Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

The Prism Breaks Or Hadash Life into Colorful News _________________________________________

From Our Rabbi By Hillel Katzir

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Bruhim Haba’im is the Hebrew phrase meaning “welcome.” It literally means, “Blessed are those who come.” The welcome that I have received from the members of Or Hadash during my visits, and since I moved here a month ago, has truly been a blessing! My arrival signals a paradigm shift in the growth process of this congregation: for the first time, you have a rabbi who lives here, as a part of both the congregation and the wider community, and is available whenever needed.

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Bruhim Hanimtza’im is the common response to the welcoming phrase mentioned above. It literally means, “Blessed are those who are present.” This congregation truly is blessed in all that has been accomplished in the short time since its founding: the community has grown to about 50 households — more than 100 members; the members and friends who give so generously of their time, knowledge, and energy to create a spiritual home for all; the number and variety of programs and worship services that are offered — this is a vibrant, lively, welcoming community, and I am honored and blessed to be your rabbi!

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You have made a most impressive start in creating a kehillah kedoshah, a holy community. But such a community is not self-sustaining; it is an ongoing labor of love, and I am looking forward to joining you in that labor. Here are some of the ways I will be doing so: — Shabbat services will generally be offered on two Friday evenings each month, usually on the first and third Fridays. Keep an eye on the website calendar and on the weekly email reminders for any changes. —Torah study will be offered on Saturday mornings of the weekends when there is a service on Friday evening. On those Saturday mornings I will lead a short, somewhat more traditional Shabbat service, leading into the Torah study. Everyone is welcome to attend either the service, the study, or both. Again, please watch the calendar for when these services and study will begin. —A Rabbi’s blog, Divrei Hillel (“The Words of Hillel”) will appear on the TOH website on a regular basis. A link to the blog will appear on the TOH Facebook page and in the weekly email reminder. If you would like to subscribe to the blog to have it appear as an email in your inbox, there is an rss button on the blog page of the website to enable you to do so. (continued on the next page)

Rabbi Hillel. And, yes, that is Winnie the Pooh on his tie.

Photo by Pat Harris

We Need YOU at the TOH New West Fest Booth!

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We will be in Booth #220 (almost evenly divisible by 18) at the New West Fest on Aug. 15 and 16. Please sign up to staff the booth at: www.SignUpGenius.com/ go/ 10C0549ADA729AAFB6newwest/ You will have a great time, we promise!

Temple Or Hadash From Our Rabbi

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Fort Collins, Colorado

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—I will be leading the first Sunday Chat of each month, beginning August 30, 2015. The topic of the first Chat will be the idea of God in the Jewish tradition. I know this is a topic that many of us struggle with, so I am beginning a conversation about it before the High Holy Days. Please look at the first blog posting, which is now up on the website, for some suggested reading material which might help prepare us for that discussion. If you have requests or ideas for topics you would like me to cover in my Chats, please let me know! — Education at all age levels has always been a priority in Judaism. I will be working closely with Leah Schaer and Renee Cohn-Jones, the knowledgeable and talented directors of our Religious School, as we educate our young children. There will also be a post-B’nai Mitzvah class (sometimes called “Confirmation,” but we are looking for a more Jewish name for it), which I will lead, continuing the Jewish education of our “adults-intraining.” Life-long learning for adults will also be offered, in addition to the Sunday Chats. Stay tuned for details. Again, if there are particular classes you would like to be offered, please let me know!

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All of this is only a beginning! I am available to meet with anyone who wants to talk about the community, or has a question about our rich Jewish tradition. This invitation includes any of our community members and friends who came from some other — or no — faith background, and may have questions. My “office hours” are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, by appointment, since we do not have an office for walk-ins. The best way to reach me is by email at [email protected].

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Please do not hesitate to contact me, any member of your Board, or the members of the Rabbinic Liaison Committee: Chairman Mike Harris, and members Carol Roberts and Rachel Cassidy, with comments or concerns about our work together.

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Blessed be all of us, members and friends of this holy congregation, as we continue the work of building Jewish community in northern Colorado.

