What a wonderful time we all had at our Temple Beth Hillel Beit Cafe! It was a fun, temple-spirited, community-building night!

Thank you to all who made this event so successful:
The members of the Beit Cafe Committee: Ana Pearl, Rebecca Chaimovitch, Becky McCann, Lisa Wolf and "yours truly"; all of our talented performers, singers, dancers, poets, actors, the creative videos and choreographic assistance; Ralph Patterson for donating his amazing keyboard accompanying talent; and those who helped to promote this temple event, including Neil Patterson's fabulous flyer/poster design; those who sold advance tickets; business card ads; all the behind-the-scenes preparations and arrangements and setting up; Marilyn Toback-Reveley and Bill Reveley for lending us the microphone from their bluegrass band "Grass Routes"; all those who baked or brought baked goods (the goodies table looked spectacular!); Lisa and Rachel Wolf and Ceil Gersten for helping to sell them; and Len Grigorian for donating pizza from the South Windsor Arena. This event would not have been possible without the involvement of each of them and others who lent a helping hand that night! We are grateful for all of the support we received.

Special thanks, too, to Rabbi Glickman and our Temple president, Stan Goldberg for all their support. We cannot forget Karen Kasheta for all her help in the office with selling advance tickets, collecting money, answering phone and email inquiries and for her overall enthusiasm and general support of ALL the activities at TBH!
.
Each of us has our own great memories of our first-ever TBH Beit Café. Thank you to David Kaplan for video-recording the evening so the entire Temple family can view clips of it online at www.templebethhillel.info.

Even though it's early, I'm looking forward to our TBH Adult Choir rehearsals, coming up soon, in preparation for the High Holidays.

Hope to see you at temple over the summer!

Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler

Cantor Mekler

Click here for a flyer on the Women's Weekend 

Choir for the Women's Weekend

2 SHABBATOT OF CHANUKAH@ TEMPLE BETH HILLEL

Come celebrate on Friday evenings: December 11^th AND December 18^th both SHABBATOT OF CHANUKAH at TBH!

Friday evening, December 11th, is the first night of Chanukah and the first of 2 Shabbatot of Chanukah. I’ve been rehearsing our Religious School children, some of our teens and the TBH Adult Choir to sing extra special Chanukah music. Bring your friends, neighbors and children of all ages. Come sing with us and together we’ll begin the celebration of this festive holiday.

On the second Shabbat of Chanukah, December 18^th, which is the 8th night of Chanukah we’ll join together, again, with a potluck Shabbat dinner and the Finale of our Religious School elective program.

The services begin, as usual, at 7:30 p.m. Come celebrate Chanukah at TBH!!

URJ BIENNIAL IN TORONTO: A GREAT SUCCESS!!

It was so fabulous spending 5 days with 10 other folks (one of whom was my husband, Marc) from Temple Beth Hillel at the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial convention in Toronto. No doubt, our temple had one of the largest representations of any in attendance. Great seminars, workshops, music, worship services, professional and social connections and cameraderie! Ask us about it. Seriously consider putting the next URJ Biennial on your calendar for 2011 in Washington, D.C.!

Now’s your chance….

MEN AND WOMEN OF TBH: If you’ve been anxiously waiting a whole year to join our Temple Beth Hillel Adult Choir now’s your chance! Rehearsals for the High Holidays will begin on Wednesday, August 26th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Details below). We especially need more male voices! So far there are 3 men and a few women singing tenor.

TBH MEN & WOMEN: The Temple Beth Hillel Adult Choir is open to YOU who love to sing (a solo quality voice is definitely not required). Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler started our choir for the High Holidays of 2008. The TBH Adult Choir is an enthusiastic, wonderful group of singers! Again, this invitation is for TBH MEN AND WOMEN! Continue reading for more information; start warming up your voice, then email Cantor Mekler at to let her know you'd like to join.

To Join the Choir:
1. One should have a pleasant singing voice and stay on pitch (choral experience preferred, but not necessary);
2. You don't need to read music (we'll go over the parts a lot);
3. You don't have to read Hebrew (all the words are written in transliteration and I'll help you sound it out).

