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program

Thank you for your past support and we hope that more of you will think of recycling your used ink jet cartidges by placing them in the recycling bin in the foyer.

Scrip News

We carry O'Brien's, Gottschalks, Richland Market, and Starbucks. These are in stock and available for purchase.

Safeway and Macy's
If you shop at Safeway or Macy's, we ask that you consider registering your store cards with escrip. Every time you make a purchase, you generate a percentage of your purchase for CBS.

SaveMart
If you shop at SaveMart, please register for a SHARES card. Forms are available in the foyer or call the CBS office and we will mail one to you.
If you have any questions on any of these programs, please call the CBS office at 571-6060.