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L’Shalom, Rabbi Hillel

August 2015

Brooke’s Byline

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By President Brooke Freeman Lately there has been so much in the news that I could comment on: the Iran deal, the mass shootings, the racial tensions, the Aurora shooter conviction. I want my columns to bring meaning into your lives, to provide something to chew on. So I began mulling over which of the many tragedies I could discuss with you and what I might have to say that could be any different from what the pundits were already saying. Then, suddenly, it came to me. I took the lead from my son Gabe, and stopped focusing on all the negative things and tried to look for something positive.

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But had anything positive even happened out there in the world this month? If so, I certainly hadn’t seen it on any news broadcast. Is it any wonder I don’t watch the news around my children any more? You can’t turn on the television or a news site without seeing headlines full of acrimony and violence. As Rabbi Katzir once said, if we only looked at what the media presented, we would think that Israel was a constant war zone, with every Israeli and every Palestinian out to kill each other. It made me wonder if my whole perception, even my mood, could be affected by this constant barrage of negativity. If I am constantly confronted with all the bad news, am I being forced to spend so much time focusing on it that I am losing sight of all the wonder around me, of all the good things that I have? Is it skewing my view of our world?

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So I went on a hunt to see if I could find anything in the news that was positive. I was very surprised by what I found! Did you know that Japan has started turning abandoned golf courses into solar power plants? A teacher won $20,000 on a game show and bought every student in her school new shoes. There were amazing new pictures of Pluto, never-before-seen parts of our

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Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

Brooke’s Byline

(continued from page 2)

August 2015




solar system, released recently. A video went viral of a white police officer getting out of his car to dance in a yard with African-American children in Texas, just to have a moment of fun with them. These are just a few of the articles I found on a website called sunnysky.com.

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Now I am not suggesting that we should ignore the other news around us. In fact, quite the opposite. The news we are used to seeing should inspire us to strive for tikkun olam, to work harder to repair our world. But I wonder: if we saw as much of the positive on the news as we do of the strife and conflict, would this affect how we treat those around us? If we focused on happiness, gave some attention to those who are, in their own ways, repairing the world, would this help refill the coffers of kindness that the newsrooms would have us believe have run dry in our world? Could seeing acts of tikkun olam inspire others to perform acts of kindness and love?

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I don’t have the answers to these questions, and I am not the first to suggest this idea. But I am going to check that website each day to find at least one story about someone putting a little love back into the world. I am going to share what I find with my family. I am also going to reinstitute an old rule for my family: for every complaint you make about your day, you have to come up with three good things to say, as well. As one of my favorite authors would say, you must have a sweet for every sour.

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Perhaps in doing this, I may set a better example for my children and friends. Maybe by reminding myself of the good in this world, I will be inspired to act with kindness, especially as we enter into our High Holy Days season and a time of reflection. I hope I have given you a little food for thought for the coming weeks.

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The Torah

By Rabbi Eric Bram, z”l

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The Torah was written by your great-greatgrandfather or grandmother. It is not a book or five books (or six). The Torah is a letter written by someone in your family a long time ago, who did not know you by name, but knew you would come along. It was written by someone who loved you and wanted you to be from somewhere, to have some idea of what it is all about, to have some semblance of Faith and Optimism and Struggle and Meaning. The Torah is an inheritance, not a book. When you read Torah, you don’t read it like Tom Sawyer or Archie comics. You read Torah like a fragile handwritten letter addressed to you (using your Hebrew name on the envelope), which you found in your grandparents’ attic. You read it, not with your eyes, but with your heart. It’s a family treasure that God and Moses and 100 generations of your family made sure you got.

! Mazel Tov, Newlyweds!

Kim Langford and John Banker were married July 5, 2015, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Rabbi Emeritus Ted Stainman officiated at their outdoor wedding, and it looks as though their pet served as their flower dog! They spent their honeymoon riding their horses and camping throughout Colorado.

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We wish you many years of joy and happiness, Kim and John!