The High Holiday Rehearsal Schedule: (NOTE: only 4 rehearsals for Rosh Hashanah, so attendance is crucial):

Wednesday evenings from 7-9 pm
August 26th September 2,9,16 and 23

The opportunity is here for you right in your own backyard. All you have to do its email to RSVP (and ask questions, if you'd like) and tell Cantor what voice part you sing. Hope to hear from you right now!

At Temple Beth Hillel, especially during the month of April, Jewish music could be heard from the depths of our temple soul inside and out! We began with our first ever Friday Night Live service (join us for the next FNL on May 22nd). The very next week we welcomed our new Torah from B’nai Jacob with wandering klezmer musicians playing OUTSIDE in the street from the Glickman’s house to the temple and 7 times round the center of the parking lot. Then INSIDE, we were greeted to the lively instrumental ensemble in the lobby and during the service. We also heard vocal music from our TBH Adult Choir and also a trio of teens, as well as “yours truly”. The entire Shabbat evening was filled with great enthusiasm and ruach (spirit) from our own congregation, B’nai Jacob and many, many guests from all over Connecticut and Massachusetts. It was a celebration to behold and experience!

Now it’s May and the flowers of springtime treat us to a spectacular display of colors and textures to please the eye. At TBH, the effervescence of MUSICAL blossoms will continue to delight our ears and uplift our hearts and souls.

Please join us to hear the 70 voices of 3 combined choirs singing together on Sunday, May 3rd at 3 p.m. for our 3-Choir Choral Concert. Each choir will present its own program, as well. Hopefully, you’ve already become a sponsor or contributed in some way to benefit our new Music Fund. Tickets can be purchased at TBH, as follows:

General Seating
Adults: $10
Seniors/Students ; $8
Four Tickets: $36

See you on May 3rd!

 This month's notes are so special you'll have to click here to see them!

THE BEST PURIM EVER !!!
ALL AGES WELCOME from 5 to 105 years old

COME JOIN US!!
MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 9TH, 2009 @ 7 p.m.
@ Temple Beth Hillel

Stay-tuned for the best Purim you’ve EVER experienced! You will NOT want to miss seeing
Rabbi Glickman as……… Cantor Mekler as……..AND many, many of your TBH friends, neighbors
and Religious School children, plus members of our Temple Beth Hillel Adult Choir
like you’ve never seen us before! Come hear the Megillah read and the story
told like you’ve never heard or seen it before!!
You won’t forget THIS story!

“The Sound of Shushan” is an original adaptation of the Purim story. The musical parodies,
by “yours truly”, are written to some of your favorite songs from “The Sound of Music”.
We welcome you to sing along! JOIN US!

******************************

SAVE THE DATE

The First Ever

THREE CHOIRS IN CONCERT
@
Temple Beth Hillel

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 @ 3 p.m.

This concert is to benefit the TBH Music Fund.
Please be generous and help support our Temple’s music program.

“Shabbat Shira/Shabbat of Song”

“Shabbat Shirah”, Sabbath of Song, occurs on the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat which, this year, corresponds to February 7, 2009. “Shabbat Shira” derives its name from the portion in the Book of Exodus (B’Shalach) in which we read “Shirat Hayam”, the Song of the Sea. In this famous story the Israelites are finally liberated from Egyptian bondage. They reach the shores of the Sea of Reeds, Moses raises his staff and miraculously parts the waters. The Israelites cross through the dry land between the walls of the waters to safety.

After years of slavery, suffering and misery, we can hardly imagine how they must have felt to be free. They praised G-d in song led by Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. They sang the well-known text from this portion, Michamocha baelim Adonai, mi kamocha nedar bakodesh, norah t’hilot osey feleh”, “who is like you, G-d, among the gods that are worshipped” and ends with “”Adonai yimloch l’olam vaed”, G-d will reign forever and ever.” We hear this portion also on the seventh day of Pesach, when we read about the exodus from Egypt.

It is such an important passage that the text is chanted with its own special chant and the congregation stands to hear it, as we stood at the shores of the sea.
We, at Temple Beth Hillel, are here for each other in times of joy and times of sorrow. May we serve as a microcosm for our fellow Jews in the world. Kol Yisrael arevim zeh ba-zeh. All Jews are responsible one for the other. The Jews of the world must sustain and strengthen one another. We are strong when we stand together!