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

Don’t Throw Away that Old Tallit or Bible

August 2015

Genealogy Club Digs (Up) Ancestors

By Rabbi Hillel Katzir

By Adrienne Zoble

If you have an old tallit or tallis (prayer shawl), prayer book, Tanakh, mesusa, or other Jewish ritual object, the tradition is not to throw it in the trash, but to bury it, with respect.

Curious TOH members and friends were inspired to form a Genealogy Club in February, after a Sunday Chat by Barry Halpern of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Colorado (JGSC). At the first meeting, they struck ancestral gold. Adrienne Zoble, along with Carol Roberts, an advanced genealogist, and Marty Goldberg, computer wizard, each discovered a previouslyu n k n o w n f a m i l y m e m b e r, w i t h t h e h e l p o f

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I officiated at just such a ceremonial burial of ritual objects at my former congregation. A member who is a videographer made an excellent short film of the ceremony, which can be viewed online at https://vimeo.com/44274337.

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If you have such an item, please bring it to me; I will store it in what is called a geniza until we have enough items to bury.

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Interesting historical note: the Jewish community of Cairo, Egypt, stored such items, including letters and diaries, in a geniza, a large closet in their synagogue, over a 1,000-year period. In the 1890s, this treasure trove of Jewish history was discovered by European travelers. The items in the geniza were catalogued and studied by many scholars, including Solomon Schechter, one of the founders of the Conservative movement of Judaism, providing an incredibly rich peek at Jewish life in Egypt over those many centuries.




Some of the snoops (left to right): Ellen Kowitt, Barry Halpern, both of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Colorado; Carole Tuttle; and Carol Roberts (rear). Check out the noshes! If you’re hungry for mysteries, good company, and delicious food, show up at the next Genealogy Club meeting. ancestry.com. What excitement! It is difficult to describe the heady feeling of seeing an ancestor’s name in print for the first time!

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In April, thanks to Carol Roberts, we viewed a DVD from the Jewish Genealogical Conference on navigating our way around ancestry.com. What a treasure trove of information! In June, Ellen Kowitt, a past president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Colorado (JGSC), and Barry Halpern, current president of JGSC, shared expert tips and experiences with us. We are blessed to have them as generous resources.

! Partial contents of a geniza found in a Weisenau, Germany, synagogue in the late 1970s. In Judaism, the name of God is sacred, and writings or objects that contain God’s name must not be actively destroyed.

Beginning in September, we will resume our meetings in members’ homes to uncover information on our families, including when and how they emigrated to the U.S. We welcome members and friends of TOH, as well as unaffiliated friends. Contact Adrienne at 970.282.1160 for more information and to receive club mailings. We are waiting to welcome you!

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

Editor’s note: Every now and then, The Prism will publish stories, poems, and graphic art done by the children in our congregation. Please encourage your children to participate! They will love seeing their work in print, and so will our readers. We begin this new tradition with an article by 10-year-old Caleb Koeller, a son of Brooke Freeman and Chris Koeller. Thank you, Caleb!

Volcano Hamantaschen

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By Caleb Koeller

Have you ever changed a tradition and it turned out way better than expected? What if you turned something small into a giant Sumo-sized volcano? This is how I did both of those things and made a success. It all started when we woke up one day before Purim. “Time to get up for Sunday School,” said my mom. “Fine,” I said drowsily. It was 8:00, but I felt like it was only 1:00 in the morning. I knew I had to go, so, just like any other day, I changed clothes, brushed my teeth, and grabbed my green yarmulke and blue folders for Sunday School. The drive there felt quick. I was trying to sleep because I had stayed up until 1 a.m. playing Minecraft and other games. I was as tired as a koala that ate 50 pounds of eucalyptus.

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When we got there, we went onto the incredibly squishy couch and did the usual prayers: the bathroom prayer, waking up prayer, and the other ones. Prayers are when we sing blessings and give thanks for everything we have. Others just wake us up or are about people complaining. It wasn’t long before snack. As always, we had the usual fluffy challah, awesome grape juice, and double chocolate frosted doughnuts. We sang the Hagafen (grape juice), the Hamotzi (bread), and the other one I don’t remember. Then it was time to make the hamantaschen. We all dashed into the bathroom, washed our hands, and hurried into the art room to make the hamantaschen. These are triangular-shaped cookies that are filled with varieties of yummy jams. Just before we started, I asked, “Can we make one giant volcano hamantaschen and make tiny houses by the volcano?”

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You can probably guess what happened next. We rolled out our dough, opened the jam, and started. At first, we struggled to stand up the dough; that was when I suggested we reinforce it with more dough and jam. Once we were done making the volcano, we made tiny little houses. For those hamantaschen, we made them in a variety of colors: blue, purple, red, orange, and more! Now came the fun part. FLOODING THEM ALL WITH RED JAM! We used every bottle of red jam and made it look like it was a volcano. The orange houses were now red, the purple and blue houses were also red, and so was everything else. The jam had many clumps of fruit in it. I feel like the more clumps, the better.

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Can you guess what my favorite part was? I think we all know it was eating it. When I took a bite out of the volcano, jam bursted into the open. “Its wrath is not over!” I said while laughing. After that, we did a play (I was Haman) and every time they said my name, everyone shouted, “BOOOOOOOOOO!” They shouted boo because Haman was a man who tried to get everyone killed. Some people are just cruel! Last, we told a story about Haman and went home.

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Do you celebrate Purim? If so, try to make a volcano hamantaschen better that ours. I dare you…that is, if you think you can beat ours. I have made myself quite clear that making a volcano hamantaschen was the best day of my life! Through this experience I learned that sometimes you should just change a tradition sometimes just for fun.

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

Come, Let Us Learn

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Prepared by Rabbi Hillel Katzir

For the week ending:

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Torah Teachings for August, 2015

August 1 TORAH: Va’etchanan, Deut. 23-7:11 This portion includes the Shema, the six words in Hebrew that are the most basic declaration of the Jewish faith, and can be translated as: “Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, and only Adonai.” HAFTARAH: Isaiah 40:1-26 After Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of the Temples, this is the first of seven “Haftarot of Consolation” leading up to the High Holy Days, during which we seek forgiveness of our sins, and a better relationship with God. August 8 TORAH: Ekev, Deut. 7:12-11:25 At 9:6, Moses criticizes the Jewish People as “stiff-necked” for defying God in building the Golden Calf, among other incidents. Some commentators see this trait as positive, enabling us to survive persecutions and to remain Jewish for so many centuries. HAFTARAH; Isaiah 49:14-51:3 This second “Haftarah of Consolation” promises that those who “seek the Lord” will be sustained by God for a better future. The Prophet encourages the Jews to model themselves on “Abraham your father” and on “Sarah who brought you forth” (51:1-2). August 15 TORAH: Re’eh, Deut. 11:26-16:17 Just before the Israelites are to cross the Jordan River into their own land, Moses encourages them to follow God’s teachings, rather than what seems right in their own eyes, so that “it will go well with you” in their own Land. HAFTARAH: Isaiah 54:11-55.5 Isaiah continues to comfort the People with the words of the third “Haftarah of Consolation,” promising that God will make with them “an everlasting covenant, the enduring loyalty promised to David” (55:3). August 22 TORAH: Shoftim, Deut. 16:18-21:9 The famous saying, “Justice, justice, you shall pursue…”(16:20) appears near the beginning of this portion. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminded us that we should not delegate the concern for justice to the judges, “as if it were a matter for professionals or specialists; but to do justice is what God demands” of everyone. HAFTARAH: Isaiah 51:12-52:12 As we enter the month Elul, the month preceding Rosh HaShana, the Prophet calls, “Awake, awake, O Zion, and clothe yourself in splendor (52:1). Soon, at the New Year, we will once gain enthrone God as our Sovereign, as we do every year. August 29 TORAH: Ki Tetse, Deut. 21:10-25:19 This portion includes a long series of instructions on how to live “normal” moments of our lives in ways that will remind us of the presence of God in even the most mundane of activities. HAFTARAH: Isaiah 54:1-10 In this fifth “Haftarah of Consolation,” the Prophet promises us that, regardless of all our faults and our mistakes, “the Lord will take you back in love” (54:10).