Kein Y’hi Ratzon. May this be Gd’s will.

TEMPLE BETH HILLEL IS ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!

SAVE THE DATE!
PURIM 5769!
Monday, March 9, 2009

COME ONE, COME ALL!

The Purim story like you’ve never seen or heard it before!!

SAVE THE DATE

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 @ 3 p.m.

FIRST ANNUAL TBH MUSICAL FESTIVAL
(Yet to be formally named!)

If you’ve enjoyed the music at Temple Beth Hillel during the past few months share your enthusiasm by helping it to continue. We are now announcing plans for the first annual TBH music festival to benefit our new TBH Music Fund. This is a very exciting fundraising opportunity to help support our music program. Consider being one of the Underwriters, Benefactors or Patrons and/or sponsor a song dedicated in honor or memory of a loved one. Won’t it be wonderful to share a musical concert of Jewish music with family and friends at our own Temple Beth Hillel? Great gift idea: Buy tickets for them! Help spread the word, near and far, about this thrilling TBH event.

The participants will be singers from 3 Jewish choirs in Massachusetts and Connecticut: Mak’hela, the Jewish Chorus of Western Massachusetts; Connecticut Z’mirah Chorale, comprised of singers from throughout the state; and our own Temple Beth Hillel Adult Choir!

Please contribute generously, in any way you can, to help us reach our goal. More details will be forthcoming in subsequent Bulletins and Temple emails.
COME SING WITH OUR TBH ADULTCHOIR for this event!!
1. You will need to have a pleasant singing voice and stay on pitch (choral experience preferred, but not necessary);
2. You don’t have to read music (we’ll go over the parts at lot);
3. You don’t have to read Hebrew (all the words are written in transliteration and I’ll help you sound it out)
So, the opportunity is here for you right in your own backyard. All you have to do is email or call me to say “yes” (and ask questions, if you’d like) and tell me what voice part you sing.
Please contact Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler at cantortbh@gmail.com or 413-531-8706 to inquire further, express interest and then find out when, in January, our Wednesday night rehearsals will begin for this event. CALL TODAY since rehearsals will begin in just a few weeks!!

A NOTE from Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler

Do you have old Judaica 78 rpm phonograph recordings, LP albums, cassette tapes, 8-track tapes, 45 rpm recordings, or CDs lying around your house that are not being listened to? Here’s a little background information on where to send them to a new wonderful home.

In 2006 I had a fascinating and fulfilling time on sabbatical assisting with a relatively new project called Judaica Sound Archives (JSA) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, FL. The Judaica Sound Archives is “an internationally recognized major center for the collection and preservation of Judaica sound recordings.” Since its inception in 2002 JSA has matured from a small collection of 78 rpm records to over 60,000 titles in its inventory” which include, for example, Jewish popular music, Yiddish Theater, comedy, children’s music, classical music, Israeli folk, Cantorial, and Sephardic music recorded as early as 1901. A passionate team of volunteers and a few professional individuals organize, categorize and digitize old LP’s and 78’s of Jewish content, Jewish artists, or Jewish composers.

A great deal of the music in the JSA collection at FAU can be heard on the website at www.fau.edu/jsa, which continues to grow rapidly as more music is digitized. However, much of the collection is protected by copyright so it is not available over the internet. However, the following is some of what they’ve created.

JSA has been increasing FAU’s visibility and strengthening its image among Jewish communities around the country and the world. The plan was to create off-site access to the digital resources of the Judaica Sound Archives at FAU through a dedicated computer terminal to be used specifically and ONLY for scholarly research. One of my responsibilities as a volunteer was to contact Jewish Music Libraries, for example, at Hebrew Union College, Jewish Theological Seminary and other Jewish music libraries across the country and in Europe to try to encourage each to house a dedicated research computer from JSA as an off-site extension of the FAU Libraries. I was able to arrange a tour of JSA with Cantor Bruce Rubin, who is the Director of the School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College, and another colleague in order that they would hopefully see the value of the research station in the school library for cantors and rabbis.