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

Natalie Goes to Camp By Carol Roberts ! ! We sent our cantorial soloist, Natalie Fields, packing.

Yep, all the way to the Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI), the regional Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) camp in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Twice. Or Hadash sponsored both trips because our Board decided that Natalie is such a talented and permanent member of our clergy that we wanted her to attend the URJ programs to enhance her contributions to our congregation.

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Hava Nashira (Let Us Sing Together)

At the end of May, Natalie attended Hava Nashira, the annual song leading and music workshop. More than 250 song leaders, cantorial soloists, cantors, and lay leaders attended this five-day program to improve their skills. They learned from the finest Jewish music innovators and composers. The late Debbie Friedman was one of the founders of Hava Nashira.

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Natalie said that classes filled the days from morning to night. Subjects included planning a service (“What does the congregation need from me?”), how to conduct the congregation in singing, how to engage the members, and how to teach a new song or melody, while keeping the flow of the service. She noted that music is becoming more dominant in Reform services, and also helps the congregation feel engaged. Watch for Natalie’s new and expanded musical repertoire, coming soon!

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Had’rachah (Seminar for Lay Leaders)

In early July Natalie returned to Oconomowoc for Had’rachah, an annual four-day program to train lay leaders, especially those in small congregations. She and Prism editor Sherry Gardner (who attended just because she wanted to learn) were among the 16 participants in this intense program that had a 5:1 teacher:student ratio. Many rabbis who were attending other camp programs also taught the Had’rachah students. The participants, who had various levels of skills and experience, learned to create and lead services and officiate at life cycle events, such as a brit milah, shiva minyan, and funerals. No, she did not learn how to do a circumcision. Classes also included exercises in preparing d’vrei Torah and the art of keeping the weekly Torah portion fresh and relevant.

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Natalie remarked, “There was NO free time!” In addition to the seminars and classes, the students attended services twice each day with the younger campers at OSRUI. (Many different types of camps meet on the enormous site simultaneously.) The services were led by visiting rabbis, song leaders, and the campers. One service was completely in Hebrew. Most were outdoors, and some were more traditional, others more musical.

Scenes from the Had’rachah, July, 2015

An important memory for Natalie is her interview with another participant, in which she gathered information for a eulogy for a relative. As Natalie later presented her eulogy, describing the loved one beautifully and with love, the participant had tears in her eyes. Natalie said the program gave her “the confidence to do things I didn’t know I had the authority or ability to do. My confidence level went way up!” She is very grateful to TOH for encouragement and support for these programs. And, in case you wondered, the only things a lay leader can’t do are weddings and conversions.

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

Todah Rabah to tireless Carole Tuttle for organizing, planning, shopping for, and coordinating our Onegs. She keeps our closet stocked with wine, paper goods, Kiddush cup, serving trays, silverware, and everything else required for a tasty Oneg. She also makes uncountable numbers of phone calls, asking people to host our lovely Onegs. Did you know that you can dedicate your Oneg in memory or in honor of someone? It is a sweet way to honor a loved one, or someone who is celebrating a wonderful event. Please call Carole and offer to host an Oneg soon.

Todah Rabah!

That wonderful expression, which we should all say more often, means, “Thank you very much!” Every month we will publish a list of people and blessings for which we are thankful, as a congregation and individually. Please keep your eyes open for people you want to thank, and then send me your submissions at [email protected]. TODAH RABAH!

Rabbi Hillel is thankful that Mary Leach of Fort Collins saw what she was sure was a “Jewish ritual garment” at a rummage sale, bought it, and then called him so that it would be treated with proper respect. He saw immediately that it was a tallit, and, on closer inspection, it turned out to be a tallit for “Hebrew Christians,” or “Messianic Jews.” It will be treated with respect, and we thank Mary for caring.

Todah rabah to Natalie Fields for continuing her religious education, which will benefit our congregation greatly.

Todah rabah to Dr. Peter and Lynnette Jung Springberg for their generous support of many civic organizations in Fort Collins. Many of us have enjoyed attending plays, concerts, and presentations that they have quietly supported, and we are the richer for these experiences.


 Todah rabah to the following people who have made donations to TOH:

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To the General Fund

Burt and Iola Dolgin in memory of Robert Cohen, Norman Cohen’s brother Carole Tuttle in memory of family and friends Renee Cohn Jones and Tim Jones Eric and Susan Weber Alan and Laurie Sneider Leonard and Robin Gurin, with thanks for taking such good care of Ben Peter and Lynnette Jung Springberg Mike and Pat Harris

! To the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund ! ! Mike and Pat Harris

Editor’s note: This list may not be inclusive, so if you have made a recent donation, please notify me so I can include you in the September Prism.

Book Club News

Put on your reading glasses; you still have time to finish Sweet Dates in Basra by Jessica Jiji. The next meeting of the TOH Book Club will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 20, 2015, at Carol Roberts’s home. We will also be voting on books we’d like to read, beginning in September. All members are welcome. Call Carol for directions to her home. As always, there will be tasty noshes.

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

Join our Congregation at the largest Jewish gathering in North America!

#URJBiennial

Aug. 1 Aug. 5 Aug. 5 Aug. 7 Aug. 7 Aug. 7 Aug. 7 Aug. 16 Aug. 17

Happy Anniversary!

Carrick Eggleston Sarah Strauss John & Leah Schaer Marty & Patzi Goldberg Lisa Kleinerman Sean Young

By President Brooke Freeman

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The Biennial will be held in Orlando Nov. 4-8, 2015. Imagine how wonderful it would be for our new rabbi to be fully immersed in one of the Reform movement’s pinnacle events! He will see the URJ in action, connect with other Reform rabbis, and attend numerous seminars and worship services. The price tag is high, so we hope you all will consider contributing to Rabbi Hillels’s registration and travel expenses. Please see our website for information on how to contribute. Todah rabah!

Happy Birthday!

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Help Send Rabbi Hillel to the URJ Biennial

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urj.org/biennial

Frank Deming Diane Hunter Laurie Kolsin Patzi Goldberg Jim Hunter Mike Jones Lynnette Jung Springberg Aaron VanMetre Alanna Jones

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August 2015

Aug. 2 Aug. 2 Aug. 6 Aug. 11 Aug. 18 Aug. 18

August Yahrzeits

May their memories be a blessing.

John Brock Sandra Esken John Margolin Errol Gadol Kevin McGuire Elsie Stamper Annette Hochberg Aaron Mazin Harlan Simon White Dr. Robert Strauss Norman Berman Marion Skelskie Girves Stamper

Chris Grabish’s father Marcy Silverstein’s sister Marcy Silverstein’s father Simone Dickstein’s cousin Donna Schwall’s friend Rick Grabish’s grandmother Donna Schwall’s grandmother Robin VanMetre’s father Gerald & Elaine Weiss’s son Sarah Strauss’s father Simone Dickstein’s uncle Judi Deming’s mother Rick Grabish’s grandfather

The Prism Editorial Staff

Sherry Gardner, Editor in Chief [email protected] Rachel Cassidy and Carol Roberts, Reporters Pat Harris and Joel Stein, Photographers




Mi Sheberach

If you or someone you know needs our healing prayers or assistance, please notif y Carol Roberts at 970.672.8140. Pat Harris is managing our collection of medical equipment, so call her if you would like to borrow something. Her phone number is 314.406.8832.

TOH Board of Trustees Brooke Freeman, President Willie Portilla, Vice President Marty Goldberg, Treasurer Courtney Henderson, Secretary Leonard Abels Sherry Gardner Mike Harris Marcy Silverstein Alan Sneider Adrienne Zoble

Temple Or Hadash, P.O. Box 272953, Ft. Collins, CO 80527. Phone 970.407.7896. [email protected] [email protected] http://www.templeorhadash.org

Temple Or Hadash

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 2015

GO, COURTNEY!!!! ROCK THE IRONMAN AUGUST 2!!!!!!!