While I was assisting at JSA I had the joy of listening to hundreds of selections. Another one of my responsibilities was to choose a snippet from various recordings that is heard when the listener “clicks on” to search the website, as an example of the various artists and genres that are available. My ears were treated to voices and music that touched my heart and my soul. My dear father (z”l) would have LOVED the experience.

Now you, too, can enjoy some of this experience. Try it!! Click onto www.fau.edu/jsa. ALSO, check out the bottom of the page on the following link http://faujsa.fau.edu/jsa/partnerlinks.php. You’ll see a familiar name and link to our own TBH webpage in the middle square!!

When you go through your own personal collection in your attic, den or basement then click on http://faujsa.fau.edu/jsa/send_records.php and you’ll find out how to pack up and donate them to JSA. In fact, take it a step further and make a tax-deductible monetary contribution to JSA. The information is also on the website.

There were so many wonderful, upbeat, devoted people with whom I worked. It was an experience of a lifetime!

What a spiritually uplifting and festive experience it was to share the High Holiday season at TBH!! It was a pleasure to hear you sing and raise your voices in holiness.

I was so proud of all of the following people who helped to make it so: our new TBH Choir*; our high school girls, who’s harmony and sweet singing warmed our hearts; Mindy-Lu Radler Glickman who treated us to her impressive flute accompaniment; and our Kol Nidre cellist, Longmeadow High School senior Alexa Ciciretti (I prepared her and her sister each for becoming a Bat Mitzvah!). I would also like to publicly thank our talented, dependable accompanist, Ralph C. Patterson, for sharing his gifts with TBH. He helped to make the musical portions of the service not only flow smoothly, but added SO much depth and spirituality to our worship. Last, but not least, it was my pleasure to share the bima and lead services with Rabbi Jeff Glickman. I enjoy the imagery and metaphors he uses in his sermons that help to explain and impress his message upon the listener. I appreciate his warmth and sincerity on and off the bima. TBH is blessed to have him for our rabbi and teacher.

The following are the names, in addition to those mentioned above, of those who participated in the musical portions of our services:

*TBH CHOIR MEMBERS

SOPRANO                   ALTO                    TENOR                   BASS          
Rebecca Chaimovitch       Marlene Abrahamson      Leslie Cohen            Marc Cohen
Marjorie Hutensky         Alison Clark            Emily Olsen             Rich MacGregor
Janet Miller              Mindy Radler Glickman   Marilyn Toback-Reveley  Bill Reveley 
Becky McCann              Nancy Gordon                                    Herb Shook  
Darlene Sternberg         Stefanie MacGregor
Lisa Wolf                 Bea Norman 
                          Teri Parrot
                          Ana Pearl
                          Sue Weinman  
    
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: Lindsay Ketaineck, Julie Finke, Melissa McCann

Thank you, one and all! Stay-tuned for more music at Temple Beth Hillel!!

L’hitraot! See you soon!
Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler

Cantors Mekler, Berke Co-Recipients of National Hadassah Award

On September 18th the Greater Springfield Chapter of Hadassah held its annual Donor Dinner at Temple Beth El in Springfield, MA (which happens to be the temple where I was raised!). This year’s dinner celebrated Israel’s 60th birthday with guest speaker Leah Reicin, Hadassah's Israeli Women of Distinction Chair, a member of the National Board of Hadassah's Executive Committee and a former national vice president.

The following is a partial description from www.MassLive.com of the rest of the program which featured “…a special musical presentation by Cantors Emily Sleeper Mekler and Elizabeth Berke, who created Hadassah's award-winning program, "Hadassah Presents: A Jewish Music Celebration for Seniors”.

The Greater Springfield Chapter was recognized by National Hadassah with the 2008 Hannah Goldberg Award for Excellence in Education for this program. Sue Polansky, Hadassah Life Member, past chair of the chapter's Keepers of the Gate, and the original inspiration of this program, accepted this prestigious award at the National Hadassah Convention in Los Angeles this summer.

Mekler and Berke, both Hadassah Life Members, created the creative music program that was piloted at Ruth's House, an assisted living facility in Longmeadow, this past spring. Residents of Ruth's House were invited to participate in this five-session program that used Jewish music to evoke memories and discussion about their own Jewish identity and background.” 

Our presentation at the Donor Dinner was very well received! Also, in attendance to lend support were some of the residents from Ruth House, the assisted living facility where we piloted the program. This award is an exciting and distinguished honor for the Greater Springfield Chapter of Hadassah!

“Come here, I will show you a new way to the Creator
 – not through speech, but through song!
Let us sing and Heaven will understand us.”
- Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

At this writing, we are creating a Temple Beth Hillel choir of currently 20 people. You will soon hear the harmony and blending of their voices as they sing the words and music of our High Holiday liturgy. There is a time to listen and there is also a time to sing. I pray that you will feel uplifted and inspired with the majesty of the prayers and the music you will hear from the bima to join together in raising your own voice in prayer and singing. Remember:

“Use what talents you possess
The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.”
- Henry Van Dyke

I pray that, during the coming year, each of us will reach new spiritual heights through our sharing of worship and singing together.

Shana Tova um’tukah, a good and a sweet New Year 5768, from my family to each of yours, 

                           Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler

“When people sing together, community is created… Through music, we reach each others hearts and souls. Music allows us to find a connection…“
Peter Yarrow

Last weekend I worshipped with you for the first time officially as Cantor of Temple Beth Hillel. It was a warm, welcoming and uplifting experience for me! I feel very comfortable sharing the bima with Rabbi Glickman and it was a joy to hear you sing with me.
Shabbat eve I began the service by leading the congregation in the singing of the well known round, Hine Ma Tov with the assistance of Nancy Gordon and Rebecca Chaimovitch. Later in the service Rebecca and I sang a lovely duet after the Silent Prayer. Cantor Susan Levine (my friend and colleague and newly married to TBH’s President Stan Goldberg) surprised me by attending the service. We sang a duet of a stunning version of Misheberach by Cantor Lisa Levine.
Shabbat morning I attended the more intimate 9 am service and at 10 am I was very impressed by Richie Chernack’s participation in the service and his excellent Torah reading, as a Bar Mitzvah, as he had done the evening before. It was very special to see many invitees in attendance who I knew from the Springfield community.

So, now it’s YOUR turn to sing with me. I am delighted to report that, already, we have 14 folks signed up to sing in our TBH High Holiday Choir. There is always room for more...YOU!! Of course, we want to hear everyone singing in prayer from the seats in the sanctuary, however, the spirituality and warmth of our services will be that much MORE enhanced by this choir and YOUR voice in it:

Calling ALL Beth Hillel MEN & WOMEN who love to sing (a solo quality voice definitely not required). The moment you’ve been waiting for is here!! No need to just sing in the shower or the car, anymore. Now, you can dry off or turn off the ignition and “come out” and sing with others at Temple Beth Hillel. Wouldn’t you just love to sing some prayers in harmony with other congregants at our High Holiday services this year? How about eventually preparing for a fundraiser to benefit the music program at TBH? Again, this invitation is for women AND men. We will definitely need “a few good men”. Start warming up your voice to get ready!
Continue reading this article, then immediately email me ( CantorTBH@gmail.com ) or call me (413-531-8706) to tell me you’ll join me for 6 rehearsals for the High Holidays (Rosh Hashana begins Monday evening: September 29th.)

Wednesday Evenings From 7:00 PM- 8:30 PM:
August 20, 27
September 3, 10, 17, 24
NOTE: Since there are so few rehearsals attendance is very important.

Here’s the scoop:
1. You will need to have a pleasant singing voice and stay on pitch (choral experience preferred, but not necessary);
2. you don’t have to read music (we’ll go over the parts at lot);
3. you don’t have to read Hebrew (all the words are written in transliteration and I’ll help you sound it out)

So, the opportunity is here for you right in your own backyard. All you have to do is email or call me to say “yes” (and ask questions, if you’d like) and tell me what voice part you sing. If Wednesdays are not good let me know that, too. If there are many others who prefer a different night perhaps we can try to change it.

Hope to see an email from you or talk to you soon!